With summer literally around the corner, we’re all busy getting ready to bare a little more skin than usual, right? So in our preparation, we thought it might be a good idea to share a little refresher on the foods that are going to help make your skin glow, and why. Read on to find out out top three ways to eat your skin healthy. You’re welcome.
Heal your skin naturally
When you nourish your body naturally, your skin- the body’s largest organ- will reflect it. So what goes inside your body is just as important as what goes on the outside too. Expensive creams are all well and good, but if you don’t know what ingredients have been used to make them, how do you know they’re going to be any good for your skin? And the same goes for food. Regular readers will know that here at Little Soap HQ we’re all about the natural approach when it comes to feeding the mind, body and soul. So let’s take a look at healing the skin naturally. Why is it so important?
Various skin issues, such as acne, eczema, dryness and irritations can be a pain. Sometimes there is little we can do about preventing such conditions, but sometimes there is actually a lot we can do. Don’t forget that what goes inside is reflected on the outside, so if your skin is suffering there’s a good chance your diet can do with some tweaking. Our skin needs feeding, and we need to learn how to do that well.
Here are our top three foods to glowing skin.
Probiotics
While the weather is still mostly cold and we’re still relying on central heating to keep us warm indoors, our skin is taking a beating. One of the most common consequences of this is sorry, dry skin- and that’s no fun for anyone! Enter probiotics.
Probiotics are the ‘good’ bacteria that we need to keep our guts healthy and promote better skin health. They work by enhancing the body’s production of hyaluronic acid (HA) which works hard to help the skin maintain elasticity, tightness and strength. When the body’s HA levels are increased, the skin is more hydrated and appears to be in better condition in general. But that’s not all that probiotics are good for. Oh no! Probiotics are pretty clever, because they also help to protect the skin from the negative affects of the world around us- by warding off pathogens, bad bacteria and other toxins. Clever, huh?
Which probiotics to take:
Probiotics come in different forms, and each benefits the skin in different ways.
Take Lactococcus Ferment for assistance with cell renewal and skin smoothness; take Lactobacillus for hydration and the prevention of fine lines and wrinkles; take Bifida Ferment for moisture and for blocking out pathogens and toxins and take Bacillus Coagulans for immunity, and for improving the skin’s hydration and elasticity.
Carotenoids
Fruits and vegetables such as oranges and carrots get their bright colours from carotenoids, which are powerful phytonutrients known to improve the condition of the skin. Foods such as carrots, pumpkin, tomatoes, mangoes, kale and spinach are fantastic foods to eat for better skin, and their versatility means it’s fairly easy to include them in your every day diet too. Tomatoes in particular are great because they’re also filled with vitamin C, which is renowned for it’s ability to maintain skin health. Likewise, oranges are also high in vitamin C, and also able to aid in the prevention of skin ageing. Their high water content also helps to maintain the skin’s elasticity.
Healthy Fats
We often hear about so called healthy fats but do we really know why exactly they’re so good for us? It’s simple really. Healthy olds are vital for maintaining the skin’s ability to produce natural oils that work as a barrier to maintain moisture and elasticity. Mono and polyunsaturated fats have anti0inflammatory properties and studies have found that they’re also able to assist in slowing the ageing process too. Not only that, but Omega-3s are thought to be able to provide protection against over exposure to UV rays. Impressive!
Stock up on foods such as avocados, olive oil, salmon, sardines and walnuts for super healthy, glowing skin.
