Rosacea Skin Care Begins With What You Eat

Our skin's health is directly dependent on the amount of vitamin A in our diet. Vitamin A acts as an antioxidant to neutralize harmful elements in our skin, helping to prevent wrinkles, resist infection and keep our skin youthful.
Two-thirds of the vitamin A in the typical American diet comes from beta-carotene, which is the pigment that gives yellow and orange produce their color. Our bodies convert carotene into vitamin A, making it crucial to healthy skin. Think sweet potatoes, carrots and apricots.
Vitamin A is a potent fat-soluble vitamin, easily stored in our body tissue, that is not found in any plant. It is known to be toxic at levels above the RDA, so it's not wise to supplement your diet with vitamin A pills. Instead, focus on the delicious tastes of those fruits and vegetables high in carotene for a safe way to healthy skin.

Begin with our 10 easy ways to add more beta-carotene to your diet.
1. Add grated carrots to spaghetti sauce. You won't notice their presence and their carotene will feed your skin.
2. Add fresh spinach leaves to salad greens. Spinach contains more carotene than other types of lettuce.
3. Enjoy a daily fruit smoothie made of vanilla yogurt and fresh fruit. Include apricots, peaches, mango or papaya as your fruit choices to boost carotene in your diet.
4. For a special dessert that's good for your skin, place chilled melon balls in a wine glass; splash with champagne and add mint for garnish.
5. Keep fresh broccoli florets on hand in the fridge for a pre-dinner snack. Serve with your favorite low-fat dip for a treat everyone will love.
6. Make fruit a part of every dinner meal. Keep canned, fresh or frozen peaches and apricots on hand to add to the nightly fruit salad.
7. Choose tropical fruit such as papaya or mango for a delicious new taste. Tired of the same old fruit? Go tropical!
8. Add broccoli and fresh spinach to pasta or tomato salads. They fit into just about every recipe.
9. Substitute papaya for tomato in salsa recipes. Not only will your taste buds tango, you'll also get plenty of carotene!
10. Look for juices made from fruits high in carotene. Instead of the same old orange or apple juice, broaden your horizons!