Formulating the perfect beauty strategy for your wedding day can be time-consuming.   The dress, the jewelry, the makeup, dieting and exercising your body into shape all take planning.   Aside from cutting calories, however, some foods actually make us more beautiful, making our eyes sparkle, our hair shine and our skin more supple and glowing.

We all know smoking, excessive alcohol, lack of sleep and stress negatively affect our appearances.  But to prepare for a special day or just to look better in general, there is more we can do than just avoid the bad stuff.

Some of the nutrients we should be getting for lovely eyes, skin, teeth and hair are vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, selenium, antioxidants, zinc, lutein, zeaxanthin, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids.   Most of these nutrients do wonderful things in our bodies, and many of them have several different necessary functions.

Certain foods are just healthier than others.  When researching what to eat to be healthy, some forms of sustenance appear over and over, with amazing health benefits to be reaped just by adding them to our diets.

Green Tea

Experts say green tea is one of the healthiest things to drink.  It has catechins, which are antioxidants that prevent cell damage, improve blood flow, lower cholesterol and fend off heart-related issues like high blood pressure and congestive heart failure.

Drinking green tea helps the skin by reducing inflammation, slowing damage to skin cells and protecting them from burning in the sun.   This means more youthful looking skin.  It is great for the teeth as well, because it has no sugar that causes decay.  Also, because it has no sugar, green tea is a good substitute for soda and coffee drinks when on a diet.

Blueberries

Blueberries are also great fruit for the skin.   They have more antioxidants than any other fruit.   Antioxidants slow the creation of free radicals, which are damaged cells that injure other cells and cause wrinkles and dry skin.

Blueberries are also low in calories, high in fiber, and one cup of blueberries has 25 percent of the recommended vitamin C.   As well as being good for the skin, blueberries also contribute to stronger hair.

Spinach

For all-around health, eat spinach.   Spinach is good for the hair, keeping follicles healthy and scalp oils circulating.   It is awesome for the eyes, since it has lutein and zeaxanthin, which absorb damaging visible light.

Spinach is also loaded with vitamins, containing vitamin E for reducing skin swelling and protecting skin from the sun.

Salmon

Salmon is high in omega-3 fatty acids, the “good” type of fat.   Omega-3 is not produced by the body, but must be consumed in food or supplements.   Antioxidants and selenium in salmon fight free radicals, contributing to healthier skin.

Rich in protein and vitamin D, salmon also helps achieve stronger hair.

Oysters

Oysters contain high levels of zinc.   Zinc is a huge part of maintaining good vision and helps keep the retina in working order.

Oysters also have a good amount of protein.   Since hair is mostly made of protein, eating oysters creates stronger hair and helps prevent hair loss.

Carrots

Carrots are good for healthy skin, eyes and hair.   Since they contain large amounts of vitamin A, they help prevent wrinkles, make your eye sight better, and strengthen your scalp.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes have much the same benefits as carrots.   They contain beta-carotene and vitamin A, so they’re good for skin, eyes and hair.

Walnuts

Ah, walnuts.  A delicious superfood, walnuts are loaded with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, for a whole range of health benefits, including younger looking skin.

Walnuts may also help prevent hair loss and create stronger hair, due to the biotin and vitamin E found in them.   And if that’s not enough, walnuts might actually improve the color of your hair as well, since they contain copper.

Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt contains protein, vitamin B5 and vitamin D for hair follicle health.   It has vitamin A for younger looking skin.

Low-fat yogurt is also a good food to eat when dieting, as it has calcium, protein, fiber and few calories.

Water

Last but not least, few people acknowledge the health effects of staying hydrated with pure, clean water.  Water keeps your skin moist and smooth and helps skin cells work properly.  Water also helps with blood flow, keeping your skin glowing.

An added benefit of water is that it has no sugar or calories, so it’s a great diet drink.