7 Foods for beautiful Skin

With the holiday season glittering all around us, parties to attend, family functions, shopping and sleep deprivation piled on top of our already hectic schedules, we may not look quite as sparkly as the lights on the tree. Add to that cold, dry winter air and dehydrating heat in our offices and homes and you have a recipe for disastrously dry, dull skin.

Experts now tell us that what we put on our plates and in our bodies could be as important for sensational skin as what we slather on it -- maybe more important.

Simply add these foods to your daily diet and you'll look and feel your absolute best -- this season and all year long.

1. Extra Virgin Olive oil
Extra Virgin Olive oil is one of the best foods for our skin. If you doubt me, just think of Sophia Loren. Got that picture in your head? It's not just genetics or the southern Italian sun that gave her the signature luminous skin that made her the subject of every man's fantasy (cleavage aside). The adequate intake of balanced essential fatty acids natural to extra virgin olive oil keeps skin moist from the inside out. My Italian relatives used olive oil in cooking and directly on their skin and the thing I remember most about them all is the perfection of their complexions.

And here's where it gets really interesting.

Those fine lines we associate with dry skin are actually the result of too much saturated fat in our diets, according to experts. So swap out the butter dish for a bottle of olive oil on the table and watch your skin soften and wrinkles smooth out.

2. Leafy Greens
Kale, collard greens, watercress, escarole, bok choy, broccoli, dandelion and arugula are just some of the greens whose antioxidant powers fight against the degenerative effects of aging. Oh, and they contain zinc, which according to experts helps disable impaired collagen, making room for the production of new collagen. But here's where it gets really cool with greens. Loaded with water and minerals, greens are pretty much the perfect delivery system to get nutrients to the cells that nourish our skin via the water in the greens, which carry the minerals efficiently to where they are needed. And then the water hangs around, plumping lines and wrinkles and easing dryness.

According to Dr. Maoshing Ni, a master of Chinese Medicine, there are many causes of under-eye dark circles, including heredity, but often they are a result of iron deficiency and can be vastly improved with the inclusion of foods rich in iron in the diet. And the richest sources of iron in the plant kingdom? You guessed it ... greens.

These babies do it all, except wax your car.

3. Avocado
Now this is a no-brainer, right? You cut open an avocado and you dream of that creamy texture being the texture of your skin, right? Buttery, smooth and gorgeous, avocados are abundant in essential fatty acids and B-complex vitamins which nourish your skin inside and out.

Niacin -- better known as vitamin B-3 -- especially abundant in avocados is an anti-inflammatory that soothes irritated, red skin and ensures even color and smooth texture.

Only one caution: they are brilliant for health, but calorically dense, so don't get too carried away with them or you'll have a gorgeous complexion to keep eyes off your ample butt. About one avocado a week will do the trick for your skin and keep your waistline slim.

4. Berries and plums
Berries and plums are not only delicious, but can contribute to a glowing complexion. Linking blueberries, blackberries and strawberries with plums is their rich antioxidant content. The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry recently reported that these four fruits contain "the highest antioxidant capacity of any food," making the benefit to skin simply delicious.

Free radicals, from overexposure to the sun, pollution and other factors, damage the cell membranes of the skin. The antioxidants and other phytochemicals in these fruits can protect the cells leaving less room for damage. And when the cells are protected from damage and degeneration, well, our skin looks younger, longer.

Fruit salad, anyone?

5. Green Tea
This beverage is not just warming and comforting. Experts say it deserves a category all its own in the beauty department! It's intense anti-inflammatory properties and ability to protect the cell membranes of the skin are so effective, this yummy beverage may even help protect you from skin cancer. A study published in The Archives of Dermatology revealed that taken orally or applied directly to the skin, green tea can reduce the damage from ultraviolet rays, thereby reducing the risk of some skin cancers. On top of that, the polyphenols in green tea benefit our skin's health overall.

That mid-afternoon cup of relaxation just got a whole lot more appealing.

6. Chia Seeds
Made famous by the joke gift, Chia Pets, are nature's perfect food ... for your skin and every other part of the body. This ancient food, once so valued it was used as currency. It's a powerhouse of nutrients that make for perfect skin. Used by the Aztecs for strength in battle, chia seeds provide the skin with moisture like no other food.

A rich source of essential fatty acids, essential nutrients like iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium along with minerals and vitamins, a tablespoon of chia has been likened to a smoothie made up of wild salmon, spinach and human growth hormone, according to Chris McDougall, author of "Born to Run."

But the most important value of chia seeds to the health of our skin is that they are hydrophilic; these tiny seeds absorb more than 10 times their weight in water, providing the body with prolonged hydration.

7. Water
Water is the most important ingredient in creating gorgeous skin. Most of us are dehydrated and it shows on our faces. Dull, ashen skin; dry, flaky skin are all signs of dehydration. Water helps plump the skin; brings color back to our cheeks and makes wrinkles less obvious. Water not only keeps skin cells hydrated, it helps move toxins out and nutrients in so our skin is well-nourished.

Modern life is inherently dehydrating, with computers, artificial environments in office buildings, pollution, coffee, tea and other caffeinated drinks that steal moisture from your skin and sugar (like in soda), which depletes minerals from your skin and leaves you looking washed out.

Don't believe it? Bag the coffee, tea and sugary drinks and try drinking just water for a few days and see the difference in your skin.

Your Health and Mine