We’ve talking about how important skin care products are to the maintenance and health of skin. I think that’s a fact that we have all agreed on at this time. But there’s more to it. It’s not just what you put on your skin (which is vital) but it’s also what you put in your body.
Now I am not an expert on Nutrition by any means, what I am sharing with you is all based on my own experiences and my own research. When it pertains to skin care it is something I have and continue to study and learn on.
Part of having clean skin is an “Inside Job” because what we consume is a direct reflection of the health of our bodies, specifically our organs. And what is our body’s largest organ? Our Skin! Our body is always working hard to eliminate toxins.
Did you know? When our liver cannot filter out toxins, toxins will filter out through other organs, our skin serves as a ‘backup’ for our liver. When toxins are eliminated through the skin, they may appear on the skin in forms of inflammation, breakouts, blackheads, and other skin concerns.
Now, here’s where our diet comes in: Each food we eat has the potential to benefit or harm our skin.
For example, fruits and veggies containing antioxidant vitamins help in the production of collagen, and may help your liver naturally detoxify to prevent breakouts on your skin.
There are foods that can cause a reaction to the skin. We’ve experienced at least once that when we consume a lot of chocolate we can break out. Refined carbs like Sugar is one of the biggest enemies to our bodies and our skin. Did you know that sugar acts as a food for bad bacteria, which gives it a chance to feast, flourish, overpower out the good bacteria in our gut. Here’s an interesting point – Since acne is a bacterial condition, it makes sense that breakouts are linked to having an imbalance of the “wrong” kind of bacteria in your system.
There are also studies that show that consuming large amounts of refined carbs can increase oil production in the skin. When we eat refined sugar, our body releases the insulin, which regulates your blood sugar by transporting sugar into your cells.Now, because refined sugar digests rapidly, your body must release large amounts of insulin to “keep up” with bringing sugar into your cells just as quickly as it’s being digested. Research shows these rapid insulin spikes can trigger production of sebum (oil), which can clog pores and forms pimples, whiteheads, and blackheads.
I’m sure you have heard that dairy is also an enemy of the skin. There is a strong correlation between dairy intake and breakouts and limited dairy intake and clearer skin. Did you know that dairy products are a pro-inflammatory food? It’s true!Pro-inflammatory foods can aggravate or worsen existing inflammatory skin conditions, such as acne. Personally, I am lactose intolerant so I stay away from dairy because the consequences are not worth taking in the dairy. Many people are sensitive to dairy; it all depends on the severity of the sensitivity. As you can guess, food sensitivities may also initiate an inflammatory response throughout your entire body, when your body experiences inflammation, it can trigger inflammatory skin concerns.
Most fast food items are deep-fried in refined vegetable oils and loaded with trans-fats. While vegetable oils may sound healthy they can aggravate skin conditions because they’re extremely high in omega-6 essential fatty acids. It is true that omega-6s are extremely important to our health and well-being. But as a pro-inflammatory nutrient, problems may arise when we have too many omega-6s and too little omega-3s in our diet. Inflammation is a major underlying cause of chronic skin conditions. So, when we’re consuming too much omega-6s and not enough omega-3s— which are natural anti-inflammatories— our bodies are more likely to show common signs of inflammation: redness, swelling, pain. Since omega-3s are found in wild fish, algae, grass-fed meats, chia seeds, and seafood, and high amounts of omega-6s are found in fast foods, processed foods, and deep-fried foods, you can see how fast foods don’t promote skin health.
Did you know that many vegetable oils that are used in fast-foods are sensitive to heat and light, and turn rotten when they’re exposed to high temperatures. Dropping these fats in a scorching hot deep-fry basket will oxidize them which forms free radicals. Free radicals have been shown to destroy our healthy skin cells and lead to premature aging.
Those are the major factors that link food to the health of our skin. That’s great, now what?
I’m glad you asked!
I can empathize that healthy and clean eating can be a challenge. Believe me, I have been there multiple times. One thing that I know from own experiences is that drastic changes don’t ever work. Trying to do a complete 180 degree change in a span of 24 hours is unrealistic in my opinion. I know that because I have failed in approaching healthy eating that way.
