Eating a diet full of a wide range of whole foods can do wonders for overall health certainly. But they have great applications for your skin as well!
Consuming whole foods improves your skin from the inside out providing much support for the big job our skin has to do, but applying some of these foods on the outside can help, too. Here are some particular great ones to smear, spread, cover, dot, apply, swirl, and even dab all over your bod for great skin!
Lemons and Honey
This combo is notorious to add to tea when a scratchy throat is upon us to fight back bacteria in our throat, but lemons can cleanse the skin as well as help remove dead skin cells, blackheads and whiteheads. It can also provide glowing skin and is best for a more oily complexion. In addition, read here why lemon water is a great healthy habit as well.
A simple facial mask of two ingredients, lemon and honey, can provide a deep cleaning that a more acne prone skin may need. To a large dollop of honey, add a big squeeze of fresh lemon juice and mix well. Apply on the face and neck and leave on for 10 minutes or so and rinse. Both ingredients help cut down on bacteria on the skin that can lead to breakouts. Many studies are confirming the great benefits of honey on treating wounds as well.
Coconut Oil and Olive Oil
Coconut oil and olive oil are fantastic body moisturizers. They are gentle on the skin and wonderful for treating irritation. I had great success treating a stubborn rash with coconut oil in days. Read here that olive oil was the moisturizer of choice for the oldest living woman on record. That is quite an endorsement.
Baking Soda, Sugar and Salt
We do not want to consume too much of these but brown sugar, salt, and baking soda can make effective exfoliants to smooth off dry skin layers. Baking soda makes a particularly fine-grained exfoliant, and it may have antiseptic and brightening qualities as well. You can add a sprinkle of any of these to your regular cleanser for some extra exfoliation or add a bit of water to any of them to make a paste and gently swirl about. These can also be effective on rough spots on your feet or elbows.
Avocados
Avocados are rich with monounsaturated fat and antioxidants and a great diet staple. But the avocado has many applications for the skin, including massage oils and skin moisturizers to combat dryness and give your skin a fresh glow. The avocado has antimicrobial and softening attributes and can make a nice moisturizing mask if mashed with a teaspoon of almond oil or other oil. Leave on your skin for10 minutes and rinse to soft skin.Oatmeal
From spreading some cooked cooled oats on your skin as a mask to aid in the acne fight to bathing in it to soothe a sunburn or rash, pull that box of oats out of the pantry. From flakes to pulverized form, many people enjoy its soothing properties to remedy angry skin.
Aloe
Aloe may not be in your pantry but it may be in your garden. Much like honey, it is great for treating wounds and many other skin issues. It is anti-inflammatory and useful for burns and poison ivy. Go ahead and break off a leaf and dab the pulp inside on the affected area. Read here about the other many advantages of keeping an aloe plant in your home.
What about you? What is your secret whole foods ingredient that helps your skin? Share in the comments!
photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/46427634@N06/8486899100/">sake028</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/">cc</a>
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