You may not know it, but what we eat really can positively or negatively affect the overall quality & look of our skin. If you stop & think about it, our skin is our body's largest organ & it has really important (& often overlooked) functions. A few of its important functions:

It protects our bodies from bacteria, chemicals, & ultraviolet light.
It helps regulate our body temperature.
It is an important sensory organ with nerves that recognize different sensations in each layer which gives us important information about pain, pleasure, temperature & pressure.
A natural cooling system via sweating.

The list goes on & on, but these are a few jobs that highlight just how important our skin is & reminds us that we should lovingly care for it!

Here are 6 things you should be consuming on a weekly basis to help nourish your skin from the inside out!

1. Oily Fish - think Tuna, Salmon, Sardines, & Anchovies. These types of fish are rich in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids which are helpful for regulating the skin's oil production & can help to soften rough, dry skin. Omega-3s are also important for those who battle inflammatory skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, & acne. Make “Fish Friday” a weekly habit & try out new recipes & salads that incorporate oily fish!

2. Eat Leafy Greens - we all know we need them…however I am more motivated to prioritize leafy greens when I am reminded of the benefits of them! Loaded with vitamins & antioxidants, leafy greens are essential for glowing skin. Antioxidants help to eliminate toxins & free radicals, which are molecules that can damage skin cells & accelerate the aging process. Adding broccoli, spinach, & herbs to your weekly meals can work wonders in enhancing your skin health. If you want to really boost your skin’s glow,

I highly recommend trying to incorporate drinking green juice. (I am not speaking of the store bought kind that is loaded with sugar & preservatives) Before you invest in a high quality juicer, ask a friend to borrow one or see if you have a local juice bar that specializes in green juice. Also, I have found that green apples, lemon & mint really help to add flavor to green juices without adding lots of sugar.

3. Eat Berries - think blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, etc! Berries are rich in antioxidants, which can help protect our sensitive skin from damage caused by free radicals & UV radiation. Berries have a high fiber & water content which helps to keep our skin hydrated & our gut healthy. (Healthy gut = healthy skin!) Surprisingly, even a small serving of strawberries is a rich dose of Vitamin C, which is necessary for skin elasticity & natural collagen production. (consuming 8 strawberries a day fulfills the recommended daily amount of vitamin C)

When berries are in season try to incorporate them frequently in a fruit salad, on top of greek yogurt, in homemade popsicles, etc. Keep frozen berries in your freezer & you can consume them via smoothies year around!

4. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate - ok this one you know & I think it is safe to say we all struggle with making it a priority. But if making the process fun or exciting helps you to hydrate your body better, do it. I want to mention two important things that hydration does for our skin. Firstly, it improves our skin’s elasticity. Meaning when we are properly hydrated it helps our skin bounce back into shape. Secondly, remaining hydrated helps our body successfully flush out toxins, which can improve the overall appearance of our skin!

Figure out a system that works for you to stay hydrated & prioritize it in your everyday life. Maybe it means making fruit infused water & having it ready to go in glass bottles in your fridge. You can fill a large cup of water & tally throughout the day how many times you fill it. Drinking herbal tea throughout the day is an excellent way to stay hydrated and breaks up drinking constant water!

5. Eat Colorful Vegetables - For me, it is tempting to stick with what vegetables are “easy” to incorporate into our weekly meal planning. But branching out & including vegetables that are rich in color is very important. Having a diverse rainbow of vegetables will help us get necessary nutrients that are important for skin cell development & healthy skin tone. Cut up colorful bell peppers, cucumbers, carrots, broccoli, etc. & have them ready to go with a homemade greek yogurt dip. Incorporate little bits of

thinly sliced radishes or beets to your salads. Look up recipes & try new ways of cooking different colorful veggies until you find the ones you enjoy.

6. Consume Healthy Fats - For the longest time I believed “fat free” was THE healthier option. Now I know better & try to incorporate it in my family's diet regularly (not to mention I vocalize just how important healthy fat is for our brains & bodies)! Things like Olive Oil, Avocados, Coconut Oil, Nuts, Eggs, Dark Chocolate, Oily Fish, etc. are easy to incorporate into our weekly meals. Healthy fats are important for our skin because they help keep our skin hydrated, reduce inflammation, & protect it

against sun damage. Make the process easier by keeping good quality nuts & olive oil as staples in your pantry. Use Olive Oil to cook rather than vegetable oil & bake with Coconut Oil as it has a higher heat tolerance than Olive Oil. Make homemade trail mixes or granola that is rich in nuts, dark chocolate, etc.

Nutrition & hydration have an enormous impact on our skin & can help to mitigate some skin issues. For example, skin wrinkling is a natural part of the aging process & will happen regardless of how clean we eat or how much moisturizer we use. However, practicing safe sun exposure, not smoking, & maintaining a healthy diet can really help to slow the aging process & delay early/premature aging.

Cheers to healthy skin from the inside out,

Brooke Summers

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