The health of your skin is directly related to your digestion – so, if you want to heal your skin then you have to focus on healing your gut first.
A 2018 study on the gut-skin axis found that you can in fact improve the health of your skin through a focus on gut health. But that takes work, persistence, and patience (contact me if you want to get started).
If you’re not quite ready to take that step yet, you can still take action to improve the health of your skin using nutrition. Here are five foods I recommend to help boost your skin health:
WALNUTS contain zinc, and your skin is the third most zinc-abundant tissue in the body. Zinc helps protect the skin by acting as an antioxidant, boosting immune function to reduce inflammation, and by protecting your skin against the harmful effects of the sun.
RED PEPPERS have more than three times the vitamin c of oranges, and vitamin c is highly concentrated in the skin. It helps with collagen synthesis, is an antioxidant, helps improve skin healing and prevents scars.
DARK CHOCOLATE is a great source of flavanols, which are similar to antioxidants and can help improve blood flow to the skin, protect against sun damage, and increase hydration. One study even found that dark chocolate has more antioxidant activity than any other fruit, including berries.
CHIA SEEDS are full of omega-3’s which are good for every body system. But because we’re talking specifically about skin health, omega-3’s can help improve skin barrier function, reduce inflammation, moisturize, and speed up wound healing.
ORANGES are important for their beta-carotene, which is a powerful antioxidant that is important for protecting the skin from sun damage and may even help to prevent sunburns.
Including more skin-nourishing foods into your diet will help to support healthy skin, which in turn will help improve your digestion. But if you are struggling with your skin health, then you really do need to focus on your gut health first, which I’d love to help you do.
