5 ways to nourish your skin from within

When it comes to having our best skin, there’s no need for high maintenance skin care routines, injections that have inconclusive results, and invasive procedures. Let’s make it easier for ourselves. And less expensive!

The secret to our best skin lies within our health. When we prioritize achieving optimal health on the inside, it’ll start to show on the outside.

First and foremost, our skin is serving us a purpose and function. If there are imbalances like acne or premature aging, there’s a reason why.

Let’s nourish ourselves, stop doing more and start doing less, take advantage of what nature has given us, and we’ll feel better and look even better.

Continue reading to correct any skin issues you may have!

#1 - eat the right foods

Research shows that certain hormonal imbalances and nutrient deficiencies can drive faster collagen and elastin degradation.

Here are 5 ways to fix this via nutrition.

• We need to be eating enough. When we eat enough protein, carbs, & fat, we give our body energy and nutrients to repair our skin. Most women should be eating at least 2000 calories a day depending on activity levels, body weight, etc.

• Let’s emphasize our protein intake. Our skin is 75% collagen. Collagen is a protein. Women are not nearly getting enough protein, myself included sometimes! We need about 100 grams a day depending on our weight.

• We need to avoid damaging foods like industrial seed oils. These oils are present in nearly all processed foods and in restaurants because they are cheaper. These speed up aging and make us prone to sun and blue light damage.

• We need to be consuming enough vitamins & minerals. A majority of these should be coming directly from our food.

  • Vitamin A hydrates our skin. Our teeth, bones, and hair will also suffer without it. You will find Vitamin A in animal proteins.

  • Our skin also loves copper. Copper is a mineral that is needed to create new collagen and elastin. You can it in seafood.

• We need to be hydrating properly. Drinking too much water actually depletes our body of minerals! Minerals are what in fact hydrates the body. Drink more juices, coconut water, and milk.

#2 - minimize alcohol

Alcohol is a toxin that depletes us of vitamins and minerals. As a result, our skin becomes dehydrated and collagen levels plummet. Not to mention it disrupts our blood sugar and sleep.

If you’re going to drink, reach for potato vodka or tequila as they are slightly antibacterial and mix with natural fruit juice. This helps the alcohol be processed better by the liver.

#3 - minimize stress

Too much stress on our bodies will make an impact on our overall health, including our skin.

Stress is any sort of strain on the body and it can be considered “good” or “bad”.

Examples of good stress include pregnancy, exercise, breastfeeding, and positive life changes.

Bad stress includes negative thought patterns, toxic relationships, and not eating enough. Bad stress we cannot control includes car accidents and traumas.

Under stress, our body produces excessive cortisol which burns through all the nutrients our body and skin needs. This wrecks our ability to make collagen and elastin.

Many women are used to having a metabolism driven by this stress hormone instead of strong and balanced metabolic function, which is why many women are reaching for invasive cosmetic procedures at a young age. (Jessica Ash Wellness)

#4 - sleep 7-9 hours a night

When we sleep, our skin repairs itself by increasing blood flow to the face and making new collagen. Without regular quality sleep, many people begin to notice an increase in fine lines, uneven pigmentation and reduced elasticity.

When we sleep matters! We should get to bed before 10pm as our body does most of it’s healing work as this time. At 11pm we get a second wind of cortisol. Once we’re awake at that time, it’s difficult to get restful sleep after that.

Our circadian rhythm has us programmed to feel awake during the day in response to light and to feel tired at night in response to darkness. Let’s limit light and screens once it gets dark as they are disruptive to our sleep.

#5 - get real sunlight

Be outside, open a window. There is no need to fear the sun, we just don’t want to bake our skin.

We want balanced spectrums of light, so it’s ideal catch the sun when it’s rising and setting. The infrared light stimulates collagen and elastin production. This also resets your circadian rhythm which leads to better sleep.

Blue screens and fluorescent light can age and damage the skin.

Do you burn easily? Nutrition plays a big role in how our skin interacts with the sun. I’ve listed nutrition & skin experts below to learn more!

a note on botox

Botox is a neurotoxin that freezes the muscle because it cuts off the response of the nervous system.

This prevents the muscle from moving and over time the muscle will get lazy.

Why is this an issue?

We want our muscles to be stretched out and moving properly so we can bring nutrients, oxygen, blood, energy, and protein to the face.

on a positive note

The good news is our bodies are smarter than we give it credit for!

Our bodies are built to work for us, not against us. However, they will work against us when we don’t feed it or put too much strain on our bodies.

If you’ve put yourself through years of poor nutrition and excessive stress, you can reverse skin damage and restore clarity and youthfulness to your skin!

Follow these experts to learn more about nutrition & skin health:

• @jessicaashwellness

• @healthyskinglows

• @thenutritionistcoach

• @jewelwellness

As always, I'm here to answer any questions you may have!

All the best,

Amanda