Eat Fresh

Eat Fresh

The ¡°back to basics¡± common sense approach to beauty goes along with natural foods and the ¡°natural healing¡± approach to medicine. And like the standard prescription for health, obtaining and maintaining a beautiful complexion first depends on a diet of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains, minimizing the intake of processed foods and sugar, plus exercise, ample pure water, fresh air and sufficient rest. If stress isn¡¯t good for you, it isn¡¯t going to be good for your skin, either.

Beulah Moses, owner of Moses Kountry Health Food Store, located in the North Valley for 30 years, believes that beautiful skin comes from within. ¡°You can put a gallon of oil on your skin and it won¡¯t help,¡± she says, unless you are lubricating your skin from the inside out.

Toward that end, she recommends essential fatty acids from flaxseed and fish oils ? that the body cannot itself produce ? and a good daily multiple vitamin.

Borage, evening primrose and black currant oils contain essential fatty acids, including an especially important one, GLA, short for gamma linolenic acid. ¡°Some of it is genetic, but in general, the younger you start taking care of your skin, the better it is,¡± she cautions.

She has seen lots of ¡°testimonials¡± walk into her store. Many are finding the recommendations of ¡°The Perricone Promise¡± helpful when it comes to adding dietary supplements to counteract the effects of aging. This popular book suggests taking nutritional supplements like alpha lipoic acid and DMAE, substances the body produces in greater abundance during the early years. Hyaluronic acid is another such substance available as a dietary supplement.