Fasting’s role in your skin’s complexion and clarity

The health benefits of intermittent fasting

You're probably already familiar with what fasting is by now. Essentially, intermittent fasting just sets scheduled eating windows that are broken up by fasting periods, AKA not eating. There are plenty of fasting models , like the popular 5:2, 16:8, or alternate day fasting, and the one you choose depends on your goals, lifestyle, and mental strength!

There's a good reason why fasting has become such a craze in the wellness community and beyond. Rather than elongating your list of "no go" foods through restrictive dieting, intermittent fasting just defines when you eat to maximize your body's natural ability to burn fat. On top of weight loss, the overwhelmingly positive effects of fasting include:

• Better balance of blood sugar levels and lower blood sugar overall
• Improved insulin sensitivity 
• Cellular renewal AKA autophagy
• Lower cholesterol and blood triglycerides
• Lower blood pressure and protection against heart disease
• Immune system support
• Support for your brain health by clearing mental fog and protecting against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's
• Boosted metabolism 

The benefits of fasting are not limited to any one organ; it's more than just not eating to lose weight. As you'll see, it also has wonderful anti-aging benefits for the largest organ of our bodies, the skin!

How diet affects your skin

There are lots of things that can damage our skin and affect its health. Genetics, hormones, stress, and lifestyle changes are all players in your skin health and sadly, some of these things are totally out of our hands. What we can control though is what and how we eat so that we wake up with gorgeous, glowing skin. While we may not know the exact cause of all of our skin conditions, we do some things that help keep skin healthy; one being collagen.

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body, including in the skin. Collagen works hand in hand with elastin to keep our skin springy, soft, and firm. When we don't have enough of it, or when the collagen proteins become damaged, our skin pays for it. Collagen proteins can become damaged through oxidative stress, AKA free radicals, but the bitter-sweet part of our diet can cause collagen to become unnecessarily damaged as well. It's our favorite frenemy sugar.

When we consume sugar, the glucose binds to fats and proteins to form harmful compounds called advanced glycation end products (AGEs). During this process (glycation) collagen is destroyed and becomes much flimsier, leading to more wrinkles.

Glycation isn't the only cause of skincare chaos. When we consume foods that are high in sugar, it sends our insulin levels soaring. A study published in Advances in Dermatology and Allergology found that when our insulin levels are high, it tells our hormones to start producing more sebum and oil that can clog our pores and cause acne. Other foods like dairy products have been proven to increase your likelihood of acne. Glycation and our body's natural decline in collagen production are both unavoidable, but there are things you can do to slow it down and boost your collagen back to healthy levels. This is where fasting and healthy nutrition come in!

Intermittent fasting for youthful skin

Intermittent fasting is a form of controlling when we eat rather than what we eat. It’s a lifestyle that is optimized to follow our circadian rhythm. Really, what this means is that we tend to only eat during the day when we're active and fast during the idle times of evening and night. Studies have shown that sticking to the circadian rhythm is incredibly important for your skin cells. Blood flow, transepidermal water loss, hydration, and inflammation are linked to circadian rhythms. What this means is that when we fast and limit our sugar, as well as our total caloric intake during the day, it can benefit the skin in the following ways:

• Reduce Redness and Inflammation: Inflammation is a necessary part of our immune system, but too much can lead to a variety of chronic diseases. Intermittent fasting may help to increase T helper cells and anti-inflammatory cytokines, which help to keep inflammation at bay. This is especially true when it comes to managing psoriasis, a skin condition linked to diabetes, obesity, and hypertension.

• Protect Against Wrinkles: There are many anti-aging benefits linked to intermittent fasting and collagen boosting. Because fasting kicks autophagy into high gear, it helps to "clear out" all the cellular waste that can damage and impair the fibroblasts in our skin and instead encourage more collagen production. The ultimate key to forever young skin is to keep your collagen levels high, so supplementing with collagen during your eating windows can help to support all the anti-aging benefits your fast provides.
• Control Acne: Acne is the direct result of excess oil and dirt clogging our pores. During a period of intermittent fasting, our insulin resistance is strengthened, thus limiting the amount of sebum that our skin produces. Fasting also reduces the amount of sugar and poor quality carbohydrates that we consume, leaving plenty of room for detoxification from this pimple-causing ingredient.

Skin-healthy smoothie

Confused about what to eat in between fasting periods? Make the most out of your meals by getting plenty of collagen and antioxidants to refuel your entire body and improve the results of your fast. If you want to find a diet that's truly personalized to your body and your health and skincare needs, consider talking to a nutritionist or registered dietitian! They'll take all the guesswork out of your fasting routine and make sure everything you eat comes with a specific purpose.

This delicious and easy keto-friendly smoothie contains the best skincare ingredients in the biz! It's filling, nutritious, and fits into almost every diet and health goal, not just the skincare ones. This recipe contains highly bioavailable marine collagen for anti-aging, plenty of healthy fats and prebiotics for a healthy gut, and liposomal vitamin C for skin clarity, immune support, and to maximize the benefits of your collagen.

Directions:

In a large blender, mix:

• 1 cup spinach
• 1/2 avocado
• 1/2 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1 Scoop pure, high-quality marine collagen powder
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 Tsp of Premium Liposomal Vitamin C
• 1/2 tbsp hemp seeds
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 4-5 ice cubes
• 1 tsp matcha powder for energy (optional)

Article References:

1. https://www.mdedge.com/dermatology/article/233377/aesthetic-dermatology/circadian-rhythms-does-time-day-you-use-skin-care?sso=true
2. https://inthemirra.com/blogs/news/does-intermittent-fasting-help-your-skin#:~:text=Fasting%20Can%20Regulate%20Blood%20Glucose%20Levels&text=When%20it's%20too%20high%20it,fullness%20and%20a%20youthful%20bounce.
3. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/alternate-day-fasting-guide
4. https://simple.life/blog/intermittent-fasting-and-skin-health/
5. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/advanced-glycation-end-products#low--age-diets