Here’s how to achieve the amazing glow that you know your skin should have:
1. Eat Lots Of Colorful Veggies
Antioxidants and nutrients such as lutein, astaxanthin, zeaxanthin, lycopene, beta carotene, lutein, zinc, selenium, Vitamin A, and many others are excellent for your complexion. Spinach, broccoli, kale, carrots, tomatoes, red bell peppers (more vitamins than yellow, orange, or green), onions, and other colorful foods like squash, sweet potatoes, and yams are great choices.
2. Eat Fish
Fresh, fatty, colorful fish like salmon is best. The astaxanthin in salmon has been shown to help impart a healthy glow to skin.
3. Take Cod Liver Oil
Cod liver oil contains healthy saturated fats that many people don’t get but are essential to healthy skin. It also contains unsaturated, essential fatty acids including DHA and EPA omega-3 fatty acids, copious amounts of Vitamin A, and Vitamin D. A couple teaspoons of cod liver oil a couple times a week is probably about the right amount for most people.
4. Exercise
And sweat! Sweating helps flush toxins out of your skin and pores, not to mention the fact that exercise makes you feel good. Saunas can also be beneficial.
5. Cut The Sugars (And Limit The Complex Carbs)
This means no fruit juices, no candy, and no sugar or honey in your coffee. Yes, agave nectar is sugar (basically pure fructose) and it is garbage for your body. Limit your fruit intake as well. Carbohydrates (sugars) spike your insulin, damage your cardiovascular system, and are inflammatory (and can make your skin look “puffy” or agitated). The great majority of people notice an improved complexion when they limit their sugar consumption.
6. Don’t Use Soap On Your Face
It just dries the skin out. Use water. Cold, or lukewarm. Wash gently with a soft washcloth. There is no reason to scrub. The water shouldn’t be hot! And remember, the skin of your face is especially thin and sensitive, so a shower with water that doesn’t feel hot on your body may still be too hot for your face. Occasionally (possibly once a week at most if you have thick skin or a beard) you may exfoliate gently by lightly rubbing in small circles for a few seconds, or in areas where you have blemishes, but go easy on your facial skin! If you need to remove makeup, try removing it with coconut oil.
7. Avoid Eating Fried Foods
Also, avoid vegetable oils like canola oil and corn oil. If you have to fry food, use coconut oil. You can also use olive oil (olives are actually a fruit).
8. You Need Fat
You also need cholesterol–it is an essential compound in every cell of your body (although you also synthesize it). Both fat and cholesterol are integral to health. But you must obtain your fat from whole foods (basically fresh foods, not packaged junk). Get your fat from whole milk (don’t overdo the milk though), whole plain yogurt (NO added sugars or fruit), eggs (with the yolk–where the majority of the nutrients lie), butter (from 100% grass-fed cows), cheese, nuts, avocado, coconut oil, olive oil, cod liver oil, and from meats like chicken, turkey, beef, and fish. Make sure the meat is not cured, salted, treated with nitrates or nitrite, or otherwise adulterated in any way. Broiling or boiling or sauteing or roasting (not frying or BBQing) is usually best. If you do eat beef, make sure it is grass fed. Grass fed beef actually has a different nutrition profile than grain fed beef–grass fed is leaner, higher in omega-3 fatty acids, and has more vitamins as well. Note: fat from whole food natural sources won’t make you fat, it’s the non-satiating carbohydrates/sugars that will pack on pounds.
9. Avoid Mineral Oil-Based Products And Other Synthetic Chemicals
Avoid putting mineral oil-based products, and other lotions, creams, etc. made with synthetic chemicals, on your skin. Also, avoid makeup as often as possible, wearing as little as possible if you think you do need to wear it.
10. Stay Out Of The Sun
There is nothing more damaging and aging to your skin than sun exposure–winter or summer. The fact that the ozone layer that protects us from solar radiation is depleting only makes sun exposure even more damaging.
11. Wear A Hat
Wearing a hat is one of the easiest actions you can take to protect your skin while you are outdoors during the day.
12. Use An Oral Supplement To Protect Your Skin And Use Sunscreen Lotion With Only Zinc Oxide
You may consider using a premium nutritional supplement called Sunsafe Rx. Sunsafe Rx contains antioxidants from natural sources shown to promote your defenses against free-radical damage and the effects of the environment. Not only does Sunsafe Rx support your skin (and eyes) from the elements, it also has carotenoids (a class of antioxidant including carotenes and xanthophylls present in many vegetables and fruits) and polyphenols (from natural sources like green tea, grape seeds, and polypodium leucotomos) that all contribute to your skin’s healthy appearance.
If you use a topical sunscreen lotion in the sun, use one that has zinc oxide (it can also include titanium dioxide) as the ONLY active ingredient, and avoids the other ingredients listed here:
The Drawbacks Of Using A Topical Sunscreen
13. Supplement With Vitamin D
Most people are deficient, and are severely lacking in Vitamin D production in the winter in North America. The amount needed varies by individual, but most people will need at least 4000 IU per day if they are not getting midday summer sun (which they aren’t most of the year, and which ages your skin anyway). Here’s more guidance on Vitamin D from Dr. Mercola:
Why The New Vitamin D Recommendations Spell Disaster For Your Health
14. Avoid Vitamin A In Topical Products You Wear Outdoors
Don’t use any cosmetics, sunscreens, lotions, or other skin products that contain Vitamin A (or retinol or retinal or retinyl or retinoic acid). These break down into free radicals in sunlight and will only further the damage to your skin.
15. Avoid Eating Grains
Avoid eating most grains, especially glutinous grains such as wheat, barley, and rye. This means no bread, no cereal, and no pasta. If you have to eat a grain, try quinoa or brown rice or oats, although it may still be best to limit these.
16. Drink Plenty Of Water
Replace all fruity or sugary drinks with water or green tea.
17. Don’t Smoke
Obviously.
18. Get Plenty Of Sleep
Some experts also mention that sleeping on your back (face up) can help prevent wrinkles, but this may not be comfortable for everyone.
19. Keep Sheets And Towels Clean
Keep your sheets, pillow case, wash cloth, and bath towels clean. Make sure laundry detergent has been completely rinsed out after washing.
20. Reduce Stress
Stress causes the production of cortisol (as does lack of sleep) which has detrimental effects on body health and skin complexion. This may not always be realistic, but planning ahead helps; striving to complete deadlines early or leaving plenty of time to get ready for work or drive to appointments can help considerably.
21. Find Time To Relax
And wherever possible, avoid (or solve or overcome) the things in your life that create the most anxiety.
