K.Magnusson for Getty Images
K.Magnusson for Getty Images

Your skin breaks out, and you think maybe it was that piece of chocolate. When it’s dry, you slather on more moisturizer. But your skin is the largest organ in your body; if something’s going wrong, that tissue could indicate an issue!

 

“The way our skin looks says a lot about how healthy we are,” says Dr. Sanjiv Saini of MD Dermatology in Edgewater and Lexington Park, Maryland. “Healthy-looking skin is often an indication of a healthy person, while the opposite is true of someone who has health conditions.”

 

Take a magnifier to your epidermis, and determine whether your skin is telling you that you should:

  • Get more iron. Is your skin paler than normal? Paleness can indicate that you’re anemic. Resulting from an iron deficiency, anemia can be a sign of other diseases as well, such as inflammatory bowel disease. Take an iron supplement, or eat foods high in iron such as meat, seafood, beans and dark, leafy vegetables.
  • Drink more water. If your skin looks flaky, tight and dry, you may be lacking hydration. That makes sense!
  • Reduce stress. Everything from a minor breakout to rosacea, psoriasis and acne can indicate that you may be shouldering more stress than your health can handle.
  • Get your thyroid checked. Are you seeing a yellowish tint? Your skin may be reflecting increased beta-carotene levels in the blood, resulting from an underactive thyroid.
  • Eat foods high in omega-3 fatty acids. Don’t settle for dull, dry skin, when you may be able to shine brightly and boost elasticity by eating more salmon, sardines, walnuts and flaxseed.

 

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, Click here.