5 Health Hacks For Radiant Skin

In our quest for beauty, more often then not we are drawn to the latest trendy eye cream or face mask in order to achieve flawless skin. Don't get me wrong, I love a good beauty product but I used to think the only way to flawless skin was from something applied topically until I realized how much our dietary and lifestyle habits influence our beauty.

Prime example: When I used to be addicted to sugar, I always looked "puffy" and if I had a night of indulgence with too much alcohol I would wake up with inflamed red skin. The Joyous Detox helped me immensely!!

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As you can see, what you eat can have a huge impact on your skin that fast. What happens when we consume skin-irritating foods like wheat (gluten), dairy, sugar, alcohol and coffee, is that it triggers the release of pro-inflammatory hormones which can lead to things like rosacea, eczema, dermatitis and redness of the skin.

But once we understand how quickly these foods can take a toll on our skin, we can also understand that achieving radiant glowing skin is within arm's reach, simply by nourishing ourselves with skin-LOVING foods and incorporating supportive lifestyle habits! 

YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CREATE NATURAL BEAUTY FROM WITHIN!

There are a number of ways I support my skin on a daily basis, but I've highlighted 5 of the top dietary and lifestyle habits (let's call them "health hacks") that I love the most!

I make a point to get outside every single day by going on walks in our local park with my family. It's one of my favourite ways to boost my energy and relieve stress. Spending time in nature has also been shown to increase levels of the mood-supporting neurotransmitter, serotonin. This is why you might find you feel happier when you're in nature and when you are happy to your core, you naturally have a glow to you! 

Getting outside also gives you an opportunity to soak up some vitamin D, also known as "the sunshine vitamin", because the highest quality form of it comes from the sun! Vitamin D is such an essential nutrient in the body to support everything from our immune system, to our mood and bone strength. It also plays a key role in the health of our skin since Vitamin D supports skin cell growth, repair and metabolism.

Since it plays such an essential role in regulating our immune system, it can also help to destroy free radicals that might otherwise contribute to premature aging. Of course, there's that sweet spot between too little and too much sun exposure, as too much sun can speed up the aging process. Typically you want to aim for 10-15 minutes of sunlight exposure daily, however keep in mind, if you live in North America, you actually can't absorb Vitamin D from the sun between the months of November - May. If that applies to you, you will want to look into supplementing with Vitamin D during these months which I talk more about in this post.

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The other important consideration is that being outside exposes us to a variety of bacteria, especially if we are gardening or hiking. These bacteria are essential to our health and wellness as they help to form our skin microbiome.

WE HAVE BILLIONS OF MICROBES THAT LIVE ON OUR SKIN, AND THESE MICROBES HELP PROTECT OUR SKIN FROM INFECTION AND ASSIST THE SKIN'S PLUMPNESS AND MOISTURE.

As I mentioned previously, what you put into your body (and what you don't put into it) can play a huge role in the overall health of your skin. A good general rule of thumb to ensure you're eating beautifying foods on a daily basis is to eat a variety of as many colourful foods as possible. 

COLOURFUL FOODS IMPLY THAT THEY ARE PACKED WITH PHYTONUTRIENTS AND THERE ARE OVER 23,000 KNOWN PHYTONUTRIENTS MANY OF WHICH PLAY A ROLE IN BEAUTY.

Many phytonutrients contain antioxidants that help to cool inflammation. Inflammation, if you recall, is typically where skin irritations and conditions like eczema or rosacea stem from.

Now, this doesn't necessarily mean that every time you eat, you have to ask yourself "Is this food going to hamper my beauty?" But instead, strive to constantly eat a variety of colourful foods, in addition to some of the major skin-loving foods I've outlined below:

• Kale - A total skin superfood and mega-watt detoxifying gem that should be a regular on everyone's dinner plate is kale! It's rich in beautifying nutrients including vitamins A, C and K. It's also rich in iron, magnesium potassium, lutein and many antioxidants. Lutein, as well as vitamins A and C, are precursors to collagen which is essential for structure and support of the skin. The detox benefits of kale from fibre and glucosinolates are notable because more efficient detoxification means healthier, more vibrant skin. Be sure to try my Juicy & Crunchy Kale Salad or my Creamy & Dreamy Kale Salad!

