if you’re half the product junkie that I am, then you know what it feels like to scour the aisles of every store from walgreen’s to neiman marcus to whole foods searching for the perfect skincare regimen (not to mention what you get from the dermatologist, often in the form of hideous sounding medications). i, for one, got sick of it all a few years ago, when i realized that i had been torturing myself with chemical after chemical and none of it seemed to make a difference. it’s not that my skin was terrible, but it didn’t seem to have that clear glow that i was promised by all of the packages. i had mild acne and those dreaded t-zone problem areas. i had even purchased all-natural, holistic products in the past, but those didn’t even work!
everything changed for me when i did my first juice cleanse for a week. for the first two days, my skin broke out in a hideous way. i wanted to hide, and i did. what was happening to me? within 5 days, however, i was blemish free and had that healthy glow i had been trying to attain for my entire life. it was a miracle! it turns out, those first two days, the toxins in my body that i was cleansing were finally coming to the surface, and once i had passed them through my pores, my inner health began to shine out. let me tell you, it’s certainly a confidence booster. for someone that’s always had trouble with her skin, nothing feels quite so good.
SO. you must be wondering, “why did a juice cleanse change her skin?” good question. what i realized after that week is NOT that i must survive on liquids for the rest of my life, but that i needed to make a fundamental change in my eating habits if i wanted this to last (not to mention if i wanted my health to improve, to be thin, to feel naturally happy, and to have more energy, but who cares about those, right?). basically, my body had been crying out for help because of the nasty ways i was feeding it toxins in my food and lifestyle choices, and no matter how many chemicals i slathered on top of it, i couldn’t even mask the real problem. additionally, many of those chemicals were very poor quality and probably did a lot more damage than i realized. after months of changing my diet post-cleanse, i saw a dramatic difference in my health and appearance. i only use all natural products now (i love arcona, dr, hauschka, and jurlique), but the real difference is in what i am putting inside my body and all the junk i am leaving out!
here are some of the healthy ways to take care of your skin that have worked for me, and which will definitely give you that healthy glow:
- first of all, DRINK MORE WATER! many of us are so dehydrated that our skin is crying out for help every day by flaking and drying out. drink at least 8 glasses a day, and you will already see a difference.
- vitamins: there are vitamins in all natural, nutrient rich foods, which means you are really on the right track if you are simply eating well. broccoli is great as it contains vitamin C and vitamin A, along with bioflavanoids which has a synergistic effect with the vitamin C, so you get the most bang for your buck.
- fiber: eating whole grains that are filled with fiber promotes healthy digestion, which detoxifies our bodies properly, paving the way for healthy skin. not to get too detailed, but if you lack regularity, you will definitely have a dull complexion.
- garlic: contains sulphur (see mineral section below) and is a natural antibiotic which cleanses the system. making you beautiful from the inside out.
- eat oily fish! sardines, mackerel, and wild salmon contain fatty acids (like omega-3’s) which actually moisturize and reduce inflammation in the skin.
- antioxidants: many of us have heard of these and don’t actually know what they do. most simply, antioxidants repair the damage caused by free radicals (molecules that damage our skin cells). you can find them in carrots and berries, like blueberries and acai.
- parsley! i noticed a huge change in my skin when i started eating more parsley, and i wanted to know why. turns out, parsley is rich in all skin boosting nutrients- beta carotene, chlorophyll, B12, folic acid, vitamin C, and iron.
- olive oil: definitely a major one! have you ever noticed how so many europeans glow? i have to believe a lot of it has to do with the EVOO. it is packed with good fats, antioxidants, vitamins A and E. (good fats are huge for good skin- which means, avocados and raw nuts are great too).
MINERALS: through my raw food journey, i have come to understand that 95% of our bodily functions rely on minerals. it is especially important that we pay attention to them as our environment is so toxic and depletes our immune system. minerals are largely responsible for the detoxification of our bodies and are equally as important as vitamins, resulting in clean, inner health and promoting beautiful skin. minerals also promote a healthy acid/alkaline balance (the importance of which i will get into in my next post). organic produce has many more minerals than regular commercial produce, so always try to buy organic. the best way to get minerals into your body is to eat them through whole foods. here is a breakdown of some of the important ones and where to find them:
- zinc- helps our anti-inflammatory enzymes function, helps the body maintain collagen, which prevents wrinkles. (pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, seaweed, cashews)
- magnesium- aids in digestion, soothes nerves, cramps, and pms, balances hormones, and is vital to our heart muscle (exceptionally high in raw cacao and rich green foods)
- silicon- allows for flexibility/elasticity in our muscle tissues (firm skin!!), and shockingly, our body also has the ability to turn silicon into calcium. pretty amazing. (cucumber, hemp, radishes, bell peppers, romaine, oats)
- sulfur- many believe that this is the foundation for healthy skin. it is responsible for the radiance of our skin and is hugely detoxifying, cleaning out our cells. (aloe vera, blue-green algae, garlic, brussel sprouts, hot chilis, kale, onions, arugula)
- iron- most of our iron is found in our blood, carrying oxygen through our bloodstream. it generates magnetism in our nerves which builds our tissues and makes us strong, energetic, and lively, which you can see in our skin when we are lit up! (spirulina, burdock, parsley, onions, dark leafy greens, cherries)
as you can see, there is a ton of information to learn about how to eat for beauty, but the number one thing to remember is simply that whole, nutrient-dense foods and plenty of water are the keys to good health. once you feel good on the inside, you can see it on the outside. these are not revolutionary ideas, as you well know. additionally, limiting your consumption of cigarettes, coffee, and alcohol (a glass or two of red wine is fine) will almost immediately yield great skin results because these heavily toxic substances will always pollute your body (again, not really a eureka! moment). you have all of the intuition and knowledge to make good choices, it’s just about making the effort and investing in your health. it pays off in so many ways!
