Living with Healthy Skin

Hello! I'm glad you've come back for more. Today I'm adding an article I wrote for a women's magazine on the bare basics of maintaining healthy skin.

          Great skin is found in the kitchen. And the bathroom. And the backyard. In fact, people who have healthy, young-looking skin are taking care of themselves no matter where they are.

          Let's start with the gym. Exercise is a great way to get your heart rate up, pumping blood faster to provide oxygen to your cells. That said, exercise can bring out a healthy glow and flush toxins from your body, so it's great for your skin. But with exercising comes sweating. On the treadmill, keep your hair off your face to avoid adding even more oil to the sweat you are producing, and make sure you wash your face when you are done. Don't stay in your gym clothes after you workout, either. The sweat lingers in the fabrics, and clogs your pores. The longer you wait, the harder it is to clear that all out again.

          In the kitchen, the phrase "you are what you eat" goes far beyond being... er... *unpleasant... after you eat the baked beans. Eating lots of organic fruits and vegetables, grass-fed meats, plenty of omega-3 fatty acids from fish and nuts, and whole grains can be just the internal change you've needed to get clear skin. Think about it this way, if you are living on pizza and French fries, that grease has to come out somewhere. (Hint: it looks like oily skin!) In addition, don't forget to hydrate your body! While it is contested among magazines and scientific studies whether water actually shows up on your skin, water is good for you, makes you feel less lethargic, and helps you to crave less salty (read: unhealthy) foods.

          When you make a trip to the bathroom, for your own health and others - wash your hands. In five minutes, more bacteria can build up on your hands than you would ever want to put near your face. And while you're in there, check out the mirror. For people with acne, you should be constantly monitoring any improvements or flare-ups. How else can you expect to take charge of your skin care? This goes along with the healthy diet, above. If you notice your skin has changed and you get more blemishes after a blow out weekend eating fried foods with the girls - what does that tell you?

          Finally, keep in mind that the sun is not your friend. Sure, it will warm you up, and give you a little glow, and even increase your levels of serotonin and vitamin D so that you feel better after just ten minutes of glorious basking. But it can also kill you over time, so put on sunscreen - 365 days a year, in all weather, even if you're just running outside for the mail in the morning.

          Studies done at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center's Skin Cancer Program show that students in the age range of 18-24 years old were just as susceptible to melanoma as smokers in the same age group were to lung cancer. The main difference is, the lung cancer group was at fault for contributing to the increased likelihood of developing cancer. The skin cancer group was at fault for not doing anything to prevent it.

          If you can take just 30 minutes each day to be mindful of what you eat, take a ten-minute brisk walk to get your heart rate up, drink lots of water, wash your hands, monitor your skin, and wear sunscreen - you'll look great. And when you are happily bragging about your revitalized skin, you can refer all the people who compliment your transformation to my blog. And I'll be happy too.

Thanks for reading!