Soft, smooth glowing skin comes from within; what you choose to eat and supplement with has a direct impact upon your skin health. Using the latest expensive skin cream will only get you so far- if you love McDonalds and Cola too much your skin will suffer no matter what you slather on it!
If your skin is suffering try these simple tips and techniques for soothing and restoring your glow…
- Lets start with the basics – drink plenty of water! Think of how an old uneaten orange looks all wrinkled and shrivelled – thats what happens to your skin cells when they dehydrate. Tea, coffee, soft drinks and alcohol all serve to dehydrate your skin and any sugar content has a double whammy effect as sugar damages the protein matrix forming your skin’s structure.
- Oils; even if oily skin and acne is your problem you still need plenty of healthy oils. The essential fats found in fish, krill, flaxseed, pumpkin seed and nut oils help maintain your skins natural oil levels and reduce inflammation. Diets low in oils mean the skin has to work harder to maintain its oil balance and can over produce, causing excess oiliness. Eczema or psoriasis? Try massaging your skin with coconut oil. Naturally solid at room temperature, coconut oil melts on contact with the skin and is rich in a wide variety of fatty acids that support skin hydration and healing.
- Blueberries, strawberries, kiwi fruit, peppers, watercress, parsley….all delightfully tasty and packed with vitamin C to help with skin healing and collagen formation. Collagen plumps out your skin; vitamin C aids its formation and protects it from damage. This is why so many anti-ageing creams contain vitamin C! To really make a difference to your skin you need to be getting plenty of it from your foods – no skin cream can make up for a poor diet.
- Zinc. The super mineral for acne and skin healing. Teenage hormone fluctuations increase the need for zinc whilst skin infections benefit from both the healing powers and immune supporting benefits of this mineral found in nuts, pumpkin seeds, chicken and shellfish.
- Aloe Vera – a wonderful skin nourishing and anti-inflammatory herb that can be taken internally and used as a gel on your skin to relieve itching, redness and sunburn. Aloe vera soothes sore inflammed skin, supports vitamin C and vitamin E absorption and acts as a natural anti-histamine – perfect for urticaria and rashes!
- Opt for high quality natural skincare products; be mindful to read labels and examine ingredients when it comes to skincare products as ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ can mean as little as only 3% of the ingredients are naturally derived! Chemicals in skin creams and lotions add to your body’s toxic load and need to be metabolised and detoxified. Even though many harmful ingredients are only present in tiny amounts they have an accumulative effect in your body, leading to problems long term. Personally I love and trust the Green People, Weleda (who do excellent baby skincare products) and A’kin ranges to care for my skin. Along with the right foods and a good night’s sleep of course!
What are your top tips for healthy skin? Feel free to share here or over on the Facebook page!