Inner Beauty
Improve your skin from the inside out with diet.
You have heard that, “It’s what’s on the inside that counts.” That holds particularly true when it comes to the way your diet affects your skin. What we eat has an impact on our complexion, and the foods that are good for our skin are, obviously, also good for our overall health, including lean protein, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates like fresh fruit and vegetables.
1. Water
Make sure you are consuming enough water, which helps your body flush out toxins and keep skin clear and hydrated.
2. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Essential fatty acids help to repair your skin’s protective barrier and keep moisture locked in for healthy, supple skin. Chia seeds, flax seeds or wild Alaskan salmon are all good sources.
3. Greens
A diet rich in greens, including watercress, spinach and collard greens, as well as tart green apples, is especially good for acne-prone skin. The vitamin A in leafy greens helps regulate oil production, and the quercetin in green apples helps reduce mast cell activity (which can lead to inflammation and breakouts).
4. Yogurt
Yogurt is a superfood loaded with probiotics and lactic acid that helps soothe and calm sensitive skin’s redness and inflammation.
5. Antioxidants
Berries, such as açaí and blueberries, and spices, like turmeric, cinnamon and ginger, are great sources of antioxidants, which fight the free-radical damage that leads to fine lines, wrinkles, dullness, sagging and lackluster skin.