Eat Your Way to Gorgeous Skin

Hello Gorgeous!

Who doesn’t want more radiant healthy-looking skin? So, feed it!

The skin is one of the most powerful indicators of health. Wrinkles, dry or oily skin, acne, and inflammation are all signs of poor internal health, often brought on by consuming unhealthful foods and avoiding skin-healthy nutrients.

You may have a daily skin care routine that consists of facial cleansers, lotions, creams and makeup that helps your skin look its best, but while you focus on what you can do for your skin on the outside, you may not realize what you can do from the inside. Proper nutrition and diet can do wonders for the appearance of your skin. You really are what you eat.

The sooner you begin a healthy diet, the sooner your skin will look radiantly younger and you will feel healthier. Everything you put in your mouth is likely to affect the quality of your skin. The amazing thing is that skin can easily be transformed by making simple changes to your daily diet. Eat the right things regularly and you can give your complexion a gorgeous glow. So read on and put these edibles on your daily menu!

Research has shown that eating more of certain foods can help us to a beautiful complexion from the inside out, without resorting to costly skin care products.

Factors affecting your skin health can include: dehydration, poor digestion, nutrient deficiencies, low essential fats, stress, diet, skin care products, environmental toxins and impurities.

Vital nutrients for healthy skin include: vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin D, antioxidants, essential fatty acids and lots of water.

Skin loving foods to embrace:

1. Plenty of water and herbal teas to help flush out unwanted toxins. Water is an important key to beautiful skin, since even mild dehydration can result in visible aging and dryness. Drinking alcohol, caffeine, and sodas (pop) can be dehydrating, so be sure to drink plenty of pure water for healthier skin! All teas are rich in skin-loving antioxidants, but anti-inflammatory substances found in green tea are thought to be especially beneficial. Recent studies have found that drinking green tea may be helpful for warding off skin cancer and the visible signs of aging. Drink up!
2. Fruits of all kinds – superfoods! Apples,  apricots,  bananas,  blackberries,  blueberries,  figs,  grapefruit,  grapes,  kiwi,  lemons,  melons, pineapple and strawberries. Fruit rule: enjoy fruit in-between meals as a snack, an early morning juice and always on an empty stomach. Berries including blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cranberries and acai berries are all delicious, and they give our complexions a healthy boost with antioxidants that protect skin cells.
3. Vegetables of all kinds – we all know they are good for us! Artichokes, asparagus, avocado, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, celery, cucumber, spinach and tomatoes. TIP: darker green vegetables contain more vitamin C, beta-carotene, iron and calcium. Vitamin A found in dark leafy greens like spinach are great for clearing up acne and promoting skin repair. Vitamin-rich veggie alternatives include carrots and broccoli. Eat up!
4. Fiber-rich foods such as whole grain rice, oats, bran, and nuts can bind to excess waste and prevent toxic build up in the body. Fiber is an essential nutrient required for proper digestion of foods, proper functioning of the digestive tract, and for helping you feel full. A deficiency of fiber can lead to constipation and elevated levels of cholesterol and sugar in the blood. Nuts are high in fiber and great as a snack or as an addition to salads. Almonds provide the most fiber, but the omega-3 oils and fiber found in walnuts are vitally important for flexible, plump, younger-looking skin.
5. Essential fats in oily fish form an essential part of cell walls so a constant supply keeps skin supple and plump. Fish oils have a good ratio of essential fatty acids to keep the skin functioning efficiently. Essential fatty acids cannot be made by the body and must be obtained through diet. Symptoms that you are not getting enough fatty acids in your diet include:
   • allergies
   • depression
   • hyperactivity
   • high blood pressure

Fish that contain fatty acids include:

• Salmon
• Sardines
• Mackerel
• Herring
• Trout
• Tuna

These fish are all great for healthy brain function and the heart too! Olive oil also has good fatty acids, great for your health as well as for more elastic, dewy skin. So, switch to extra-virgin organic olive oil: it is rich in healthy “good” fats which strengthen our cell membranes, helping our skin to look nourished and radiant.

6. Vitamins for hair, skin and nails – great for topping up the nutrients in your gorgeous skin diet. Vitamins can help solve skin problems in many cases. This is because skin problems are often a result of a vitamin deficiency. Vitamins nourish your body and help it function properly. Most people can get all the nutrients their skin needs from a multivitamin and a healthy diet.

As important as it is to eat a healthy diet, your skin also needs you to not smoke, get enough sleep, exercise regularly, and drink A LOT of water.

Remember to be patient. To get results, give it time. It may take three months to a year to really see an improvement in your skin so please, give it a solid chance to work and don’t give up.

XOXO

Trisha