Top 10 Lifestyle Habits for Beautiful Skin

Most skin care authorities that would agree that our skin is a direct reflection of the health of our inner landscape. The other factors at play are the effects of our environment, topical skin care habits, and of course, genetics. But I believe that our diet and lifestyle is the one facet that we have the most control over and that will produce the most profound results with regards to our skin. 

Here is a list of the top ten lifestyle habits to integrate into our lives that will help to create healthy, glowing skin from head to toe!

One –  Eat Well
Eating a simple, clean diet is so important for the health of our bodies, including our mental health, and in effect, our skin. Choose foods that have not been processed and are not man-made. Fresh fish, vegetables and an abundance of raw fruits and greens make us look and feel amazing.

Two – Have Fun 
Balance is key!  Life is to be enjoyed and laughing and playing is not just for kids. Try having a some amount of ‘fun’ each and every day. Isn’t this why most of us work, so we can have more fun. Induce a sense of humor as often as possible to keep things light and in perspective. 

Three – Hydrate 
Pretty basic idea that is an oldie but a goodie. Make it happen.  Avoid drinking with meals. Sip instead of gulp. Consider the best quality water you can afford. You’re worth it and you’re skin will appreciate it.

Four – Exercise 
Another oldie but goodie. Find something you truly enjoy. It all works – dancing, walking, swimming, gardening, hiking. Recruiting a partner can double the fun factor.  

Five – Give
There is much scientific proof that the side effects of ‘giving’ to others is giving to ourselves. Doing volunteer work or giving regularly to charitable organizations has a very positive effect on our mental and physical body. This is not a reason to be generous with our time or money but simply a beautiful fact within the gesture.

Six – Do What You Love
I’m not necessarily suggesting quit your job and go live on the beach in Hawaii, however, there really are no limits with this one.  We all need at least one thing in our lives that we are truly passionate about, something that transcends time and money – mentoring, a charity, a project, a garden, a hobby! 

Seven – Sleep
Sleep is great. The benefits of quality sleep are so abundant.  I believe the quantity varies from one person to the next, however, the average number is six hours. Try to ensure complete darkness in a clean room with fresh air. Upon awakening decide to make the first thought a happy one. If this doesn’t come naturally, fake it till you make it a habit.

Eight – Sunshine
The sun is our friend and, in moderation, it can be the simplest and least expensive health ally ever. If you’re out for more than a few minutes at a time a quality sunscreen is advised.  We still get plenty of Vitamin D and all the other wonderful things from the sun through our eyes and scalp.

Nine – Don’t fall asleep at the wheel
Sometimes we get caught up in the day to day and lose sight of the big picture of our lives. Months may pass by and suddenly we take notice that some things have gotten out of balance. We need to stay in touch with our goals and dreams. It’s helpful to make it a regular practice to check in and see what needs our attention the most. If there is an area of our lives that has been suffering we can take action. One step at a time in the direction that feels right. Walking, laying in the grass, meditating, whatever creates the space for us to survey what we’re manifesting.

Ten – Friends and Family
According to many global studies, this is the most important thing in life contributing to our overall fulfillment and happiness in life. Love is the best. 

Maintaining a Healthy Skin Barrier

The skin serves numerous functions – detoxifying, protecting, regulating – but the primary protective or barrier function is the most obvious. The top layer of skin cells has the most important function in maintaining the effectiveness of the barrier. Here the individual cells overlie each other and are tightly packed, preventing bacteria from entering and maintaining the water-holding properties of the skin.
Fatty substances (lipids) are secreted by the cells during the course of their journey from the base layer of the skin to the top. These lipid molecules join up and form a tough connecting network, in effect acting as the mortar between the bricks of a wall.

The cell wall barriers are simply layers of fats that surround the watery contents. Therefore, the communication mechanisms must operate through these fatty cell walls. In fact, many of the substances that are involved in this communication process are various fats since it is easiest for fats to move within the fatty layers that comprise the cell walls. Despite its bad reputation, proper fats and cellular fats are of major importance in our body’s biochemistry and physiology.

Damage to the skin barrier can result from a combination of genetic predisposion and exposure to sensitizing chemicals and other substances. That is why avoiding irritants is as important as using products that help. In skin care, the most common irritants are usually perfumes and preservatives.

Fatty substances control the majority of our body’s physiology through receptors that activate many important genes. Likewise, our skin barrier is comprised of a supporting structure of collagen, a protein that contains fats that serve a critical function. These fats prevent the excess loss of water through our skin and prevent the cells of our body from becoming dehydrated and dying.

A major sign of a defective skin is the dryness that results from excessive water loss. This water can not be applied topically but must be ingested. To prevent the excessive water loss and the resulting dry skin, we must repair the skin barrier. We find that the skin composition in individuals with dry skin is due to an improper mixture of the skin fats. This is commonly due to a deficiency in our diet of the correct fats, those contained in natural olive oils, avocados, and healthy nuts, etc. On a nutritional basis, we can provide these necessary fats through the skin sometimes through topical treatments containing natural butters or oils, like Shea, olive and cocoa butter. The epidermis is not a usual means to acquire nutrition but it can absorb enough fatty substances to correct the fat imbalances that are the cause of the defect in the skin’s barrier function and thus correct the dry, itchy skin or sensitive skin problem. Try to be aware of chemical preservatives in any topical products you do use.

