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 Here they are! The foods for your total antioxidant makeover…

Eat Away Free Radicals

Sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, tomatoes, blueberries and pomegranate are foods that aid in this smile and skin antioxidant therapy. They eat up those free radicals, which are basically what damage the skin with dryness and wrinkles. They reduce inflammation in your gums, which are the foundation to your teeth. And without a healthy foundation, only more damage can occur.

No More Sour Face

Oranges, limes, lemons and grapefruit are also powerful since they are full of vitamin C, which is one of the foundations for collagen. For your skin, collagen is  known as the supportive protein fibers that stop skin from sagging.  The looser the collagen, the more lines and wrinkles on your face. And as we age, collage breakdown increases, so eating these citrus foods can help slow down the aging of your skin. For your teeth, citrus fruits aid in the health of your gums, which are also made up of collagen. But to protect your enamel, the outermost, white layer of your teeth, it is important to implement brushing when eating citrus foods. Helpful tip:  Use a straw if drinking citrus juices and avoid juices with sugars and additives. Freshly squeezed is the way to go!

Eat Your Greens

Your mother was right when she told you to eat all the greens on your plate. Foods such as spinach and broccoli are packed with vitamin A, which supports healthy cell growth and cell turnover, especially for teeth and soft tissue. Without enough vitamin A, skin becomes dry, tough, and scaly.

Big Green Surprise

Green Tea. Surprisingly, green tea is often known to stain teeth, but its properties have been proven to aid in eliminating the bacteria that binds to your teeth that causes cavities. Brushing after consuming green tea helps in prevention of the topical staining, along with regular visits to your dentist. It contains ECGC which actually lowers the concentration of inflammatory chemicals involved in acne and sun-related skin aging, which in turn, helps prevent skin cancer. It also has a huge effect on taming tumor cells. And if that’s not enough, green tea contains L-theanine, an amino acid that reverses tensing, which halts the flow of the stress hormone cortisol, keeping collagen fibers intact- for both your gums and your skin.

So, implement these foods into your diet, visit your dentist, use sunblock and moisturizer and say hello to your new smile and fabulous skin

You are what you eat, is the old saying and many people agree that eating healthy  and eliminating certain foods from the diet can reduce the silent killers that plague America, such as hypertension, diabetes and heart disease.

But along with helping the rest of your body, eating certain healthy foods can not only benefit your heart and systems, since many of these foods are packed with antioxidants, they can yield healthy teeth and gums.

The best part is, the same exact foods that are good for your teeth, are equally good for your skin.

How can this be?

The teeth and gums are made up of collagen, and foods that are high in antioxidants help prevent inflammation.

In regards to your skin, the nutrients in these foods work in the same way by removing free radicals that can build up on the skin’s surface and cause redness and inflammation, thus giving you that natural, healthy, wrinkle free glow.

Surprisingly, it’s foods that we often overlook that are the heroes of  healthy skin and a radiant smile.

So what do we eat?

Check in next week for these super-foods that can impede the signs of aging teeth and skin for a total antioxidant makeover! 

One of my most favorite salads ever!

Ingredients:

2 fresh beets

2 tbsp. walnuts, pieces and halves

1 tbsp. maple syrup 

2 handfuls of fresh arugula leaves, washed

4 tbsp. salad style goat cheese

1-2 tbsp. raspberry vinaigrette dressing

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Fill a medium size pot with water and boil beets for about 40-45 minutes until soft under the skin, check with a fork, (if you have a pressure cooker, you can cook them in there for half the time).

Once the beets are cooked, set aside on a plate to cool for about 10 minutes.

Lay the walnuts on tinfoil and brush on the maple syrup. Place the tinfoil and walnuts in the toaster oven on 375 degrees F for about 2-3 minutes.

Arrange the arugula on 2 separate plates, divided evenly.

Place the goat cheese, divided evenly, in the center of both plates.

Peel the casing off the beets and cut off the ends. Cut the beets in round circles and place them around the goat cheese on top of the arugula.

Spread the walnuts evenly on both plates.

Sprinkle dressing over each dish and then top with freshly ground black pepper.

Enjoy!

Serves: 2