London: If exposure to sun, dry winds, pollution take a toll on the skin, there are other skin spoilers too. An expert recommends combating the problem by adding antioxidants to the diet, using fruit mask and much more.Geeta Sidhu-Robb, CEO and founder of health and wellness company Nosh Detox Delivery, shares a list of factors that harm the body's largest organ, reports femalefirst.co.uk:- Pollution: It leads to the production of "free radicals" that can wreak havoc on the skin.- Sugar: "Free radicals" can also be produced internally as a result of glycation - a process that occurs as a result of chronic exposure to glucose (basically, a diet too high in sugar). This causes the collagen fibres to lose their elasticity and becoming prone to breakage.- Hormones: With change in levels of oestrogen during menopause, significant changes within the skin also happen. Oestrogen influences skin thickness, wrinkling and moisture. When there is a drop in oestrogen levels, the production of new skin cells slows down, resulting in a thinning of the skin layers. This way, the skin becomes unable to maintain hydration, strength and elasticity.Here are some of the anti-spoilers:- Add antioxidants to your diet to counteract and fight the "free radicals". Colourful vegetables, especially orange and green like carrots, sweet potato and spinach, and dark berries like blueberries and blackberries are rich in anthocyanins, which are powerful antioxidants.- Apply fruits for smooth and supple skin. Create a homemade Avocado face mask by mashing up a ripe avocado and pat it evenly onto your face. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes. It is a highly moisturising pack as it consists of natural oils that act as emollient, and vitamin E also has moisturising properties.
Updated on: December 04, 2013 11:49 IST
