DIET IS IMPORTANT FOR GOOD SKIN.

Naturally gorgeous skin needs a healthy diet.   “Many clients come to me and say ‘I’m doing my skincare ritual every morning and evening, but I’m still breaking out.’ One of my first questions to them is ‘How’s your diet?’ The bottom line is that whatever’s going on inside, will eventually show in outside on your skin.   What you eat is as important as the products you apply on your skin. Foods get digested and broken down into vitamins, minerals and amino acids that your body can uses to build healthy skin. If you crash diet or eat highly processed food, your skin won’t be as strong as it could be. E.g. If you don’t eat enough protein, you are depriving your skin of the amino acids that go into making collagen and elastin (responsible for anti-ageing and healing)   SUGAR The 1^st main one is Sugar. Low GI diets have been shown to be beneficial to acne-prone skin. The sugar will quickly get into your bloodstream, making your insulin levels spike, which can aggravate acne and wrinkles.   DAIRY The hypothesis is that the majority of milk comes from pregnant cows, so the hormone levels in milk can play a role in excess sebum production, which promotes acne. Oil production is influenced by androgens and hormons such as insulin-like growth factors found in milk. Soy milk is made from processed soybeans, which can have estrogen-mimicking effects on the body. Any food that could potentially disturb your hormones in this way is something you’ll want to avoid as you’re going toward clear skin.   WATER A lot of people ask me about water intake. Drinking 8 plus glasses of water a day is great, but most of this goes towards your important organs such as kidney, liver etc, so your skin only receives so much. But as we have discussed, if you are healthy on the inside, you will be healthy on the outside. So a properly functioning liver will help with toxins. It also helps your cells take in nutrients and get rid of toxins. The water in fruits, veggies, juice, and milk counts toward your total.   ANTIOXIDANTS Antioxidants are important to slowing and preventing free-radical damage. You can find them in all kinds of foods, especially colorful fruits and vegetables The brighter or darker the better.  Tomatoes are great for helping reduce sun damage, they are high in the antioxidant lycopene, which helps fight free radicals. The antioxidant is most easily absorbed when the tomatoes have been cooked, which releases it from the plant cells. VITAMIN A We love recommending Vitamin A as a topical ingredient on your skin as it is the best anti-ageing ingredient as well also helping with cell turnover. But you can also top it up internally- grab an orange, carrot, or slice of cantaloupe. They’re loaded with vitamin A. You can also find it in leafy greens and eggs. VITAMIN C The sun can be tough on your skin. Vitamin C can help protect you. It also helps undo sun damage to collagen and elastin, which firm up your skin. Get vitamin C from red bell peppers, citrus fruits, papayas, kiwis, broccoli, and greens OMEGAS My favourite and the ingredient I recommend above all else. Omega-3s and omega-6s are good fats that help make your skin’s natural oil barrier, keeping away dryness and blemishes. Essential fatty acids like these help leave your skin smoother and younger-looking. You can get them from olive and canola oils, flaxseeds, walnuts, avocado and cold-water fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel.