Build Your Healthy Skin: Diet

Healthy fats are critical for healthy skin. The omega-3 fatty acids found in cold water fatty fish help balance inflammation in the skin, while a deficiency can lead to skin that is dry and flaky. Other good fats include the medium chain triglycerides in coconut oil, which protects the skin’s natural barrier and reduces moisture loss, and olive oil, which helps fight inflammation and protects against UV damage.^{1 2}

Include a healthy fat in every meal.

Clean, pure water is exceptionally important not only to keep the skin hydrated, but also to help move toxins out of the body, which ultimately leads to clearer skin. Herbal teas, mineral water, and homemade fruit-infused water can also help replace sugary sodas, commercially prepared teas, sweetened coffee drinks, and fruit juice, which all contribute to puffiness, blemishes, and skin aging.

Aim to drink at least eight 8-oz glasses of water a day.

Darkly colored vegetables and fruits such as red onions, berries, cherries, eggplant, and purple potatoes are all good sources of a potent family of antioxidants that fight free radicals called polyphenols, which help to protect the skin from UV damage, inflammation, and oxidative damage.³

Incorporate a variety of colorful fruits and veggies into every meal.

Green tea is rich in antioxidants, especially epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and has been shown to prevent photoaging caused by UV exposure. It even helps skin cells heal and regenerate themselves.^{4 5}

Try replacing your daily coffee with green tea, or drink it in between meals—it will also count toward your daily water intake.

Foods rich in carotenoids are particularly good at protecting the skin from UV damage because they accumulate in the skin where they protect cells from free radical damage.⁶

A variety of carotenoids appears to be the most beneficial so aim to get lutein and zeaxanthin from leafy greens and pastured eggs, beta-carotene from orange vegetables, lycopene from cooked tomatoes, and astaxanthin from wild sockeye salmon.

Gelatin is an often overlooked, but time honored skin-enhancing food. It is a dietary source of collagen, the main structural protein in the skin, as well as many amino acids that are necessary for normal skin growth. Gelatin is derived from the bone and connective tissue of animals—nutrient dense parts that are generally thrown away. Bone broth is an excellent way to increase your intake, or gelatin can also be found in powdered form.

Try adding gelatin to smoothies, soups, and stews or to make homemade “gummies” or jello treats.

Vitamin C rich foods like red peppers, parsley, broccoli, papaya, Brussels sprouts, strawberries and yes, citrus fruits, are great for the skin.

As an antioxidant vitamin C helps to limit the damage caused by UV exposure and other free radical damage, but it is also necessary for the production of collagen, aids in skin repair, and decreases dry skin.⁷

Vitamin E rich foods may be of particular importance since vitamin E is an integral part of the skin’s antioxidant defense system. It helps to fight free radicals, protect the skin from UV damage, and reduce inflammation in the skin.⁸

Good dietary sources of vitamin E are sunflower seeds, almonds, hazelnuts, leafy greens, and avocados.

Balance your blood sugar

The simple act of keeping your blood sugar balanced is a surprisingly effective way to prevent skin damage. When there is excess blood glucose (a.k.a. blood sugar) those sugars bind to bodily proteins, damaging them and altering their function. Free radicals are also created in the process, which go on to cause more damage. Collagen and elastin, proteins in the skin responsible for its structure and elasticity, are likely to be most affected, leading to saggy, wrinkled skin. Keeping blood sugar balanced means avoiding the foods that spike blood sugar, such as processed sugars and refined grains, while eating balanced meals comprised of humanely-raised and sustainable meats and fish and eggs from pastured chickens, healthy fats, brightly colored organic vegetables, raw nuts and seeds, and dairy from animals raised on pasture, as tolerated.

Build Your Healthy Skin: Supplements

A diet loaded with skin enhancing foods is a great place to start for healthy skin, but a targeted supplement routine can really take it to the next level. For radiant skin consider adding one or more of the following supplements.

Probiotics

We tend to think of probiotics as being good for digestion, but the truth is these friendly little bacteria influence many aspects of health, including the health of our skin. Taking probiotics internally has been found to reduce UV damage and reduce skin inflammation.^{9 10}

Omega-3 fats EPA and DHA

If you’re not a big fan of fish, or don’t eat fish regularly, taking an omega-3 supplement is the best way to ensure that you are getting optimal amounts of this essential fat to support healthy skin.

Antioxidants

Since free radical damage is an underlying cause of much skin damage, make sure your body has adequate stores of antioxidants to stop the damage. Some potent skin antioxidants include: zinc, selenium, vitamin E, vitamin C, Pycnogenol^®, Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), milk thistle (sylimarin), curcumin, and a variety of carotenoids, such as astaxanthin, lycopene, and beta-carotene.

