Good morning, lovely ladies!!!
Today I want to share with you some of my best diet tips for glowing skin! Now is the time when much of our skin is showing as we accommodate the changing climate, and putting our best skin forward has never been more on forefront than it is right now! I am here to do whatever it takes to help you feel your best, look your best, and be glamorous this summer. Whether you plan to go to the beach, lay out or play by the pool, barbecue in your own backyard...heck, even just sit in your living room...incorporate these tips that I have listed for you below, and glowing skin will be all yours in no time! ;-)
1) Drink coconut water!
Coconut water is nature's best hydration! When compared to water, it rises above the competition by offering 400mg+ of potassium, 75mg of sodium, natural sugar for energy, calcium, and over 100% of your daily value of Vitamin C per 8 oz. cup (VitaCoco brand). Like gatorade (but better!), coconut water provides your body with electrolytes, sugar, minerals, and even antioxidants to help replenish your cells after a day of sweating. It is perfect for summer, and will make your skin glow like nobody's business!
2) Snack on lots of fresh fruit!
Fresh fruit is one of the best "make me glow" foods. Abundant in water, potassium, minerals, and antioxidants, fruit is one of the best snacks for summer, and gorgeous skin all year round!
3) Swap your typical "barbecue burger" out for a veggie burger or hamburger over a salad instead!
A typical barbecue burger contains as many as 600 calories, up to 30 grams of saturated fat, and carcinogens from being cooked over an open flame. Swap out the extra inflammatory calories provided by the refined carbohydrate bun, toss in some salad greens, and top it with a healthy unsaturated fat dressing, and you can counteract the anti-glow effect!
4) Limit your alcohol intake!
Although we'd like to believe it's not true, alcohol is one of the most glow-zapping drinks to sip on, especially in the summer. When our body is already fighting to stay hydrated, alcohol saps away every last bit of moisture away as it carries it to our bladder during digestion to be excreted. If you want to look your best and feel your best, limit your intake, and sip slower!
5) Swap mixed drinks for small glasses of wine, or healthy, homemade drink mixes!
Examples include a skinny pina colada made with coconut water, a bloody mary made with 100% tomato juice or vegetable juice, or a strawberry daiquiri made with frozen, pureed strawberries & agave syrup. It's not about not drinking, but rather choosing your drinks wisely. ;-)
6) Plate up on salmon!
I am sure most of you already know, but salmon is a chock full of unsaturated, essential fatty acids that are wonderful for making your skin glow! They counteract inflammation in our body and coat our cells walls with a protective layer that keeps moisture in and pollutants out. You can swap your canned tuna for quality canned salmon, steam it fresh, grill it, broil it, have it marinated or plain, and/or top it over salads! :-)
7) Snack on avocados, almonds, and walnuts!
Avocados, almonds, and walnuts are also a chock full anti-inflammatory fatty acids. Walnuts in particular contain a very high quantity of omega-3 fatty acids and are a wonderful snack mixed with chunks of dark chocolate, and/or are great plain or over salads!
8) Top your sandwiches and salads with tomatoes and leafy greens!
Tomatoes and leafy greens are another wonderful pair of "make me glow" foods! Full of vitamin C, lycopene, hydration, phytonutrients, Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Vitamin E, Iron, Lutein, Magnesium, and a slew of other cancer-fighting ingredients, these two are a dynamic duo!
9) Eat your broccoli!
Many people don't know it, but broccoli is an incredible source of cancer-fighting, and beauty boosting nutrients! It's star nutrients are Vitamin C, Calcium, and sulphoraphane! Vitamin C is responsible for healthy metabolism, collagen growth within our skin, and sulphoraphane is an anti-cancer compound specific to cruciferous vegetables that fights inflammation and free radicals in our bodies. The addition of calcium also works with the Vitamin D we get from our diet and the sun, to help build us healthy bones! Plate up!
10) Rediscover leafy greens!
Leafy greens are one of the best foods that you can incorporate if you want to "up" your glow-factor. Full of a wide spectrum of nutrients, they offer much of what our body needs to remain healthy, and what our nails, skin, and hair need for healthy regeneration and growth. If you want to get glowing this summer, up your salad intake, and start incorporating greens. Great suggestions include kale, swiss chard, spinach, broccoli rabe, bok choy, turnip greens, mustard greens, arugula, spring mix salad, and/or baby spinach. :-)
11) Snack on berries!
Berries are a chock full of antioxidants! Strawberries in particular are in season at this moment, and pack much nutrition in small quantity, at a very low price! Buy them frozen and incorporate them into your breakfast, or buy them fresh and use them as a topping or snack. :-)
12) Avoid sugary and carb-laden foods like white bread, white crackers, pretzels, & french fries!
Sugary, carb-laden foods are major glow-zappers! They cause our blood sugar to spike, then crash, they dehydrate our bodies, and cause inflammation. Swap white bread out for whole grains, and pass on (or practice healthy moderation with) the unhealthy sides and snacks such as potatoes & crackers/pretzels!
