Beautiful Eating: Skin Spa
by Fiona Barrett
A Spa for Your Skin
If we think of our skin as our body’s protective layer (it is our “outer covering” after all) and as one of the major organs in our body, then what we eat to feed and nourish our skin is critical to creating “beautiful skin.”
Our skin helps regulate our body's temperature by increasing perspiration when our body gets too hot. As the perspiration evaporates it cools our skin, and our bodies. Our skin also helps eliminate toxins from our body. Did you know that over one pound of waste products from our body is excreted through our skin each day!
Our skin works hard for us! Let’s give it a little spa treatment from the inside out with some Beautiful Eating for Beautiful Skin…
Keep hydrated! Especially in the heat of summer, drink plenty of water for skin elasticity and cell regeneration.
Antioxidants slow down cellular aging. Look for fresh fruits and vegetables with vitamins A, C and E, flavenoids, beta-carotene and zinc. Great seasonal choices for summer are dark leafy greens, broccoli, summer squash, strawberries and plums.
Omega 3’s help reduce inflammation and are found in seeds, nuts, soy beans, dark leafy greens, and cold pressed oils like flax, pumpkin, sesame and safflower. Oily fish, like sardines, mackerel, blue fish, and wild salmon are high in Omega 3’s.
Start your day with a cleansing drink: hot water with lemon or ginger or a cleansing decaf herbal tea to jump-start your metabolism. Your body will naturally cleanse itself removing the toxins that inhibit healthy skin.
But stay away from these to keep your skin healthy:
Avoid caffeine and alcohol: they dehydrate the body. You can eliminate the caffeine in coffees and black teas by using an herbal product like Teecino or herbal decaf teas. If you do drink caffeine, balance it with an extra eight ounces of water daily to compensate for its dehydrating effects.
Avoid excess sodium; it can lead to inflammation and skin puffiness. Use fresh or dried herbs and spices to season your food instead of sodium or salt. Another great option is nori or kelp granules made from sea vegetables.
Reduce foods that clog… red meat, dairy, refined foods (such as white sugars and flours), fried foods, and foods containing hydrogenated oils or trans fats.
Take care of your skin with rest, relaxation, exercise, and of course, Beautiful Eating and your skin can stay soft, smooth, and radiant.
Do you have a Beautiful Eating question or comment? Contact Fiona at . For more information and for Fiona's speaking schedule go to www.fionabarrett.com
Fiona Barrett is a certified Holistic Health Counselor trained at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City. Accredited by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. She creates unique nutrition and life style programs to help you personally discover what nourishes and feeds you to live an energized and passionate life! Fiona was born in England and now lives and practices in the greater Boston area.
Excellent post, I myself stick to nothing but all natural beauty products. I am also very aware of the foods I eat as this is one of the main causes of bad health and most skin and odor issues.
Posted by: organic lipstick | Mar 20, 2009 at 04:44 PM