It has been said that inner beauty pertaining to a woman’s character and values is more important than outer beauty. Truth be told, a woman would still want to have the best of both worlds—possessing inner beauty as well as outer beauty. After all, how can you have a boost of self-confidence if your face has acne all over or if you have signs of premature aging? Crow’s feet, anyone? It is not just about being superficial. The outer appearance isa a reflection of what is inside your body. After all, inner beauty is not limited to your identity as a woman but also your overall health. What does it take to have gorgeous and healthy skin? You need nutrients that you get mainly from food, which is utilized inside the body to provide the building blocks to create and maintain healthy skin cells. Unfortunately, modern diets are depleted of these glow-getting nutrients due to being highly processed and containing high amounts of refined sugar, unhealthy fats, and additives. These harmful ingredients cause inflammatory reactions in the body, mess up with your hormones, and destroy the gut microbiome (friendly bacteria in the intestines), causing your skin to age faster in addition to promoting the development of acne and exacerbating it. Studies have also shown the link between dairy products, specifically cow’s milk, to acne breakouts. This could possibly be due to the increase in the production of the growth hormone Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1), which increases sebum (sticky oil) production and promotes the development of acne. Sorry, milk tea and ice cream lovers!
Mohadeseh Aghasi et al. published a study on “Dairy intake and acne development: A meta-analysis of observational studies” in 2019. They found a positive relationship between consumption of dairy, total milk, whole milk, low-fat milk, and skim milk with the occurrence of acne. There was, however, no significant association between acne and the intake of yogurt and cheese. I would still recommend avoiding dairy products if you are prone to acne. Each individual has different reactions to dairy. It is best to observe what seems to cause your breakouts or even aggravate them. Let’s say you have tried your very best to avoid food triggers. What else should you add to your diet in order to have flawless skin? Gelatin is technically an edible form of collagen, a protein responsible for keeping the skin smooth and youthful. As we age, synthesis of collagen weakens. Collagen not only contributes to skin integrity but it is also useful for gut health, which is connected to immunity and skin health. It is also beneficial to your joints and bones. The easiest way to get your daily dose of gelatin is by having bone broth at home. If you wish to take functional food that will potentiate the effects, prickly pear from the cactus family can be obtained in the form of powder, juice, or pill. This plant has over 10,000 phytochemical and amino acids that stimulate the body to produce collagen naturally. Also get a lot of vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables. This fat-soluble vitamin is a potent antioxidant that neutralizes toxic free radicals that promote premature skin aging. These yellow, red, orange, and dark-green colored vegetables contain the plant nutrient carotenoid. These phytonutrients stimulate the formation of cells that produce collagen and elastin. Both are important proteins found in the skin and responsible for maintaining its shape and firmness. These are some of the vitamin A rich fresh produce that you must include in your diet: Sweet potato or camote, malunggay, spinach, carrots, squash, cantaloupe, watermelon, papaya, mango, asparagus, broccoli, bell pepper, kale, orange, tomato, leafy greens, and red guava. Vitamin A-rich food is best eaten with a good source of fat like coconut oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds for better absorption. Eat your way out of acne-prone skin and early skin aging. Make sure to get your glow-getting nutrients every day.