Food for Healthy, Glowing Skin

By Dr. Lauri Brouwer

While we’re focusing on aesthetics and beauty this month, let’s keep in mind that beauty really does come from inside. This is true both spiritually and physiologically. I certainly don’t feel prepared to discuss the spiritual aspects of natural beauty in this short blog post, but I can definitely tackle some of the physical factors that impact your skin’s beauty. Let’s talk about nutrition.

Our skin is a reflection of our inner health, and the foods and drinks we consume regularly can dramatically impact it. For instance, dry skin can be a result of too few healthy fats or too little water. Acne or pimples can result from eating inflammatory foods or things our immune system is reactive to (food allergies or sensitivities). Skin that burns easily needs more antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids. And so on.

Not only do we need to consume essential nutrients, but we also need to digest and absorb them well. The assimilation of nutrients is vital to building and maintaining healthy skin, so a well functioning gut is essential. Gut function is a big topic of its own, but for the sake of this post, we can focus on the critters that help us absorb nutrients, our probiotic bacteria (a.k.a. our microbiome).

Check Out Our Happy Hormones at Home Guide to Learn What Foods Can Help you Manage Your Hormones.

With that said, here are some of the nutrients you will want to focus on bringing in every day, along with good sources:

Antioxidants – Protect Against Sun Damage and Wrinkles

• important antioxidants include Beta carotene, selenium, and vitamin E
• they are found naturally and abundantly in colorful fruits and vegetables
• the pigments ARE the antioxidants in fruits and veggies
• eat a fruit or vegetable from every color group every day:
  • red
  • orange/yellow
  • green
  • blue/purple
• selenium is high in nuts and seeds like Brazil nuts and sunflower seeds
• Vitamin E is abundant in leafy greens, fatty fish, and avocados

Vitamin C – an Essential Building Block of Collagen, the Foundation of Strong Skin

• acerola cherries (Barbados cherries), and black currants
• raw peppers (bell peppers, jalapenos, etc.), and tomatoes
• citrus fruits, peaches, and apples
• raw broccoli, cabbage, and kale
• avocado
• **heat and light destroy vitamin C, so raw foods provide more than cooked foods

Healthy Fats – Omega-3 Fatty Acids – These Modulate Inflammation

• fatty fish: salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, and trout
• flaxseed, chia seeds, and walnuts

Linoleic Acid – Important for Skin Moisture

• sunflower seeds, almonds, and dried coconut

Zinc – Another Inflammation Modulator

• fish, oysters, and crab
• pumpkin seeds and peanut butter
• meat, fish, poultry, and eggs

Amino Acids (Protein) – Provide the Natural Building Blocks Needed for Skin Repair

• nuts and seeds
• vegetables and legumes
• meat, fish, poultry, and eggs

Water

• drink plenty of water every day; individual needs vary
• avoid dehydrating drinks like alcohol and excessive caffeine

To simplify so you can start eating for healthier skin today, here are some foods you’ll want to eat and others you want to limit or eliminate.

More of these every day:

• Red: red apples, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, red grapes, red beets, red peppers, tomatoes, red onion
• Yellow/Orange: apricots, cantaloupe, mangoes, nectarines/peaches, oranges/tangerines, carrots, yellow beets, sweet potatoes, yellow peppers, squash
• Green: avocadoes, green grapes, honeydew, kiwifruit, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green peas, green cabbage, celery, snap peas, kale, spinach, arugula, okra, zucchini
• Blue/Purple: blueberries, blackberries, black currants, Concord grapes, purple grapes, plums, elderberries, Kalamata olives, purple cabbage, eggplant, purple carrots, purple potatoes, raisins
• Fish/seafood: salmon, tuna, mackerel, oysters, crab, trout, halibut
• Nuts: almonds, Brazil nuts, walnuts, macadamias, hazelnuts, pistachios, etc.
• Seeds: pumpkin seeds/pepitas, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, flaxseed
• Glasses of mineral water, not from plastic bottles

Less of these daily, as they are either inflammatory or dehydrating:

• Sugar-added foods
• Sugar-sweetened drinks
• Alcohol
• No more than two caffeinated drinks
• Corn-fed beef (grass-fed is okay)
• Refined grains, especially wheat
• Vegetable oil, canola oil, corn oil, margarine

See What Else You Can Do to Manage Your Hormones to Help Maintain that Healthy Glow with Our Happy Hormones at Home Guide.