What I have learned in the last year especially is that making small changes and building it into a routine has the biggest impact. Like with a skin care routine, building a healthy eating lifestyle is taking simple steps, working towards a solid routine and building it up as I go based on my needs. Now I still live at home with my family, refrigerator space is hot real estate so I don’t have the luxury to meal prep for a whole week like others do. I had to adapt. What I would do is meal prep the night before for the next day or prep the morning of. This way I am using the freshest ingredients and I am not annoying my family with multiple food containers in the fridge or lying around the kitchen.
Now not all nutrition comes from food, we have to rely on supplements to get all the vitamins and minerals for a healthy body. Having an active lifestyle, I also have a job where I am constantly on the go. I rely on protein supplements, vitamins and minerals to keep my mind sharp, my body strong and my gut healthy.
As I have mentioned before, I am lactose intolerant; I cannot digest dairy. A lot of the protein powders, bars etc. have whey protein which is a dairy isolate. This becomes a challenge for me as a lot of the Vegan options are either low in the protein percentage or taste absolutely horrible. Another challenge I face is that I had gastric bypass surgery over six years ago, my stomach is much smaller and doesn’t digest certain foods and I struggle taking large pills. I rely heavily on supplements for my daily nutrition intake because I don’t get it all from food. I have spent a significant amount money, time and effort trying to find protein products and supplements that tasted great but also gave me what I truly needed.
Enter Arbonne.
What’s great about Arbonne is that all their products are Vegan and gluten free. This is great for me but it really came down to the taste and what the products can offer me. As usual I was skeptical, I had in the back of my mind for so long that I would never find products that will fit my needs and be bearable to consume. But I had a glimmer of hope and I dove in and purchased a few products and I was pleasantly surprised.
Here’s a breakdown of what I have:
Arbonne Essentials Protein Shake Mix
Do the daily shake with delicious, nutritious perfectly balanced vanilla shake mix. Provides 20 grams of vegan protein, plus more than 20 essential vitamins and minerals per serving. As much as I love my chocolate flavour things I decided to go with vanilla because there is so much to work with. Vanilla is a versatile flavour, I can add different ingredients and it’s a different shake every time. That’s what keeps it exciting for me. The protein in here is pea protein which is delicious and this shake mix has 20 grams of it which is awesome and gives me a lot of the nutrients I need to get through my active busy days.
Arbonne Essentials Energy Fizz Sticks – Pomegranate
As a replacement for my morning coffee or for when I start to feel the afternoon crash coming on, I stir in a fizz stick to create a refreshing bubbly drink with a botanical blend of ginseng combined with caffeine naturally derived from guarana and green tea to temporarily help promote alertness. Energy Fizz Sticks also enhance cognitive performance, help promote endurance, enhance motor performance, and help reduce fatigue. I have also used fizz sticks as a hot beverage to warm me and boost me up at the same time. Pomegranate is one of my favourite flavours so I was happy with my choice. It’s definitely a healthy and better alternative to energy drinks and coffee.
Arbonne Essentials Daily Fibre Boost
I use the fibre boost in almost everything I cook, a small scoop and I get my fibre fix with 12 grams of fibre, nearly half the daily requirement, derived from grains, fruits and vegetables. Fibre helps support regularity and cardiovascular health which is great considering the active lifestyle I am working towards. This is a flavourless, soluble fibre can be added to all foods and beverages, including Protein Shakes. This makes it an easy way to get my daily dose of fibre without compromising taste.
These products have been so helpful in maintaining and contributing to my healthy lifestyle. I certainly notice that when I am off these products and when I don’t eat right it really shows on my skin and I don’t like it. It’s a constant motivator for me to look good but also feel good. Working on the outside going in (skin care products) and working on the inside going out (nutrition)
I want to see everyone happy and healthy, during this difficult time we should all be concentrating on our mental and physical health. We all deserve to be living our best life even if we are in self isolation. It’s the perfect time to really focus on ourselves because we have all this time, we really have no excuses. We can focus on healthy eating and using right skin care to become the best versions of ourselves. We deserve to come out of this healthier, happier and stronger.
Even though we cannot see each other in person, I am available for consultations and support. I am just one message/email away. Please feel free to reach out, I’d love to hear from you.