For those of you that read my last post, I announced that I’m starting a skincare blog series. In this first post, I will be focusing on nutrition because I truly believe that we are what we eat. Personally, when my diet is off and I’m not treating my body right, it definitely shows in my skin. In the post below, I’ve included some tips that you can start to implement today to help achieve glowing skin without doing a complete overhaul of your diet.

1. Drink more water. Keeping your body hydrated clears it of toxins more efficiently. The amount of water needed varies from person to person, but it is recommended to intake between eight to ten 8 ounce glasses a day. When your skin is hydrated, it appears more plump, fine lines become minimal, and signs of aging are diminished.
2. Take a Probiotic.  Good skin health starts in your gut. Probiotics bring healthy bacteria into your gut and plays a big role in your overall health and wellness. A healthy gut helps breakdown food, absorbs nutrition, and eliminates toxin. You can find probiotics naturally occurring in yogurt, kombucha, fermented foods, or you can take a supplement. I take this one every morning.
3. Cut back on caffeine. Caffeine is very dehydrating. Try switching out your morning coffee with green tea, or going to sleep a little earlier 😉 Too much caffeine can also mess with your hormone levels, causing hormonal acne.
4. Eat more fish. Omega-3’s are known to be anti-inflammatory. They can be found in walnuts, salmon, and flaxseed oil. There are a ton of benefits of consuming Omega-3’s. Some of which include protection from the sun, preventing wrinkles, and keeping your skin hydrated.
5. Cut out sugar. This is probably the biggest (and hardest one) to follow because there is sugar in EVERYTHING! Sugar is a pro-inflammatory which leads to premature aging. It breaks down collagen which helps gives your skin it’s “plumpness” and springiness. Here is a great article that goes into depth about all the science behind sugar and its effects on the body.
6. See an Esthetician. This one isn’t nutrition related, but in my experience, dermatologists want to treat the symptoms. When I went and saw Melody for the first time, she right away asked about my stress levels, diet, and how I was sleeping. I knew I was in the right place because she wanted to get down to the WHY my skin was giving me issues. Melody is an esthetician in Milwaukee who owns her own spa. She works with clients to help their skin look its absolute best and works with brides leading up to their wedding day to help them get that glow without much help of makeup. She’s so sweet and seriously the best! And right now she’s giving any bride who mentions this blog post 15% off their first spa service. Click here to see what services she offers and book an appointment.
7. Take collagen. Collagen is the most abundant protein found in our body. it can be found in our muscles, tendons, bones, hair, skin, and digestive system. Unfortunately, as we get older, our body’s production of collagen starts to slow down. I started taking collagen a few years ago because of a knee injury caused by running. I had read that collagen was great for runners so I started adding it to my coffee in the mornings because of that. I had stoped taking it for awhile and then recently started taking it again when I learned about all the benefits it has on your skin and body overall. I love collagen and the effects its had on my skin. It has added firmness back into my skin, helped with skin cell turnover, and helped my skin look smoother. I’ve tried a few different brands, but my favorite is vital proteins. They have a ton of different collagen based products. I’ve tried almost all of their products and would recommend any of them. The most versatile of the bunch are the collagen peptides. I would just mix it into my coffee in the morning with a little bit of almond milk and honey and be on my way.

Because I love collagen so much and truly believe in the benefits it has for your skin, I’ve decided to gift ONE lucky winner with a free 20oz container of Collagen Protein Peptides from Vital Proteins!

Want a chance to win? Comment below and tell me one small change you want to make in your daily routine that will help give you healthier skin! I definitely need to get better on drinking more water! I will choose a winner on March 26th!