The skin care industry is an $8.0-billion-plus business in the U.S. That’s a lot of cash. There are all kinds of creams, lotions, hydrating gels, exfoliators, anti-aging products, and cleansing soaps available for purchase. The logic here is that, because the skin is on the outside of the body, it should be treated separately from everything else. But your skin is merely a reflection of what is happening on the inside of your body. Nutritional deficiencies can cause problems with your skin. When you lack certain vitamins and minerals, your skin can get dry and irritated. Certain foods can trigger reactions causing reoccurring blemishes. And certain foods can protect your skin and keep it looking young and healthy.
One of the best foods for promoting the health of your skin is salmon. Salmon happens to contain one very important ingredient: omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for your health, but, because they cannot be made by your body, you must get them from the foods you eat. Cold water fish, like salmon, are higher in omega-3 fatty acids than warm water fish.
Increasing your consumption of omega-3-fatty-acid-rich foods such as salmon could help keep your skin supple and youthful. Most Americans are low in omega-3s; they tend to get far more omega-6s in the diet they eat. Medical experts recommend a 1:1 ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3s. Often, for the average American, the ratio is more like 20:1. If you boost your consumption of salmon and other oily fish, you’ll be increasing the amount of omega-3s you get and you could be helping your skin to look and feel healthier.
German researchers were able to prove in a double-blind, randomized, parallel group study that omega-3s could improve the health of damaged skin. The trial was quite extensive and was performed in eight European centers. Eighty-three patients hospitalized for chronic plaque-type psoriasis with a severity score of at least 15, according to the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI), participated in the 14-day trial. The patients were given either an omega-3 fatty acid treatment or an omega-6 treatment.
The researchers found that the omega-3 group had a significantly lower score on the PASI index after treatment than the omega-6 group. The omega-3 group also had the greatest improvement in overall scaling and redness of skin. The researchers concluded that omega-3-fatty acids are effective in the treatment of chronic plaque-type psoriasis.