Fall Skin Care and The Benefits of Micronutrients

It’s finally September… and fall is right around the corner!

  but even though it’s not officially fall for 3 more weeks, I’m more than ready for sweaters, falling leaves, and crisper weather (yes, even here in California!)...

And, perhaps best of all, the delicious fall foods that come into season this time of year.

In fact, I am so excited for fall cooking, i have already switched all of our candles and air fresheners over to our favorite ‘apple pie’ scent!

Now, if you’re like me and love the flavors of fall, you’ll be glad to know: lots of fall foods have phenomenal beauty benefits.

So to help get you into the spirit, I’ve already put together a list of foods to stock up on this fall (can you tell I’m excited?).

But here’s the best part: every food on this list has benefits both when eaten, and when used in your own DIY masks!

I think that’s pretty neat — and I’ll be curious to see what’s most interesting to YOU on this list. Check it out:

APPLES

Whether you’re a fan of apple picking, or just love finding the perfect red apple at the grocery store, grabbing some apples is one of the healthiest things you can do for your complexion.

• EATING: Apples are high in fiber, which helps regulate blood sugar spikes.^1,2 That’s important: When blood sugar goes up, it can induce a process called glycation — which harms skin cells and causes rapid visible aging.³
  
  So if you’re looking for a sweet treat, an apple is always a good bet!
   
• IN A MASK: Apples are high in malic acid, a natural exfoliant often found in spa-grade peels. So using fresh applesauce on your skin — or simply rubbing a slice of apple over your face — can help give you a fresh, youthful glow, at a fraction of the usual cost!*
   

PUMPKIN

Pies, breads, lattes, even cocktails… it won’t be long before pumpkin finds its way into all your favorite recipes this fall! And it’s not just delicious fall comfort food — it’s also a powerhouse of skin-saving nutrients.

• EATING: Pumpkin’s reputation as a superfood is well-deserved… especially in the beauty department. With high levels of essential ‘look-younger’ nutrients like Vitamin E, Vitamin B6, Copper, Manganese, and Potassium, it belongs on every ‘beauty guru’s’ shopping list! ^4,5
   
• IN A MASK: Perhaps you’ve noticed all the pumpkin-based products at your local beauty store. That’s for good reason: The high Vitamin A content is known to help smooth out wrinkles and freshen skin’s appearance.⁶
  
  By simply adding a bit of pumpkin (about 1 tsp) to your usual cleanser 1-2 times weekly, you can enjoy a natural smoothing effect that’s truly remarkable!*

CINNAMON

Is there a scent that screams “fall” more than cinnamon? Just a dash is all it takes — and it can help give your fall skincare routine a major boost.

• EATING: Cinnamon is known for its balancing effects on blood sugar.⁷ Like I mentioned before, controlling your blood sugar is key to keeping skin youthful and preventing glycation-related damage. (Yes, that means combining apples and cinnamon is a great move for your tastebuds and your skin!)
   
• IN A MASK: Cinnamon’s slight spiciness can bring extra blood flow to your skin — meaning more essential oxygen and nutrients. It can also help give you a fantastic rosy glow.
  
  Add just a dash (that’s all you need) to an at-home mask of any kind — one celebrity patient of mine swears by banana, honey, and cinnamon, once weekly, and she looks amazing!*

Now, I’ve only listed three ‘fall beauty foods’ here… and now, I want to hear from you.

Have I missed YOUR favorite fall food? Or — do you have a special preparation of one of the above foods you think I’d like?

