Super Greens for Super Skin [ 5 health-boosting greens ]

Consuming Super Greens is one of the most beneficial dietary changes you can make for a healthy body and glowing, youthful skin.

I consume greens on a daily basis; they're a staple in my diet and I'm not talking about Iceberg Lettuce. In fact, I try to get my hands on the darkest, most lush, nutrient-packed and hearty greens possible. Every once in a while, someone will ask me why I eat so many greens, why I put them in my smoothies or how can I stand the taste. In my mind, I'm baffled by this question but then I remember, the mainstream food industry and even doctors, do not advocate for fruits and vegetables the way meat, processed foods, and sugar are peddled.

It's heartbreaking to think about the lack of information the mass population has and even moreso, the misinformation we are given, but that's a discussion for another day. As you read on, I want you to think about replacing one toxic thing in your diet with super greens. Maybe it's sugar, pre-packaged food, red meat, dairy or soy... whatever you choose, displace those harmful foods with green super foods and prepare to see and feel some amazing changes.

Not only can green super foods be beneficial through diet, but also through skin care. We've formulated several fantastic super food natural products for skin, including the Green Goddess Mask, Coconut Water Kale Facial, and Cucumber Matcha Eye Balm. You can even make your own smoothie for your face with ingredients from your kitchen!

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Spirulina Benefits

Spirulina is the most nutritious and concentrated whole foods available. This ulltimate superfood is a type of Blue-green algae that contains vitamins A, C, E, K and vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, zinc, copper, manganese, phosphorous, iron, potassium, selenium and calcium in spirulina makes it a wonderful food for toning skin as all these nutrients are essential for glowing skin. Spirulina contains vitamin E, tyrosine, and selenium. All of these nutrients are known for their anti-aging effects. 

Spirulina removes heavy metals and toxins from your skin. The high concentration of chlorophyll in it removes free radicals and makes your skin smoother and softer. The anti-bacterial nature of spirulina purges the dead cells, and enhanced metabolism encourages the production of new cells and protects your skin from acne breakouts. Both consumption and topical application of spirulina can benefit your skin, so why not double up?!

The Certified Organic Spirulina I consume and use in my skin care products is grown in a Hawaiian facility that uses ocean water drawn from 2000 feet into the Pacific Ocean. This Spirulina is supplemented with this deep seawater as a source of calcium, magnesium, and all 94 trace elements. No other Spirulina is grown with such special water with its rich source of naturally occurring nutrients. Spirulina is readily available in  tablet or powder form, just make sure it's not sourced from china, preferably from Hawaii. The trusted brand I love, is made by Nutrex and grown in a controlled manner to ensure no contamination from heavy metals like mercury. Find it Nutrex brand spirulina here.

How to add spirulina to your diet

• Blend spirulina powder into your smoothies - you won't taste it! 
• Sprinkle it atop your green salad or mix it in with your favorite dressing
• Mix it into your muffin recipes, you won't even taste it!
• Mash a little into your avocado for a super-powered guacamole!
• Blend it with your favorite juice
• Take it in tablet form

How to use Spirulina in home skin care

• Blend spirulina powder with honey and apply to your face as a mask
• Sprinkle spirulina and himalayan sea salt into your bath for a detoxifying soak
• Blend spirulina powder with apple cider vinegar and sugar for a pore-tightening scrub
• Blend spirulina with your favorite oil-based serum and apply as a mask

Chlorella Benefits

Chlorella is a green algae and powerful detoxifier which can slow down the aging process by reducing free radical damage in the body that can cause premature aging. High in vitamins A & C and chlorophyll, it removes impurities in the skin, making it more radiant and renewed. The nutrients in chlorella also work wonders healing eczema and similar skin conditions. 

We source the cleanest outdoor-grown chlorella on the planet... Certified Organic Chlorella grown outdoors with mountain spring water and fueled under sunlight. It has been lab tested to be the cleanest in the world and to have the lowest levels of heavy metals over any other brand of chlorella.

How to add chlorella to your diet

• Blend chlorella powder into your smoothies and muffin recipes
• Sprinkle it atop your green salad or mix it in with your favorite dressing
• Mash a little into your avocado toast!
• Mix it with your yogurt
• Take it in tablet form

How to use chlorella in home skin care

• Blend chlorella powder with some green clay for an ultra detoxifying facial
• Make a hair cleanser for oily scalp by mixing chlorella with liquid castile soap or for a dry scalp, by mixing with argan oil
• Blend chlorella with castor oil, lemongrass, juniper and ginger, for a detoxifying oil cleansing mask/scrub.

Wheatgrass Benefits

Wheatgrass is the young grass of a wheat plant, which can be grown in or outdoors, making it a fantastic plant to grow at home. You can grow wheatgrass from the seeds in water and harvest the tender leaves to make your own wheatgrass juice.

Wheatgrass is contains vitamins, amino acid, liver enzymes, and chlorophyll. It has 98 of 102 earth elements found in the soil. Phosphorus, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium are among those important elements. Wheatgrass has more Vitamin A and C than oranges and carrots. It is exceptionally rich with Vitamins E, K, and B. Wheatgrass powder prevents the damage from free radicals. Wheatgrass has natural anti-aging properties which rejuvenate the cells, thereby slowing down the aging process. It helps maintain skin elasticity, restoring the youthful glow and even skin tone. It's a powerful detoxifier, often used by those who wish to cleanse their body of the buildup of toxins and colon cleansing. Just one ounce of wheatgrass juice contains as many nutrients as 2.5 pounds of fresh leafy greens. It is usually consumed in 1-2 ounce shots. Although it does have a very green, grassy taste, I find fresh wheatgrass easier to drink than freeze-dried powder. 

