The Best and Worst Foods For Your Skin

First impressions are everything, which is why it’s so important to put your best face forward. The latest research shows it’s not just what you put on your skin that matters—it’s what you put in it. Eating habits can either make or break your complexion, which is why you should be more cognizant about your diet. Here are my top recommendations for foods to consume more of and foods to avoid entirely.

Eat more:

1. Fish

Want to keep wrinkles and redness at bay?  Then it’s time to make fish a staple in your diet.

Due to being rich in omega-3 fatty acids, fish is powerful ally when it comes to reducing inflammation and promoting hydration. Dr. Leslie Baumann, certified board dermatologist and founder of Baumann Cosmetic & Research Institute, recommends consuming wild fish as opposed to farm-raised fish whenever possible, since it is higher in omega-3s.

2. Berries

Most of you will be delighted to see that berries made the list. Not only are they sweet and nutritious, they’re also highly nutritious. Berries are loaded with antioxidants, which are known for combating free radicals. Several studies have linked free radicals to accelerated aging. 

3. Green Tea

While we’re on the topic of antioxidants, green tea is a potent source of polyphenols, an antioxidant with powerful anti-inflammatory properties.

"Of all the antioxidants known to mankind, the components of green tea are the most potent," says Dr. Hasan Mukhtar, a professor and director of research in the dermatology department at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. "Antioxidants are those agents which can counteract the effects of oxidant radicals."

Steer clear of:

1. Dairy

I know, hard to believe, considering most of us grew up with the ever-so-popular “Got milk?” commercials. But it turns out, that was just clever marketing.  

New evidence has emerged that shows a link between dairy and several inflammatory skin conditions, including acne, rosacea, and psoriasis. Researchers are still unsure as to whether it’s due to the naturally occurring sugars that are present within dairy or the hormones that go along with it. Either way, this is one food group you want to avoid.

2. Refined Sugar and Processed Carbs

Even if you can eat donuts, bagels, cookies, and French fries without putting on a pound of weight, you’re still damaging your skin at the cellular level.  That’s because refined sugar and processed carbs cause an immediate spike in insulin. When that happens, it sends your body into overdrive, which translate to inflammation, irritation, and a loss of skin elasticity. What your body needs is a slow, steady release of energy. Ditch the sweet treats and white bread and instead opt for whole grains and fresh fruit.

3. Alcohol

While there’s research to suggest that a glass of wine a day is healthy, at the end of the day it’s still poison. Your body treats it as a toxin and as such, actively has to work to get rid of it. Some people can see the effect this has on the skin immediately, in a reaction known as flush. But even if you don’t see the effects right away, you will years down the line.

One word of note: I realize that there are situations in life that make it next to impossible to avoid one or two of the bad food groups listed. My suggestion is to make exceptions only on special occasions (a new job, a birthday, a family get-together). In the effort to stay healthy, don’t neglect your mental health by trying to adhere to too strict of a diet.

Good luck on your vibrant skin journey!

The Connection Between Skin and Stress

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We’ve all been there. It’s right before a wedding, right before a big presentation. It’s right before some huge event and your skin is freaking the hell out. You were fine just a couple weeks ago, but now your face is covered in red spots, pimples, and maybe even a little rash.

Despite the fact that most of us have experienced this phenomenon, studies show that the majority of Americans do not believe that stress has any connection to skin. But that’s all changing, thanks to a new field called psychodermatology.

“Psychodermatology practitioners treat skin the way a psychotherapist treats behavior—by learning how it responds to emotional and environmental stressors and helping to moderate those responses,” says Ted Grossbart, Ph.D. “The more we learn about how much emotional and psychological states influence our physical states, and vice versa, the more the line blurs between these categories.”

This revolutionary new medical field is more important given the fact that stress levels are on the rise in the U.S. Yep, that’s right, according to a survey conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA), average stress levels in the U.S. increased from 4.9 in 2014 to 5.1 in 2015. And that’s on a 10-point scale.

