You are what you eat. Remember that expression? While the mantra “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants” is true when it comes to fueling your body with the earth’s best, it’s also totally okay to have a delicious chocolate chip cookie. We’re all human. Every once in a while we go for the dessert, or the snack food, and that doesn’t make us bad. But, when your diet revolves around nutrient-dense greens and veggies; whole foods that feed and power each and every one of your cells, you tend to feel better overall. Your sleep can improve, your mood is brighter and you get that renewed sense of energy to tackle projects. Even better? Your skin glows too.

We’ve all had those bouts of breakouts, itchy, dry patches, dullness, bumps or overall sensitized skin. In the end, it’s more than what you apply to your skin; it’s also about what you feed your skin.

A holistic approach to skin wellness

Feed your skin from the inside out. This concept embodies a holistic approach to skincare; it’s a whole body approach, one that takes into account how we nourish our body with food, our daily practices and habits, as well as what we apply topically to our skin (and eventually what gets absorbed into the body through our skin).

Let’s start on the inside

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Rather than viewing drinking water as something you have to do, start viewing it as something you get to do. Each morning when you roll your sleepy self out of bed, pour a tall glass of water and slowly sip away. This routine ensures that you are starting the day off with room temp fluids, and helps set the intention to continue drinking throughout the day. It’s a simple routine that you can look forward to from the minute your eyes open in the morning.

When water alone feels repetitive, you can opt for another easy and nutrient-rich option. At least once daily, add a dash of minerals and vitamins to your water. This Greens Blend is a sugar-free drink mix that’s a smart blend of key minerals and vitamins that will all quite literally feed your skin from the inside out. Rich in vitamins A, C and E, all powerful antioxidants that protect skin from damage, plus a host of skin-loving B vitamins and key minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, copper and manganese.

The gut health + skin connection

Studies have shown the direct link between our gut health and our skin health. When the intestinal microbiome is off balance and we lack the right amount of good bacteria, so goes our skin health, too. Many common inflammatory skin conditions like acne, eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis can be triggered when our gut microbiome is disrupted.

The flora of the gut microbiome is made up of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa, providing us with vital metabolic and immune benefits (like creating important enzymes & nutrients and fighting off hazardous pathogens). While there is so much more to dive into when it comes to the gut/skin connection and how it contributes to inflammation in the body, a good place to start on your healthy skin journey is by taking a daily probiotic. You can also look for fermented foods rich in probiotics like kimchi, some yogurt and kombucha.

Curb inflammation

Leaning on additional support from a supplement rich in Omega-3’s can help. An Omega-3 supplement like fish oil has been shown to help reduce inflammation and reduce the effects of skin conditions that result in dryness, flaking and itchiness. While the benefits of omega-3 are vast, supplementing your skin with this nutrient can be particularly useful during times of uncomfortable flare ups.

Supportive skin care

Each of the suggestions above should be seen as supportive skin care. While skin is inherently intelligent, by providing it with the right nutrients, we’re simply supporting skin to carry out its everyday functions optimally. By opting for plant-based, nutrient-dense skin care, water and smart supplements, we can truly help our skin glow and perform its best from the inside out.

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