The skin is the largest organ in the human body. More often than not it defines us. No matter how healthy you may be or how good you feel on the inside, your skin tells your health story in a rather strident tone. Nothing speaks well of your health condition like young smooth flourishing skin.
Forget all the “new designer skin care products”, “scientifically-formulated-for you” gimmicks, and expensive over the top cosmetic procedures. Nature has had the answer long before you were born. Great, healthy skin is within your reach, you do not have to travel to some exotic island to get a makeover; it is fun and inexpensive, plus it can be achieved faster than you can lose those love handles!
Here are some do’s and don’ts on skin care:
Skin care do’s
Staying hydrated ensures healthy skin
Water- fuels regeneration, necessary for detox. Sip one ounce per half pound body weight daily. Do not guzzle water by the glass all at once. Your body can only absorb so much water into cells at a time. When that level is exceeded the body flushes the rest straight through your system stressing the bladder and kidneys. Aim for a glass or two per hour.
See The Bushman’s 10 commandments for Healthy Skin.
The Vitamins:
Vitamin A, powerful antioxidant, helps skin produce keratin (a substance that strengthens skin cells, maximizing their protective role) and proteins that help with cell regeneration. Lack leads to drier and flakier skin- sources include fruits and vegetables high in beta carotene such as carrots, peaches, pumpkin, cantaloupes, and sweet potatoes.
Vitamin C, feeds collagen in skin to keep it firm and toned. Vitamin C fights free radicals that destroy collagen, while the flavonoids in it help replenish collagen. Sources include kiwi (one kiwi contains daily dose; eat 4 to 5 daily because of water solubility). Oranges, red peppers, blueberries, and melon are other good sources of Vitamin C. If you would prefer supplementing, a natural-sourced Vitamin C is highly recommended.
Vitamin D, vital nutrient for stimulating skin’s natural healing process.
Vitamin E, essential nutrient for skin rejuvenation. Sources include oily fish such as salmon and makerel, nuts, fruits and seeds.
Iron- maintains high oxygen levels in blood necessary for helathy skin. Lack may lead to pale looking skin and dark
A little sunshine is good for the skin
circles around eyes. Sources- lean red meat, dark leafy vegetables, black strap molasses. May be supplemented with herbs high in iron such as Yellow Dock and Red Clover.
Also see skin care 10 commandments.
Zinc- promotes healing, reduces acne. Sources: shellfish, hard crumbly cheeses, nuts, and seeds.
Essential Fatty Acids- fights dry, rough, and itchy skin. Low fat and fat free dieters take note. Source: fish, nuts and seeds. Essential fatty acids are hard to get enough of dietary speaking, supplementing them is a very good idea. Find high quality EFAs here.
Skin care Don’ts
Salty foods- dehydrate skin, and cause fluid retention at the same time, gorges blood vessels, and trigger acne. Watch out for those salted nuts, pretzels, potato chips, and other processed foods.
Coffee: not so great for the skin
Hydrogenated fats- generate free radicals. Encourage toxin build up and congestions. Culprit margarines, most processed foods.
Smoking- most damaging thing you can do to your skin. Nicotine constricts blood vessels so that they do not supply skin with enough blood, especially the face and head, making them look gray and sallow.
Caffeine- dehydrates skin, elevate stress hormones. Major culprit here is coffee, and in some cases chocolate. Minimize them this holiday season for your skin’s sake.
Cigarettes contain many chemicals. One of such chemical is acetaldehyde… I know a mouth full! Get this: anything that ends in “Hyde” is bad for you! Acetaldehyde attacks fibers that hold skin together. It creates chemical reactions that produce a protein that destroys collagen and elastin. Work on quitting. You can get help on starting a quit program here.
For perfect skin see The Bushman’s 10 commandment for healthy skin.