There are loads of skincare products available today and so many different spa treatments, it’s difficult to keep up with the latest and greatest. Guess what?
Skincare does not begin with the skin! You may very well be wasting your hard earned money if you are not doing the following essential things for skincare!
The Cellular Level
We tend to think about only the skin’s surface. This is the part we can see and the part that we desperately want to look amazing. We don’t want wrinkles.
We want our skin to be taut, not sagging. We want it to be free of blemishes, acne and rashes. We would also prefer it stayed healthy, supple, moist and of course, free of any dangerous melanomas.
What you need to understand is that all of the above begins at the cellular level. All tissue in the body is composed of millions of cells.
Those cells have some specific requirements to maintain their integrity. If the cells are not healthy, the tissue begins to break down and show the signs of aging.
What’s the main cause of this breakdown and destruction of skin tissue? Free radical damage. Free radicals from the environment affect us from the outside as well as the inside.
UV rays, for instance, promote free radical damage. Environmental pollutants also affect our bodies from the outside, as well as the inside when we consume foods that are not organic.
Carcinogens, such as cigarettes, create free radical damage. Non organic as well as overly processed foods, foods with trans fat and high amounts of saturated fat coupled with arachidonic acid also produce excessive free radicals.
Free radicals cause cellular damage through a process called oxidation. This leads to loads of oxidative stress in the body and when it comes to the skin, the cells break down and the tissue eventually shows the wear and tear from the outside.
Antioxidant Support
In order to combat free radical damage, it’s important to minimize exposure. A little sun is important for your health and you should expose your skin (not just your face, but larger portions) to the sun to make sure your body produces adequate vitamin D for emotional health as well as bone health.
However, you should not be baking in the sun. This will lead to excessive free radical damage and tissue breakdown.
As you age-it is vital that you take care of your skin
Secondly, make sure you are taking in plenty of antioxidants to combat oxidative stress and ensure proper cellular repair and replenishment.
This can be accomplished by consuming AT LEAST 7 servings of fruits and vegetables every day as well as taking a good supplement. Make sure some of those veggies are green, every day! Spinach and Swiss chard are excellent. A good chlorella supplement may also be great for you or barley grass and spirulina.
Things to AVOID
Avoid processed foods and choose organic whenever possible. Foods that sound like a chemistry experiment are likely just that. Check food labels and make sure you are not ingesting loads of chemicals.
The less that’s been done to the food since it was grown or raised, the better!
Avoid trans fats (anything deep-fried or cooked in oils not meant for high heat). These types of fat produce the most free radicals in your body than any other type of fat or macronutrient.
High amounts of saturated fat coupled with arachidonic acid as found in nonorganic animal products also create excessive free radicals as well as an inflammatory response in the body.
Don’t Forget! Hydration, hydration, hydration!
Finally, make SURE you are drinking plenty of clean water. You should have around 1 ml of fluid per calorie you consume, which means roughly 2 liters a day for most of us.
This amount should be increased when the temperatures rise, when you are physically exerting yourself, when you are mentally or emotionally stressed and when you are in a dry climate.
You do not have to stick with just water. Organic juices, low in sugar, are great, but if you are watching your weight, don’t get carried away with too much juice. Sugar is sugar, right?
Here’s an amazing beverage to drink that will keep you hydrated as well as offer your body loads of antioxidants: Green tea! I love to make a large pitcher of iced green tea and sip on it throughout the day.
Keeps me hydrated, keeps my skin healthy AND it even helps trim your waistline a bit.
What better way to slim down so you can expose more of that gorgeous skin!
