6 foods for glowing skin

Your skin is a reflection of your health. A blemish on your face may be a sign of an imbalance, whether it is related to nutrition, hormones, genetics, or environmental factors.

Skin is the body’s largest organ, and there are some basic bodily functions that are constantly taking place and those that decide what shows - or doesn’t - on our skin.

These functions are:

A) Skin repair due to external exposure

B) Digestion and liver function

C) Optimal kidney function

D) Hormonal Balance

A variety in your diet, adequate movement, enjoying food and happy thoughts will benefit your over-all health and leave you with ever-glowing skin.

Although health is holistic and there are no 2 ways about it, there are some key ingredients/foods which you may have been avoiding. Incorporating them on a regular bases will support the above functions and therefore help improve your skin health for a long run.

In today's blog i am sharing 6 such ingredients/foods which are not so popular but yet extremely crucial when working on our skin and overall health. Because after-all, skin is just a window to our internal organ health.

1) Sugar - Sugar has had really bad rep when you look for information related to skin health, however that is only the artificial kinds that one must be vary about. Natural sugars - like cane sugar has glycolic acid (Alpha Hydroxy acid-found in most skin products) which moisturises your skin and prevents it from sun damage and ageing. Sugar with ghee chapati, sugar-cane juice(rejuvenates the liver), jaggery in your meals, lemon water with sugar, all these will protect your skin from sun damage and keep it ever glowing.

2)Millets - Incorporating millets at least 2-3 times a week will provide you with the phenolics that protect the skin from discolouration and ageing. The vitamin B, fibre and mineral profile is also strong which supports your digestive function preventing bloating and inflammation. They are also rich in ‘Lignans’ a phytoestrogen component that supports your hormone health.

3)Full fat yoghurt - The fat is essential to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, E, D, K all of which play multiple roles but to our current interest, leave us with glowing skin. Each of these vitamins along with the good-bacteria and vitamin B-12 give you not just tight skin but a tight stomach too (bonus)

4)Coconut water - Coconut water is nature’s own sports drink with the electrolyte balance that prevents blood pressure, supports kidney function and works like a detox in the body. These electrolytes not only help to restore sodium-potassium balance and hydration levels but also keep you skin looking fresh and acne-free in this tropical heat.

5)Pickles/Fermented food - A big reason for our digestive troubles is that stress and a fast-paced lifestyle can destroy the bacteria in the GI-tract. A regular dose of this good bacteria is what we need to support our gut health, keep our digestion intact, bowel movements regular, lower blood sugar which leads to great glowing skin.

6)Rice - This one is my favourite. Rice is what helps us get rid of enlarged pores that come due high prolactin levels. Unpolished white rice is easy and light on stomach, rich in magnesium when had for dinner leads to restorative sleep which further leads to a better hormonal balance.

All this along with ensuring variety in your diet, adequate movement, food enjoyment and happy thoughts will benefit your over-all health and leave you with ever-glowing skin.