Dr. Zand’s Dietary Tips for Healthy, Glowing Skin

It’s no secret that diet and nutrition play a major role in many aspects of our well-being--one of which is our skin! Today we’ll be sharing Dr. Zand’s anti-inflammatory dietary tips, emphasizing ways to make sustainable dietary changes to ensure that you’re feeling your best self, from the inside out. Welcome your inner healer, visualize it, feel it, and have gratitude for it. Imagine these dietary recommendations coming from a wise future self, looking out for you and your best-continued health.

Big Picture:

• Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.

• Create fun and fulfilling diet that is all-organic, low in carbs, low in meat, and high in healthy fats, veggies, fish, salads, and nuts.

Focus On:

• Antioxidant rich fruits: pomegranate, blueberries, blackberries, sugar-free cranberry juice.

• Increase healthy oils: avocado, nuts, seeds, olive oil, canola oil (avoid coconut oil due to saturated fats).

• Omega 3 rich fish: (wild, not farm-raised): salmon, trout, sardines, anchovies, halibut.

• Healthy protein sources: fish, eggs, walnuts, pistachios, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, quinoa, peanut butter, hummus, black beans, sprouted seeds, lentils.

• Veggies: mushrooms, carrots, celery, beets, green beans, peppers, eggplant, asparagus, brussel sprouts.

• Yummy and healthy: RAW GARLIC! Turmeric, ginger.

• Leafy greens: Spinach, arugula, spring mix, kale sprouts!

• Create a salad dressing you love, my fave is lemon juice, olive oil, salt.

• Fermented foods: kombucha (drink), kimchi, sauerkraut, Bubbies pickles.

• Healthy snacks to grab n go: LaraBars, carrots and peanut butter, hard-boiled eggs.

• Healthy munchies: hearts of palms, seaweed, sunflower seeds in shells.

• Beverages: water, green tea, mint tea for acne, unsweetened coffee with oat milk.

Small Amounts:

• Meat: pasture raised only, grass fed, grass-finished; chicken liver, hearts + bone marrow are extra nutritious

• Grains/starches: Rice, potato, root veggies, quinoa, oats, beans

• Sweets: whole fruits, honey, dark chocolate; avoid corn syrup

• Salt: Choose pink Himalayan or grey Celtic salt, avoid Morton’s lab made salt

Avoid:

• Gluten/wheat: no bread, pasta, beer, soy sauce; brown rice pasta is a good alternative

• Corn, soy, soybean oil

• Added sugar, packaged foods, artificial sweeteners

• Dairy (whole milk is much healthier than low or non-fat milk): Best to avoid milk and cheese, instead substitute oat milk, almond milk, nutritional yeast (tastes like parmesan cheese!)

• Alcohol flares rosacea, psoriasis, heartburn, headaches, and weakens our immune system. Consider cannabis gummies or tinctures instead.

• Some people with arthritis may benefit from avoiding nightshade vegetables (tomatoes, eggplant, etc), though if these don’t upset you, they are super healthy!

Anti-inflammatory Supplements:

• Turmeric - Pure Encapsulations Curcumin 500

• CoQ10 300mg (Healthy Origins)

Hair Skin and Nails Support:

• Fish oils: Nordic Naturals ProEPA w Concentrated GLA, or Fermented Cod Liver Oil by Blue Ice

• Plant based Omega-3’s: Evening Primrose Oil (SR-brand 1300mg) and Black Currant Seed Oil (NutriONN 1000mg)

• Pure Encapsulations Hair Skin and Nails Vitamins ($40) or Nutrafol ($80)

• Iron: Apex Energetics HemeVite 6 mg capsules

  • ~$58 on Amazon

  • $25 through our colleague Dr. Susan Fox’s Online Fullscript store.

Immune support:

• Stamets Ten Mushrooms formula

• Vit C 2000 mg daily

• Zinc 50mg daily

• Vitamin D 2000 IU daily

• Ginger – fresh or supplements

Gut Health:

• Grapeseed extract

• Probiotics - Nordic Naturals Probiotics

• For chronic diarrhea, we like Seed Probiotics

• For chronic constipation, add magnesium, avoid grains and meat entirely

• For bloating, avoid grains and cruciferous veggies (broccoli, kale, etc)

Nerve-calming supplements:

• Mega B vitamin supplement

• Ashwaganda helps prevent dementia and has high iron!

• Magnesium 250-500 mg at bedtime, might help you feel relaxed and help you “go” :-)

• Hypericum homeopathic (Boiron) - take 5 pellets three times per day when you feel nerve-related itch

• St. Johns Wort to calm nerve-related itch

• Gliacin 375 mg daily (Bosweillia Serrata) for natural neuron support.

But what if I’m not ready to make such drastic diet changes?

Diet doesn’t have to be all or nothing, and slow changes can often be more sustainable and realistic. One small dietary change can spark huge benefits for your skin!

Wishing you happiness, health, and a life full of clear and radiant skin!

All my best,

Dr. Sarvenaz Zand