A diet for great skin

To achieve flawless skin, I’m constantly advising patients that in addition to medical procedures and treatments, you have to be mindful of what you eat. Over the coming months I will be offering some easy-to-make recipes for meals and even homemade topical solutions (facials) for you to consider.

To get started, I offer some tips that you should consider incorporating into your daily life:

1. Lay off the white stuff. Simple carbohydrates such as white bread, pasta, rice, potatoes and sweets can send your insulin levels soaring and can set off a series of reactions that can cause acne and blemishes.

2. Go for simple food choices. Instead of refined white carbs, go for moderate amounts of complex ones like whole-grain breads, brown rice and whole-wheat pasta. These are digested slowly and not likely to lead to that skin-sabotaging insulin spike.

3. Include essential fatty acids. Fish is a great source of essential fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6 which reduce inflammation in the body. Inflammation triggers the cells to clog pores and this can lead to acne. It also leads to wrinkles down the line. To get the best and most essential fatty acids I recommend eating salmon, mackerel and rune. You can also find EFA’s in almonds, hazelnuts and flaxseed.

4. Jump on the pomegranate band wagon. This fruit is getting major face time in the media. The ruby-red fruit seems to be everywhere -- in cocktails, tea, candy, even bath products. Pomegranate juice is touted -- among other places, on a recent "Oprah" -- as something people should add to their diets. Why all the hype? Pomegranates are loaded with vitamins and nutrients, including polyphenols, a particularly potent type of antioxidant. Research has shown these compounds help fight cell damage in the body and thus help protect against heart disease, cancer and other diseases. A study published in March in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that pomegranate juice appears to prevent hardening of the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks. Another study, published last September in the American Journal of Cardiology, found that drinking a glass of pomegranate juice every day appeared to improve blood flow to the heart. An ongoing study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture is examining the anti-aging effects of pomegranate juice.

Two Pomegranate Summer Drink Recipes

Summer Smoothie

2 oz. freshly squeezed pomegranate juice or 100% pomegranate juice
6 oz. non-fat yogurt
½ cup frozen or fresh strawberries
½ cup fresh banana
Handful of ice

Directions: Blend all ingredients together until desired consistency

Pomegranate Iced Tea

½ cup of freshly squeezed pomegranate juice or 100% Pomegranate Juice
5 oz. tea
1 oz. simple syrup (equal parts sugar and cold water dissolved together)
Lemon wedge for garnish

Directions: Prepare tea and cool, mix the ingredients, pour over ice in an iced tea glass, and garnish with lemon wedge.