Healing Your Skin Naturally Through Food
Healing Your Skin Naturally
“You’re skin looks amazing!” Think about it. When is the last time someone said that to you? I get that all the time. And you can too… healthy, beautiful, glowing skin, at any age. Guys… I’m talking to you too. Healing your skin naturally through food. It works!
Many of us spend hundreds of dollars trying to attain “the glow”. Different products that promise to take years off your face or get rid of various skin problems are often really expensive…and they don’t always work. Do they? Getting that coveted glow doesn’t have to come with such a heavy price tag. Honestly you should just ditch those products that promise miracles. Most of them, well actually all of them, are laden with toxic chemicals that actually do more damage than good. All you really need for skin that is gorgeous and glows is to make some changes to your diet. Seriously. I’ve found that the miracle you’re looking for in a bottle is actually found in the foods you eat! What you eat (and what you don’t eat) can have some serious effects on the health of your skin. And when you know what foods to eat and what ones to eliminate from you diet you’ll begin to take control of your skin troubles once and for all. What to Eat…and What Not to Eat for Glowing Skin The foods you eat have everything to do with the health of your skin. Removing the toxic junk you eat (and replacing it with certain foods that support skin health) can make all the difference in the world when it comes to getting your skin problems under control. A poor diet can literally ruin your skin and cause all kinds of skin imperfections. Believe it or not your unhealthy diet can cause wrinkles, acne, psoriasis, eczema and more. On the other hand however, a healthy diet can reverse these nasty effects your diet has played on your skin. Knowing what to get rid of and eating the foods that support skin health instead will do wonders in supporting healthy skin that’s nourished naturally from the inside out.
Remove These Food from Your Diet Immediately
What you’re eating is either supporting and healing your skin or sabotaging it. If any of the following foods are part of your regular diet it’s time to eliminate them once and for all.
Sugar I’ve said it before and I don’t get tired of saying it over and over again. Sugar wreaks havoc on skin cells and is responsible for damaging proteins like collagen and elastin, which are responsible for keeping skin tight and supple. This breakdown of collagen and elastin is known as glycation and is something that not only causes wrinkles, but is also responsible for making eczema worse. Sugar is also known to trigger rosacea.
Gluten Just what is it? The word gluten actually comes from the Latin word “glue” and is a protein that helps hold foods together and maintain their shape. And it just so happens to be one of the most inflammatory foods someone can eat.
How does it affect your skin? Clear and healthy skin is directly affected by the health of the gut, and for those that are gluten intolerance acne is often an unwelcomed response. Acne arises when gluten molecules enter the bloodstream and cause an immune response that results in inflammation, which in turn results in acne.
Omega-6 and Other Unhealthy Oils All omegas are not created equal, especially when there is an imbalance in the body. Oils that contain high amounts of omega-6 (think sunflower, corn, canola, soy, and cottonseed oils) are known to cause inflammation and are responsible for seriously making the health of your skin suffer.
Foods to Eat for Healthy Skin
Just as some foods are terrible for skin health, there are those that actually promote the healing of your skin. You can eat your way to gorgeous skin that glows by including the following as a regular part of your diet.
Salmon Salmon is one of the best things you can eat for healthy skin that glows. It’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce inflammation in the body, prevent fine lines and wrinkles, and unclog pores.
Carrots Full of beta carotene (an antioxidant that converts to vitamin A in the body), carrots help to repair skin while protecting it from the sun. It slows the breakdown of collagen and elastin and encourages healthy skin cells.
Fermented Veggies Eating fermented foods is a great way to keep your gut healthy…and remember, a healthy gut is vital for glowing skin. Fermented foods are the best source of probiotics you can find and are excellent for acne and a variety of other skin problems. Not familiar with fermented veggies? Think sauerkraut, cultured pickles and kimchi.
Sprouted Grains Sprouted grains are simply amazing for your overall health. They’re great for purifying the blood and strengthening the immune system…both of which are necessary for overall skin health. They’re full of antioxidants that help protect from aging as well. You can actually easily sprout your own grains. Check out my free book on how to sprout your own grains at home!
Stevia You’ve cut out the sugar, but what about when you want a little sweet? Sweetleaf Stevia is a natural sweetener (and my go-to) that won’t destroy your health like regular sugar does. It’s 200 times sweeter than refined sugar, so when using it remember that a little goes a long way!
