5 Superfoods for Awesome Hair, Skin & Nails

I'm sure you have heard that your hair, skin and nails can tell a lot about your state of health. One of the greatest things about implementing and sticking to a healthy diet is that your nails, hair and skin will be the first things that you will notice looking better. Foods that are not beneficial to the body can tear apart collagen, keratin, and elastin that help skin stay supple and hair stay silky and strong. Having an excess of toxins from a poor diet, along with the added stress of everyday life, can lead to lackluster skin, dry and stringy hair and brittle nails.

Here are a few everyday superfoods to add to your diet to give your hair, skin and nails the extra boost they need to look their best!

GREENS-

This nutrient rich food containing Iron and Vitamins A, C, E, K & B is something your body will soak up like sponge. Minerals are crucial to overall health of your hair, skin and nails. In addition to all the vitamins and minerals they provide, green foods also help to keep you hydrated and their alkalinity helps to detoxify the body. One thing to remember with green foods - the darker the better! If your diet isn't supplying enough green foods, try adding a powdered green to a smoothie or protein shake.

OATS-

Whole Grains are an important part of everyone's diet. Even if you are gluten-free, there's an oat for that! Oats are full of certain nutrients like protein, B-vitamins, biotin, magnesium and potassium. They help reduce inflammation and clear the skin while providing a good amount of fiber and antioxidants. Organic, non-GMO or steel cut oats are going to be your best option for providing ideal nutrients. Get creative with your oatmeal in the morning by adding berries, nuts, honey (instead of brown sugar), or some greek yogurt.

ALMONDS-

Almonds provide the essential amino acids that are needed to support the growth and strength of collagen in the body, while also containing a good amount of plant-based protein. The calcium that almonds provide is crucial to healthy bones, teeth, hair, skin and nails. Unlike peanuts or cashews that are acidic, almonds are more alkaline which assists in ridding the body of toxins and keeping pH levels in a healthy range. Choose raw, organic almonds or almond butters. Raw options will naturally contain more enzynes, which assist the body in the absorption of nutrients.

ORANGE ROOT VEGGIES-

Carrots, sweet potatos, pumpkin and squash all are rich with Vitamin A which help support hair, nails and skin. They are also a great source of Vitamin C, whose antioxidants can hinder free radical damage, which helps keep skin looking younger, longer. Eating these veggies raw is always the best option, but a light steam or slow cooking verse frying will help keep the vital nutrients present, while making them a bit more palitable. "Whole" versions of these veggies are also a better option over buying them canned.