Everyone wants to have radiant, healthy skin, especially in the summer, right?  Beautiful skin is a sign of good health and so we spend oodles on fancy skincare products such as creams, cleansers and toners, all designed to rejuvenate our skin and make us look our best.  After all, there is nothing more embarrassing than a blemish on your forehead before a big presentation, or waking up to a greasy T-zone in the morning. In fact, it seems like over half of the marketing directed at women these days is for a new magical “look 10 years younger” cream-- promising to give us the vitality, beauty and youthfulness of the model in the magazine.

However, beautiful skin is more than skin deep, and in fact, a lot can be done from the inside out to give us the results we want for a fraction of the cost in a way that is completely natural.

When I made the transition from microfinance professional to holistic health coach this past year, I began getting lots of compliments on my skin. Friends started telling me I look 5 years younger, and I no longer had painfully dry skin in the winter and oily skin in the summer--something I had experienced my whole life. But aside from switching my night cream to unrefined virgin coconut oil (yes, straight from the cooking section at Whole Foods-it rocks!) I had done little to change my morning and evening routine.

So what gives? Basically I cleaned up what I ate. I focused on a diet full of whole foods; eliminated most processed foods and drastically reduced my sugar intake.  I’m convinced a healthy diet can do more for your skin than a fancy cream or gel in a way that benefits your whole body from the inside out.  It’s like a two for one special--and who doesn’t love a bargain?

Eating a balanced diet and cutting out extra sugar and processed foods will certainly benefit your skin, not to mention your waistline. Even better, there are a few nutritional rockstars that can really give your skin a boost. So be sure to fill your cart with these items the time you’re at the store:

• Walnuts: Walnuts are loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids, which help nutrients enter cells and reduces inflammation that can clog pores. Omega-3’s may also help protect against skin damage. Other sources of Omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, flax seed oil, ground flax seeds, fish oil supplements, and sardines.
• Blueberries: Some of the most powerful anti-aging food comes from berries such as blueberries, which contain powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants help strengthen the cell walls and guard against invasion from free radicals, which can cause premature aging.
• Tomatoes: The lycopene found in tomatoes also helps protect cells against dangerous free radicals, which can cause premature aging (Be sure to eat a healthy oil with your tomatoes such as olive oil-it will help your body absorb more of the nutrients!).  Other lycopene rich foods include pink grapefruit and watermelon.
• Spinach: The beta-carotene found in leafy greens such as spinach is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect cells against sun damage. Beta-carotene can also be found in carrots, sweet potatoes and mangos.
• Whole Grains: Adding more whole grains into your diet not only reduces the amount of refined flour (which can cause cellular inflammation) but also contains B vitamins which are essential for skin renewal and repair. B vitamins also help protects skin against drying and cracking.

And don’t forget to drink lots of water! Fresh water helps move toxins out of the body, which could otherwise be excreted through the skin leading to breakouts.  Try drinking a big glass right when you wake up in the morning to really get things moving.

Spinach salad with beet, watermelon and feta cheese

Last but not least, enjoy your food! Eating healthfully doesn’t have to be painful. There are tons of delicious recipes made from whole foods that can seriously rock your world. I’m sharing a photo here of a salad I made with spinach, watermelon and beet. Perfect for these hot summer days!

Have another natural skincare tip or tasty recipe? Please feel free to share it on the blog!

Cheers,

Cameron Rosenthal is a holistic health coach, registered yoga teacher and founder of SoulFull Wellness (www.soulfullwellness.com). Her mission is to help busy DC professionals find balance and fulfillment in their lives using an approach that is natural, fun and guilt-free. She provides step by step to support, useful tools and an array of resources to her clients to help them achieve their health goals and make real and lasting changes to their lives.

Having spent many years studying health and wellness strategies, Cameron left her previous career in microfinance to fully dedicate and share her passion for health and wellness with the DC community. She is currently obtaining her professional health coaching certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, the world’s largest nutrition school.

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Lauren Polivka

Lauren Polivka, PT, DPT, CSCS, is a licensed physical therapist, certified Pilates instructor, and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist who received her doctorate degree in physical therapy from Northwestern University in Chicago, IL. Her background stems from a Bachelors of Science in Applied Kinesiology and Physiology from the University of Florida in Gainesville. In her undergraduate studies, Lauren assisted in research with patients affected by stroke in the Motor Control laboratory and patients affected by spinal cord injuries in the Gait Laboratory. To complete her studies, she began her trip with Athletes' Performance in Tempe, AZ to complete a performance specialist internship.

Lauren's research in graduate school involved studying new methods to prescribe and monitor exercise intensity. She received clinical education from Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, TN, Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, CA and finally returned to Athletes' Performance complete a sports physical therapy clinical experience. Upon graduation, she moved to Washington, DC where she worked in a manual therapy and Pilates-based rehabilitation setting. For the past 8 months, Lauren worked at Core Performance Center in Santa Monica, CA where she integrated standard physical therapy techniques with the methodology of fitness expert, Mark Versetgen.

Lauren has presented at the American Physical Therapy's Combined Section Meeting, The National Institutes of Health and lululemon athletica stores. She is passionate about working with philanthropic organizations. These include serving as an ambassador for ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) Therapeutic Development Institute to further research treatment of Lou Gehrig's Disease, the advisory board for the Infinity Wellness Foundation to combat childhood obesity, and as an advocate for The American College of Rheumatology to further health policies for rheumatic related diseases. Lauren has also treated members of the NBA, MLS, MLB, NHL, NFL, US Men's Soccer, LPGA, and a variety of collegiate and high school athletes.

Her areas of expertise include:

• Managing post-operative orthopedic injuries
• Manual based treatment techniques (joint mobilizations and soft tissue release)
• Pilates-based rehabilitation techniques
• Bridging the gap between physical therapy and sport
• Acute injuries of the shoulder, spine, hip and knee
• ASTYM certified provider

Lauren's philosophy of evaluating and treating patients takes a holistic approach to the human body. Whether you are an elite athlete, weekend warrior or a working professional, Lauren's goal is to ensure that your quality of life and play are better than before your injury. She is dedicated to bridging the gap between rehabilitation and fitness training. This means continuous communication and teamwork with your trainers, instructors and any other individual you deem important on your road to recovery.

For more information on physical therapy services, contact Lauren by using our inquiry form.