Everyone wants beautiful skin, but it isn’t something that just happens. Having gorgeous, healthy skin takes time and knowledge. You can use products and treatments, but most people don’t know that the foods they eat can actually have effects on their skin. The path to your perfect skin might just be through your stomach. There are a number of dietary changes you can make that are well-known for having benefits to your skin. Adding certain food to your diet for an extended period of time can keep your skin glowing and natural looking. Here are some foods you should add to your diet from the professionals at Colorescience:
Probiotics
Stress and infection can have negative effects on the stomach. If bacteria levels are unbalanced, toxic particles can leak through the stomach walls and travel throughout the body, including to the skin. Having a healthy dose of probiotics can help maintain normal levels of bacteria in the stomach and prevent leakage to the skin.
Purple Produce
Free radicals are molecules with unpaired electrons that are produced when skin comes in contact with UV rays or air pollutants, such as carbon monoxide or cigarette smoke. Free radicals can cause skin to look worn and tired. You can neutralize free radicals with antioxidants, which are found in purple foods such as raspberries, blueberries, purple potatoes, and cabbage. These foods increase circulation and bring nutrients to the skin to form new cells.
Stay Away from Sugar
Sugar can have detrimental effects on more than just your weight. Sugar actually causes inflammation and can lead to glycation, a condition that causes skin to age prematurely. Eliminating sugar completely from your diet is a bit extreme, although it is the best solution. Realistically, most people are still going to have some level of sugar in their diet. Changing the way you eat sugar can also help. Instead of eating a whole tub of ice cream at once, spread it out across a week. Overloading your body with high levels of sugar at once can spike your insulin levels, which has a negative effect on your skin.
Sip Some Nettles
Nettles have an anti-inflammatory effect and are great for your skin if you take them in tea, soup, or capsule form. Anti-inflammatories help calm the skin and improve conditions like eczema and acne. Nettles also have a large amount of antioxidants in them, so they also help with those pesky free radicals.
Add Nuts to Your Diet
Nuts have a ton of great benefits. They’re packed with essential fats your body needs and are loaded with vitamins and minerals. A lack of minerals such as selenium and zinc have been linked to acne in some cases. Selenium increases the number of white blood cells in the body and strengthens them, so increasing this can help your health overall.
Adjusting your diet can help your skin remain clear and have a fresh, vibrant glow. Skin health is about finding what works for you. Test out some of the ideas above and see if they help. Everyone’s skin is different and understanding yours will help your health overall.
Bio: Brian Stumbaugh is a marketing professional for Colorescience. He lives in San Diego and enjoys beach volleyball, attending marketing events, and helping people take care of their skin.
