Eat Your Way to Healthier Skin
Most people know that if you have fitness goals then you go to the gym to sculpt, tone, and manage your weight. What about skin health? We often think of our skin as separate from our internal health, but it's the largest organ in our body. Skin health is the most obvious sign of the aging process and it represents a window for what's going on inside your body. Healthy skin is smooth, supple and glowing--and achievable even if you aren't a super model, #squadgoals.
You can join the fight against aging skin with changes to your diet, healthy skin starts with nourishment from within. Check out these tips to feed your skin the vital nutrients to help it stay soft, supple and blemish-free.
Top 5 Skin Complaints
As much as we try to resist it, our skin ages, and with that comes a host of common complaints.
1. Problem: Elasticity
As we age, our skin loses that youthful glow that is characterized by firm, supple skin. In our early years, our skin has an abundance of two very important proteins: collagen and elastin. Collagen gives skin its structure and elastin allows your skin to stretch.
We are born with an abundant supply of collagen. As a baby, our skin is plump, firm, smooth and rosy in color. Unfortunately, in our mid-to-late 20s our body stops producing collagen and by the age of 30, collagen production begins the dreaded decline. This is right around the time those first fine lines and wrinkles make an appearance and the skin looses its bounce and elasticity.
Loss of elasticity is also caused by oxidation. This is the damage caused to the structure of the skin by chemical and environmental factors such as pollution, cigarette smoke, fried food and sun exposure. Anti-aging creams and sunblock can help stave off these damaging effects and antioxidants can protect your skin from the inside out by guarding your cells from damage.
Eat More of This: Make sure you eat plenty of antioxidants from foods such as carrots, peppers, oranges tomatoes, sweet potatoes, watermelons and apricots.
2. Problem: Dry Skin
Flaky, dry skin, for instance, could be a result of a diet low in essential fatty acids, which are found in certain fish, seeds and nuts. Loss of suppleness could be due to oxidants - chemicals found in pollution, cigarette smoke, fried food and the effects of the sun which damage the structure of your skin. Dreaded pimples could indicate stress.
Eat More of This: Foods that contain essential fatty acids include Omega 3 oils contained in fish such as sardines, mackerel and pilchards and Omega 6 fats, which are found in seeds and their oils. The best source of seed oils are hemp, pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, walnut and primrose oils.
3. Problem: Oily, greasy skin
Hormones and stress are key players when it comes to that unwanted sheen. When a person is under stress, the adrenal gland is stimulated into producing more sebum - the oily substance that helps keep the skin soft and free of bacteria. Too much sebum can result in too much oil circulating around the skin.
Certain makeup can also trap the oil on your skin's surface, causing clogged pores and breakouts. Another likely culprit is the cellphone that's attached to your cheek from all that gabbing (although these days it seems like people text more than they talk!). The fact is that the amount of oil that your skin produces is due in large part to genetics. Thankfully, it's possible to minimize factors that lead to an increase in oil production.
Eat More of This: Limit your intake of fried food or saturated fats found in dairy and some red meats. Instead stick to fresh fruit and vegetables, steamed or boiled. Instead, load up your plate with fresh fruit and vegetables, preferably steamed or boiled, to help combat any oxidant damage.
4. Problem: Acne
Acne is often the side kick to oily skin and stress and hormonal changes are the likely culprits. When a person is under stress, the adrenal gland is stimulated into producing sebum - the oily substance that keeps the skin moisturized. When excess sebum is oxidized (as a result of environmental factors like pollution and chemicals on the surface of the skin), it hardens and causes clogged pores.
I've personally battled adult acne and found great success with an all natural DIY face mask (view the full recipe here) and the sulfur-based acne line from Rodan+Fields (view Unblemish product line here). Of course you should also tackle acne from within and take note of these diet tips.
Eat More of This: Most studies have focused on the foods that exacerbate acne. These foods spike blood sugar, trigger hormonal fluctuation and increase inflammation (leads to pimples). Cut these foods, or at least reduce your intake, for a couple of weeks and see if you notice a difference. Cow's milk, sugar, high-glycemic foods, greasy, high-fat foods.
5. Problem: Dullness
There are lots of reasons why your skin can lack the radiant glow we all crave. Many people don't exfoliate enough. You may have the face washing down, but if you're not sloughing away the dead, dry skin cells, you'll never uncover the bright skin underneath. Proper hydration is another critical factor. Dehydration decreases the volume of blood flow to the skin, which can make you look pale and sickly.
Eat More of This: If radiant skin is your goal, then stay away from salty, processed foods.
Grocery List
Antioxidants are the name of the game. Vitamins A, C and E and the mineral selenium help fortify cells against radicals (i.e. smoking, pollution and sunlight) and encourage cell and tissue repair. In most cases, you'll reach your antioxidant quota with a healthy and balanced diet.
- Eat Your Five A Day: Fruit and vegetables contain powerful antioxidants that help to protect skin from the cellular damage. Eat a rainbow of colorful fruit and vegetables and aim for at least five portions a day. Betacarotene, found in pumpkin, carrots and sweet potatoes, and lutein, found in kale, papaya and spinach are potent antioxidants, important for normal skin cell development and healthy skin tone.
Vitamin A: To maximize the benefit, choose Vitamin A from animal sources, which contain retinol. This includes liver, butter and eggs. For a vegetarian option, Vitamin A (in a different form, called beta carotene) is found in carrots, sweet potatoes and dark leafy greens.
Vitamin C: Another super antioxidant. It's not only needed for a strong immune system, but it also gives you more radiant skin and helps blemishes heal properly. The best sources are black currants, blueberries, broccoli, guava, kiwi fruits, oranges, papaya, strawberries and sweet potatoes.
- Vitamin E: Protects skin from oxidative (cell) damage and supports healthy skin growth. Foods high in vitamin E include dark leafy greens, broccoli, squash, almonds, avocado, sunflower seeds, fish, plant oils and fruits.
Remember, once you make changes to your diet, don't expect an overnight miracle. It takes six weeks for new skin to emerge up to the surface, so the visible benefits from dietary changes will take time.
The battle starts from within (and at the grocery store), but doesn't end there. Maintaining your healthy glow is due in large part to an effective skincare routine. In my early 30s, I've decided it's time to advance from the pharmacy-counter approach of a cheap face wash and a slather of moisturizer. I've only recently won the battle with adult acne, but all of a sudden I have real skin concerns...and lines! Gravity is catching up with me. Anyone else?