myFM: protecting your skin

Summer has hit here in Toronto and that means the potential for sunburn, which leads to inflammation, irritation, and premature ageing. You may not think that what you put in your body affects your skin, but believe me, it does! Your skin is a mirror for what’s going on inside your body. 

Irritated skin, redness, inflammation, skin conditions, acne, wrinkles, moles, skin tags, dark spots, or circles under the eyes are all impacted by what you choose as your next mouthful. 

Inflammation and oxidative stress (that’s like fire in the cells), dehydration, eating sugar (any amount sadly), and not enough of the right fats are all top of mind for me when I talk about skin. Here are some key things to know so you start thinking in similar ways. 

Ways to protect your skin:

1. Eat antioxidant-rich foods which are all fruits and veggies that have colour to them. That’s berries, carrots, sweet potato, beets, ALL the greens, pineapple, mango, literally anything with a bright colour to it. All the strongest blues, greens, and reds are in my Take This by Lianne SKIN BOOST that does the job. 
2. Eat more fish or take a supplement. Ideally eating fish; sushi, canned wild-caught tuna, salmon, herrings, mackerel, or sardines offer the most omega-3 fats. Nuts and seeds are great too, but with a bit more omega 6 fats. A salmon burger is great and I’ve shared a recipe for that below. Take This by Lianne’s Omega Boost can have a huge impact if you’re not a fan of fish too. If you’re omega 3 deficient, you’ll have dry skin, pale skin, dry hair, brittle hair and nails, and even hard ear wax! Fats are needed to build tissues from the right substances. Too many omega 6s from soy oil is found in most processed foods, canola oil, sunflower oil and seeds, and peanut butter for instance tips that balance toward redness in your skin. 
3. Drink more water and herb teas including matcha tea or black coffee. Aim for 2L of filtered water each day. Herb teas and black coffee have antioxidants in them and also hydrate rather than dehydrate as your double-double has the exact opposite effect on your skin. 
4. Eating vitamin C rich foods helps heal your skin along with vitamin A, zinc and selenium. These are also all antioxidants, the vitamins that are needed for your body’s processes to ease inflammation and protect cell membranes. Take This Alka C has it all in there.
5. Take care of your gut with fermented foods, eat a low to no sugar diet (as talked about in episode 118) and feed the good bugs in your gut with fibre rich foods and probiotics - Take This Bio Boost that’s in the Vibrant Skin Trio available on SproutRight.com has you covered. 

Big salads, lots of fresh seasonal fruit and starting your day with Skin Boost, Alka C and Bio Boost mixed as a morning drink, take your Omega Boost if you’re not eating fish every day and you’ll start to see a real difference when you look in the mirror! 

Listen to this morning's audio!

Recipe for my salmon burgers from Sprout Right Family Food.

Ingredients

 4 cans (5 ounces/150 g each) skinless, boneless salmon

 ½ cup (125 mL) green onions, thinly sliced 

 ½ cup (125 mL) old-fashioned rolled oats

⅓ cup (75 mL) chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

 ¼ cup (60 mL) mayonnaise

 ¼ cup (60 mL) Dijon mustard

 2 eggs, lightly beaten

 2 tablespoons (30 mL) fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon (15 mL) virgin coconut oil 

 8 whole wheat hamburger buns (can be eaten bun-less too) 

Toppings (optional)

 Lettuce

 Sliced tomatoes

 Sliced red onion

Avocado, pitted and peeled  

Directions

1. Mash the salmon, onion, oats, parsley, mayonnaise, mustard, eggs, and lemon juice together in a large bowl until combined. 
2. Form into patties that are about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter. 
3. Heat the coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat and pan-fry the patties for 5 minutes on each side. 

4. Serve on a whole wheat bun and top with lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, and any additional desired toppings.