Your Daily GLOWING SKIN Checklist - Tips from a Holistic Nutritionist

I love the feeling of soft, glowing skin – don’t you!? Whenever my skin is healthy, I feel more confident. While skin problems can root from many different issues, there are often some minor things that many of us overlook. Basic self-care practices can help us to not only feel beautiful, but also look confident in our skin! Here are some foods we can eat and things we can do on a daily basis to encourage healthy, glowing skin.

the lifestyle basics

While we will be touching on which foods are essential for healthy skin, it’s also important to talk about the overall hygiene of our skin. A few things that your skin will LOVE include:

a daily sweat – your skin loves to breathe! Get a good sweat on in your workout at least 3 times per week if that suits you. Sweat helps to rid of toxin build-up naturally, so this gives your skin the opportunity to “breathe”.
hydrate with a natural face oil – ditch the toxic skincare and opt for a natural face oil for your moisturizer (see which one works for you – jojoba, macadamia and almond are all favourites of mine!)
a raw honey face mask – honey is naturally anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory. Try applying raw honey onto your face and leaving it on for about 30-60 minutes. Wipe off with warm water and apply your face oil on top. Feel the nourishment.
if you live near the ocean (lucky you!), salty dips are one of the skin’s best healers! A little bit of sun exposure on the face each day can also work magic as both are naturally anti-bacterial.

get your beauty sleep

Sleep is SO essential and often overlooked in this go-go-go world we live in. If you are struggling with health issues or if you want to prevent long-term health issues, I highly recommend making sleep top priority. Our bodies do “recovery work” during the time we sleep and it is vital that we get those 7-9 hours every night. The less stress our body is going through, the more our body can focus on daily maintenance and glowing from within!

Ways to improve sleep quality: try essential oils, meditation, sleep mask, Magnesium supplements and turning off electronics.

what to eat for healthy skin

try spirulina + lemon water

While you are getting ready for the day, I encourage you to sip on a large glass of water. It doesn’t really matter how you like to drink your water, the point is to get your body hydrated before you eat your first meal of the day and to ensure you are getting enough water to hydrate your cells! Here are some ways to get in at least 1L before breakfast:

add fresh lemon juice and 1 tsp of spirulina to luke-warm water for a fun “mermaid-inspired” water. Spirulina is exceptionally good for the skin as it is packed with Omega 3 fatty acids and chlorophyll. Lemon is detoxifying and great for skin health (it may be best for you to avoid citrus if you struggle with rosacea).
steep a herbal tea bag in a large pot of water overnight in the fridge for a lightly flavoured, natural water. Note, drinking too much hot tea (even herbal tea) can dehydrate the body, so make sure to stick to 1-2 cups of tea per day and drink enough plain water as well.
take a large water bottle with you to the gym for your morning workout or on your morning walk so you don’t forget to drink
keep a large water bottle in the bathroom to sip on while you do your makeup/get ready for the day

If drinking that much liquid before breakfast doesn’t suit you, try keeping a water bottle with you (like, glued to your hand!) throughout the day to encourage hydration in an easy way. Keep it on your desk, next to your laptop, in the car, wherever! Make sure you are drinking at least 2-3 litres of water per day (depending on the weather, season and your individual makeup). Water helps to flush out toxins and keeps your skin hydrated.

eat enough fibre-rich vegetables

Eating healthy is one thing for ensuring healthy skin, but eating enough fibre rich vegetables throughout the day is especially important. This helps to aid the liver in detoxification of harmful pesticides, chemicals and excess hormones which can seriously affect skin health. Eating fibre-rich veggies, specifically cruciferous veggies, is also especially important for hormone balancing and healthy skin. Try these vegetables and make sure at least half of your plate is filled with them at each meal:

cruciferous vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts
hydrating vegetables: cucumber, celery
vegetables rich in carotenoids: squash, orange sweet potato, carrots
dark leafy greens: kale, swiss chard, silverbeet
light leafy greens: arugula, Spring mix, fresh herbs like cilantro and parsley

eat more seeds

Seeds such as hemp, chia and flax are all exceptionally powerful when it comes to rejuvenation, healing and overall support. These seeds are packed with Omega 3’s, protein and incredible hormone-balancing properties.

Try including pumpkin seeds or ground pumpkin seed protein for a boost of zinc. Zinc is known to support acne specifically, so a handful per day is great for healthy skin!

Try these recipes: Chia Seed Pudding, Raspberry Chia Jam, DIY Seedy Mix or these Super Seed Crackers

boost your collagen production

there are many ways to support collagen production in your skin, but here are my top two favourite and easiest ways!

Eat Vitamin C-rich foods. Vitamin C helps to support natural collagen production in the skin, not to mention all the other amazing benefits this vitamin provides! My favourite ways to include Vitamin C rich foods are:

load up on red bell peppers, kiwis and oranges for snacks
saute broccoli with olive oil, salt and pepper for an epic side dish
include fresh lemon and lime on anything and everything
make a homemade tomato sauce with vine-ripened tomatoes, onion, garlic and fresh or dried herbs
make sweet potato fries baked in coconut oil and paprika

Make Your Own Bone Broth – making your own bone broth is an easy and affordable way to get a boost of healing nutrients and specifically, collagen! Browse the web for one that suits your dietary needs or even whip up a Vitamin-C packed vegan broth if that’s your thing.

what’s next

So now that you’ve got your daily “healthy skin” checklist, why not give some of these a go?! Feeling inspired? Make sure to share your journey with #thepurelife or @thepurelife_ on Instagram.

Your Daily “Glowing Skin” Checklist – tips from a Holistic Nutritionist