Hey, friends!
If you’re new to Life in Bloom, welcome! I am so happy you stopped by and are interested in improving your health overall, as well as your skin.
When it comes to the topic of skincare, I am well-versed. My first pimple showed up at age 11. And by the age of 14, I had chronic cystic acne. For over a decade, I tried every skin cream, topical, lotion, supplement, treatment, and holistic therapy I could find. And then, I started listening to my body.
I realized that what you put on your skin matters just as much as what you put into your body — even though conventional wisdom disagreed at the time. So, I adopted a healthy vegetarian diet (later vegan, but I have since returned to an 80/20 plant-based, free-range and organic animal products diet), began exercising, started drinking more water, gave a shit about the thoughts I was thinking, and really just turned my attention inward.
As I traveled and met new people, new teachers, and people with new ways of thinking, the Universe revealed to me the truth that every affliction is first and foremost created within. The same was true for acne.
But first, a quick story…
I’m going to get really open and really with you right now: when I was younger, my boundaries were crossed by someone who shall not be named, and this caused me to form a mental block and trauma that affected me for decades. I subconsciously didn’t want to be noticed anymore, due to this unwanted attention, and so I asked for ways to distance myself from people.
I gained weight, I became a social recluse, and I developed cystic, chronic acne. The root cause of these “symptoms” were that I did not love myself. In fact, I hated myself, thought I was weak, and didn’t want to be me anymore.
I was a depressed kid, alright. A couple of times, I even thought of ending my life. Almost as worse, at the age of 15, I developed several eating disorders: bulimia, anorexia, binge-purging, and over-exercising. I. was. a. mess.
And then, Divine intervention occurred. One evening, while I was throwing up a filling dinner, I heard a voice. It loudly proclaimed, “You’re done.” And I knew I was. I figured I had to figure out a way to get healthy, and so that’s why I dove into vegetarianism and the like.
It wasn’t an easy journey figuring out that I primarily caused my own affliction, but that’s why I’m sharing it with you today. If you or someone you know is still suffering from skin conditions, the following 5 tips really WILL help your skin glow. They address the root causes of acne, pimples, rosacea, etc… by addressing the psycho-spiritual and nutritional imbalances.
So, please enjoy this article and if you find it helpful, please share it with others. Thank you!
4 Lifestyle Changes That Will Make Your Skin Glow
1) Drink More Water
If you want to see better skin when you look into the mirror, drink more water. Dehydration causes skin to lose its elasticity. As a result, your body may produce more oil to compensate for dry skin. This can result in breakouts. So, the moral of the story is to drink more water. I personally aim for 1.5 gallons each day, but I suggest you listen to your body and work up to an amount that feels good for you.
2) Cut Out Unhealthy Junk Foods, Preservatives, Filler, and Sweeteners
Foods with names that your great-grandmother couldn’t pronounce shouldn’t be going anywhere near your lips. Your body is simple, and it demands simple, unprocessed, whole foods to be its healthiest.
The food that is best for you is unrefined, doesn’t contain artificial sweeteners (that spike blood sugar and affect the endocrine system), is hormone-free, is primarily plant-based, is free from dyes (that are proven neurotoxins), and is naturally-sweetened with raw honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar — not white sugar, splenda, or similar fake sweeteners. To learn more, click here.
Cutting these ingredients out will improve your skin. As Dr. Jeremy Fenton of Schweiger Dermatology Group explained, foods with a high glycemic index (like processed and refined carbohydrates) can be an unexpected cause of acneand other skin problems.
3) Make Nutritious Food Your Primary Medicine
Hippocrates, the father of modern-day medicine, is remembered for recommending a lifestyle-based approach to healing persistent ails. I would say he was right.
Foods like turmeric, maca, spirulina, sesame seeds, berries, alfalfa sprouts, barley grass, wheat grass, chia seeds, etc… reduce inflammation in the body because they are nutrient-dense, break down slowly due to fiber, and contain healthy essential fatty acids which lubricate the cells.
When you choose to thrive on a nutritious, unprocessed diet, the digestive tract can heal, improving the endocrine system (gut-brain connection), which improves the overall communication in the body. It has been my experience that symptoms of auto-immune disease also tend to remedy, as a direct result of reduced inflammation which stemmed from malabsorption and leaky gut syndrome.
When these systems are taken care of, the kidneys can filter efficiently. As a result, the body doesn’t attempt to push “gunk” through the pores as a means of eliminating them from the body. It is wellness all-around and better-looking skin as a result.
4) Begin a Journey Toward Self-Love
Skin conditions are largely a result of a lack of self-love. I know it can be hard to forgive yourself and move on from experiences which once created great distress. But, it is the only way to live.
Fortunately, you are not alone. There is an incredible force you might know as God or Source Consciousness which is with us all. When you choose to be in a receptive state to this loving presence, you will receive all of the guidance you need to step into your highest self and create a life you love.
By journeying toward self-love, you are addressing the psycho-spiritual cause of physical symptoms.
Interested in more?
I am a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, plant-based chef, and ACE-certified Personal Trainer. I would love to help address your unique needs and develop a plan that is specific for you. Learn more here and contact me here.
Love,
Mandy Froelich
Lead image: Food Matters
