Nutrients that Promote Healthy Skin from Within

Nutrients that Promote Healthy Skin from Within

by | Dec 18, 2020

Your skin is your largest organ that plays a vital role in your overall health and wellness. Not only does it protect what’s inside your body by keeping water and nutrients in, it also keeps harmful bacteria and viruses out. In addition, your skin helps you maintain your body temperature and makes vitamin D when exposed to the sun. It’s also full of nerve endings to help you sense the outside world and avoid damage from things that are too hot, cold, or sharp.

Nutrients to Promote Healthy Skin

Skin care isn’t only something we need to do on the outside. What we eat and drink affects all of our vital organs—including our skin. Below is a list of some of the essential nutrients you need in order to keep your skin well-nourished so that you can look and feel your very best.

Water

Did you know that up to 60% of the human adult body’s composition is water? Water plays many important roles in your body. It’s the main component in your cells and fluids, it allows you to maintain your body temperature and it provides shock absorption for your joints.

Your skin has three layers. The outermost layer—the one you see and feel—is called the epidermis. The middle layer is the dermis and underneath that is your hypodermis. When your epidermis doesn’t have enough water, your skin feels rough and loses elasticity. One clinical study found that when participants who didn’t drink a lot of water increased their intake, their skin became more hydrated and their skin’s “extensibility” improved within 2 weeks. Drinking more water can help skin hydration and may be particularly beneficial if you have dry skin or don’t drink enough water.

How much water do you need every day? According to the Mayo Clinic, women should aim for 2.7 L (11.5 cups) of fluids per day, while men should aim for 3.7 L (15.5 cups) per day. Note that these fluids can come from drinking water or other beverages, and can even come from water-rich foods like soups, fruits, and vegetables. Your personal water needs may be higher if you sweat a lot from physical activity or live in a hot, humid environment, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you are prone to urinary or digestive tract conditions such as kidney stones, vomiting, diarrhea.

Not a fan of drinking water? Infuse your water with your favorite fruit or herbs to help you consume more throughout the day.

Protein

Protein is an essential macronutrient that plays an important role in the structure of your skin and body. Different proteins are made by combining different building blocks called animo acids. Protein makes up parts of your cells, immune system antibodies, and the enzymes needed for thousands of reactions including digestion.

Your skin is made up of several different proteins. For example, collagen and elastin are very plentiful and build up the structure of your skin. Over time, and with exposure to the elements, your body’s ability to produce collagen decreases. Keratin is another important protein in your skin. Keratin makes up the outer epidermis layer giving it rigidity and enhancing its barrier protection.

The recommended daily amount of protein is based on your body weight. For every 20 pounds you weigh you should try to get just over 7 grams of protein each day. This means a person who weighs 140 pounds needs about 50 g protein/day, while someone who weighs 200 pounds would need about 70 g protein/day. Protein is found in meat, poultry, fish, dairy, and eggs. Plant-based sources of protein include soy, lentils, beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and even vegetables like corn, broccoli, and asparagus.

Essential Fatty Acids

Getting plenty of healthy fats in your diet can give your skin a “glow”. On the other hand, too little fat in your diet can make your skin wrinkly and dry. Omega-3’s and Omega-6’s are two types of fatty acids that are essential nutrients for our health and our skin. Omega-3 fatty acids in particular are ant-inflammatory and have been linked to many other health benefits including improvements in rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, diabetes, heart disease, and psoriasis, to name a few.

You can get these essential fatty acids from nuts (walnuts), seeds (flax, chia, pumpkin, sunflower, sesame), oils (soy, canola), leafy vegetables, and avocados. Essential fatty acids are also available in supplements which may contain additional vitamins and minerals. Consider taking pollutant /contaminant free yeast or algae-derived Long Chain Omega 3’s daily. Consult with a registered dietitian for supplement recommendations.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a water-soluble powerful antioxidant that carries out many functions in the body. It provides some protection for your skin from the UV rays, however, you should always wear sunscreen for optimal protection., Another important role of vitamin C is that it helps to produce collagen. Collagen helps to keep your skin firm and elastic. Unfortunately, as you age collagen production declines, therefore making sure you get adequate amounts of vitamin C is vital in protecting and preserving your skin.

