We often try to fix our skin issues from the outside in. We cover, we scrub, we pick, we pop - but really - the best thing is to start from within. People walking down the street with good skin, if not for sheer genes, have a beautiful glow because they take care of themselves in other ways first. Leading a healthy lifestyle and taking the steps below will invariably give you a better starting point. From there, please, wear sunscreen to avoid sunspots and aging, exfoliate, and once in a while, let your skin breathe. Diet There are so many ways that you can help your skin simply with the foods you eat. It’s good, number one, to support a healthy gut with foods like probiotics and citrus. Happy organs on the inside lead to happy organs on the outside. Take a shot of apple cider vinegar first thing in the morning, or throw ginger and lemon into a green juice. Consuming Vitamin E, vitamin C, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants will support your skin as well. Try creating at least 1x a day, a skin-loving smoothie that has a bit of it all. No Smoking This probably seems like a no-brainer, but smoking is so bad for your skin. Studies have shown it to linked with premature wrinkling. If you do it, quit. For many reasons. Hydrate Happy skin is elastic and hydrated. Take in your daily dose of water or supplement with coconut water to deliver maximum electrolytes along with some added nutrition. Exercise A good sweat helps to push out the toxins and open your pores. Just make sure to wash your face before & after, so that dirt doesn’t flow in there. Exercise also delivers a blast of oxygen & nutrients to the skin, and can help to alleviate stress. Activities such as yoga and meditation have been proven to lessen stress, which in turn reduces the amount of stress hormones in the body. Stress hormones have been shown to induce conditions like acne, eczema, and rosacea. Sleep A good night’s rest will help you ditch that oh-so-attractive tired look. Stop covering up those bags under your eyes, and just get a full eight hours of sleep instead. It’s also been shown during sleep that secretion of human growth hormones increase, which in turn, promotes cell repair and collagen production. This post is from guest blogger Naomi. Follow her on her blog here for posts like these and more!