If you want to improve the appearance of your skin, you need to learn what skin is made of and how new skin cells are formed. 

 

What Skin is Made Of

Elastin is a protein in connective tissue. Elastin helps skin to return to its original position when it is poked or pinched.

 

Fibrin is a long protein produced from the blood protein fibrinogen.

 

Collagen is mostly found in fibrous tissues, such as tendon, ligament and skin. The fibroblast¹ is the most common cell which creates collagen. Collagen is necessary to rebuild your whole system.

 

If you take between 5,000-10,000 milligrams of vitamin C daily in the form of calcium ascorbate or magnesium ascorbate, your body will be able to produce eight times more collagen than it would without the vitamin C.

 

 

What Do You Put on Your Skin? 

Many are ignorantly injuring their health and endangering their life by using cosmetics. They are robbing the cheeks of the glow of health, and then to supply the deficiency use cosmetics (Healthful Living, 189).

 

Do you know what’s in your cosmetics? You might be shocked to learn that many common products contain deadly toxins that go into your blood through the pores of your skin. If, while waiting for your skin to become the type of skin that doesn’t need cosmetics, you choose to use cosmetics, be sure to use products that are made of natural ingredients.

 

Remember, if you wouldn’t eat it, you shouldn’t put it on your skin. Read Judi Vance’s article “Deathtraps in the Cosmetics We Use.”²

 

 

 

Getting healthy skin doesn’t have to involve a complicated or expensive beauty regimen. There are many natural products that can help you enhance your skin. Some of these products can be found at the grocery or natural foods store and are relatively inexpensive.

 

Remember that taking supplements and using natural treatments to enhance your skin is not an excuse to continue using products containing toxic ingredients. It’s important to identify and eliminate toxins from your skincare and makeup routine. Try to find clean products to replace items that contain harmful ingredients and focus on improving your skin from the inside out.

 

Improving Your Skin

Beautiful, healthy skin starts on the inside. By eating well, exercising, getting enough rest, and practicing temperance, you can restore your body’s natural balance. 

 

 

Best Supplements for Skin 

It’s important to be sure you’re giving your body the vitamins and nutrients it needs for good health. Include lots of fresh fruits and vegetables at each meal, and make sure you get plant-based protein daily. Remember that supplements and topical-style treatments are not a replacement for a healthy diet, proper rest, and adequate hydration.  

 

However, even when eating a balanced diet high in nutritious foods, it’s not always possible to get everything you need from your food. Modern farming practices, long transport or storage time of produce, and health conditions can prevent you from obtaining and absorbing the nutrients you need. In certain cases, supplementation can be helpful.         

                                                                                                                       

What are the best supplements for skin that’s healthy and glowing?

 

Antioxidants repair the skin and slow the aging process while feeding your brain and protecting your body from free radical damage. Free radicals are harmful molecules that are produced internally (cell metabolism), and externally (smoking, radiation, etc.) and can cause damage to your cells. If your body can’t handle the amount of free radicals present, you enter a state of oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is damaging and can influence or trigger the development of chronic diseases.³

 

 

 

Antioxidants counter the negative effects of free radicals⁴ and help protect your body against oxidative stress. While you can take antioxidant supplements, it’s best to obtain your antioxidants from food. Foods high in antioxidants include broccoli, strawberries, blueberries, beans, and kale.  

 

Vitamin D3 helps your bones build healthy blood cells but also helps strengthen your immune system and boost your mood during winter months. If you’re outside with exposed skin for 15 minutes, you get 10, 000 IU of Vitamin D. In winter when you don’t have enough sunshine, start supplementing. The skin plays an essential role in the production of Vitamin D. It also benefits greatly when you have an adequate intake of Vitamin D.⁵

 

Rudy Davis, ND, recommends 10, 000 units of Vitamin D3 per day. Learn more about the importance of moderate sun exposure.

 

Silica is necessary for healthy skin and bone regeneration. It produces a matrix for calcium and magnesium deposits. Apples, raisins, cucumbers, and strawberries contain silica, and supplements are also available.

 

Fiber helps keep your colon clean. Waste materials from all over the body are deposited in the transverse colon. For perfectly healthy skin, keep your bowels moving and your internal tissues clean.  Try natural remedies for digestion and excretion. 

 

 

Topical Treatments 

Massage 

A massage therapist who knows the skin can help you rebuild elastin, fibrin, collagen, and the fibroblast cell. Proper skin massage stretches the skin and provides small breaks in the elastin network. This causes the blood to produce more fibrin to build up the collagen and elastin in the massaged area. This in turn gives a younger, smoother look to the skin.

If you want to see a really dramatic change in your skin, try a good massage every second day for three months while eating a balanced diet that is free from animal products and high in fresh fruits and vegetables.

 

Oils for your skin

Natural topical treatments such as oils can be more beneficial for your skin than expensive creams or lotions. Try some of these oils!  

 

Vitamin E oil is of the most potent antioxidants that you can apply externally, feeding your skin from the outside in. Vitamin E counteracts the harmful effects of reactive oxidative species (free radicals) and also offers protection against damage caused by UV light.⁶

 

Grapeseed oil is also high in antioxidants.

 

Frankincense oil can prevent and reduce wrinkles. To remove warts, apply three times per day until the wart is gone. Apply undiluted to remove sun spots on your skin. Rub on stretch marks to repair them and promote new cell growth.

 

Sacha inchi oil has the highest omega 3 content of any oil—54%—and can be applied topically and taken internally. Sacha inchi is a mild oil which is great for dry skin.⁷

 

 

Virgin coconut oil can be applied directly on the skin to provide healthy fats that keep the skin smooth and healthy. Coconut oil can also be eaten in small portions. Keep in mind that it is a saturated fat, so moderate consumption is best. 

 

 

Skin-enhancing Foods

Nutrients that enter your body are sent to the body’s internal organs. Then, if there are nutrients left over, they are sent to the skin.

 

The standard North American diet does not provide enough nutrients to rebuild the inner organs. With inadequate nutrients to feed the internal organs, nothing is left to feed the skin.

 

Try adding these skin-nourishing foods to your diet:

 

Apricots maintain youthful skin and regenerate your body’s fluids. Dried apricots enable every cellular structure in your body to hold proper amounts of moisture to maintain normal cellular function.

 

Nuts are a good source of fats for your skin. Eat a handful each day. Get a good variety.

 

Berries are rich in antioxidants⁸ which repair the skin, help slow down the aging process, and prevent skin damage. Goji berries are especially rich in essential amino acids, aid muscle regeneration, and improve digestion.

 

Freshly-made vegetable and fruit juices flood your body with the extra nutrition needed to feed your skin and organs. Drink eight to sixteen ounces. Try different combinations and remember to use more vegetable juice than fruit juice.

 

 

Getting Rid of Stretch Marks

 

Stretch marks are caused by a hormonal imbalance. If you have stretch marks, you can rebalance your hormonal system and get rid of your stretch marks with these five steps:

 

1. Eliminate animal products.
2. Eat a diet that is 80% raw.
3. Drink lots of fresh vegetable and fruit juices.
4. Take antioxidant supplements.
5. Add maca⁹ to your diet.

 

 

Beautiful skin starts on the inside, but there are things you can do to enhance your skin from the outside, such as massage or topical treatments. Try some of these treatments and  supplements for glowing skin that’s naturally beautiful!

 

 

This article is adapted from Our External Thermometer, a lecture from Dr. Rudy Davis' series Healthy from the Inside Out.