Secrets for healthy hair, skin and nails – WJHG-TV

CLEVELAND CLINIC – Who doesn’t want shiny hair, glowing skin and perfect nails?

According to Mark Hyman, M.D., Director of Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Functional Medicine, eating healthy fat is the key to all three.

“The most important thing you can do for having beautiful hair, skin and nails is have lots of omega-3 fats,” said Dr. Hyman. “In fact, that’s how they get race horses to have nice, shiny coats; they give them flax seeds which have omega-3 fats.”

Dr. Hyman said more than 90 percent of Americans are deficient in omega-3 fats and most people need to consume more.

Dry, brittle nails; dry, flaky patches on the skin; dandruff or dry hair are all potential signs of a fat deficiency, said Dr. Hyman.

Omega-3 fatty acids do a lot of good things including lower your triglycerides and battle inflammation. But they also help preserve collagen in your skin and keep it firmer.

Good quality omega-3 fats can be found in wild fish, like salmon, and fish oil supplements.

Omega-3 can also be found in plant-based sources like flaxseed, walnuts, and whole soy.

Fruits, vegetables and even dark chocolate supply antioxidants and vitamins that help protect your skin from free radicals and sun damage, to help keep the skin looking younger and more radiant.

Good choices include:
Sweet potatoes which are high in vitamin A and help with cell turnover and skin tone.
Watermelon which contains lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that may encourage smoother skin.
Citrus is packed with antioxidants and vitamins C and E, which can fight wrinkles.

Dr. Hyman said the bottom line is that a healthy diet helps folks create beauty from the inside out.

“I think most of us think that we can achieve beauty by putting things on the outside but beauty comes from the inside because of your nutritional status and your diet,” he said. “The best way to get great skin, hair and nails is to eat whole foods, get lots of healthy fats – especially omega 3 fats.”