Although many products today are labeled “fragrance free,” that is really a misnomer. Nearly all products contain some fragrance to mask their chemical odor; so-called fragrance-free products may just contain fewer chemicals than others. What’s more, the fragrances used in many products (even pricey perfumes) are commonly synthetic. For sensitive individuals, this chemical brew can be a problem To make matters worse, many natural fragrances are now extracted using harsh solvents rather than old-fashioned distillation methods, in which fewer chemicals come into contact with the essential oil of the flower. Unless you can determine the extraction method used, be cautious. This is one reason many individuals react negatively to the essential oils used in aromatherapy massages and related products – many are of a synthetic, chemical composition.

According to several studies, various preservatives including formaldehyde, parabens, and others commonly used in skin, hair, and beauty products can also provoke allergic reactions. Although the preservatives are needed to maintain product shelf life and only minute amounts are present in any given product, many products contain these same chemicals, including skin care products, makeup, medications, antiperspirants, toothpaste, and foods. Many of these products are used on a daily basis, causing a higher reaction rate. As a result, the overall exposure to these harmful ingredients is higher than would occur if only a single product were used. Studies show that massage therapists have more contact dermatitis – or skin inflammation – due to exposure to these extracts.

Until recently, few studies investigated the cumulative impact of repeated exposures to preservatives in a variety of products and ingredients. For the majority of people, these product preservatives are an additional benefit, not a problem. But, as the chemical compositions increase, so do the allergic reactions.
If you suffer from sensitive, allergic skin or severe dry skin, you may be among those who will have a problem or reaction to these chemical-laden products. In this case, it is your role as an informed consumer to carefully read labels for all products that come into contact with your skin – internally or externally- to assure that they don’t contain the listed ingredients that you must avoid. Your skin barrier does a lot to protect you naturally, help it out when you can and feed it nourishing chemical-free products whenever you can.

Skin Care Treatments

Our skin is an organ made up of multiple layers of epithelial tissues that guard underlying muscles and organs. As the interface with the surroundings, it plays the most important role in protecting against pathogens. Its other main functions are insulation and temperature regulation, sensation and vitamin D and B synthesis. Skin is considered one of the most important parts of the body.

Many problems with a skin grow out stress. When you are nervous, sleep less, often forget to look after yourself, neglecting habitual cosmetic procedures, and drink not enough liquid which is necessary that the skin remained soft and smooth. The some people start to be scratched or touch the face more often. It increases probability of hit by it of pathogenic bacteria and serves as the reason of occurrence of “troubles”.

The face is the most exposed part of the body, vulnerable to the harsh rays of the sun. The face is also subject to acne, rashes, allergic reactions, and injuries that may leave permanent scars. Also there are other harmful substances in the air like dust particles, vapors of fuel omitted by vehicles and harmful chemical substances omitted by chemical factories etc are all harmful for our skin. 90% of the symptoms of skin aging caused by prolonged exposure to sunlight. Most of the photoaging effects like damage to the skin, as wrinkles or discoloration occur by age 20.

Not all acne is the same. Simplistically, acne can be divided into red bumps and blackheads/whiteheads. This division is important because each type is treated differently. Blackheads and whiteheads, known as comedones, can be more numerous on the face and shoulders than red bumps filled with pus.

• Comedones: A plug of sebaceous and dead skin material stuck in the opening of a hair follicle. The follicle may be open (blackhead) or almost closed (whitehead).

• Blackheads: Blackheads, also known as open comedones, are follicles that have a wider than normal opening. They are filled with plugs of sebum and sloughed off cells and have undergone a chemical reaction resulting in the oxidation of melanin. This gives the material in the follicle the typical black color.

• Whiteheads: Whiteheads, also known as closed comedones, are follicles that are filled with the same material, but have only a microscopic opening to the skin surface. Since the air cannot reach the follicle, the material is not oxidized, and remains white.

If you are one of the thousands people who are suffering needlessly from acne, we are here to help you. If you have tried all the different cleansers, creams, and over the counter topicals with no results, you’re not alone!

There are different types of skin treatments recommended, but you need to understand the pros and cons of those treatments before actually deciding to go for it.

We have scientific treatments and natural treatments for skin, although scientific skin treatments may give quick results and sometimes better results than natural treatments they can have side effects in future.

You should consult with your doctor in detail about your skin type and the kind of skin treatment you should go for before deciding on any scientific treatment.

Scientific skin treatments can also be expensive at times but the kind of results you get, it is many a times worth spending that much extra.

The examples of Scientific Skin Treatments are: -

• Plastic Surgery

• Laser Treatment

The examples of Natural Skin Treatments are: -

• Using fruits to moisturize your skin

• Exercising

Skin treatment by a relaxation

For a long time it is known, that under influence of stress skin problems amplify. Therefore today such nonconventional methods of treatment, as hypnosis and meditation are widely enough applied. Doctors even recommend patients of doing yoga, deep breath and other ways of a relaxation. Remember: the more to time you give a relaxation, the better for you and your skin.