PHOTOGRAPH TRUNK ARCHIVE
Q: Beauty and good health go hand in hand: both depend significantly on diet and lifestyle practices. Skin problems are the result of chronic inflammation that may otherwise be imperceptible. Inflammation is the cornerstone of the body’s natural healing response, directing immune activity and other resources to areas of the body that have been damaged or are under attack. Usually, the inflammatory response is limited to a specific location and ends when healing is complete. When inflammation persists or develops inappropriately, however, it can damage otherwise healthy cells and tissues, including the skin. The focus of a good skincare programme should be incorporating dietary and lifestyle measures that help minimise the root cause of degenerative changes to the skin – chronic inflammation.
Follow an anti-inflammatory pattern of eating with a wide variety of antioxidant-rich, brightly coloured fruits and vegetables (preferably organic); wholegrains and other slow-digesting carbohydrates; fatty cold-water fish, for their anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids; vegetable sources of protein, such as beans, lentils and fermented whole soy products, which contain healthier fats and fewer toxins than most animal proteins; and seeds and nuts (see drweil.com/drw/u/ART02012/anti-inflammatory-diet).