NUTRITION JOURNAL

5 Foods Your Skin Will Love

5 Foods Your Skin Will Love
Clear, healthy, and glowing skin doesn’t come easily to everyone and as someone who has suffered from adult acne for many years, I can appreciate and understand how debilitating this can be.

Acne, rosacea, psoriasis, and eczema can all have a significant impact on an individual's day-to-day activities, social life, self-esteem, and mental wellbeing and there is a number of research articles to support these findings.

When it comes to having clear skin there are a number of internal and external factors at play. What happens on the outside can be a key indicator of something happening on the inside. Skin breakouts, pimples, or spots, for example, can happen for a number of reasons, and more often than not, the cause of skin breakouts is multifactorial.

Taking a holistic view of skincare, diet is only one part of the process and if you have health concerns about any skin conditions, I always recommend seeking professional medical advice.

If you consider the BIG picture of hormones, stress, sleep, gut health, health conditions, and more, there are many factors contributing to the health of your skin. Ultimately, whilst food isn’t a cure for disease, the food choices we make provide the foundations for our overall health and wellbeing, including the health of our skin.

Avocados

Avocados are a rich source of vitamin E, vitamin C, antioxidants, fibre, essential fatty acids and more. Ultimately, they are packed with nutrients that support skin health and being a good source of antioxidants, offer protection against free radicals which play a role in cellular damage and skin aging.

Salmon

Salmon and other oily fish is an excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids. Oily fish and in particular their essential omega 3 fatty acids are an anti-inflammatory food, there is some research to suggest that omega 3 fatty acids help to reduce acne and eczema and support the overall health of our skin.

Oysters

I will take any excuse to eat ½ dozen fresh oysters and knowing that they are one of the BEST sources of zinc you can source through your diet, is the only reason I need. Zinc is essential for maintaining healthy skin and wound healing and there is also research to support its use as a beneficial supplement in the treatment of acne by helping to reduce the severity and number of acne lesions as well as being useful in the treatment of rosacea and eczema too.

5 Foods Your Skin Will Love

Nuts & Seeds

Another amazing source of essential fatty acids, nuts and seeds are a perfect skin nourishing snack. Nuts and seeds help to reduce inflammation in the body and are also an excellent source of protein. Protein supplies the body with amino acids and provides the building blocks skin, hair, nails and is used in every cell in the body.

Sweet Potato

Sweet potato is rich in beta carotene, which converts to vitamin A in the body, and also another good source of antioxidant-rich vitamin C. Vitamin A is a nutrient essential for the production of healthy skin cells and is a nutrient also packed with antioxidants to help protect your skin against aging.

WATER

Last but not least, the first and most important thing you can do for your skin is to hydrate. Drinking water is the first thing you should consider when thinking about healthy and glowing skin. Aim for at least 2 litres per day and more if you are exercising.

While these are some of my suggestions and recommendations, there are so many foods that are equally as good to support the health of your skin that are rich in the nutrients that support healthy skin. A diet rich in whole foods and essential fatty acids contains the range of nutrients required to support you every day.

If you need some recipe inspiration to start supporting your skin health and glow, you might like to try some of these;

 

Amy Savage is a qualified Nutritionist with a Bachelor of Health Science in Nutritional & Dietetic Medicine specialising in skin health and is available for consultations online. Email amy@amysavagenutrition.com for further details. 

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