The holidays are here! That means a lot of excitement and enjoying the merriments of the season. But for many, this also means extra stress, less sleep, more eating and drinking – not to mention all foods this time of year seem to have loads of sugar in it. Our skin is a reflection of what is going on inside our bodies, and with stress, sugar and the like, breakouts and/or unhappy skin can be the outcome.
Here are our tips for a holiday glow all season long:
1. We know this can be hard. But it is an important one -
eat less sugar! Sugar intake spikes cortisol, creates inflammation and affects our hormones, and hormones are connected to breakouts. And when it comes to your hormones, nutrition is KEY! Your brain is in constant communication with the rest of your body every day via your hormones. The energy and nutrients you obtain from your diet are the raw materials your body needs to produce hormones and properly fuel your body. But let’s dive a little deeper to your liver. That’s right, the underrated organ that is designed to filter out toxins from food and chemicals we are exposed to daily.
Your skin is a way your body excretes toxic waste. Whatever the large intestine and liver isn't able to get rid of, your skin steps in. The best way to offset those sugar cravings is by eating a balanced meal that consists healthy protein, fat, and fiber-rich carbs. Since the holidays are all about indulging, just be prepared by eating a balanced meal before attending the festivities. It’s important to also try and eat your protein (chicken, beef, fish, lentils) and healthy fats (avocado, coconut oil, plain yogurt, walnuts, etc) first and foremost. That’ll slow down digestion which keeps you full longer leaving you to indulge in the pie, biscuits, or mashed potatoes a little less. Meaning your blood sugar won’t spike so quick leaving you to crave more sugar and carbs. Check out THIS video and THIS video for more info.
2. Another one we know can be hard for many, especially this time of year with all the holiday parties -
consume less alcohol. It weakens your immune system and there some evidence that shows there
isn’t actually any safe level of alcohol consumption. If you are going to drink alcohol,
Dr. Gonzalez suggests drinking green tea immediately before or after consuming alcohol to lessen the toxin load on the body. If you want the taste of alcoholic drinks you enjoy without the negative effects to your skin and body, try some of these non-alcoholic mocktail drinks that taste great and satisfies the taste buds -
Ghia,
Curious Elixirs,
Little Saints and for the beer connoisseurs check out
Hopark.
3.
Check your gut. When the gut is out of balance, our immune system is out of balance. And all diseases begin in the gut. So, chances are, if you’re experiences skin issues or any other issues, there could be a chance your gut may need some attention. Pre and Probiotics is great to help support the good bacteria in the gut.
HERE is a blog post explaining this more in detail.
4. You knew this was coming –
eat more fruits and vegetables! There is no denying that fruits and veggies improve your health! But did you also know that fruits and veggies act as a prebiotic and feeds on the good bacteria in your gut? Every body is different but if you are experiencing sensitivity and breakouts this can be related to the gut. So fill up on those fruits and veggies daily and see if you notice skin improvements. Check out the blog post mentioned in #3 that explain this equation.
PREbiotics + PRObiotics = POSTbiotics. Here you’ll find how this is beneficial to your gut health but also great resources of these types of fiber. But note, a great way to improve your health including gut health is by eating a diversity of plants.
Recipes You May Enjoy:
Roasted Butternut Squash with Lemon Tahini
Hearty Tuscan Kale Soup
Black Bean Tostadas with Lime Slaw
Roasted Spring Veggie Bowl with Herby Ranch
Whole Roasted Romesco Cauliflower with Tahini Sauce
5.
Move that lymph! Your lymphatic system plays a huge role in detoxifying the body by moving metabolic waste, toxins, dead cells from your organs and deposits them into the liver and large intestine.
If they become clogged then toxins recirculate in the body. When lymph is properly moved in the body, our bodies can better handle the body burden of whatever we encounter in that day (i.e. stress, pollution, sugar and so on). Some ways to move lymph include drink plenty of water, gua sha, lymphatic drainage massage, sauna, and exercise!
6.
Prioritize rest. Do you
have to attend every holiday gathering? Would travel over the holidays leave you feeling stressed and drained? Prioritizing consistent sleep, between 6-8 hours, is best, plus your body does the most detox work while you sleep. Radical self care is essential during the holidays and proper rest should be a non-negotiable. Check out this article especially if you have a hard time with a consistent sleep schedule:
10 Achievable Ways to Reset Your Circadian Rhythm.
7.
Get outside! As the weather cools down and the days are shorter, we are spending less time outside and less time being exposed to daylight. The sun on our skin is critical to vitamin D synthesis and this improves our overall immunity. So make sure you get outside on those sunny days whenever you can! And catch the sunlight first thing in the AM if possible. Exposing our eyes to sunlight during sunrise can help regulate your circadian rhythm and also ward off feelings of depression.
8.
Meditate everyday. Even if you only have 5 minutes a day, spend some time checking in with yourself and see how you are feeling. Those with a regular meditation practice experience less stress and have an easier time handling stressful situations. Some deep diaphragmatic breathing and a mental body scan is a great way to check in with yourself or perhaps repeating a mantra works better for you to tune in – something like, “My body is healthy and strong and it has the amazing ability to heal itself”.
9. Wear balanced, healthy skincare! The Skin Care Set from Pleni is a great option as it has ingredients to balance, brighten and smooth skin while keeping it looking clear with healthy, whole food ingredients like papaya, carrot, tomato and cucumber. This set performs many benefits for the skin and with its MADE SAFE certification, you know the ingredients are non-toxic and will not add to your body burden.
And if you try to keep it healthy during the holidays and fall short, do not fret! Natalie from Precious Time Blog is hosting a 7-Day Liver Reset Program soon! Stay in the know and grab your copy as soon as it’s LIVE by singing up for @nataliee_michel newsletter. Sign Up Here
Hope you enjoyed these helpful tips on how to keep your skin merry and bright this holiday season.
Happy Holidays!
Allyson, Founder of Pleni and Natalie Michel, Holistic Health Coach | Gut and Hormones
