7 steps to OPTIMUM skin health

To improve skin health, you need to think of a proper body and skin nourishment: a diet full of good nutrients, clean water, good skin care, sunlight, healthy lifestyle, stress management and positive attitude.

Because body, mind, and skin are closely linked together, you need to take good care of them all to be able to reach an optimal skin health...

1) Eat healthy & wisely

According to Chinese medicine, there are a number of skin conditions that can be caused by an improper diet or a diet that is not suitable for you. Maintaining a proper diet is better to help you heal your skin disorder (see healthy skin diet).

The aim of healthy nutritional habits is to strengthen your immune system, fight inflammation, and correct the cause that leads to body dysfunction.

Nutrients have many benefits in terms of overall state of health and can help you correct the cause of your skin condition. If you don’t address the underlying cause, it means that you have to suppress the symptoms continually, rather than putting an end to them once and for all.

Foods offer nutrients required at every cellular level and contain healing and nourishing qualities when they aren’t altered or processed. Unfortunately, the poor quality of soil depletes our food from vital nutrients. Combined with improper eating habits, it can lead to disorders or diseases.

As a matter of fact, our western diet is lacking in fibre, enzymes, and essential fatty acids. Most of our food is refined, processed, and full of saturated fats or even trans-fatty acids. This is why it is a good thing to eat organic as much as possible, as well as to supplement your diet with the nutrients you are lacking from the food you eat(see skin nutrients).

2) Drink clean water

Water cleanses, transports nutrients, hydrates and modulates body temperature. With moisture, the elastin and collagen matrix in the dermis layer of your skin stays plump. This is why dryness and cracking is usually a sign of dehydration.

How much should you drink? It all depends on your own body, how much exercise you get, and what kind of beverages you drink. For example, caffeinated beverages and alcohol are diuretics and can increase the body’s need for water. In any case, you should try to drink at least 6 glasses a day.

The best is to drink mineral or filtered water, either warm or lukewarm, with a squeeze of lime or lemon as a substitute to plain drinking water. In addition, fresh fruit, vegetable juices and herbal teas are also a source of liquid.

3) Pay attention to the weather

Natural substances on earth have incredible healing powers but they can also harm your body if you are not careful. This is the case with sunlight, which helps the skin manufacture vitamin D. UV light also kills T-cells in the skin that lead to overgrowth and scaling. This is why some skin conditions like psoriasis seems to lessen during summer because vitamin D is made from sunlight.

Climatotherapy in thermal basins such as the Dead Sea have also significant results on the skin: sun exposure combined with mineral rich air and bathing in water.

However, sun overexposure can damage your skin so it is very important not to get burned. Overexposure ages the skin and causes skin problems like wrinkles, leathery skin, or even skin cancer.

What can you do about it?

• Try to avoid sun between 10am and 3pm
• Wear a hat and clothes that cover your body
• Use a natural sunscreen that is not harmful for your skin (check your sunscreen chemical rating on www.cosmeticdatabase.com)

In addition, beware of photosensitizers that can make your skin more sensitive to the sun:

• foods like celery, parsley, or parsnip
• some drugs like anti-inflammatories or antihistamines
• some essential oils like citrus oil (orange, lemon, grapefruit), bergamot, lavender, rosemary, and cedar

Weather changes can also affect your skin quite a lot. When the air is dry and cold, your skin needs more moisture. It is advisable to protect your skin against the elements and wear a hat and gloves when you go outside.

Supplement your diet with essential fatty acids to keep your skin well hydrated and drink lots of water to prevent dehydration. During the summer avoid exercising outdoors in the heat of the day and don’t use soap too frequently because it dries out your skin.

4) Protect your skin from synthetic ingredients

Taking good physical care of your skin also involves protecting your skin from chemical products and synthetic fibres. Be careful with skin care products that contain chemicals (see natural vs chemical).

It is also wise to use natural and hypoallergenic products if your skin is easily irritated. However it is sometimes safer to make your own skin care products to be sure they are 100% natural (see homemade skin care recipes).

Many natural ingredients are good alternatives for fragile skin. You could choose between almond, jojoba, apricot, avocado, lanolin, cocoa butter, glycerin, oatmeal, aloe vera, and calendula to name just a few. Preservatives like citrus fruit acid or antioxidants such as vitamin A, E, C, or alpha lipoic acid are also much better choices.

