The skin-ageing effects of a bad diet

Q: How can I explain the skin-ageing effects of a bad diet to clients?

Ageing is biological but we can keep fine lines and wrinkles at bay by looking after our skin and keeping our energy levels up. The key is eating a healthy, mainly plant-based diet.

Diet plays a big part in the ageing process. If your client’s diet mainly consists of processed foods then they will age faster. Food is life fuel but if clients only eat processed “pretend” food, then they are not getting the essential nutrients their bodies need to stay fit and youthful.

Advise your clients to incorporate foods that contain vitamin C into their diet because the antioxidant content is great for improving skin texture, as well as essential fatty acids – omegas 3 and 6 – as they encourage good skin tone. An easy way clients can do this is by eating avocados and sardines.

Vitamin B2 is a key player in keeping the nervous system, eyes, skin, mouth and hair in good condition and clients need it every day because the body can’t store it. Foods that B2 can be found in include liver and Marmite.

Finally, your clients need to be drinking at least seven glasses of water a day. I can’t stress enough how important water is to prevent dehydration because our skin appears uneven when we’re not detoxifying.

Yvonne Wake is a wellbeing and lifestyle consultant and nutritional expert for professional skincare brand Aromatherapy Associates.