The holidays are here! That means a lot of excitement and enjoying the merriments of the season. But for many, this also means extra stress, less sleep, and more eating and drinking – not to mention all foods this time of year seem to have loads of sugar in it. Our skin is a reflection of what is going on inside our bodies, and with stress, sugar and the like, breakouts and/or unhappy skin can be the outcome.

Here are our tips for a holiday glow all season long:

  1. We know this can be hard. But it is an important one – eat less sugar! Sugar intake spikes cortisol, creates inflammation, and affects our hormones, and hormones are connected to breakouts. And when it comes to your hormones, Nutrition is KEY! Your brain is in constant communication with the rest of your body every day via your hormones. The energy and nutrients you obtain from your diet are the raw materials your body needs to produce hormones and properly fuel your body. But let’s dive a little deeper into your liver. That’s right, the underrated organ that is designed to filter out toxins from food and chemicals we are exposed to daily. Your skin is a way your body excretes toxic waste. Whatever the large intestine and liver aren’t able to get rid of, your skin steps in. The best way to offset those sugar cravings is by eating a balanced meal that consists of healthy protein, fat, and fiber-rich carbs. Since the holidays are all about indulging, just be prepared by eating a balanced meal before attending the festivities. It’s important to also try and eat your protein (chicken, beef, fish, lentils) and healthy fats (avocado, coconut oil, plain yogurt, walnuts, etc) first and foremost. That’ll slow down digestion which keeps you full longer leaving you to indulge in pie, biscuits, or mashed potatoes a little less. Meaning your blood sugar won’t spike so quickly leaving you to crave more sugar and carbs. Check out THIS video and THIS video for more info.
  2. Another one we know can be hard for many, especially this time of year with all the holiday parties! Consume less alcohol. It weakens your immune system and there is some evidence that shows there isn’t actually any safe level of alcohol consumption. If you are going to drink alcohol, Dr. Gonzalez suggests drinking green tea immediately before or after consuming alcohol to lessen the toxin load on the body. If you want the taste of alcoholic drinks you enjoy without the negative effects on your skin and body, try some of these non-alcoholic mocktail drinks that taste great and satisfy the taste buds  – Ghia, Curious Elixirs, Little Saints and for the beer, connoisseurs check out Hopark.
  3. Check your gut. When the gut is out of balance, our immune system is out of balance. And all diseases begin in the gut. So, chances are, if you’re experiencing skin issues or any other issues, there could be a chance your gut may need some attention. Pre and Probiotics are great to help support the good bacteria in the gut. HERE is a blog post explaining this more in detail.
  4. You knew this was coming – eat more fruits and vegetables! There is no denying that fruits and veggies improve your health! But did you also know that fruits and veggies act as prebiotics and feed on the good bacteria in your gut? Everybody is different but if you are experiencing sensitivity and breakouts this can be related to the gut. So fill up on those fruits and veggies daily and see if you notice skin improvements. Check out my Prebiotics blog post (linked in #3) to better explain this equation: PREbiotics + PRObiotics = POSTbiotics. Here you’ll find how this is beneficial to your gut health but also great resources for these types of fiber. But note, a great way to improve your health including gut health is by eating a diversity of plants. Check out some gut-friendly recipes below.
  5. Move that lymph! Your lymphatic system plays a huge role in detoxifying the body by moving metabolic waste, toxins, and dead cells from your organs and depositing them into the liver and large intestine. If they become clogged then toxins recirculate in the body. When lymph is properly moving, our bodies can better handle the body burden of whatever we encounter that day (i.e. stress, pollution, sugar, and so on). Some ways to move lymph include drinking plenty of water, gua sha, lymphatic drainage massage, sauna, and exercise!
  6. Prioritize rest. Do you have to attend every holiday gathering? Would travel over the holidays leave you feeling stressed and drained? Prioritizing consistent sleep, between 6-8 hours, is best, plus your body does the most detox work while you sleep. Radical self-care is essential during the holidays and proper rest should be a non-negotiable. Check out this article especially if you have a hard time with a consistent sleep schedule: 10 Achievable Ways to Reset Your Circadian Rhythm.
  7. Get outside! As the weather cools down and the days are shorter, we are spending less time outside and less time being exposed to daylight. The sun on our skin is critical to vitamin D synthesis and this improves our overall immunity. So make sure you get outside on those sunny days whenever you can! And catch the sunlight first thing in the AM if possible. Exposing our eyes to sunlight during sunrise can help regulate our circadian rhythm and also ward off feelings of depression.
  8. Meditate every day. Even if you only have 5 minutes a day, spend some time checking in with yourself and see how you are feeling. Those with regular meditation practice experience less stress and can handle stressful situations. Some deep diaphragmatic breathing and a mental body scan is a great way to check in with yourself or perhaps repeating a mantra works better for you to tune in – something like, “My body is healthy and strong and it has the amazing ability to heal itself”.
  9. Wear balanced, healthy skincare! The Skin Care Set from Pleni is a great option as it has ingredients to balance, brighten, and smooth skin while keeping it looking clear with ingredients like papaya, carrot, tomato, and cucumber. This set performs many benefits to the skin and with its MADE SAFE certification, you know the ingredients are non-toxic and will not add to your body’s burden. Use code: EARLYACCESS30 for 30% off. Offer valid 11/21-11/24. Use code Merry30, valid 11/25-11/28.
Pleni Naturals with Natalie holding the bottle

Holiday Glow Gut-Healthy Recipes:

Roasted Butternut Squash with Lemon Tahini

Hope you enjoyed these helpful tips on how to keep your skin merry and bright this holiday season.

Happy Holidays!

Natalie & Allyson with Pleni Naturals

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This post is sponsored by Pleni Naturals. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make it possible for Precious Time Blog to provide free content and healthy living inspiration.