Hormones can ravage your skin in mid-life

Hormones can ravage and wreck your skin in midlife. Here’s how you can take back control, with 10 nutritional diet changes.

1. Add Hair Volume with Oranges

Some women find that their hair starts to thin all over whilst others get alopecia areata, resulting in patchy hair loss.

This is often caused by low levels of ferritin, a blood protein that contains iron. A lack of the B vitamin Biotin and vitamin C can be an issue too.

Solution:

• Citrus fruits provide Vitamin C as well as helping iron absorption.
• Egg yolks, nut butters and wholegrains provide biotin.

2. Leafy Greens for a Rosy Glow

Pale skin can be due to anaemia, commonly experienced by women who have heavy periods going into menopause. Vegetarians are also susceptible as they could be eating a diet low in iron and vitamin B12.

Solution:

• Iron and Vitamin B12 are mostly found in meat products and dairy foods.
• If you are vegetarian then you can boost your iron level by eating plenty of green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds and fortified soya milk.
• Many cereals are fortified with iron and folic acid.
• Lean meat, eggs and to a lesser extend fish are good sources of B12.

3. Smooth Wrinkles with a Miso Bowl

Falling levels of oestrogen during the menopause will make it harder for your body to renew and repair sun damaged skin caused by excess sunlight. Selenium is an important antioxidant; wrinkles can be a sign that you are low in this, and also zinc.

Solution:

• Research from Japan has shown that consuming isoflavone can reduce wrinkle depth.
• Isoflavones are part of a group of plant based chemicals called phytoestrogens. These chemicals mimic the female hormone oestrogen.
• Soy products contain plentiful amounts naturally.
• Both edamame (soya beans) and miso soup are good sources.

4. Eat Oily Fish for Luscious Lips

Chapped lips in both hot and cold weather could be a sign of vitamin B12 deficiency. Brain fog can be a serious problem for menopausal women and is often caused by the lack of this important nutrient.

So if you’re forgetful and also suffer from chapped lips, this might be why. A sore red tongue is another indicator.

Solution:

• B12 is best gained through meat, salmon, milk, cheese and eggs.
• Vegans and vegetarians should add a good quality supplements to their diet.

5. Cure Painful Skin with Pistachios

Cracks in the skin at the corner of the mouth or eyes can be sore, are often blamed on cold weather, but it’s also associated with poor dietary intake of iron.

Solution:

• Increase nuts and seeds to boost iron levels.
• Pistachios are especially high in iron, as are lentils.
• You’ll find B vitamins predominantly in wholegrains, eggs, meat and dairy.

6. Ditch Sugar to Stop Redness

Red, greasy skin especially at the side of the nose is usually hormone-related. Pre-menopause it often flares up in the run up to a period, due to fluctuating hormone levels. Spots on the chin are also common.

Solution:

• To cope with any hormonal fluctuations the body needs to be in good nutritional shape- so the less refined food it has to process the better.
• Try keeping refined carbohydrates such as sugar and white bread to a minimum and increase your combined daily intake of fresh fruit and vegetables to about 15 a day.

7. Zap Spots With Nuts

Midlife stress and low zinc levels can create hormonal changes, resulting in spots on the lower part of the face, such as the neck, jaw and chin.

Solution:

• Almonds and Brazil Nuts contain a decent amount of zinc as well as fatty acids that will improve the quality of skin, nails and hair.

8. End Dry Skin With Sweet Potatoes

Dry skin can be the result of spending time out in the elements without protective barrier creams along with a diet low in essential fatty acids. It also indicates deficiencies in vitamin A, necessary for cell membrane health and vitamin E, which protects the skin cells from free radical damage. At midlife when the ovaries are failing, skin becomes dry due to lack of oestrogen.

Solution:

• Eat leafy green vegetables, nuts and seeds and oily fish to help encourage healthy cells and give natural lubrication.
• Often Omega 3 fats are needed; these can be found in salmon, trout, flaxseeds and Chia seeds.
• Vitamin A also called retinol, is key for making skin springy and youthful-looking liver, sweet potatoes and cheese are all excellent sources.
• Plus consume isoflavone rich foods including soya.

9. Nibble Orange Peel for Luminous Skin

Thread Veins on the cheeks and other parts of body are often hereditary or caused by extreme temperatures.

Solution:

• Vitamin C and Bioflavonoids help to strengthen capillaries under the skin.
• Eat fresh fruit and vegetables and nibble on orange peel, which is a good source of bioflavonoids.

10. Slim Face With Soy

As we get older, lower oestrogen levels can affect the way your body metabolises food, making it harder to cope with processed foods causing bloating and weight gain. Reduced skin laxity is a problem here too.

Solution:

• Consuming a nutrient dense diet and plently of isoflavone rich foods such as soy helps fool the brain into believing we have normal circulating levels of hormones. As a result women on soy rich diets lose weight without dieting.
• In addition, doing regular facial exercises will help you to maintain your neck and jawline.