I am sure today topic is long but it will worth your time to make understanding why nutritions from good source will help prevent you from aging. I always get a compliment from people I meet on the street saying that I look younger than my age. That compliment bring me high up to the sky and make my day even better!
Nutrition For The Skin
Understanding how to maintain skin and body health is beneficial to everyone. Healthy skin begins with diet and water intake. The adage, “You are what you eat,” still holds true. Proper dietary choices help regulate hydration (maintaining a healthy level of water in the body), oil production, and overall cell function. Skin disorders, fatigue, strep, depression, and some diseases a necessary part of a balanced diet.
Macronutrients
Macronutrients are the basic building blocks necessary for bodily functions, including the functioning of the skin. The macronutrients are the three basic food groups: proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. They make up the largest part of the nutrition we eat. Eating foods found in all three of these basic food groups is necessary to support the health of the body. The recommended intake is protein: 20 percent (105 grams);carbohydrates: 54 percent (281 grams); and fat: 26 percent (60 grams). This is based on an intake of 2,000 calories per day according to the USDA’s DASH Eating Plan.
Proteins
Proteins are chains of amino acid molecules that are used by every cell of the body to make other usable proteins. These building blocks carry out various functions required by the cell and the body. Proteins are used in the duplication of DNA, the blueprint material containing all the information that controls the function of every living cell. Proteins are needed to make muscle tissue, blood, and enzymes as well as the keratin that is present in skin, nails, and hair. Proteins are used by the immune system in making antibodies. Collagen and elastin are also made from protein.
Proteins contain essential amino acids. Although there are more than 100 naturally occurring amino acids, that proteins of all plants and animals are made from just 20 “common amino acids.” Eleven of the twenty common amino acids are called the nonessential amino acids because they can be synthesized by the body and do not have to be in our diet. The remaining nine are the essential amino acids that must be in our daily diet because they cannot be synthesized by the human body.
Dietary Sources of Proteins
Although meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy products are complete proteins that provide essential amino acids, they should be limited in the diet for various reasons. One example would be with eggs: if you eat too many eggs, you may raise your cholesterol count. Many plant sources are low in fat and also a good source of fiber, but they are not complete proteins because they all lack at least one of the essential amino acids. Complementary foods are combinations of two incomplete proteins that, together, provide all the essential amino acids and make a complete protein. Some complementary proteins are peanut butter and bread, rice and beans, beans and corn, and black-eyed peas and cornbread.
Vegetarians must be careful to obtain their daily protein requirements. Those who consume dairy products have an easier time obtaining a sufficient amount of protein. Vegans, people who eat strictly plant products with no dairy products, must be especially careful to consume enough protein in their diets through nuts, grains, legumes, and vegetables. Soy products are particularly beneficial in the vegetarian diet.
Dietary sources of protein come from animal meats as well as fish, eggs, diary products, nuts, grains, and beans. Although most vegetables also contain protein, it is in small proportions. Protein deficiencies can cause anemia, low resistance to infection, and organ impairment.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates break down the basic chemical sugars that supply energy for the body. They are frequently called carbs. The most important carbohydrate is glucose, because it provides the majority of the body’s energy. Glucose is stored in the muscles and livers as glycogen, or animal starch. When muscles are used, glycogen is broken down to provide the energy needed for muscular work. Nutrients are broken down into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the substance that provides energy to cells. ATP also converts oxygen to carbon dioxide, a waste product we breathe out.
Carbohydrates can be combined with proteins to produce many important body chemicals. For example, mucopolysaccharides are carbohydrate-lipid complexes that are good water binders. These are important to the skin and are present in the dermis as glycosaminoglycans, a water-binding substance between the fibers of the dermis.
Monosaccharides, Disaccharides, and Polysaccharides
There are three basic structural carbohydrate divisions: monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides.
Monosaccharides. The most basic unit of a carbohydrate is glucose, the simplest of all carbohydrates. The glucose molecule is known as a monosaccharide; mono mean one, and saccharide means sugar, a one unit sugar molecule that all cells use for energy. Fruit sugar is a naturally occurring monosaccharide.
Disaccharides. These are made up of two molecular sugar units and sucrose are both disaccharides.
Polysaccharides. These complex compounds consist of a chain of sugar unit molecules. A digestible polysaccharide starch can be broken down by the digestive system into simpler, usable glucose molecules. Starch is the storage form of glucose for plants. Fiber is also a polysaccharide but is not digestible.
The Three Basic Types of Carbohydrates
The three basic types of carbohydrates are simple sugars, starches, and fiber.
Simple sugars. These are present in table sugar (also known as sucrose), fruit sugars (fructose), and milk sugars (lactose).
Starches. These are also called complex carbohydrates and are present in many vegetables and grains. Starch is a white, odorless, complex carbohydrate that is an important food. In plants, carbohydrates are stored chiefly as starch.
Fiber. Fiber, another type of carbohydrate, is commonly called roughage. It is divided into two categories: soluble and insoluble. These carbohydrates help to move food particles from the digestive tract and on into the colon, where they are ultimately expressed as waste or stool. A lack of fiber is associated with constipation and, in the long term, with colon cancer.
Dietary Sources of Carbohydrates
The dietary sources of carbohydrates include:
– Simple carbohydrates such as sweets, syrups, honey, fruits, and many vegetables.
– Starches, including grains, cereals, breads, and other flour products; potatoes; rice; legumes (beans); and pasta.
– High-fiber foods, including grain, brans (such as oat bran or wheat bran), whole-grain breads, beans, apples, and vegetables such as carrots, and corn.
Some foods are listed in two different categories because there is more than one type of saccharide group in many foods. For example, potatoes are a starch source and also contain fiber. Fruits and vegetables have both simple sugars and fiber.
