Is your skin glowing and radiant? You're probably taking care of yourself and experiencing good health. If not, you can take steps to give your skin what it needs to be healthy from the inside out.
What doesn't help?
Creams and lotions can help contribute to the skin's healthiness, but what you put into your body is far more important.
Body
The primary cause of skin damage and skin aging are poor nutrition, internal toxicity, dehydration and over exposure to sun, using commercial chemical soaps, smoking, bathing in high chlorine-filled water, exposure to extremely dry, cold weather and fungal invasion.
Mind
Emotional issues and anxiety are often involved with skin breakouts. Releasing suppressed emotions e.g. stress surrounding a past relationship can do wonders to rid a person of skin problems, although a professional should be sought for help with this.
What does Help?
According to the American Academy of Dermatologists (AAD), the following vitamins, antioxidants and other nutrients help nourish our skin.
Get to know the A-C-E of vitamins, and you'll be on your way to healthier skin.
Vitamin A helps repair skin tissue. Without it, you may notice dry, flaky skin. Get vitamin A by eating fruits and vegetables, especially carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, squash, apricots, mango and cantaloupe.
Vitamin C helps counter the effects of sun exposure. It reduces the damage caused by free radicals, which destroy collagen and elastin. You can get vitamin C from organic fruits and vegetables.
Vitamin E helps reduce the harmful effects of the sun on the skin. Stay with 30 IU per day or less, as any more can be harmful.
Omega-3 and Omega-6: Raw-plant-based fats and oils can replace cooked fats and oils. Walnut oil and flax seed oil all contain omega-3 and -6 fatty acids, which help keep the skin lubricated and looking healthy.
Sun
While time in the sun can be fun and healthy to a degree, too much sun, like too much eating, can be very damaging. Over-sunning causes free-radical collagen damage to the skin.
Before applying sunscreen, lather on some lotion! Try to find lotions that are natural and chemical-free. Read the ingredients and look for those with vitamin E, and natural plant oils, like olive, grape seed and jojoba.
Ensure that the skin products you use are paraben-free, allergy-tested, non-comedogenic (will not clog pores), free of synthetic oils, not tested on animals and fragrance-free. And, they are suitable for your particular skin type.
Emotional Therapy
There are many great ways to release suppressed emotional issues. It really helps to find someone who is trained in how to do this and knows what they are doing. Ensure your professional knows how to clear the negative emotion, not merely analyse it for many lengthy (and expensive sessions).
Skin Treatments:
New York Times best-selling author, David Wolfe recommends the following natural skin treatments:
For Dry Skin - Avocado Mask:
Puree one ripe avocado with 6-7 drops of a fresh-squeezed ripe orange. Add one tablespoon of hemp oil. Massage this mixture into the face and neck. This mask has excellent effects on any part of the skin. After application, lie down and relax. Rinse off with lukewarm water after 20-30 minutes.
For Oily Skin - Cucumber Mask:
Peel a cucumber. Finely grate it. Lie down, relax and apply the cucumber to the face and neck. After applying, place a warm towel over the face. Relax for 20-30 minutes. Rinse off.
What you eat, drink and think all play a big part in the health of your skin.
Christopher Drummond runs a natural health company and lives in Cape Town, South Africa on a small holding which has it's own organic fruits and vegetables and clean mountain water. For more simple, natural ways to enjoy beautifully radiant skin, visit: http://www.real-wellness.net/beauty-and-skin-care/
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