Eat your way to beautiful skin! Being careful about what you eat can help you combat a range of skin conditions. Source: body and soul NORMAL, healthy, balanced skin doesn't always just happen naturally. However, a holistic approach that combines skincare with a complexion-appropriate diet can help. Identify your skin type, then follow this guide. Dry skin is characterised by little or no oil flow on the skin's surface, which can also be reflected deeper within the skin's layers. People with dry skin can experience tightness and are prone to chapped lips and crepiness. They are also more likely to succumb to seasonal sensitivities because of a lack of internal moisture and a compromised lipid barrier, which allows what moisture there is to escape. Naturopath Saimaa Miller says your first port of call is water. Drinking plenty of water is the single most important thing you can do for your skin. Try to consume only purified, alkalised water for extra hydration and quicker absorption into cells. Aim for eight or more glasses a day. For detoxifying benefits, begin the day with warm water with the juice of half a lemon. "Eat plenty of high-water-content fruit and vegetables, such as cucumber, celery, melons, lettuce, tomato and zucchini," Miller says. They will all contribute to your daily water intake and provide much-needed vitamins and minerals. Eat plenty of good fats. "Omega-3 fatty acids provide moisture," Miller says. Sources include oily fish, avocados, coconut oil, flaxseeds, plant algae and nuts. If you find your skin has become dry and cracked, look for healing foods that strengthen and repair. "Foods containing zinc help to heal wounds and repair tissue," Miller says. Sources include oysters, pumpkin seeds, seafood, beans, lentils and beef. + Avoid: Alcohol, caffeine and sugar as they are all dehydrating. This type of skin is typically rough and bumpy on the surface, due to toxins and pollution becoming trapped in the open pores. There will be blackheads and whiteheads, as well as red bumps, pimples and a considerable oil flow. Vitamin A-rich foods could be the solution, Miller says. Vitamin A in its active form - retinoic acid - is commonly found in skin medications used to unclog pores and reduce inflammation. In its raw and organic form - from fresh foods - it can assist in the growth and repair of skin tissue. It is also beneficial if there is scarring or skin damage. Look for orange foods such as apricots, carrots, mango, papaya, squash and pumpkin, as well as leafy greens and broccoli. + Avoid: Sugar in all forms, including sugars added to packaged goods. Bacteria living in our skin cells often cause acne and pimples and they feed on sugar. Sensitive skin often starts out as dry skin and becomes a condition where flare-ups occur. It is also a skin type where people are highly responsive to both internal and external stimuli and suffer stinging, redness and rashes. Miller says the solution is to create an alkaline environment within your own body. Alkalising green powders [available from health-food stores] provide our skin with antioxidants and the complete chain of amino acids for cell renewal, as well as essential fatty acids for skin cell integrity, so they reduce sensitivity. Add them to your smoothie or juice each morning. Miller also advises trying to eat foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. + Avoid: Red meat, caffeine, soft drinks, alcohol and spicy foods. Avoid all additives, monosodium glutamate (MSG) and its replacements, colours, flavourings and preservatives. Eczema is becoming quite prevalent and it is thought that in some cases it could be due to today's diets of high-energy, processed foods. "Some packaged foods are so over-processed they hardly resemble their natural states," Miller says. Many people have intolerances to them and it may take a process of elimination in order to uncover exactly what is triggering the problem. If you are going to undertake an elimination diet, eliminate one substance at a time so you know exactly what might be causing your eczema to flare up. Keeping a food diary is a useful tool in noting symptoms. If you are planning on doing an elimination diet, it's a good idea to consult a doctor or dietitian first to make sure you are not excluding food groups unnecessarily. If you have eczema, you should eat plenty of polyunsaturated fatty acids. "As well as maintaining skin moisture, omega-3s are highly anti-inflammatory and help to reduce the inflammation and redness associated with eczema," Miller says. + Avoid: Dairy in all forms including milk, cheese, cream, ice-cream and yoghurt. Read labels carefully and avoid ingredients such as lactose, whey, casein, curd, delactosed, lactalbulin and lactalglobulin. Also steer clear of wheat and gluten (the protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats) as well as salicylates. Avoid alcohol, particularly wine as it is full of preservatives and tannins.