by Stewart Padveen

Inside the body, there is a complex chain reaction called cellular regeneration that constantly is taking place. Approximately every six weeks, the top layer of skin sheds, and a new layer appears. The health and appearance of this new skin depends directly on what people eat, drink and even breathe.

Since many foods we eat and the air we breathe contain harmful substances, healthy cells inside our bodies can become damaged by free radicals. This can lead to many skin problems such as loss of skin tone, saggy skin around the eyes, cheeks, and neck, dry or oily skin, acne, puffiness, and large pores.

By changing the diet, one actually can see a visible improvement in looks and the skin. Adding certain essential nutrients to the diet can help reduce the appearance of sagging skin, wrinkles, puffiness, acne, oiliness and even dry skin, giving the appearance of tighter, softer and younger-looking skin. Contours around the cheekbones and jaw line even can be increased.

However, in order to consume adequate amounts of these essential nutrients, a person would need to eat salmon at least twice a day, several cups of nuts, several plates of fruits and vegetables, and drink about five glasses of red wine—every single day.

And some of the most essential nutrients required for skin health are not found in the foods people normally eat. That is why it is so important to supplement a daily diet with powerful nutrients and antioxidants for long-term skin health.

Unlike traditional skincare products that only treat problems on the surface of the skin, dietary supplements work at the cellular level to help stimulate and promote the skin’s restoration.

Some of the most important “skin nutrients” to add to a daily diet include: purified Norwegian salmon oil with omega-3 fatty acids; full-spectrum natural vitamin E with d-alpha, d-gamma and d-delta tocopherols; DMAE (dimethylaminoethanol); GLA (gamma linolenic acid); hyaluronic acid; acetyl L-carnitine; alpha lipoic acid; CoQ10; red wine extract; grape seed extract; beta carotene; vitamin B complex; vitamin C; vitamin D; vitamin K; and essential minerals including selenium, magnesium and zinc. All of these nutrients can help stimulate cell renewal and bring back the glow and softness of healthy, younger-looking skin.

Dietary supplements can be used alone or in conjunction with any existing skincare regimen to enhance results. Users don’t have to change a thing they’re already doing for their skin. Adding the proper “skin nutrients” to a daily diet can provide health and immunity support as a side benefit.

Recent studies have shown that alpha lipoic acid, acetyl L-carnitine and red wine extract in particular have anti-aging properties. Antioxidants such as vitamin C long have been known to combat free radicals that lead to skin damage.

One of the best supplements people can add to their diet is a daily multivitamin. However, most daily multivitamins do not contain enough of the U.S. recommended daily allowance in just one capsule, so shop carefully.

Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in certain fish oils, have become popular recently—as studies find cultures that consume large amounts of fish tend to look younger and live longer than cultures that do not consume fish regularly.

There have been studies that suggest omega-3 fatty acids tend to increase the level of HDL (the good cholesterol) and reduce the amount of LDL (the bad cholesterol). Many people also credit omega-3 fish oils with reducing dryness in their skin and increasing the softness and glow of their skin.

But be selective when buying fish oil, since not all fish oils are created equally. Many commercial fish oils are high in heavy metals such as mercury or even PCBs. One rule of thumb to follow is the larger the fish, the higher the contaminant levels. Salmon oil tends to be among the best, since it has the highest concentration of omega-3s and the lowest amount of contaminants. It also is very important to consume only ocean-water fish, not farm-raised fish, since most farm-raised fish, even salmon, tend to have higher levels of PCBs and other contaminants.

Flax seed oil also can be beneficial; however, it is highly caloric and generally has a much lower concentration of omega-3s than fish oil. Users of flax seed oil should be prepared to watch their waistline expand a little.

Vitamin E recently has come into the public eye after a study suggested it may have some negative consequences. It also should be noted that many studies have shown that vitamin E has many benefits, including the supporting of skin health. While many people have been taking vitamin E for years without any negative consequences, it is always advisable to speak to a doctor or healthcare provider prior to taking any dietary supplements.

While there is no better way to improve health, immunity and skin through a proper diet with lots of fruits, vegetables and water, and low in fat, refined carbohydrates (such as sugars and breads) and sodium, it is difficult for most to follow in a rigorous daily schedule. Therefore, dietary supplementation can be a great way for many people to improve their nutritional intake, which can result in improved health and a healthy glow of the skin.

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