Hello everyone this is Monica Reinagel the nutrition diva here with this week's

quick and dirty tips for eating well and feeling fabulous and today we're going to be talking about nutrition

to improve the health and appearance of your skin.

The skin is not only the largest organ of the body, it's also the most visible.

And not surprisingly, many of us think of skin health primarily in cosmetic terms.

Does my skin make me look older or younger than my years?

But the health of your skin affects far more than your appearance.

As with any organ, good nutrition helps your skin function at its best.

And as a bonus, the right nutrients can help keep your skin looking younger and fresher as well.

One of your skin's most important functions is to keep the outside out and the insides in and to that end it needs to be highly elastic but very durable

It needs to be breathable, yet waterproof, it needs to allow nutrients in,

but keep pathogens out.

And all of these functions depend on the integrity of the cell membranes, and healthy fats keep your cell membranes in good condition.

In fact, people on very low-fat diets often have a lot of skin problems for that reason.

Now, both omega-3 and omega-6 fats are

needed for healthy skin, but too much omega-6 or too little omega-3 can create inflammation and accelerate aging.

Because most of us get plenty of omega six already,

I suggest you focus on eating some foods that are rich in omega-3s every day.

Flax, hemp, chia, and of course fish are all good sources of omega-3s.

Mono-unaturated fats, the kind found in olives, almonds, and avocados,

also help keep your skin healthy and youthful looking.

And as a bonus, they also protect against heart disease and weight gain. The skin also needs to withstand daily doses of UV radiation from the sun

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