Fuelling great skin from the inside out

While skincare treatments are great for tackling conditions and rejuvenating our skin, they’re not the only solution. Everything that we put in our body affects our health and wellbeing, skin included. So, if you want to achieve great skin, you need to understand the importance of diet. From enhancing a glowing complexion to offering anti-ageing aids, you should never underestimate the power of eating for beauty. 

What we put in our mouths is as important as what we put on our skin. 

The bottom line is, whatever goes in your gut, will eventually show itself in your skin. No amount of cleanser, treatments or concealer will change that. So, instead of trying to treat and conceal our skin when we’re battling breakouts and oily complexions, let’s start from the inside out. 

Why is our diet so important? 

As we digest the food we eat, it’s broken down into vitamins, minerals and amino acids that our body can utilise to build healthy skin. If you’re fueling your body with highly processed foods or your crash dieting, your skin won’t be as supple and healthy as it could be. For example, if you’re not consuming sufficient amounts of protein, you are depriving your skin of the essential amino acids that contribute to the production of collagen. Certain foods and ingredients can have negative side effects on our skin, so, being mindful of what we’re eating is essential. 

Fuelling great skin with our diet.

Generally speaking, filling our plates with plenty of colour and adding in additional herbs and spices is a great place to start when it comes to eating for beautiful skin. Of course, we need to incorporate plenty of water into our daily consumption too. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are an absolute must when it comes to packing our fridges and pantries full of the staples for glowing and healthy skin. Here are some of my favourites: 

• Water: drinking more water is one of the simplest ways to promote good skin. Wave goodbye to sugary drinks and full-fat lattes and embrace the holy grail that is water.
• Swiss-apples: the stem cells extracted from swiss-apples are perfect for repairing our skin – p.s. Michelle Obama is a fan! 
• Watermelon: during the summertime, watermelon is a super tasty, super simple way to increase your water intake and boost your system with Vitamin A and C and anti-oxidants. Top tip: If you’re blending for a smoothie, don’t remove the seeds, they’re packed full of Vitamin E, ideally for smoothing our skin. 
• Oats: oats are a great source of selenium, perfect for protecting our skin from cell damage. What’s more, the probiotics found in oats are a welcomed boost to our immune systems. Don’t forget, you can use oats in pancakes, bread and bakes too!
• Olives: while they may be an acquired taste, olives are fantastic for improving our blood flow! 
• Herbs & spices: garlic, oregano, ginger, turmeric and cinnamon are just some of the options that offer far more than just great taste when incorporated into our diet. 
• Kiwi: packed with around 141% of our daily recommended value of Vitamin C (a powerhouse for collagen and youthful skin) a kiwi a day will most definitely help keep the wrinkles at bay. 
• Sunflower seeds: nuts and seeds are a great source of Vitamin E – an essential for protecting our cells and promoting a healthy glow. 
• Pumpkin seeds: A great snack with high amounts of oils and vitamin E, plus a great source of iron too! Good for you, good for your skin! 

These are just a few of the foods you should aim to eat; there are plenty more than offer an abundance of benefits! We’ve all heard the phrase ‘you are what you eat’ now, it’s time to ‘put your money where your mouth is’ and fuel your body with the essentials we truly need. Try it for just 30 days; you’ll be amazed by the results. P.S if you want more skincare tips and tricks, follow my Instagram here.