Eat Pretty: Nutrition for Beauty, Inside & Out

Do you ever think about how what you put inside your body affects the outside of your body?

More and more research is pointing to a beauty/nutrition connection.

After years of suffering from acne and other skin issues, Jolene Hart was tired of looking for the best topical beauty and skin solution.

That's when she began her trial-and-error quest of healing her skin from the inside out.

What did she find?

Nutrition is at the core of clear, beautiful, youthful skin.

For example, eliminating sugar (or reducing it as much as you can) is essential. Beta carotene creates vitamin A in skin, which reduces clogged pores. Vitamin C fights wrinkles and Zinc is a great mineral for overall skin health.

While vitamin and mineral supplements can help, getting your nutrition from whole food sources is optimal. Pumpkin seeds, cashews and mushrooms are all rich in zinc. An important thing to keep in mind is that you don't store zinc in your body, so you need to make sure you get enough daily.

It's also important to get enough good fats (omega-3s) such as those found in avocados, salmon, sardines and flax. These fats help absorb the fat-soluble vitamins in the other foods you're eating; so if you don't get enough of them, you're missing out on nutrition. Your body needs fat to produce hormones, which is a key component for clear, glowing, beautiful skin. 

Proper nutrition can reduce inflammation, which contributes to blemishes, wrinkles, redness and sensitivity.

What's Jolene's opinion on topical "food masks" such as those made from avocado?

While that's a great option, avocado is such a rich nutritional element, it almost seems like a waste to make a mask and then wash it off. Avocado tastes amazing, burns quickly for energy, and is also a great vegetarian protein source.

Join Jolene as she shares more information on "eating pretty," as well as a quick recipe for a skin-healthy salad.