As I walked through my local mall this past weekend, I was in awe of all the stores which were all promoting skin care products. One allowed you to sniff and spread, another allowed you to have a facial mask put on and another even allowed you to create your own scent to mix with a cream! There’s no doubt about it – women truly care about their skin. And why not? This is what we present to the world.
And we should. Our skin is our largest organ. It is linked to all our major systems, respiratory, circulatory, immune, lymph and neurotransmitter! Our skin protects us from microbes and the elements, helps regulate body temperature, and permits the sensations of touch, heat, and cold.
Skin care companies sell products to put on your skin – but the fact is that beauty is not just skin deep. Lately there’s been a new wave of anti aging products in the commercial skin care world. These products tout claims that they eliminate wrinkles, create volume and erase years off your face. It is hard to tell if these claims are true – almost everyone I know who has purchased a product with promises tires of it after a period of time. None have really reported good results. Do these products really live up to their claims?
If these products don’t work then what can you do?
Like so many things, we have to go back to basics. Think of your skin as a plant. If the leaves are droopy, you know it needs water. Sprinkling water on the leaves won’t really help. Water must reach the plants roots in order for the plant to rejuvenate. That makes sense, doesn’t it?
When it comes to healthy skin, the same theory should be used. Your skin should be nourished from the inside out. Aging skin is a biological process that can be delayed with the right type of approach.
Knowing the Causes of Aging Skin
There have been so many great strides in research helping us understand what causes skin to age. Inflammation has been identified as a primary factor. When we think of inflammation – we have to understand, that for skin in particular, there are two things to understand and address. Firstly what are the internal causes of the inflammation and secondly what are the external causes. Let’s look at the internal causes first.
The top internal causes of inflammation are:
- Stress
- Diet high in sugar and high glycemic index foods
- Sedentary Lifestyle
By now we’ve all heard about the hidden dangers of stress and how important it is to alleviate the stressors in your life. But did you know it could cause a hormonal cascade that affects your skin’s ability to be flexible and have elasticity? One more good reason to take that walk, meditate or set aside time to decrease your stress level.
Moving our bodies is one of the best things we can do – we know that exercise is important for heart health and the circulatory system. When we exercise our skin benefits, too! We sweat out toxins and carry fresh blood and oxygen throughout our bodies. This gives our skin that glow we all like so much.
What Are the External Causes of Inflammation?
Many studies have shown that diets high in sugar lead to a metabolic process called glycation. This occurs when sugar molecules in the blood bond to DNA and proteins causing premature aging and additional inflammation.
The top external causes of inflammation are:
- Environmental toxins
- Sun Exposure
Both the sun and environmental toxins dilate surface blood capillaries, weaken collagen and can clog pores. Women may have individual responses to these external factors but most will see an uneven skin tone or signs of premature aging like more crepiness in the skin, more wrinkles and loss of elasticity.
Antioxidants are your best bet against inflammation. Inflammation sets off a chain reaction in your body where free radicals are formed. While are bodies are adept at fighting free radicals we must always have a constant supply of antioxidants to stay healthy.
What can you do now to practice healthy skin care?
Let’s go back to my analogy of a plant – remember the answer to the drooping leaves was to give the plant water at its root? Well the same is true for your skin! To counteract free radicals our bodies rely on certain nutrients called anti-oxidants. When we don’t have enough anti-oxidants available, the free radicals can damage the skin that keeps our skin clear and firm. Think about how an apple when cut open reacts to the air – it shrivels and turns brown. Not very appealing, is it?
At MarcellePick.com we promote a two pronged approach toward good skin care.
The first is to fill your diet with the foods that will help your body fight free radicals. To help build your anti-oxidant base be sure to eat:
- Vitamin C – found in fruits and plants
- Carotenoids – found in red and yellow plants
- DMAE (Dimethylamineothanol) found in fish
- Alpha-lipoic acid – found in plant and animal sources
- Bioflavonoids – found in green tea, red wine, soy isoflavones and other plants
The next step is to supplement your diet with a medical grade Multi Vitamin and EPA/DHA supplement. Multi Essentials has all the minerals, vitamins and micro nutrients you need for great skin. Our EPA/DHA Support is full of the essential fatty acids needed for cell rejuvenation.
