Glowing Skin from Within

Holistic Guide to Skin Health

Do you experience or suffer from acne, breakouts, eczema, rashes, rosacea or dry skin? Do you feel like you have tried every mask, spot treatment, ointment or topical medication in the books, and still aren’t seeing improvement? As we know, undesirable symptoms are often messages from the body signaling that our system is out of balance. Suppressing these symptoms can often make the problem worse in the long run, because if we are not getting to the root cause the skin will remain inflamed. Of course having a skin care routine that nourishes and soothes is important for your skin’s overall vitality, however what you are putting in your body plays a major role as well. 

Let’s take a closer look at how to support that inner glow from within.

Think of your skin as a canvas that stretches over the outer surface of the body, which serves as a magic mirror showing your whole body's health. The skin is considered the largest organ of the human body, and has many purposes such as; detoxifying waste, absorbing compounds, synthesizing Vitamin D and more. When the skin begins to show signs of inflammation, congestion and irritation, it is often a sign that the body is lacking specific nutrients, food sensitivities, detoxification organs are overburdened and sluggish, or exposure to toxins and irritants.

Issues of the skin can cause feelings of low self esteem, embarrassment and frustration but that doesn't have to be the cycle you live in. With a bit of extra love and attention to proper nourishment and a commitment to find a diet that works for your body, you can really bring the skin back to life, and get that healthy glow we all want! Bonus, not just your skin will win but rather your whole body and health will enjoy the benefits of your natural desire to look and feel your best.

Nourishment for Glowing Skin

The skin is in a constant process of regeneration (growth, maintenance and repair) and relies on nourishment from the food we eat to nourish skin cells at the deepest layer. In order for the skin to remain healthy, plump and glowing from within, especially as we age, it is important to get adequate amounts of specific nutrients — preferably from whole foods. The skin thrives on a balanced diet rich in essential fatty acids, antioxidants from fruits and vegetables, pro and prebiotic rich foods, collagen boosting nutrients, and cleansing herbs. The list of nutrients below is a guide to supporting the vitality of the skin. Keep your eyes peeled for these ingredients in many offerings from the weekly Golden Roots Kitchen menu!

Vitamin A

• Sweet potato, pumpkin, carrots, dark leafy greens

Vitamin C

• Rosehips, citrus fruits, hibiscus, strawberries

Vitamin D

• Mushrooms, pasture raised eggs, liver, fatty fish

Omega-3 Fatty acids

• Fatty cold water fish, pasture raised eggs, walnuts, chia seeds

Silica

• Whole grains, bone broth

Amino acids

• Complete proteins from animal (pastured chicken, beef, lamb or pork)  

• Combined plant sources for a complete protein (nuts, seeds, whole grains, beans and lentils) 

  • Fun fact — quinoa, buckwheat and chia are all complete plant proteins, containing all 20 essential amino acids.

  • Combining brown rice and beans creates a complete protein

Water

• Self explanatory, stay hydrated! :)

• It is suggested to drink half of your body weight in ounces per day. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds you should aim to drink 75 ounces of water per day.

  • Pro tip: add a pinch of sea salt and lemon to hydrate on a cellular level — added electrolytes!

The Skin and Detoxification

The skin is the largest detoxification organ, and works in conjunction with the other detoxification organs; the liver, kidneys, lungs and lymph. When detoxification pathways become congested or overburdened with toxins or irritants, the skin often takes the hit because these toxins have nowhere else to go than through the skin's surface. Inflammation, uneven skin tone or texture, blemishes and rashes are all signals that toxins are drawing out through the skin. 

Our body's natural elimination process (yes, we're talking about pooping!) is essential to remove all the toxins and unneeded proteins (which if left circulating can lead to allergies/intolerances) from the body. This final elimination can not happen without insoluble fiber. This means a high fiber diet is essential to support regular elimination of toxins and can be a major boon when focusing on glowing skin. A whole food diet will naturally be high in fiber but the highest source of fiber is found in legumes of all kinds. If you find a high fiber diet can make you feel bloated and gassy- that's a good sign that you're not getting enough. Start slow and give your body a few weeks to adjust. Additionally, herbs such as burdock, dandelion, yellow dock and nettle can work wonders on detoxification and cleanse the blood and nourish the skin. We will be talking more in depth about detoxification in our next post!

We hope this information is insightful and helpful to support you on your skin healing journey.

Wishing you wellness always,

Mary and the GRK team

Photographer: Talia Engelhardt

Resources for Additional Support

‘Clean Skin from Within’ by Trevor Cates