"The common dermatological issues that have been documented to be made worse by stress include acne, rosacea, psoriasis, itching, eczema, pain and hives, just to name a few," says Rick Fried, MD, PhD.

So what can you do to protect your skin in times of stress?

It’s simple: set some time aside to take care of your mental/emotional well being. A lot of people find yoga to do the trick. Others find going on a walk helps them decompress. And yet others will find that simply allowing themselves to kick back, relax, and watch some TV gives them some much-needed relaxation.

But whichever method you choose, make sure that you combine your relaxation ritual with a healthy diet, exercise, and 7-8 hours of sleep each night.   

Fight Wrinkles With Exercise

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Research has shown that exercise can delay (and even reverse!) the signs of aging. A study conducted by McMaster University revealed that sedentary lifestyles contribute to balding, grey hair, saggy skin, and wrinkles.

Researchers used mice for the first portion of their experiment. The rodents were split into two groups: one group had an exercise wheel and the other did not. Results revealed that the sedentary mice quickly became frail and ill. Their fur also began to grey and fall out.

Meanwhile, the mice that exercised never got grey fur at all. Although their fur did fall out, it was in much smaller percentages than in the sedentary group. But most importantly, the active mice maintained healthy organs.

After examining the results of the study, the researchers decided to see if the same results would occur with people. Again, two groups: one group exercised for three sessions a week, the other didn’t exercise at all. Participants ranged in age from 20 to 84.

Researchers found that those who exercised had dramatically better skin. But researchers also acknowledge the fact that some of the differences could be attributed to diet, genes, environmental factors, and other lifestyle choices.

The only true way to examine the effect then, would be to take the sedentary group and have them start exercising. So that's what researchers did. After just three months, researchers found improvement in the tone, appearance, and texture of their skin.

Scientists still haven't pinpointed an exact reason as to why exercise makes for young-looking skin. Some researchers theorize it’s because of the increased blood circulation. Others believe it’s because exercise relieves stress, which can be a major contributor to skin problems. And yet others think it’s because exercise helps the body get rid of toxins. Either way, there’s substantial evidence that points to the fact that exercise gives people a more youthful, radiant glow.

Beauty Spotlight: Lemons

Lemon can help skin, hair, teeth, and more.
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 I’m always looking for ways to incorporate natural ingredients into my beauty regime (not that it’s much of a regime, per se). For some reason, the thought of using nature’s pure ingredients to boost beauty appeals a heck of a lot more than buying some product with 5,000 ingredients that I can’t even begin to pronounce. Call me crazy, but that’s just how I feel.

We’ve already talked about the incredible benefits olive oil has for your skin. Now let’s get down and dirty with another natural ingredient: lemons! Besides cooking with lemon, you can also use it on your skin, teeth, and more. So, how does it all work? Check it out:

Non-Surgical Cosmetic Procedures

People will go to great lengths to preserve youth and beauty, especially when it comes to their faces. Taking care of our bodies goes a long way in keeping us looking youthful for many years past what some others might experience. For example, those who get a dark tan and have lots of exposure to UV rays will often develop more wrinkles and “leathery” looking skin as they age, whereas those who are careful to protect their skin will develop fewer wrinkles later in life.

Microcurrent Facial Sculpting uses electrical currents to lift and firm.
Image from hdbeautynow.com

But beyond simple tricks to keep wrinkles at bay, which I wrote a post on back in February, many people resort to surgical and non-surgical procedures to help them stay young looking. As far as cosmetic medicine goes, the most I’ve ever participated in was a facial—but I’ve always been intrigued by some of the methods that have been developed to keep the wrinkles at bay.

Here are some of the non-surgical procedures I’ve heard of people using and what I could find out about them:

Microcurrent Facial Sculpting lifts and firms muscles using tiny electrical currents so slight that they can’t be felt. They help relax tightened muscles and help sagging muscles regain strength and firm up. Microcurrent treatments essentially restore the facial muscles to their original shape and position, and the effects can be seen immediately.

