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Twenty-one year old Lydia Garcia faces an imminent dilemma- poverty or acne. Lydia religiously uses three herbs to keep her skin clear and she's always on the prowl for supplements to augment her health. Just last week she read that the Chinese herb astragalus enhances the immune system. And now, Lydia ponders, 'I think I want to take dandelion root and ginseng to ease my menstrual cramps.' Yet Lydia's salary as a receptionist barely covers her fanatical consumption of supplements.

You don't have to spend a fortune on supplements when food provides all the nutrients you need to have clear skin. Herbs and supplements that provide support for clean skin typically offer the following benefits:

• Boost the immune system
• Enhance stress management
• Cleanse the blood and liver, and
• Aid in skin repair

A well-chosen diet can prove just as advantageous as supplements and herbs.

Foods that boost the immune system

-Vitamin C
Oranges, grapefruits, papaya, green peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, broccoli

-Vitamin E
Almonds, sunflowers seeds

-Zinc
Wheat germ, black-eyed peas, lean beef, crab, oysters

Foods that enhance stress management

-Vitamin B6
Legumes, whole grains, chicken, pork, bananas

Foods that cleanse the blood and liver

-Garlic, onions, turmeric, cayenne pepper, aloe vera juice, watermelon

-Bulk-producing foods
Oatmeal, apples, oranges, bran cereals

Foods that aid in skin repair

-Protein
Nonfat dairy, beans, meat, poultry, fish, nuts

-Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Sardines, herring, salmon, tuna, walnuts

-Selenium
Onion, garlic

Although herbs and dietary supplements offer a broad spectrum of benefits to the skin, it's no fun looking fabulous if you can't afford to go anywhere. So, save some cash and eat you way to clear skin.