Every day you should aim for at least 75 mg of Vitamin C. It is relatively easy to consume your recommended dietary intake of vitamin C from fruits and vegetables such as bell peppers, citrus fruits, oranges, grapefruits, broccoli, cauliflower, strawberries, kiwis, blackcurrants, potatoes, rose hip, and parsley.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a group of essential vitamins called tocopherols. They are fat-soluble antioxidants that work synergistically with Vitamin C. When given together, vitamins C and E (and zinc) can speed up wound healing. Signs of a vitamin E deficiency is linked to dry itchy skin..

Vitamin E is often applied directly (topically) on the skin to reduce redness and some of the effects of sun damage. Ingesting Vitamin E helps the skin from the inside by protecting collagen and fats from breaking down. One clinical study successfully improved symptoms of dermatitis (skin inflammation) in participants who took Vitamin E supplements over the course of several months.

The recommended daily allowance for Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) is 15 mg. You can get Vitamin E in vegetables, oils (wheat germ oil, olive oil, vegetable oil, sunflower oil), sunflower seeds, nuts (almonds, hazelnuts), spinach, broccoli, corn, kiwis, and soy.

Skin care beyond nutrition

While nutrition is essential to promote healthy skin from within, it is important to remember to incorporate other skin care practices that will help protect and nurture your skin health.

  • Use gentle cleansers and warm (not too hot) water to keep skin clean
  • Moisturize after taking a shower or washing your hands
  • Avoid things that bother your skin such as harsh cleansers, fragrances, and irritating fabrics
  • If you have allergies or intolerances (e.g., to gluten or pollen), avoid those
  • Limit your sun exposure and use sunscreen as appropriate
  • Be physically active
  • Try to get enough quality sleep
  • Use a humidifier and wear gloves when the weather is dry and cold
  • Avoid tobacco

The bottom line

The nutrients you consume feed your whole body—including your skin. As your largest organ with many critical roles, your skin needs a variety of different nutrients every single day. Water, protein and essential fatty acids are important macronutrients. The antioxidant vitamins C and E are among some of the micronutrients your skin needs to heal and stay healthy.

In addition to nutrition, caring for the outside of your skin is also important. Using gentle cleansers, warm water, and moisturizers, and avoiding irritants and allergens will help. If you have any medical concerns with your skin, you should make an appointment with your healthcare professional.

For a nutritious approach to skin health, consult with a registered dietitian nutritionist who can assess for nutritional deficiencies and discuss your nutritional concerns and dietary restrictions.

Need some help to identify what foods your skin needs, or need guidance ton how o implement delicious skin-boosting foods into your day-to-day life? Schedule a free 15 minute consultation at http://www.corenutritionhw.com/services

References

Cleveland Clinic. (2016, March 17). Skin. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/10978-skin

Harvard Health. (2018, May). Getting rid of the itch of eczema. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/getting-rid-of-the-itch-of-eczema

Harvard Health. (2018, November). Can a gluten-free diet help my skin? Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/can-a-gluten-free-diet-help-my-skin

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (n.d.). Protein. Retrieved from https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/protein/

Hodges, A. L., & Walker, D. K. (2017). Skin Care for Women. Nursing for women’s health, 20(6), 609–613. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nwh.2016.10.001

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27938801/

Huang, T. H., Wang, P. W., Yang, S. C., Chou, W. L., & Fang, J. Y. (2018). Cosmetic and Therapeutic Applications of Fish Oil’s Fatty Acids on the Skin. Marine drugs, 16(8), 256. https://doi.org/10.3390/md16080256

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6117694/

Keen, M. A., & Hassan, I. (2016). Vitamin E in dermatology. Indian dermatology online journal, 7(4), 311–315. https://doi.org/10.4103/2229-5178.185494

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4976416/

Mayo Clinic. (2020, October 14). Water: How much should you drink every day? Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256

Mayo Clinic. (2020, November 21). Does drinking water cause hydrated skin? Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/hydrated-skin/faq-20058067

NIH National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (2019, July).  Healthy Skin Matters. Retrieved from https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/kids/healthy-skin#tab-id-2

NIH News in Health. (2015, November). Keep your skin healthy. Retrieved from https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2015/11/keep-your-skin-healthy

NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. (2020, February 27). Vitamin C. Retrieved from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/

NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. (2020, July 31). Vitamin E. Retrieved from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminE-HealthProfessional/

Palma, L., Marques, L. T., Bujan, J., & Rodrigues, L. M. (2015). Dietary water affects human skin hydration and biomechanics. Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology, 8, 413–421. https://doi.org/10.2147/CCID.S86822

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4529263/

Schagen, S. K., Zampeli, V. A., Makrantonaki, E., & Zouboulis, C. C. (2012). Discovering the link between nutrition and skin aging. Dermato-endocrinology, 4(3), 298–307. https://doi.org/10.4161/derm.22876

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583891/

University of Michigan Medicine. (2019, August 21). High protein foods for wound healing. Retrieved from https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/abs1199

Strawberry Chia Seed Pudding

Strawberry Chia Seed Pudding

by | Dec 6, 2020

Strawberry Chia Seed Pudding

This naturally sweet Strawberry Chia Seed Pudding is super nutritious. It's packed with protein, fiber, and omega-3's. A delicious afternoon sweet treat or perfect for breakfast.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
overnight 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American, dairy free, vegan
Servings 2

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1 cup vanilla non-dairy yogurt almond or soy yogurt
  • 2 Tbs maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup chia seeds
  • 1 cup strawberries hulled and diced

Instructions
 

  • Wash and slice strawberries the day you are serving pudding.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond milk, yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla. Whisk in the chia seeds. Let stand 5 minutes then stir again to ensure all chia seeds are incorporated and not sticking to the bottom of the bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  • The next day, spoon pudding into bowls and top with .fresh sliced strawberries. Drizzle with additional maple syrup if desired.
Keyword chia pudding, easy, probiotics
Asparagus with Lemon Thyme Dressing

Asparagus with Lemon Thyme Dressing

by | Dec 6, 2020

Asparagus with Lemon Thyme Dressing

This roasted asparagus recipe is tossed with a homemade lemon and thyme dressing. An easy and delicious side that brings plenty of nutrition and flavor to any meal.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 lb asparagus tough ends removed
  • 3 Tbs olive oil extra virgin
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2 Tbs red wine vinegar
  • 1 lemon zest and juice 1 tablespoon
  • 1 tsp thyme dried
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  • Trim ends from asparagus.
  • Zest and juice lemon.
  • Add oil, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon zest, and thyme to a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
  • pPlace asparagus on baking pan. Drizzle asparagus with half the dressing and toss to coat.
  • Roast in oven for about 7 -8 minutes until asparagus turns bright green and tops begin to brown.
  • Remove from oven and drizzle with remaining dressing.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Keyword Asparagus, vegetables
What is Intuitive Eating?

What is Intuitive Eating?

by | Dec 5, 2020

There’s a way to ditch the diet culture, make peace with food, and prioritize your physical and mental wellbeing. It’s called “intuitive eating” and it’s not a weight loss program. Instead, it’s a way to get back in tune with your body and refocus your mind away from “food rules.”

Intuitive eating de-prioritizes weight as a primary measure of health, while inviting you to eat the foods you want when you’re hungry—and stop eating when you feel full. This isn’t a “free for all” to give up and eat how much you want of whatever you want whenever you want it, either. It’s about getting back in tune with your body and showing it the respect it deserves.

Eating intuitively means being curious about what and why you want to eat something, and then enjoying it without judgment. Yep, without judgment. It’s about trusting your body’s wisdom without influence from outside of yourself. It’s about removing the labels of “good” or “bad” food and ditching the guilt or pride about eating a certain way. It’s about accepting food—and our bodies—as the amazing wonder that they really are and a belief that there truly is no “right” or “wrong” way to eat.

 

The 10 Principles of Intuitive Eating

 

The two dietitians who popularized intuitive eating in 1995, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, have outlined 10 principles.

 

1 – Reject the diet mentality

Ditch diets that give the false hope of losing weight quickly, easily, and permanently. You are not a failure for every time a diet stopped working and you gained the weight back. Until you break free from the hope that there’s a new diet around the corner, you cannot fully embrace intuitive eating.

 

2 – Honor your hunger

Your body needs adequate energy and nutrition. Keep yourself fed to prevent excessive hunger. By honoring the first signal of hunger you can start rebuilding trust in yourself and food.

