BodyMegaMall - All about Health & Beauty

With new research, new products and new skin protection advice
popping up all the time, it is hard to figure out the best things to do to improve and protect your skin.

A skin care program is the combination of skin care products and
a routine that will be most beneficial to the skin. You will
first need to consider your diet and type of life-style since
these two factors play an important role in the health of a
person’s skin.

These days we seem to be living in the fast-food age and the
condition of your skin is often neglected. You still can’t beat
the old fruit and vegetable diet when it comes to good health and a good complexion.

Remember to feed and nourish your skin by eating the proper foods. Give your skin a drink too. Those eight glasses of water a day your mom always told you to be sure to drink are essential to maintaining your skin’s elasticity and suppleness, say experts. And don’t count coffee or any of the caffeinated sodas as part of the eight glasses because caffeine is dehydrating. The water you choose can be sparkling water, mineral or straight from the tap. Another suggestion is that you keep a liter-size bottle close at hand, or simply drink a glass or two with your meals, and a few in between.

You need to give some thought and consideration to the type of
makeup you sue. And be sure to clean your tools regularly.
Things such as cosmetic brushes get dirty and can carry bacteria
and germs and may cause skin irritations and breaking out. One
of the leading cosmetic authorities suggests that cosmetic brushes be thoroughly cleaned at least twice a month. A good way is to soak brushes for about 10 minutes in a dish of warm, soapy water using mild liquid detergent or baby shampoo. Rinse and blot excess moisture with a towel and stand the brushes, handle end down, in a tall glass until they are thoroughly dry.

Keep environmental pollutants from being absorbed into the skin
with a good moisturizer that also acts as a skin barrier. Check
the labels for those with added Vitamin A, C and E, which help
block the penetration of pollutants.

A good exercise program such as aerobics can activate and
rejuvenate the skin and improve circulation and blood flow. Also,
body sweat triggers production of sebum, which is the skin’s own
natural moisturizer.

One skin care expert has come up with a do-it-yourself version of a treatment you may like to try. Stir the juice of half a lemon into one cup of plain yogurt. Keep it in the refrigerator and apply it as you would a cream every night before bed. You can even apply a thin coat of moisturizer over it is you like, after waiting about five minutes for the yogurt mixture to penetrate. With consistent use, you should see more even pigmentation and smoother skin in three to four weeks.

Get serious about stress reduction. Skin conditions such as acne appear on many people who are stressed out, and chronic skin conditions then to get worse. Set aside quiet time to meditate or daydream. Be sure to get enough sleep. To avoid morning eye or facial puffiness, sleep on your back so fluid doesn’t collect there. And, you can keep the oil from your hair away from your face by wearing a head covering or a soft headband when you go to bed. And keep in mind that too much stress can affect your overall health as well as your complexion.sk to get down to the essential things.

Article by Jay Harris of IMI Concepts. Visit his website http://www.home-job-alert.com

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For cleaner, healthier and easier to manage skin just follow this list of nine items:

1) Lower your stress level through prayer and meditation. Stress creates hormones that actually age us as they destroy cells and create toxic byproducts and free radicals. Studies have shown that prayer and meditation can reduce our stress levels. Prayer and meditation have been proven to even alleviate some of the symptoms of cancer and other life threatening diseases.

2) Drink plenty of water. It is a fact that 90% of us do not drink enough water. For your skin cells to function properly and heal properly from cuts, etc… we need to drink 8-12 glasses of water every day. Our skin is one of our most important organs as it protects us from disease, cushions our falls, etc… It needs plenty of water.

3) Get proper sleep. Not getting the proper 8-10 hours of sleep per day will first show in your skin. Broken capillaries, puffiness, circles under the eyes.

4) Eat well. Get proper nutrition. Too many junk foods can cause or worsen skin problems like pimples and acne. A well balanced meal 3 times per day has been proven to help alleviate spikes in skin problems and help to average out the outbreaks in acne vulgaris.

5) Take vitamins to supplement your skin and body. We can’t always make sure we get 100% of each vitamin and mineral with the foods we eat, but we can take a multivitamin once a day. They are cheap at Walmart and there is no excuse. People that take multivitamins once a day live longer. Its a proven fact just like persons that smoke take years off their lives.

6) Properly clean your skin. Harsh soaps can dry out your skin and even stimulate further sebum (oil) production which can worsen acne. Use a mild cleanser with 2% salicylic acid. This has been proven very effective in ridding excess oils while maintaining proper hydration and pH. The slight acidity will keep bacteria at bay.

7) Don’t smoke. Smoking puts years on you. Literally, smoking can add 10 years to the aged look of your skin. Why would you want to do that? If you must have nicotine then get nicotine gum or the patch - they will cure your cravings and there is no evidence or statistics of anyone developing cancer, lung disease, etc… from these.

Wear sunscreen. The skin does have keratonin to protect against the suns rays, but it is no match for UV rays, etc… that we expose ourselves to. Melanoma has several forms and all are deadly. If you don’t think you will get skin cancer or think you are invulnerable, just go to your local dermatologist and ask to see pictures of clients with skin cancer, better yet go to the oncology center at your local hospital. You won’t think that way ever again. Wear sunscreen.

9) Treat yourself to a spa treatment atleast once a year. Skin peels, TCA peels, deep tissue massage, complete relaxation, aromatherapy, etc… will all energize and heal your skin. TCA peels will actual improve your skins ability to regenerate itself and improve collagen levels.

Remember, follow these nine steps to enjoy healthier skin.

