Essential Nourishment for Glowing Skin and Radiant Hair
Since November is National Healthy Skin Month let’s talk about how you can achieve that natural glow.
Glowing skin and radiant hair is an inside job. Your internal environment absolutely determines the health and vitality of your body’s outer environment. Food is your most powerful way to ensure well-hydrated, well-oxygenated, and well-nourished skin and hair.
The most significant cause of poor skin complexion, aging skin, and lack-luster hair is inflammation. One of the most important things you can do to turn down inflammation is to avoid all processed, refined foods, especially staying clear of hydrogenated fats and sugar and eating a high quality, high vibrational, whole food, colorful diet.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are the greatest way to turn down inflammation and prevent free radical damage which ages our skin, so ensuring your diet is full of a kaleidoscope of colorful fruits and vegetables and plant-based foods is especially important. Foods that are high in skin quenching Vitamin C, E and Beta Carotene such as berries, kiwi, pomegranate, citrus fruits, apples, carrots, spinach, green beans, sweet potato, squash, asparagus, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, almonds, as well as other high antioxidant foods such as hemp seeds, mung beans, green tea, matcha, Goji berries, coconut, extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil, raw cacao and avocado, are some of the most valuable foods to eat to ensure glowing skin and strong lustrous hair.
Hydration
Drink your water! In order to have hydrated skin, you must have a hydrated body. Drinking filtered alkaline spring water is essential for healthy skin and hair. Aim for 2–3 liters a day.
Optimize your Hydration
Add 1–2 Tbsp of liquid chlorophyll to your water as it oxygenates the blood and vibrant skin needs to be optimally hydrated and oxygenated. Next to inflammation, decreased blood flow is a major cause for aging skin so simply adding liquid chlorophyll will help to increase blood flow while also helping to provide an internal cleanser for the body.
You can also add 2–4 oz of pure liquid Aloe Vera to your water. Aloe is one of the best topical skin care supports and internally it is also incredibly nourishing and hydrating. Taken internally, aloe helps to optimize the health and integrity of the digestive system making it another example of how supporting your body internally will help support your beauty externally.
Sulphur
Sulphur has been referred to as the “Youth Element” and it is an important mineral to aid in liver detoxification — a healthy liver is another key player for glowing skin and radiant hair. Some of the best Sulphur containing foods are the cruciferous vegetables such as bok choy, broccoli, broccoli sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, Swiss chard and watercress, many of which are also high in Vitamin C. Sulphur is also high in onions, leeks, chives and garlic.
Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA)
The most important essential oil to add to your diet for glowing skin and lustrous hair is GLA. As we age and especially for post-menopausal women, the ability to make GLA is ** ** poor so taking a daily supplement is essential to prevent dull wrinkled skin and lifeless hair. GLA will also help turn down inflammation, keep the skin hydrated and the blood flowing!
Collagen
Collagen is the latest and greatest health food on the market and for good reason — it is amazing for our skin and hair. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body but as we age collagen production declines and that affects the vibrancy of our skin and hair. Collagen helps with regeneration and repair, improves skin elasticity and prevents wrinkles associated with rapid aging. Simply adding it into your supplement regimen or as a powder in your smoothies or favorite hot drinks, you can maintain and achieve youthful looking skin.
For vegans and vegetarians who do not want marine or bovine sources of collagen, there are plant-based collagen builders on the market that use nutrients that support the production of collagen like silica, Vitamin A, C and polyphenols. Incorporating Vitamin A and C through fruits and vegetables such as butternut and winter squash, sweet potato, spinach, carrots, broccoli, kale, green peas, red pepper, mango, and tomatoes will help promote the production of collagen and enjoy those avocados as they support the collagen and elastin in your skin while the goods fats keep your skin hydrated.
Avoid Common Food Sensitivities
Dairy, gluten (found in wheat, rye, barley, spelt, kamut), eggs, soy, corn, and peanuts are the most common food intolerances. They may contribute to skin challenges such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis. If you have any of these issues it is best to do a complete elimination of these foods for 4 weeks to see if you notice any difference. You can then slowly reintroduce each food in one-week intervals to see which food may be the culprit.
Top 2 worst skin offenders: Sugar and alcohol!!
Both substances elevate insulin and estrogen which are known to contribute to dehydration, acne-prone, and aging skin.
Your skin truly is an indicator of how healthy you are and what your internal environment is like. What you eat is the foundation for your beauty and when you awaken to the power of food, you can achieve that gorgeous glow from the inside out!
Simple Nourishing Beauty Tip:
- Over low heat, melt ½ cup organic cold-pressed coconut oil in a pot.
- Feel free to add 1–3 drops of Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oil to the coconut oil for extra benefit (Rosemary is great for dry or oily hair and to help stimulate hair growth)
- Once the oil reaches room temperature, move to the bathroom sink and slowly pour the oil over your scalp and gently massage it through your hair.
- Any excess oil can be massaged into your skin.
- Sleep with the oil in your hair (place a towel over your pillow for protection) and in the morning wash it out. Your skin will be glowing and your hair radiant!
Amy Bondar is a leading Nutrition expert and Certified Eating Psychology Coach who is passionate about helping her clients achieve maximum health and vitality through personalized nutrition and lifestyle coaching.
Amy Bondar’s comprehensive skill-set, two decades of experience and compassionate approach have allowed hundreds of people to achieve the vitality we all desire, and deserve.
The days of generic meal plans, fad diets, yo-yo dieting and simple advice about calories and carbs are long gone. When you work with Amy you will have strategies and learn nutrition principles that are nourishing, doable, sustainable, personalized and that yield results.
