Certain nutrients are important for maintaining healthy skin, hair and nails. Think of them as your beauty vitamins. Vitamin A is an antioxidant essential for the growth and renewal of skin cells; it is found in egg yolks and dairy products. Vitamin B increases fatty acids in the skin, promoting firmness and ease of exfoliation. Yeast, eggs, liver and vegetables are all good sources of vitamin B. Vitamin C is the building block of collagen, the protein that gives skin its structure, tone and elasticity. Find it in citrus fruit, broccoli, peppers, berries and tomatoes. Vitamin D is essential for the development of healthy skin cells and can be found in egg yolks, salmon, fortified milk and other dairy products. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps build and maintain skin tissue. Wheat germ, leafy greens, nuts and whole grains all contain Vitamin E.

Even though we are talking diet, it is worth knowing that fat is also important for skin nutrition (and for the health of the whole body). It is necessary for supple skin and soft, shiny hair, so incorporate unsaturated fats, such as the monounsaturated varieties found in olive oil and avocado, with the omega-3 fats found in fatty fish and some seeds, into your daily diet.

Finally, our bodies are 80% water. Without sufficient hydration, skin cells become dry and flaky. To keep the body, including the skin, hydrated, eat foods with a high water content, such as fruit, vegetables and soups, and drink at least eight glasses of water a day. It is important to limit your intake of coffee and other caffeinated drinks as they are diuretics, which remove water from the body and block the absorption of the essential vitamins and minerals I have talked about above.

WHAT TO EAT

BREAKFAST

Tropical fruit salad

LUNCH

Roast pepper, olive and goat's cheese rigatoni salad

SNACK

Home-made energy bar

SUPPER

Salmon salad with saffron mayonnaise

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