Jo asks: What should I eat to have nice skin?
Wynnie says: You don't have to spend a fortune on expensive creams and pills. The key to having healthy, glowing skin is to nourish it with certain ingredients from food.
There's a lot of research which shows that certain nutrients can make a difference to the way your skin looks, feels and ages.
Which nutrients are needed to keep skin healthy and looking great?
Vitamins and minerals are essential for every organ in the body, including the skin. Skin damage results from a chemical process called oxidation. This is when unstable molecules called free radicals steal electrons from cells.
Powerful antioxidants such as vitamins A, C and E and selenium are vital in protecting skin cells against the damaging effects of oxidising factors such as sunlight and pollution. Harmful free radicals in the body lead to the decay of skin proteins called collagen and elastin, and can cause early signs of ageing such as wrinkles.
Vitamin E helps the body regenerate vitamin C. It works with selenium to protect against free radical damage. It also helps the skin retain moisture and so prevent wrinkles. Vitamin E is found in vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, olives, wheatgerm, wholegrain cereals and spinach.