Collagen

As the main structural protein found in the skin, collagen is responsible for keeping the skin plump and wrinkle free. Supplementing with collagen not only increases collagen but also increases the cells that produce it.^{11 12} When combined with vitamin C and glucosamine, collagen supplements also help the skin retain moisture and improve smoothness.¹³ Vegetarians and vegans can build collagen by getting adequate protein, vitamin C, manganese, zinc, and copper. They can also look for vegan collagen boosting supplements designed specifically to supply an array of vitamins, minerals, and herbs for supporting healthy collagen production. Collagen and collagen boosting supplements take time to build in the body so be sure to use it for at least three months for best results. Note: Although collagen is great for skin health, it does not contain all the essential amino acids and should not be relied on as a major protein source.

Build Your Healthy Skin: Topical Support

Healthy skin is greatly influenced by internal health, but a comprehensive skin care program should also include a simple topical regime. Topical products help to nourish and heal the skin from the outside. A basic skin health routine should include:

A gentle cleanser or face soap that doesn’t leave the skin feeling tight, which is a sign the skin has been stripped of its natural moisture. Cream-based cleansers are a good option for those with dry or aging skin.

A daily moisturizer that is designed for your skin type. Look for skin-friendly oils like olive, jojoba, argan, sea buckthorn, tamanu, pomegranate seed, rose hip seed, or carrot seed and essential oils like geranium, helichyrsum, neroli, sandlewood, jasmine, and rose.

A chemical-free, mineral based sunscreen to protect your skin from the oxidative damage caused by UV rays. Sun damage is a leading cause of accelerated aging in the skin—be sure to protect yours!

Antioxidants applied topically help to protect the skin cells from the free-radical damage that leads to wrinkles, age spots and sagging skin. Not only do topical antioxidants protect against daily skin stressors (like pollution exposure), but they also improve the photoprotective effects of sunscreen, further protecting the skin from UV damage.¹⁴ Look for products that contain ingredients such as vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid), green tea, vitamin E, astaxanthin, and Pycnogenol^®. Some skin-friendly oils like Seabuckthorn and pomegranate seed are also high in antioxidants.^{15 16 17}

Ceramides protect your skin barrier. The skin barrier is a permeable barrier, preventing excess water/moisture loss, while protecting the body from various insults, be it bacterial or environmental like air pollution, allergens, and UV rays. When the skin barrier is damaged from things like aging, abrasive washing, overuse of peels and scrubs, hot water, and cold, dry weather, skin can become dry, itchy, irritated, and flaky. Ceramides, fats (aka lipids) that are found in skin cells, play an important role in skin barrier function, but they are depleted by the same above factors that damage the skin barrier and they naturally decrease as we age. When ceramides are low, moisture can escape the skin, letting in irritants (like pollution or even infectious bacteria), leaving the skin dry, irritated, inflamed, and can even lead to psoriasis, eczema, and acne.¹⁸ Topical ceramides are effective at replenishing natural skin ceramides and restoring healthy barrier function, improving dry, itchy, flaky skin, and even dermatitis and psoriasis.^{19 20} Oils such as jojoba, safflower, and grapeseed are naturally high in ceramides. The ceramides in jojoba oil are especially high, around 96 percent. Studies show that jojoba oil is a good option for those with altered skin barriers, as in the cases of seborrheic dermatitis (dandruff), eczema, and acne.²⁰   Look for skin and body care products with these ceramide-rich oils and/or the term “ceramides” in the ingredient list. Niacinamide is another ingredient to look for—used topically, this B vitamin supports the body’s natural production of ceramides.²² 

Maintaining healthy skin is well within your reach when you take a multifaceted approach. As you minimize the skin assaulting factors and maximize your skin’s ability to defend, repair, and regenerate itself, you will see it naturally glow with radiance and health!

Clean up your beauty routine

Instead of searching out the latest and greatest way to show your skin who’s boss, clean up your beauty routine and make the switch to natural body care products. Healthy skin is already well equipped with its own antibacterial protections and anti-wrinkle systems. Instead of trying to override the skin’s natural functions, body care products should work with the skin to optimize these functions. Besides leading to beautiful skin you’ll also skip out on the endocrine disrupting chemicals, neurotoxins, respiratory toxins, and skin irritants that are commonly found in conventional body care products. Since reading body care product ingredient labels can be an exercise in frustration, avoid products that contain the following red flag ingredients: synthetic fragrance, mineral oil or petrolatum, phthalates, synthetic preservatives like parabens, BHA, and BHT, and synthetic colors (denoted by FD&C).