• Reishi Mushrooms – The research that is coming out around the health benefits of reishi mushrooms are outstanding! From a skincare perspective, reishi comes with powerful antioxidant and antiaging effects. It does so by protecting cellular DNA from oxidant damage that contributes to aging.  The proven Ling Zhi form of Reishi is also known traditionally for supporting both longevity and healthy aging. It's typically consumed in a tea or in specific supplements

• Aloe – You might be familiar with aloe if you've suffered from a sunburn, but have you ever consumed it? Doing so can do wonders for your gut, and if you're familiar with my skin healing philosophy, you'll know that I'm an advocate for supporting the health of our skin by starting within (i.e. the gut!) That's because your skin is a reflection of what's happening on the inside. Aloe's anti-inflammatory properties help to support overall digestion while healing the intestinal lining. Be sure to try my Digestive Soothing Smoothie with aloe. 
  
  
• Fish – Fish is an amazing source of astaxanthin. Astaxanthin is a potent antioxidant (50x more powerful than common antioxidants like Vitamin C and Beta Carotene. It has been clinically proven to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and help maintain a youthful appearance. It's also what gives salmon it's vibrant orange colour!
  
  Eating fish, in general, is also amazing for the health of your skin. You're getting so much more than just EPA and DHA – you're also getting numerous other omegas and vitamin D! Omega-3s, in particular, are amazing to reduce inflammation to pave the way for clear glowing skin. These fatty acids also act as natural moisturizers that help to alleviate dry skin from the inside out. 

This one might be more obvious to you if you've ever woken up from a terrible sleep, leaving you with puffiness and bags under your eyes. When you're sleep-deprived, or sleeping for less than 8 hours a night, inflammatory chemicals are elevated which can lead to aging of the skin. 

Another thing that happens when we're sleep deprived is that appetite hormones are increased. But your body doesn't just want any food – it wants carbohydrate – typically in the form of refined sugar, refined carbohydrates or alcohol. This is because it's the body's preferred form of energy since it has the potential to boost energy levels the fastest, although it almost always ends in an energy crash. And if you didn't already know, none of these are particularly skin-loving foods. Instead, we can look to these natural solutions for better sleep to ensure we are getting an adequate amount of sleep which will help prevent any appetite hormones increasing to begin with!

I'm a lover of my Province Apothecary Jade Roller. It is the best face massage you can do on your own! Any time you massage your face you are increasing the circulation. I find it brightens and de-puffs my skin within a matter of minutes. I love rolling my face after leaving the roller overnight in the fridge. It feels soooooo good!

A little hack if you don't have the budget for a jade roller is to use a cold spoon but it just not quite the same. Use code: JOY to get 10% off any of Province Apothecary's wonderful products, they are JOYOUS APPROVED. Dry Skin Brushing has many of the same benefits and is absolutely essential for beautifully radiant skin (not to be used on your face though, your body)!

This always comes across as the plain, boring and "I already know that" tip that I recommend to joyous readers and clients but it truly is SO important for your overall health, but especially for the health of your skin! Water is so important for digestion and also helps to promote circulation, absorption and excretion to ensure we are eliminating toxins efficiently which might otherwise represent themselves on our face through blemishes or acne. Drinking an adequate amount also comes with anti-aging benefits for the skin.

If you find it difficult to drink your 8 cups of water a day, you can also hydrate by eating more hydrating foods like watermelon, strawberries, smoothies (have you tried my Gingerbread Smoothie yet?) and soups. This also means being mindful of how many baked, roasted, boiled or dehydrated foods you're eating. There's nothing wrong with these kinds of foods, but since they have a dehydrating effect on the body, you'll want to make sure you're rehydrating to compensate. Add some lemon to that water and you make it even more skin-loving as lemon stimulates cleansing and detoxification of the liver. 

To increase your water intake:

• Track your water intake using the Waterlogged App 
• Add lemon or other fresh fruit to your water for added flavour
• Try changing things up with a refreshing mug of herbal tea
• Set a reminder on your phone every 2 hours to drink 1 glass of water
• Carry a water bottle around with you everywhere to ensure you're never out of water and drink water first thing in the morning!

DO YOU HAVE ANY SECRET HEALTH HACKS FOR RADIANT SKIN? SHARE IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!

I hope these health hacks help you discover beautiful radiant skin!

Joy xo