Hair, Nails and Skin-How to hold on to a youthful radiance and fight the aging process

Free radicals have a destructive aging effect that leave your hair, nails and skin looking, brittle, damaged and wrinkled, if the body is lacking in the correct nutrients.     

Most of us do not welcome the onset of aging and the worry of looking and feeling old and you are probably no different. However, there really is no reason to be concerned, this is a common fear that plagues most of us and leads us on an eternal search for the best lotions and potions the market can offer, often at great cost. Your bathroom is no doubt cluttered with numerous discarded products gathering dust,which didn`t work out or have been replaced with the latest fads.If you are lucky,you may have hit upon the optimal products for your combination of hair,nails and skintone but for most, the search continues through the mass of new products coming to market and  making new claims,how do you make the correct choice from such a multitude ?. The good news is that there are numerous ways in which you can prolong your youthful appearance and one of these is by understanding who the enemy is and which supplements will best serve your hair, skin and nails in the fightback. 

The aging process takes its toll on the body and free radicals are a contributor to this. You can begin to understand the complexities of aging by appreciating the role played by free radicals and their destructive nature. The free-radical theory of aging (FRTA) states that organisms age because body cells sustain damage from free radicals over a period of time. Think of a pinball and how it crashes around a pinball machine, multiply the pinball by thousands and this will give you some idea of how free radicals race around the body damaging and aging cells. Free radical cell damage has been blamed for arthritis, aging of your hair, nails and skin, cancer and Alzheimer`s disease to name but a few. 

How do you fight the destructive effect of these free radicals? Let`s start by assessing those vitamins and supplements which are valuable in defending the body against the free radical onslaught: 

Vitamins and Supplements 

Vitamins and supplements come in many forms and are generally application creams, herbs and tinctures, pills, capsules and lotions that are used to enhance your health and wellbeing. There are a wealth of vitamins and supplements available, some will target the hair, some the skin and joints, others your nails and some claim to address all.There are even vitamins and supplements specifically for light, warm or cool skintones. With so much choice, it is very easy to lose sight of your specific goal and find yourself taking 20 pills a day and using skin creams and lotions for morning, noon and night at great cost. If your goal is to ward off the elements of aging and/or to supplement nutrition which you do not always get from the food you eat then you might want to give consideration to including some of the following vitamins and supplements in the defence against free radicals. 

Vitamin B complex (also known as B Vitamins)

The Vitamin B complex refers to a selection of 8 vitamins which provide an important role in maintaining cell metabolism. They are Vitamin B1/Thiamine, Vitamin B2/Riboflavin , Vitamin B3/Vitamin P/Vitamin PP/Niacin,Vitamin B5/Pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6,Vitamin B7/Vitamin H/Biotin, Vitamin B9/Vitamin M/Vitamin B-c/Folic acid and Vitamin B12/Cyanocobalamin.The B complex vitamins are associated with having a beneficial effect on sleeping difficulties, heart palpitations, paranoia, exhaustion and restlessness.These vitamins can be found in many readily available foods yet many of our diets lack these foods resulting in a B complex deficiency.The B complex vitamins can also be found in a single pill combination with other vitamins such as A and C. Virtually all health stores and pharmacies will provide you with a good cross-section of choice.

Your body is affected by the internal environment (emotions) and the external (pollution) and both of these elements combine to cause free radical damage. Stress, resulting from either internal or external means can lead to free radicals attacking your body internally and externally. Vitamin B complex is a stress reliever  and ensuring that you are not deficient is widely acknowledged as a means of limiting damage by free radicals. 

The benefits of Antioxidants 

Antioxidants are developed inside the body and can also be introduced through a diet rich in berries, other fruits and vegetables .They include vitamins A, C, D, E as well as beta carotene. Antioxidants serve to neutralize the aging oxidative damage caused by free radicals rendering them impotent. In doing so, antioxidants  help to boost your health and metabolism and have a positive effect on the digestive system, cholesterol, blood flow regulation and have been linked to weight control and reduction.

Once you hit forty years of age your body cells do not re-generate at the same speed as they did in your youth and it is worth giving thought to upping your intake of antioxidants for an all round booster to your hair, skin , nails and joints.

Also worth checking out are superfoods chlorella,spirulina and quinoa all packed full of proteins and amino acids great for the hair,nails and skin.

Omega-3 fatty acids (also known as N-3 fatty acids and W-3 fatty acids)

Omega-3 fatty acids benefit cardio-vascular health and provide immunization against inflammation in the body. You have no doubt seen that Omega fatty acids have been positively highlighted in the media for some time now.The most readily available sources of Omega-3 fatty acids are cold water oily fish such as tuna, mackerel, salmon, herring and sardines. Other sources are krill oil, green-lipped mussels and plant oils such as flaxseed and butternut. You would need to consume copious amounts of these substances to derive sufficient intake of Omega-3 and so it is worth considering fish oil supplements.

Regular intake of Omega-3 fish oil supplements can improve your body`s defence against free radicals. Whilst these powerful supplements are benefitting the heart , you will also notice an improvement to lines and wrinkles. Omega-3 is often found in creams and  moisturizers and is a great friend to us all in the defence of aging.

Everyone wants to look good and retain the best of health and vigor as we age. ThIs is not a vanity issue but a health one.When we are healthy we are feeling at our optimum and this transfers through the radiance of the mind, body and soul.There are many things you can do to maintain and improve your health and improving your body`s defence against free radicals is something that you may consider a worthwhile investment.

As always, ensure you consult your doctor before adding any supplement to your daily intake.