David Maillie is a chemist with over 12 years experience in biochemical research and clynical analysis. He is an alumni of Cornell University and specializes in biochemical synthesis for public, private, and governmental interests and manufactures various skin peels for plastic surgeons, medispas, and in home use. He can be reached at M.D. Wholesale: http://www.bestskinpeel.com

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Healthy skin happens when we eat good foods, have enough
exercise, minimize stress and protect our skin from the
harsh environment.

Certain foods are especially beneficial to the skin.
Garlic is one such food. It contains sulphur compounds
(which give it its rather strong odor) which are beneficial
to your skin. It also acts as a natural antibiotic and
cleanses the whole system. If you like garlic, eat it as
much as you can. If the smell worries you, chew a piece of
parsley afterwards and this will neutralize it. Odorless
garlic tablets are available if this is all too hard.

Vitamin C is probably the most important skin vitamin
in my opinion. Not least because the human body can neither
make it or store it. This vitamin helps collagen formation
which keeps the skin looking young and plump. This could be
why smoker’s skin can look older than a non smoker’s.
Smoking also uses up the oxygen in the blood. Give it up if
humanly possible or at least cut it down.

Vitamin C is best consumed together with bioflavonoids,
the way it is normally found in nature. The two have a
synergistic effect. They can be found in Citrus fruit,
berries such as strawberries and blueberries and vegetables
such as broccoli.

Broccoli also contain vitamin A, an important vitamin
for skin as it helps it fight infection from the inside out.
Great for those with acne! Have some every other day if you
can.

Carrots are a great source of carotenoids such as
“beta-carotene” which your body converts to vitamin A .
Beta-carotene is absorbed into the skin and can also protect
it from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Carrots also contain
“alpha carotene” which protects against free radical damage.
Carrots are a great way to get your vitamin A as excess
carotenoids are expelled by the body. Too much vitamin A is
toxic to the body.

Dark leafy green vegetables, particularly kale and
spinach are a good source of zinc and iron. Iron will make
sure your skin gets enough oxygen and zinc is a great pimple
fighter. Eat some every day if you possible can or include
some in a fresh juice.

Parsley deserves a separate mention as it is rich in
just about all the skin boosting nutrients. It contains beta
carotene, chlorophyll, vitamin B12, folic acid (great for
firm skin), vitamin C and iron. Parsley can be added to
juices, casseroles, sprinkled over any savory dish or simply
chewed by itself. Its great for fresh breath too. Parsley is
easy to grow, pop some in a pot and keep it near the kitchen
door.

Olive oil is fabulous for dry skin and wrinkles. Use
it for cooking - it contains monounsaturated fats and anti
oxidants- or slather it on your skin after a bath.

Flaxseeds and flax oil (also known as linseed)
contain the essential omega 3 oils not found in many foods.
(Fish also contains omega 3). Flaxseeds contain fiber and
phytoestrogens which balance the body’s hormones and are
vital for younger looking skin. Sprinkle some on your cereal
or use in soups and stews.

Avocados give skin (especially dry skin) a boost.
Although fairly high in fat, its the healthy monounsaturated
kind which makes dry skin supple. Avocados contain
glutathione which is one of the most powerful antioxidants
around and will prevent cell damage in all skin types. They
are also high in potassium.

Drink as much water as you can, this flushes out toxins and
helps to hydrate the skin. If you can’t drink eight glasses
a day - I can’t unless its 40 degrees - then just drink as
much as you can without being uncomfortable.

Skin needs sufficient protein to replace and repair itself.
Most of us have plenty of protein in our diets but a lot of
it comes with a lot of fat attached. If you can substitute
low fat items e.g. milk, peanut butter, cheese etc, then do
so. You’ll still be eating the same amount. Lean meat is
fine, fish is even better as it contains natural omega 3
oils which are great for your skin and your health.

Try and add as many fruits and vegetables as possible to
your diet. If you ‘re a committed junk food “junkie” this
may seem impossible, but if you tackle it in small bites (pun intended!) It will be easy. Commit yourself to healthy
foods on certain days of the week or drink water instead of
soda in the afternoons. When this becomes comfortable,
expand it to every day. Its just breaking old habits and
replacing them with new ones. After a while you’ll be
comfortable with it. And you’ll feel better and loose weight
too.

The purists tell us that all vitamins and minerals can be
obtained from foods and there is no need for us to take
supplements. In theory this is true, however the stress of
life today probably robs our system of vitamin B. Smoking
uses up about 35 mg of vitamin C per day.

Added to this, the practice of storing fresh
produce for extended amounts of time, can’t help but deplete
the natural vitamins in these foods. The pollution in our
cities and some of our bad habits like eating junk and
smoking (who me?) leads to the production of free radicals
in the body. For this we need an antioxidant which contains
among others beta carotene (a precursor of vitamin A),
vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, lycopene (found in tomatoes)
and zinc.

Healthy skin loves exercise! It doesn’t matter what kind.
Walking, jogging, all types of sport, aerobics, thumping
around in the gym, whatever you enjoy try and fit it in
three times a week. If you don’t enjoy any exercise, find
one! Join a group of people or find a walking buddy, you
will get to enjoy it I promise!

Stress is bad for you and bad for your skin. Stress will
slow the circulation of blood to the skin causing a shortage
of oxygen to the cells. It will also deplete certain
nutrients from the body - for example vitamin B. It can ruin
your sleep thus preventing the repair and regeneration of
skin cells. It will put worry lines on your face and will
make you look old before your time! Who needs it? No-one!
check out this page on stress to see how you can deal with
this incapacitating disorder now!

As you may have gathered from all this, having a healthy
skin is the same as having a healthy body, it’s worth
maintaining a good diet and lifestyle so you not only look
great but you feel great too!

Wendy Owen is a health researcher and author. For advice on absolutely natural skin care visit http://www.just-natural-skincare.com Sign up for our newsletter and recieve 5 free beauty books

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