10 Foods for Healthy Skin
Our skin is a mirror of our internal health. Imperfections can arise from a wide range of sub-optimal functioning – especially poor gut health and immune imbalances! So if nourishing the body from the inside-out is the secret to skin health, what should you eat?
1. Fatty fish: we can’t talk skin health without mentioning healthy fats! Fatty fish like salmon is high in omega-3, which down-regulates inflammation (the kind that makes our skin look red, puffy and dull). Omega-3’s also help with acne and UV protection for flawless skin tone.1
2. Goji berries: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) encourages foods like goji berries to nourish yin and expel excess yang for flawless skin. They are also packed with antioxidants that promote skin glow and reduce the signs of aging.
3. Dandelion tea: another TCM beauty hack. This drink is able to detoxify the liver, kidneys and bladder. Just be careful not to overdo it if you’re sensitive to cold.
4. Probiotics: the happier the gut, the happier the skin! Probiotic therapy can even prevent and treat skin woes like eczema, acne, inflammation UV-damage and wound healing.2 Try to incorporate natural yogurt, kimchi, pickled foods (check the label for “probiotic” or “fermented” as most store-bought pickles are just vinegar).
5. Bone broth: sipping bone broth has proven anti-inflammatory properties plus it supplies glycine and proline – key precursors to collagen. Collagen fibers crisscross to give skin elasticity and structure. Unfortunately, these structures break down with age and as collagen production slows down, wrinkles and sagging can arise.3,4
6. Hemp seeds: a sprinkling of these seeds not only provides healthy fats but are also a great source of zinc. The skin is the 3rd greatest user of zinc in the body. It is used for the turnover of skin cells and therefore is great for improving skin texture.5
7. Guava: nothing says summer glow like tropical fruit! Guava is incredible high in lycopene, a nutrient we usually associate with tomatoes. Lycopene can be found in our sebum and is shown to protects the skin from UV damage and aging effects.6
8. Beans: the humble bean, or lentil or pea, is packed with fiber. You might think that you’re getting enough fiber. But fiber deficiency is estimated at 95%7 – so you’re probably not. Without enough fiber your gut system accumulates waste, toxins and other nasties that enter your circulation and show on your skin.
9. Pomegranate juice: in addition to being loaded with antioxidants for glowing skin, it has natural antimicrobials to prevent acne; it may help prevent skin cancer; and it is thought to increase cell regeneration to remove old skin cells to regenerate youthful skin.8,9
10. Chaga: mushrooms are often overlooked for its skin properties. Chaga has potent antiviral and antibacterial agent to prevent acne, while a recent study showed properties that curb melanin production – meaning it could help lighten skin and reverse sunspots.10
That’s our round-up. Just remember, it’s not what you eat but what you absorb! Our gut can’t always absorb all the nutrients we need to feel our best, especially if we’re experiencing bloating, cramps, diarrhea, constipation, gassiness etc. Nutrient IVs can supply the high-dose nutrients we need to combat the toxic environments we now live in by neutralizing free radical damage, preventing the signs of aging, and supporting overall health!
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References:
- Thomsen, B. J., Chow, E. Y., & Sapijaszko, M. J. (2020). The Potential Uses of Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Dermatology: A Review. Journal of cutaneous medicine and surgery, 24(5), 481–494. https://doi.org/10.1177/1203475420929925
- Roudsari, M. R., Karimi, R., Sohrabvandi, S., & Mortazavian, A. M. (2015). Health effects of probiotics on the skin. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition, 55(9), 1219–1240. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2012.680078
- Alcock RD, Shaw GC, Tee N, Burke LM. Plasma Amino Acid Concentrations After the Ingestion of Dairy and Collagen Proteins, in Healthy Active Males. Front Nutr. 2019;6:163. Published 2019 Oct 15. doi:10.3389/fnut.2019.00163
- Varani J, Dame MK, Rittie L, et al. Decreased collagen production in chronologically aged skin: roles of age-dependent alteration in fibroblast function and defective mechanical stimulation. Am J Pathol. 2006;168(6):1861-1868. doi:10.2353/ajpath.2006.051302
- Cao C, Xiao Z, Wu Y, Ge C. Diet and Skin Aging-From the Perspective of Food Nutrition. Nutrients. 2020;12(3):870. Published 2020 Mar 24. doi:10.3390/nu12030870
- Petyaev, I. et al. (2019). Lycopene presence in facial skin corneocytes and sebum and its association with circulating lycopene isomer profile: Effects of age and dietary supplementation. Food science & nutrition, 7(4), 1157–1165. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.799
- Quagliani D, Felt-Gunderson P. Closing America’s Fiber Intake Gap: Communication Strategies From a Food and Fiber Summit. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2016;11(1):80-85. Published 2016 Jul 7. doi:10.1177/1559827615588079
- Can Pomegranate Improve the Health of My Skin? 2020. Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/pomegranate-benefits-on-skin.
- Bassiri-Jahromi S. Punica granatum(Pomegranate) activity in health promotion and cancer prevention. Oncol Rev. 2018;12(1):345. Published 2018 Jan 30. doi:10.4081/oncol.2018.345
- Yan, Z. F., Yang, Y., Tian, F. H., Mao, X. X., Li, Y., & Li, C. T. (2014). Inhibitory and Acceleratory Effects of Inonotus obliquus on Tyrosinase Activity and Melanin Formation in B16 Melanoma Cells. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine: eCAM, 2014, 259836. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/259836.