When weighing the options on the dessert menu, it's common for us to consider how that decadent bowl of crème brûlée might affect our waistlines - but our complexions? Not the first thought that comes to mind. In honor of the Chefs issue, we decided to explore that old adage, "You are what you eat." And no, it's not as simple as your mom's back-in-the-day warnings that too much chocolate begets a chin full of pimples.
Esthetician Crystal Morgan knows a little something about the topic, seeing as the clientele she serves at The Spa at The Sports Club/LA (4 Avery Street, Boston, 617.375.8200) is quite the food-conscious bunch. "Your skin is the largest organ [in the body]," Morgan explains, "so it tells tales on how we're eating." In the health-club setting, a common issue that Morgan comes across is a lack of good fats in the diet. "We have so many people who consume an extremely low-fat or no-fat diet. And unfortunately, they don't realize that you need good fat in your diet to keep your skin younger and supple-looking." Without sufficient good fat in one's diet, skin can take on an almost dusty look, and fine lines only look more prominent. Morgan's prescription? Increasing one's olive-oil intake.
Other recommendations for good-for-skin foods that Morgan regularly makes to clients draw on research by household-name dermatologists like Dr. Perricone and Dr. Murad, both of whom have developed food-based skincare products, supplements, and more based on their findings. Favorites include blueberries and cantaloupe, for their antioxidant properties. Romaine lettuce works as an anti-inflammatory agent. Salmon's fatty acids can do wonders for dried-out, tired skin in need of a little freshening up. And, of course, there's also water - simple, yes, but an essential part of a diet aimed a keeping skin dewy and well-hydrated. Local life and nutrition coach Tom Reen (lifeactually.org) breaks the science down even further for us, recommending vitamins A, C, and E, as well as B-complex vitamins, for healthy skin, hair, and nails. Benefits extend to the cellular level, promoting tissue regeneration, collagen production, and increased cell strength.
That said, Mom wasn't all wrong. Sugar can cause skin to look older than its years, says Morgan, while dairy is known to cause inflammation; breakouts are often a telltale sign of over-consumption of either. Reen advises avoiding the salt shaker - and super-processed foods - to prevent that bloated look. Coffee addicts, Morgan says, should take note that caffeine is another ingredient to avoid, as overdoing it can result in dried-out, inflamed skin. And, as anyone who's looked in the mirror the morning after a six-martini evening knows all too well, alcohol is another culprit known to suck the moisture out of skin. "When we drop those things from our diet.... Just try it for three days, a day. There's a noticeable difference with the appearance of the skin," Morgan stresses. "There's less puffiness. When folks have marionette lines around the mouth, that's reduced significantly. Lines around the eyes are reduced - it's amazing." Will your esthetician judge you for your diet shortcomings? Doubtful. But do keep in mind: you're not getting anything by her, either.
As if having your secret sugar binges uncovered isn't embarrassing enough, your esthetician can also tell a little something about other more, well, delicate rituals of yours with a simple skin examination. "If someone has breakouts in certain areas of the skin, you can tell if - it sounds tacky - they're not moving their bowels as rapidly," Morgan says. "Because now the fecal matter is staying either in the small intestine or the large intestine depending on where breakouts and wrinkles are, and it shows on their skin." Adjusting one's diet to compensate can make a marked difference.
The moral of the story: however it may manifest on your skin, what you eat does affect the way you look. And while only your esthetician may recognize the correlation between that zit on your nose and the pint of ice cream you ate the other night, small adjustments to your diet - sometimes even temporary ones - can improve skin conspicuously enough that others will take notice. If you're lucky, in one of those "I can't put my finger on it, but damn she looks good" kind of ways.
