What to eat for youthful, glowing skin

This guest post was written by our friend - naturopathic doctor - Nastasia Irons, ND aka @salt.water.wellness.

It is true what they say - “you are what you eat”. Even more importantly, what you eat can significantly impact how your skin ages. The skin is a direct representation of what is going on inside the body, and it starts with your digestion. As Hippocrates clearly puts it, “all disease begins in the gut” - and we now know more than ever, that this is very true. 

The following foods are important for improving digestion, boosting hydration, and reducing the aging process that happens to the skin over time.

Citrus & more (aka Vitamin C sources)

Vitamin C is essential for our body’s collagen production. As we age, collagen declines, and this causes the skin to lose thickness and elasticity, leading to fine lines and sagging skin. This vitamin prevents damage from UV rays. Vitamin C can be found in high amounts in lemon (add lemon water to your morning routine!), limes, kiwi, cantaloupe, strawberries, raspberries, and papaya. Another great source of vitamin C can be found in kale! 

Avocado

An avocado a day keeps the doctor away - especially when it comes to skin health! Avocados are rich in healthy fat, essential for skin hydration and healthy oil production in the follicles. They are high in vitamin E, which is a skin-protecting antioxidant essential for the natural glow and shine in skin and hair. Avocados are also high in folate, which is important for skin cell regeneration, leading to a more youthful complexion.

Blueberries

Thinking of blueberries? Think anti-wrinkle! These berries contain antioxidants to help fight against the natural crystallization process that occurs in the skin cells over time. Eating a diet high in sugar can age our skin faster. Nutrients found in blueberries and buckwheat (see below) help fight this process to keep the skin softer and wrinkle free. 

Bone Broth

Bone broth is a great source of collagen and glycine, crucial for the connective tissue layer. It helps keep skin tight and heal the gut lining using the same process. As a general rule of thumb, when the gut is healthy so is your skin.

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)

Known for its sour taste, this powerful liquid helps to boost the stomach’s natural acid to help digest all of our foods before they reach the small intestine. This is an essential process to prevent gas, bloating, and malabsorption of nutrients. As we age, we naturally lose our ability to produce adequate levels of stomach acid. Adding a little bit of ACV to your diet each day, can help boost this process leading  to better digestion and better nourished skin.

Water

This may sound like a simple one, but dehydration makes the skin look dry, wrinkled, and dull. Nobody wants that! Proper hydration improves this in a dramatic way. In fact, in order to test for hydration, a doctor might pinch the back of your hand to see how fast the skin will snap back into place. The slower the snap, the more dehydrated you are. When you are drinking enough water throughout the day, your skin’s natural tight elastic layer is kept up. This improves complexion and that youthful tight glow. Think of dehydrated leather - the more you move it, the more wrinkles appear. If the leather was hydrated with oil, the wrinkles don’t appear as easily do they? This is the same for our skin!

Buckwheat

As mentioned earlier, buckwheat helps reduce the crystallization that happens to our skin when we eat sugars. It’s high in rutin, the flavonoid that helps collagen in the skin keep its elasticity. Buckwheat is also high in monounsaturated fatty acids - the same fat that gives olive oil its healthy reputation. 

Brazil nuts

These little nuggets are expensive for a reason! Eating two or three of these per day can help boost your body’s selenium levels. Selenium is essential for a lot of functions in the body and many North Americans are deficient in this nutrient. Selenium is needed for glutathione production in the body - the liver’s largest antioxidant. Glutathione is needed to diminish the damage of free radicals that get formed all day long, including when the skin is exposed to UV rays or when our liver is trying to detoxify chemicals and hormones. Brazil nuts also supports skin cell repair and scar prevention!

Oysters

Yes, these guys are known to be a great aphrodisiac, but did you know they are also really good for skin health? Oysters are good for date night and skin health for the same reason - their high zinc content. Zinc is essential for skin cell repair, keeping cells alive, and helping to heal any wounds, like acne scars or eczema. 

Ginger

Known to help boost circulation, this warming root helps to reduce inflammation and redness in the skin. It can support the healing of psoriasis, rosacea, and acne. Add it to your smoothies in the morning to help keep them “warm” for the fall and winter months, which will also help you digest and transition to the colder months from a traditional Chinese medicine perspective.

When it comes to taking care of your skin, remember that we need to think of it from a holistic perspective. Applying nutrients topically is just part of the puzzle. Considering what is going on inside the body and underneath the skin is equally important because we know that our skin is a direct visual of our inner health. Think of it like a garden. When you want pretty flowers, you need to make sure the soil is healthy. You can trim and weed all you like, but if the soil has no nutrients or is dehydrated, the flowers cannot live. Our body is like a garden. We need to nourish it daily, give it some sun and water, and have the patience to let things grow!

For more tips and resources, be sure to check out Dr. Nastasia Irons, ND on Instagram at @salt.water.wellness.