The saying is ‘you are what you eat’. I couldn’t agree more -especially when you’re seeking to maintain healthy skin!
Using the right skincare products is just one part of the jigsaw. For a calm and radiant complexion you also need to look at the other pieces of the puzzle: diet, lifestyle and general well-being.
Eating healthy, whole, unprocessed foods will always have positive effects. This is truer than ever when it comes to supporting skin as it ages.
Production of elastin, lipids and collagen – the proteins that help keep our skin supple, naturally reduce as we get older.
The importance of our diet comes into its own; certain foods supplement depleting elements and can help to keep our skin firm, plump and radiant.
Here are some our favourite foods to help keep skin supple and smooth…
Bone broth
It’s a traditional dish that’s currently enjoying a revival – and with good reason.
With essential vitamins and minerals, this nutrient dense broth also provides the all-important collagen.
The gorgeous Hemsley+Hemsley sisters promote the virtues of bone broth – you can check out their recipe here. Top tip: for the best skin results, use high-quality meat and bones.
Avocados
They are the ultimate skincare food in my book – avocados are bursting with EFAs (Essentials Fatty Acids), which are the building blocks of healthy skin. An avocado a day helps to keep your skin supple.
It is so easy to work more avocados into your diet – a Pai HQ favourite is mashing them onto toast with a little lemon and salt.
Or you could be more experimental and try whipping up an avocado chocolate mousse, or even a gluten free chocolate avocado cake!
Avocado’s creamy texture makes it deceptively delicious and works really in both savoury and sweet dishes. It’s also an ideal contestant in the ‘guess the unlikely ingredient” game, which is always entertaining!
Pomegranate
These days, we usually see pomegranate seeds scattered liberally over a salad. Yet there’s far more to this food than just a decorative addition!
Pomegranate is a brilliant source of antioxidant-rich Vitamin C, which helps to prevent free radical damage and maintains collagen production.
This fruit also contains Ellagic acid, a natural nutrient that is widely considered to kill cancerous cells and may also counter the effects of UV rays.
Water, water, water
Dehydration is one of the most ageing factors for skin. It has an almost instantaneous effect and yet so many of us don’t notice until we’re desperately thirsty.
An absence of water in our bodies dries out lips first. Dehydration then takes hold of your skin, leaving you with a dull or sallow complexion.
Drinking water makes dehydration easy to counteract. Increasing daily intake is a simple way to keep your complexion hydrated and plump.
I keep a jug of water on my office desk; it serves as an excellent reminder to drink throughout the day!
If you’re on the go, take your water with you – we love these Black+Blum travel bottles.
Are there any skin-boosting recipes you swear by? We’d love to hear them!
Picture credit: HEMSLEY+HEMSLEY
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