WE’VE ALL HEARD the often-spouted adage ‘you are what you eat.’ Turns out, our respective mums were onto something.
While we spend an awful lot on taking care of our appearance on the outside – layering on lotions and potions and undergoing treatments that target the superficial layers of the skin – how many of us understand the relationship to what we put into our bodies and our appearance? Yes, we’ve long since grasped the importance of good nutrition with regards to health and building muscle mass, but what about the impact it has on how we look?
From quality protein powders that help with anti-ageing and amazing collagen supplements that beef up natural collagen production, to IV drips that can enhance skin tone, read on for ways that you too can bolster your grooming regime from the inside out.
GET AN INTERNAL ASSESSMENT
The skin is your body’s largest organ, so understanding how it works is the first step in knowing how to give it the nourishment it needs.
Glowing skin is about more than good genes – It’s a reflection of your overall health, so to ascertain where you’re at you need to get a solid reading of your body. Enter Compound.
A brand new high-end health service and app from Australian tele-health provider, Eucalyptus (the parent company of lauded Aussie skincare brand, Software) Compound is a medical concierge that offers comprehensive diagnostics and a structured program to improve every aspect of your health.
“Compound’s comprehensive diagnostic screen, gives us a complete view of a member’s health,” says Compound’s clinical director and specialist GP, Dr Matt Vickers. “Importantly it then provides the platform to have a discussion about what each metric means and as importantly how we leverage elements of the program to optimise their health, inside and out.”
This holistic approach also involves extensive blood testing, which will help to reveal some of the most common culprits sabotaging your skincare goals. For example, tests can identify things such as low-grade inflammation, which damages collagen and fuels problems like acne, rosacea, psoriasis, and faster ageing. Also, vitamin and mineral deficiencies – certain vitamins (like A, C, E) and minerals (zinc, selenium) are skin superstars, so low levels mean issues such as dry, flaky skin, slow healing, and hair loss. Vitamin D is crucial for skin cell turnover, wound healing, and immune regulation within the skin and acne issues may mean your D needs a boost. Blood sugar levels are also ascertained, which can have a bearing on both collagen damage via glucose spikes and acne (studies show those with acne often have underlying blood sugar imbalances).
In addition to a full suite of scans and tests and unlimited access to a doctor and health coaching team the Compound service includes prescriptions to any medication and supplements that may be needed to remedy any issues, skincare and beyond.
PICK YOUR PROTEIN
No longer consumed exclusively by bodybuilders, elite athletes, and gym junkies, protein powders play an essential role in many of the body’s physiological processes, from helping to build muscle mass and bones, to increasing energy and repairing skin tissue.
Protein supplies the body with the essential amino acids required to make keratin – one of the building blocks of the human body and the form of protein that makes up our skin, hair and nails. In fact, if you’re struggling with dry skin or hair loss it might be due to a lack of protein in your diet.
A high-quality supplement, pea protein is both hypo-allergenic and high-fibre and contains all the essential skin-loving amino acids. Arbonne’s Feel Fit Pea Protein Shake is a great option, especially given that it’s made with premium ingredients backed by clinical research.
Another brilliant plant-based option, hemp protein is a superstar supplement that contains all nine essential amino acids – making it great for body repair and maintenance – and is rich in Vitamin E, which helps promote skin elasticity and reduce premature ageing.
Forest Super Foods produce full spectrum super foods with all active compounds and nutrients intact that are both certified organic and largely locally sourced within Australia. Their Australian Hemp Protein is the perfect product to promote all of the above benefits, as well as Omega 3 and 6, which are essential ingredients for plump, hydrated, glowing skin.
SUPPLEMENT WITH COLLAGEN
A key component in bones, muscles, and other body parts, collagen is vital for our survival. It’s also a key factor in how good we look. Increased evidence has shown that collagen supplements help to improve skin moisture, elasticity, and hydration, when orally administered. Additionally, collagen reduces the wrinkling and roughness of the skin and Happy Mammoth’s Prebiotic Collagen Protein is the perfect way to maintain skin health from the inside out. Formulated with high quantities of Bioactive Collagen Peptides per serve it promotes collagen formation at a cellular level in the skin.
Another great collagen and peptide blend is Bush Tucker Blends Collagen Protein Peptides. Also incorporating protein into the mix, it not only builds muscle but helps hair growth, nail repair and promotes glowing skin.
OPTY.NC Ultimate 3.0 Marine Powder is an all-in-one advanced elixir that combines 12 science-backed ingredients, including marine collagen peptides, and is tailored to specific concerns of 50-plus-year-olds. The unique formula plumps the skin via collagen and Hyaluronic Acid and protects against skin damaging free radicals.
PERK UP YOUR SKIN FROM THE INSIDE
The use of IV drips outside of a trip to the emergency room has been with us for some time now. Boosting your immune system? Check. Fighting that Sunday morning hangover? Check. But how about IV vitamin therapy as a legitimate way to enhance skin tone?
Face of Man have been a staple in Sydney’s male grooming scene for more than 40 years and now, alongside their stable of more traditional treatments – facials, barber and massages included – they have added Glutathione IV Therapy to their offering.
A type of antioxidant that’s produced naturally in the body, glutathione works well against free radicals and other substances that damage the skin, regenerating Vitamin E and other organic pigments, and resulting in more healthy, youthful-looking skin. After multiple sessions users can even expect to see skin brightening, more even skin tone and reduced hyperpigmentation. Beyond skin benefits, glutathione infusions may also ease symptoms like low energy, chronic fatigue, dehydration and headaches.
SHORTCUT SKIN SUPERFOODS
An unhealthy diet can damage your metabolism, cause weight gain, and even damage organs, such as your heart and liver. But what you eat also affects another organ: your skin. And a shortcut to great skin is knowing what to eat.
The best way to truly get your skin to glow from the inside out is by ensuring that you’re eating a variety of superfoods and at the top of the list for great skin is Vitamin C. High levels of vitamin C in lemons work to neutralise free radicals and help the body in producing collagen for firmer-looking skin.
Forest Super Food’s Certified Organic Camu Camu Berry is made from Came Camu – one of the world’s highest food sources of Vitamin C. And the Forest Super Food’s packs a serious punch with 130 per cent of your recommended daily intake of Vitamin C in just one serve. Get ready for healthy, radiant skin!
Sip your way to healthier-looking skin with Arbonne’s acaí-flavoured, vegan SkinElixir Collagen Builder. The supplement pairs antioxidant Vitamin C with Hyaluronic Acid to help skin retain moisture and with support and maintain smooth looking skin and with Biotin to support and maintain healthy hair, skin and nails.
Another winner from their range of products is BeWell Superfood Greens. Nutritionists often advocate eating a ‘rainbow’ of fruit and vegetables thanks to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects that many of these colourful foods have. This superfood powder delivers a blend of 36 fruits and vegetables in each serving providing the full colour spectrum for better looking skin.
Lastly, Bush Tucker’s True Blue Immunity contains Australian native whole food sources of Vitamin C, D3, zinc and other antioxidants, a potent combination that may help decrease inflammation, improve cell turnover and improve various skin conditions.
Related:
How To Look Younger With A Few Grooming Hacks
5 Ways To Become Better Looking As You Age
