Every particular tissue and organ in your body relies on the substances that you consume for proper functioning. Specifically, vitamins are not only organic nutrients that you need to live healthily, but vitamins are also essential in keeping your physical appearance healthy and youthful. As women age, they become more health-and-appearance conscious, worrying about the effects of aging, which is why most beauty care brands would always include vitamins as components of their beauty products.
One of the well-known vitamins in beauty care is the fat-soluble vitamin E or alpha-tocopherol, making it a popular component in almost all skincare, hair care, and cosmetic products. What is this vitamin-E craze, and how does this particular vitamin help women keep themselves healthy and young-looking? Unravel the benefits of this specific extra vitamin and where to get vitamin E.
Health Benefits of Vitamin E for Women: What Does Vitamin E Do?
Below are the following reasons why you should always get enough vitamin E in your everyday meals.
1. It is a protector of cells against oxidative activities
Your cells are exposed to irritants and pollutants 24/7, which can trigger oxidative stress, causing free radicals to form and attack your cells, especially your skin, hair, and immune cells. This characteristic is why factors like heat, pollution, chemicals, and radiation can make you look older.
Thankfully, vitamin E is a nutrient best known for its antioxidant properties. It can inhibit free radical formation, helping you protect your cells against free radical damage. This quality also makes vitamin E a critical nutrient for strengthening your immune system.
2. It can also serve as an anticoagulant for cardiovascular health.
One way to have a healthy life is to keep cardiovascular diseases at bay. Unfortunately, heart ailments come along with aging, especially for women in their menopausal and postmenopausal phases. Hence, every woman needs a substantial amount of vitamin E to prevent blood clots. It has anticoagulant properties that reduce the chances of developing heart problems or suffering from strokes.
3. It is also a natural moisturizer and a guardian of your hair and skin.
Your physical appearance changes as you age, but carelessness can hasten the aging process. Besides safeguarding your cells against free radicals, vitamin E's emollient properties can also help seal moisture to keep your skin and hair in their pristine conditions. Keeping your skin well-hydrated also mitigates scar developments.
4. It also promotes healthy blood circulation.
Your hair follicles require ample nutrients and oxygen to thrive, and they can only obtain those essential nutrients from the blood. That's the reason why you need the anticoagulant qualities of vitamin E to improve the blood circulation for your scalp. Vitamin E may help you increase the number of hair follicles, stimulating hair growth in that case.
5. It serves as a natural sunscreen against the sun's ultraviolet damage
It's nice to go out and enjoy the sunshine, but prolonged exposure to the sun wouldn't be excellent for your hair and skin. Basking in the sun for a long time does not only cause sunburns but can also trigger or destroy your cells. When your cells absorb the sun's energy, your cells' DNA may undergo harmful reactions, mutate, thus, create cancer cells. If left untreated, you may have skin cancer.
Deficiency Problems: What Happens If You Lack Vitamin E
So, what differences does it make when your body suffers from vitamin E deficiency? Here are the following reasons why women should never let their bodies lack vitamin E.
1. Your skin may develop wrinkles.
Your skin cells' lifespan depends on various factors such as your age, your lifestyle, and the environment. Cells naturally die once they've maxed out their lifecycle. Hence, being exposed to such harmful chemicals and pollutants can cause your cells to deteriorate faster than their expected lifespan. Free radical damage on your skin cells can make your skin less elastic, resulting in wrinkle formation and saggy skin. But with vitamin E, you can prevent skin cell damage and the early appearance of wrinkles on your face and body.
2. Your immune system may be compromised.
Vitamin E deficiency may be rare, but lacking this fat-soluble vitamin in your body can put your immune system at risk. Most immune cells have vitamin E concentrations because of the antioxidant properties. Hence, to keep these protective cells active and well-functioning, you should always see to it that you get a hearty amount of vitamin E from your daily diet.
3. Vitamin E deficiency may trigger the onset of various diseases.
The National Institutes of Health by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services stated that vitamin E deficiency might damage your muscles and nerves if left untreated. You may also lose your vision since you need vitamin E to strengthen your retina's light receptors. Though it is uncommon for people to suffer from vitamin E deficiency, it can take a toll on their cardiovascular health.
Sources of Vitamin E: Where Can You Get This Super Vitamin?
This vitamin can be acquired naturally in the foods that you often eat. The following are foods rich in vitamin E.
1. Sunflower seeds
If you're looking for vitamin E's richest food source, you may need to look for edible sunflower seeds. A single seed is packed with flavonoids, antioxidants that can keep free radicals at bay. Sunflower seeds are also loaded with selenium, a mineral that also serves as another antioxidant for the body. Selenium also helps regulate your thyroid gland's hormonal production, assisting women in avoiding thyroid-related problems, especially during and after menopause.
2. Almond nuts
As long as you aren't adversely affected by nuts (such as getting an allergic reaction), eating almonds is the perfect way to enjoy break time while obtaining a substantial amount of vitamin E. It's also rich in other antioxidants that keep you safe against free radicals. Some studies even show how almonds can lower one's blood sugar, which is especially beneficial to women aged 40 and above and those who want to avoid diabetes. However, always eat almonds in moderation.
3. Avocados
Various fruits are also rich in vitamin E, such as avocados, and for some women, these green stone fruits are healthy ingredients for their facial masks as part of their skincare routine. Well, they are doing the right thing since avocados are especially rich in vitamins E and K. Avocados are also rich in fatty acids, which can help moisturize and tone your skin. But what makes avocados extra special is their lecithin content. Lecithin is a phospholipid with emollient properties that can lock in moisture for your skin. Lecithin's moisturizing quality aided by vitamin E makes avocado a favorite ingredient in beauty care products and facial treatments.
4. Olives and Olive Oil
Don't worry, for you can always find vitamin E in your kitchen. Olives and olive oil are rich sources of vitamin E, and you can include them in your everyday meals. They are also potent in vitamin K, fatty acids, and antioxidants, which keep you healthy. Specifically, olives and olive oil contain oleic acid, which has been proven to be an effective preserver of moisture content for both hair and skin. You can even use olive oil to massage your hair or mix it with other ingredients to create your homemade beauty care concoction. Plus, olive oil is the recommended vegetable oil to cook your meals since it's healthy for the heart and the body.
5. Bell Peppers
If you're fond of cooking meals, you must be familiar with bell peppers being ingredients in the kitchen. These vegetables, which come in different colors, are packed with vitamins C and E, all of which you need to fight diseases and infections. Bell peppers are also low in calorie content, making them another healthy alternative for weight-and-health-conscious women. They are also filled with vitamins, such as B and C, minerals like potassium, and other antioxidants, such as quercetin and luteolin. Hence, you can obtain a handful of nutrients just by eating these.
Make Yourself Beautiful Both Inside and Outside with Vitamin E.
Vitamin E is a nutrient you can always obtain from various foods. However, people often neglect this vitamin's importance not only for their health but also for their physical appearance. Aging is unavoidable, so you need to take good care of your hair and skin condition as much as possible. Women also need enough vitamin E as they go through their menopausal journey. Hence, it would be best to eat a hearty supply of vitamin-E-enriched foods and use beauty care products with vitamin E as a significant component. By doing these, you can always make yourself beautiful both inside and outside.
Keep Your Tresses Healthy with Vitamin E.
Besides using the best shampoo and conditioner for hair growth, you should also keep your tresses healthy on the inside. However, vitamin E isn't the only vitamin that you need. Therefore, it would be best to take supplements with various hair vitamins and DHT-blocking nutrients. With these, you can preserve your thick hair and prevent your hair from falling out.
