Freckles and age spots – such is the price of beach arbitrariness, from which even the most sensible lady cannot resist. They appear as a result of the skin’s natural reaction to ultraviolet light, so it is rather difficult to take control of the mechanism of pigmentation formation. But it is still possible if you understand the intricacies of the entire biochemical process.
It is no longer a secret for anyone that we owe the tanning of all shades of chocolate to the pigment melanin, which is produced by special cells – melanocytes. In Europeans, melanin lies in the deepest layer of the skin, but under the influence of ultraviolet light, melanocytes grow, and melanin begins to accumulate in its uppermost layer.
In fact, this is nothing more than a sun protection system: melanin absorbs excess radiation and thereby protects the skin from heatstroke and damage. So a scattering of freckles indicates that the skin has done an excellent job. But then what to do with these age spots?
Catherine Deneuve: “It’s not enough to have good skin. It is important to keep it in perfect condition. I never expose my face to the sun: why age your face for two years in order to look good for just two months? “
Science knows many ways to get rid of this scourge, and, imagine, some of them can be found in the culinary field. And, as often happens, the most effective recipe turns out to be the simplest: in order to bring the skin into a state of “creamy” harmony, it is necessary, as with any diet, to temporarily abandon those products that interfere with the problem. So, first of all, let’s inspect the contents of the refrigerator.
Here they are, candidates for exclusion: Soy products. Soy is rich in genistein, a substance that promotes the accumulation of melanin in cells. And if you want to quickly put your skin in order, you will have to forget about soy milk, soy sauce and tofu for at least two weeks.
Peaches, apricots, carrots, mangoes, papaya, pumpkin, spinach, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, melon, sweet corn. All this splendor is united by a high content of beta-carotene – it is he who gives the skin a dark complexion even without the participation of sunlight. Therefore, it is better to give up these products, and for a long time, and completely exclude their combinations with each other.
Almonds, sesame seeds, avocados, bananas, peanuts, red fish, egg yolk, dark meat, seafood. In small quantities, these delicacies are quite harmless, but if you get carried away with them, freckles can become even more. Tea and coffee stimulate pigmentation no matter how often and how much tea or coffee you drink.
If you are seriously concerned about your skin condition, try to be in the sun as little as possible, especially while you are dieting. Take vitamin and mineral complexes, in which, in addition to the standard set of components, there is also copper, zinc, sulfur and iron.
Any carbonated drinks, including Diet Coke. They are at risk because of the artificial sweetener aspartame, which contains a substance called phenylanalanine – a direct “relative” of the very amino acid that, as a result of long oxidation, turns into melanin.
Semi-finished products, as well as products containing food coloring. They are added to some types of yoghurts and sausages, instant soups and sometimes even meat and fish (usually imported). They do not improve the complexion at all, but they can very much help to show the age spots. Before buying, be sure to read the labels and pay attention to the overly intense color of meat and fish.
Saturated Fat. The so-called “harmful” fat is found in mouth-watering veins of ham or fatty beef, chicken skins, butter and margarine, and fatty cheeses. In addition to the fact that these fats are not useful for many reasons, they also increase the severity of pigmentation.
We advise you to compose your menu so that the basic products are those that in one way or another contribute to even out the skin tone:
Milk, yogurt (no food coloring), chicken protein; onions, asparagus, white cabbage, savoy, Brussels sprouts, broccoli; garlic, daikon radish, horseradish; apples and green grapes.
Sulfur, copper, zinc and iron contained in these products inhibit the reactions that lead to the formation of melanin. For these nutrients to be preserved, vegetables do not need to be digested. Better yet, eat them raw.
Sprouted wheat, Whole grain cereals and bread not only help fight freckles, but also prevent the appearance of age spots.
Parsley, thyme, thyme, basil. The essential oils of these plants, firstly, brighten the skin, and secondly, they act as antiseptics.
Lemon, orange, mulberry, rosehip. Ascorbic acid champions are the best fighters against free radicals. Thanks to vitamin C and organic acids, they neutralize the damage caused to the skin by the sun and inhibit the work of melanocytes.
Nuts, vegetable oils, leafy vegetables – sources of vitamin E, without which tissue renewal and regeneration are impossible.
Sophie Marceau: “The secret of good skin: sleep more and less sun exposure.”
Beans, lentils, green onions, figs, potatoes, eggplants, rich in vitamin PP (nicotinic acid), reduce the sensitivity of the skin to ultraviolet light.
Vanillin, cinnamon, cloves. They contain substances that whiten the skin no worse than vitamin C. Focusing on the list of healthy products, try to create your “diet for freckles”. Or maybe you will also like our version:
First breakfast
1. A glass of milk, egg, cereal bread (50 g).
2. Rosehip broth, cottage cheese, honey.
3. Grape juice, soft curd cheese, croutons.
Lunch
1. An apple or 100 g of figs.
2. Half a glass of orange juice.
3. Fruit salad of kiwi, orange and strawberry, seasoned with lemon juice (100 g).
Dinner
1. Fat-free baked veal chop (200 g) with thyme and pine nuts, boiled potatoes (100 g), sauerkraut, kefir or yogurt
2. Boiled or baked pike without fat (200 g), salad with radishes and green onions (100 g), baked potatoes (100 g), sprinkled with parsley, grape juice.
3. Chicken, baked without fat (250 g), asparagus or broccoli (100 g), steamed and sprinkled with grated cheese, fried eggplant with garlic, orange juice.
Beatrice Bron, head of the Lankom beauty institute: “Conditions for perfect skin: no sun, no alcohol, instead of tea and coffee – mineral water and relaxing herbal teas”.
Dinner
1 g cottage cheese with green onions, squash pancakes, green tea with thyme.
2. Jellied fish made from 100 g of fish fillets, salad with radishes, herbs and feta cheese, wheat croutons (50 g), rosehip decoction.
3. Creamy milk soup from cauliflower or lentil soup, low-fat curd cheese, chamomile tea.
A few tips for Snow White
Seek help from herbs. Decoctions of bearberry, licorice and yarrow make excellent whitening lotions for the face. Apply vegetable applications and fruit masks regularly, such as white currant and mulberry. Perfectly whiten the skin and such mixtures: onion juice with honey or vinegar; lemon, grapefruit or sauerkraut juices diluted with water; vinegar infused with horseradish and diluted with water.