Dry skin, premature aging, sun damage, break-outs… We go to great lengths to battle skin issues, generally by dipping deep into our wallets and spending small fortunes on miracle potions, creams and expensive facials that promise younger looking, glowing, clear, smooth skin.
And while these steps might help to temporarily create a better complexion, they are nothing more than “band-aids” if the underlying causes of the skin condition you are dealing with are not addressed.
Great health in general comes from bringing your body naturally in a state of balance with a diet and lifestyle that is right for you. Truly radiant and clear skin is a direct result of being in this state of perfect health and (sorry to burst that bubble) there are therefore no real quick fixes. You need to eat right, live right and address malfunctions in your body in order to shine from within.
I spent most of my adult life trying to get rid of my hormone related break-outs in all ways possible but it wasn’t until I addressed the underlying cause: a compromised digestive system which had my hormones all over the place, that the break-outs finally disappeared.
Having said that… While you are working to build true health and radiance from within there are a few things that you can do right now to give your skin an extra boost: eliminate the top 3 culprits that play a role in common skin conditions such as premature aging, dryness and break-outs and add in 5 top skin boosters to see an immediate positive effect on the condition of your skin.
3 Things that mess with your skin
1. Sugar
I can think of a million reasons to cut sugar from your diet. It messes with your body (and mind) in so many different ways but since we are focusing on our skin, let’s have a look at how the consumption of sugar is directly linked to premature aging: old, sagging, dry and wrinkly skin.
Collagen and elastin are two important building blocks that are responsible for the strength and elasticity of your skin. Through a process called glycation sugar binds with collagen and elastin protein fibers making them less elastic and brittle. Fine lines and wrinkles appear and don’t go away and your skin feels less supple as a result.
Remove sugar from your diet, especially the refined white sugar, and you will quickly notice the difference in your skin. Read this article for tips on how to successfully reduce sugar’s harmful effects.
2. Refined vegetable seed oils
Refined vegetable seed oils such as sunflower oil, canola oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, corn oil etc. are a pro-inflammatory food that most of us get way to much of in our diets, leading to chronic inflammation in our bodies. It is this chronic, “below the surface” inflammation that lies at the root cause of many common health conditions including premature aging and other inflammatory skin conditions.
You can read more on inflammation and how to reverse it in this article but for now, by removing these oils from your diet and replacing them with healthier non-inflammatory cooking oils you can take an important step towards not only reducing inflammation but also making a direct and positive impact on your skin.
3. Processed foods
Processed foods are the foods that come in boxes, packages, cans and plastic containers with labels that carry long lists of ingredients many of which we can’t recognize. A lot of these ingredients are artificial, refined, high in sugar, sodium and so on and by consuming them we directly contribute to the very same inflammatory process we spoke about earlier.
The large food companies use science and technical engineering to create a processed product that is designed to make you want to eat more. * They, in a way, work hard to create something of a food addiction and induce cravings, which makes it difficult for people to remove these foods from their diets.
I would like to think that this is all the more reason to build up some mental muscle and willpower and choose whole, real, unprocessed foods instead. You will do not only your skin but also your entire body a great favor.
5 Things that will instantly boost your skin
1. Hydrate
It’s one of those things we all know we should but might not always be doing: drinking more water. Proper hydration helps with circulation, digestion and detoxification. If done right, drinking the right amount of water can help hydrate at a cellular level and this is where your skin is going to benefit directly and feel more plump and resilient.
Read this article on water and how much you should drink. A quick way to deeply hydrate is by sipping hot water every fifteen minutes in addition to drinking your usual 8 or so cups a day.
2. Take some omega 3 fatty acids
Omega 3 fatty acids have a number of health benefits and most people don’t get enough of them in their diets. Being anti-inflammatory in nature they directly help in combatting inflammation related skin conditions such as redness, swelling, irritation etc. Furthermore they help to nourish and revitalize dry skin from within. You can get omega 3 fatty acids from your diet by eating foods such as fish (salmon, mackerel etc.), walnuts, flax seeds, and flax oil but for a quick boost take a omega 3 supplement in the form of fish- or krill oil. Make sure to choose a high quality brand.
3. Increase your anti-oxidant intake
We are waging a continuous war against free radicals, which exist in our bodies as a result of stress, pollution, poor diets etc. It is the free radicals that cause cellular damage resulting in a variety of diseases such as cancer, aging, and heart disease.
Anti-oxidants battle these free radicals and the good news is that they can be easily obtained through our diet by eating powerful foods. Most plant foods contain anti-oxidants. Think rainbow colored fruits and vegetables, leafy greens, herbs and spices, nuts and seeds, legumes and my favorite: dark chocolate. By eating a varied diet that includes lots of healthy fresh, local and seasonal plant foods you are sure to get enough of anti-oxidants to counter the skin damaging effects of free radicals.
4. Boost your collagen
Collagen is the basic building block of our skin, hair and nails and keeps things looking plump and youthful. As we age, collagen starts to decline causing our skin to start showing signs of aging. A great way to boost collagen naturally, through your diet is by regularly consuming home made bone broth. Not only will it help make your skin look fabulous, it is an extremely rich source of minerals, it repairs and heals gut function and it is the best way to build strong bones as it contains glucosaminoglycans which are essential for bone health. Find the recipe for home made chicken broth here.
Vitamin C helps to stimulate collagen production in our bodies so eating fruits that contain high amounts of vitamin C is good too.
5. Use natural skin care
There is a growing movement towards natural skin care products and for very good reasons. We should not forget that our skin is our largest organ and whatever we slather on our skin enters our bodies. Just as you should be careful with what you put in your mouth, you should you be careful with what you put on your skin.
Many popular skin care products contain ingredients that are known to influence hormonal balance. They are loaded with chemicals and artificial ingredients that have been linked to diseases such as cancer. Do you really want this on your skin? There are some fantastic companies that are making all natural skin products from creams, scrubs to mineral make-up. It makes perfect sense to check these out and find your favorite or make your own! You can find a lovely home made face scrub recipe that my friend Ashita shared with me here.
So there you go. Take charge of your skin and start shining from within!
X
Monique
* http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/food-cravings-engineered-by-industry-1.1395225