13) Swap your whole-fat ice cream for low-cal frozen yogurt!
It is inevitable in the summer to avoid ice cream. Even I just have to have it. However, ice cream is no bueno for glowing skin! In fact, the only thing that ice cream has going for it, health-wise, is that it makes us feel happy (temporarily, haha). Rather than avoiding ice cream all together, forcing yourself to crave it uncontrollably, swap out your old favorite for a healthy substitute. Frozen yogurt has almost the same exact consistency and flavor as regular ice cream, it's just a bit less rich. Try it and see for yourself! :-)
14) Start your day off with a fruit smoothie!
Fruit smoothies are a great way to pack much nutrition into a small meal. If you find that fresh fruit is too boring for you on a daily basis, or you just want to add some "oomph" to your breakfast, start making smoothies daily! I like to use frozen blueberries, blackberries, and/or raspberries, frozen cut up bananas, organic plain, greek, or french vanilla yogurt, and almond milk.
15) Rediscover the sweet potato!
Sweet potatoes are beta carotene powerhouses! Beta carotene is a compound that gets converted into Vitamin A within our bodies and is responsible for helping us maintain smooth, healthy, even skin and a glowing complexion. Try microwaving one and eating it for lunch, make some healthy baked sweet potato fries with salt, cracked pepper, and drizzled olive oil, turn them into breakfast hash-browns, or have them mashed! :-)
16) Instead of juice, drink flavored, iced green tea!
Juice goes hand in hand with avoiding sugary, carb-laden foods. Fruit juice with no fiber is like injecting sugar directly into our blood stream! Although we get a surge of energy initially, we experience an energy-zapping crash 1-2 hours later. Fruit juice and fruit juice cocktails are a surefire way to counteract getting your skin to look and feel its best! If you must have juice, stick with your own homemade fresh juice, or choose varieties in the refrigerated section of your local grocery or health food store. A much better choice, however, is flavored, iced green tea. It has all of the great fruit flavor, but zero calories, the perfect amount of energizing caffeine, and antioxidants to boost your glow-factor and protect your skin from the sun!
17) Bring a water bottle with you- everywhere!
Many people claim that they get enough water. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but if you do not take a water bottle with you EVERYWHERE, you are not getting adequate hydration. You need to be sipping it every hour to remain hydrated, and especially if you want to glow. Whether it be 3 sips, 1/2 a cup, or 1 cup, staying hydrated is a 24-7 task! :-)
18) Take a good-quality flaxseed, fish, or cod liver oil supplement!
Flaxseed, fish, and cod liver oil provide our bodies with essential fatty acids that are crucial in maintaining our skin's lipid barrier and ability to retain moisture. Without essential fatty acids, we would not have proper nerve cell function, our skin hair and nails will lack the luster they deserve, and our skin will be dehydrated and patchy. If you get the essential fatty acids from fish and nuts, you can skip this tip. If you do not like nuts and fish, however, supplementation is a must!
19) Eat more oatmeal for breakfast (the real kind)!
Oatmeal is a wonderful skin-loving food! It stabilizes our blood sugar, offers a steady stream of healthy carbohydrates, cleans out our arteries of unwanted cholesterol and saturated fat, and helps us maintain a healthy digestive system. If you want your skin to glow, start incorporating oatmeal into your breakfast rotation regularly- and make sure it's the real kind. ;-)
20) Limit your coffee intake to 1-2 cups a day and swap the rest out for tea!
I know we all must have our coffee. I love coffee too. However, coffee is extremely dehydrating to our tissues and cells. If you're not chasing every cup of coffee that you drink with an equal amount of water, you are most definitely dehydrated. For those of you who don't know, coffee also binds with minerals in our body during digestion, such as magnesium and calcium, and causes us to pee them out. Make sure you are limiting your cups to 2 a day (replace the rest with tea or water), follow with an equal amount of water, and replace your minerals with healthy food choices! :-)
Beauty tips & tricks:
Take a little olive, or nut oil and mix it in with your everyday lotion, or apply it lightly over your sunscreen on the front and back of your legs & arms, and over your collarbone area. This will take your natural glow to the next level!
Use a liquid highlighter to highlight the contours of your face. Create the illusion of an eye lift by highlighting under the arch of your eye brows; a thinner nose by highlighting directly down the center of your nose; enhance the glow in your cheeks by highlighting your upper cheekbones; & bring out the full-ness in your lips by highlighting on your cupid's bow, the center of your lower lip, and just below your bottom lip. :-)
Carry facial spray with you if you find that your skin looks dehydrated by the end of the day. My personal favorites are Evian's facial spray (you can find this at Sephora or at some local retailers in the beauty aisles), or Mac's Fix + (you can find this at a Mac counter at your local mall or online)! :-)
Make your hair glow just as much as your skin by applying a leave-in conditioner every morning, and before bed every night. Also, make sure you are applying a heat protectant before styling, and a deep conditioner in the shower twice a week!
Oh, and smile- because you're beautiful! :-)
Have a great Saturday!
Xo -Jess
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