Hiii my babes! Earlier this week I took to Snapchat to ask you guys what you wanted to see on the blog this week. I have had a lot of feedback lately that you guys miss my recipe posts, “how to stay healthy on the go” posts, and my LISTS. I used to write a sh*t ton of list posts, but then when blogging became a full-time job I started writing about all sorts of stuff– and I started having to get kinda choosy about what I sat down to write about because girlfriend doesn’t have all the free time on the block anymore.

Lately I’ve been yearning for more variety on the blog… More RECIPE content and more listy list content again. I am trying to squeeze in writing about that stuff as much as I can, and above all I want to focus on what you guys want to see. Sometimes the best thing is to reach out to you guys and say HEYYY what do you want to read about?!

It’s you guys that give me the ability to blog for a living after all. 🙂

( Thanks for that! )

I LOVED the suggestions I got through Snappy (my Snap username is jojoyounger… Add me!) and one that popped up again and again was what sort of foods to eat for glowing, radiant, healthy skin. Thanks to my IIN days and my obsessive compulsive research on the topic, I have a lot of answers for you on that front.

Eating well is huge when it comes to the health of our skin. After all, our skin is the largest organ in our body… Of course what we put into our bods is going to affect it! Have you ever noticed that after a long night out (with a little too much alc, perhaps?) you wake up a few mornings later and your face is zit-city? Alternately, have you noticed that after sleeping well and remaining super hydrated your skin thanks you by looking a little more glowy and clear?

The difference between the two ain’t no joke. Our skin reacts to the way we treat our bodies just like the rest of our organs and muscles do. Aside from getting a good amount of SLEEP, staying above and beyond hydrated (Liquid IV, anyone?), finding a facial cleanser that works well for your particular skin type and learning to manage our stress levels and balance our time, it’s all about da food.

At the risk of sounding like a Dr. Suess book (who am I kidding, I effing love Dr. Suess)… WE ARE WHAT WE EAT. Why not be a healthy reflection of those choices?

Top 5 Foods to Nourish Your Skin & Make you GLOW from the Inside Out:

1. AVOCADO: Ohhh, the heavenly avocado. Everyone loves a good avo. Avo is trendy right now, avo is in. But it’s not just the creamy texture and the super Instagrammable avo toast served up at brunch that make us love incorporating avocados into our diet. Aside from the moisturizing monounsaturated fatty acids abundant in avocados that maintain necessary moisture in the epidermal layer of our skin, they are FULL of antioxidants and anti-aging properties. There is plenty of beta carotene, beta cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin and lutein, which are all free radical compounds that protect us from environmental damage and other visible signs of aging. Moral of the story: keep slathering avocado on your toast, because it’s working wonders for ya.

Farmer’s market avo perfection!

2. COCONUT OIL: Okay, so I’m no longer into using coconut oil ON my skin, because my skin is prone to getting oily and my pores getting clogged. Not cool. But whether or not you’re into putting coco oil ON your face, eating it is pretty darn great for your skin too. It’s full of hydrating properties, good fats, and fatty acids. The more good fats you can pack into your body (saturated is okay as long as it’s in moderation and comes from a natural source like coconuts), the more good you’re doing for your skin, hair and nails. When I was using coconut oil as a lotion for my hands, my nails were thicker and stronger than ever before. Think of the impact it has on your skin in the same way. I like to mix a tablespoon of it into my smoothies in the morning or eat it in raw desserts (yummy) to incorporate it into my diet.

Raw vegan PB cups yummy!!

3. BERRIES: We all know that berries are bursting with antioxidants, but I think the greater question here is what do antioxidants DO for us and why are they so important? Your body needs antioxidants to fight oxidative stress caused by free radicals which can lead to illness, imbalance, poor skin, and all sorts of other health issues. Antioxidants are pretty much preventative measures, just like eating well and making healthy choices in all areas. Berries have all sorts of antioxidants from Vitamin C to quercetin (yes, I know, what is that)– it reduces inflammation and may prevent and manage arthritis. Antioxidants are also good for memory and anti-aging. Berries are the all around best for health in general– and definitely for skin. I choose dark berries like raspberries, blueberries and blackberries!

4. WATTERRR: Okay, I know, water isn’t a FOOD, but I couldn’t get very far down this list of skin-healthy foods without mentioning the vast importance of hydration. Have you ever seen those “before & after” pics of people who are severely dehydrated and then another photo of the same person once they’ve been drinking enough water per day for 2 weeks? They look like TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE. Your skin absorbs water like a sponge, and it needs hydration in order to stay supple and clear. Water helps with absorption, circulation and digestion– meaning that when you’re hydrated, your body is able to hang onto all the good stuff better and rid yourself of the bad stuff. People who are dehydrated tend to have dry, flaky, irritated skin, among a whole other host of issues. If you want an EXTRA boost of hydration in your water, check out Liquid IV— they have a cellular transportation technology that allows the hydration to get into your bloodstream much faster than with water alone. (Not an ad, literally just obsessed with LIV.)

Waiakea is one of my favorite waters by far. It’s Hawaiian Volcanic Water that originates from snowmelt and rain on an active volcano in Hawaii… pure and amazing. It is filtered through volcanic rock and naturally enriched with minerals. They ALSO donate 650 liters of clean water to those in need through Pump Aid for every liter sold. PRETTY AWESOME.

5. FISH!

Fatty acids, omega 3’s, good fats, GOOD SKIN!!! An international study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that people who ate diets high in fish and seafood had less skin wrinkling overall (COOL), which is likely due to the fact that the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and seafood slow down the wrinkling process. Wrinkle development is rooted in inflammation… So if your skin is less inflamed, it will stay nice & young & pretty for much longer.

Omega-3s can also help combat acne in a similar way. AND they have mood-regulating benefits, which can help with the stress component of having acne. They say that four to five servings of fish per week will give you the omega 3s you need in your system to stay clear of inflammatory acne. Fish oil supplements (my fav brand is linked) will do the trick too!!! Especially for those of you who can’t imagine eating that much fish in a week.

Wild salmon — not farm-raised — is one of the best food sources for omega-3 fatty acids, which helps keep your skin stay moisturized. Salmon also has selenium, a mineral that protects the skin from sun exposure. Woo woo!!!

I will follow up with the next 5 ASAP, but wanted to get this up and out to you guys now!!! Tell me what else you want to see as far as content goes… This requesting ish is FUN!