The Universal Antioxidant

Alpha Lipoic Acid is both fat and water soluble, and is known as the “Universal Antioxidant” and is broad spectrum. It appears to recycle antioxidants such as Vitamin C & E and Glutathione after they have been used up. Ideal for use as an oral supplement and a very effective topical skin ingredient.

Alpha Lipoic Acid boosts the skin’s health in many ways, it is not only a  potent antioxidant, but offers benefits in skin health through preventing Glycation (Free Radical damage caused by sugar’s toxic effects), causing “Cross Linking” – leading to wrinkles and stiffness of an ageing skin.  Alpha Lipoic Acid also protects your DNA –  your cells genetic blueprint, this will help with a healthy cell replication mechanism.

Topical Application of Alpha Lipoic Acid

Alpha Lipoic Acid  topically applied to the skin is easily absorbed as it is both water & fat soluble, it can penetrate quickly through the lipid layers of the skin and works equally well as a free radical fighter in both the cell plasma membrane and the watery interior of the cell. It also has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect and can reduce skin redness and puffiness. Alpha Lipoic Acid has the ability to regulate the production of Nitric Oxide which in turn controls the blood flow to the skin, giving it a glowing, radiant appearance.

Alpha Lipoic Acid can help prevent ageing at its source and decreases the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It can reduce the appearance of enlarged pores, puffiness and skin imperfections, and has a calming effect on inflammation and redness – ideal for Rosacea.

You will find Alpha Lipoic Acid in O2 Intraceuticals Clarity Products, also Dr. Nicholas Perricone does some excellent products containing Alpha Lipoic Acid, as recommended in his book “The Wrinkle Cure” (definitely worth reading!).

As a supplement for your skin, I recommend the Viridian Alpha Lipoic DMAE Complex – find this in our Skincare Shop. You will get extra skin firming benefits from the DMAE, and it is also helpful in the maintenance of brain health.

Resveratrol is the latest hot topic in the beauty industry right now. Resveratrol is a powerful Antioxidant and a member of the “Flavonoid” family and has shown to have 17 times greater antioxidant activity than Idebenone (this is the main ingredient in “Prevage”). Resveratrol is produced by several plants when under attack from bacteria and fungus, it’s part of the plants defence system.

Resveratrol Rejuvenates Skin Cells

 It rejuvenates the DNA of cells, accellerates wound healing and has shown to increase collagen and elastin. This is why the skincare companies “in the know” have been adding this ingredient to the formulations of their products, and is touted as an anti-ageing wonder ingredient! but it doesn’t stop at skincare, it is also definitely worth ingesting this compound for added antioxidant benefits – so you may ask, where can I get some!? well, Red Wine contains Resveratrol (it is in the skin of red grapes) and a new study says that you don’t have to drink gallons of the stuff to get enough of this compound, phew! It is also found in Peanuts, certain berries and the roots and stalks of Japanese Knotweed.

I must admit, I love Red Wine, it is the only alcoholic drink that I really enjoy, so I am thrilled at the health and anti-ageing prospects of Resveratrol. Health experts have always maintained that red wine had many health benefits, and could prevent heart disease, so this may explain the French Paradox of a very rich, fatty diet and the low cases of heart disease in France, it is said to help break down stored fat in the body.

Nearly all the dark red wines contain Resveratrol; Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet, Zinfandel and Pinot Noir. If Red Wine is not your thing, then you can find very good Resveratrol Supplements in capsule and liquid.

With all these plus points, it is not surprising that Resveratrol has found it’s way into skincare ingredients – Environ have a range called AVST that contains Resveratrol, also Jan Marini Skin Research have included it their Age Intervention Regeneration Face Mask, which is excellent, and I am sure many more brands will follow!

Mmm Shiraz or Cabernet?…………..

There are some wonderful lifestyle recommendations and recipes, all geared at your skin, some of them I have reproduced on my site with kind permission from Liz.

I hope you enjoy reading Skin Secretes as much as I have!

Listen to Liz talk about her book and what’s included.

Antioxidant Rich Onions

Onions contain Antioxidant Flavonoids, such as Anthocyanins, which impart a red/purple color to some varieties, and the flavanols… such as Quercetin which reduces inflammation and can provide protection against cancer.

Onions also contain Antioxidant Beta-Carotene, Potassium and the Sulpher rich amino acid Cystein, Fibre, Calcium, Vitamin C and Folate. I personally try to choose Organic varieties as most conventional crops are sprayed with chemical anti-sprouting agents. Alternatively you can grow your own, Garlic and Chives are so easy to grow either in pots or flowerbeds, you can also buy onion sets or grow onions from seeds.

