The following post is written by Paula Meeks at Woman’s Food and Nutrition Services.

To keep your skin glowing, especially in the colder months of the year, keep some of these nutritional tips in mind:

• Drinking water keeps your skin moist and well hydrated so wrinkles and fine lines are less noticeable. Water helps with blood flow and metabolizing nutrients. The average recommendation is to drink 8 glasses per day of water, but fluids from fruits and vegetables count too, as does milk and 100% juice. Drink a variety of fluids and remember not to consume too much juice.
• Try to eat foods that contain healthy fats, such as Omega-3s, which keep dryness and blemishes at bay. These essential fatty acids create an oil barrier so your skin is smoother looking. Foods that are good sources of healthy fats are cold-water fish like salmon, sardines and mackerel, as well as flaxseeds, walnuts, and olive and canola oils.
• Vitamin E is an antioxidant that may save your skin from sun damage and inflammation. Remember, in the winter months, you can get sunburn, which can damage your skin. You get vitamin E from vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, olives and green leafy vegetables like spinach.
• Include foods that are good sources of vitamin A such as oranges, carrots, cantaloupe, eggs, green leafy vegetables and low-fat dairy foods. Vitamin A helps prevent dry skin, and if you have wrinkles and brown spots, vitamin A will help decrease the appearances of these aging signs.
• Free radicals cause signs of aging such as wrinkles, tissue damage and dry skin. The mineral selenium helps protect skin from cells that gather free radicals. Good food sources of selenium are button mushrooms, Brazil nuts, shrimp and fish such as snapper, tuna and salmon. Free radical damage can also be slowed by increasing colorful fruits and vegetables in your diet. Include berries, tomatoes, beets, sweet potatoes, peppers and beans. These foods are also excellent sources of antioxidants such as vitamin C.
• As we age, we make less of a key antioxidant called coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Coenzyme Q10 makes energy to help our cells work. You can find CoQ10 in organ meats such as liver, salmon and tuna, poultry and whole grains. This antioxidant may help to soften wrinkles and other signs of aging.

Be kind to your skin! It is the largest organ our bodies have.