It is the same idea with the clothes you wear and are in contact with all day and night. Man-made fibres such as polyester don’t allow perspiration to evaporate causing bacteria to grow. It is preferable to use natural fibres such as wool, silk, linen, hemp, or cotton.

5) Live a healthy lifestyle & get rid of your toxins

Improving the quality of your life can really make the difference: regular exercise, good sleep habits, less smoking or alcohol... Life is full of healthy choices!

• By exercising regularly and drinking lots of water, your body will get more oxygen, more nutrients, and more vitality.
• By maintaining good sleep habits, your body will be able to rest and detoxify throughout the night.
• By avoiding smoking and drinking alcohol, your body will feel healthier.

It is easy to fall into sedentary activity after a hard working day or to drink whisky to relax your mind. However, keep in mind it does not help your skin.

Exercise makes us stronger - physically and mentally - to fight against disorders we might have. Your body will actually get more oxygen and nutrients from exercise, and will also release more endorphins that will improve your mood.

The best is to do your exercises outside if you can. Fresh air and oxygen is needed for every single cell and is beneficial for the skin.

Try to find several exercises that make your heart beat faster, at least 20 minutes a day if you can if you don’t have any heart or respiratory problems. You won’t get bored if you do something different every day!

Sleeping is also very important to give the body a rest and to repair itself. What is called REM sleep (Rapid Eye Movement) is very important for mental and physical health. It is the stage in which dreams occur and it takes about 90 minutes after you fall asleep before the brain goes into REM sleep. Being deprived of this stage of sleep can cause anxiety, depression or extreme irritability.

6) Relax & manage your stress

Many skin conditions are triggered by stress which can come from lots of different situations : from the death of a close family member, a divorce, too much pressure at work, relationships, time management, and even happy events such as marriage or pregnancy. It is nearly impossible to avoid stress.

Stressful situations occur everywhere: any time and in different intensities, and some people are better at dealing with it than others! However, it is possible to deal with stress and control it with a little bit of mental discipline.

Flare-ups may occur in anticipation of a stressful event, but also during the event or afterwards because your mind and your skin are linked together. The skin and central nervous system share similar hormones and chemical messengers. This is why there is a connection between psychological stress and skin disorders.

When you are stressed, your adrenal glands release adrenaline and corticosteroids. These hormones take your energy away and mobilize your body’s resources for immediate physical activity so you can either fight or flee from the danger. As a result, your digestive system slows down, your blood sugar level increases, and your body secretes cortisol and other corticosteroids.

If you reach a point of stress exhaustion, certain organs may stop working efficiently and start depleting your body of vitamins and minerals needed for good skin health. This can lead to inflammation and dry skin.

How do you calm your mind? Reducing the amount of stress includes doing some activities that allow the mind and the body to relax. Mental calming, exercise, healthy diet, and adrenal gland support can help you deal with stress. Think of complementary therapies such as acupuncture, meditation, yoga, Tai-chi.

Yoga, meditation and Tai-chi are good disciplines to help deal with stress since they are based on an awareness of the breath. Did you notice that every time you are stressed you don’t breathe properly? Maintain a good posture and breathe deeply for 20 minutes to relieve tension.

A good technique is to breathe in and out to a count of four and let your mind see tension and stress leave your body. Many things can help calm down: exercise, massage, or even listening to relaxing music. Healing baths can relieve stress, especially when you add a combination of essential oils, such as clary sage or lavender.

7) Take care of your emotional well-being

Healthy mind, healthy skin! Emotional well-being is closely linked to physical health. You are the only one who knows what’s best for yourself to feel good.

However basic principles like providing your body with nutrients, sun, fresh air, exercise, will definitely help. Some physical problems like skin disorders have their roots in emotional imbalances or even just emotional reactions to stress. Try to work on it by yourself or with the help of a psychologist.

If you want to work on it by yourself, the first step is to develop a positive attitude towards the world and yourself. Accept yourself the way you are now and try to have daily positive thoughts. You can’t control the things that happen in your life, but you can control how you see and respond to your life challenges.

Appreciate the basic pleasures of life, don’t take things personally, and set positive goals, while using the power of laughter! This might seem difficult to achieve, but your daily thoughts and emotions have a great effect on your skin health. It is worth trying to change the way you think when your attitude has such an impact on your health.