 

3 – Make peace with food

Stop fighting with food and give yourself unconditional permission to eat. Stop fostering intense feelings of deprivation by denying yourself a particular food, as these can lead to cravings and bingeing. You don’t want your “giving in” to lead to overwhelming guilt.

 

4 – Challenge the food police

Confront the thoughts that you as a person are “good” or “bad” based on what and how much you eat. Diet culture has created unreasonable rules. The food police are the negative, hopeless, or guilty thoughts that you can chase away.

 

5 – Discover the satisfaction factor

Pleasure and satisfaction are some of the basic gifts of existence. By allowing yourself to feel these when you eat, you can enjoy feeling content and fulfilled. When you do this, you will be able to identify the feeling of “adequacy.”

 

6 – Feel your fullness

Trust that you will give yourself the foods you desire. Pause in the middle of eating and ask how the food tastes. Be aware of the signals that you’re not hungry anymore. Respect when you become comfortably full.

 

7 – Cope with your emotions with kindness

Restricting food can trigger a loss of control and feel like emotional eating. Be kind to yourself. Comfort and nurture yourself. Everyone feels anxiety, loneliness, boredom, and anger. Food won’t fix these feelings—it’s just a short-term distraction. Ultimately, you have to deal with the uncomfortable emotions. 

 

8 – Respect your body

Everyone is genetically unique, whether it’s shoe size or body size. Respecting your body will help you feel better about who you are. Being unrealistic or overly critical of your shape or size makes it hard to reject the diet mentality.

 

9 – Movement—feel the difference

Feel the difference activity makes. Not militant or calorie-burning exercise, but simply moving your body. Focus on how energized it makes you feel.

 

10 – Honor your health—gentle nutrition

Choose foods that honor your tastebuds and health. Don’t focus on eating perfectly. One snack, meal, or day of eating won’t suddenly make you unhealthy or deficient in nutrients. Look at how you eat over time. Choose progress, not perfection.

 

The Science behind Intuitive Eating

 

Studies show that people who eat intuitively tend to also have lower body-mass indices (BMIs) and higher levels of body appreciation and mental health. They are also associated with lower blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and inflammation.

A review of eight studies compared “health, not weight loss” eating styles with conventional weight-loss diets. While they found no significant differences in heart disease risk factors between the two types of diets, they did find that body satisfaction and eating behavior improved more for people in the “health, not weight loss” groups.

Another review of 24 studies of female college students showed that those who eat intuitively experience less disordered eating, have a more positive body image, and greater emotional functioning.

Overall, there is a growing amount of research that shows the benefits of intuitive eating on both physical and mental health.

 

Intuitive Eating and Health at Every Size

 

The non-diet approach of intuitive eating fits within the concept that there can be health at every size. The idea behind Health at Every SizeⓇ is to be inclusive of all weights and de-emphasizes weight as the main factor to assess someone’s health. The way someone’s body looks does not tell the whole story about their overall health and wellbeing. Instead, their habits and lifestyle are more important factors than simply their size and shape.

Like intuitive eating, the HAESⓇ paradigm has several principles. They are weight inclusivity, health enhancement, respectful care, eating for well-being, and life-enhancing movement. These include accepting the diversity of body shapes, supporting equal access to health information and services, promoting eating based on hunger and satiety, working to end weight discrimination and bias, and encouraging enjoyable physical movement.

Also like intuitive eating, the focus of HAESⓇ is less toward weight loss and more toward sustainable healthy habits. According to HAESⓇ, the objective is to “advance social justice, create an inclusive and respectful community, and support people of all sizes in finding compassionate ways to take care of themselves.”

 

Tips to Eat More Intuitively

 

There are many things you can do to start eating more intuitively and ditch diet culture and “food rules.”

  • Put aside your guilt for previous diets that have failed you. (You have not failed them and you are not bad for participating in them.
  • Stop focusing on finding or implementing diets that promise easy, permanent weight loss.
  • When you feel like eating, ask yourself if you’re truly physically hungry (and not emotionally hungry).
  • Eat when you’re physically hungry, don’t deprive yourself. Get back in tune with your body’s signals and don’t wait until you’re extremely hungry.
  • Ask yourself what type of food will satisfy you. (Remember, there aren’t “good” or “bad” foods and you don’t need to judge yourself for eating—or not eating—them.)
  • Pay attention to and enjoy your food while you’re eating it (eat mindfully).
  • Stop eating when you are comfortably full.
  • Treat your body with dignity and respect—regardless of its size or shape.
  • Move your body in a way that is enjoyable and see how that makes you feel.
  • Stop worrying about eating perfectly. If you get off track, gently bring yourself back on track.

