5 NUTRITION TIPS TO HELP YOU LOOK AND FEEL YOUR BEST THIS AUTUMN... AND BEYOND

Our skin is a powerful expression of what is happening inside our bodies with that elusive healthy glow being utterly dependent on internal balance in the body. Always remember that the building blocks of our skin’s essential nutrients come directly from food, so the better we nourish ourselves with nature’s colourful goodness, the more efficiently these actives will work to repair, nourish and protect our skin through the day and overnight.

A healthy diet overflowing with colourful, seasonal fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds is the perfect partner to Scentiana’s trusted skincare.

1/ Eat mostly plants

The benefits of seasonal plant-based eating for physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing are undisputed. In essence, the more colourful seasonal plants we eat, the happier and brighter we will feel. To be more exact, experts now say that we should be eating at least 30 different plant-based foods each week, including fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts and spices. While it may sound like a lot, once you start to broaden the range you are eating, the numbers quickly add up, in essence. If your plate looks bland and boring, then it probably is! Spice it up with colour: think leafy green veggies, nuts, spices like turmeric and cinnamon, herbs, nuts and seeds.

2/ Feed your Gut

Our bodies live in a complex symbiotic relationship with over one hundred trillion bacterial cells, housed in the body’s microbiome (the gut, the skin and brain). Science has shown that simply introducing small amounts of fermented foods into our diet every day is a game changer for body and skin health and overall wellbeing. What is quite special about these foods is that they all contain live bacterial cultures (think live yoghurt, kefir, miso, sauerkraut and kombucha amongst others) which together create a healthier, more diverse community of microbes in our gut to enhance digestion, immunity and overall health, while also strengthening the skin’s elasticity and radiance. And further studies have also shown that simply spending more time in nature in the company of the trillions of bacteria around us provide an endless choice of microbes for our microbiome to thrive.

3/ Bump up the Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids

Cold-water oily fish – notably salmon, trout and tuna – are packed with omega-3 fatty acids that help strengthen blood cells and plump the skin, boosting the production of collagen and elastin. They are also essential components of cell membranes throughout the body. For non-fish eaters, other sources of EFAs include flax seeds, walnuts, hemp, almonds, eggs and dark-green leafy vegetables. Aim to eat a healthy mix of these foods every day.

4/ Eat more skin barrier strengthening foods

Lecithin is a phospholipid molecule that is an essential component of cell membranes in the body. Lecithin helps maintain a healthy active skin barrier that locks water into the cells to hydrate the deeper layers within. Most of the nutrients found in lecithin are stored in the form of choline, a softening agent produced in small amounts by the body, but easily topped up through diet. Lecithin-rich foods like egg yolks, pomegranate seeds, blueberries, edamame beans, nuts and green leafy vegetables should be eaten daily to keep our cell membranes nourished. 

5/ Eat less sugar & processed foods

In our world of excess, sugar and refined carbohydrates are at the root of many diseases and ill health. Put simply, if you eat a high-sugar/processed-food diet, your body and your skin will suffer the consequences. Do reducing both obvious and hidden sugars from the diet is one of the most effective steps we can take for our skin and overall health. Simple swops to implement now include: sugary breakfast cereals for porridge in its many guises; processed white bread, pasta and white rice for sourdough or wholemeal bread, quinoa, wholewheat pasta, short grain brown/wild rice and other natural grains and milk chocolate for a few squares of top-quality dark chocolate (minimum 80 per cent cocoa solids).

Images: @mimibrune