Skin essentials for radiant, firm and smooth skin.
ByKatarina Meister, ND •June 18, 2022
Natural therapies can help with not only improving our skin’s elasticity and appearance of wrinkles, but they can also help prevent DNA damage and reduce your risk of skin cancer. Skin is the body’s largest organ! Skin aging results in changes in pigmentation, decreased skin tone, dry skin, and of course, wrinkles. To help support your skin and reverse skin aging, here are a few tips to get you started:
- Supplement with Collagen Peptides: Collagen is a protein that is found in connective tissues such as your skin, bones, tendons, and cartilage. Collagen peptides help to increase skin hydration, improve skin elasticity, and decrease wrinkles. As we age our levels of collagen are depleted and can increase the appearance of skin sagging, wrinkles, and dry skin. Bone broth is a great source of collagen as well as collagen peptides.
- Increase Intake of Vitamin C: In order for our bodies to make collagen, we need vitamin C. Vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant that can protect your skin from free radical exposure when exposed to UV radiation. A topical vitamin C serum can also help with balancing pigmentation. I like SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic serum. Ensure your diet is also rich in high vitamin C foods, which include citrus fruits, bell peppers, and broccoli. If dietary sources of vitamin C aren’t cutting it, we can then supplement with vitamin C.
- Fish oil: For moisturized and healthy skin, omega 3 fatty acids from fish oil can help. Research suggests that supplementing with 4g of fish oil per day has also been found to protect against sunburn and decrease DNA damage from UV radiation. Wild caught salmon has around 1,120mg of omega 3 fatty acids content per serving.
Avoid UV Radiation: Avoid peak sun hours (10-2pm) or seek the shade especially with a UV index >6! I recommend the D-Minder app for responsible Vitamin D sun exposure. Every day it is important to apply a broad-spectrum (UVA/UVB) mineral sunscreen topically to skin-exposed areas and reapply it every 1 hr or more with sweating. Utilize UV protective clothing and hats for a longer duration of sun exposure. When it comes to finding a high quality and safe sunscreen, I recommend confirming with EWG Skin Deep, and make sure your products are in the green zone. I like Sun Bum products, as they are clean and safe for the ocean.
- Stay Hydrated. Every day we should be drinking ½ your body weight in ounces of water daily!
- Eat the Rainbow! Eating plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables ensures you are getting adequate antioxidants. Antioxidants are substances that prevent or slow damage to cells from free radicals. If you eat the color of the rainbow, you are likely getting a good amount of antioxidants from your diet. In addition to colorful veggies, 1-2 cups of green tea daily will supply your body with ample amounts of skin-protective antioxidants called catechins.
Have a Regular Skin Routine:
Exfoliate your skin 1-2x week. Try this with making your own salt scrub at home! Add sea salt to coconut or almond oil and make a paste. You can also add essential oils such as lavender or rose to support and calm the skin. Then rub into skin using gentle, circular motions to delicate areas, and you can apply more vigorously on other areas. Rinse with warm water. (Another great way to exfoliate is dry brushing your skin before your shower)
Moisturize with shea butter, cocoa butter or manuka honey. Manuka honey is made by bees in Australia and New Zealand that has anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. So, while manuka honey is great for wounds, it can also be a great addition to your skin care routine.
References
Asserin J, Lati E, Shioya T, Prawitt J. The effect of oral collagen peptide supplementation on skin moisture and the dermal collagen network: evidence from an ex vivo model and randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2015 Dec;14(4):291-301. doi: 10.1111/jocd.12174. Epub 2015 Sep 12. PMID: 26362110.
Chen YP, Liang CH, Wu HT, Pang HY, Chen C, et al. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities of collagen peptides from milkfish (Chanos chanos) scales. Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2018;55(6):2310-2317. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29892131
Inoue N, Sugihara F, Wang X. Ingestion of bioactive collagen hydrolysates enhance facial skin moisture and elasticity and reduce facial ageing signs in a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled clinical study. J Sci Food Agric. 2016 Sep;96(12):4077-81. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.7606. Epub 2016 Feb 10. PMID: 26840887.
Lesley E. Rhodes, Hassan Shahbakhti, Richard M. Azurdia, Ralf M.W. Moison, Marie-Jose S.T. Steenwinkel, Marie I. Homburg, Michael P. Dean, F. McArdle, Gerard M.J. Beijersbergen van Henegouwen, Bernd Epe, Arie A. Vink, Effect of eicosapentaenoic acid, an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, on UVR-related cancer risk in humans. An assessment of early genotoxic markers, Carcinogenesis, Volume 24, Issue 5, May 2003, Pages 919–925, https://doi.org/10.1093/carcin/bgg038
Editor’s Note: The information in this article is intended for your educational use only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health practitioners with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and before undertaking any diet, supplement, fitness, or other health program.