A healthy glow is used to describe the appearance that seems to radiate from the largest organ of the body: the skin. As an organ, the skin takes a lot of abuse to protect us from the outside world while also serving an important role in keeping the inside world healthy.

In regard to skin health, it is important to look at the role it plays, and how the skin is influenced by three critical factors of physical health: The environment, genetics, and diet.

The skin comes into contact with everything in the outside world as well as by what you put into your body. Chemical exposure can lead to rashes, pimples and other symptoms of poor skin health. The effects of some chemical exposures seem obvious to us. Exposure to poison ivy, chlorine or a strong acid would not be surprising to many people but prolonged exposure to food preservatives, vapor from bug or weed killer or even chemicals found in soaps may produce the same results as cells of the skin are continually bombarded by these toxins. Why some people may quickly show the effects of such exposure and not others can be influenced by the other two factors.

There isn’t much you can do about your genetics. Some people are more sensitive to certain chemicals and some may also have allergies, autoimmune disorders and even abnormal physical structures making up the skin. Being aware of such conditions allows you to take steps to avoid exposure to the elements that cause irritation and also to take extra steps to support good skin health by focusing on the third critical factor of physical health

Diet it is something you have significant control over. Through a combination of planned food intake and appropriate use of food-based nutritional supplements, it is possible to improve skin health by providing the necessary building blocks to support the various structures and functions of the cells. If you find you’re sensitive or allergic to a particular food, study what nutrients it provides to ensure that you do not create gaps in your diet when you eliminate it from your diet. Appropriate use of food-based dietary supplements further helps fill in those gaps and makes it easier to increase the intake of specific nutrients in case something from the other two factors is leaving you with the need for greater nutritional support than can be found through diet alone.

The skin is an incredible organ and the cells from which it is composed are in a constant state of regeneration. The more you are aware of its needs and the more you focus on meeting those needs, the more you’ll be rewarded by your own “healthy glow.”