With the many lotions, potions, serums, and promises for healthy vibrant skin, it can get quite confusing. And expensive! There are so many products out there and each of us react to them in different ways. Like certain foods, topicals are bio-individual. Meaning one person’s potion is another one’s poison. What works for your BFF may make you break out like a teenager. Luckily many companies allow you to return the items if they don’t work for you, right?
Today we are looking at the other side of skincare. From the inside. Skin issues like eczema (I see posts on this constantly with children), acne, rashes, redness and cystic acne are all results of inflammation and hormone imbalance. Our focus needs to shift from solely masking the symptoms (acne for example) with creams or lotions to looking at what foods are creating these symptoms. I use topicals- so does Brooklyn when she has a little somethin’ somethin’ on her bum or her cheeks are dry. But what I also do is feed our bodies amazing foods, or pay attention if my daughter has a reaction to something, and nourish our skin from the inside first and foremost. I’m not against topicals but let’s create a strong foundation first and figure out why you’re getting a reaction on your skin. Treat the root of the problem and not just the symptom.
“There’s a growing body of research showing that diet really does affect your complexion,” says Jessica Wu, MD, a dermatologist in Los Angeles and author of Feed Your Face. “What you eat can affect your hormone balance, cause acne, and create or lessen inflammation, which is associated with skin aging.”
So what foods can affect your skin and cause inflammation? Well, you guessed it, heavily processed foods, alcohol, sugar, conventional dairy (extremely inflammatory) can ignite skin issues, so can eggs, conventional red meat, and refined (not whole) grains to name the usual culprits. However, pay attention to the foods you and your family eat as everyone has different reactions.
Skin nourishing foods include:
- Olive oil
- Dark chocolate
- Whole grain oatmeal (not the instant in the brown paper pouch kind!)
- Fatty fish like salmon, trout, and sardines
- Green tea
- Kale and dark leafy greens
- Walnuts
- Grass-fed beef (more Omega-3 fatty acids and nutrients than conventional beef)
- Kiwi (has more vitamin C than an orange and Vitamin C is a powerful healer of our skin, connective tissue and is a collagen booster)
- Sunflower seeds and other Vitamin E rich foods. Vitamin E is huge for staying pimple-free.
- Chickpeas (probably the healthiest food out there)
2 things I believe also have helped my skin look radiant and glowing are both VegaOne All-In-One plant-based protein powder (www.myvega.com – you can also purchase on Amazon or your local health food store) along with a new product from Elle McPherson’s WelleCo called The Super Elixer (http://www.welleco.com/collections/alkalising-greens). I add both to my smoothies or I add The Super Elixer to water. The Super Elixer is alkalizing greens and other goodies in a powder form. No, it doesn’t have a strong spirulina flavor that most greens have, it’s actually quite delicious. The jury is out on if an alkalizing diet affects your body’s Ph level and health but all I know is that as soon as I started adding 2 tsp a day to my life, my skin has never looked better and my melasma has decreased dramatically. It’s all healthy good stuff regardless and so it will stay in my life. The theme of green is all in this paragraph… maybe we’re on to something here?
One last tip for amazing skin is keeping your BLOOD SUGAR balanced throughout the day. Blood sugar is HUGE when it comes to hormone balance and inflammation…and as a result, your skin. Not skipping meals, eating a protein or quality fat-rich breakfast, grazing throughout the day, avoiding overly-processed and high GI foods that will spike blood sugar, and increasing fiber intake throughout the day will help you with this.
Do I use topicals for my skin? Of course! I’m extremely cautious with ingredients and ratings with the EWG- that’s just how I roll. I’ve tried many but Chae Organics is my go-to and one I always return to if I am asked to try something new. It’s toxic-free, organic, and Linda Chae makes her products in her Colorado headquarters. She knows what goes into everything. Check them out at www.gobeyondnatural.com
Here’s to energy, vitality and fabulous skin!
