7 Dietary Ways to Remove Toxins for Healthy Skin

Have you applied all sorts of expensive creams or cleansers and wondered why your skin continued to look unhealthy?  That is because healthy skin comes from the inside out.  You might not often think of it this way, but remember, your skin is an organ, and like all organs, it benefits from a healthy, toxin-free diet.

Here are some dietary steps you can take to have healthy, beautiful skin:

1. Stay hydrated

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

* You have probably heard about the importance of drinking water to stay healthy and cleanse the system, and that includes your skin.  Make sure you are drinking plenty of water, at least six 8oz. glasses a day.  In fact, all fluids you drink count towards your daily hydration needs, but limit caffeinated beverages as they have diuretic and dehydrating effects. 

* Add a squeeze of lemon juice to cleanse your liver.  In traditional Chinese medicine, poor skin indicates an unhealthy liver - which makes sense, as these are our two main organs of detoxification.

2. Bring on the fats

* For your skin to remain plump and supple, applying moisturizers can help, but taking healthy fats into your system will also have a deeper, healthier effect on your skin. 

* Flax, olive, and fish oils, as well as clean animal fats such as organic butter from grass-fed cows, and expeller-pressed organic coconut oil, should be incorporated into the diet. Eat fatty, cold-water fish such as salmon at least once a week, but make sure it is from a reputable source so that you are not adding to your body's toxic overload by eating fish that have lived in toxic waters. Only eat wild-caught fish - never farmed.

3. Fresh fruits and vegetables

* In addition to hydrating the body, fresh veggies and fruits provide vital skin-healthy nutrients and antioxidants, such as vitamins A, C and E and toxin-absorbing fiber.  Lightly steamed or raw are the ideal ways to consume these foods, in order to preserve their vitamin and antioxidant powers. 

4. Nuts and seeds

* These little gems include important blood-building nutrients like iron, and healthy circulation and blood are key to good skin health.

* Nuts and seeds also contain healthy fats which, as noted above, keep the skin smooth and glowing.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

5. Go organic

* If you have not already, switch to organic foods.  Your body needs to be as free from toxins as possible for your skin to be healthy, and organic food is not contaminated with synthetic herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers.

* These harmful substances can also cause hormonal imbalances, which are strongly implicated in acne and other skin problems.  This goes for produce, as well as meats and dairy products. Speaking of dairy products...  

6. Limit dairy products

* Except for plain yogurt, you should sharply limit your dairy intake if you want healthier skin.  Most modern dairy products are likely to contain hormones or antibiotics or other toxins. Only eat dairy from organically raised, grass-fed animals.

7. Limit junk and fast foods

These "foods" are full of artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, and unhealthy fats.  Cleanse your skin from the inside by eating whole, fresh natural foods instead. They taste better and are more satisfying too!

There you have it - 7 ways to get healthy, glowing skin - naturally!  And your whole body will be healthier as well.

Video - The Raw Milk Debate

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Get Great Skin From the Inside Out

Our skin is the first thing that people see of us. But, to make it look its best requires us to watch what we do to our insides. To get the best from our skin, we need to eat foods that nourish us and don't fill us up with toxins that are hard for the body to process.

Image via WikipediaThe skin is after all an organ. It is the only one that is on the outside of our body. As such, whenever there is a problem on the inside of our body, it will show up in our skin. Have you ever experienced dull and lifeless-looking skin? You were probably also sick at the time. The reason for this is that our skin is actually our largest detoxing organ.

In order to prevent the skin from looking sick, you need to feed your body the right way. Eating healthy keeps your skin healthy as well. Here are some ideas of how to eat for a great-looking outer layer!

* Berries – Berries of all sorts are full of antioxidants. We know that antioxidants fight free radical damage done in the body from cellular activity. It is this damage that can lead to wrinkles, saggy skin and other signs of aging. To keep skin strong, toned and looking its best, keep free radical damage to a minimum. Try strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and others.

* Water – Drink as much as you can. Water gives the body an internal shower. It helps the body to remove toxins at the same time. Try drinking at least eight glasses a day.

Image via Wikipedia* Green tea – This contains antioxidant substances called polyphenols. These are also found in chocolate that contains a high level of cacao. Polyphenols have anti-inflammatory properties. This increases immunity levels as well, and it has been said, they can slow the aging process as well.

* Dairy products – Eat full-fat yogurt, cheese, and cottage cheese. Why full fat?? The fat is an essential part of the milk. Removing it impairs digestion and removes a lot of the nutrients that are contained in the fat. Dairy contains vitamin A, an essential vitamin for skin health. But guess what? It's not in the milk - it's in the cream. If you remove this, you are removing the vitamins along with it. Eating full-fat dairy products in moderation is perfectly fine for your metabolism, and actually some studies have shown may even improve it. Yogurt also contains live cultures and probiotics to keep the digestive system clean and the bowels moving properly to remove unwanted waste products. A healthy intestinal system also shows in the skin.

Image by malloreigh via Flickr* Omega 3 fatty acids – These are great for increasing heart health but also can improve the look and feel of skin. Fats are needed for proper cellular membrane construction. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in plant oils like olive oil and flaxseed oil. Also, eating cold water fish like salmon gives you a healthy dose of it. Try to eat fish at least twice a week - but be careful which fish you eat. Large fish can contain high levels of mercury, and fish farmed overseas may be contaminated with a lot of other junk. (Here are a couple of links which may help you in choosing healthy, safe fish: http://www.rodale.com/safe-fish-eat
http://www.ewg.org/safefishlist )

* Whole grains – They don’t just keep the blood sugar level but also contain minerals that nourish skin. Whole grain cereals and breads contain selenium, vitamin E and vitamin A. All are helpful for healthy cellular growth of the skin and reduced inflammation. However, many grains are hard for the human body to digest. Consume sprouted grains where possible, to aid in digestion and absorb the most nutrients possible.

Keep your body healthy on the outside by feeding it well on the inside, and your skin will look great in return - even through the winter months!