[Gut + Glow Series] The importance of a balanced diet

Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash — Photo

Yes, we know that a diet full of bad junk food and not much else is going to affect our health on the inside, but it also effects our appearance on the outside too. So if you’ve been having a little too much junk and you’re not happy with how your skin, hair or nails are looking, you know that looking at your dietary habits should be a priority.

A lot of popular fad diets reduce or even cut out a food group but this is not a good thing. Each food group exists for a reason!

Protein helps to:

encourage growth
hormone production
muscle growth
tissue repair
immune function
preserve lean muscle mass

Fats are needed (yes, NEEDED) for:

energy
growth
absorbing vitamins and nutrients
maintaining cells
cushioning organs
providing taste for food

increases health of hair, teeth, nails, skin and other organs

Carbohydrates are our basic source of energy and are useful for:

the central nervous system
kidneys
the brain
the muscles, heart and intestinal functions

Fibre lowers risk of:

heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer.
help digestion and prevent constipation.

Vegetables, leafy greens and fruits

all contain antioxidants that make your skin glow

Minimising sugar and alcohol will help clear up your skin and minimise breakouts

Tips for a healthy diet

Try and base meals around balancing your plate to get all the nutrients in that you need.
Focus on nutritious foods and not the calories
Don’t deprive yourself if you’re feeling hungry
Don’t ban foods, you will crave them
Aim for as many servings of fruit and veg as you can get per day. A good way to get your intake started is a smoothie for breakfast filled with berries and spinach
Make sure you are keeping hydrated

I will be going into more detail on how to eat well for good skin, hopefully this has given a good overview of the basics and helped you understand why a balanced diet is a necessity!