Onions, Shallots and Garlic are probably one of the most versatile and well used ingredients in many savoury recipes, for me they are essential for extra flavour and the health benefits they can offer, so get yourself some onion goggles and get chopping!

The only downside is the onion breath, but cooked onions are not as pungent, but if your a fan of raw onions, like my grandad who used to have a raw white onion sandwich! then invest in some good mouthwash or chew some parsley afterwards!

Crystal Clear Skincare have come up with the ultimate, instant eye lift with these Chitosan impregnated pads.
Available in a box of 8 treatments these miracle pads smooth, lift and hydrate the fine, delicate tissue around the eyes, creating a look that is instantly fresher and less tired, they also feel lovely and cooling on the skin. 
It’s the ultimate optical illusion – giving you an instant eye lift thanks to the unique combination of an activator solution with Caffeine applied over the Chitosan pads.

 
Plumps up and smooths dehydration lines while stimulatiing  the micro-circulation with Caffeine.
Great for the morning after a night out, or pop them on before a party for perky eyes! as the skin is definitely tighter and looks brighter.  They are very simple to use, just cut round the template on the Chitosan pads and then soak with the activator solution, then apply them to underneath your eyes and find somewhere peaceful to lie down for between 10 - 20 minutes, or longer if you doze off! Achieve a similar result all over your face with Crystal Clear Mini Lift Mask, this is like a facial in a box.

Benefits of Crystal Clear Wrinkle Erase Pads

To buy Crystal Clear Wrinkle Erase Pads visit our Skincare Shop – all Crystal Clear Skincare is available including the brilliant Eye Pen.

 Hopefully some of the information here will motivate you to make a few changes and put you on the road to beautiful skin and bundles of energy.

Feeding your skin with optimum nutrition will result in clear, radiant, glowing skin and a sparkle in your eye. Better skin is ultimately about better health and nutrition is a major weapon in the battle against ageing.  Growing older is ineveitable, looking older isn’t, we can do so much to take control over how we feel and look with food. Feeding your skin from within is essential, as our largest organ their is no doubt that the skin responds to what we eat, so solve some of your skin issues with improving your diet.

Skin cells rely on a balanced supply of nutrients to grow, strengthen and fight Free Radical damage, giving your body essential antioxidants and nutrients is an effective solution to fight ageing from the inside- we truly are what we eat. Neglecting to eat well can result in your skin ageing considerably faster and deficiencies of certain nutrients, such as vitamin A, B complex and Essential Fatty Acids can show in the skin as eczema and other skin conditions, it may even impair the skin’s ability to heal and repair itself. Skin is often the last to get it’s ration of nutrients, so it’s important to have a consistent diet with a variety of foods to give your body enough nutrients - supplements are also well worth taking, antioxidants and fatty acids in particular.

Eat Yourself Beautiful

Plenty of fresh, untreated foods are essential for the health of your entire body, the bonus is healthy, smooth, glowing skin with less skin problems like acne, ezcema and sensitivity – and definitely less wrinkles. Variety is the spice of life – and eating a varied diet is the best way to stay looking younger and prevent disease. Eat fresh wholefoods like – Oily fish, chicken, grains, fresh fruit and vegetables, oils, herbs and spices. Wholefood basically means it hasn’t undergone any processing and is as unrefined as possible, Wholefoods do not contain any added sugar, salt and fat – unlike the many food choices in the western diet today.

Foods To Avoid

• Burnt, brown or fried foods – these produce Free Radicals in the body
• Pesticides on fruit & veg - use organic where possible or grow your own
• Processed Foods
• Sugar – try Xylitol instead

The Best Way To Eat

I believe the best way to eat, to avoid premature ageing and promote good overall health – is an Anti-Inflammatory diet, rich in Antioxidants and Low Glycaemic Load (GL). First of all let’s understand Inflammation – this is a process that robs the skin of it’s youth, although inflammation is a natural healing reaction, it easily gets out of control and many researchers believe it is proving to be the basis of virtually every disease process from heart disease, cancer and dementia to skin problems including skin ageing. UV, pollution, ozone, smoking, all cause Free Radicals to be produced in the body – this triggers inflammation.

