Hi and happy Feel-Good Monday!
This is where we share our favorite tips, tricks, secrets, and ways to "think like a healthy person" so that you can find your own delicious path to healthy living.
"Feel-Good Mondays" are meant to help us get back into that place of feeling energized, nourished, and ready to take inspired action for the week ahead.
Beauty really does come from the inside out.
What we eat (or don't eat) affects the quality of our skin as much as external factors like sun exposure and pollution. Focusing on a healthy, balanced diet is the most important factor when it comes to radiant skin. We can also use supplements, as needed, to help fill in some of the gaps that our diet may be lacking.
I was recently interviewed by a reporter at WebMd around “nutrients for healthier skin.” The article will be running at some point over the next couple of months, but here’s a sneak peek at my answers to her questions (because I couldn’t resist sharing this helpful information with you ASAP!!).
If winter has your skin parched and scaly, read on to find easy, effective solutions:
Our skin needs healthy fats to "get the glow." Low-fat diets (or diets that have mostly poor-quality fats) can leave our skin looking prematurely wrinkled and dry. High-quality fats from nuts, seeds, olive oil, and avocado are so key for radiant skin. In particular, omega 3 fatty acids (which are found in wild salmon, walnuts, flax seeds, and chia seeds) can work wonders in helping to hydrate and plump the skin. A lack of omega 3's often leaves the skin looking dry, scaly, and sunken.
It’s a simple recommendation, but drinking sufficient water can also work wonders in hydrating the skin to help prevent wrinkles and premature aging. In the winter, we often don't drink enough because we don't feel as thirsty as we do in warmer weather. Cold, windy weather (coupled by dehydration) is a recipe for dry, cracked, damaged-looking skin. (I am SO guilty of this and really need to work hard on proper hydration during these colder months.) Drinks that are high in tannins (black tea, red wine, coffee) can also be dehydrating to the skin.
In terms of overall nutrients, having enough zinc and amino acids in our diet is crucial for skin health. (Zinc is also necessary for healthy hair and strong nails.) Vitamin A is critical for healthy skin cells (and it also supports immune system function to fight an infection).
Good sources of zinc are meat, legumes, nuts, seeds, and eggs.
Amino acids are found in meat, eggs, dairy products like yogurt and cheese, legumes, quinoa, seeds in meat. Collagen is another great source of amino acids. You can find collagen in certain protein powders (like hydrolyzed collagen powder) or in bone broth.
The best source of Vitamin A is found in organ meats. (Unfortunately, most of us aren’t eating a ton of organ meats these days.) But you can also find it in fatty fish, cheese, butter, carrots, winter squash, and in leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collards.
Antioxidants in our food help reduce skin inflammation (and overall body inflammation, to help prevent disease). The best source of antioxidants come from fruits and vegetables, so be sure to consume plenty of vegetables and fruits each and every day. Variety is also important when it comes to choosing the best fruits and veggies to support our skin health. Each fruit and vegetable contain different antioxidants (antioxidants are what give our produce color: red lycopene in tomatoes, orange beta carotene in carrots, etc) so it's best to get in a large variety for the most antioxidant-support.
Supplements can definitely help support skin health, when used properly. Like diet, supplements should be customized and chosen specifically for what your individual body needs to thrive. There is no one-size-fits-all-plan for everyone. I recommend having your doctor check your zinc, B12, and iron levels to see where your diet might need support.
Most everyone can safely supplement with high-quality fish oil as an omega 3 fatty acid source (if you are on blood thinners, or have any medical condition, check with your doctor first).
Want more skin support?
Reach out to us to discuss your unique situation.
We’d love to support you around hormonal skin issues, acne, dry/scaly skin, rashes, eczema, and skin conditions that can be helped through diet and lifestyle.
Cheers to getting the glow!
Love,
P.S. What are your top skin questions? Post them on our Facebook page and I’ll post my answers!
