Your Complete Functional Medicine Guide: To Clear Glowing Skin

How to Keep Skin Clean and Glowing

Thankfully, there are many lifestyle changes you can easily incorporate into your daily life to help heal your gut and achieve vibrant skin – no pricey beauty creams required because you will be tackling the source of the problem, which comes from the inside. Here’s where to start:

1. Quit the skin-damaging foods

Sugar, including too many natural sweeteners like coconut sugar and honey, can contribute significantly to a poor complexion by feeding the bad bacteria in your gut. Grains also contain amylose sugars and similar proteins to gluten that can continue to perpetuate gut dysfunction and increase gut permeability.

2. Discover your food intolerances

Each individual’s biochemistry is unique, and so are each person’s particular food intolerances and sensitivities. Learning which foods trigger an inflammatory response in you can help you to structure a dietary plan that optimizes your health and minimizes internal dysfunction. Once you know what to avoid, replace those personal inflamers with the superfoods that make your skin glow. An elimination diet is the gold standard for finding out which foods work for you.

3. Soothe, repair, and prevent skin damage with coconut oil

Why spend hundreds of dollars on fancy skin creams when coconut oil does it all? Not only is this oil a great choice for cooking due to the fact that it doesn’t oxidize at high temps and become inflammatory, but it is also antimicrobial, (2) making it a great choice for a makeup remover or moisturizer, slaying bacteria in the process.

4. Take probiotics

Fermented foods contain the beneficial bacteria that helps tip your microbiome and gut health in the right direction. Foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefir can provide a daily dose of gut-boosting good guys to shore up your health from the inside out.

5. Support your skin with collagen

Collagen is a type of protein comprised of three amino acids – glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline – and it is the primary building block in connective tissue, which includes cartilage, bones, blood vessels, tendons, and skin. Supplemental collagen helps to regulate the body’s natural collagen production while also promoting skin elasticity to keep you looking more youthful. Since most people only get about 3 grams of dietary glycine (we need about 15 grams per day through diet), adding a collagen supplement to your wellness routine can be a real boost to skin and all connective tissue health and strength. You can add collagen powder to your morning tea or smoothie.

6. Tap into the power of adaptogens

The plant and herb medicines known today as adaptogens are some of my favorite tools to help bring balance to every system in the body, skin included. Pearl powder in particular is packed with amino acids that help nourish skin. Holy basil is another one of my favorites because of it’s anti-inflammatory power and the way it promotes a more youthful appearance. With adaptogens increasing in popularity among celebrities and the wellness world as a whole, it is easier than ever before to find these magic powders. You can experiment with adding them to elixirs, smoothies, or organic coffee. Or, just sprinkle them over your favorite dishes to add skin-boosting magic to your meals.

7. Sip on bone broth

Dense with nutrients like skin-enhancing minerals and skin-strengthening collagen, bone broth soothes a damaged and inflamed gut and restores dull skin by encouraging elasticity. Bone broth is easy to make and there are a ton of fun, creative bone broth recipes available online. You can also buy quality versions in your favorite health food store, so go ahead and incorporate this superfood medicine into your daily routine.

8. Add a boost of biotin

Biotin is a B-vitamin that helps your body synthesize fatty acids that work to (among many other things) protect skin from harsh environmental elements like sun and wind. Because your skin cells rely on fat (3) for protection, biotin is essential for resilient skin. You can take biotin supplements, but you can also get biotin through whole food sources such as avocados, wild-caught fish, grass-fed beef liver, and eggs.

9. Give EGCG a try

Epigallocatechin gallate is a type of antioxidant polyphenol that fights cell-damaging free radicals that lead to signs of aging. Found in abundance in green tea, especially matcha, EGCG has been shown to rejuvenate skin cells (4) that are dying. Power in a teacup!

10. Tone up and firm up with apple cider vinegar

For an after-cleansing toner, you can’t beat good old apple cider vinegar. This kitchen staple can help clear up blemishes by balancing your skin’s pH level, but that’s not all. One study showed that apple cider vinegar reduced the appearance of eczema (5) in just three weeks.

11. Heal your microbiome

Your microbiome refers to the collection of bacteria and yeast in your gut. Research shows that the health of your gut impacts almost every area of your health – skin included.

Start off by running diagnostic labs including a comprehensive stool test which looks for any bacterial imbalances and yeast overgrowths. It also looks at a few other conditions that can play a role in poor complexion.

