We all want healthy and radiant skin. But why does the skin become dry or too oily, tightens, gets blemishes and rashes sometimes or is sensitive to the sun?
The tasks of the skin
The skin is an organ whose task is to act as a barrier against the environment.
The skin should
- preserve moisture
- regulate temperature
- be the first line of defense against infections and external damage
- form protection against UV radiation
- form D hormones*
- carry out toxins, especially when the internal detoxification organs are stressed.
What affects the skin from the outside?
- strong sun without the right circadian rhythm all year round
- unfiltered light from screens
- perfumed products and household chemicals
- indoor air quality: ventilation, previous moisture damage that caused mold
- outdoor air quality: exhaust gases, emissions, particles.
From the inside, the skin is affected by:
- the integrity of the mucous membranes of the stomach & intestines
- food or other substances to which you may react
- toxins, antibodies or inflammatory markers in the blood.
Imbalance in the intestinal flora or infections can show up as rashes on the skin. Therefore, it can be beneficial for the skin to support all the body's detoxification pathways.
Foods that support the cleansing of toxins and waste products are often the same substances that build up and protect the skin:
- Collagen-rich foods, seafood and cartilage-rich bones. Builds up all tissues, even your skin!
- Pure fats: ghee, tallow, bone marrow and olive oil. Builds cell membranes and nerve cells.
- Fatty fish and shellfish: bioavailable copper, EPA & DHA.
- Fish liver oil : rich in, among other things, vitamin A, which is important for skin, eyes, mucous membranes and for the immune system. Contains bound copper that supports energy to all organs in the body.
- Liver, offal : amino acids, A & B vitamins, bioavailable copper and iron and choline. Supports the liver's work in clearing out toxins.
- Fermented foods – start with small doses of sauerkraut juice. Increase slowly. You can also take a mild probiotic to later switch to stronger varieties.
- Colorful foods such as green tea, algae, green leaves provide phytonutrients that protect against damage from free radicals and support detox and immune defense.
Special fatty acids that may be of importance to the skin:
- EPA & DHA – in fatty fish and shellfish. To some extent in algae.
- GLA – can the body form itself from Omega 6 fats. However, certain genetics or a lack of Omega 3 fats can cause a deficiency to occur.
- GLA is found in mother's milk, evening primrose oil, borage and blackcurrant seeds and in blue-green algae.
Skin care
Magnesium, hyaluronic acid and Quandong fruit increase the retention of moisture in the skin.
Together with collagen, these ingredients can support the skin's plumpness and make it look smoother. Hyaluronic acid can also protect against the free radicals that make the skin thinner and more wrinkled.
Quandong fruit extract also contains natural vitamin C.
*Vitamin D is now considered a steroid hormone with many different functions.
