Secrets to Fabulous Skin

May 24, 2016

Having great looking skin begins from within. Whether you are interested in minimizing fine lines, adding moisture to your skin or reducing inflammation what you put into your body is just as important as products that you apply to the surface of your skin. Here are some of my top nutritional recommendations for fabulous looking skin:

  1. Supplement with collagen. Collagen is a protein that provides structure to the middle layers of skin. As we age our skin loses collagen and becomes thinner and more fragile and wrinkles form. This process can be accelerated by stress, smoking and sun exposure. Taking collagen in supplemental form provides this vital protein needed to maintain healthy, youthful looking skin.  Look for BioCell Collagen, a clinically studied form of collagen that is highly bioavailable and shown to minimize fine lines and increase skin hydration.
  2. Reduce skin inflammation by adding healthy fats to your diet. Fish, avocado, coconut oil, palm fruit oil and olive oil provide the body with essential fatty acids that can help reduce inflammation and improve acne, eczema and rosacea.
  3. Boost your beneficial bacteria. Having good gut health and digestion is essential for healthy skin. Poor digestion can not only lead to gas, bloating and abdominal pain but it can also manifest as skin rash and break outs. Research on a specific bacteria called Bifidobacterium longum ES1 (Glutagest) found that it can help improve gut health, inhibit growth of harmful bacteria and mitigate the effects of gluten sensitivity.
  4. Fight free radical damage and the effects of the sun’s ultraviolet rays by adding these antioxidant rich foods to your diet: green tea, tomato products (salsa, tomato sauce) and cacao. Use a mineral based sunscreen and wear a wide brim hat when out in the sun to shield your skin from the sun’s damaging rays.
  5. Try argan oil for fading dark spots. Argan oil has been used for centuries for its cosmetic benefits. Recent research suggests that it can help reduce pigmentation and age spots due to its rich content of tocopherols, a form of vitamin E.