Summer is here, and that means swimsuit season is officially upon us.

While many people love the beach and pool, they also often worry about what their body looks like in a bikini. Society creates these unrealistic expectations for what a “swimsuit body” should look like, especially for women. The truth is, we all have cellulite, stretch marks, or something we don’t like about our bodies. Instead of stressing yourself out over something other people probably won’t even notice, you should spend your time doing things that will help you look and feel your best. That way, you can strut your stuff across the sand or pool deck with confidence. At the end of the day, if you’re happy when you look in the mirror, that’s all that matters. And while there’s no such thing as a perfect body, it’s still smart to take care of yourself. Eating clean and exercising is important for your body and your mind. As if you didn’t have enough to worry about, let’s not forget about something else that happens in the summer: a huge increase in the strength of  UV rays. So not only should you be eating clean for a healthy body, you need to focus on eating foods that will naturally increase the strength of your skin in order to protect against wrinkles, sun spots, and other damaging affects because SPF can only do so much for you. And let’s be honest, a lot of sunscreen brands are filled with chemicals that do more harm than good anyways. Building strong skin will protect you even more from future damage, and act as another defense after sunscreen. Read on to find out which foods can help you feel confident with your body and protect your skin from damage. 

1. COLLAGEN. Strong skin starts with a strong foundation, and that’s where collagen comes into play. We already produce natural collagen within our bodies. Natural collagen production slows down after age 20, which means in order to maintain high collagen levels supplements are necessary and important. Collagen is what allows the skin to maintain its elasticity, prevent wrinkles, and look radiant. As a supplement, it’s available in bovine, marine, or pig varieties. If strong and glowing skin is your goal, then marine collagen is the right choice for you. It’s predominantly composed of Type 1 collagen, which is what helps renew skin, hair, and nails. 
2. VITAMIN C. Any food that is high in Vitamin C should definitely be in your diet. This vitamin plays a direct role in collagen synthesis, meaning it is involved in the creation of collagen in your skin. When applied topically and when high levels are in your body, it may help to prevent damage caused by UV rays. It also helps with the prevention of wrinkles and with the healing of wounded and dry skin. Foods that are high in Vitamin C include citruses, rosehip, sweet yellow peppers, strawberries, and many leafy greens such as spinach.³ 
3.  VITAMIN A. Sweet potatoes are high in Vitamin A and filled with powerful antioxidants. These antioxidants build up your skin barrier to protect against free radicals, which can cause a lot of damage. This damage can occur in the form of discoloration, wrinkles, and other skin issues. By increasing your intake of these potent antioxidants, you can strengthen your skin so that it can defend itself against free radicals.¹ As for vitamin A, it’s absolutely essential for cellular repair and tissue regrowth. This means it’s especially effective in healing the skin and allowing your skin to renew and repair its own cells and tissue. Due to this, your skin has a greater chance of protecting itself from UV damage.² 
4. ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FOODS. Finally, you should be focused on eating foods that increase cell detoxification. Cell detoxification allows stronger, newer skin to appear on the surface level, which means it’s better suited to protect against sun damage. It also removes toxins from your entire body. Helping your body and skin to detox is important because there are so many toxins in everyday life. From food to pollution to hormones and pesticides, you can’t really escape them. Even stress can be considered a toxin that causes serious damage to your skin and body. Fortunately, some foods can help speed up the detox process. Cholera, spirulina, turmeric, and ginger are by far the best foods to consume when you are feeling inflamed from toxins. All of these superfoods help to inhibit cell damage and speed up the body’s natural detoxification process.⁵ 

How Is Kalumi BEAUTYfood good for summertime goals?

When you eat one of our Kalumi BEAUTYfood bars, you can trust that the ingredients are clean, filling, delicious, and will help you reach your summer glow goals. We use a premium, non-GMO marine collagen that is wild-caught and sustainably sourced. Marine collagen is absorbed 1.5 times faster than other types of collagen, which is what makes it so effective when it comes to boosting your skin health. With a complete daily serving of 8 grams of collagen, 11-13 grams of protein, plus vitamin-A from sweet potatoes, in every bar. We’ve got you covered. Not only do these bars help give you a healthy and beautiful glow, but they also can help build up the strength of your skin so your body can protect itself better from sun damage. Vitamin C and Vitamin A are two of the most important vitamins for your skin health. Eating sweet potatoes is one of the best ways to get these vitamins naturally. And, of course, collagen is absolutely essential for strong and healthy skin. Increasing your collagen intake can help prevent wrinkles, improve dull skin, and support a strong barrier, which will help protect against sun damage. Many companies out there target young women and are promoting detox teas, supplements, and other gimmicks that not only don’t work, but are harmful to your body as well. The goal is not to starve yourself or deprive yourself of essential nutrients, but to build a strong body and support your overall health. So grab a bar, your favorite shades, your cutest bikini, and prepare to feel good inside and out. We can talk about how to work on your bikini body and get glowing skin all day long, but none of it means anything if you aren’t happy with yourself. When it comes to bathing suits, feeling worthy of whichever one you want to wear is what matters most at the end of the day. Just remember: you are the only one who gets to decide that worth. And trust us, you’re going to rock that bikini.*