What You Should Eat & Drink for Gorgeous Glowing Skin

Everyone is obsessed with the products they use and are many of my brides are convinced that an expensive skincare regimen is the way to gorgeously glowing skin.  However, I'm also a nutritionist, and I know that the secret to glowing skin is the food and drink you choose to consume.  Carry on reading for my list of foods and drinks you should have in the lead up to your wedding to ensure your skin is in tip-top condition.

Water, Water, Water

Do not underestimate the power of water when it comes to your skin.  Skin has a natural barrier that retains moisture, and if this barrier’s functions are disrupted, your skin may become dry and sensitive. When you neglect hydration, your skin can’t perform at its best, leading to premature aging and dry, sensitive skin. Most of your skin’s moisture comes from the body, so if you’re drinking enough water, then that healthy skin happily absorbs water from moisturizers and creams. If you aren’t adequately hydrated, the benefit of skincare products is impacted too.

Another big benefit to drinking water is its ability to flush your system of toxins. This cleanse keeps your skin clean, pushing out bacteria and reducing the risk of acne and other skin problems. If your skin is oily, then your pores will clog up, eventually leading to acne breakouts. Drinking water balances the natural oils sitting on your face with moisture. Drinking the right amount of water every day might be the easiest way to cure your acne.
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Fight Wrinkles by Eating Tomatoes

One of my kids loves to eat tomatoes and she'll happily much on some cherry tomatoes as though they were grapes ... most other kids think she's a little bonkers! But tomatoes pack a punch of many vitamins including A, K, B1, B6, C and many more. Those vitamins all make your insides shine, while Lycopene makes your skin shine. Lycopene has anti-aging properties to keep your skin glowing. If you hate the thought of eating plain tomatoes, you can actually apply the juice of tomatoes to your skin to get the effects of Lycopene. You can also get the same nutrients from a rich tomato paste or sauce.

Fish & Nuts

Possibly not the nicest sounding food combination (and I personally don't eat fish... but  fish and nuts are packed full of the essential fatty acids your body requires: Omega 3's and Omega 6's.  Foods such as walnuts and wild salmon are packed full of them.   Fill up on fish and nuts to pack in the essential omega-3 fatty acids your body craves. Foods like walnuts and wild salmon are packed with these fatty acids that fight inflammation in the body—which can show up on the skin in the form of acne. These types of foods even work to fight wrinkles, so eating them daily is great for your overall skin appearance. Some brides aren’t too keen on eating fish every day of the week, so many take fish oil supplements to get the same nutrient
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Spinach

Better start making your salads with this leafy green because it’s just rich in vitamins that are imperative for clear, radiant skin. Vitamins E and C work together to as an all-star duo for healthy skin, and spinach happens to be abundant in both.
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Citrus Fruit

​These citrus fruits do more than add a zing to any dish or drink. The abundance of vitamin C in these fruits helps reduce inflammation and keeps skin bright and youthful. Vitamin C works by repairing and regenerating tissues, like your skin, after damage. It'll speed along the process of correcting dark spots and uneven skin tone. (And Vitamin C serums are trending all over the skincare world for that exact reason!)
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Tea & Coffee

While both of these lovely caffeine-laden beverages give different benefits for your skin, coffee and tea both contain antioxidants (catechins in tea; phenolic acids in coffee), which repair and protect your skin cells for naturally healthier, more radiant skin. Green tea, in particular, is great for your skin; and it’s become a huge anti-aging ingredient in many topical products. Coffee extract, on the other hand, can increase blood flow and decrease inflammation, which gives skin a brighter complexion.
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Olive Oil

Olive oil is an easy way to incorporate the benefits of oleocanthal and more antioxidants into your diet, whether if you want to use it for making homemade salad dressing or cooking a protein-packed dinner. It will help your body fight the loss of collagen and elastin, which leads to dull, aging skin. As an added bonus, these benefits help fend off factors that lead to cancer and Alzheimer’s. That’s also why the olive oil-packed Mediterranean diet is known for its healthy lifestyle support.

Alfalfa Sprouts

I love to throw alfalfa sprouts on a sandwich, wrap, or salad; but you can garnish just about any warm dinner with a healthy dose of it. Alfalfa sprouts are rich in vitamin A, which your body uses is many ways. As far as skin health, vitamin A helps fight infection by strengthening your skin barrier, combating dullness and dryness with its cell growth stimulation, and slowing signs of aging with its antioxidants. You can be find similar beta-carotene dosage in carrots, if you’re adverse to these earthy sprouts!

​Emma x