• Small Instestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) occurs when bacteria grows outside of your colon into your small intestines where it shouldn’t be.
• Dysbiosis is when there is an imbalance of good and bad bacteria in your microbiome and has been linked (6) to skin problems.
• Hypochlorhydria is when there is a decrease in stomach acid. This condition is often found (7) in people with acne.
• Candida overgrowth can wreck your gut and perpetuate inflammatory skin issues.
• Chronic infections such as parasitic infections continue to fuel inflammation.

12. Assess for leaky gut syndrome

It’s also essential to look at the health of your intestinal lining, as well as what is in your gut, since it is the defense system of your gut. Leaky gut syndrome happens when your gut lining is compromised allowing undigested food particles and bacterial endotoxins to enter your blood stream where they don’t belong. This fuels inflammatory health problems including skin issues. You can have a blood test run to see if this is a problem for you.

13. Look at your hormones

When miscommunication happens between your brain and endocrine system it can lead to hormone imbalances and contribute to skin problems. High testosterone, also known as androgen dominance, has been shown to cause skin problems. Adrenal fatigue can also hinder your body’s ability to handle stress and can contribute to poor skin health. With a few lifestyle and dietary changes, you can begin to rehab adrenal fatigue.

14. Support any genetic weaknesses

Methylation is your biochemical superhighway that ensures your gut, brain, and skin are in optimal health. Certain genetic methylation impairments such as the MTHFR gene mutation can inhibit this extremely important process. This specific gene mutation can make it difficult for your body to convert the B vitamin folic acid into activated methyl-folate which is needed to fuel methylation pathways. But once you are aware of any genetic weakness you can begin to support them with targeted supplementation and superfoods rich in B vitamins.

15. Stay away from inflammatory foods

Anything that damages your gut can also damage your skin. Sugar and gluten are the top offenders but everyone has different tolerances to other foods.

16. Eat more egg yolks

Egg yolks from pasture-raised, organic eggs are loaded with vitamins A, D, E, and B as well as choline, iron, calcium, potassium, and phosphorus which are all essential for clear skin and healthy hormones. Certain people with inflammatory health problems can’t tolerate the albumin protein in egg whites but don’t have issues with the yolk.

17. Eat more avocados

Avocados are abundant in healthy fats and vitamins such as A, D, E, and K2 as well as magnesium and B vitamins – all of which are necessary for healthy methylation, hormones, and skin.

18. Take Swedish bitters

This herbal tonic works to build up low stomach acid production and helps heal infections.

19. Spend more time outdoors

Vitamin D is often referred to as the sunshine vitamin as our bodies convert sunlight into usable vitamin D which is needed for healthy hormones and skin. (8)

20. Include more fruits and vegetables in your diet

Green vegetables such as celery, spinach, and Swiss chard are filled with nutrients that nourish your methylation pathways and the gut-skin axis. Up your intake of green juices and smoothies to pack in more of these superfoods.

Low-fructose berries like blueberries are rich in antioxidants that help to fight free-radical damage that contributes to signs of aging.

21. Drink coconut kefir

Fermented dairy is also loaded with probiotics to nourish your microbiome. In fact, Lactobacillus acidophilus which is abundant in kefir has been linked (9) to an improvement in skin health.

22. Turn to turmeric

This spice works to calm inflammation in the body. Use it to season your favorite meals and include it in your favorite golden milk recipe – coconut milk, black pepper, turmeric, and a dash of raw honey.

23. Supplement with fermented cod liver oil

This oil is a great source of omega fats and contains vitamins A, D, and K2 to help heal your skin.

24. Eat grass-fed, organic liver

Liver is one of the most nutrient-dense foods for skin health as it contains zinc, vitamin A, and vitamin B.

25. Supplement with vitamin A

True vitamin A, known as retinol, is only found in animal products like grass-fed liver and wild-caught fish. Carrots and sweet potatoes contain plant carotenes which are a precursor to vitamin A but the rate that it converts to usable retinol is weak.

26. Eat more wild-caught fish

To get in more omega fats, eat more wild-caught fish that are low in toxins like Alaskan salmon, pole-caught albacore tuna, Arctic char, and rainbow trout.

7 Healing Elixirs For Youthful and Glowing Skin

The health of our skin goes beyond skin issues like acne. We also all want our skin to look vibrant and youthful as we age. And we've seen just how much true vitality starts with what we put into our bodies. There are plenty of ways to look and feel younger, all through the power of delicious food medicines.

