1.) The most important step toward beautiful skin is eating a “real food” diet- one that is minimally processed, whole foods based, and packed with nutrients. Processed foods are not only devoid of micro-nutrition, but the process of digesting and assimilating these foods further depletes vitamin and mineral status.

--> Take action: Avoid the center aisles of the store and focus on the perimeter: foods without a label are best. Think variety: we need as many different nutrients as possible to truly glow from the inside out!

3.) Eating an abundance of high-quality fats is key to attaining glowing skin. Healthy fat is a dense source of nutrition which helps with healing, keeps skin soft and smooth, and is necessary for the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. All fats are composed of a mixture of three types of fats, with one predominant component- saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats.

• Saturated fats are an integral component of cell membranes and assist in proper hormone production.

• Monounsaturated fats help mitigate inflammation among other benefits.

• Polyunsaturated fats include omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids (critical to prostaglandin, or anti-inflammatory hormones, production in the body).

• Focus on incorporating omega-3 rich foods like seafood, because as stated above, omega-6 is abundant in most diets.

--> Take action: When removing polyunsaturated oils from your kitchen, swap in saturated and monounsaturated fats like grass-fed butter, avocados, coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado oil.

4.) Water is the most common nutritional deficiency, yet it is essential for your skin’s health. Being adequately hydrated allows our body to remove toxins and transport nutrients in the body. It also allows the body to address inflammation in its healing process, including inflammatory skin conditions.

--> Take action: Aim for a minimum daily water consumption of your body weight/2 in ounces. If you drink diuretic beverages (coffee, teas, soda), add an additional ounce of water for every ounce of diuretic you consume.

--> Take action: Note how you feel after meals. If you’re feeling sluggish, tired, or hungry just a few hours later, check the balance of your plate. When in doubt, add some more veggies and healthy fats for better blood sugar balance. You can try our chia pudding recipe for a great balanced snack- with protein, fats, and carbohydrate.

6.) Inflamed skin is an important indicator of intestinal dysbiosis. A balance of “good” and “bad” bacteria in the GI tract is critical for maintaining skin health. Good bacteria aid in digestion, manufacture vitamins and nutrients, and produce short-chain fatty acids that fight skin inflammation, among other properties. Bad bacteria can produce toxins and irritate the gut, leading to systemic inflammation.

--> Take action: Add foods naturally rich in probiotics to your diet in addition to a probiotic supplement. Some examples of natural sources include raw sauerkraut, kimchi, or pickles as well as plain organic, grass-fed yogurt or kefir.

This blog post was written by Carly Stagg, RN, FNTP for Forest Creek Wellness.