 

Final Thoughts

Intuitive eating helps to improve your relationship with food and your body and mind. It’s about challenging external rules and subconscious habits around eating. It also challenges feelings of guilt or shame associated with eating a certain way.

To eat intuitively, listen to your body’s hunger and fullness cues, enjoy a wide variety of foods (because none are inherently “good” or “bad”, and respect your body.

For a nutritious approach to health based on intuitive eating and Health at Every SizeⓇ, consult with a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.

Need help to see how intuitive eating and HAESⓇ can work for you? Are you looking for ways to implement this non-diet lifestyle into your day-to-day life? Book a free consultation with me https://www.corenutritionhw.com/services to see how my programs/services can help you achieve your goals.

 

References

Association for Size Diversity and Health. (n.d.). HAESⓇ Approach. https://www.sizediversityandhealth.org/health-at-every-size-haes-approach/

Bruce, L. J. & Ricciardelli, L.A. (2016). A systematic review of the psychosocial correlates of intuitive eating among adult women. Appetite, 96, 454-472. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2015.10.012.

Food Insight. (2020, January 8). A New Health Option for the New Year: The Non-Diet Approach. Retrieved from https://foodinsight.org/the-non-diet-approach/

Food Insight. (2020, June 19). The Science Behind Intuitive Eating. Retrieved from https://foodinsight.org/the-science-behind-intuitive-eating/

Food Insight. (2018, July 27). Can Our Diets Be Stress-Free? An Intuitive Eating Expert Weighs In. Retrieved from https://foodinsight.org/can-our-diets-be-stress-free-an-intuitive-eating-expert-weighs-in/

Health at Every SizeⓇ. (n.d.). HAESⓇ Community. Retrieved from https://haescommunity.com/

Intuitive Eating. (n.d.). 10 principles of intuitive eating. Retrieved from https://www.intuitiveeating.org/10-principles-of-intuitive-eating/

Khasteganan, N., Lycett, D., Furze, G., & Turner, A. P. (2019). Health, not weight loss, focused programmes versus conventional weight loss programmes for cardiovascular risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Systematic reviews, 8(1), 200. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-019-1083-8

National Eating Disorders Association. (2018). What does intuitive eating mean? Retrieved from https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/blog/what-does-intuitive-eating-mean

Sorensen, M. D., Arlinghaus, K. R., Ledoux, T. A., & Johnston, C. A. (2019). Integrating Mindfulness Into Eating Behaviors. American journal of lifestyle medicine, 13(6), 537–539. https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827619867626

Today’s Dietitian. (2020, April). Intuitive Eating: Four Intuitive Eating Myths. Retrieved from https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/0420p12.shtml

Van Dyke, N., & Drinkwater, E. (2014). Review Article Relationships between intuitive eating and health indicators: Literature review. Public Health Nutrition, 17(8), 1757-1766. doi:10.1017/S1368980013002139

Raspberry Mint Iced Tea

Raspberry Mint Iced Tea

by | Dec 3, 2020

Raspberry Mint Iced Tea

This raspberry mint tea is a super healthy drink that's packed with nutrients to support your health. Naturally sweetened with maple syrup and taste delicious served hot or cold.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Drinks
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 8 bags raspberry zinger tea
  • 8 mint leaves to garnish, optional
  • 1 cup raspberries to garnish, optional
  • 4 bags green tea
  • 8 cups water for brewing teas
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup adjust as needed for desired sweetness

Instructions
 

  • Wash fruit and mint.
  • Bring water to a boil in a kettle. As soon as water starts to boil, turn off heat.
  • Add tea bags to kettle. Allow to steep 15 minutes. After steeping, remove tea bags. Stir in maple syrup. Mix well.
  • Add ice to glass. Pour tea over ice. Garnish with sprigs of mint leaves and raspberries.

Notes

You can use this recipe for hot tea as well by omitting the ice.
Keyword green tea, hot tea, iced tea