The Summer “Glow Up” Is All in What You Eat
The Summer “Glow Up” Is All in What You Eat
By: Teresa Parker

You’ve heard the term everywhere, so why not you too? Here’s how to get your summer glow up; it’s all about nutrition. How to glow up isn’t just about losing weight, going big on medi spa treatments, or being groomed and preened every place that hair exists on your body. It’s all about looking and feeling your best. You should focus less on “slimming down” and more on getting that inner radiant glow. And if you can take the time to make some changes in your diet and lifestyle with this easy-to-follow nutritional guide, you can ACTUALLY transform the way you look.

Focus on nutrition and everything else will fall into place. Nutrition plays an integral role in nourishing your skin, muscles and hair. You can work out as much as you want, but you may find yourself still looking tired or have dull skin and hair if you don’t nourish your body with nutritious, healthy foods. The glow up meaning takes on a new tone in every phase of life, and if you’re reading this you’re ready for your next one.

Foods That Make Your Glow Up 

There are a handful of key nutrients that can keep your skin, hair and nails healthy and glowing. As we age, it is more important than ever to make sure that you stick to your vitamin regimen, or else it will begin to show! In addition to following a macronutrient diet, you have to make sure you are getting enough vitamins. Here are some key nutritional needs that are sure to give you that glow from the inside out.

  • Vitamin A: 
    • Helps your body produce keratin a protein that keeps your hair and nails strong.
    • Supports natural collagen production.
    • Can be found in a variety of foods including sweet potato, carrots, and spinach.

  • Vitamin B complex:
    • There are many 8 different forms of vitamin B, all which help the body a little bit differently. 
    • Look for B-3, B-5, and B-6 to help target skin issues and effectively turn over new skin cells and keep your glow. 
    • Varieties of vitamin B can be found in a lot of foods––including milk, eggs, seafood and some nuts/seeds.
  • Vitamin C: 
    • Always an immune system booster, which doesn’t stop at the skin! Vitamin C can help fight blemishes, heal superficial wounds faster and add to your overall skin health.
    • Assists in natural collagen production.
    • This natural antioxidant that helps fight premature aging.
    • Best to get from your diet because it occurs naturally in so many fruits and vegetables. 
    • Found in foods like berries, oranges, lemons, broccoli, cauliflower, and squash.

  • Zinc:
    • Helps the immune system to fight off viruses and bacteria, as well as supports skin health 
    • Zinc is considered an essential nutrient, but it is impossible for your body to make, therefore you have to rely on foods to ingest it into the body.
    • Influences cell turnover, and enzymatic activity in the body.
    • Many people don’t get enough zinc naturally in their diet, so it often needs to be supplemented.
  • Essential Fatty Acids:
    • These natural, healthy fats can be found in a variety of foods like nuts, avocados, and oily fish (like salmon).
    • They help your skin’s natural barrier that keeps out harmful microbes and bacteria.
    • Maintains skin hydration levels.

Boost Your Glow-Up with High-Quality Supplements

Sometimes a healthy diet still needs supplements in order for you to hit your weight loss goals and max out your glow up. There has been a lot of research that has pointed to poor gut health and an imbalance of microbes in your gut that can dull your shine and keep you from hitting your weight goals. Supplementing your diet with high-quality probiotics can renew your gut health and begin to restore your microbiome. This can help get you over any potential weight loss plateaus and give you what you need to push forward and restore your youthful glow. Low collagen production can also lead to dull skin, brittle nails, dry hair, and weak muscles/joints. Adding in a high-quality collagen supplement is an easy way to boost your natural skin & hair health. For a glow up this summer, you really don’t need to look much further than the food on your plate at any meal.