Surveys show that an alarmingly high number of Americans know little or next to nothing about nutrition. As a population, we fail to make a direct correlation between diet, health, well-being and quality longevity.
Even learning just a few core nutrition facts can do wonders for your health. It can potentially help you alleviate a number of physical symptoms including symptoms of aging.
Minerals are extremely necessary in human nutrition. But how often do we think of minerals for skin health?
Mineral loss in skin is mainly caused by two factors: the normal process of aging and living in stressful conditions.
A number of minerals play an enormous role in skin health. Some even provide therapeutic benefits for certain skin conditions.
Skin has to have a good mineral delivery system in order for it to hold hydration, support collagen production and heal itself. If you don’t get those minerals in your diet or skincare products, creams and applications won't help very much.
CHROMIUM
Continual blood sugar spikes are extremely destructive in skin health and aging. Eating foods that release sugar into our bloodstream very fast causes blood sugar spikes.
When excess sugar reaches the dermis, it first quickly begins to bond with collagen and elastin. Next, it creates cross links between fibers that cause the natural collagen lattice to become stiff. This is one way we lose skin’s youthful elasticity and accelerate aging.
The trace mineral chromium helps stabilize blood sugar levels. This means sugar will be less likely to deposit itself in the skin’s collagen matrix leaving your collagen matrix supple.
Good dietary sources of chromium are:
Broccoli, brewer’s yeast, barley, oats, green beans, tomatoes, romaine lettuce, and black pepper.
SELENIUM
Selenium is both trace mineral and potent antioxidant. It’s a key player in long-term skin health.
Selenium is a cofactor (a substance required for the production of another substance) in the production of another extremely powerful antioxidant—glutathione peroxidase.
Glutathione plays a significant and vital role in protecting cells and tissues from damage caused by mutated cells (free radicals) responsible for aging. Glutathione is known as the master antioxidant of the body.
Selenium is also anti-inflammatory for the body and skin.
Get selenium by eating these foods:
Brazil nuts, shiitake mushrooms, sunflower seeds, whole grains, potatoes, prawns, tuna, oysters and salmon.
SILICA
Silica is imperative for healthy youthful skin. It activates certain enzymes involved in the production of collagen. It rests inside collagen acting like glue between connective tissues. Silica helps prevents wrinkles, provides a lifting effect, and strengthens and regenerates skin and bone tissues.
A strong carrier of oxygen, silica helps give skin a healthy glow. It does so by assisting red blood cells to carry more oxygen throughout the body thereby improving skin’s hydration balance.
These foods also provide lots of dietary silica:
Cucumbers, watermelon, echinacea root, alfalfa, kelp, bell peppers, leeks, green beans, wheatgrass, apples, berries, onions, almonds, sunflower seeds and grapes. You can get silica from the horsetail plant as an excellent source of the mineral.
SULPHUR
Sulphur, the beauty mineral, is one of the most important nutrients for the structure of the skin. It’s a key component of proteins and essential for healthy skin.
Deficiency symptoms of sulphur are dry scalp, eczema, rashes and acne.
Get sulphur in these foods:
Eggs, meats, fish, garlic, onions, dairy, beans, greens, dandelion greens, celery, cabbage, kale, soybeans and asparagus.
IODINE
Iodine helps heal skin infections, increases oxygen consumption and skin’s metabolic rate. It also helps prevent roughness and premature wrinkling and contributes to skin tone.
Consume iodine by eating sea salt and these plant-based foods:
Blue-green algae, kelp, barley grass, and sunflower seeds.
ZINC
Zinc is a trace mineral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant that stimulates collagen and elastin synthesis. It’s very beneficial in the alleviation of acne and is naturally photo-protective.
Zinc accelerates wound healing, cell growth and immunity.
Zinc can be found in:
Pumpkin, seeds, legumes, mushrooms, spinach, shellfish, nuts, grains, kale, and eggs.
PHYTO5’s Oligo5 trace mineral spray delivers much needed zinc to skin. If your skin is toxic, blemished or acneic, benefit from zinc in PHYTO5’s Earth element Night Cream.
MANGANESE
Manganese is a trace mineral or salt important for everyday skin health. This is because it plays a significant role in collagen production.
Manganese is also involved in the synthesis of vitamin B1. It acts against free radicals and has soothing, calming and protective properties.
