Did you know that what you eat shows on your skin? Lot of factors are responsible for flaky, pigmented, lifeless skin, however, most of the times we only focus on external remedies like skin care routine. Your eating habits and nourishment have a direct relationship with your glowing skin. Simple things like hydration too impact your skin glow. Eating habits, lifestyle, and sleep have a direct co-relation with your skin’s health.

How eating habits affect your skin

You might wonder how your eating habits affect your skin. In simple terms the nourishment that your body organs need is provided by the food that you eat. Skin is the largest organ of your body and it too, derives its nourishment from the food nutrients. Hence, apart from the external application products, it is important to eat right to provide the necessary hydration, vitamins and good oils essential for your skin.

Another factor is that your illnesses reflect on your skin and a healthy body would reflect in your skin glow. So let us look at a few food items that need to be included in your eating habits for healthy glowing skin.

Food to include in your daily routine for healthy glowing skin:

• Food rich in healthy oil, and Omega 3 fatty acids like seeds and nuts are the best skin food.
• Healthy fats found in fish, nuts, seeds, ghee, and olive oil when consumed regularly and in moderation, help you keep your skin wrinkle-free and hydrated.
• Substitute your gluten with millets to get flawless skin, as millets are rich in essential vitamins and minerals, iron, and calcium.
• A secret ingredient to include in your meal for glowing skin is A2 Ghee. It is excellent for gut health and healthy skin. Know all the health benefits of A2 ghee here
• Include food rich in potassium like tomatoes, avocado, citrus fruits, bananas, and coconut water.
• Increase intake of fresh fruits and vegetables like spinach, beetroot and sweet potatoes for glowing and smooth skin. It also helps in preventing premature wrinkles and sagging. Fruits like papaya and pineapple and guava are excellent for the skin.
• Food rich in vitamin C is good for your skin like berries, tomatoes, and apricots as they promote new skin cell formation.
• Last but not the least, drink ample water to keep your skin hydrated and clear.

Foods to avoid:

• Refined carbs like pasta, white bread or candies increase your blood sugar levels, causing acne breakouts and wrinkles. High sugar levels trigger the release of hormones that promote oil secretion from the skin gland.
• Balancing your meals and having adequate protein, with adequate water helps you to reduce the effect of carbs on your skin.
• Avoid or limit junk like pizza, burgers, soda, and fried foods as they increase inflammation, pigmentation, and uneven skin.
• Excess salt increases the chances of water retention, and bloating, putting immense pressure on your skin hence avoid sodium-rich foods like pickles, chips, meat, sauces, and Chinese.
• Limit caffeine intake as it induces the production and release of a stress hormone known as cortisol. These hormones give flaky skin, wrinkles, and cause premature aging, pigmentation, and discoloring of skin. More than two to three cups of coffee a day can damage your skin.
• Coffee is addictive, and it gives palpitations and insomnia if not had in proportion. Always make sure that after one cup of coffee, you drink at least two glasses of water to keep yourself hydrated because coffee causes dehydration, which is again damaging to the skin.
• Over consumption of dairy products, especially milk, may ruin your skin texture by producing excess oil that results in clogged skin.
• Your skin is also damaged when you are on an extreme crash diet, as you tend to avoid even the necessary food items.

Now that you know how your eating habits affect your skin, make sure to create a meal plan and include all the food groups essential for a healthy skin. One of the most important points to remember is the hydration of your body. Multiple reasons like stress, busy lifestyle, unavailability of water and weather conditions might affect the water intake. However, it is one of the most important habits that will keep your skin clean and glowing.

Your skin reflects the health of your mind and body. For a naturally beautiful skin, focus on nutrition, hydration, ample sleep and stress-free life.