Food & Your Face: How Eating Habits Affect Your Skin

I remember growing up and always wanting to have hair and skin like the girls on TV. You never saw them with a pimple or a blemish. I was green with envy. I am telling you when I was a teenager, my skin was awful. I remember, I once got a huge pimple on the center of my forehead, I looked like a Unicorn.  Because of my older sisters, I have always used a quality skin care products and was taught the proper steps for caring for my skin externally early on. I truly believed my acne prone skin was all do to hormones and my body changing. I had given up and  decided I would have skin like the girls on TV when I was done with puberty, had regular periods, and didn't live at home. All of which happened in my early twenties...kind of.

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Habits Had to Change 

In my twenties I had my beautiful daughter.  While I was pregnant I did everything I was suppose do.  I ate my veggies, drank my water and took my Life Sized vitamins happily. I wanted to make sure I was doing everything in my power to take excellent care of my child.  Yep, I had the glow! You know, when people say a pregnant woman is Glowing. I swear I felt super energized. My skin was clear, not a blemish in sight. My hair was the longest it has ever been. I had read every baby book that was on the market ten years ago.  I credited my beautiful new skin to hormones & additional vitamins. Just as in my teens I blamed my hormones for the horrid skin issues.

It wasn't until many years later that I realized the glow doesn't come from hormones and pills, at least not completely. A few year ago, I made a commitment to loosing some weight with the 21 Day Fix. My eating habits were very similar to the habits I had when I was pregnant 10 years ago.  I know, it is so common sense and that is what makes it so frustrating. Remember, your skin is an organ and we need to care for it as such. Rather than spending hundreds or even thousands on topical products, testing what will work. Try a simple approach and change your diet. 

Nutrition plays a major role in the condition and clarity of the skin. New, living cells continually replacing the dead cells on the surface of the skin. This growth process is dependent on hydration, minerals and vitamins. 

When looking to improve and maintain the condition of the skin remember "ACE". 

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 Foods That Improve & Promote Healthy & Clear Skin

Vitamin A - helps prevent Aging and is has essential proteins used in the generation process of new cells. 
Vitamin C - promotes clarify and firmness. This is a quality maintenance vitamin
Vitamin E -  helps protect the skin against environmental threats. 

Another necessary nutrient is Biotin. Biotin is a part of the B Complex vitamins.
The best way to consume these vitamins is through the foods we eat.

Having a balance diet including the items listed below will ensure your skin has the nutrients needed to produce happy healthy skin cells, even despite unbalanced raging hormones. 

• 5 to 6 fresh fruits and veggies that contain "ACE" and Biotin
• 3 to 4 proteins 
• 2 whole -grains or beans 
• 8 to 10 glasses of water daily

 Your body has to have a period of recovery to rebuild and repair. Getting at least 6-8 solid hours of sleep a night will help the appearance of your skin.

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Top 5 Favorite "A" Foods 

Top 5 Favorite "C" Foods

1. Carrots
2. Spinach
3. Broccoli
4. Sweet Potatoes
5. Water Melons

1. Kale
2. Strawberries
3. Oranges 
4. Grape Fruit
5. ​Bell Peppers

Top 5 Favorite "E" Foods

Top 5 Favorite Biotin Foods

1. Sunflower Seeds
2. Almonds
3. Avocado
4. Red Peppers
5. Aspargus

1. Cauliflower
2. Whole Wheat Bread
3. Blue Berries
4. Bananas
5. Meat: Cheese, Beef, Sardines, Liver, eggs or Pork

 At the very least, each day I make sure I get 1 fresh serving from each group in the form of  my morning smoothie and usually 2 boiled eggs in the morning. Download your Cheat Sheet: 7 Day Meal Plan today. Follow the plan exclusively for 7 days and your skin will improve. Mine certainly did, THANK GOD! Of course for best and lasting results, you want to gradually change your life habits, not just for a 7 day challenge. 

Planning is Power

Any time you are working to change or improve something, it helps to have a plan.

I have made the planning part a breeze, download your Cheat Sheet:7 Day Meal Plan to  guide you and ensure you get all of the needed face lifting  vitamins in your daily diet.  

It also may help to track what your are eating. Quickly jot down items you eat. You don't have to count calories, just build the habit of being mindful of what you are consuming. There are some great apps out there to help with this, or you can track your food the traditional way and use a quality journal or planner.