You Are What You Eat

Did you know your diet can improve your skin health? 

People of all ages struggle with skin conditions like acne, sallow skin, cigarette damage, rosacea, dry flaky skin, wrinkles, and sun damage. Traditional medical practices often discount the connection between skin health and nutrition. However, there is strong evidence to support the influence of our food choices on the health and vibrancy of our skin.

Could your diet be damaging your skin? 

The healthier the foods are that you consume, the better your skin will look. The reverse is true as well: if you starve your skin of essential nutrients long enough, and it's going to show. “What you put on your plate is even more important than what you put on your skin,” said Grete McCoy, a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified lifestyle counselor in Corpus Christi, TX.

Ensuring your daily diet is full of vitamins and minerals from fresh, whole foods is one of the most effective ways to improve the look and feel of your skin and achieve optimal skin health. 

“Making changes to your daily diet is not as hard or as expensive as you might think,” says McCoy. “I work with my clients to track daily activities like water intake, sleep and food selection and understand how a few small changes can make a huge difference in overall health and longevity." 

“Whether you use pen and paper or lifestyle apps like HabiDerm, tracking is a great and effective tool to help my clients be more aware of daily choices,” says McCoy. 

HabiDerm is a personal digital skincare assistant that helps individuals make simple everyday habits transform the look and feel of their skin. HabiDerm empowers men and women to make more informed choices and learn a thing or two along the way. HabiDerm's beta version is slated for release this Fall 2017. 

Grete McCoy is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Lifestyle Counselor with more than 20 years of experience in metabolism and diabetes, as well as a significant culinary background. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition & Dietetics from Texas Christian University and a Masters in Public Health from Texas A&M University. She has trained at some of the top facilities in the country and gives lectures on diet and nutrition at national conferences. Grete works with all ages, from children to adults, through pregnancy and geriatrics. A mother of four, Grete believes that diet and exercise are key to longevity and wellness.

Promises, Promises

Week of September 27^th

Can a skin cream really 'lift' and 'firm'?  Do drugstore brands really work? Are the department store products worth it? Should I do Botox, fillers or both? What exactly is luminosity? A cow placenta or snail facial? 

From hope-in-a-jar to blood-sucking procedures, no matter how you are look at it, you won’t reap the benefits unless you do this first: take care of your skin from the inside out.

Your daily habits and activities – from the mundane to the intentional – affect the look and feel of your skin, body and mind. Stress can emerge as dry, red patches and more. Aunt Flo coming to town? She’s bringin’ baggage and not just excess oil, clogged pores and breakouts. Weekend Warriorism (catching up on all the things you didn’t get to during the week) can lead to serious dehydration, not to mention total exhaustion.  

Skin care products and procedures can smooth, soothe and suck “stuff” out but when you start with a healthy skin base, products simply work better.

Taking care of your skin on the inside is actually pretty simple - drink enough water and get enough sleep, and eat a healthy diet (saving the salt and sugar binges and alcohol  for “special” occasions).

With our skin health in-check, let’s talk product! There so many good products on the market, at all price points, that really work – they cleanse, exfoliate, smooth and hydrate your skin and even can plump, shrink, and blur lines. Check out our friend’s best of 2016.   

Be Kind to the Skin You’re In.