Derval O'Rourke: Healthy skin, hair and nail tips

— sleep is a 'performance enhancer' that I still rely on

Quinoa power bowl

With the longer days and the easing of restrictions we are all starting to venture out a little more. This week I’m chatting about healthy skin, hair and nails. As well as what you eat, there are many elements that can affect the quality of your skin, hair and nails. It’s a complex topic with lots of research still to be done but I’m going to share my top tips today. Food-wise I have a recipe for a quinoa power bowl.

Get your beauty sleep

Aim for 7-8 hours of shut-eye a night to allow your skin to repair and recover; dark circles under your eyes (if you don’t normally have them) could mean that you need more sleep. I believe sleep is one of the most underestimated health and wellness tools we can give ourselves. It is a performance enhancer that I relied on to help me run fast and one that I always consider when I’m feeling run down.

Sun

I know we all cross our fingers and hope for sunshine. Be aware of your sun exposure. I always apply sunscreen when I’m outside as it reduces skin cancer risk and signs of premature skin ageing like fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation, skin sagging. There is an SPF in my moisturiser.

Good skin routine

This is highly personal but finding a routine that you like and repeating these steps morning and night can work wonders. I recently got advice from mediglow skin and laser clinic in Cork about what products to use on my skin at my age. It’s definitely worth the time engaging with people who are really experienced in skincare.

Find what works for you. Additionally having a good nighttime skin routine can help in your switching off period before bed and promote good sleep.

Food

Variety and colour are key. Aim for real food first as evidence suggests that providing several nutrients together (from foods) is more beneficial than providing single nutrients in isolation (from a supplement). Get your omega 3 fatty acids in as they are anti-inflammatory and essential for healthy and nourished skin, hair and nails. They can be found in oily fish, walnuts, chia seeds and flaxseeds. Also up to 60% of your skin is made up of water so staying adequately hydrated helps to moisturise dry skin and improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Antioxidants

Vitamin C — protects our skin against environmental damage and prevents signs of ageing. It is essential for collagen synthesis. Collagen is one of the skin’s main structural proteins and its levels are thought to decline by 1% per year from your mid-20s onwards. You can find it in colourful fruit and vegetables including red pepper, kiwi and orange.

Vitamin E — reduces free radical damage in skin cells and has been shown to prevent the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and help reduce the appearance of scars. It is found in green leafy vegetables, almonds, seeds, olive oil and avocados.

Beta-carotene — is used in the body as a source of vitamin A and needed for skin maintenance and repair. It is found in red, orange and yellow foods like sweet potatoes or carrots and dark leafy greens.

Minerals

Copper — an important co-factor for elastin, a major protein that gives the skin its structure. Foods including mushrooms, green leafy vegetables, soybeans, sunflower seeds, molasses, liver are good sources

Zinc — an important co-factor for many body processes including skin healing. Zinc is also essential for normal function of the oil-producing glands in our skin, known as sebaceous glands, which help to keep skin and hair moisturised and strong. It is found in red meat, whole grains, oysters and lentils.

Selenium — thought to play an important role in reducing sun damage and potential subsequent skin cancer risk. Selenium also has a role in skin elasticity and maintaining its youthful appearance. Good sources include brazil nuts, salmon and whole grains.

Fitness Tip: Aim for 50,000 steps this week. 10,000 steps can be difficult to achieve each day, especially when you have a long busy work day. Set yourself the more achievable target of 50,000 for the whole week and see how you get on, You’ll have a great sense of accomplishment.

Wellness Tip: prioritise your morning and night time routines & focus on caring for your skin. I promise you’ll see/feel the results

Recipe: Quinoa Power Bowl

This one isn’t called a power bowl for nothing: it’s quite literally bursting with goodness. Quinoa is a complete protein source, rich in fibre and nutrients like magnesium, iron and calcium. Serve this with some chicken or a dollop of hummus for an extra protein hit.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• For the quinoa:
• 100g uncooked quinoa, rinsed under cold water
• 200ml low sodium vegetable stock or water
• Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 lime, juiced and zest finely grated
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• For the dressing:
• Tbsp olive oil
• 1 lime, juiced
• Tsp honey
• To serve:
• 1 small punnet of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 handful of coriander, roughly chopped
• 4 scallions, sliced
• 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced (optional)
• 1 small bag of baby spinach
• 2 avocado, diced or sliced

Method

To make the quinoa:

Add the quinoa and the stock (or water) to a saucepan over a high heat and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat, cover the pot and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed.

Stir in the coconut oil, lime juice, lime zest, salt and pepper.

Set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad.

To make the dressing:

Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice and honey. Set aside with the quinoa.

To serve:

Stir the quinoa, halved cherry tomatoes, coriander, scallions and jalapeno pepper, if using. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide the spinach between four bowls, place the quinoa salad on top and drizzle with the dressing. Top with the avocado and serve.

This salad can be eaten immediately or stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Do not cut the avocado until just before serving as it may turn brown.