Eating Habits for Healthy Skin

1. Nourish Your Skin from Within: The Gut-Skin Connection

There is an increasing number of scientific studies linking our skin's health to the health of our gut.

Gut health impacts skin health. The gut microbiome plays a crucial role in overall health, including skin conditions like acne, eczema, and psoriasis. A healthy gut is achieved through a diverse diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and fiber. These foods feed beneficial gut bacteria, which in turn support skin health.

Leaky gut and skin issues. Conditions like gut dysbiosis and leaky gut can trigger immune responses that manifest as skin problems. By improving gut health through diet, many people experience improvements in their skin conditions. This gut-skin connection highlights the importance of addressing skin issues from the inside out, rather than relying solely on topical treatments.

2. Embrace the Rainbow: Eat 20-30 Different Fruits and Vegetables Weekly

Dr. Michael Mosley, in his book The Clever Guts Diet, recommends aiming to eat 20 – 30 different varieties of fruit and vegetables every week.

Variety is crucial for gut health. Eating a wide range of fruits and vegetables provides diverse nutrients and fibers that support a healthy gut microbiome. This diversity is more important than focusing on specific portion sizes or adhering to strict dietary rules.

Make it practical and fun. To achieve this variety:

• Use the "Banish the Beige" principle to add color to meals
• Experiment with new fruits and vegetables each week
• Try different cooking methods to make vegetables more appealing
• Use a fruit and vegetable tracker to monitor variety
• Make it a family challenge to increase engagement and support

3. Hydration is Key: Monitor Your Urine Color

Keep an eye on the colour of your pee. It should be pale yellow. If it's dark, you need to drink more water.

Simple hydration check. Monitoring urine color is an easy and effective way to ensure proper hydration. Pale yellow urine indicates good hydration, while dark urine suggests the need for more water intake.

Benefits of proper hydration:

• Supports overall health and bodily functions
• Aids in digestion and nutrient absorption
• Helps maintain skin health and appearance
• Facilitates waste elimination
• Regulates body temperature

To maintain proper hydration, carry a reusable water bottle and aim to drink one bottle before lunch and one after lunch.

4. Practice Mindful Eating: Listen to Your Body

Your body already knows which foods it likes and which foods it doesn't. We're just not great at listening to our bodies these days.

Tune into your body's signals. Mindful eating involves paying attention to how different foods make you feel. This practice can help identify potential food intolerances or sensitivities without relying solely on restrictive diets or expensive tests.

Implementing mindful eating:

• Keep a food diary to track meals and how you feel afterward
• Eat slowly and without distractions
• Notice hunger and fullness cues
• Pay attention to energy levels, digestion, and skin reactions after meals
• Use this information to make informed food choices that support your health

5. Intermittent Fasting: Give Your Gut Time to Repair

Eating within a smaller window gives your digestive system enough time to digest your food, repair and rejuvenate the gut, and supports the growth of beneficial bugs in the gut, processes that are interrupted or incomplete when your digestive system is dealing with a constant influx of food.

12-hour fasting window. Aim to eat all meals within a 12-hour window, allowing for a 12-hour fasting period (mostly overnight). This practice supports the body's natural circadian rhythm and gives the gut time to repair and rejuvenate.

Benefits of time-restricted eating:

• Supports healthy gut microbiome
• Allows for nightly cell repair in the gut lining
• May improve overall digestive health
• Can lead to better sleep and energy levels
• Potentially reduces inflammation in the body

Start with a 12-hour window and gradually reduce to 11 or 10 hours if desired and tolerated well.

6. Quality Over Quantity: Choose Real, Whole Foods

Real food doesn't have ingredients. Real food is ingredients.

Focus on whole foods. Prioritize foods that are minimally processed and contain ingredients you recognize. This approach naturally leads to a healthier diet and supports overall health, including skin health.

Tips for choosing real foods:

• Read ingredient labels and choose products with few, recognizable ingredients
• Cook meals from scratch when possible
• Use frozen fruits and vegetables for convenience without sacrificing quality
• Choose prepared foods over heavily processed options
• Be wary of "free-from" labels, as they don't necessarily indicate healthier options

7. The 80/20 Principle: Balance in Healthy Eating

There's no point in telling yourself you'll never eat chocolate or drink gin again. If you set yourself these lifetime restrictions, the only thing you'll do is fail. It's just not realistic for the vast majority of people.

Sustainable approach to healthy eating. The 80/20 principle encourages eating nutritious, whole foods 80% of the time while allowing for less healthy choices 20% of the time. This balanced approach promotes long-term adherence to healthy eating habits.

Implementing the 80/20 principle:

• Focus on nourishing foods most of the time
• Allow for occasional treats without guilt
• Plan healthier meals around anticipated indulgences
• Use the "Healthy follows Unhealthy" rule to get back on track after indulgences
• Remember that consistency matters more than perfection

8. Habit Formation: Small Steps Lead to Big Changes

Being healthy is a process, not a single event. Long-term change is what we're after. It's far better to take it slowly and make lasting changes than try to get there too fast and struggle to maintain it.

Start small and build momentum. Focus on making small, manageable changes to your eating habits rather than attempting drastic overhauls. This approach increases the likelihood of long-term success.

Strategies for habit formation:

• Choose one or two habits to focus on initially
• Make your first steps so small they're almost impossible to fail
• Gradually increase the difficulty or scope of your habits
• Celebrate small wins to build motivation
• Focus on the process (e.g., eating more vegetables) rather than the outcome (e.g., clear skin)
• Use habit trackers or accountability partners to stay on course

9. Overcome Obstacles: Practical Solutions for Healthy Eating

Everything is Figureoutable.

Anticipate and plan for challenges. Identify potential obstacles to healthy eating and develop strategies to overcome them. This proactive approach increases the likelihood of maintaining new habits.

Common obstacles and solutions:

• Lack of time: Meal prep, use frozen vegetables, have quick meal ideas on hand
• Social pressure: Prepare responses to comments, focus on your health goals
• Limited budget: Choose frozen produce, buy in season, prioritize local options
• Dislike of vegetables: Experiment with cooking methods, use familiar sauces/dips
• Family resistance: Make gradual changes, involve family in meal planning
• Food waste concerns: Buy appropriate quantities, use freezer storage, plan meals

10. Love Your Food: Rediscover the Joy of Eating Well

Food isn't like medicine, it is medicine, and it's our number one tool for creating the vibrant health we deserve.

Shift your mindset about food. Instead of viewing healthy eating as a restriction, focus on the joy of nourishing your body and the positive impact on your health. This perspective change can make healthy eating more sustainable and enjoyable.

Ways to love your food:

• Create positive food memories through social meals and new experiences
• Savor your food by eating mindfully and using all your senses
• Experiment with new recipes and ingredients
• Make mealtimes special with nice dishes, music, or candlelight
• Focus on adding nutritious foods rather than eliminating "bad" foods
• Celebrate the connection between food and your improved health and skin

Last updated: July 20, 2024