5 Strategies to CHANGE YOUR SKIN

Beauty, the saying goes, is only skin deep. But the importance of skin goes a lot deeper. Most of us think skin as just our body’s visible outer layer, but doctors consider skin an organ, meaning that it is very much alive and changed with many important duties.

When we think of skin-care, most of us default immediately to products, expensive products that we see on TV or in ads that assure us of their quality and ability to change our skin. When we think of the skin care we own we tend to think which ones are the most esteemed, most expensive, and most beautiful products on our bathroom shelves. Those factors definitely play a part in our overall sense of self-care, and some of that feel-good indulgence, of course. But the real catalyst for our outer beauty begins inside, and that’s the most important.

The real catalyst of our outer beauty begins inside, and that’s the most important.

We want to outline specific strategies for you that, when diligently practices, can lead to transformation. These techniques are truly the foundation of glowing health, so plenty of other benefits may follow.

Properly Hydrate

The easiest and most important first step you can do for healthy skin is to male sure you are properly hydrated. Your cells are nearly 70% water. Staying adequately hydrated helps to keep your cells plump and healthy, plus aid in circulation-all important for glowing skin. Chronic dehydration can cause a loss of elasticity from the skin and the appearance of premature aging. Its also helpful to add some liquid minerals to some of your daily water intake to make sure you are absorbing what you need.

Cut Sugar

Lower your sugar intake. Too much sugar in your diet produces advanced glycation end products, aptly referred to as AGEs. These AGEs break down the foundation of healthy skin and specifically attack collagen and elastin – both important for youthful and healthy skin. The first place to reduce sugar is in your beverages. The next step is to make sure the food you’re eating is plain or unsweetened versions of your favourite foods, like yogurt, oatmeal, etc. This isn’t to say you can’t eat fruit. Fruit is a fantastic way to sweetened up breakfasts without adding syrups, honey, or plain old sugar. Just be reasonable – everything in moderation. 

Collagen Support

Here at Flourish Health we like to focus on the benefits of plant-based options for all ways of natural consumptions. For all our plant-based friends consuming foods like tempeh, tofu, black beans, kidneys, squash, chia, peanuts and cashews are all great plant-based options. Eating foods rich in vitamin C, like citrus fruits, broccoli, and red peppers, can help support your body’s natural production of collagen. People who aren’t plant-based can lean on bone broth or eating chicken on the bone in order to get a source of collagen. If those foods are hard for you to eat, supplementing with a collagen supplement that’s been proven effective is a great way to get healthy skin. You want to find supplements that have great bioavailability, because recent studies show that collagen can even help reduce the skins UVB-induced photoaging (the specific sun rays that wreck your skin.)

Manage Stress

We’re all living in stressful times lately, but even everyday stress can affect the quality of your skin. Taking time to relax and practice self-care can look different for many people. For some it can be meditating, long walks, or a call to a friend. If you need extra support, I recommend supplementing with a good-quality full spectrum CBD supplement. CBD can be very helpful with helping the body deal with stress, anxiety, and poor sleep, which can all negatively affect your skin.

Eat Fat

Low-fat diets belong in the ’90s. Healthy fats are the building blocks of healthy skin cells. Eating items like avocado, whole eggs, grass-fed beef, and wild salmon helps keep your skin cells hydrated, plumper, and youthful while also helping to reduce inflammation, which can cause puffiness, redness, and other skin issues. Even better, a diet rich in healthy fats can help balance blood sugar levels, helping to reduce those AGEs.

Flourish Blog
Fitness | Beauty | Relationships | Parenthood | Mindfulness | Health | Book Club
LEARN MORE
Recipes
Balanced Breakfast | Lean Lunches | Dinner | Snacks | Kid-Friendly | Drinks & Smoothies | Cocktails | Sweets
START COOKING
Book Club
Enjoy a collection of curated books to help you bloom.
READ MORE
© Flourish Health | All Rights Reserved

Dates

– High in Disease-Fighting Antioxidants, such as flavonoids, carotenoids, and phenolic acid, which all have anti-inflammatory properties.
 
– High in fiber, which benefits your digestive health and promotes regular bowel movements.
 
-Eating dates helps improve brain function by lowering inflammatory markers, such as interleukin.
 
– Dates have the potential to help with blood sugar regulation due to their low glycemic index, fiber and antioxidants.

Citrus Fruits

Sweet Potatoes

Parsnips

LEMONS & ORANGES

Citrus Fruits

– Rich in vitamin C which is needed to form and maintain healthy skin, bones, blood vessels and connective tissue.
 
-Plays an important role in supporting the immune system and also acts as an antioxidant that might help protect cells against the effects of free radicals and fight inflammation. 
 
-Full of soluble fiber that can help lower LDL cholesterol, consequently reducing cardiovascular disease. 
 
– Abundant in multiple other nutrients, including potassium, folate, calcium, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, magnesium, and copper.
 

Sweet Potatoes

Parsnips

Kale

Parsnips

– Are highly nutritious, and supply many antioxidants, which are health-promoting compounds that help prevent oxidative stress and decrease damage to your cells.
 
– Parsnips are a great source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Fiber moves through your gastrointestinal tract undigested, helping to get things moving and optimizing digestive health.
 
– Low in calories yet rich in fiber, parsnips make an excellent addition to a healthy weight loss diet.

Garlic

– Garlic is known to boost the function of the immune system and combat sickness, including the common cold.
– The active compounds in garlic reduces blood pressure.
– Contains antioxidants that may help prevent alzheimer’s disease and dementia because oxidative damage from free radicals contributes to the aging process.
– At high doses, the sulfur compounds in garlic have been shown to protect against organ damage from heavy metal toxicity.

Sweet Potatoes

– The fiber and antioidants in sweet potatoes are advantageous to gut health.
 
– Sweet potatoes offer various antioxidants, which may help protect against certain types of cancers.
 
– They are incredibly rich in beta-carotene, the antioxidant responsible for the vegetables bright orange colour.
 
– Full of vitamin A which is critical to a healthy immune system.

Parsnips

Kale

Garlic

Kale

– Kale is loaded with powerful antioxidants like quercetin and kaempferol. Antioxidants are substances that help counteract oxidative damage by free radicals in the body. 
 
– Kale can help lower cholesterol, which may reduce the risk of heart disease.
 
– Kale is among the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet.
 
-Very high in beta-carotene, an antioxidant that the body can turn into vitamin A.
 
– A great plant-based source of calcium, a nutrient that is very important for bone health and plays a role in all sorts of cellular functions.

Enjoying Our Posts?

See more of what you love by subscribing to Flourish Health’s weekly newsletter to receive the latest recipes, fitness plans, book recommendations, and more!