Berries Adding berries as a part of your regular diet is an amazing way to support naturally glowing skin. Full of antioxidants, they are truly a powerhouse when it comes to healthy, radiant skin. Blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, raspberries and strawberries all contain anthocyanin (the pigment responsible for their dark hue). This is an extremely powerful antioxidant that helps alleviate free radical damage. They’re also full of vitamin C, which is one of the best nutrients for stunning skin and overall immune health.
Bone Broth Sipping on bone broth could be one of the best kept secrets for super healthy skin. Why? It contains collagen, which we all know is vital for keeping wrinkles at bay. Unlike collagen creams however, bone broth sends collagen directly to your cells. It’s also got a good amount of glycine that remove toxins from the liver and helps to “de-age” skin cells. It’s simple to make. Click here for my recipe.
Kefir Like fermented veggies, kefir is full of the probiotics you need to maintain optimal skin health. Kefir is a fermented milk drink that contains more probiotics than you can find in a supplement and is excellent to boost immunity and clear up skin problems like acne. What’s more is that washing your face with kefir (similar to the infamous milk baths famous for glowing skin) is great for brightening skin, removing dead skin cells, and reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots.
What You Should Eat for Gorgeous Skin that Glows
Planning out your meals and making sure you’re getting plenty of the foods that enhance skin health will give you skin that glows. Here are 5 simple tips for eating the right amounts of foods for healing your skin: 1) Get rid of sugar! Find out where sugar is hiding in the foods you eat. Read labels. If you haven’t read my book yet, start there. It’s a simple read and you will quickly learn how to recognize all the various names of sugar and how it is hidden in your food. By simply cutting out sugar and replacing it with naturally sweet foods you will start getting the glow back! 2) Replace your nasty omega-6 fats with foods that are rich with the healthy fats your body needs for glowing skin. They can be found in nuts, seeds, salmon, and avocados. An avocado a day will truly keep the dermatologist away. When cooking be sure to use healthy oils such as olive or coconut. 3) Go crazy with a variety of different colored fruits and veggies. Berries are amazing for gorgeous skin and can be a great addition to your morning green smoothie. Throw in some chia seeds (ahhhhmazing for healthy skin and a number of other health benefits) and you’re good to go. If you haven’t grabbed a copy of my FREE book “Green Smoothies: Super Simple & Super Yummy Favorites” simple click here and I will send you a copy… really… it’s FREE! 4) Add healthy proteins like chicken and hardboiled eggs to a couple meals a day. Black beans, nuts, and nut butters are also great sources of healthy proteins for healthy skin. 5) Get the 5-10 ounces of grains your body needs in a day through whole grains rather than refined and processed grain. When I say grains I’m talking about “ancient” grains like quinoa, millet, buckwheat. If you must eat a slice of bread, stick to wholegrain bread and pasta or try your own sprouted grains instead like Ezekiel bread.
How Much You Should Eat?
How much of these foods you should be eating for healing skin really depends on your activity level. If you eat more than your body can use you’ll end up gaining weight. If you’re over 50 the following should serve as a safe guide to getting the calories you need from good for you foods without packing on the extra pounds.
Women
• 1,600 calories for someone not physically active
• 1,800 calories for someone who is active a little bit.
• 2,000-2,200 calories for someone who is regularly active.
Men
• 2,000 calories for someone not physically active.
• 2,400 calories for someone who is active a little bit.
• 2,400-2,800 for someone who is regularly active.
Where Do You Start?
Now getting all those calories in a HEALTHY way may be a challenge. But with a little help to get you on the right track you are on your way to feeling and looking sensational…one day at a time. Believe me, I am living proof…you can heal yourself from the inside out with good nutrition. I learned some 14 years ago that I needed help to understand just what my body needed. And it’s been a mission to help other to learn the same. Unfortunately many doctors can’t talk about nutrition because they really don’t know how to coach you on it. I’ve made it easy for you to understand what your body is craving for into a safe 10-day detox. My program “All Natural Sugar Detox” will help you to rid yourself of foods cause skin problems and foods that are healing your skin from the inside out. In only 10 days you will lose sugar cravings, lose weight while eating carbs and other delicious foods to improve your health and get your glow back!
Still not sure what is the next step for you? Hit me up! Book a DISCOVERY SESSION today to see if hiring a Wellness and Health Coach or if doing a detox is right for you.