7 Beauty Foods That Will Help You Glow From The Inside Out

Water with Lemon

A cup of lemon water gives your skin and body dual benefits. Not only do you rehydrate your body after a night of sleep, but the lemon helps with digestion, which is linked to acne. I also find that it gives me a burst of energy without needing a coffee caffeine boost in the morning.

Leafy Greens

We all know we should be eating our greens daily. With a busy schedule, it can be tough to commit to having the five to nine servings of fruit and vegetables the USDA recommends. One of the easiest ways to get more greens into your diet is to have a green smoothie each day. Spinach, kale, chard are excellent sources of iron (can help with anemia), vitamin C (brightens skin), and vitamin A (helps keep skin firm), and are easy to add to your smoothie recipe. I make my go-to green juice with spinach (I don't like raw kale or chard), blueberries, pineapple, and mango — with a teaspoon of honey. It takes me seven minutes from start to finish to make my smoothie each morning on my way out the door.

Eating greens is not only credited with keeping your digestive tract healthy (which contributes to healthy skin) but are packed with vitamins that help cells make collagen keeping away fine lines and wrinkles.

Salmon

The verdict is still out on if the "L" is silent (OK, I know it is, but to each their own, right?), but there is no question this fatty fish has beauty benefits and basically cooks itself in fifteen minutes flat. The omega-3 fatty acids in salmon not only reduce inflammation, but the flavorful fish helps cells produce collagen and keratin that help skin retain moisture.

Flaxseeds

Flaxseeds are now a staple in my diet. They are known to help balance hormones and like salmon are full of omega fatty acids that can speed up healing and combat inflammation. Flaxseeds are easy to add to your diet. Each morning, I enjoy them on top of a bowl of steel cut oats with mango and honey drizzle.

Blueberries

Blueberries are tiny but mighty. With more antioxidants than green tea, blueberries are the ultimate superfood. Their rich purple, blue color are made of compounds called anthocyanins — an antioxidant that protect skin from free radicals that can damage collagen in our skin.

Pineapple

Pineapples are especially good for reducing inflammation and digestive issues because of the powerful enzyme bromelain. Digestive health is one of the key contributors to breakouts and, if you're not a kombucha fan or take probiotics, adding this tropical fruit to your diet might be just what you need!

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are my absolute favorite for two reasons — they cook themselves (Well, once I pop them in the oven) and make skin glow because of their carotenoid-rich makeup. Looking for health benefits beyond glowing skin, carotenoids rich foods protect against breast and ovarian cancers.

Making small changes to your diet can have a significant impact on your skin and your overall health. My goal is to continue to eat well to ensure I don't need another surgery to deal with my fibroids since I learned that I still have quite a few hanging out in my body. If taking this route gives me healthier skin along the way, I am here for that, too!