Here are some of my favorite recipes featuring some of the world’s most potent beauty foods. I recommend having one every day…minimum! Rotate these throughout the week for the greatest (and most beautifying) variety.

1. Immortal mermaid latte

Ever wonder why mermaids always look so gorgeous? I’m pretty sure it’s the blue-green algae. The aquatic hues from aphanizomenon flos-aquae and spirulina are antioxidant rich, decrease inflammation, (10) and protect your cells to keep your skin and body looking younger every day.

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 cups full fat coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon blue-green algae powder
• 1 teaspoon honey (or more to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon organic vanilla

Method:

Place all ingredients in a saucepan and heat over low until warm. Stir gently until all the ingredients are dissolved. Pour into a mug and enjoy with additional cinnamon sprinkled on top.

2. Adaptogenic mushroom hot cocoa

Elevate your boring old hot cocoa with a super blend of adaptogenic mushrooms. You’ll not only be getting a rich chocolate experience, but you’ll be fighting inflammation and cellular damage with every sip. Both chaga and cordyceps contain powerful antioxidants and decrease pro-inflammatory lipid peroxidation, for an anti-aging one-two punch. Keep your brain healthy as well with lion’s mane, which has been shown to decrease cognitive decline.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups coconut or almond milk
• 1/2 teaspoon chaga powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cordyceps powder
• 1/2 teaspoon lion’s mane powder
• 2 tablespoons raw cacao powder
• 2 tablespoons medjool date paste

Method:

Place all ingredients in a saucepan and heat until warm, stirring gently to dissolve the solids. Pour into mug and enjoy!

3. Dewy-skin smoothie

Stress and dryness are two of the worst things for your skin, but this smoothie will help you manage stress with adaptogens, which are great for balancing stress hormones, and healthy fats, which are also needed for a radiant complexion. Plus, the avocados and coconut milk in this recipe make this skin-saving green smoothie extra creamy.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup kale, chopped
• 1 avocado
• 1/2 teaspoon holy basil powder
• 1/2 teaspoon mucuna pruriens powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ashwagandha powder
• 1/2 organic apple
• 2 stalks celery
• 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk

Method:

Combine all ingredients in blender, blend, and enjoy.

4. Skin-brightening lavender tonic

In the kingdom of adaptogens, pearl is the monarch of beauty. It’s a powerhouse source of aminos that strengthen (11) your hair and nails and nourish your skin. Add lavender to calm the skin from the inside out and you have a tonic that will erase years.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pearl powder
• 2 to 3 drops lavender essential oil
• 2 drops of liquid stevia (optional)

Method:

Add lemon juice, pearl, lavender essential oil, and optional stevia in water and stir until combined.

5. Youthful glow bee-pollen iced tea

Bee pollen helps to reduce inflammation through its antioxidant activity, helping skin de-flame and rejuvenate. Plus, the B vitamins (no pun intended!) in bee pollen support healthy methylation pathways, which are essential for both your gut and skin health. The surprise addition of dandelion leaves also gives your liver a boost, promoting healthy detoxification, so your whole body will feel refreshed.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups hot water
• 1 to 2 teaspoons dried dandelion leaves
• 1 teaspoon manuka honey (or more to taste)
• 1 teaspoon bee pollen

Method:

Place dandelion leaves in tea ball and steep in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove tea ball and let sit to reach room temperature. Stir in the honey and bee pollen until they are completely dissolved, then refrigerate. Serve over ice.

6. Wrinkle-crushing well milk

Grass-fed collagen and marine collagen are good sources for protein, which helps skin retain its elasticity, reducing the appearance of wrinkles. Combine this with papayas and blueberries for an extra boost of antioxidant phytonutrients for a double dose of anti-aging power.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup blueberries
• 1/4 cup papaya, chopped
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 teaspoon grass-fed collagen or marine collagen

Method:

Blend blueberries and papaya together in blender and then stir in fruit puree and collagen into almond milk.

7. Anti-inflammatory sipping broth

Bone broth is a super gut healer and inflammation buster, and both those qualities improve skin because to have healthy skin, you need to have a healthy gut. Turmeric and black pepper work synergistically to calm inflammation throughout your body, including your skin. Make a big pot of this to sip throughout the day or have as a calming, warm drink before bedtime.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 1 cup bone broth
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of black pepper
• 1 teaspoon raw honey
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder

Method:

Blend ingredients well in a blender. Pour into a saucepan and heat for 3 to 5 minutes over medium heat until warm.

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