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We all crave it: that picture-perfect, blemish-free complexion that we see flipping through our favorite magazine, scrolling down our Insta feed – and endlessly perusing Alessandra Ambrosio’s IG page. No matter what your skin care regime may be, the real key to getting that smooth visage is being particular about what you eat! Your skin, just like every other part of your body, is an important organ that serves your hard-working machine of a bod. Treat your body as you would a car and soon enough, your skin will glow from the fine-tuning of a well-oiled machine. We’ve broken down some key groups to focus on so that your next grocery run will be easy!
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Rainbow of Fruits and Veggies
We all know that getting our daily fruit and veggies intake is incredibly important, but the trick to getting all of your daily vitamin intake is to eat the rainbow! Our natural instinct is to be drawn to a colorful palette, so when you incorporate all colors of the rainbow in your dish, it won’t be nearly as challenging to eat healthy! The next time you’re in the produce aisle, fill your cart up with every letter in ROYGBV. Alessandra’s favorite color combo:
Red: Strawberries – help the body produce collagen to improve skin elasticity and prevent wrinkles
Orange: Bell-peppers – fully loaded with Vitamin C which is great to clear up blemishes!
Yellow: Bananas – rich in potassium and carbohydrates, these fruits will load your body with essential vitamins while quelling the urge to snack on bad foods
Green: Spinach – abundant in flavonoids which help prevent free radicals (everyday toxins we are exposed to) from affecting your colon, keeping these toxins out of your digestive system
Blue: Blueberries – contain fiber that promotes regularity in your digestive tract, so your body will absorb good particles and dispose of bad ones
Violet: Acai – a popular antioxidant-rich Brazilian berry that’s oil is known for promoting skin health
Adrenal glands
A powerful little organ located by your kidneys, the adrenal glands produce hormones that assist in regulating your metabolism and improving your immunity, essential functions that improve your general and skin health. To boost the vitality of these glands, incorporate foods with good fats for your body such as avocados, nuts, fatty fish, and lean meat like chicken and turkey.
Listen to Your Gut
Your tummy health is much more than getting in your ab day! Feeding your stomach the right foods is crucial to proper digestion so that your body absorbs a plenitude of vitamins and minerals and has hardly any toxins to dispose of. By taking in good fiber, you can keep your intestines healthy so they prevent oily skin; foods such as greek yogurt, oats, beans, and lentils are your fiber go-to’s for a well-functioning tummy – and a Victoria’s Secret 6-pack!
Stay Hydrated, Babe!
When we say get your daily water intake, we don’t mean splashing around at the pool or swimming in the ocean like Alessandra’s #foreveronvacation lifestyle might imply; drinking enough water on a daily basis is the life-blood for skin vitality. From digestion, to circulation, to absorption, water aids in all functions of the body, and when you get enough water, your skin will have a natural, dewy glow!
When you’re just craving something other than water, you can swap out for green tea instead! Hot or iced, green tea is high in antioxidants and helps your skin’s melanin. And when that sweet tooth strikes? Natural cocoa – found in dark chocolate of 70% or more – helps circulation which assists in keeping your body hydrated overall.
Foods to Avoid
The other side of your skin-friendly diet? Staying away from certain foods that will work against it. Although there is no direct correlation between acne and bad foods, ingesting foods that have little to no nutritional value won’t be absorbed by your digestive system, and will therefore have to exit the body, oftentimes through the pores in your skin.
Sugary treats, for example, contain refined sugars that can cause an inflammation burst in your body due to a spike in insulin. That inflammatory process resounds first through your internal organs, and eventually through your external organs, i.e. your skin. A similar process happens with highly processed foods – such as chips, white bread, and french fries. Another foe for the skin? Dairy products. Most of the dairy products we consume today have added hormones that can stimulate oils in the skin, are pro-inflammatory (meaning they can aggravate existing skin conditions), and contain lactose which is a sugar that about 75% of the world’s population is sensitive to!
Although you won’t have to 100% give up these foods, eating them in moderation and swapping them out with the foods we broke down is the key to unlocking that model complexion we all strive for!