Did you know that your body’s largest organ is your skin? Our skin acts as a total-body protective shield, letting in or keeping out everything from nutrients to toxins. Of course, we can’t always control what crosses our skin’s barrier. For example, spending loads of time outdoors in a warm climate means the potential for sun damage, and living in a city exposes you to extra air pollutants (yuck!). But you can take charge of your health and help your skin heal itself by nourishing it properly. Skin issues like psoriasis, acne, and wrinkles are ways that your body expresses its internal needs, and you can treat them nutritionally by packing your diet full of nutrient-rich skin boosters.
For most skin issues, there’s an underlying problem such as poor nutrition or environmental causes. It can be easy to give up and blame your skin problems on age or irreversible damage, but the truth is that you can be proactive about having healthier skin.
Here’s how to start:
Wrinkles
Ah, wrinkles, those pesky little reminders that we don’t live forever. It’s true that our bodies produce less collagen as we age, but there are ways we can prevent wrinkles from developing. For example, sun damage, smoking, and even dehydration speed up wrinkle growth. The key is to stay away from ultraviolent rays, lose the cigarettes, and drink plenty of water—and check out the amazing, antioxidant-packed smoothie recipes. Other wrinkle-fighting foods include tomatoes, berries, green tea, nuts, yogurt, and avocados. Bone broth has recently become a hot nutrition trend.
Our ancestors drank bone broth as a means of using every part of an animal. Simmering the bones and ligaments in water releases beneficial compounds like collagen, proline, glycine, and glutamine. Collagen helps form elastin within the skin and helps you keep a youthful glow.
Acne
For you lucky ones, acne is ancient history. Remember the embarrassment of those teenage breakouts? For others, acne continues into adulthood. Acne is mainly triggered by hormonal imbalances like those caused by PMS and stress, but it can also be a sign of poor nutrition. These factors cause the over-production of sebum, the natural skin oils that transport dead skin cells to the surface. When sebum rises, pores get clogged and acne forms.
No matter what your age, if you’re dealing with or trying to prevent a breakout, eat plenty of walnuts, salmon, avocados, and flaxseed oil, which contain omega-3s. Omega-3s help clear up inflammation, a major contributor to acne. Also eat fruits and vegetables high in beta-carotene, such as carrots, cantaloupes, and sweet potatoes. Our bodies convert beta-carotene into vitamin A, a key vitamin that clears up skin and keeps it healthy.
Psoriasis
According to the Mayo Clinic, more than three million people suffer from psoriasis each year. It’s the not-so-glamorous skin disorder in which the immune system produces skin cells too quickly. Typically, our skin regenerates every 21 to 28 days, but for people with psoriasis it can take only 2 to 6, causing a rash. Triggers include infections, stress, and even common colds.
Psoriasis is an inflammatory disease; therefore, following an anti-inflammatory diet can be a huge help in preventing and treating this stubborn condition. Anti-inflammatory foods such as flaxseeds, olive oil, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
Dry skin
Feeling dried out? A common misconception is that skin needs oils or lotions to feel smooth and hydrated. In reality, the biggest reason you might experience dry skin is that you’re dehydrated, so make sure to fill up on water throughout the day.
Your environment (cold weather, winter winds) or day-to-day habits (taking too-hot showers) could also be drying out your skin. To prevent this, make your shower water a little cooler. Also, be sure you’re eating plenty of omega-3s, which help your skin lock in moisture. Flaxseed is an excellent source of omega-3s and can be added to virtually any soup or smoothie.
