Get the Glow – Nutrients To Include For An Inside Out Glow

I love natural makeup and skincare, but truly feel there is no amount of product that can make a woman feel the type of confidence and empowerment that looking after her diet, mind, body and soul can. True, radiant beauty comes from within, and every woman deserves to experience the effects of giving herself this self-love and care. It is the most empowering feeling when you give your body and skin what it really desires.

I continually hear from women just how important their skin is to them and understandably too – it is our first impression everywhere we go! They are willing to fork out hundreds on skincare and makeup, plus book their weekly facial treat. But, I just wanna say something huge here beauties – there is no point spending money on skincare if you don’t have your nutrition in check! Beauty nutrition, that is, the foods and nutrients that directly support and enhance our beauty by defending, repairing and strengthening it are honestly one of your biggest tools when it comes to glowing skin.

We have to look inside ourselves for the answers to our own beauty. When we look towards nutrition and natural beauty we can start to employ tools that are neither exclusive or expensive and we can literally watch as our skin transforms from painfully blemished, irritated and inflamed to calm, clear, healthy and glowing skin.

So if you are what you eat and it is so important for radiance, then what can you eat for glowing skin?

• Hydration! Just keep drinking that water to hydrate your skin and ensure it looks plump and healthy. Eating foods that are high in water is also a great way to boost hydration so cucumbers, lettuce, celery, tomatoes and cauliflower are your friends here.

• Go easy on stimulants. Sugar can wreak havoc with your skin via hormone disruption so watch out for refined sugars in particular but also for alcohol and caffeine. Great options here are kombucha for an evening tipple, chicory coffee for a morning coffee substitute and use fruits and root veg to sweeten baked goods and smoothies.

Variety. Make sure you are eating a wealth of colour throughout the day. Plant chemicals and antioxidants that are skin-friendly tend to be highest in dark coloured fruits and veggies: all the berries, tomatoes, beetroot, dark green leafy veggies, aubergine and peppers are all antioxidant powerhouses.

• Oils are your friend. Particularly the omega-3 variety to ensure all cells are plump and full. Best sources are oily fish (sardines, anchovies, mackerel, herring, salmon), flaxseed (ground last minute to release the oils) and walnuts. Other healthy fats to include in your diet are avocados, almonds, olive oil and coconut oil.

• Zinc-rich foods. Zinc is a key mineral to skin health and dietary deficiencies have been linked to acne. To boost your intake get chomping on pumpkin seeds, prawns, lentils, sesame seeds, cashews and lamb.

Beta-carotene. This is the plant source of vitamin A and it is essential to induce glowing skin by reducing skin damage and support anti-ageing. Go for any orange vegetables and always consume with a little fat to aid the absorption so baked sweet potato wedges with coconut oil and raw carrot sticks with hummus are good options.

Liver supporting foods. Our skin is an organ and can often be an indicator of what is going on inside our bodies, particularly with regards to the liver. As the hub of detoxification, the liver needs to be supported to make sure it can do its job properly. Key foods to help out are alliums (garlic, leeks, onions), cruciferous (broccoli, cauliflower, sprouts, cabbage), beetroot, fennel, grapefruit, lemon, pear)

• Protein-rich. Amino acids are the building block for cell structures themselves as well as hormones and muscles, so to ensure the best skin integrity, diets rich in good quality protein are essential. Lentils, chickpeas, fish, prawns, eggs and meat.

• Anti-inflammatory. To reduce inflammation in the skin, which is the main driver for many skin conditions, following a diet high in anti-inflammatory foods is crucial: ginger, turmeric, garlic, oily fish, leafy greens, beetroot, broccoli and chia seeds.

• Gut health. There is an intrinsic link between gut and skin health. If our microflora in the gut is out of balance, chances are, our skin will be inflamed and blocked. So to give you that natural healthy glow eat fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha and kefir (coconut or dairy).

Find out how to glow from the inside out at www.wildspiritnaturally.com and follow @wildspiritnaturally on Instagram. www.wildspiritnaturally.comInstagram: @wildspiritnaturally For a Natural Approach to Inside Out Beauty visit: YouTube: Wild Spirit Naturally Twitter: @spiritnaturally