Do you want to be beautiful? Eat right!

British scientists from the Universities of Bristol and St. Andrews have found that skin color determines the attractiveness and healthy appearance of a person and claim that diet can be a decisive factor in achieving the desired appearance. The results of the study will be published in December in the International Journal of Primatology.

The study participants were asked to use a special computer program to change the skin color of the face in images of men and women in such a way that, in their opinion, they looked as healthy as possible. The choice of the participants of the experiment fell on an increase in blush, yellow and light skin tones.

Most previous studies of this kind have focused on the shape of the face or the texture of the skin, but one of the most variable characteristics of the skin is also the color.

People whose skin is filled with oxygen-enriched blood look healthier, so skin color can affect the perception of health from the outside.

The skin, ruddy from the influx of blood and oxygen, indicates the health of the heart and lungs, confirming the choice of the participants of the experiment, who indicated that pinkish skin looks healthy. Smokers and patients with diabetes or heart disease have significantly fewer blood vessels in the skin, so it looks less rosy.

It is logical to assume that other skin pigments can also determine a healthy appearance. The preference given to golden and yellowish skin tones can be explained by carotenoid pigments that we get with fruits and vegetables as part of the diet. These plant pigments are powerful antioxidants and neutralize harmful substances formed in the body during the fight against the disease. They are also very important for the immune and reproductive systems of the body and can even prevent the development of cancer.

These same food pigments are used by brightly colored birds and fish to demonstrate their health and attract fellow tribesmen, and scientists believe that a similar mechanism may take place in humans.

According to the authors of the study, a healthy lifestyle and a full-fledged diet can improve the appearance and color of the skin no worse than a sun tan, as is commonly believed.

The pigment melanin, formed under the influence of sunlight, gives the skin an even darker and yellow hue, and the study participants preferred to see healthy skin lighter and yellowish.

It seems that not only the quantity, but also the qualitative composition of food is no less important for a healthy appearance. The only natural way to make our skin light and attractive is a healthy diet and an abundance of fruits and vegetables.

Eternal Youth Portal www.vechnayamolodost.ru According to ScienceDaily: Skin Color Gives Clues to Health30.11.2009