It’s standard knowledge now that what you put into your body has an affect on your skin.

Whether that’s because the food you’re eating is triggering flare-ups, or because it's upsetting the balance of your microbiome and causing inflammation.

In this article, we look at ways you can take positive action to feed your skin the nutrients it needs to stay healthy and resilient.

Oily fish

The number one way of getting Omega fatty acids into your diet is to make sure you eat (sustainably sourced) oily fish at least once a week.

Try mackerel, salmon, sardines and herring.

Seaweed

If you don’t eat fish, then there are still good sources of skin-nourishing Omega fatty acids, and foremost among them is seaweed.

Whether you eat it in salads, soups or as a snack, seaweed provides your body with some great nutrients.

Hemp seeds

Hemp is full of vitamins, minerals and EFAs. You can sprinkle the seeds on cereal, add them to smoothies or cakes, or use cold-pressed hemp seed oil in salads - just don’t fry with it!

You can add other seeds to your diet to boost skin health: try chia, sunflower or flax.

Avocado

Avocados are rich in vitamins E & C, which work very well together to boost each other’s nutritional properties. They’re also high in the kind of fats that skin needs to regenerate itself.

Eat avocados on toast, in salads, as guacamole, or scoop them out straight from the shell!

Walnuts

High in Omega-3 but also super-rich in zinc, selenium and protein, all of which the body needs to keep the skin barrier functioning effectively, walnuts are an excellent addition to your diet - if you’re not nut-free.

Use them in cakes, salads, as a daily snack by themselves, or add the oil (cold, not heated) to dishes.

Other nutritious nuts to try include brazil nuts and almonds.

Sweet potatoes

Or, indeed, other bright red, orange or yellow vegetables! Use sweet potatoes, orange bell peppers, carrots and squash as much as you can in place of standard white potatoes. They can be roasted, chipped, mashed or added to soups and stews.

Olive oil

Like hemp, olive oil is one of the main ingredients in Skin Salvation, precisely because it is so good for the skin.

You can put it directly on your sore or itchy skin in a balm or body oil, but you can also help your skin from inside out by making sure you’re using plenty of olive oil in your cooking.

EXTRA BONUS SKIN-KIND FOOD: Dark chocolate! Yes, having a few squares of high-percentage dark chocolate can be a positive boon to your skin!

Balmonds Skin Salvation
with hemp and beeswax

Balmonds Daily Moisturising Cream
with shea butter and calendula