John MUNGAI
- Jul 13, 2022
- 4 min read

How Your Eating Habits Affect Your Skin

Skin health is influenced by several factors ranging from food to lifestyle habits. While aging and our surroundings greatly affect the skin, food significantly contributes to its general health. What we eat and drink affects the skin composition and texture. Healthy eating benefits the skin health by providing the essential nutrients to support hydration, cell development, and chemical balance to get clear skin.

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It’s no secret that what you ingest has a direct impact on your health. But, did you know that it also plays a part in how good your skin looks? Skin is sensitive. So, if you are eating high-sugar, processed foods, there is a high chance that the surplus calories intake will be stored as fats in the body. This fat is stored in adipose tissues found in the human body. The lymphatic system helps to eliminate fats from the body. However, if you are eating more fat than your body breaks down, then the skin is going to store the excess fat in the subcutaneous tissues. Such occurrences may result in the inflammations on the skin surface.

Studies demonstrate that consumed food directly impacts the skin. People who eat more than the recommended quantities of meat and fatty foods are at a higher risk of developing skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, and eczema. Such diets result in producing more sebum and keratin thereby leading to clogged pores. It may also lead to inflammatory reactions of the skin resulting in the appearance of rashes that are typical of all such conditions.

Consumption of healthy foods helps to maintain your skin's moisture levels. When you eat well, you nourish your body with vitamins and minerals which help to keep your skin moist by helping it to produce its natural moisturizers. When you take the recommended vitamin supplements with this purpose, it will help the skin to stay moist without giving it an oily surface.

Collagen is a major protein that affects skin health. It is vital for nourishing new skin cells and maintaining healthy skin. It's been shown that women who eat plenty of foods rich in vitamin C have fewer wrinkles than women eating low-vitamin C foods. Citrus fruits and juices are also great sources of Vitamin C.

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Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains help your body maintain a proper pH level. The right pH is important for the skin. For example, the human body has a natural balancing system to maintain its pH between 7.35 to 7.45. When your body's pH level falls, it becomes more acidic. The more acidic it becomes, the more easily the body can cause damage to its cells. Keeping your skin's pH at a healthy level helps to prevent the development of skin problems such as acne and psoriasis.

Aging impacts your skin. As you grow old, your skin changes in structure and composition naturally or due to external factors such as illness or stress and poor diet. Consumption of healthy foods assists in upholding the collagen levels in your skin. Collagen is the main protein found in our skin and it helps to keep your skin firm. Nevertheless, the body's ability to make collagen reduces as you age rapidly. This means that if you want to avoid wrinkles, you will need to find ways of keeping your body supplied with enough vitamin C so that your body can produce collagen. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables rich in Vitamin C will help keep wrinkles at bay.

If you want even more anti-aging benefits, try adding an over-the-counter anti-aging cream to complement your diet and lifestyle changes. Foods rich in antioxidants and vitamin C help fight free radicals to keep your skin looking youthful. You can find these ingredients in fruits such as pineapple, oranges, strawberries, kiwi fruit, melons, and broccoli. Dry skin represents poor gut health. When your body does not have enough moisturizers and nutrients, it will absorb fewer natural oils from food to keep the skin dry. Eating plenty of foods rich in vitamins A, D, and E will help to moisturize the skin so that it stays soft and supple all year round.

Fast foods are detrimental to skin health. Refined carbs such as pastries and sugars from soft drinks damage the skin structure. Although they may be marketed as healthy and quick fixes for parties, it is advisable to avoid them and, alternatively, consume nutritious foods such as whole grains that will reduce wrinkles. Water is an essential commodity in the body. It enables the body to absorb nutrients and support cell growth and development. Additionally, hydration promotes excretion of toxins from the body leaving your skin glowing. Drinking plenty of water boosts the skin elasticity.

Ever heard of healthy fats? Normally, we resonate fats with weight gain and diseases. However, there are healthy fats that promote skin health. Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are essential nutrients that help in the formation of cell membranes that nourish the skin. These fatty acids are present in avocado, oily fish such as salmon, and nuts. Consumption of healthy fats enhances the skin’s oil barrier that prevents damage from pollutants resulting in gaining clear skin.

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People use spices to enhance their food’s taste. Nonetheless, excessive consumption of spicy foods irritates the skin composition causing blood constriction. This development leads to acne breakouts. Avoid spicy foods to maintain a healthy and radiant skin. Poor diets harm the gut health resulting in a flaky skin. Everyone loves to have a glowing skin. While there are anti-aging creams and surgeries to restructure the skin, food remains the major factor in determining the skin structure. Skin health demonstrates the individual’s eating habits. If you follow the recommendations above, then you should notice an improvement.