Our skin is the largest and one of the most important organs in our body, and nourishing from the inside is the key to achieving a summer glow on the outside. If you’ve never heard of the gut-skin-axis, it is the relationship our gut health has with our skin, primarily through our microbiome. If our microbiome is out of balance, it's likely our skin will be too. Have you ever noticed when you eat poorly or consume something you may be sensitive to, your skin responds by breaking out, feeling oily, dry, itchy or inflamed? One of the wonderful things about our skin is it will often be the first place to let us know something isn’t quite right.

Below are 5 tips on how you are able to nourish your body from the inside out to be more in tune with what your skin is telling you to ultimately support glowing skin.

Food is medicine

With each meal, we are essentially making a decision to either feed our beneficial gut bacteria through nutrient rich foods or we are feeding non-beneficial bacterias and pathogens (e.g. parasites). It is important to avoid inflammatory foods (e.g. common allergens are gluten and soy products), highly refined foods and sugars as these compromise our gut function. Choose whole, nutrient-dense foods high in protein and fibre to strengthen and protect your digestive system (e.g.lean meats, green vegetables). Systemically, your body will love you - especially your skin! Ask yourself, is this meal nourishing me? Will I feel great after eating this? If your answer is no, consider swapping to an alternative.

2. Vitamin D

Expose your skin to the sunshine! Don’t be afraid of the sun, more so be mindful of your exposure. Vitamin D is an essential component in our overall health and a large majority of our population are deficient. Our skin relies on vitamin D for synthesis, metabolism and general activity. Those who are deficient are likely to be at a higher risk of skin conditions such as psoriasis, acne, rosacea. Mindful exposure may look like eating your breakfast in the sunshine, exposing your skin with minimal barriers (e.g. long sleeve shirts).

3. Internal Hydration

Improving hydration by consuming sufficient amounts of filtered water is imperative for glowing skin and vitality. If we are dehydrated, our body has limited capability of excreting toxins. Consider adding Imbibe Beauty Renewal to your water. Not only does this formulation contain multiple strains of probiotics that specifically support gut and skin health, the delicious taste will help you to increase your water intake.

4. External hydration

Topical hydration helps to rejuvenate dry and dehydrated skin. Each day, our skin is exposed to a multitude of toxins and environments. The IME Restorative moisturiser is a non-toxic product formulated to nourish and hydrate your skin. Apply 1 - 2 times daily after cleansing your face.

5. Increase antioxidant intake

Antioxidants help to fight the signs of ageing and reduce the impact stress has on us. Oxidative stress on our skin in turn causes inflammation and damage, the opposite effect of what we need to have glowing skin. Here’s a recipe to a hydrating, antioxidant summer smoothie, helping you to increase your daily antioxidants and essential skin nutrients…