A healthy skin diet is all you need to achieve skin that is naturally healthy from within. If you want to achieve skin that glows without resorting to expensive creams, lotions or even medication, here’s how to do so.
Stay Hydrated
Although there’s no scientific evidence that you should stick to 8 glasses of water a day, drinking enough water ensures that your body can efficiently flush out toxins which helps a great deal in maintaining skin that has a healthy glow. Water hydrates the cells, which makes your skin plumper, more elastic and less prone to cracking and blemishes.
If you consume enough water on a daily basis, you keep the skin looking younger and you keep free radicals and blemish-causing irritations at bay as well. Don’t limit yourself to plain ol’ water if you want to stay hydrated during the day. Natural options such as cucumber, celery and iceberg lettuce are great sources of water that adds to your total water consumption on a daily basis.
Test Out Turmeric
Turmeric is a spice that is chock full of benefits, from its ability to stop inflammation to serving as a great scrub to reveal youthful, glowing skin. Turmeric contains curcumin, a potent ingredient that has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. Suffering from acne? Turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties can help calm the skin and reduce the redness that comes with it, and prevent potential bacterial infections from occurring. It can even help reduce the scarring that occurs as a result of severe acne conditions. Turmeric can be taken as a spice in your meals but the most effective way to benefit from its skin-healing properties is to take it as tea or supplement. A turmeric-honey scrub applied once a week can also do wonders for a dull skin by stripping off old, damaged skin cells.
Pass on Sugar
Ever wonder why bingeing on a few candy bars can give your face a saggy, baggy look the morning after? Sugary foods such as cakes, sodas, candy, and even less obvious culprits like pasta and pastries dump tons of processed sugar into the bloodstream. The bad news is that sugar breaks down collagen, one of the essential building blocks of skin cells that gives it its plump, elastic property. It also promotes testosterone production which leads to bigger pores and oilier skin. Too much sugar also increases the acidity levels in the blood which allows bacteria to thrive. All of these predispose you to skin irritations and rough, dull, unhealthy skin that is prone to breakouts.
Opt for Omega-3s
Omega 3 fatty acids are already known for their benefits to the brain, but they also play a big role in regulating oil production, delaying oxidation and skin hydration. Omega 3 fatty acids fight off inflammation, especially inflammation caused by sun damage, by strengthening skin cell membranes. Numerous studies have also shown that omega 3 fatty acids are effective at reducing inflammation in acne and psoriasis. Clinical results show that supplementation with this fatty effectively reduced redness, itching and scaling that usually occurs in conditions like acne, psoriasis and eczema. Present in nuts and in fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines, increasing the amount of this fatty acid in diet is the first step towards healing skin damaged by the sun or damaged by various skin conditions. Healthy cells are also less prone to damage and dehydration which means you are also keeping wrinkles at bay.
Produce is Powerful
If you want to achieve naturally healthy skin, ditch processed foods and learn to love produce. Almost any kind of fruit and vegetable can help you maintain healthy skin cells, promote efficient circulation and boost your immunity so you are less prone to skin damage and irritation. Green, leafy vegetables are great sources of antioxidants that protect skin from free radical damage. Certain nuts are great sources of essential fatty acids that promote overall, not just skin health. And fruits can serve as effective substitutes for sugary foods which are great sources of fiber as well.
A skin-nourishing diet made of natural ingredients, especially vitamin and nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables as well as a healthy dose of essential fatty acids and adequate hydration are all you need to give your skin the luxury it deserves. Get healthy skin that comes from within by following the tips above.