Wedding Bells

Beauty Foods

Eat your way to a healthier and more beautiful you! By Diana Petrina

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For the weeks leading up to your wedding day, there are foods you should load up on—and avoid—to help with your biggest beauty issues. Read on for the most common problems most brides stress about, and some of the foods that can make your beauty regimen easy and delicious!

Problem: Dry skin
Is it really necessary to drink eight glasses of water a day to keep our skin hydrated? Yes, according to Dr. Stacey Shillington ND, associate at the Rosedale Dermatology Centre in Toronto. “In order for the entire body to function properly, including the skin, it must be properly hydrated,” Shillington explains. Brides are also advised to consume a diet high in fruits and vegetables to provide some of the water required for proper hydration. And for all the coffee junkies out there, Shillington suggests an additional glass of water should be consumed after each caffeinated beverage. Your body loses water due to the diuretic effect of caffeine.

Beauty Foods 101: Low-carb diets are bad for your skin. They cause water loss from the body, leaving your skin dry and wrinkled.

Problem: Acne
Although there isn’t one super food to eliminate acne, there are a few combinations you can try to help with its prevention. “Eliminating dairy and refined sugar, while properly balancing your body’s insulin levels, is the most effective combination,” Shillington advises. This means the classic “three meals a day rule” should be strictly obeyed, loaded with good sources of protein and lots of vegetables like spinach and kale (they reduce the inflammation that leads to redness). Lisa Drayer, M.A., R.D., and author of The Beauty Diet, states that drinking green tea is just as effective in treating acne as a benzoyl peroxide solution.

Beauty Foods 101: Contrary to popular belief, acne is not caused by chocolate.

Problem: Dry/brittle hair and/or nails
Dr. Shillington maps out the best foods to get your hair luminous and your nails in top shape!

• Protein: lean poultry, fish and eggs—protein is the building block for all connective tissues within the body.
• Biotin (a B-vitamin): found in egg yolks, brown rice, barley and oats—essential for healthy hair, skin and nails.
• Essential Fatty Acids: wild Pacific salmon, flaxseeds, almonds and walnuts are good foods to provide this essential nutrient, which is usually deficient when dryness, brittleness and cracking of nails are present. 
• Silicon (silica): especially well-known for its strengthening benefits for hair and nails—it is found in oats, barley and rice.

Beauty Foods 101: Ditch the mayonnaise for healthy locks since no scientific evidence justifies this trick. Try eating omega-3 fatty-acid-infused foods like nuts and avocado.

Problem: Discoloured Teeth
It is completely understandable (and in our opinion, necessary) to want pearly whites on your wedding day. Why would you settle for less when everyone is snap-happy from morning 'til night? To avoid a gown-to-smile mismatch (we apologize for the mental image!), follow Drayer’s tips on the foods to avoid:

• Coffee
• Red wine
• Coloured juices (grape especially) and colas
• Curry and other dark sauces, like soy
• Balsamic vinegar

We couldn’t resist rehashing that smoking is the number one culprit for discoloured teeth, so butt out!

And don’t forget to snack on these treats for ultimate mouth care:

• Apples—saliva booster (best natural defense against cavities and gum disease)
• Carrots—contain fibre which has a cleansing effect
• Cheese—full of calcium (good for the overall health of your teeth and gums)
• Cranberries—help block the formation of plaque deposits
• Kiwis—contain magnesium and calcium—great smile protectors!

Beauty Foods 101: Brushing your teeth with salt might end up working against you. Will it shift stains? Yes. But is there potential for sensitive gums and teeth? Yes.