Hyaluronic acid - how to keep your internal fountain of youth!

Our skin continually produces hyaluronic acid, but over time our levels decrease. At quite a remarkable rate - 30% of the hyaluronic acid present in our system is lost every day, with our production levels slowing down as we get older. So even though we continue to produce hyaluronic acid, our stocks become depleted - something we need to keep in check. Here are three beauty tips to keep this elixir of youth alive and kicking:   Limit exposure to the sun: UV rays cause oxidative stress, which in turn damages our hyaluronic acid. So it's important to protect our skin from the sun by applying an SPF-packed sunscreen after our usual day cream. This is especially true if you're planning to sunbathe or laze outdoors.   Apply hyaluronic acid-rich treatments: a good day and night cream will gorge your skin with hyaluronic acid. Formulae that contain low molecular weight hyaluronic acid, such as micrometric hyaluronic acid, are able to quickly penetrate the epidermis, without us having to resort to fillers or injections. This additional dose of hyaluronic acid compensates for the loss or damage caused to our body's natural stock by internal or external oxidative stress (UV rays, pollution). It means that the hyaluronic acid naturally present in the deeper layers of our epidermis is better preserved.   We are what we eat: certain foods combat oxidative stress responsable for the depletion of hyaluronic acid. Pile your plate with health-boosting, antioxidant foods: vitamin C-rich fruits and veg alongside spices such as turmeric (go on, treat yourself to a curry!), cinnamon and parsley. Turkey contains hyaluronic acid and boosts its production, but don't go overboard unless you fancy a bout of indigestion!