How To Increase Skin Elasticity Through Diet – Prevent Stretch Marks
I mentioned before in another post that I used to have nightmares about getting stretch marks. True story! In the dream I would get up in the morning and use the bathroom, look at my face in the bathroom mirror and then lift up my shirt to reveal ripples, folds, jowls, and tons of deep dark stretch marks. Ahhhhh – Then I’d really wake up and be in a cold sweat. Immediately I’d start grabbing at my clothes and looking at my stomach to see if it was real. Whew. It was just a dream.
I talked about stretch marks everyday and my family started getting pissed. “Shut up about it already,” “So what if you get them, it’s worth it for your baby,” If you say stretch marks one more time, I’m gonna slap you.”
That fear drove me into prevention mode. (I mean the fear of getting stretch marks not the fear of getting slapped) In addition to the Palmers, I would spend hours researching how to improve skin elasticity through diet. The key vitamins that effect the elasticity of skin are A, B, C, E, and Omega 3s. I needed to know all the foods that would increase skin elasticity during pregnancy to prevent stretch marks.
If you have dry flaky skin aka bing ashy, that is a sure sign of Vitamin A deficiency. Chomp down on loads of sweet potatoes, carrots, mangoes, spinach and cantaloupe. If you can stomach liver, be my guest. I’ts a good source too.
B Vitamins are responsible for maintaining moisture in the skin which makes the stomachbetter able to stretch for your growing baby. The B vitamins in the form of biotin and niacin make skin appear youthful, plump, and evens the skin tone. You need to eat turkey, tuna, lentils, bananas, wheat bran, potatoes, barley and oats on a regular basis.
The next necessity is a biggie that we’ve all heard before. Collagen! It’s mentioned in every skin ad and appears on the bottles of every so called miracle cream. Vitamin C increases your collagen production, so save your money and go out and indulge in citrus fruits. Oranges, bell peppers, broccoli and dark leafy greens are all high in vitamin C.
Fight sun damage and wrinkles with foods rich in Vitamin E. Consume olive oil, nuts, pumpkin seeds and almonds. Dr. Oz mentioned on Oprah that high heat destroys the benefits of olive oil, so sprinkle it on your food after it’s done or at the last minute.
We rarely hear about vitamin K and most people don’t even know it exists, but it’s what keeps wrinkles away. Foods high in vitamin K include kale, greens, scallions, turnips, brussels sprouts, broccoli and sauerkraut. Yuk!
This next vitamins were instrumental in getting rid of my eczema. Omega 3s found in salmon, sardines, mackerel, flaxseed oil, hemp oil, canola and pumpkin seeds. I took Omega 3s in a capsule form and broke the capsule open and rubbed the oil directly on my skin.
Try to keep this diet up even after you have the baby to stay looking healthy and vibrant. I say vibrant instead of young because there is nothing wrong with getting older. These foods are high in antioxidants. What? Antioxidants fight off the tiny particles that are slowly killing you everyday. Whatever. Just eat apples, raspberries, green tea, black tea, pomegranate and strawberries.
As a result, I have zero stretch marks on my stomach and back.
August 26th, 2009 at 6:23 am
I thought you would find this new take on omega-3s interesting: http://www.prevention.com/cda/article/the-vanishing-youth-nutrient/6dec72fe5deb2210VgnVCM10000030281eac____/news.voices/in.the.magazine/september.2009.issue/0/0/1
August 26th, 2009 at 9:45 am
Fabulous article. I’m not surprised that doctors wouldn’t entertain the idea that adding Omega 3s to the diet greatly improved her daughters condition. Doctors make money prescribing medicine and you can’t prescribe food. If we eat what God put on this earth for us, then we would see a decline in a lot of degenerative diseases and birth defects.
Thank you for this link. I hope my subscribers read it.
August 29th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
I remember that feeling! Being a mom (to be or otherwise) definitely takes strength!