Achieving glowing and healthier skin was always a goal for me. I’ve always had highly sensitive skin as a child. I would go camping and come out of the forest with an allergic reaction. I would wear a certain material and my skin would break out in hives. There was never a moment in my childhood where I didn’t have an allergic reaction to something.
My confidence in my skin took a dip when I found out that I had temperature-induced urticaria in 2015. I would break out in hives on my face and all over by body whenever my body temperature increased due to exercise, cold weather, showering in hot water etc. If you were a book, your skin would be the book cover. Let’s admit it, your skin is your selling point! It’s the first thing that anyone sees when they look at you. Constantly being scared of breaking out in hives led me to adapting my entire lifestyle. First, it started with investing in my nutrition. Then, investing in my skincare.
What is Skin Health?
The skin is the largest organ in the body. It’s the first line of defence against infections and diseases and it protects our organs from injuries. Skin conditions can affect anyone, no matter if you are young or old. The beautiful thing is that everyone can achieve glowing and healthy skin. As our skin is the largest organ in the body, it deserves to be treated with a lot of care. Through hydration, nourishing food and a consistent skincare routine, you can achieve this.
Glowing Your Skin From the Inside
Learning to listen to your skin is such a hard task especially if you are not used to paying attention to everything that you do. I have combination skin that is highly sensitive. No matter how consistent I am with my skincare routine, I may have the occasional breakout here or there. This could be due to certain foods that I eat, my hormones, my sleeping patterns or products that I’ve used. Over the years, I have learnt that to prevent this, I need to know what my triggers were. Listening to my skin was the only way to achieve this.
To help my skin glow from the inside, I put my focus on my nutrition. Having a healthy and balanced diet not only helps me maintain glowing skin, but also helps repair any damage and keeps my skin looking younger for longer.
The Best Foods For Glowing Skin
- Fatty fish – Regularly eating fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and tuna (occasionally) are perfect for improving the health of your skin. Not only are they high in protein, but they are also rich in omega 3. Omega 3 keeps the skin supple, thick and hydrated. I aim to eat fish at least twice a week. If you can’t get it twice a week, fish oils are a great way to supplement omega 3.
- Nuts & seeds – Almonds, walnuts, cashews, chia seeds, flaxseeds and pumpkin seeds are great to snack on or put in your breakfast. They are full of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin E and zinc, which can help with inflammation and strengthening the skin barrier.
- Avocado – it’s a healthy fat that acts as a natural moisturiser to the skin. It’s full of vitamin E that stimulates the collagen production and keeps the elasticity of the skin.
- Fruits & vegetables – Blueberries, tomatoes, lemons, sweet potatoes etc. Blueberries are full of antioxidants that keeps the skin looking fresh and rejuvenated. Sweet potatoes are filled with a nutrient called beta-carotene which our body converts into vitamin A. Vitamin A is retinol that protects the skin from sun damage and can prevent sunburn and dry skin.
Final Thoughts
To me, skincare and nutrition are two peas in a pod. Our intake of food and drink are so vital to our appearance because skin, hair and nails are the last body parts that get to absorb all the essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals and fatty acids. Even though, you can be consistent with your skincare routine, the lack of a healthy and balanced diet will still be visible in our appearance. Since I put a focus on my nutrition, the number of temperature-induced urticaria breakouts reduced. When it first started, I was having breakouts maybe 4-5 times a week. Now, I might have a breakout 3-4 times a year if I’m not consistent. I’m so grateful for spending the time to learn and listen to my body. I didn’t only invest in my skincare and nutrition, but I also grew my confidence in my skin.
Your outer beauty and inner beauty go hand in hand. This is your sign to invest in your skin health for glowing and healthier skin.
I hope that this post has given you the confidence to invest in your skin health and your nutrition. If you have any other foods that helped you achieve glowing skin, sound off in the comments. I’d love for this post to be a resource for you. Make sure to hit that subscribe button to join the community to never miss out on a post. Find me on Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok for more powerlifting and wellness content.
Until next time,
Folakemi
