How To Eat For Gorgeous Skin

By Sara Jane Mercer

Spring is the perfect time to focus on eating for beautiful skin to repair any damage a long, cold, dry winter may have done. The arrival of Spring signals your body's natural desire to detox from a long winter of hibernation and do a little internal spring-cleaning. 

Don’t be alarmed by the word detox, I'm not talking about extreme water fasts or depravation of any kind! With a few easy-to-follow tips, you can help your body renew itself for the coming season and greet spring with radiant skin. 

1. Eat hydrating foods. 

Beautiful skin is all about hydration. Not only is it important to drink plenty of water, but eating foods that are water rich can also help your skin stay hydrated, supple and glowing. Try incorporating cucumbers, celery and other water rich foods into your daily diet.  

2. Ditch the sugar. 

Sugar is extremely dehydrating, and acidic to your system. Eating sugar, especially white processed sugar, is a surefire way to age your skin. Natural sugars such as honey and maple syrup can be okay in small doses but hey still act as sugar in your system so use them sparingly. Also, do not be fooled by agave. It's highly processed and contains almost as much fructose as white sugar. If you need to add a little sweetness to your food, try using stevia, which is all natural, comes from a plant, and has zero glycemic impact.

3. Focus on healthy fats. 

Fat is not the enemy! Our bodies need fat to function properly and to help us get glowing, youthful skin. However, not all fats are created equal. Avoid animal fats as they are very hard to digest, acidic, and can lead to premature skin aging. Instead, focus on beautifying raw plant fats such as almonds, avocados and young coconuts all of which help your skin stay supple and youthful. When cooking only use coconut oil. All other oils oxidize and create free radicals when heated, which can lead to premature skin aging.

4. Get a Vitamin C boost. 

Vitamin C helps promote radiant skin and fights wrinkles. Try drinking a glass of water with fresh lemon juice every morning. Lemons are very high in Vitamin C and also help gently cleanse your system.

5. Greens, greens, greens!

Make sure your diet is full of dark, leafy greens. Watercress is a great cleansing aid and will help you get glowing skin. Spinach and arugula are both high in vitamin A, which can help fight off acne. Collard greens are full of chlorophyll and magnesium which help fight under eye circles and brighten overall skin tone.

If you follow these few steps you will surely be on your way to glowing skin just in time for spring!

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