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Heal Your Skin From the Inside Out

by LIVING HEALTH on August 30, 2016

Most people have heard the phrase, “love the skin you’re in.” However, I think it is safe to say that most people have trouble with this, at least every once in a while. I am no exception. Whether your skin is too dry, too oily, or too wrinkly, the most widely accepted solution is to go to your local drug store and buy a new moisturizer, a different face wash, or a new acne cream. This isn’t necessarily the wrong thing to do, but I’m here to tell you that there are other, healthier solutions.

Your skin is the biggest organ in your body and it is crucial that we take care of it. The most common way to do that is from the outside. As I mentioned, there are thousands of products out there that claim they are here to help you fix your skin, but a quick fix like that isn’t always the healthiest option. What a lot of people don’t realize is that healing your skin from the inside out is one of the best and healthiest options.

What you eat has a huge affect on your skin. The term “you are what you eat” isn’t too far off! If you eat a jellybean, the likelihood of that turning you into a jellybean is incredibly slim. However, if you eat jellybeans every day, not only will that have a highly negative effect on your insides, but it will show in your skin as well!

While we are on the topic of jellybeans, I will share with you the number one thing to avoid if you are trying to obtain healthy skin: Refined sugar. Refined sugar is horrible for every skin type and that is because it can cause protein fibers to become still and malformed, making the skin become discolored, weak, and less supple. This then shows up on the skin as wrinkles, sagginess and loss of radiance. Avoiding sugar will also improve the appearance of cellulite.

Now that you know what to avoid, we can move on to skin necessities. Vitamins A, B, C, E, and K are all essential to optimal skin health and they each have their own specialties when it comes to skincare. For example, Vitamin B Complex is responsible for circulation. Good circulation gives your skin a healthy glow. You can add this vitamin to your diet by eating organ meats, oatmeal, egg yokes, raisins, and nuts. Not too difficult, right?

Vitamin A, which can be found in liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, mangoes, spinach, and cantaloupe, can maintain skin moisture and support elasticity. If you have a dry, flaky complexion, this can be a symptom of a Vitamin A deficiency. Another vitamin that helps with elasticity is Vitamin K. This vitamin helps reduce age related wrinkling and loss of elasticity. Foods that are high in Vitamin K include kale, greens, scallions, turnips, brussel sprouts, broccoli, and sauerkraut.

To protect skin against the sun’s ultraviolet rays, take more Vitamin C. Vitamin C also helps increase collagen production which can slow or in some cases reverse the signs of aging. It also helps to brighten the skin. You can add Vitamin C to your diet by eating citrus fruits, bell peppers, broccoli, and dark leafy greens. Both Vitamin C and Vitamin E are antioxidants which means that they help rid the body of free-radicals. This helps improve skin texture. Vitamin E can be found in foods such as olive oil, nuts, pumpkin seeds, and almonds.

Other than vitamins, there are also essential fatty acids, or healthy fats, that can do wonders for your skin. Omega 3 and Omega 6 help to give the skin a dewey appearance and improve skin elasticity and texture. These healthy fats can be found in wild-caught salmon. Coconut oil can also improve your skin (and it can do so from both the inside and the outside) by helping to deeply moisten it.

Other things you can do to heal your skin include remembering to eat your avocados, limit sun exposure, exercise, and get an adequate amount of sleep. This is the only skin you’ve got! Take care of the skin you’re in!

Recipe for Hydrating Tightening Mask:

Use for Skin Types: Normal and dry

*Not recommended for those with extra oily skin.

What you’ll need:

– 1-2 egg whites

– 1 avocado

– 1 tablespoon of honey

How to prepare:

Beat egg whites until stiff. Mash the avocado and honey together. Gradually add the avocado mixture to the egg whites making sure that the mask doesn’t become too liquid.

How to use:

Apply the mask on your face and leave on for 15 – 30 minutes.

NOTE: This article was written by Anastasia Johnson. Anastasia interviewed Tilka Nosek who gave her many of the pointers found in this article.