Nourish from Within: The Impact of Nutrition on Skin Health

Glowing and healthy skin is everyone’s dream regardless of age. Every day we face various challenges that can affect the health of our skin. One of the most common causes of acne and similar defects is poor nutrition.

Glowing and healthy skin is the dream of everyone regardless of age. Every day we face various challenges that can affect the health of the skin. One of the most common causes of acne and similar defects — not proper nutrition.

The skin, consists of three layers:

• epidermis
• the dermis
• subcutaneous fatty tissue

Each layer has its own important function. For example, the epidermis, protects our body from the outside world, and it is he suffers first of all giving negative signals from within.

The next layer is the dermis. Here, from improper functioning of the body, appear just like wrinkles and acne. Of course, proper nutrition alone will not be able to stop the aging process, but at least it can help to slow down this process and look healthy.

To keep your skin healthy and clear, you need to watch your diet. Some people notice that after sweets acne appears, after fast food — redness and itching, and during rigid diets the skin becomes dry and dull, irritation or peeling appears.

Sugar is the enemy of healthy skin. It dramatically raises the level of insulin in the blood, because of which collagen is damaged and wrinkles appear. When there is an excess of glucose and fructose molecules in the tissues, glycation occurs — their binding to collagen and elastin. The main consequence is the blocking of repair processes. Thus, regular excess of simple carbohydrates in the diet leads to aging.

Sugar can provoke and increase inflammatory processes — that’s why you may find some fresh acne in the morning after an evening chocolate bar. However, this link doesn’t work for everyone and has yet to be confirmed by research.

To have healthy and beautiful skin, you need to eat. Eating should be regular, balanced, moderate and natural. Starvation diets, rigid diets or diets that exclude important food groups (fats, carbohydrates) deprive the body and skin of essential substances.

Dryness, redness, irritation, peeling, thinning and dull complexion are frequent companions of those who like to limit themselves. Creams and cosmetic procedures only partially combat the effects of depletion, but they will not replace the nourishment of the skin from within.

Key points:

1. Eat fruits and vegetables

Fiber improves digestion and builds a “friendly” microbiota in the gut. This means that the body can efficiently extract vitamins and minerals from food and eliminate unwanted elements just as efficiently.

The more different fruits and vegetables in your diet, the more important micronutrients you get.

2. Add healthy fats

Do you have enough vegetable oils, nuts and seeds, avocados and fatty fish in your diet? Poly- and monounsaturated fatty acids are natural moisturizers and skin softeners. You should consume at least 2–3 servings of healthy fats per day for a visible effect.

3. Eat cereals and legumes

Buckwheat, oatmeal, rice, bulgur and other cereals are digested gradually and do not cause blood sugar spikes, which means that insulin levels remain even — the skin is less susceptible to aging and inflammation.

Legumes: beans, chickpeas, lentils, mung beans and others — sources of phytoestrogens that help maintain hormonal balance in the body, which is the basis for maintaining healthy and youthful skin.

4. Drink water

Water moisturizes the skin, helps deliver nutrients to the cells and aids in normal digestion.

After implementing any dietary change, give your body 3–6 weeks to rebuild how it works. For a greater effect, get enough sleep, exercise and recover, take care of your skin, and take care of yourself and your health.