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Create your free business website! www.ascpskincare.com 7 On my recent trip to Thailand, I stayed at a resort that had a garden of sunflowers (Helianthus annuus). Walking through the garden, I admired the beautiful faces of the sunflowers towering over me. The seeds that hide within those majestic, bright yellow flowers can help us keep our skin glowing and our faces beautiful as well. The hulled kernels of the sunflower are sold under the name of sunflower hearts, seeds, or kernels, depending on where you live. They are small, but they pack a powerful punch in the diet by protecting our skin, providing antiaging benefits, and helping against certain issues like acne and dry skin. Copper, Zinc, and EFAs Sunflower seeds are a good source of copper, an essential nutrient that we need in tiny amounts to maintain healthy skin. Tyrosinase, the enzyme responsible for producing melanin in the skin, doesn't work without copper—and melanin protects us from the sun's ultraviolet radiation. Sunflower seeds also are a great source of zinc, which is important for the immune system and must exist in the right balance with copper in the body for overall health. Both the seeds and the oil made from them offer plenty of "good fats" as another health benefit. When sunflower seeds are pressed into an oil, they release essential fatty acids (EFAs)—linoleic, oleic, palmitic, and stearic acids—that assist in the formation of collagen and elastin, the foundation of smooth and soft skin. These EFAs also have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, which help decrease the risk of acne, eczema, and psoriasis. Good for Skin and Hair Other beneficial nutrients in sunflower seeds include the potent antioxidant trio of vitamins A, C, and E, as well as beta-carotene and selenium. Vitamin E is known to decrease scarring, wrinkles, and the effects of environmental damage, leading to a more youthful glow. Not only are sunflower seeds beneficial for the skin, they are also rich in nutrients—such as iron, magnesium, and zinc—that help the hair. Magnesium is a good relaxant, and iron is important for energy. wellness Delicious in Your Diet It is easy to incorporate sunflower seeds into your diet. They have a wonderful nutty flavor. Sprinkle a handful of seeds over your breakfast cereal, add them to salads and trail mix, or grind them up to make sunflower seed butter to spread on toast or celery sticks (just put roasted, unsalted kernels into a food processor and blend until you have something that looks like peanut butter—add a little of any light- tasting oil if it needs to be creamier, and honey or another sweetener to your own taste). And sunflower seed oil is great in salads. Here's to a little handful of health! Shelley Burns, a doctor of naturopathic medicine, completed studies at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine and has certification in complementary and integrative medicine from Harvard University. She can be reached at the Executive Health Centre at 416-222-5880 or shelley.burns@executivehealthcentre.com. Sunflower seeds are a good source of copper, an essential nutrient that we need in tiny amounts to maintain healthy skin. Sunflower Seeds A healthy snack that helps your skin by Shelley Burns