References

1. Lucas L, Russell A, Keast R. Molecular mechanisms of inflammation. Anti-inflammatory benefits of virgin olive oil and the phenolic compound oleocanthal. Curr Pharm Des. 2011;17(8):754-768.
2. Latreille J, Kesse-Guyot Em Malvy D, et al. Dietary Monounsaturated Fatty Acids Intake and Risk of Skin Photoaging. PLoS One. 2012;7(9):e44490.
3. Afaq F, Katiyar SK. Polyphenols: Skin Phytoprotection and inhibition of photocarncinogenesis. Mini Rev Med Chem. 2011;11(14):1200-1215.
4. White PO, Tribout H, Baron E. Protective mechanisms of green tea polyphenols in skin. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity. 2012; 2012: article ID 560682.
5. Medical College of Georgia. Green Tea Linked to Skin Rejuventation. ScienceDaily. April 25, 2003. Available at: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/04/030425071800.htm
6. Heinrich U, Gärtner C, Wiebusch M, et al. Supplementation with beta-carotene or similar amount of mixed carotenoids protects humans from UV-induced erythema. J Nutr. 2003;133(1):98-101.
7. Michels AJ. Vitamin C and Skin Health. Linus Pauling Institute. Oregon State University. September 2011. Available at: http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/micronutrients-health/skin-health/nutrient-index/vitamin-C
8. Michels AJ. Vitamin E and Skin Health. Linus Pauling Institute. Oregon State University. February 2012. Available at: http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/micronutrients-health/skin-health/nutrient-index/vitamin-E
9. Bouilly-Gauthier D, Jeannes C, Maubert Y, et al. Clinical evidence of benefits of a dietary supplement containing probiotic and carotenoids on ultraviolet-induced skin damage. British J Dermatol. 2010;163(3):536-543.
10. Guéniche AG. Benyacoub J, Philippe D, et al. Lactobacillus paracasei CNCMI-2116 (ST11) inhibits substance P-induced skin inflammation and accelerates skin barrier function recovery in vitro. Eur J Dermatol. 2010;20(6):731-737.
11. Matsuda N, Koyama Y, Hosaka Y, et al. Effects of ingestion of collagen peptide on collagen fibrils and glycosaminogylcans in the dermis. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol. 2006;52(3):211-215.
12. Shigemura Y, Iwai K, Morimatsu F, et al. Effect of Proyl-hydroxyproline (Pro-Hyp), a food-derived collagen peptide in human blood, on growth fibroblasts from mouse skin. J Agric Food Chem. 2009;57(2):444-449.
13. Wilson L. Structural Integrity: Collagen for joint and skin health. Natural Grocers Health Hotline. February 2012.
14. Dreher F, Maibach H. “Protective effects of topical antioxidants in humans.” Curr Probl Dermatol. 2001;29:157-64.
15. Pinnell, SR, et. al. “A topical antioxidant solution containing vitamins C and E stabilized by ferulic acid provides protection for human skin against damage caused by ultraviolet irradiation.” J Am Acad Dermatol. 2008 Sep; 59(3):418-25. Epub 2008 Jul 7
16. Camera, Emanuela, et al. “Astaxanthin, canthaxanthin and β-carotene differently affect UVA-induced oxidative damage and expression of oxidative stress-responsive enzymes.” Experimental Dermatology. 2008 Sep: 18(3):222-231.
17. N. Khan, M. Asim, F. Afaq, M. Abu Zaid, and H. Mukhtar “A Novel Dietary Flavonoid Fisetin Inhibits Androgen Receptor Signaling and Tumor Growth in Athymic Nude Mice,”Cancer Res, October 15, 2008; 68(20): 8555 - 8563.
18. Cho, Y., Lew, B. L., Seong, K., & Kim, N. I. (2004). An inverse relationship between ceramide synthesis and clinical severity in patients with psoriasis. Journal of Korean medical science, 19(6), 859–863. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2004.19.6.859 
19. Del Rosso J. Q. (2019). Ceramide- and Keratolytic-containing Body Cleanser and Cream Application in Patients with Psoriasis: Outcomes from a Consumer Usage Study. The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology, 12(7), 18–21. 
20. Chamlin, S. L., Kao, J., Frieden, I. J., Sheu, M. Y., Fowler, A. J., Fluhr, J. W., Williams, M. L., & Elias, P. M. (2002). Ceramide-dominant barrier repair lipids alleviate childhood atopic dermatitis: changes in barrier function provide a sensitive indicator of disease activity. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 47(2), 198–208. https://doi.org/10.1067/mjd.2002.124617 
21. Meier, L., Stange, R., Michalsen, A., & Uehleke, B. (2012). Clay jojoba oil facial mask for lesioned skin and mild acne--results of a prospective, observational pilot study. Forschende Komplementarmedizin (2006), 19(2), 75–79. https://doi.org/10.1159/000338076 
22. Levin, J., & Momin, S. B. (2010). How much do we really know about our favorite cosmeceutical ingredients?. The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology, 3(2), 22–41.