The GL Way of Eating

The GL diet has received a lot of media attention and lots of books have been written on the subject – fortunately it’s not hype, and here to stay. It has many positive medical benefits such as reducing adult-onset diabetes and heart disease. The perks of eating low GL is weight loss and a slim body and loads of energy – it is above all Anti-inflammatory. GL is a ranking system for Carbohydrate content in food portions based on their Glycaemic Index (GI) and portion size. The Glycaemic Index is a measure of the effects of carbohydrates on blood sugar levels, foods are rated to whether they are low (0-10), medium (11-19) or high (20+) GL. A high Glycaemic Load food, i.e – white bread, croissants and sugar releases sugars into the blood stream very quickly (known as a sugar spike) – this spike in insulin sets off a cascade of inflammation in the body. Low GL foods release sugar into the blood stream more steadily, resulting in a slow release of Insulin with very little inflammation. The Italian/Meditteranean diet is very low Gl and rich in Fish, fruits and vegetables with beneficial oils and herbs, it also helps that the food is delicious.

Increased blood sugar causes chemical reactions in the body which create inflammation, this leads to a damaging effect on skin cells and Collagen fibres and can result in inflexible collagen and wrinkle formation. To improve and protect our skin we need a low Glycaemic Load diet – rich in Antioxidants. One of the benefits I have found in this way of eating is a huge increase in energy levels, also by keeping blood sugar levels stable, you not only feel better but your not tempted by a high sugar treat or snack high in fat. We should aim to have something to eat every three hours to help keep blood sugar stable.

The Top Anti-Oxidant, Anti-Ageing Superfoods

By simply maintaining a sensible approach to the foods we eat, I admit we can’t be 100% saintly all the time, treats in moderation, but I try to eat the best I can 90 % of the time, and don’t feel bad if you have a treat occasionaly! Luckily, there is an abundant selection of readily available foods, (some call them Superfoods) that are rich in Antioxidants and Anti-inflammatory, here’s my pick of the best skin friendly foods ……..

Protein

The body could not grow or function without protein – it is the basic material of life. It’s the Amino Acids in Proteins that are actually the building blocks of our body, as the body can only manufacture 11 of the 20 Amino Acids that are essential for life, the remaining 9 must be supplied by our food. An ongoing lack of protein is first noticeable in the face, as the sharp definitions and contoured cheekbones start to turn soft and doughy. When the protein supply is lacking, the body is forced to feed upon itself, this causes both muscle and tissue to break down. Try to have a portion of protein with each meal –  one egg, up to 70g of free-range skinless  Chicken or turkey – white meat is high in Selenium which is essential for the proper function of some antioxidant enzymes, meat (red meat in moderation) or oily fish – Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon, Mackerel, goats and sheep’s cheese and yogurt, milk, Soya, and don’t forget about nuts and seeds! All of these are face firming protein.

Berries

Bright red and dark  berries are rich in antioxidants and Vitamins that help protect the skin and fight disease. Blueberries, Blackberries, Strawberries, Raspberries, Cranberries, Black & Red cherries, red grapes, Boysenberries, Bilberries. Each berry brings its own unique nutrients to the table, so aim for a mixed handful every day and experiment. Use in a trail mix, on porridge and muesli,  For more information read –  The Nutritional Super Berries.

Fruits and Vegetables

Aim to eat around five to seven portions (a portion should fit in the palm of your hand), the more brightly coloured the better! Choose from a rainbow of beautiful Vitamin and Mineral rich fruits and Vegetables – Beta-Carotene rich red and yellow bell peppers, tomatoes, beets, courgettes, carrots, sweet potato, squash, red cabbage, cantaloupe melon, nectarines, apricots, Pomegranates, Apples have tons of antioxidants mostly in the skin so ensure you don’t peel. Dark leafy greens are high in Beta-Carotene and other anti-ageing antioxidant micro-nutrients including Vitamin E and manganese, good choices are – broccoli, Kale, Chard, Spinach and some lettuces like Romaine or Watercress and peppery Rocket. Beans have many health promoting benefits and are rich in B Vitamins and Potassium, this includes dried beans and green beans. There is so much choice available, so if you don’t like one type of vegetable, you can easily find another you love. Vegetables are also a source of fibre which is essential for a healthy digestive tract.

