This Meal Prep Will Give You Great Gut Health & Glowing Skin

I talk a lot about my past struggle with hormonal cystic acne. It’s actually what led me to start Vibrant & Pure—my skin condition made it clear to me that something was wrong internally. After completely changing my diet, I'm mostly free of my acne, but I’m still ever evolving and experimenting with different foods and activities that can make my skin condition fluctuate. While my skin is for the most part healed, I will still get one or two breakouts every now and then—usually after a weekend of one or two too many cocktails and sugary food with friends. I don't beat myself up over these times (after all, you have to live your life!), but I do whip up a gut-health and skin-glow-inducing meal prep so I know I'm set for a good week ahead.

Method

Wash and cut the kale into bite-size pieces. Drizzle the olive oil, ACV, and salt on, and then literally massage the kale with your hands.

How to use it:

How to use it:

Carrots are super high in beta-carotene, which is very beneficial to the skin. The antioxidants in carrots help to flush out toxins and protect the skin from the sun’s harmful rays. You can eat carrots raw or roasted, but I find that cooked carrots are super calming to my system and help with digestion (and there's evidence to suggest that they're actually healthier that way!).

I like to peel a bunch of organic carrots; toss with coconut or avocado oil; sprinkle with curry powder, cinnamon, and sea salt; and roast at 400°F for about 30 minutes.

How to use it:

Both pumpkin and sunflower seeds are super high in zinc. Many acne sufferers are deficient in zinc, and, to put it simply, the zinc in our bodies is responsible for carrying vitamin A to our skin, so not enough zinc can lead to skin issues. These seeds and their zinc content are also good for regulating the hormone imbalances that are often behind acne flare-ups. Make sure they’re raw, unsalted, and organic for maximum benefits. I like to throw them into salads or grind them up for raw, high-fat treats like snickerdoodle balls.

How to use them:

Avocados are an amazing healthy fat source, which moisturizes skin from the inside out. Healthy fats provide the lubrication needed to make things run smoothly and are quite literally expressed on your face in the form of a glow. That’s why I’ve got all kinds of oils in my medicine cabinet to slather on my face every day, and I’ve also got quite the collection in my kitchen pantry to ingest.

How to use them:

Sweet potatoes are not only a delicious and low-glycemic carbohydrate, but they are also high in vitamin A, which is great for helping skin build collagen and look firmer and plumper. The high amount of fiber is great for your gut, and if you eat them cold, they'll serve as prebiotics or food for your gut bacteria!

How to use them:

When I used to research how to get rid of my acne, I got so sick of reading: DRINK MORE WATER. I don’t know why I didn’t just listen to something so simple (and inexpensive!). I now finally understand just how important it is to drink a lot of water. When I’m drinking enough of it, I can truly see it in my skin. My eyes look more awake and bright, my pores look smaller, and my skin tone looks more even. Beyond just drinking water, it’s also very helpful to consume a lot of high-water-content foods. My favorites are cucumbers, celery, watermelon, grapefruit, radishes, spinach, and berries. A green juice is also always a good idea.

How to do it:

To make water more enticing for me to drink, I like to add things like lemon, cucumber, basil, or mint leaves. I also love to add peppermint-flavored chlorophyll drops to my water.

To eat more high-water-content vegetables, prep a few cucumbers and radishes at the beginning of the week and toss them on whatever you consume—salads, grain bowls, the whole shebang!