How Diet Affects Your Skin: My Routine to Aging Gracefully

I've heard so many people say, "beauty is only skin deep; it’s what’s on the “inside that counts."

And while our insides are certainly important, your skin is your first layer of defense against the outside world. Our skin also gives important clues to our overall health, so learning to take good care of your skin, especially from the inside out is so important so that your skin can keep taking good care of you.

Our skin protects your body in many ways. “The skin provides a barrier to protect the body from invasion by bacteria and other possible environmental hazards that can be dangerous for human health,” says NIH dermatologist Dr. Heidi Kong.

Skin plays other roles, too. It contains nerve endings that let you feel when an object is too hot or sharp, so you can quickly pull away. Sweat glands and tiny blood vessels in your skin help to control your body temperature. And cells in your skin turn sunlight into vitamin D, which is important for healthy bones.

Skin can also alert you to health problems like …

Food allergies can produce red, itchy rashes on your skin.
Hyperpigmentation can be a sign of a Vitamin B12 deficiency.
Not drinking enough water can lead to dry, course or scaly skin, dry cracked lips and bad breath.
A diet high in sugar and processed foods can produce, acne and inflammation.
Not eating enough fruits, vegetables and healthy protein to lead to premature aging as they aid in collagen production.

And every woman can agree that we all want three things:

To enjoy our families and friends for as long as we can.
To be in good health and feel good in our bodies well into our 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, and beyond.
And to age gracefully.

If you’re like most women, you probably spend a lot of time worrying about your skin and how to keep it looking healthy and youthful. While there are many ways to do this, the best way is by eating healthy foods that promote good skin health. The key to having beautiful skin is in what you eat and how you care for your body from the inside out!

If you want to age gracefully, you NEED to stop doing these 3 things.

You need to stop eating so much processed sugar & refined carbohydrates.

The best way to eliminate processed sugar and refined carbohydrates to swap out your processed foods for natural ones like fruits and vegetables. Colorful fruits and vegetables contain carotenoids and Vitamin A that allow your skin to reproduce cells. Your body sheds approximately 30,000 to 40,000 cells every day, thus leading to a stage where it cannot produce new cells anymore. Once your skin stops producing new cells, it will start looking old. Fruits and vegetables also contain Vitamin C that replenishes your skin’s collagen content. That means keeping fruits and vegetables in your diet will result in soft and smooth skin for years.

Now I’m not saying you can’t enjoy a cookie or piece of cake here and there, but when you’re eating added sugar at every meal, it’s not good for your health or your skin.

Another quick swap is cut half the amount of sugar in your coffee or substituting dessert with fruit!

You need to limit your intake of alcohol.

I know this one can be hard, but especially as we get older, our bodies can’t metabolize it like we used to. Alcohol affects our bodies in numerous ways:

Causes your body & skin to dehydrate.
Leads to the dulling and greying of our skin.
Shuts down areas of our bodies from absorbing important nutrients and vitamins like Vitamin A which is important for our skin health.
Can bring on symptoms of Rosacea like redness, dilated blood vessels and small red bumps.
Causes bloating, blood shot eyes and dry thinning hair.

Instead of drinking alcohol, try adding in more mock-tails to your nights out as a nice switch up from drinking.

Or one of my favorite pieces of advice is getting a glass of water in between each drink to make sure you’re staying hydrated, which is important as we age.

You need to manage your stress.

Are you stressed out? Your skin can show it. Studies show that both acute and chronic stress can exert negative effects on overall skin wellness, as well as exacerbate a number of skin conditions, including psoriasis, eczema, acne, and hair loss.

But it’s not just a one-way street. Research has also shown that skin and hair follicles contain complex mechanisms to produce their own stress-inducing signals, which can travel to the brain and perpetuate the stress response.

Because the skin is constantly exposed to the outside world, it is more susceptible to environmental stressors than any other organ, and can produce stress hormones in response to them. For example, the skin produces stress hormones in response to ultraviolet light and temperature, and sends those signals back to the brain. Meaning that life stressors can contribute to stressed-out skin, and environmental stressors, via the skin, can contribute to psychological stress, creating a never-ending stress cycle.

And stress, both psychologically and from environmental factors speeds up the aging process immensely.

But here are some great ways to combat stress:

Sleep: One of the best ways to decrease stress and manage it better is by getting high quality sleep. I’m talking 7-9 hours, undisturbed sleep. This is going to help decrease stress throughout the day, increase energy levels, and overall help you age gracefully.
Eating whole foods: Including fresh fruits & vegetables, healthy proteins, fish, nuts, seeds and whole grains helps build up your body with the vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants to fight both internal and external stressors.
Exercise: getting in 30 minutes of exercise including weightlifting each day along with trying to get in 10,000 steps a day helps build your muscles, strengthen your heart and lungs, fight weight gain, and combats stress.
Skincare: drinking plenty of water and wearing sunscreen daily can help protect your skin barrier and hydrate your skin from the inside out.

Want my morning skincare routine that helps me stay youthful and age gracefully?

My skin care routine is one of my favorite parts of my day. I wake up, drink some water, and then immediately go and start my routine:

I start first by wiping my face off with a face cleansing towel.

→ This is going to get all the gunk from the night off so we’re starting with a clean, fresh face.

Next up is my favorite vitamin C with glutathione serum by Paula’s Choice.

→ This is going to help brighten dark spots and give that dewy glow.

After that, I apply my favorite hyaluronic acid that’s by Merrit.

→ This is going to help reduce wrinkles and fine lines, while also helping the skin to stretch and flex.

Last, I apply my favorite tinted SPF from Dime Beauty.

→ This not only shields your skin from harmful UV rays with a dash of color to even out complexion, but it also combines sun protection and light makeup in one step.

This routine is going to take your skin to that next level.

It’s hydrating, it’s brightening, and it’s going to keep you looking young forever.

At the end of the day, what you do to your body and yourself makes a huge difference in how you’re going to age.

These are some of my favorite tips I use for myself and my clients to help them figure out the best ways to age gracefully.

And remember, keeping it simple is the best way to start. Pick one to work on and go from there. Then slowly start adding more and more, and in a few months you won’t even recognize yourself.