Alongside great genes, flawless complexions, perfectly styled hair and creative, high fashion outfits, the models sashaying down the catwalk at London Fashion Week 2010 all have one crucial thing in common…a nutritional and balanced diet.

Model Health Enquiry 2007

This wasn’t always the case though. Until two years ago, food did not have to be provided backstage for the models to eat between shows; an issue which fuelled the fire of the “size zero” debate. To put in place improvements in working practice for models, the British Fashion Council introduced the Model Health Enquiry in 2007. One of the requirements of this was for food to be made available backstage, something which is certainly a step in the right direction in creating a healthier industry as a whole.

Is Beauty Only Skin Deep?

The improved working practices benefit the models’ physical beauty as well as their health and the saying that ‘beauty is only skin deep’ has never been more incorrect. Your skin can be a reflection of your diet, so it is important for models to eat the right food types to prepare them for the catwalk. Eating a healthy, balanced diet will automatically benefit the skin and anyone sticking to a regime will see vast improvements in the condition and elasticity of the skin, as well as the amount it ‘glows’.

Clear the Blemishes!

Alongside eating healthily, there are certain food types you can eat more of to give your skin a bit of a boost. Strawberries, rooibos and apple cider vinegar all contain alpha-hydroxyl acid which can help to clear up any blemishes. Essential fats which are found in oily fish, nuts and seeds helps keep skin plump and youthful, whilst Vitamin C rich foods helps to build collagen and keep cells supple and elastic. Foods which should be avoided include anything sugary as when glucose levels are high, it can bind to the collagen in the skin, causing the fibres to become rigid. This can result in wrinkles and sagging which everyone wants to delay for as long as possible!

Balancing the Blood Sugar

The fashion shows can be very demanding and draining for the models as they rush from show to show, so it is important that they keep their energy levels up. This is where balancing blood sugar levels becomes even more important as it can affect how you feel. Balancing your energy and mood can be achieved by eating foods which are low in GI, such as whole foods and protein.

Skipping meals is a no-no as it can lead to blood sugar lows which will make you feel drained and often result in binge eating. It is vital to eat three meals a day.

Starting the day with an egg dish, such as The Pure Package’s ‘Scrambled Eggs on Organic Rye Bread with Tomatoes and Chives’, is a great way of consuming low-GI protein early in the morning, setting you up for the day.

Making sure that your diet contains plenty of raw fruit and vegetables, brown rice, millet and legumes ensures that you are getting the necessary amount of complex carbohydrates which provide a gradual steady stream of energy throughout the day, ideal for taking the models from catwalk to catwalk

And that Bloated Feeling?

In the tight-fitting clothes models often have to wear, the last thing they will want to worry about is a bloated stomach which is a common symptom of water retention or eating food which is difficult for your system to digest. Bloating can be alleviated by eating foods that are more naturally digestible to your system such as complex carbohydrates, and upping your intake of probiotics which help you to maintain a healthy gut.

Jennifer Irvine’s Top Three Tips to ‘Beat the Bloat’

• Eliminate salt and salty processed foods from your diet and also increase your fruit and vegetable intake, especially those high in potassium, as this encourages the body to expel excess salt and fluid.
• Make sure that you are fully hydrated by drinking at least 1.5 litres of water a day.
• Bloating can be a sign of an "unhappy" gut, so consider boosting your diet with some probiotic foods / supplements.

The Pure Package Contribution

To help this season’s models on their way with healthy eating, The Pure Package is supporting three fashion shows at London Fashion Week 2010 - Mark Fast, Ada Zanditon and Mulberry - by supplying delicious and healthy food backstage to the models.

In addition to this, The Pure Package is proud to also be associated with supermodel Erin O’Connor’s Model Sanctuary, a relaxing haven open to models designed to counteract the stresses and strains of London Fashion Week. (www.modelsanctuary.com). The Pure Package will provide a delicious array of tasty and nutritious food to keep models feeling full and energized as they go from show to show.

A Bit of Your Own Model Lifestyle

If you would like to try your hand at the model lifestyle but don’t have the time, The Pure Package can tailor make a nutritional programme to give you a taste of the model diet. The programme is guaranteed to give you loads of energy, shiny hair, and supple skin, and with all food deliciously prepared and delivered daily to your door for complete convenience, there is no reason not to!

This feature is sponsored by The Pure Package
(www.purepackage.com)
0845 6 123 888

Coming Soon

Our own Celebrity Beauty Editor, Laura Main, will be revealing more foods to maintain beautiful skin and a youthful glow.