Naturopath Sara Gatt claims that our skin reflects what we eat and that the Western diet, which includes many refined carbohydrates, is not doing us any good.

Our skin is amazing. It protects us from infection, radiation and dehydration and it keeps us warm and makes us look good.

While we are most aware of our ‘outside’ skin, the ‘inside skin’ of the lungs and digestive tract covers a much larger area. This entire surface is replaced every 20 days and the degree to which the condition of our skin is influenced by what we eat and drink, as well as other factors such as our environment, is quite remarkable.

Our skin is the largest organ in the body. It is exposed to damage and disease from the outside such as injury, sunlight, smoking, environmental pollution and germs. It also tells the story of what is going on in the inside.

For example, a rash may be the result of an allergic reaction to food, a yellowish skin tone may indicate there is a problem with the liver.

Our skin is also sensitive to a number of factors including age, genes, hygiene, circulation, digestion, detoxification, immune system, the environment, our psychology and, of course, what we eat.

If we look around the world, and at those who look the youngest and are most trim, agile and functional, they are those, among very few others, who follow the traditional Asian way of eating. They prioritise rice and whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, seeds and nuts as the most-eaten food groups. Fish is consumed daily; eggs and poultry weekly.

However, when these same people move to a country whose nation lives off a rich Western diet and switch to eating burgers and pizza, sugar and refined carbohydrates, they age quicker and develop unfavourable skin conditions.

A movement back to a whole grain way of eating is paramount in achieving radiant skin that glows

The Western diet, now commonplace not only in the US, but also creeping in towards the Mediterranean, places serious burdens on our bodies.

This is reflected not only in the condition of our skin, but on many other health conditions which have become common place in the 21st century.

The challenge lies in finding the right balance in this fast-paced environment we now find ourselves in. Preparation is key and a movement back to a ‘whole grain way of eating’ is paramount in achieving radiant skin that glows.

A healthy diet consisting of fresh, untreated foods is crucial for the health of the entire body, not just our skin.

In essence, healthy cells build healthy bodies. A healthy diet consisting of fresh, untreated foods is crucial for the health of the entire body, not just our skin.

It reduces the speed at which the skin ages and degenerates and will also decrease the development of skin conditions such as acne.

Therefore a way of eating which incorporates complete proteins, essential fatty acids, whole grains, fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds will provide the essential building blocks for good health from the inside out.

Conversely, a diet high in processed and burnt foods, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, poor quality oils such as hydrogenated fats or trans fats, and too many saturated fats, result in compromised cell health, leaving us looking and feeling well below our optimum vibrant selves.

In addition, antioxidant nutrients – including vitamins A to prevent dry rough skin; vitamin C, which is essential for the production of collagen; vitamin E; carotenoids; and zinc, a lack of which leads to poor healing; and selenium – have been shown to help mop up free radicals and protect our skin from damage.

Eating plenty of foods rich in antioxidants is therefore essential.

These colourful foods include red, orange and yellow vegetables, berries, watercress, kale, alfalfa sprouts and broccoli, peas, whole grains, onions and garlic.

The importance of essential fatty acids must also be emphasised as they help keep the skin soft and plump. Eat plenty of fish, nuts, seeds and their oils.

Finally, one of the most important nutrients is water. Deprive a skin cell of water and it will shrink and shrivel.

Not only does this affect how your skin looks but also how it functions.

Without an adequate supply of water, waste products that build up in the cells and our blood cannot be cleared.

With summer around the corner and fresh produce now abundant, let us do our best to optimise our nutritional status by eating fresh, organic produce where possible.

saragatt@yahoo.com