Invisilift tightens and tones the face and neck using sound waves (like an ultrasound). These sound waves do several things, including increasing blood and oxygen flow in the skin, stimulating lymphatic drainage, and increasing collagen and elastin production in the dermis (which helps us produce healthier skin). It can help with acne, rosacea, complexion color and texture, puffiness, sagging skin, and pore size.

Suzanne Somers is on Mattone's "Wall of Fame"
Image from suzannesomers.com

Endermologie reduces cellulite appearance and circumference using a sucking and rolling technique that smooths cellulite while redistributing dimpled skin. Essentially, it helps with the “cottage cheese” appearance that our top layer of fat can have. Its effects are temporary and most noticeable on those who are in fairly good shape.

Celebrities and A-listers have used many of these procedures in the past, and doctors like Kelly O’Malley Mattone have walls of fame that feature people like the Cuomos, Suzanne Somers and Russell Crowe. Mattone grew up with a love for both medicine and aesthetics, which is why she eventually made her way into cosmetic medicine after working in sports medicine for many years. She now has her own cosmetics line and cosmetic medicine studio. Her husband, real estate mogul Carl Mattone, is equally as successful in his career as well. Talk about a power couple!

What do you all think of procedures like these? Like I said, I’ve never tried any of them before, but I am intrigued by them. They seem harmless enough, and I suppose if you’ve got the money and it matters that much to you it could be worth it. For now, I’ll stick to using sunscreen, eating salmon, and drinking tea J

The Truth About Tanning

When I was young, I was convinced that my pale skin was ugly. Ever since I can remember, being tan has been considered beautiful—while pale skin was called things like “sickly” and “pasty.” I was jealous of my friends that could tan effortlessly, of my sister who always had a healthy golden glow, of my best friend who couldn’t burn if she tried. I, on the other hand, burn in about five minutes.

Society says tan is more beautiful. What do you think?
Image from thebeachtanning.com

My mother tried to convince me countless times that my pale skin was just as beautiful as others, but I never believed her. To this day, I still find myself wishing at times that I were just a little darker, a little less red and a little more bronze. But mostly I’ve accepted that my Irish heritage simply doesn’t allow for that—and that’s okay.

Because even as I look wistfully at my tan friends, I remember that all the safe sun practices I’ve learned and all the tanning booths I haven’t visited make me much less at risk for developing melanoma. I have also found role models in pale-skinned actresses that I consider incredibly beautiful people—Anne Hathaway, Nicole Kidman, Evanna Lynch, Naomi Watts, Scarlett Johansson, Zooey Deschanel, and more.

Anne Hathaway
Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com"

Zooey Deschanel
Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com

My grandfather worked on the railroad for years, spending long days in the sun. In his later years, he developed melanoma on his face and ears, and I can remember him regularly having to get spots removed before the cancer spread to the rest of his body.

Tanning beds have been around for years now. And even though scientific data conclusively points out that using them increases the risk for developing melanoma, we continue to put ourselves in harm’s way. One Tacoma, Washington, couple found out the dangers of tanning the hard way when their daughter Shelley died of melanoma at just 34-years old. She had tanned frequently as a teen and felt like she needed to be tan to be beautiful.

“The paradigm that tan skin is beautiful killed my daughter,” said Shelley’s father, Peter Rasmussen. Rasmussen has urged lawmakers countless times over the past four years to pass a bill that would ban teens and children from tanning beds, and Washington State is currently considering raising the minimum usage age up to 18.

About 13% of teens say they've used tanning beds.

Image: Shutterstock

And while even some tanning salon owners in Washington agree that tanning is unnecessary and dangerous especially for children, not all states even have a minimum tanning age. Missouri is one of 17 states that has no age restriction for tanning.

