Show Your Skin Some Love This Summer

This time of year my skin is always at the top of mind, what about you?

Here are some fun facts about your skin, along with a list of foods to avoid, and foods you should be eating to support skin health.

At the bottom you can download a Free 3 Day Meal Planner to Show Your Skin Some Love. The meal planner comes complete with a grocery list and 15 recipes to make getting started easy. A download link is provided in the registration response.

Fun facts about the average person’s skin. It:

• is the largest organ in your body
• protects your body from infection and diseases
• surface is about 2 square meters  - Wow no wonder my body is wrinkly
• weighs about 9 lbs or 15% of your body weight
• has about 11 miles of blood vessels running through it
• contains about 19 million cells per square inch with 300 sweat glands
• sheds about 30,000 cells every minute
• completely renews itself every 28 days - thank heavens
• changes in your skin can actually signal changes in your health

Foods you should be avoiding to support Skin Health

• dairy products  - allergen and linked to acne breakouts
• gluten - allergen and linked to skin conditions like eczema
• eggs - allergen possibly linked to eczema
• soy products - allergen possibly linked to eczema
• refined grains and sugars - ​high glycemic index and low fibre
• anything with a high glycemic index
• anything deep fried - causes free radical damage and inflammation
• alcohol - can lead to dry skin as it is a diuretic

Foods you should to be eating to support Skin Health

• Cold water fatty fish like salmon and haddock. These are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and keep skin supple. If you are deficient in omega-3 fatty acid your skin will be very dry.
• Avocados are high in fatty acids which have been associated with more supple and springy skin and are thought to help protect your skin from sun damage.
• Walnuts, especially the brown skin that surrounds the nut itself, are high in both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and are high in zinc for healing as well as battling bacterial and inflammation.
• Sunflower seeds, like nuts and seeds in general, are high in vitamins E, selenium, zinc and protein, all good things for supporting skin health.
• Sweet potato contains beta carotene which is converted to vitamin A in the body and acts as a natural sunblock. As an antioxidant it may help prevent sunburn, cell death and dry wrinkled skin.
• Red and yellow peppers are again a great source of beta carotene but are also a fabulous source of vitamin C, which aids in the production of the protein collagen and helps keep skin strong and firm.
• Broccoli is full of vitamins and minerals including zinc, vitamin A and C necessary for healthy skin.
• Tomatoes are a rich source of vitamin C and all the major carotenoids like lycopene and lutein, which have been shown to protect skin against sun damage. Eating carotenoid foods like tomatoes with a healthy fat like olive oil increases the absorption of the carotenoids.
• Dark chocolate which we always need another reason to eat daily, has been proven to make skin thicker, more hydrated, less rough and scaly. When 20 gms of dark chocolate was consumed each day studies showed the skin was able to take twice the amount of UV rays before burning.
• Green tea contains catechins which work to improve the overall health of your skin in regards to roughness, thickness, and elasticity. Note it should be consumed without milk to allow for maximum absorption of nutrients.

Putting this all together can seem like a challenge, so to get you started off I have for you a downloadable Free 3 Day Meal Plan to help you Show Your Skin Some Love.

If you would like more guidance once you have completed this 3 day meal plan please make sure to reach out to me. I am here for you!

​Exploring the World of Food with you.

Diane Couse, Certified Culinary Nutrition Expert and The Food Sensitivity Coach

Free Copy of the Love Your Skin 3 Day Meal Plan