SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2015
9 A
J OEL F UHRMAN , MD
Eating for beautiful, healthy skin
The skin is the largest organ
of the human body and a barri-
er that protects the body from
microbial pathogens and other
damaging elements. The health
of the skin is a reflection of
one's overall health, and the
skin's resilience to sun expo-
sure and outward appearance
can be enhanced with high-
nutrient foods.
Skin cancer is the most com-
mon cancer in the U.S., affect-
ing one out of every five
Americans. Ultraviolet radia-
tion from the sun promotes
aging and carcinogenesis via
oxidative stress, inflammation,
and damage to DNA.
Ultraviolet (UV) exposure
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also leads to alteration of the
skin's structural proteins, caus-
ing sagging and wrinkling.
Taking proactive measures
such as using a safe mineral
sunscreen and limiting mid-day
sun exposure are crucial to pro-
tecting your skin from the sun’s
UV rays.
Phytochemicals from natural
foods can provide an extra
source of protection, by
enhancing the body's natural
defenses to help prevent sun-
burn, and its associated dan-
gers, and by slowing the aging
of the skin.
Carotenoids are one class of
phytochemicals that offer pho-
toprotection. After we consume
carotenoid-rich
foods,
carotenoids accumulate in the
skin, where they oppose UV-
induced oxidative stress.
Individual carotenoids, mixed
carotenoids, and carotenoid-
rich whole foods have been
shown to have photo-protective
qualities that prevent or repair
DNA damage to the skin
caused by the sun.
For example, lycopene,
found in tomatoes and pink
fruits such as watermelon,
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Habitat for Humanity Restore
Staffed by volunteers, the ReStore accepts donated appliances, household
items and building materials; fi xes them, displays and sells them to raise
funds for Habitat programs. Come and join the fun!
ReStore 541-997-583 • 2016 HWY 101, Florence
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Assisting those in need in our Community. Free Hot Meals Mon-Wed-Fri
11 AM - 2 PM
PO Box 1296 • 1339 Rhododendron Dr., Florence, OR 97439
Call 541-997-5057 to Volunteer
Meals on Wheels and Cafe 60
Meals on Wheels are available to people over the age of 60 who cannot get
out much due to illness or advanced age and who are not eating properly,
regardless of income. Cafe 60 is available for those who prefer to make new
friends in a dining room setting.
1570 Kingwood
PO Box 2313, Florence
541-997-5673
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Join the Peace Harbor Hospital Volunteers, you will fi nd an area of interest in
a caring organization.
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541-997-8412 ext. 209
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Recruiting volunteers for front desk reception and help line.
9am-4pm Mon.-Fri.
Please contact our volunteer coordinator 541-997-2816 lori@fl orencesos.org
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grapefruit, and papaya, helps to
protect the skin from sun dam-
age. Similar results have been
found for lutein and zeaxan-
thin, found in leafy greens, and
beta-carotene, found in yellow
and orange vegetables.
In addition to carotenoids,
another class of antioxidant
nutrients-polyphenols-may
have photoprotective actions.
There are hundreds of polyphe-
nols, and they are present in
most whole plant foods.
Polyphenols from cocoa and
green tea, for example, have
been shown to counteract UV-
induced skin damage in human
studies.
Wrinkles and other signs of
skin aging are related to
chronological age but also
strongly influenced by UV
rays. It is estimated that 80 per-
cent of the visible aging in a
woman's face is due to sun
exposure.
The
phytochemical-rich
foods that offer sun protection
also offer some protection
against wrinkles. In one study
of older adults, higher intakes
of vegetables and legumes and
lower intake of dairy and sugar
were associated with less visi-
ble sun damage.
Another study assessed skin
aging in middle-aged American
women, and found that higher
dietary vitamin C intake was
associated with fewer wrinkles.
In a study of Japanese women
that related dietary variables to
“crow’s feet” wrinkling, higher
intake of green and yellow veg-
etables was associated with
fewer wrinkles.
In studies on green tea and
cocoa polyphenols, in addition
to UV protection, these inter-
ventions improved appearance
factors such as elasticity,
hydration, and softness.
Structural proteins in the
connective tissue of the skin
are also affected by diet. There
is preliminary evidence that
beta-carotene reduces the lev-
els of one such protein that pro-
motes skin wrinkling. Also,
tomato paste supplementation
was found to reduce the activi-
ty of an enzyme known to
degrade structural proteins in
the skin, presumably slowing
skin aging.
In spite of the well-known
damaging effects of the sun on
our skin, many of us still per-
ceive a suntan as healthy-look-
ing. Food-derived carotenoids
can also affect our skin col-
oration, and new research has
shown that carotenoid-colored
skin is perceived as healthier
and more attractive. In the
wild, carotenoids are responsi-
ble for the bright feather colors
of male birds, which make
them more attractive to poten-
tial mates.
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There is a much more subtle,
but similar phenomenon in
humans. An increase in
carotenoid-produced skin col-
oration was consistently found
to be perceived as healthier in
people of Caucasian, African,
and Asian descent.
One interesting study found
that people preferred the skin
color caused by eating
carotenoids over the skin color
from a suntan.
Another study investigated
skin carotenoid coloration
changes in response to
increased fruit and vegetable
consumption. They found that
photos of individuals a few
weeks after increasing fruit and
vegetable intake by three serv-
ing per day received higher rat-
ings of health and attractive-
ness than “before” photos.
Furthermore, the improve-
ment in appearance has been
shown to be a motivating factor
for increasing fruit and veg-
etable consumption, as report-
ed in the journal Health
Psychology.
Maintain skin antioxidants
with consistent healthful eating
Each time the skin is
exposed to the sun, some
carotenoids are “used up” for
their antioxidant, so they must
be constantly replenished by
the diet to maintain the protec-
tive effects (smoking and alco-
hol also deplete additional
carotenoids from skin).
Consistently
consuming
antioxidant-rich plant foods
will build up the stores of these
protective phytochemicals in
the skin. You can even quantify
your skin carotenoid levels
using a specialized scanner to
confirm the accumulation of
dietary carotenoids in your
skin.
I use one of these scanners in
my medical practice to confirm
that these beneficial phyto-
chemicals have accumulated in
the skin of patients as they
increase their consumption of
carotenoid-rich foods.
A Nutritarian diet is
designed to be rich in antioxi-
dant phytochemicals and pro-
motes health inside and out,
protecting against chronic dis-
ease and sun damage while giv-
ing the skin a natural, healthy-
looking glow.
Dr. Fuhrman is a New York
Times best-selling author and
board certified family physician
specializing in lifestyle and nutri-
tional medicine.
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