In our previous blog, we spent a lot of time talking about just how remarkably intelligent the human body is. At any given moment, hundreds of processes are happening simultaneously, coordinating with one another for the greater good of our overall health and survival. Our hearts are beating, cells are dividing, our immune systems are monitoring for threats, damaged tissue is being repaired, and energy is being produced and distributed. And perhaps one of the most fascinating parts of all of this is that we don't have to consciously direct any of it. Our bodies simply know what to do.
But as intelligent as our biology may be, all of those processes still require resources.
Every cell requires energy. Every new protein has to be built from something. When tissue is injured, the body needs raw materials to repair it. And when we intentionally initiate a healing response through a treatment like microneedling, we're relying on those same systems to get to work.
So while our bodies do an incredible amount for us, we have a role to play, too. One of the simplest ways we can support all of that behind-the-scenes work is something we're already doing every single day: eating.
LET THY FOOD BE THY MEDICINE
We've all heard some variation of the phrase let thy food be thy medicine. It's an idea that has existed in some form for thousands of years, and there's a reason it has endured for so long: what we nourish our bodies with matters.
The food on our plates eventually becomes part of the enormous pool of resources our bodies have available to work with. Protein provides amino acids. Carbohydrates and fats provide energy and serve numerous other physiological functions. Fruits and vegetables bring vitamins, minerals, fiber, and an incredible variety of naturally occurring plant compounds into the equation.
This doesn't mean we need to label foods as "good" or "bad," or that enjoying something fried, frozen, packaged, or processed somehow prevents our bodies from functioning properly. Food is far more nuanced than that.
Instead, we like to think about what we can add.
Can we add another vegetable to dinner? A handful of berries to breakfast? A source of protein to lunch? Can we introduce a fruit or vegetable we don't normally eat?
EATING THE RAINBOW
We've spent plenty of time marveling at the brilliance of the human body, but the plant kingdom deserves the same admiration.
Many of the beautiful colors we see in fruits and vegetables come from naturally occurring pigments and phytochemicals. And while color isn't a perfect nutritional label, different colors tend to bring different combinations of nutrients and plant compounds to our plates.
In a way, nature has given us a beautifully color-coded reminder to diversify what we eat.
RED
Tomatoes, watermelon, strawberries, cherries, and red peppers can provide compounds such as lycopene and anthocyanins, depending on the food, along with nutrients like vitamin C.
ORANGE + YELLOW
Carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, oranges, and yellow peppers can provide carotenoids such as beta-carotene and nutrients including vitamin C. Our bodies can convert beta-carotene into vitamin A, which plays important roles in normal cellular differentiation and immune function.
GREEN
Spinach, kale, broccoli, asparagus, and avocado bring their own assortment of folate, carotenoids, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and plant compounds. Folate, for example, is required for DNA synthesis and normal cell division.
BLUE + PURPLE
Blueberries, blackberries, purple cabbage, plums, grapes, and eggplant often owe their beautiful colors to anthocyanins, plant pigments known for their antioxidant properties.
WHITE + BROWN
Garlic, onions, cauliflower, and mushrooms may not technically complete the rainbow, but they count, too. These foods contain their own unique mixtures of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and bioactive compounds, including organosulfur compounds in garlic and onions and beta-glucans in certain mushrooms.
The list goes on, but that's really the beauty of eating the rainbow. You don't have to memorize every phytochemical or know exactly which vitamin is hiding inside your bell pepper. Color simply gives us an easy visual cue to bring more variety onto our plates.
BRINGING THIS INTO THE TREATMENT ROOM
So, what can we do with this information as estheticians?
We can keep it simple.
We don't need to prescribe meal plans, diagnose nutritional deficiencies, or tell our clients what they should and shouldn't eat. That's outside of our scope, and everyone's nutritional needs are different.
What we can do is remind our clients that healthy skin is still part of a whole, living body.
If we're performing treatments that rely on normal cellular function and the body's natural repair systems, there is value in encouraging clients to take care of themselves beyond the products they apply topically. Nourish yourself. Diversify your plate. Drink your water. Move your body. Get some rest.
it doesn't have to become another complicated wellness protocol. Sometimes it's simply a matter of reminding someone that caring for their skin doesn't stop at the skin.
A LITTLE EXTRA SUPPORT
And finally, there are supplements.
Ideally, a diverse and well-rounded diet provides much of the nutrition we need, but supplements can offer an additional way to complement dietary intake when appropriate.
Herbal Skin Solutions offers Liposomal Vitamin C, Liposomal Vitamin A, Biotin, and Glucosamine supplements that can be incorporated into a broader at-home wellness routine. Vitamin C is particularly interesting within esthetics because it is required for normal collagen formation. Vitamin A contributes to normal cellular differentiation and immune function, while glucosamine is a naturally occurring compound involved in the structural components of cartilage.
Of course, supplements are exactly that: supplemental. They aren't a replacement for a varied diet, and individual needs can differ based on diet, medications, health conditions, and other factors. Clients should always consult an appropriate healthcare professional when they have questions about whether a particular supplement is right for them.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Our bodies already know how to do some pretty incredible things. Our job is to make sure they have the adequate tools to perform those functions. And fortunately, supporting them doesn't have to be complicated.
Sometimes it really can be as simple as looking at your plate and asking what you could add. Another color, another vegetable, a different fruit than the one you always reach for, or a nutrient you may not be getting enough of. Small choices made consistently can create a much more diverse nutritional landscape for the body to pull from.
The same is true when we're educating our clients. We don't need to send them home with a nutrition plan or step outside of our scope. We can simply encourage them to think about the many ways they can support their skin beyond the treatment room. Because healthy skin is still part of a whole, living body, and taking care of one means remembering to take care of the other.