Nourish your body

An important part of looking young is having a glowing, smooth skin and good hair. Frequent colouring and hair treatments play havoc with hair texture and in the case of men, genetics could lead to balding. Though one cannot stop the process of balding, one can look years younger by taking proper care of one’s skin and hair.
Vital nourishment for hair and skin include a few basics:
Vitamin A: This is the vitamin which helps in giving good vision. It is also needed for ‘dandruff-free hair.’ Vitamin A is important for hair growth. A deficiency leads to dry skin, wrinkles (most treatments for wrinkles involve Vitamin A. Similarly, most treatments for pimples also use Vitamin A). This vitamin is found in carrots (you can eat chopped carrots with a hung curd dip or make carrot juice for the kids), green leafy vegetables, tomato and papaya.
Vitamin C: It is very important to keep the skin tight, it works on the skin by bind ing the collagen together for that firm look. Vitamin C is also good for healing and having a blemishfree skin. It ensures proper functioning of the oil and sweat glands. Absence of this vitamin leads to a disease called scurvy.

Good sources of vitamin C are amla, citrus fruits like oranges, sweet lime (mausumbi) and sprouts.
Vitamin E is found in all nuts and nut oils. In fact, this vitamin coupled with zinc is like a quick fix solution for many skin problems. Vitamin E is required for the lubrication of the skin and for keeping it supple. Vitamin E application, along with zinc, improves scars and heals the skin. In winters, one can eat almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds.
Vitamin B complex is very important as it is a de-stresser and counteracts free radical damage. Absence or deficiency of this vitamin leads to dry, wrinkled skin and cuts at the corners of the mouth. Many kinds of dermatitis are linked to the deficiency of this vitamin.
Unfortunately, our diet has very low levels of this vitamin because we consume foods which are mostly flour-based, and while converting natural whole grains to flour, most of the B complex is lost. Stress also burns out a lot of B complex.

Good sources of B complex are whole grains like boiled corn, boiled black channa/rajmah and brown rice.
Vitamin D: Since this vitamin gets manufac tured in our skin whenever it is exposed to the sun’s rays, therefore it is not common to find a deficiency of this vitamin in tropical countries. However, a related deficiency of calcium is very common.
Another vital part of the beauty menu are minerals. Minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, iron, potassium, selenium are an important part of the menu.
That is why it is important to eat foods which contain a lot of minerals, like nuts and seeds and green leafy vegetables. Whole grains, sprouted legumes and pulses (sprouted moong, moth, black channa) are also recommended.
Along with the above foods, one must consume enough water (10 glasses a day) and get enough sleep. A daily cleansing, toning and moisturising regime is a must.