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How to get glowing skin

Here’s something you’ll never hear from your aesthetician or MD…

If you want healthy, glowing, younger-looking skin, then you need to eat more fat.

As an anti-aging doctor, one of the first things I do for my patients is make sure they’re eating the diet of our ancestors. And that means healthy high-fat foods.

When my patients start to add good fats to their diet, something unexpected happens. They have tons more energy. They stop having cravings and start to lose weight.

But, the biggest surprise for most of them is how much younger their skin looks.

Their skin feels less dry. It looks firmer and smoother. And it has fewer lines and wrinkles.

I’ve seen the same effects in traditional cultures in Peru, Brazil, and Africa. Saturated fats and tropical oils are a major part of their diet. Middle-aged women look like they’re in their 20s.

And studies confirm what I’ve observed.

    • In Japan, researchers examined the faces of 716 women. Those who ate more fat had much better skin elasticity. Women who ate more saturated fats also had fewer wrinkles.1
    • A French study examined almost 3,000 people. Those eating more fat had a much lower risk of skin damage from the sun.2
    • And U.S. researchers examined skin aging in 4,025 women. Those who ate more of just one healthy fat had a lower risk of developing dry, wrinkled, or sagging skin.3</Sup

You see, the oils in fatty foods work in three ways to protect your skin and keep it looking young and supple.

First, the outer layer of your skin is partly made of fats called sebum. This outside layer acts as a protective barrier called the “acid mantle.” The mantle’s slightly acidic pH protects your skin from environmental dangers, like toxins, viruses, bacteria, and other threats.

Second, this fatty sebum maintains the structure of your skin’s keratin. That’s the protein that helps your skin hold moisture. Fats on the outer skin layer keep the acid mantle water-tight so moisture won’t escape. This means your skin stays hydrated, firm, and smooth.

Third, fats make up the membrane around each skin cell. And each one of your skin cells is surrounded by two layers of fat. It’s called the phospholipid bilayer. When this fatty wall is strong, it gives the cell a solid structure and integrity to seal fluids inside. The double layer of fat helps prevent skin cells from drying out and making you look wrinkled. This is the key to plump, young-looking skin.

The problem is that as you age, your body produces less of its own natural oils. On top of that, most commercial soaps and cleansers strip away much of your fatty sebum.

They also reverse your skin’s natural pH so the acid mantle is no longer mildly acidic. As your acid mantle breaks down, toxins attack your skin. Without enough fat, keratin weakens and loses moisture. And skin cells start to collapse leaving you with dull, old-looking skin.

Anti-Aging Fats Also Work From The Outside In

But applying healthy fats directly to your skin also strengthens the acid mantle and the skin cell barrier. It protects skin from the elements and accelerates its natural healing and repair.

Here’s what I suggest…

    1. Coconut oil contains a unique kind of fat called medium chain fatty acids (or medium-chain triglycerides – MCTs). These MCTs increase your acid mantle and keep your keratin proteins intact for better moisture. One study showed MCTs significantly increased skin hydration compared to drugs and other mixtures.4Coconut oil also penetrates your outer skin layer and is easily absorbed by your skin cells. It’s been proven in clinical studies to mimic the skin’s natural repair mechanisms.5

      MCT fatty acids also gently dissolve dead skin cells. That’s why coconut oil gives you a fresher, more even complexion. At the same time, coconut oil protects against overexposure to the sun.

    1. Another, powerful anti-aging oil comes from the sweet almond (Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis).Sweet almond oil is naturally rich in the powerful antioxidant vitamin E. This protects your skin from oxidative damage that can break down the collagen layer of your skin.

      Sweet almond oil is also rich in the amino acids needed to repair damage and it rebuilds the collagen layer. That can help reduce fine lines and wrinkles. It absorbs quickly into your skin and doesn’t feel oily. I recommend using it to soften and moisturize skin after a bath.

      But make sure you use sweet almond oil, which has been proven to be safe for topical application. But, if you have severe allergies to almonds you should avoid this oil.

    To Your Good Health,

    Al Sears, MD

    Al Sears, MD, CNS

    References:

    1. Nagata C et al. “Association of dietary fat, vegetables and antioxidant micronutrients with skin ageing in Japanese women.” Br J Nutr. 2010;103(10):1493-8.
    2. Latreille J et al. “Dietary monounsaturated fatty acids intake and risk of skin photoaging.” PLoS One. 2012;7(9):e44490.
    3. Maeve C Cosgrove et al. “Dietary nutrient intakes and skin-aging appearance among middle-aged American women.” Am J Clin Nutr October 2007 vol. 86 no. 4 1225-123.
    4. Wiedersberg, S., Leopold, C.S., Guy, R.H., “Effects of various vehicles on skin hydration in vivo,” Skin Pharmacol. Physiol. Jan. 2009;22 (3):128-30
    5. Nevin, K.G., Rajamohan, T., “Effect of topical application of virgin coconut oil on skin components and antioxidant status during dermal wound healing in young rats,” Skin Pharmacol. Physiol. June 2010;23(6):290-7.