In a study conducted by researchers at Washington University, children as young as 10 years old have used tanning beds in Missouri. Of the 243 randomly selected salons surveyed, 65% said children between 10 and 12 would be allowed to use tanning beds. In many cases, operators at salons also claimed that there were no risks associated with indoor tanning and that tanning would help protect them from future sunburns.

But those claims are completely false. According to the CDC, users of tanning beds under the age of 35 have a 75% increased risk of developing melanoma, eye cancer, changes in skin texture, and other problems.

Tan Mom before and after tanning beds
Image from people.com

Mostly, this article was brought on by the recent news that New Jersey’s infamous “tan mom” had all charges against her dropped. She was accused of taking her 5-year-old daughter tanning with her, which is illegal in New Jersey where the minimum age is 16. The world made fun of tan mom for her burnt appearance, but it mostly made me sad to see that someone would become so obsessed with being tan. She was ridiculed, but she was just an extreme example of what happens when we define beauty so narrowly.

Her daughter is being taught that she isn’t beautiful just the way she is—that she has to conform to ridiculous parameters set by society to be considered pretty. And that’s just not true. We are each made a little differently, and it’s so important that we pass that message on to our children. No matter your natural skin color, eye color, race, ethnicity, size, shape...

You are beautiful, just the way you are. Pass it on.

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!
Image from inspiredbycharm.com

Mirror, Mirror on the… Hey, Is That a Wrinkle?!

Wrinkles: at some point in our lives, we’ll all get them. It’s a natural part of aging and goes along with the degradation of collagen in our bodies. And while we will inevitably find more and more wrinkles on our hands and faces as we age, there are a few things research has taught us over the years that may help slowwrinkles down.

Getting wrinkles is a natural part of aging.

Image: Shutterstock

The number one cause of wrinkles is sun. That means if you’re set on spending all summer, every summer out in the sunlight getting your tan on, you’ll likely see more wrinkles sooner than those who work hard to protect their skin. Need proof? Last summer a story was featured on the NY Post about a trucker who spent 28 years on theroad with half his face in the sun. You can literally see the difference sun makes by looking at one half of his face as compared to the other.

Pulling all-nighters takes its toll as well. When your body doesn’t get enough sleep, it produces and excess of cortisol, which breaks down skin cells. When you do get enough sleep, your body produces Human Growth Hormone (HGH) instead, which keeps your skin healthy and thick. Furthermore, if you always sleep on the same side or on your stomach, you may eventually develop permanent sleep lines on your face that don’t go away.

Half of this trucker's face is badly damaged from sun
Image from nypost.com

What you eat affects wrinkles as well. Whole foods boost collagen, while processed and sugary foods do the opposite. Foods like salmon, which contains plenty of fatty acids, helps keep skin supple and smooth. Soy has also been found to help improve firmness. Antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables (especially berries and dark leafy greens) also help fight any skin damage you may have. Green and black teas also include antioxidants to help slow collagen degradation.

Have you ever noticed that men and women who are physically fit seem to age slower? That’s because building muscle tone through strength training and yoga helps prevent sagging and delivers oxygen throughout your body (including to your skin!).

Being happy leads to fewer wrinkles.

Image: Shutterstock

When skin gets dry, it cracks, bleeds—and wrinkles. Drinking enough water keeps skin moisturized and clean. Moisturizers with peptides in them also help keep skin healthy, so check your ingredients list. Moisturizer should be applied just after washing skin because the dampness can help lock in more moisture. If you’ve already noticed some wrinkles appearing, try a retinol cream. Dabbing on a small amount can help repair skin and reduce wrinkles.

Last, but certainly not least, happiness and independence from chemical substances helps prevent wrinkles. Those who smoke or drink alcohol on a regular basis may develop more wrinkles than those who do not. Studies have also indicated that people who are optimistic about life and in a happy relationship also had fewer wrinkles and looked younger.