 from Beverly Hills  MD
 Dr. John Layke

The state of our skin is often dismissed as nothing more than a beauty concern, but, in reality, it is much more important than this.
The largest organ in the body, our skin is one of the first places to show signs of problems within the body, particularly deficiencies and imbalances.
Micronutrients are vital for good health and radiant skin, but almost everyone survives on less than optimum levels.
What are micronutrients?
Micronutrients are   those nutrients we require in relatively small quantities. They are vitamins and minerals, and our good health requires them in milligram and microgram amounts. Recall that fats, carbohydrates and proteins are macronutrients, meaning that we require them in relatively large quantities. We consume the macronutrients in gram amounts. For example, we might have 200 grams of carbohydrate, 100 grams of protein and 50 grams of fat, yet only 18 mg of iron and 400 micrograms of folate.which you might adjust if you were trying to lose weight such as fats, carbohydrates and protein.
However, if you were to break these components down even further you’d discover the very building blocks of our food such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids and essential fatty acids. These are known as micronutrients.
Micronutrients are essential for glowing skin and vibrant health. Keep in mind the recommended daily allowance for micronutrients (RDA) are simply the MINIMUM levels to prevent serious diseases associated with deficiencies. To truly thrive rather than just survive, you will likely benefit from more than the RDA.
The effect on the skin
The appearance of your skin will be a good indicator as to whether your body is suffering an imbalance or a deficiency of micronutrients.
There are many different ways in which this could manifest, such as dryness, wrinkles or even conditions such as psoriasis, eczema or acne. These skin conditions are not always caused by a micronutrient deficiency.
There are a number of different underlying causes, but I find that micronutrient deficiencies are, at least in part, a primary root cause for many skin problems.
Micronutrients for the skin
It’s important to stress that although there are a number of micronutrients that are particularly good for the skin, they will only achieve the maximum benefit when used in combination with others. Micronutrients are a team, not a solo act, and help each other to be absorbed by the body, so focusing on just one in isolation generally does not yield the best results.
There are some individual micronutrients that are particularly beneficial to the skin, and many of these are anti-oxidants. The body is damaged by free radicals, but anti-oxidants gobble these up and help cells to renew and regenerate, which is particularly helpful for our aging and sun-exposed skin. Examples of these are Vitamins A, C and E – all which are fantastic for the skin. Vitamin D3 is another healing skin micronutrient that can be particularly useful for combating psoriasis if the cause is a deficiency.
Essential fatty acids are also essential micronutrients for skin health.
Omega 3s are anti-inflammatory as well as nourishing and hydrating for our cells. Omega 3s from fish oil contains the critical components of DHA and EPA in a form that’s easy for our body’s to use (I recommend Pro-Omega). Most skin conditions have an underlying inflammatory cause (“skinflammation”), and the anti-inflammatory effects of Omega 3s can help to counteract this.
Where to find micronutrients
Lots of micronutrients can be found within food, but it’s absolutely critical to get it from the right source.
Choosing organic, local, GMO-free, free-range, wild and grass fed foods does make a difference in micronutrient levels. Produce that is organic, local and fresh is going to have much higher levels of micronutrients over processed, chemical-laden foods that travel long distances. The closer you are to picking your produce, the less time it has had to dissipate naturally occurring micronutrients like antioxidants.
Farmed fish, caged chickens and cows that don’t get to eat grass, similarly, will not deliver the same results as those that are “wild” and “free.” Just like what we eat makes a difference – the foods that the animals eat that we then consume is important too!
Many people need supplementation in order to get the right micronutrients that their skin and body needs. There is so much I can say about supplements (more on this at a later time), but the most important takeaway is QUALITY.
There are loads of supplements available today, but they are not all created the same. And, in fact, some are actually dangerous for your health. I’ve spent the last 15 years in practice and even longer researching and learning about supplements.
Because of what I’ve learned, I created some of my own supplements. Here is the product that I personally take and recommend to my patients – Daily Nutrients Packets
A few more things to consider…
If you have a super healthy diet and even take supplements, but you’re still showing signs of micronutrient deficiencies such as dry skin, brittle hair and nails, and chronic skin conditions, you may have an absorption issue.
If you have any digestive symptoms such as gas, bloating, constipation, or diarrhea, that can be a sign that you’re not digesting your food and absorbing nutrients from them. However, not everyone who has absorption issues has digestive symptoms.
To support your digestion foods and absorption of micronutrients, you may want to consider digestive enzymes and probiotics  and talk with your naturopathic physician or functional medicine doctor about getting tested for absorption issues and nutritional deficiencies.
“Addressing micronutrient deficiencies will support a healthy glow that comes from within.”

 copy of the new book The Micronutrient Miracle (currently  on Amazon) Click on the image below for more information. NEXT ARTICLE

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