Juicing for Better Skin

The skin is the body's largest organ of elimination; it gets rid of waste products from the urinary, digestive and respiratory systems. Rashes, acne and boils are the external signs of poor health. Fresh, raw fruit and vegetable juices can supply your body with the nourishment it needs so your skin regains its youthful tautness and clarity.

Proper Nutrition

• Antioxidants provide protection against free radicals (atoms that are generated as cells burn oxygen and produce energy). Free radicals damage cells and are implicated in premature aging and in cancer and other diseases.

  Antioxidant vitamins such as A, C and E, B-complex vitamins, and minerals such as selenium, sulfur and zinc play an important role in maintaining skin health. Certain fruits and vegetables are extremely high in antioxidants and other nutrients, and juicing provides the most efficient way to ingest high levels of these nutrients in a natural form.

  Green leafy vegetables like kale, leeks and spinach, which help cleanse and purify the skin, are rich in antioxidants. Foods with high levels of beta-carotene, such as yams, apricots, cantaloupe and carrots, also have high levels of antioxidants. Adding nuts, olive oil or flaxseed to juice mixtures increases your intake of important omega-3 fats. Round out your day with plenty of fresh water to assist your skin in not only eliminating waste but remaining hydrated and plumped.

  According the American Academy of Dermatology, the following nutrients are necessary for proper nourishment of skin, whether taken as supplements or ingested from food:

  Vitamin C: protects skin from sun, smoking, and pollution damage by scavenging free radicals. When collagen breaks down and isn't manufactured as quickly due to aging or poor nutrition, skin wrinkles and sags. Vitamin C protects against infection and assists in collagen production, tightening the connective tissue of the skin. It also helps to prevent varicose veins. A water-soluble vitamin not stored in the body, vitamin C must be replenished daily. Red, green and yellow peppers have three times the vitamin C of fresh oranges. Cantaloupe, peaches, mangoes, strawberries, oranges, lemons and broccoli are also loaded with vitamin C.

  Vitamin E: helps protect cell membranes and guard against UV radiation damage from the sun. A study conducted in 2000 by the Research Institute of Public Health suggests that vitamin E may work in combination with vitamin C to provide an extra boost of anti-oxidation skin protection. However, a report published in 2005 in the Annals of Internal Medicine raised questions about the safety of vitamin E supplements, suggesting instead that this vitamin come from your diet. Foods high in vitamin E include nuts and seeds, wheat germ, almonds, spinach, asparagus, broccoli, peanuts and papayas.

  Vitamin A/ beta carotene: is involved in the growth and repair of body tissues and may protect against sun damage. High doses of commercially manufactured vitamin A can be toxic, but the natural beta carotene from foods like sweet potato, pumpkin, carrots, mangoes and apricots is completely safe and wonderful for skin.

  Selenium: helps safeguard the skin from sun damage and delays aging by protecting skin quality and elasticity. It's best to get your selenium from food sources, not supplements. One of the natural food sources highest in selenium is Brazil nuts, followed by walnuts.

Considerations

• Green vegetable juice has a rather strong taste and is a very potent form of nutrition which may cause diarrhea and gas. Green juices are usually combined with a bit of celery, cucumber, carrots or fruit to "cut" the taste. Drink your juice right away; once exposed to air, juice begins to lose its nutritional value. Four to six ounces of juice per serving is sufficient.

  Three types of juicers are available: masticating, triturating and centrifugal, terms that refer to the extraction and separation method the juicer uses. The websites listed below in Resources will assist you in selecting a juicer and finding juicing recipes.