10 Steps To Smooth, Flawless Skin
Get the smooth face and body you've always wanted.
getty I struggled with acne for years. I tried every lotion, potion, contraption and medication on the market to get smooth skin, but it wasn't until I changed things from the inside out that I found a lasting difference.
I know, it might seem too simple, but I really did heal my acne with diet! Below are my top 10 suggestions for how to get rid of acne and have supermodel skin without breaking the bank on fancy products or poisoning yourself by meddling with medications.
1. Drink tons of filtered water.
Regular consumption of water is the most cleansing thing you can do to flush toxins and waste out of your body. But try to avoid water in plastic bottles. The plastic seeps into the water and disrupts your estrogen levels.
Instead, invest in a nice metal water bottle or a beautiful glass to keep on your desk that you can refill with a water filter. Your skin is your largest organ and needs adequate hydration to function efficiently.
2. Take omega-3 supplements.
Omega-3 supplements (best taken via fish oil) are a natural anti-inflammatory. They will reduce eruptions and puffiness on the surface of the skin. The anti-inflammatory properties will also de-stress your insides thereby promoting optimal function of all your internal organs.
3. Eat more raw foods.
Raw foods and juices do wonders for the complexion. The enzymes in living foods help the body promote new skin cells whereas "dead" foods (foods devoid of nutritional value, or foods with the majority of nutrients cooked out) slow down your body's production of new skin cells.
Incorporate more fresh, raw foods into your diet for the next 30 days and you will absolutely see a difference.
4. Avoid washing your face with too-hot water and harsh chemicals.
These will naturally irritate the skin and cause inflammation. Often, acne is an allergic reaction to harsh chemicals in your (interior and exterior) environment. Be careful to use natural products, lukewarm water and pat dry your face with a clean towel.
Only wash two times a day as cleaning it more often will just disrupt your skin’s natural balance and create more pimples.
5. Avoid dairy.
There are a variety of reasons why dairy has a negative effect on skin. For starters, conventional milk comes from cows that have been pumped full of hormones and antibiotics which then get into, and disrupt your system.
The natural sugars in milk also throw off your insulin levels causing your skin to create excess sebum, which leads to acne flair ups. Dairy in general is an inflammatory and should be consumed sparingly, if at all, by adults.
6. Avoid processed foods that contain sugar and white flour.
These are dead foods, devoid of any nutritional value, and just like dairy they lead to excess insulin production which leads to excess sebum production with leads to skin eruptions.
The chemical additives in processed foods will stay in your system creating a toxic environment. Your liver will try to clean them out but as they build up in your system your body will try to detoxify chemicals in any way possible, and that way may be through your skin.
7. Avoid fried, greasy foods.
"Bad fats" like vegetable, corn, soy, canola, cottonseed, hemp, rapeseed, sunflower, and safflower oils are very high in omega-6 fatty acids which are highly inflammatory and are likely to spark acne flare ups. Also, oils heated over 400 degrees Fahrenheit will turn rancid, and therefore carcinogenic.
The liver and lymphatic systems have to work overtime to cleanse the body, but toxins that aren’t filtered out by the liver will try to escape somehow and it may be through your skin.
8. Avoid meat that was raised with hormones or antibiotics.
You are what you eat, and those hormones will then get into your system and further disrupt your hormonal balance.
9. Keep clean.
Be careful not to touch your face (or let others touch your face with dirty hands). Change your pillowcases regularly, always have clean bath towels to pat your face dry, and if your hair is not clean, keep it away from your skin, especially at night.
10. Don't pick!
Picking at or popping your pimples is the worst thing you can do to them. You are far better off covering them with makeup and letting them be than breaking skin and spreading the infection or scarring your skin.
Quinn Asteakis a fashion-stylist turned Sustainable Farming Expert, board certified Health Coach, and Healthy Cooking Expert. She’s the owner of Health Coach Quinn and co-founder of Healthy Cooking Camp.