The Good Fats

Fat free diets are definitely trouble. Fats are essential for the functioning of our whole body, including the brain. We also need fats for our body to absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K). However, some fats we should definitely put aside, these are a saturated fats found in full-fat dairy products and red meat, these can be pro-inflammatory in large amounts so portion size should be limited or eaten very occasionally.  Hydrogenated Trans Fats shouldn’t really be in our food, so steer clear – look at the ingredients to check as they are a genuine danger to health.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) are the good guys, they are called essential as they are essential for life - our body cannot make them and must obtain them from the food we eat. EFAs are divided into two main groups – Omega 3 and Omega 6, these must be consumed in the right ratio which is 2:1 of omega 6 to omega 3 – these fatty acids are much needed not only for your internal organs but for your cell membranes, plumping the skin and moisturising from inside. Other sources of good fats are – Nuts and Seeds (Flax seeds are excellent), Avocados and Olive oil. I take Udo’s Choice balanced Omega Oil - 1 tablespoon a day, also Viridian Beauty Oil is excellent, taking a supplement ensures you don’t become deficient in EFAs.

Low GI Grains

Opt for non refined grains like Organic rough old fashioned oats, Granary bread (or Rye or Spelt), Brown rice, Wholemeal pasta, Barley, Quinoa – these are all low GI and will release their energy slowly. Avoid the Carbohydrates which cause fast and high blood glucose responses like white bread, cakes, biscuits, pies, pizza.

Juices

A cup of fresh fruit and vegetable juice everyday will boost your nutrients and have a cleansing effective on your digestive system. Try juicing carrots, beetroot, apples, ginger and any fruit and veg that may go to waste. My favourite is apple, carrot and ginger.

Nuts and Seeds

The energy in nuts and seeds amazes me – they are the life source of plants and absolutely bursting with nutrients, including protein – so good for vegetarians. They are also packed with EFAs, vitamins (skin friendly Vitamin E) and many minerals. Some of the best are Sunflower Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, Sesame. Most nuts are good, avoid too many Cashews (quite fattening). Walnuts and Almonds have a rich source of antioxidants and protein, aim for a handful of seeds and nuts everyday.

Turmeric

This is one spice to add to your shopping list! Turmeric and Ginger are both high in an antioxidant polyphenol called “Curcumin” and are very anti-inflammatory. A very skin friendly spice that turns everything a lovely yellow colour. I roast a mixture of vegetables and add one teaspoon of Turmeric powder and Olive oil and coat the vegetables.

Better Health Equals Better Skin

I have tried to show you some of the foods we should be eating, instead of concentrating on everything that we shouldn’t! and remember better health equals better skin, if you start introducing some of the good foods into your life you will age beautifully with heaps of energy and glowing skin.

Resources

Check the GI database for the GI of  value of individual foods - http://www.glycemicindex.com

Patrick Holford is a leader in the GL way of eating - http://www.patrickholford.com/

 Here’s some great  books for recipe ideas and planning your food – some have  a focus on skin and health.

The Low GL Diet Bible and Cookbooks – Patrick Holford – Check out his huge range of books on the GL principle, including recipe books.

Eat Yourself Beautiful – Liz Earle (Skin Secrets also has some wonderful recipes)

The Complete Italian Cookbook – Anthonio and Priscilla Carluccio

The Perricone Prescription – Dr Nicholas Perricone

Healing with Wholefoods – Paul Pitchford

Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill- Udos Erasmus, lots of information of Nutritional Oils

There is also a growing recipe collection in my Nutritional News section and articles on the benefits of individual foods that are particularly good for us and why, like Dark Chocolate, Red Wine and Tea.

The variety of seeds available can be eaten raw, delicious toasted, sprinkled on salads and porridge or just eaten by the handful, we should aim to have one handful (our own size hand!) a day of a mix of nuts and seeds. Try my Trail Mix for a variety of seeds, nuts and superfruits for healthy snacking.

The Most Nutritious Seeds

Pumpkin Seeds - Rich in protein, iron, zinc and phosphorous, these dark green seeds are delicious raw or cooked in both sweet or savoury dishes, I add a handful to my homemade Spelt bread. I have recently discovered Pumkin Seed Butter, which is an alternative to nut butters and is delicious and rich in Omega 3. Apparently Pumkin Seeds can improve your sex drive! especially for men, due to the high Zinc levels.

Sunflower Seeds – A particularly good skin food as they are very high in Protein. Also rich in skin friendly antioxidant Vitamin E, B Vitamins, Essential Fatty Acids and Fibre. Sunflower seeds can be eaten raw or cooked, added to breads and flapjacks, sprinkled over cereals, porridge and salads, also include in a Trail Mix, a delicious and nutritious snack.

Sesame Seeds – A good source of protein and high in Calcium, often used for oriental cooking, but you can eat the whole seeds either in breads, sprinkled onto salads or used in almost any way you like. Sesame Seeds are very tiny but contain plenty of skin loving Vitamin E and Lecithin, which is a substance that helps lock moisture into the skin and  improve dry skin whilst preventing premature ageing.