Thanks for your interest in “Eating Pretty”, to borrow a phrase from author Jolene Hart! It’s never too late to clean up our habits to create healthier bodies and skin.
I’m just listing the most important ideas that come to mind to help make some very significant boosts to your complexion and well-being.
1. HYDRATION
A good rule to strive for is drinking 1/2 your body weight in ounces per day. This can be water, herbal tea or non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic beverages. My favorite is Green Matcha tea mixed with Rooibos Tea (I get it flavored with vanilla and orange-yum!). Green tea is loaded with health benefits, but it is important to drink water as well to offset the caffeine content and stay fully hydrated. Eating hydrating foods are superb to keep the skin supple and glowing. Cucumbers, celery, watermelon and other water-rich foods can be eaten each day. The rage at the moment is Bone Broth for collagen building too! Soups are the “new juice” this winter, and a great source of hydration and nutrients. When you increase your hydration, you can help normalize your weight and basically help every cellular and bodily function!
2. FIBER
The focus right now is on Gut Health-what goes on there has everything to do with how our skin looks and feels! Keeping things “moving and decongested” will be tied to how much fiber you take in each day-strive for eating whole fruits, vegetables, and salads in their raw state as much as possible. Eat the rainbow as they say, and you will be doing a good job. Beans, lentils, sweet potatoes and quinoa count!
3. NO SUGAR (and things that turn to sugar in the bloodstream)
Sugar is dehydrating, acidic and super aging to the skin! A good way to sweeten things is with Stevia, it is plant-derived, all natural, and doesn’t boost your glycemic index. This is important because excess sugar is stored as fat and also contributes to a fancy term called Advanced Glycation End Products (AGES). These encourage cross-linking of sugar and protein in the skin which is commonly known as WRINKLES 🙁
4. HEALTHY FATS
Fact- glowing, beautiful skin needs good quality fats. These are raw nuts, avocados, coconuts, fatty fish like salmon and sea bass, and olive oil, instead of corn and vegetable oils (these types of oils oxidize and create free radicals which lead to premature aging).
5. LESS DAIRY
Tests have shown that some of the growth hormones in dairy can trigger acne. Fermented dairy (Yogurt and Kefir) are good for gut health. Good subs for milk are any of the nut milks, like almond or coconut.
6. GREENS
The obvious choices are the dark green leafy veggies like spinach, kale and arugula (good acne-fighters). Collard greens are full of chlorophyll and magnesium which help fight under-eye circles and brighten skin tone. Why not sneak in parsley and cilantro any time you can into salads, soups, stir-frys and wraps as they are wonderful cleansing agents and take heavy metals out of the body too (amazing right?)
7. VITAMIN C
Vitamin C helps us keep up with the Sleekskin Motto: “Radiant Skin from Within” to give us collagen and fight aging! I drink fresh lemon juice and water each morning. For a collagen boost I started mixing in a collagen powder called Dermal Matrix that I buy at Sprouts.
8. LIVER CLEANSING FOODS
The liver detoxifies our bodies and breaks down fats, so we want to keep it as “un-burdened” as possible for optimum function. Some excellent choices for this include artichokes, asparagus, cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels Sprouts, and sea veggies like nori and kelp. That morning lemon juice is fantastic for the liver!
9. ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FOODS
These reduce skin redness, dullness, acne and wrinkles. Add in more foods with high antioxidants such as berries, cherries, and grapes. Also foods that high in Omega 3 fatty acids, like salmon and nuts. These all lower the inflammatory response in the body. Adding spices like turmeric and ginger are also good!
Collagen Skin Cleanser Smoothie
1/2 of a pear
1 lime
1 cup cucumber
5 parsley leaves
a handful of mint leaves
3 drops of vanilla
1 cup of water (or coconut water)
*add in stevia for some sweetness
Blend and enjoy!
Please visit my web site for more information on skin-loving treatments, services and products at www.sleekskinaz.com
“Remember, how old you are is your business, how old you LOOK is mine!”
Call me today!
Yours in Beauty, Debbie Davis at Sleekskin Aesthetics
480-315-1364 – www.sleekskinaz.com – sleekskin@aol.com