Healthy skin not only protects the body from infections and dehydration, but also regulates body temperature and produces vitamin D to promote healthy bones, organs and muscles. Getting at least nine hours of sleep each night, exercising to increase blood flow to the skin and eliminating bad habits, such as smoking and drinking alcohol, can help maintain healthy skin. A well-balanced diet featuring vitamin-rich foods can also improve your skin's condition and health.
Vitamin A Foods
A shortage of vitamin A in your diet may lead your skin to become dry and flaky. Get the proper amount of the vitamin through such foods as dark green vegetables, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, cantaloupe, apricots and mangoes. Dairy products and cereals fortified with vitamin A are also good choices to keep skin healthy. Although vitamin A promotes healthy skin, Go Ask Alice, the health-related question and answer service of Columbia University, notes that if you consume too much beta-carotene through vitamin A-rich foods, you may notice a yellow discoloration of your skin. If this occurs, simply reduce the amount of beta-carotene in your diet to return your skin to its normal color.
Vitamin C Foods
Your body not only needs vitamin C to create collagen that produces skin and scar tissue, but also requires the vitamin for wound healing. A shortage of vitamin C will result in dry, flaky skin, slow-healing wounds and a body that's prone to bruising. MedlinePlus of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health recommends consuming foods rich in vitamin C each day because your body cannot store excess vitamin C for later use. Consume the vitamin through foods, such as citrus fruits, berries, papaya, watermelon, pineapples, mango and fruit juice. You can also receive vitamin C through vegetables, such as dark, leafy greens, green peppers, potatoes, cauliflower, cabbage and squash.
Zinc Foods
Foods containing zinc can help heal wounds and maintain the health of your hair, eyes, bones and nails. Increase your intake of zinc by eating such proteins as beef, turkey, pork and fish. Oysters, soybeans and whole-grain breads are also good sources of zinc.
Antioxidant Foods
Foods containing antioxidants, such as vitamin E, vitamin C and beta-carotene, can help protect your skin from signs of aging caused by free radicals, molecules that cause cellular damage in your body. Foods rich in antioxidants include yellow and orange vegetables and fruits, salmon, tomatoes, leafy green vegetables, blueberries, beans and lentils.
Considerations
If you've been eating the proper foods to keep your skin healthy, but still experience excessive complexion problems, dry skin, red and itchy patches of skin or growths or moles that change size, consult your doctor or dermatologist. Early treatment may help you prevent further skin damage or additional medical conditions.
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