Glowing skin, hair and nails is a reflection of overall health and nutrition status. What we consume and absorb makes a huge difference to our inward and outward appearance. The skin, hair and nails are rapidly growing cells and therefore need certain nutrients for their health.

Top lifestyle tips for a glow

Get enough sleep
Good sleep is essential for skin, hair and nails. Sleep is the time when your body restores and repairs – this includes the blood vessels that supply your skin and scalp. The average adult needs around 7-9 hours per night. But just because you are sleeping this many hours, doesn’t necessary mean that it is good quality sleep. Get into a routine before bed and switch off all screens for at least 30 minutes before you intend to sleep. This will encourage more melatonin production (our sleep hormone) and induce a better-quality sleep.

Exercise frequently
Exercise is not only excellent for overall health, it also improves blood flow to the skin, nails and scalp, promoting better nutrition and increasing glow. Exercise also increases blood flow to the liver which then promotes better detoxification leading to even more of a glow of the skin.

Sweat it out
Using a sauna, steam room or doing sweaty exercise promotes the removal of toxins from the body. It also helps to clear the skin of any impurities, oil build-up and clogged pores. Just make sure you shower straight away afterwards.

De-stress
Stress is a major dampener on your glow. Stress increases the level of sugar in your blood which in the long run can lead to poorer blood flow and damage to the skin, hair and scalp. Stress also plays havoc with your hormones and can lead to thinning and falling out hair. Stress-reducing meditation and yoga are excellent for promoting inner calm and helping you to deal with stress in the long run. Stress also triggers frowning, wrinkles and grey hair.

Have a positive attitude
A positive attitude goes a long way in giving you a glow. A positive attitude reduces the level of stress hormones which helps to promote your glow.

Look after your immune system
It is essential that you look after your immune system by eating well, getting enough sleep and making time for yourself. Being run down is not a good look and certainly doesn’t do anything for your glow.

Top dietary tips for a glow

Drink plenty
Proper hydration is essential. Dehydrated skin has the appearance of wrinkles and generally a dried outlook. Drinking at least 1.5 to 2 litres of purified water per day helps to keep your skin hydrated and plump. Water also promotes detoxification and the removal of toxins through the kidneys and bladder. These toxins would otherwise be pushed out through the skin causing inflammation and a dull appearance. Reducing sugar and caffeine in your drinks can also help in this area.

Eat your fruit & veg
7-9 portions of vegetables and fruit per day is recommended by leading Food Scientists and Nutritionists for good health. The fibre in these foods feed the probiotics in your gut, and the combination of the 2 helps to maintain regular bowel movements and elimination of toxins, as well as providing plenty of antioxidants. Toxins that are not excreted through the bowel are pushed out through the skin giving it dull appearance and triggering acne and inflammation.

Oily fish
Omega 3 fats are anti-inflammatory and are excellent for skin health. The skin contains a large proportion of omega 3 fats which contribute towards its function. A deficiency in omega 3 may lead to dry, cracking, and inflamed skin. The weekly recommended consumption of oily fish is 2 portions. Omega 3 fats promote skin flexibility and moisturisation.

Fast occasionally
If you are fit and well, fasting occasionally can be good for the skin. During a fast, the body tries to conserve calories, and gets rid of all old and defunct cells. This includes skin cells which are not working the way they should. Fasting for 1 day every month can give you a youthful glow that is hard to achieve otherwise.

Cut out sugar and processed foods
Processed foods and refined sugars are a disaster for the skin, nails and hair. These types of food cause oxidative damage and are typically void of most nutrients. Any excess sugar in the diet can trigger inflammation which shows on the skin as reddening and large pores. Inflammation is also not good for blood flow, and the nutrients to the scalp and hair can become compromised.

Our top supplements for a healthy glow

Marine Collagen
Marine collagen is excellent for the skin, hair and nails. Collagen is the main structural and elastic component in skin, nails and blood vessels that supply the skin and scalp with nutrients.

As we age, collagen production slows down leading to sagging, a loss of plumpness and fragile skin. The blood vessels also become less stretchy leading to reduced blood flow to the scalp and hair.

Taking a collagen supplement provides a boost of collagen to keep cells elastic and plump and to maintain the normal function of the blood vessels so they can provide the scalp and hair with nutrients.

It is essential however to take the right collagen supplement. Birch and Wilde marine collagen has a low Dalton number of 4000. This means that it is broken into tiny fragments that can pass through the gut and enter the cells intact where it contributes towards their function.

Most other supplements on the market do not have this advantage and are therefore become broken down in the gut, leading to less effective collagen formation.

The B Vitamins
B vitamins are another absolute essential to keep the skin hair and nails healthy. The B vitamins are needed for the replication of these cells and for their normal function.

Vitamin B2 is especially needed for the growth and replication of new cells. Vitamin B6 helps to regulate testosterone levels in both men and women. Too much testosterone can lead to oily skin, blocked pores and acne.

Biotin is another essential B vitamin that is needed for the growth of skin and luscious hair. A deficiency in biotin can contribute towards flaking and tired skin.

PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid) is also part of the B vitamin family and when combined with vitamin B5 can help to prevent the formation of grey hairs, and in some cases, even reversing them! 

Birch and Wilde Vitamin B complex also contains vitamin C which aids with the production of collagen.

All B vitamins work together, and it is not wise to take just 1 or 2 B vitamins. Some B vitamins increase the function of others and some regenerate others after they have been used. A B Complex is therefore advised.