Saturday, March 5, 2011

Healthy Skin

Healthy skin again, like most things, is a combined effort.  It takes more than just washing your skin for it to be healthy.

Let's take your skin as a whole, before we break things down.  Some useful facts to think about.  Your skin is the largest organ your body has.  It protects the rest of your body by releasing toxins, changing sunlight into vitamin D, changes the green leafy vegetables into energy, moderates your internal temperature.. it is a very complex organ that has a lot of very important functions.

What causes damage to my skin?  Believe it or not, one of the worst offenders is suntan lotion - your SPF 50 does not protect your skin it actually is one of the reasons that the US has such a high percentage of skin cancer.  Think about it - do equatorial countries have high percentages of skin cancer?  These countries see more sunshine and more heat than any other countries in the world.  No, they do not.  The chemicals that make up your suntan lotion are not good for your skin when combined with.... the sun!  Be smart about going out into the sun - don't get burned, know your limits, expose your self gradually.  Getting burned is just as dangerous as suntan lotion.

What else damages skin?  Make-up can be dangerous.  When the beauty industry started many years ago - their first guinea pigs were starlets.  There were many of these women that went into seclusion because the make-up used damaged their skin.  Acne can cause permanent damage to your skin.  Stress also can cause damage.  And finally dehydration can cause a lot of problems including cancer and tumors. 

Remember that your skin is an organ, and every ailment you have is a "warning sign" that there is a bigger problem brewing.  If you have rashes, acne, eczema - discover the underlying issue and resolve.  Don't ignore the little things as they grow into much larger issues. 

So, some natural healing methods for skin issues...

Acne.  Acne for most is a teenage ailment, but more and more adults are finding they are having breakouts more often.  This tends to have two reasons, one - stress.  Stress is one of the primary reasons for massive quick outbreaks.... you have a date on Saturday, want to look your best, and voila! a huge pimple pops out Friday.  Deal with your nerves and stress.  Second - WHAT YOU EAT.  Are you eating fast food?  prepackaged food? lots of fried / greasy foods?  All are major contributors.  There can be more severe forms of acne and these tend to be related to mental well being.  You have something in your life that you need to address and resolve.  And it comes out in your skin. 

Eczema.  Eczema can be a debilitating disease.  Anything that is chronic goes hand in hand with immune breakdown.  Your immune system is not functioning properly and needs help.  Eczema also could be some type of an allergic reaction - something that touches the skin (cloth, soap, detergent, softener, metal) or something internal (food allergy, artificial coloring, pesticides, artificial colors, preservatives).  Eczema can also be a hyper-sensitivity - a reaction to normal every day things.  The first recommendation is to strengthen your immune system - that is foods high in vitamins C and B complex. 

What are you feeding your skin?  Are you taking care of it?  Be careful what you use to wash your skin, soften your skin, etc.  Make sure the products you use are hypo-allergic, and don't have preservatives, artificial colors, or chemicals.  Drink enough water - it is surprising how much your body will reward you if you drink enough water daily.  Get sunshine!!!  This is vital to a healthy body.. Enjoy!  Blessings.

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