You've probably heard that your skin is your largest organ. This means that:

Whatever you put into your body, affects your skin;
Whatever you put on your skin, affects your body.

You're probably already aware of how important it is to put on sunscreen, wear hats, and read the labels on the skincare products you use (and pretty much anything that touches your skin). That handles #2. But what about #1?

The other day, I was doing my usual morning routine, before everyone else was awake. I brushed my teeth, put in my contacts. And when I looked at myself in the mirror, I was surprised by what I saw.

The woman looking back at me from the mirror had skin that was so healthy, it glowed.

I hadn't smeared on some miracle cream; I hadn't done a juice fast; I hadn't done anything extreme at all. But I had recently gotten back into a simple routine that helps me nourish my skin, every day.

How You Do It

Here are the three things I do every day that make the biggest difference in how my skin looks in the morning:

Get enough sleep (at least 7 hours).
Give my system time to digest (last bite at least 2 hours before bedtime).
Drink enough water (at least 8 cups).

When I looked at myself in the mirror that morning, I had just reintroduced #2 - giving my body time to digest before going to sleep at night. For several days in a row, I had fallen into the habit of eating a snack after dinner. It wasn't a huge snack, and it wasn't even a super sugary snack - but the timing of it was messing with my body's ability to create a clean slate at night for the next morning. And I could see it in my skin: it was dull and oily when I woke up.

When I got back into my usual routine of not having any snacks after dinner, my usual warmth and glow returned.

Now, I'll be honest - there are other things I do to nourish my skin, too. I eat lots of fruits and vegetables (love those anti-oxidants!!); I take a high-quality fish oil supplement; and I use a skincare product that nourishes my skin at the cellular level. (Just comment below or email me at hannah@hannahknapp.com, and I'll happily share exactly what I use.) But nothing makes a more immediate and noticeable change in my skin than this three-part routine.

Your Turn!

Nourishing yourself starts with just noticing: becoming aware of what helps you, and what harms you. This week, just notice what your usual habits are around sleep, digestion time, and water. Then, experiment with changing one of them for a few days, and notice what your skin looks like in the morning.

You may find that one piece of this routine has more of an impact on your skin than the others - or, that what you eat makes more a of a difference than when you eat it. The important thing is to get some insight into what really works for you, and then stick with it. When you see your healthy reflection in the mirror, you'll know it was worth paying attention.

I'd love to hear what you discover! Share your experience in the comments below.