Glucose
Blood glucose or blood sugar can drop too low without adequate carbohydrates. This condition is known as hypoglycemia. Low blood sugar causes symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety, and food cravings. Fluctuating blood sugar levels and food cravings are triggered if the brain is energy starved. Simple carbs, such as table sugar, have no fiber and are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. Refined carbohydrates such as white bread have their natural fiber and bran milled away, so they enter the bloodstream more quickly but do not provide long-term energy. Eating good or complex carbohydrates such as whole grains will help to slow absorption of glucose into the bloodstream and balance glucose levels.
The hormone insulin, produced in the pancreas, brings nutrients and glucose into cell and store fat. Without insulin, the body cannot utilize glucose. Consequently, there is a high level of glucose in the blood and a low level of glucose absorption by the tissues. Diabetes results from this imbalance. Regulating hormone and glucose levels through proper nutrition is important to maintain good health.
Fat
Fats, also known as lipids, are the third group of macronutrients. Fats are used as energy, but not as readily as carbohydrates. Although many people associate fats with obesity, some fat is required in the diet, and it is an essential component of good health. The layer of fat in the body also helps retain heat. Fats are used to produce the materials in the sebaceous glands that lubricate the skin. Lipids are fats or catlike substances used by the body to make hormones, create cell membranes, and assist in absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Fatty Acids
Fats are organic compounds made up of a glycerol molecule and fatty acids. The chemical composition of the carbon and hydrogen molecules that combine with glycerol determine the type of fatty acid. Fatty acids make up triglycerides, the main fat in foods. Triglycerides are fats and oils representing 95 percent of fat intake. Phospholipids (the main lipids in cell membranes) and sterols are the remaining 5 percent.
The three types of fatty acids are saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated.
The body has the capacity to manufacture fats for use as needed. These fats can be made from carbohydrates and proteins. Essential fatty acids are acids that the body cannot manufacture on its own, and therefore they need to extracted internally by the body from ingested food. Fatty acids from food protect against disease and help produce hormones.
Disease-preventing omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids necessary for brain and body development, metabolism, and hair and skin growth; however, too much omega-6 in the diet can lead to health problems. The typical American diet has an excess of omega-6, while the healthy Mediterranean diet has more omega-3. The dietary amount for omega-3 is recommended to be three times more than omega-6.
Linoleic acid is omega-6, and essential fatty acid used to make important hormones and maintain the lipid barrier of the skin. Linoleic acid is found in oils made from safflower, sunflower, corn, soybean, borage, and flaxseed.
Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of good polyunsaturated fat that may decrease the likelihood of cardiovascular disease by reducing arteriosclerosis, clogging and hardening of the arteries. Omega-3 fatty acids are rarely present in old-water fish. Salmon is highest in omega-3 acids, but mackerel, tuna, herring, trout, and cod are also high in omega-3. Nutritionists suggest that these fish should by a regular part of the diet and consumed two to three times a week. Alpha-linoleic acid, an omega-3, is a popular nutrient for healthy skin and reducing inflammation. Sources of omega-3 include fish oil, walnuts, flax, pumpkin seeds, and algae.
Trans Fatty Acids
Trans fatty acids can increase the bad type of cholesterol in the blood, known as low-density lipoprotein (LDL). LDLs are composed largely of cholesterol. Conversely, high-density lipoproteins (HDLs) are good lipoproteins with high protein content. Lipoproteins contain protein and lipids that transport water-insoluble lipids through the blood.
The body makes cholesterol, so we do not need to consume large amounts of it in the diet. Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in your body that is need to produce hormones, vitamin D, and bile. Cholesterol protects nerves, the structure of cells, and is vitally important in the body – until we begin to show signs that we have too much in the body.
Cholesterol and phospholipids, along with some triglycerides, are absorbed into the lymph system because they are insoluble in water (blood).
Saturated fats are unhealthy, highly processed fats that raise serum cholesterol. Hydrogenated fats are also detrimental to health because they elevate blood lipids and cholesterol. Saturated fats are found mostly in animal sources and coconut and palm oils.
Too much cholesterol or fat in the diet can result in clogged blood vessels, slowing and blocking blood flow. High levels of blood cholesterol can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. High cholesterol is also genetically determined.
Calories
Fats are vey high in calories, the measure of heat unites. Calories fuel the body by making energy available for work. A gram of fat has 9 calories, while a gram of carbohydrate or a gram of protein has 4 calories. When people take in too many calories, and do not use them in body functions, the body stores the excess calories as body fat. It takes about 3,500 extra calories for the body to store 1 pound of fat. These extra calories can come from the intake of fat, carbohydrates, or even protein.
The number of calories required to run the body varies with individual lifestyles. Obesity in the United States has doubled in the past 2 decades. Nearly one-third of adults are obese; that is, they have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater. Changing our diets and lifestyle is necessary to slow down this prevalent trend. Conversely, some individuals are underweight and malnourished, which is not healthy either. An average weight and balanced diet are the optimum goals for good health.
Dietitians generally believe that 55 to 60 percent of all calories should be obtained from carbohydrates-mainly grains, breads, pasta, vegetables, and fruits. Candy is also a carbohydrate, but sweets should limited to no more than 240 calories per day for woman and 310 carols per day for men.
Most nutritional authorities generally recommend limiting fats to no more than 30 percent of the diet. No more than 10 percent of this amount should come from saturated fats. Saturated fats come primarily from meats and dairy products. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats come primarily from vegetable oils. Foods such as pastries, fast foods, fried foods, snack foods (junk foods), and products containing cream are high in fat and should be avoided or eaten in moderation.
Protein requirements make up the balance of the diet, around 15 to 20 percent. Remember that protein sources, such as meat also contain fats and carbohydrates.
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