You are what you eat – just have a look at your face

If you are what you eat,  then the most noticeable sign of this is your skin. The body’s largest organ is an outward manifestation of everything going on beneath the surface.  Basically, if you’re feeding your body with junk (excess sugar, fats and processed foods and inadequate vitamins and minerals), your internal processes will be compromised. And that sub-par performance will show up on the skin – and most apparently, your face. You can actually map out the face to see if what you’re eating is affecting your complexion. Have a look and see if this applies to you.

Chin inflammation and breakouts
The health of your stomach and problems with digestion will manifest as inflammation on the chin. Eating more fermented foods and/or starting a course of probiotics will help your stomach. Relax on the caffeine and alcohol.

Jaw line breakouts
A poor diet is often to blame for breakouts along the jawline. Refined, processed foods, dairy and sugar are the worst offenders. Try eliminating these foods for a week and see if you notice a difference. Focus on whole foods as close to their natural state as possible and minimise foods that come from packets.

Under-eye circles
Alcohol can cause dark circles under the eyes. If you’ve been indulging in a few too many wines, cut back for a while. As a regular habit, you should always try to have more alcohol-free days in the week than alcohol-consuming days. Dark circles can also been due to dairy and gluten intolerances. If you haven’t had these tested, now is the time.

Chapped lips
Aside from extreme weather, chapped and dry lips can indicate dehydration, low vitamin B or low iron.

Pale lips
A lack of colour in the lips indicates a lack of blood flow, which could be a sign of low or deficient iron in the blood. Add foods high in iron to your diet, such as dark leafy green, red meat, sunflower seeds and nuts. If you’re already eating these foods, you could have an issue with absorbing the iron in them so it’s best to speak to a doctor.

Overall dryness and dullness
If your skin is dry and dull, your diet may be lacking in Omega -3 fatty acids. Top up your meals with salmon and other oily fish flaxseeds, walnuts and chia seeds.