body beautiful: 5 Foods to Eat for Healthy, Glowing Skin

while many a skincare products really do provide fabulous benefits, as well as visible results, relying on them solely won't always give you the skin you want. in fact, the best looking skin comes from maintaining a healthy diet.

you know this, and even i need to be reminded sometimes, but what you eat has a lot to do with how your skin looks!

i received some fun info from Dr. David Bank, president of the New York State Society for Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery, regarding this topic so you, my fabulous readers, could give your skin (and bodies) the nurturing it deserves!

not only are these foods good for you, they are delish, too-- take a look at how you can incorporate them into your beauty routine with these recipes...



baked potatoes: trade those greasy french fries for a fabulous baked potato (with skin) to provides 75% of the body's daily copper need. copper, vitamin c, and zinc produce elastin fibers that support skin structure. copper deficiency in your diet can reduce skin's ability to heal and cause it to become rigid and lifeless.




cantaloupe: super healthy for skin because of its antioxidant properties. these are beneficial for fighting off skin-aging free radicals. recipe: blend diced cantaloupe, low-fat yogurt, and other berries with a cup of almond milk for a delicious afternoon pick-me-up or breakfast on-th-go.



wheat germ: uber nutritious, wheat germ is the embryo within a grain of wheat. it's a good source of biotin, a vitamin C that's important to skin (and hair!) health. even a mild biotin deficiency can cause dermatitis, a condition characterized by itchy, scaly skin. recipe: sprinkle wheat germ on yogurt for a tasty way to get more biotin.



almonds & walnuts: almonds contain 150% of daily vitamin E needs and is rich in oils that moisturize your skin, while its antioxidants protect against skin damage and premature aging. in addition, walnuts contain the essential fatty acids that help improve skin. recipe: reach for a handful of almonds or walnuts instead of a bag of chips as your next snack.

cottage cheese: when selenium in cottage cheese meets vitamin E, the result is a powerful free radical-fighting antioxidant team! surprisingly, it also protects against skin cancer and dandruff. recipe: mix cottage cheese with fresh fruit (and almonds!) for a great morning breakfast.


tell me: do you already (or will you be eating any) of these foods soon?

xo

November is National Healthy Skin Month!

did you know your skin is your body's largest organ? it's also your first defense against disease and infection, and works to protect internal organs from injuries. skin helps with so many aspects of your well-being including regulating body temperature, preventing excess fluid loss, and helping your body remove excess water and salt.

keeping skin healthy is uber-simple. here are a few of my recommendations for doing so:

stay out of the sun as much as possible-- it may be difficult to always stay out of the sun, but wearing an spf everyday will definitely protect skin from premature aging.



use an spf daily to protect it-- to add to my thoughts from the last recommendation, i think spf 30 is great-- put it everywhere your skin will be exposed.

don't smoke-- cigarettes rob skin of its radiance by depleting it of moisture and reduces the amount of blood flowing to the skin, thus depleting the skin of oxygen and essential nutrients.

wash your skin gently--tugging and over scrubbing your skin can cause irritation-- be careful!

moisturize-- keeping skin hydrated will always make it look and feel better.

sleep-- there's a reason it's called "beauty rest"! getting an adequate amount of sleep will allow skin to rejuvenate and repair itself (short naps during the day are fabulous, too!).

and of course...



eat a healthy, balanced diet, drink plenty of water and exercise-- it's simple, really. eat healthier (more fruits and veggies), drink more water and get your body moving (sweat helps rid skin and the body of toxins), and believe me, you'll see a huge difference in the condition of your skin.

here's to healthy skin!

xo