The Skin We Are In

Skin health is truly an indication of your general wellbeing. As dietitians, we conduct physical exams, and the characteristics of skin health are part of this assessment - some aspects to observe include the colour (presence of yellowness, pallor or redness), the moisture (is the skin dry and flaky or very oily), and texture (rash or acne, blisters, or scaly patches). Noting whether the skin is irritated or itchy is also important.

In several cases, a dietitian can help with nutrition management for skin repair, however, a specialist called a dermatologist also may need to be involved. There is certainly opportunity to include foods in your diet to help with better skin health, and these are mainly found in fat-containing foods and food rich in chemical compounds called antioxidants (fruit and vegetables). Fat-containing foods are carriers for important fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin E (found in olives, nuts, seeds, avocados), vitamin D (found in dairy and salmon). Fruit and vegetables are carriers for beta carotene, the precursor for vitamin A and include green or orange fruit or vegetables and spices such as paprika, cayenne, and coriander.

Therefore, including a variety of foods in your diet, and not shying away from calorie-dense foods that are fat-containing, is truly important for skin health. Remember, that when we start restrictive diets, or omit food groups from our diet without cause, we lose opportunities to nourish our bodies with essential fats and their valuable impacts on skin health.

If you have concerns about your skin health, reaching out to your family doctor and dietitian may be a good start to working toward protecting the largest bodily organ long-term.

Oh, and always wear sunscreen.