For gorgeous glowing skin, you have to work from the inside out. It's not just about what products you put on to your skin - although they do of course play their part. What you put in to your body is just as important as what you put on it.
Claire Grady, Qualified Nutritional Therapist and advocate for Healthy Eating & Lifestyle takes you through some tips for gorgeous glowing skin from the inside out.
Chlorophyll
What is Chlorophyll?
Chlorophyll is a green pigment present in plants, which facilitates the absorption of light from the sun. Plant cells store this sunshine, making it available to us when we eat them. It has vitamins, antioxidants, and therapeutic properties that can benefit the body. One of the main vitamins we need to get from our dark leafy green intake is Folate otherwise known as Folic Acid.
Folate is the raw material used to synthesize your DNA, so the greens we consume actively working on upgrading your genetic software. So this positively impacts the anti-aging process, keeping us looking and feeling happier and healthier for longer.
A chlorophyll rich diet can also restore and replenish red blood cells which enhances its ability to carry more oxygen around the blood stream. The colour green represents healing and nourishment, so it’s no wonder that green foods are 'heart healthy'.
Dietary Sources:
- cabbage
- spinach
- kale
- broccoli sprouts (alfalfa / pea)
- fresh herbs parsley, dill and coriander
- spirulina
- wheatgrass
- chlorella
- seaweeds (dilisk, sea spaghetti, sugar kelp, nori)
- matcha whole leaf green tea
There are also liquid chlorophyll supplements available - we love Kiki Health Liquid Chlorophyll and Dynamic Health Liquid Chlorophyll
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are naturally occurring substances that can provide protection against the effects of damaging free radicals on the cells in your body, including your skin, caused by the stressors of daily life
When it comes to antioxidants, no one 'hero' ingredient will protect your skin you need to add an abundance of colour and variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, a wide variety of herbs and spices and some herbal teas. To ensure that you’re getting complete antioxidant protection, start with a diet rich in plant foods.
So what are antioxidants?
They are the immune system of the plant - the pigments, the leaves, the flowers and the fruit all have unique molecular compounds that we can avail of through our diet in order to protect our selves. How amazing is that - we can harness the power of the plant based world around us in order to protect our cells from free radical damage and support anti-aging!
Dietary Sources:
- Add as much colour and variety of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables
- Nuts & seeds
- A wide variety of herbs and spices
- Herbal teas especially green and white tea
A great antioxidant for skin is CoQ10 (can be taken as a supplement or applied as an ingredient in skincare). Try it as a capsule with One Nutrition Q10 Max or drink with Revive Active Ubiquinol CoQ10 or as part of a multivitamin (we really like Irish-made Macanta Multi Complex with Co-Q10)
Essential Fats
Essentials fats can also contribute to glowing skin from the inside out. Essential is the operative word here though. Considered essential fatty acids, we must obtain adequate amounts of them through the food we consume daily since your body can't create them.
Every cell in our body is made up of fat - each one of our skin cells are made up of phospholipid membranes which are hydrophobic on the outside and hydrophilic on the inside. Therefore, we need the natural balance of water and fat to keep our cells plump and healthy.
The main essential fat we need to consume for healthy skin is Omega 3. Every time we replicate and regenerate new skin cells these fats are required so it's important we have adequate amounts available for good skin health.
Dietary Sources:
- hemp
- flax
- walnuts
- almonds
- dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, kale and spinach
- avocados
- eggs
Hydration
When it comes to glowing skin from the inside out, hydration is so important. The human body is made up of over 70% water so we need to ensure we keep our cells hydrated. Often we talk about complicated and expensive compounds, which really fuel the anti-aging process such as Hyaluronic Acid and Collagen. These are very important compounds for structure and support but these are only beneficial when we are hydrated. These compounds are also important for plump skin cells, but they can only do their job once we have adequate hydration to fill out the cells.
Another benefit of having a plentiful supply of water in the body is for the cardiovascular system. It brings oxygenated and nutrient rich blood around the body, and out to the skin to give it its youthful vibrant glow.
Sweating is an important aspect of hydration - every time we exercise, go to the steam room or sauna, we excrete and eliminate through our pores. Every time we clear out, we renew - out with the old and in with the new.
Sleep
We're taking a step away from diet to another important function: sleep. It may seem obvious that sleep is beneficial for everything from your mood to your skin. Even without fully grasping what sleep does for us, we know that getting a good night's sleep can make us feel ready to take on the world.
Sleep provides an opportunity for the body to repair and rejuvenate itself. Many of the major restorative functions in the body like muscle growth, tissue repair, protein synthesis, and growth hormone release occur mostly, or in some cases only, during sleep. Other rejuvenating aspects of sleep are specific to brain health and cognitive function, helping us with memory, focus and concentration.
Recommended: We should be getting a minimum of 6-8 hours of restful and restorative sleep every night. Trouble sleeping? Check out some useful tips and natural remedies.
Please note, this blog is for informational purposes only and should not replace medical advice.
It’s always best to consult your doctor before taking any new supplements, treatments or remedies if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or on medication.
Checked and updated: 4 September 2021
Checked and updated 7th September 2023
