What we eat has a profound effect on our outward appearance as well as on our physical well-being. An ideal diet should provide adequate quantities of all the nutrients essential to health and beauty. And don’t forget to nourish your mind! The nutrients which are of particular importance for beauty and their main sources are briefly examined here.

Vitamin A / Beta Carotene.
Vitamin A is essential for healthy hair and eyes. It is also important in the prevention and clearing of infections of the skin. Vitamin A counteracts dry skin, dandruff and wrinkle formation. It is needed for healthy blood circulation which gives a glow to the skin. Vitamin A deficiency can lead to eruptions or dry, coarse, wrinkled skin; dull and dry hair or dandruff; ridging or peeling fingernails; pimples or acne and visual fatigue.
Natural Sources of Vitamin A:
Cod liver oil. Dairy products. Eggs. Carrots.
Green leafy vegetables. Tomatoes. Papaya
Melon.


Vitamin B Complex
B vitamins are vital for clear, luminous skin, youthful looks and for delaying greying of hair. They are essential for healthy skin, hair, and eyes. Studies show that 40 percent of dermatitis sufferers lack B vitamins. B vitamins also counteract stress, which has adverse effects on one’s appearance.

A deficiency of B complex vitamins can lead to:
Greasy hair. Dandruff. Dry skin. Scaly lips. Redness and irritation. Poor hair growth. Grey hair. Inflamed fissures at the angles of the nose and mouth.
Natural sources for Vitamin B Complex:
Whole grain cereals, wheat. Pulses. Nuts. Green leafy vegetables. Molasses. Meat. Liver. Brewer’s yeast.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C, in conjunction with protein, is necessary for the production of collagen-the glue that holds us and our skin together and circumvents sags or wrinkles. It regulates sebaceous glands to keep skin from drying out; helps prevent facial lines, wrinkles and spider veins; hair tangling or breaking.
Vitamin C is essential for the health of the hair, eyes and teeth, resistance to infection, healing of wounds and firm skin tissues.
Natural sources for vitamin C:
Green vegetables, broccoli, cabbage, green peppers, raw leafy greens, tomatoes.
Fresh fruits, like lemon, orange and grapefruit, cantaloupe, kiwi, strawberries. Potatoes.
Black currants, blackberries, buckwheat, cherries, and grape are rich sources of flavonoids.

Vitamin D
Vitamin D is essential for healthy teeth, bones and nails as well as for the assimilation of calcium and phosphorus. It promotes healthy eyes, skin and teeth.
Deficiency of Vitamin D can lead to dental decay.
Natural Sources of Vitamin D:
Rays of the sun. Milk. Beef liver. Salmon. Tuna. Butter. Sprouted seeds. Synthetic Vitamin D is manufactured from fish liver oils.

Vitamin E
Vitamin E helps form muscles and tissues to prevent wrinkles and premature aging of the skin. It helps prevent dry, dull skin, age spots, falling hair and dandruff. It improves circulation and healing of scars. Research has shown that large doses of vitamin E double healthy cell reproduction to slow the aging process and forestall premature wrinkling.

Caution: If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or an overactive thyroid, check with your physician before taking supplemental E.