When it comes to skincare, we often open our shopping apps and start buying different skincare products or book our next appointment with a skincare expert. In both cases, it is about spending a lot that will yield only temporary solutions. Taking care of your skin is not so complicated if we stop being lazy and ignorant and choose a healthy lifestyle.
Your skin is not just the outer canvas of your body; it is the largest organ of your body, made of water, protein, fats, and minerals. Our skin is made up of two main layers: the epidermis and dermis. The outer epidermis serves as the primary barrier, preventing water loss and protecting against pathogens, whilst the inner dermal layer offers strength, suppleness, and nutritional support.
Our skin is not a mere covering but a protective shield for our body, so it is essential that we take care of it both from the inside and outside.
In this blog, we will discuss how switching towards healthier daily habits can help us gain and maintain healthy skin.
5 Everyday Habits To Acheive Healthy & Glowing Skin
Nowadays, there are many skincare clinics, cosmetic procedures, expensive products, and whatnot to gain and maintain the beauty of your skin. All these come with their own kind of side effects and also need a good amount of investment. But the real beauty of the skin begins when it is nourished from within. It is very important to maintain a healthy, nutrient-rich diet to nourish our skin continuously, as it replenishes itself and requires a good supply of nutrients. A balanced diet is enough to keep your skin fresh, soft, glowing, and beautiful.
Consume Fruits & Vegetables Daily
Many citrus fruits, like oranges, berries, and vegetables like broccoli, boost the production of collagen that helps to keep your skin firm and plump. Fruits like berries and pomegranates are also rich in antioxidants and help fight free radicals caused by pollution, thus slowing the process of aging. For the internal healing of your skin, go for Vitamin E-rich fruits and vegetables like avocado and spinach that repair your skin and keep it blemish-free.
For sun protection, of course, sunscreen is an absolute must, but along with it, you may consume carotenoids and lycopene-rich vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and tomatoes. This helps to create a natural sunblock barrier to protect your skin from UV damage and sunblock. To keep your skin fresh and hydrated, go for water-rich produce like melons and cucumbers to get a natural glow.
Consume Healthy Fats
Not all fats are bad for your health; some fats improve elasticity and keep your skin smooth from the inside out by acting as a natural moisturiser. These fats include the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated types that are present in nuts, ghee, seeds, avocados, and fatty fish.
Your skin needs healthy fats, such as monounsaturated and omega-3 fatty acids. They help absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) that prevent UV ageing, maintain collagen for elasticity, fight inflammation (such as acne and redness), and strengthen your lipid barrier to retain moisture.
Omega-3 fatty acids are present in flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts, and rapeseed oil, as well as in oily seafood like salmon, trout, and sardines, and have anti-inflammatory properties and help treat skin disorders like psoriasis and eczema. They also serve as the foundation for healthy skin.
Improve Your Gut Health
Healing your gut to achieve clear, bright skin involves balancing your microbiome and reducing systemic inflammation through focused dietary modifications, stress management, and hydration. Consume probiotics, which are the good gut bacteria that help to maintain proper digestive health. You may take probiotics in the form of yoghurt, fermented food, or even supplements to maintain your gut health, which will eventually keep your skin healthy and glowy.
You can go for fermented foods such as kefir, kimchi, and sauerkraut, as well as live yoghurt, in your regular diet to promote the growth of good gut bacteria.
Include Phyto-estrogen
Phytoestrogens are plant-based molecules that imitate human oestrogen. They bind to skin receptors and fight age-related deterioration. They stimulate collagen formation, increase hyaluronic acid levels for deep hydration, and function as powerful antioxidants to prevent skin sagging and smooth wrinkles. They also help to balance our hormones and promote good health.
Phytoestrogens come in a variety of forms. Some (lignans) are found in the fibre of wholegrains, fruit, vegetables, and flaxseed, while others (isoflavones) are found in soy products like tofu and tempeh.
Avoid Sugary Food
Eating too much sugar reduces the suppleness of the skin and causes acne by raising insulin levels. Sugary food often causes collagen to break down (glycation) and produce more oil, which results in excess sebum and acne. Try to replace processed sweets and drinks with skin-boosting, naturally sweetened substitutes like fruits and fruit juices to safeguard your skin and promote a natural glow.
Make it a goal to consume no more than 30g of "free" sugars per day, which includes sugar added to foods and beverages, but this quantity does not include the natural sugars present in whole fruits, vegetables, and milk. To meet your sweet cravings, stick to fruits, jaggery, honey, all natural products.
Increase Your Daily Fibre Intake
Fibre acts as a natural detoxifier and cleans up the body's impurities, promoting overall good health and clearer skin. There are mainly two types of fibre that we consume: soluble and insoluble fibre. Both soluble and insoluble fibres encourage regular bowel movements by limiting the accumulation and reabsorption of toxins that may otherwise cause acne and dull skin.
When you increase the daily fibre intake, it improves your gut flora, which regulates immune responses to reduce systemic inflammation, redness, and skin sensitivity. Your everyday diet needs to have a combination of both soluble and insoluble fibres to gain maximum health benefits and a healthy skin glow.
Drink More Water
There is no substitute for drinking water. It is one of the most inexpensive yet most effective ways to maintain healthy, glowing skin. Your skin appears dull and dry when it is not well hydrated. Drinking a minimum of 3-4 litres a day improves blood circulation, which helps to deliver necessary oxygen and other nutrients to your skin cells, making it look brighter and more nourished.
Also, the optimum amount of water in your body helps to remove toxins and metabolic waste, which helps to you achieve clear skin. It also helps to protect your skin by strengthening your skin barrier to repair and fight against sun damage, irritation, and skin allergens.
In order to have plumper, healthier, and more glowing skin, make sure you intake an adequate amount of water every day.
Time To Wrap Up
Whether you are born with healthy and clearer skin or not, just as we take care of the vital organs of our body, we need to diligently work on achieving and maintaining the largest organ of our body, which is our skin. Skincare is not just about applying a variety of creams, gels, and booking expensive skin treatments. Most importantly, you need to take care of your skin from within to keep it healthy. Your everyday diet is reflected through your skin; what you put in shows on you.
It is easier to buy multiple skincare products and keep on switching for better results, but in the long run, it is your everyday dietary habits that will keep your skin healthy, glowing, and shining, and also will slow down the skin ageing process.
Try adapting the above-mentioned habits to maintain a clean diet and clearer skin throughout.