A ridiculously easy snack for firm clear skin

Today’s natural beauty tip is super quick and easy. It’s very likely that you are not getting an optimal amount of selenium in your diet. This 2012 Spanish study showed that 50% of men and 53% of women were selenium deficient. While it varies widely between countries, a good chunk of the western world is either selenium deficient or not selenium optimised.

Selenium plays a huge role in helping the matrix of collagen fibres in our skin stay firm as well as helping our thyroid activity (hypothyroidism is linked with selenium deficiency), and boosting our fertility and immune systems. An inadequate intake of this mineral has been associated with the onset and progression of chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, coronary diseases, asthma, and cancer.

To avoid dull, shallow and wrinkled skin long term, you can do something really easy. Eating just two brazil nuts a day will give you the 200 micrograms necessary for an adequate intake of selenium.

Selenium is a behind the scenes supporter (a cofactor) of the processes required to produce a very powerful enzyme called Glutathione Peroxidase. This enzyme offers collagen fibre support and skin cell protection as well as providing antioxidant support that reduces the redness of inflammation in the skin. So we get firmer, less red and less blotchy skin from just 2 nuts a day. Score!

I added brazil nuts to my morning routine about 2 years ago. After I have my green smoothie, I pop a couple brazil nuts into my mouth. This is such a nice and easy beauty ritual. You could also keep a package in your desk drawer at work, and set a timer on your calendar to remind you to have your 2 nuts each lunchtime or break time. The key thing is to make a habit of it.

It’s important to note that more is not really better here. You’ll want to stick to about  2 to 4 nuts a day to get the perfect amount of selenium without overdosing. You’re shooting for about 200 mcg a day to a maximum amount of 400 mcg a day. There is going to be a difference in the selenium content within 1 single brazil nut depending on the soil they were grown in. Just check your package once, and then you can decide how many you should eat. (Usually it’s between 2 and 4 nuts. If in doubt, just eat 2!)

Natural Beauty Tip No. 2: Eat 2-4 brazil nuts a day.

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