How to Get Clear Skin, Naturally

Let’s talk about how to get clear skin because the struggle is real! Jen asked me to share my natural beauty journey with you (because it’s been a journey!). My hope is that what I share helps your skin clear up, just like mine did. So let’s dive in…

Most of my life I was a “makeup kind of gal” because I didn’t have good skin. It was sensitive, prone to breakouts, and splotchy. I tried every cleanser, soap, mask, and more to try and tame my face, shoulders, and arms, yet nothing worked.

After trying one of Jen’s green smoothie recipes, I was intrigued, but such a newbie. I first swore I’d never drink a green smoothie without dairy—now I use water or almond milk as the base.

Then I said I’d never blend (or eat) kale— now I literally have a 4-ft by 4-ft container garden of kale. That’s 18 kale plants that I treat like my own offspring.

Finally, I said I’d never leave the house without makeup. These days, you’ll only find me only in makeup on date night. Why? Because I discovered the secret of the clear skin diet, and I’m never going back.

Clear skin diet: where to start?

I heard Jen talk about the glowing, clear skin she experienced through green smoothies, yet I was a bit skeptical. We always had a kitchen full of fresh fruit growing up, yet I still had bad skin.

She convinced me to try the Beginner’s Luck smoothie, and I was hooked. I signed up for the very first 30-day green smoothie challenge. Then I agreed to be a tester for the first ever 21-day plant-based cleanse. That cleanse made me see the light. My skin started to clear up around day 5. By day 15, I was acne free… for REAL!

I realized that as I fueled my body with the best foods for clear skin, my skin responded in the best way possible.

Now, my family still eats meat, yet now we also make sure to include plenty of plant based meals to our week as well. And every time I cleanse, I take away a new heathy habit, along with a renewed sense that this whole food life has a whole lot of merit.

The results of a clear skin diet

I never realized just how much food played into my skin issues, until I gave up dairy, sugar, back in 2013. Here are a few side effects of my daily green smoothies + my first 21-day whole food cleanse:

1. Better skin– All my life I had these red bumps on the backs of my upper arms. Embarrassing and annoying. When I fueled my body with whole foods for clear skin, these bumps vanished. Food did what medication hadn’t accomplished.
2. Healthier nails– My nails were easily broken and thin, yet now are super strong, healthy, and beautiful.
3. Less acne– I thought acne was just for teenagers until mine never left, even after college. A few months of daily smoothies + a cleanse changed all of that. I notice that when I stop drinking smoothies daily, my skin is all too eager to let me know.
4. Better sleep– Cleansing forced me to listen to the sleep needs my body had, and led me to better sleep habits over all.
5. New passions– Through eating whole food, I gained a new found love for baking, cooking, and gardening. I even started a small pallet garden in my townhouse, so that we could use the herbs for smoothies/future cleanses. Now I’m growing a large garden thanks to amazing #floridagrowingseasons, and I’m growing food my college self didn’t even know existed.

I included side effects 4 + 5 because believe it or not, stress can show in our skin. Lack of sleep leads to bad eating habits, greater stress, and premature aging. I find my stress levels go down when I sleep better, as well as when I work on projects that fuel my passion. Both of those have the space to take place in my life when I’m eating foods that give me strength and longevity, not foods that work against me.

Best foods for clear skin

So what kinds of food can one expect in a whole food, clear skin diet? A lot of beautiful + delicious plants! Here are some of the best foods for clear skin: Avocado– Personally, dairy makes my skin worse. Avocados are not only a great creamy sub food for my clear skin diet, they also fight adverse effects from UVA/UVB rays, according to this study by the National Library of Medicine.

Foods that promote clear skin

Here are some incredible whole food, plant based ingredients that will help your skin look great both now and in the future:

• Walnuts– rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, walnuts are a powerhouse in fighting inflammation.
• Sweet potatoes (and other orange veggies)- beta carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body, and acts as a natural sunblock.
• Red/yellow bell peppers– also full of beta carotene, these specific bell peppers contain tons of vitamin C, which promotes the collagen that keeps skin firm.
• Broccoli– the sulforaphane found in broccoli protects against skin cancer, according to this study.
• Berries– low in sugar, high in flavor and antioxidants, berries will help generate glowing skin.

Foods to avoid when eating for clear skin

Here are foods/ingredients to steer clear from when figuring out how to get clear skin:

• Processed sugar– refined sugar causes acne due to increasing blood sugar in the body, creating inflammation.
• Dairy– though you may not have a dairy intolerance, consuming it can disrupt your hormones, creating acne.
• Complex carbohydrates: processed foods of any kind can interrupt the body’s natural processes, clog pores, and create reactions that are seen in the skin. Reading labels and limiting overall intake of processed food can lead to healthier, clearer skin (and keep your other organs thriving as well!).

This smoothie recipe originated from the Fresh Start 21-day cleanse, and I’d love to tell you more about it. Drop a comment letting me know some of your fav foods for glowing skin, and let me know if you try this smoothie!

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Clear Skin Diet Smoothie

★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Jen Hansard
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 1 smoothie
• Category: Smoothie
• Method: Blending
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

Antioxidants help to prevent and repair damage to body tissues, our skin included. Vitamin C is one of the greatest antioxidants we have available, and it’s abundant in pineapple. The addition of avocado brings with it other skin-specific nutrients such as vitamins E, A and zinc. In fact, you could probably use this smoothie on your face as a beauty treatment! // serves 1

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups fresh spinach
• 1 cup coconut water (unsweetened)
• 1 cup pineapple (frozen)
• 1/4 avocado

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Instructions

1. Blend spinach and coconut water until smooth.
2. Add remaining ingredients, and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

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Notes

*Use a frozen fruit to make smoothie cold.

Keywords: cleansing smoothie

from
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/recipes/how-to-get-clear-skin