What You See Is What You Ate: Nutrition, Body Awareness and Skin Care
Skin Glow Nutrition by Maddie Carlson
Skin health starts from the inside, and if you are looking to achieve that glowing appearance of vitality, youth and overall good health, there are a few important areas within the body to concentrate on.
First, it is essential to ensure that our gut microbiome is healthy and robust. The trillions of bacteria that live within our body are responsible for a lot more than we think; they influence almost every aspect of our health, including our skin, brain, digestion and so much more. However, if the balance of good and bad bacteria becomes askew, our health will suffer. The many different strains of bacteria each have a unique function in the body, so incorporating certain types of strains may offer relief from a specific health condition. Incorporating fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kombucha, and yogurt are great options that will keep the good bacteria plentiful.
Managing inflammation is another key aspect of health that we must pay attention to when trying to achieve optimal well-being. Our modern lives are stressful, our bodies are often lacking in adequate nutrients, and our organ systems are facing an overload of free radicals. These things combined are a recipe for disaster when it comes to minimizing chronic inflammation. Managing stress through meditation, exercise or mindful breathing can offer countless benefits, however. Eating a wide variety of foods that are high in nutrients (think vegetables and unprocessed foods) provide us with the perfect amounts of vitamins and minerals that we need to carry out body functions. Supplements can also help with protection from free-radicals, such as turmeric root and green tea, both available in many forms including liquids, capsules and powders.
Maintaining healthy blood sugar balance may not be the first thing we think about when we are pondering way to improve our outward appearance, but this often underestimated component of health is vastly important for all body systems. When we experience bouts of unbalanced blood sugar from eating too many carbohydrates, simple sugars and processed foods, the body is put under a great amount of stress. This stress can lead to weight gain, unbalanced hormone levels, tiredness, mental fogginess, mood swings and even depletion of vitamins and minerals in the body. When there’s too much sugar in the bloodstream, the body must work overtime to try and get its glucose (sugar) levels back within the normal range. Eating meals and snacks with balanced levels of protein, fat and carbohydrates will slow down the uptake of glucose in the blood stream and won’t cause a spike of increased stress and hormonal imbalance.
Eating health promoting, nutrient rich foods is just the start to supporting the structure, suppleness and clarity of our largest organ. Thinking beyond simply what we put on our skin and focusing on what we can do internally lends glowing, radiant, balanced skin and overall health!
Maddie Carlson graduated from Metropolitan State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition and Dietetics. She is passionate about helping people to find an effective--yet sustainable--way of healthy living that positively affects the many aspects that compromise overall well-being. Maddie has worked as a Nutritional Health Coach for Natural Grocers for the past year where she consults with people on topics ranging from digestive wellness and athletic performance to food allergies and real food cooking. For more information about Maddie visit www.maddiecarlsonnutrition.wordpress.com or email her at [email protected].
First, it is essential to ensure that our gut microbiome is healthy and robust. The trillions of bacteria that live within our body are responsible for a lot more than we think; they influence almost every aspect of our health, including our skin, brain, digestion and so much more. However, if the balance of good and bad bacteria becomes askew, our health will suffer. The many different strains of bacteria each have a unique function in the body, so incorporating certain types of strains may offer relief from a specific health condition. Incorporating fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kombucha, and yogurt are great options that will keep the good bacteria plentiful.
Managing inflammation is another key aspect of health that we must pay attention to when trying to achieve optimal well-being. Our modern lives are stressful, our bodies are often lacking in adequate nutrients, and our organ systems are facing an overload of free radicals. These things combined are a recipe for disaster when it comes to minimizing chronic inflammation. Managing stress through meditation, exercise or mindful breathing can offer countless benefits, however. Eating a wide variety of foods that are high in nutrients (think vegetables and unprocessed foods) provide us with the perfect amounts of vitamins and minerals that we need to carry out body functions. Supplements can also help with protection from free-radicals, such as turmeric root and green tea, both available in many forms including liquids, capsules and powders.
Maintaining healthy blood sugar balance may not be the first thing we think about when we are pondering way to improve our outward appearance, but this often underestimated component of health is vastly important for all body systems. When we experience bouts of unbalanced blood sugar from eating too many carbohydrates, simple sugars and processed foods, the body is put under a great amount of stress. This stress can lead to weight gain, unbalanced hormone levels, tiredness, mental fogginess, mood swings and even depletion of vitamins and minerals in the body. When there’s too much sugar in the bloodstream, the body must work overtime to try and get its glucose (sugar) levels back within the normal range. Eating meals and snacks with balanced levels of protein, fat and carbohydrates will slow down the uptake of glucose in the blood stream and won’t cause a spike of increased stress and hormonal imbalance.
Eating health promoting, nutrient rich foods is just the start to supporting the structure, suppleness and clarity of our largest organ. Thinking beyond simply what we put on our skin and focusing on what we can do internally lends glowing, radiant, balanced skin and overall health!
Maddie Carlson graduated from Metropolitan State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition and Dietetics. She is passionate about helping people to find an effective--yet sustainable--way of healthy living that positively affects the many aspects that compromise overall well-being. Maddie has worked as a Nutritional Health Coach for Natural Grocers for the past year where she consults with people on topics ranging from digestive wellness and athletic performance to food allergies and real food cooking. For more information about Maddie visit www.maddiecarlsonnutrition.wordpress.com or email her at [email protected].