We use naturally potent, Certified Organic wheatgrass that is field-grown, harvested at it's nutritional peak and locally dehydrated. Only the tip of the leaf is cut, which is the most nutrient rich part of the plant. Only the tip of the leaf is cut, which is the most nutrient rich part of the plant. I highly recommend using my favorite,  Amazing Grass brand Wheatgrass.

How to add wheatgrass to your diet

• The best way to get all the benefits of wheatgrass is by juicing it. Since I don't own a juicer, I cut it into very small pieces and put it in my vitamix blender with water, then strain out the fiber and drink the juice. You can add more water to dilute the strong grassy taste.
• Take it in tablet form
• Use freeze-dried wheatgrass powder mixed with water, juice or smoothies. 

How to use wheat grass in home skin care

• Blend wheatgrass with green clay to boost it's skin detoxifying properties
• Apply wheatgrass juice to your face, or even use the fibery pulp to make a mask

Kale Benefits

Kale is a hearty leafy green from the cabbage family, and my personal favorite green for salads. 

Benefits of Kale - rich in chlorophyll, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that will leave your skin glowing. It's high content of anti-oxidants keeps skin tight and firm and reduces fine lines. The vitamin K in kale can reduce dark circles under the eyes while the lutein it contains, can promote collagen production to keep skin looking full and plump. Kale is also fantastic for detoxifying the pores and keeping skin hydrated. 

We use certified organic kale in all our kale skin care products. 

How to add kale to your diet

• The best way to eat kale is fresh from the garden. You can chop it up and drizzle it with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and sea salt for a simple salad, or boost flavor and health benefits by adding nutritional yeast, hemp seeds and cherry tomatos. 
• Kale chips are a new popular snack and you can make your own at home by slowly roasting your kale leaves at a low temperature in your oven. Lightly drizzle them with olive oil and sea salt or make a nacho "cheeze" sauce by blending red peppers, cashews, olive oil, garlic and nutritional yeast in your blender. 
• If you can't get over the bitter taste or rough texture, add kale leaves to your fruit smoothies to completely mask the taste. 

How to use kale in home skin care

• Pulverize some kale with water in your blender and apply to your skin as a mask

Matcha Green Tea Benefits

Matcha is a finely ground Japanese green tea leaves, the most potent form of green tea available. This powdered green tea can then be used to make a hot beverage or used in baked goods to obtain the benefits of the whole green tea leaf.

Matcha tea benefits include amazing anti-inflammatory properties that help to heal skin conditions like eczema, roscacea and acne. The extremely high content of anti-oxidants help protect skin from environmental pollutants and extreme weather conditions. The high amount of EGCG antioxidant in matcha green tea slows cell degeneration to slow the aging process, promoting smooth, firm skin that retains moisture. Chlorophyll makes matcha powder a strong detoxifying agent, cleansing the body’s entire system of toxins and toxic chemicals or other impurities, leaving the skin glowing and radiant. The EGCG in matcha shrinks blood vessels which can drastically reduce darkness and puffiness. You can find the highest quality ceremonial grade matcha at  Wild Foods. They make some of our favorite  super food ingredients, including cacao powder, teas and vanilla.

How to add matcha to your diet

• Matcha is popularly consumed as a tea or latte and gives a little caffeine boost
• Add matcha to your baking or ice cream recipes

How to use matcha in home skin care

• Blend matcha with your favorite serum or liquid and apply to your skin as a healing anti-inflammatory mask. 
• Infuse your favorite beauty oil with matcha and use that oil for anti-aging or oil cleansing.

Super Green Products to add to your Skin Ritual 

Green Goddess Clay Mask - with supergreens

The Green Goddess clay face mask is a powerfully purifying blend made up of French Green Clay and 4 of the most beneficial green superfoods on the planet, Spirulina, Chlorella, wheatgrass, and kale. Green clay has strong absorbing, anti-inflammatory and purifying properties, which is the perfect option for people with acne and oily skin. Green clay tightens pores, tones and softens skin while sucking every single impurity out of your face leaving you with clear, smooth skin! 

Coco Kale Facial

Two of my favorite things, coconut water and kale are blended into our exfoliating maca facial. Reap all the antioxidant -rich benefits of the worlds best super foods while detoxifying your congested skin and soothing inflammation. For this exfoliating facial we use the benefits of organic coconut water and powerful Kale combined with purifying kaolin clay to blast breakouts. As with all our facials, this can be used as a cleanser or a mask. Use of this fresh scented beauty will leave you radiant and clear while diminishing signs of aging.

Cucumber Matcha Eye Balm

Cucumber Matcha Eye Balm is a brightening blend of super-anti-oxidant botanicals and soothing oils which reduce the appearance of wrinkles and quell puffiness. The two varieties of green tea in this eye balm help reduce darkness and the appearance of puffiness around your eyes. We use gentle and light oils that won't irritate the fragile skin around your eyes but will help promote healthy collagen levels and skin elasticity so your skin will look smooth and taut. Beeswax is an anti-allergen which can help combat redness, swelling and inflammation while also protecting skin from the elements and retaining moisture. The Cucumber Matcha eye balm is perfect for mature skin but can be used on all skin types and is a fantastic preventative treatment for morning and night. 

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Wilder North cannot be held responsible for any actions made, implied or expressed by anyone as a result of this guidance.

The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. They are in no way intended to heal, prevent or treat any illness. Please consult your doctor if you are seeking medical advice.

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