Manganese functions like an antioxidant. It works to protect skin against oxygen related damages caused by ultraviolet light exposure.
Manganese is an ingredient in a number of PHYTO5 skincare products:
Ageless La Cure’s Five Secrets Serum and Cream Duo for a 3-Week Cure
PHYTO5’s Oligo5 trace mineral spray
Manganese can be found in following foods:
Nuts, beans, legumes, whole grains, green leafy vegetable, pineapple, açai and dark chocolate.
MAGNESIUM
Magnesium is a trace mineral that cleanses skin and detoxifies the epidermis. It’s also quite effective in treating areas of skin prone to allergic reaction. The mineral helps combat acne and skin breakouts.
Magnesium is very effective in reducing wrinkles and fine lines. It works to renew cells and produce energy within the cells. For this reason, people who are tired or overworked benefit from magnesium.
As a cellular protectant, magnesium has many functions:
actively restores cellular magnesium levels
facilitates effective and safe detoxification
provides aches and pain relief and
encourages healthy skin tissue growth.
Eat avocados, nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes, tofu, and dark chocolate to get magnesium.
Also get magnesium in PHYTO5’s Oligo5 trace mineral spray.
If your skin is slightly more mature, congested, puffy, showing fine lines and lacking minerals, PHYTO5’s Metal Night Cream with magnesium might benefit you.
COBALT
Cobalt is essential to health and the human cell.
Cobalt is part of vitamin B12, the vitamin essential for producing red blood cells and maintaining the nervous system.
It’s the cobalt ion that allows cells to manufacture B-complex vitamins.
A cellular deficiency of cobalt is linked to pernicious anemia among other blood disorders. Together with sulfur, cobalt helps to maintain and repair the myelin sheath,(1) transport glucose from the blood into the cells, and manufacture/absorb B-complex vitamins.
It’s possible to take in small amounts of cobalt such as in a liquid colloidal suspension. Cobalt works to ease inflammation and provides anti-oxidation of free radicals that help counteract symptoms of aging. But too much intake of cobalt can cause enlargement of the thyroid gland (goiter). It can also reduce the activity of the thyroid. Cobalt may also increase blood sugar levels.
Because of these important cautions, it’s best to get cobalt in vitamin B12 rich food:
Fish, nuts, leafy green vegetables, and cereals.
“The human health-supporting properties of dietary cobalt are under-appreciated,” say Dr. Michael Glade, clinical nutritionist and Dr. Michael Meguide, professor emeritus of surgery, neuroscience, and nutrition at the Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York.
Get the right amount of cobalt to help counteract signs of aging by using PHYTO5’s Oligo5 trace mineral spray. PHYTO5’s Fire element Night Cream (generally for red, irritated sensitive skin) also includes cobalt as a key ingredient.
COPPER
Copper promotes healthy skin, supports healthy cartilage and tendon regeneration, and assists the body to absorb iron.
Copper supports anti-oxidation so necessary for slowing and mitigating signs of aging. It’s also required for normal iron metabolism and red blood cell formation.
Copper activates many enzymes, including lysyl oxidase. This enzyme increases elastin and collagen production.
Copper helps replenish supplies of collagen and elastin, ultimately reducing the intensity of wrinkles.
Playing an important role in melanin production, copper is key for retaining hair and skin pigment.
Copper is an important ingredient in PHYTO5’s Oligo5 trace mineral spray and in Water element Night Cream.
Get copper by eating these foods:
Beef liver, avocados, buckwheat, olives, sunflower seeds, lentils, almonds, dark chocolate and asparagus.
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Endnotes for this article:
(1) Myelin is a lipid-rich (fatty) substance that surrounds nerve cell axons (the nervous system’s wires) to insulate them and increase the rate at which information (encoded as electrical impulses) is passed along the axon.
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Sources:
Pinnock, Dale. The Clear Skin Cookbook: the Vital Vitamins and Magic Minerals You Need for Smooth, Blemish-Free, Younger-Looking Skin. Seven Dials, 2018.
Null, Gary. Get Healthy Now! with Gary Null: a Complete Guide to Prevention, Treatment and Healthy Living. Seven Stories Press, 2006.
“Cobalt, the Forgotten Mineral, Found to Offer Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Health Benefits.” NaturalNews.com, 7 Feb. 2019, www.naturalnews.com/2019-02-07-cobalt-anti-inflammatory-antioxidant.html.