The best way to help your skin glow is to nourish it from the inside out. That’s made easy with a holistic lifestyle. Incorporating nourishing foods into a daily routine that includes exercise and habits that lower stress can not only promote skin health but longevity too.
Stress impacts your skin, says research. Part of the stress response includes changes to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis that can trigger or worsen skin diseases, such as psoriasis and eczema. There are also reports of stressful events triggering skin problems. Lowering cortisol levels through stress-reducing lifestyle practices, such as breathing, or meditation, may support healthier skin from the inside out.
Make exercise part of your lifestyle for more beautiful skin. According to research, sweating more often can prevent dry skin. Plus, exercising increases circulation, improving the flow of blood and the helpful components it carries towards the body’s extremities, including the skin.
Get your beauty sleep. Research links sleep deprivation with increased fine lines, uneven pigmentation, and reduced skin elasticity.
The negative impacts on the skin of ultra-violet B rays from sunlight, environmental pollution, and topical cosmetics can damage your skin. Cover up when out in the sun, seek green spaces often, and opt for skin care products that lack harmful ingredients, such as sodium lauryl sulphate. The European Union has banned over 1,300 chemicals found in cosmetics. In contrast, the FDA in the United States has banned only 8. In Canada, the hot list of prohibited chemicals for cosmetics is about 500 ingredients long.
The low consumption of fruits and vegetables in the Western diet is linked with inflammation, says research. The skin is your largest organ – it can show you if there is inflammation in the body. Research has linked inflammation in the body to skin dryness, loss of elasticity, wrinkling, loss of luster, and uneven pigmentation. Fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains, nuts, seeds, and beans, are excellent sources of anti-inflammatory nutrients that promote skin health from the inside out.
Vitamin D in the skin can support anti-inflammatory actions and tissue repair, with researchers suggesting it may play a helpful role in sunburn healing. Omega-3 fatty acids are well known for their anti-inflammatory benefits, including in the skin.
Green leafy plants contain many nutrients that support skin health from the inside out, including beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is a nutrient that can absorb ultraviolet radiation (from sunlight), preventing skin damage, according to science. Beyond the carotenoids, vitamins, tocopherols, and flavonoids found in leafy green vegetables, they can support skin health from the inside out. Scientists even suggest that eating healthy may slow skin aging.
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Contributed by Allison Tannis
Known for her deliciously geeky words, Allison’s articles and books are read around the world by those curious about where to find the most delicious (and nutritious) places to stick their forks. More at allisontannis.com. Follow @deliciouslygeeky.
