What Doctors Don't Tell You* Clean up and customise your diet (see our Special Report) and eat an unprocessed, organic diet, rich in antioxidants
* Eat RNA-rich foods such as sardines, salmon, tuna, shellfish, lentils, and beans – all of which help in skin renewal
* Take a good multivitamin plus mixed carotenes, vitamins A, B, C, D3 and E, selenium, zinc, copper and manganese. Suggested dosages: at least 1 g of vitamin C, 5000 IU of vitamin A and 400 IU of vitamin E per day
* Get your oil balance right. Good amounts of fish or flaxseed omega-3 fats improve skin appearance and tone. Omega-6 polyunsaturated fats can make skin more susceptible to sun damage (Nutr Cancer, 1987; 9: 219-26)
* Consider supplementing with alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), which eliminates damaged collagen and prevents skin-ageing glycation, ultimately smoothing out fine lines
* Apply vitamin C-rich lotion to your face (but, if it’s a cream, make sure there are no damaging chemicals such as parabens), proven to reduce fine wrinkles and roughness, and to improve skin tone and complexion (Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 1999; 125: 1091-8)
* Check your thyroid function. An underactive thyroid results in dry, flaky skin. For a sluggish thyroid, consider iodised sea salt and fish, and eliminate vegetables that interfere with thyroid function (see box, page 3).
* Creams with evidence of success include those that contain alpha- and beta-hydroxy acids (glycolic acid and salicylic acid), DMAE (dimethylaminoethanol) and natural vitamin A (retinyl palmitate), but watch out for ingredients that could damage your skin as well as the rest of you
* Revere your own ageing process and recognise it as the gaining of wisdom and experience.
Daniel Redwood DC
Tom Ferguson MD
