Believe it or not, one of the most frequently asked questions in this column is about beautiful skin. Here are several tips to educate, guide and delight you, most especially when you see the results.

The power of fruits

Short of slicing a red apple and rubbing it on your skin, which is a natural home remedy, this regimen works wonders. The natural fruit acids from apples are enough to remove dead skin cells.

Natural mask

Mash half a red or green apple, and immediately apply on the face. Don’t wait for more than three minutes to use it, as apples oxidize immediately. You want the natural enzymes to be potent enough to eat up dry skin. Leave on for four minutes and rinse with cool water.

If you find this messy, there is a comprehensive anti-aging scientific approach based on the synergistic effect of fruits, like grapes and apples. If it’s gentle, gradual, but visible results you want, try US-based Neo-Strata, which developed a Swiss apple stem cell extract to slow down the process of cellular aging.

Its active ingredients—chardonnay grape seed extract, vitamin A, vitamin E, pomegranate and berry extracts—form a formidable defense against free radical damage. This is further boosted with the inclusion of Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs), which have profound beneficial effects on human skin.

If the majority of women from age 40 upwards suffer from dehydrated, dull skin, within days youthful radiance will be restored by the power of fruits.

According to Dr. Elaine Galvez, popular dermatologist, one of the fastest ways to hydrate the skin is to drink 10-15 glasses of water daily. This, plus daily exercise and six to eight hours of sleep, is enough to jumpstart one’s skin saving program.

Additionally, a diet rich in vegetables will boost your live enzyme intake. The result? Great skin.

Skin problems

These can range from acne to facial blemishes like thick rough skin, white heads, black heads and red spots.

If you find that your skin is temperamental, see your dermatologist. Consider observing yourself, too. Perhaps you have eating habits that defy the nutritional code, like eating junk food. You are not only what you eat; your skin is also what you feed on.

Try a supplementation program to rescue your skin condition. Eat more fish, liver, egg yolks, green leafy or yellow vegetables, raisins, beans and cantaloupe.

Recommended supplements:

1 multivitamin-mineral capsule daily

1-2 400 IU vitamin E (in dry form)

10, 000 IU beta-carotene

Drink 1-2 tabs daily (six days a week, rest on the seventh day).

The power of good bacteria in the form of acidophilus balances your stomach acids to ensure health in your gut. Without a balanced environment in your stomach, nutrients from foods will not be properly restored.

Iodine worsens acne. So, eliminate all iodized salt from your diet.

Skin sensitivity

You may just be contact-sensitive. Just the brush of rough fabric on your skin may cause an allergic reaction. Some cannot bear to feel the friction of dress labels on the back of the neck. When this happens, cut off all labels.

It’s as simple as that. Use natural fabrics like cotton or silk. Synthetic fabrics raise the temperature level of the skin; thus, if you develop a reaction, change to something natural.

Eat more citrus fruits, tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage and green peppers, all high in vitamin C. Try 50 mg. of zinc once daily to boost your skin’s strength.

Affirm today: “Today, I claim my bliss.”

Love and Light!

Reference: Earl Mindell’s Vitamin Bible for the 21st Century