Eating Your Way to Beautiful Skin

Many of us spend a lot of time and money on our skincare routines so that we can have beautiful skin.  This can involve lots of products that we put on our bodies… but what about what we put in our bodies?  Having a healthy outside is often a reflection of a healthy inside.  How does your outside look?

We all want glowing, flawless and youthful skin.  Here are my top nutrition tips for skin health…

Load Up on Antioxidants

If there’s one most important thing you can do for your skin, it would be to get in a good dose of antioxidants everyday.  The reason antioxidants are so good for our skin is that they protect our cells from oxidative damage.  This damage comes from molecules known as ‘free radicals’ that we get exposed to. Free radicals are produced in our bodies, but mostly come from our environment (e.g. from pollution, UV radiation, smoking and certain foods).

Studies show that the more vegetables we eat, the better our skin, which is likely due in part to the amount of antioxidants found in them.  For a big antioxidant hit, reach for dark or brightly coloured fruits and vegetables.  Some rich food sources of antioxidants include purple cabbage, red capsicums, berries and spinach are all great choices.

Choose Omega-3 Fats

Omega-3 fats have a lot of health benefits, which include skin health.  They prevent dryness and sun damage-induced ageing of the skin.  A great way to get your omega-3 as well as antioxidants is to sprinkle some ground chia or flax seeds over your morning porridge, cereal or toast.  Tip: make sure the seeds are ground so your body can absorb the omega-3!

Drink Up

Keeping hydrated gives our skin elasticity and glow.  But, that doesn’t mean drinking any fluids- try to stick to plain or flavoured water (herbal teas or fruit-infused water are great options).  Another option is green tea, which is also loaded with antioxidants.  Keep a drink bottle with you wherever you go and aim to drink 2L per day.

A Healthy Dose of Vitamin D

We all know that sun damage can speed up skin ageing.  However, slathering ourselves in sunscreen every time we’re exposed to the sun can have detrimental effects on our vitamin D levels.  It’s important for us to get some sun on our bare skin without sunscreen.  In winter, aim to get 2-3 hours per week.  In summer, a few minutes everyday is enough.  If you don’t get that much exposure, you may need to supplement vitamin D.

Limit Alcohol

Alcohol is very detrimental to us in terms of skin health.  That’s because it dehydrates us and causes oxidative damage.  You don’t have to avoid alcohol completely, but do try to minimise your intake and have at least a few alcohol-free days per week.  When you do drink, improve your hydration levels by alternating alcoholic drinks with a glass of water (which is also great for reducing hangovers!).

If you’re looking to further improve your skin health, or are dealing with a specific skin issue like eczema or acne (two conditions that are commonly influenced by diet), you’re welcome to have a chat with me to see if I can help, or book a consultation to see me at the clinic.

Deeni

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