by Action Advisor on May 6, 2010
in News
Topical skin care products help your skin look radiant and healthy, but your skin still needs to glow “within” and that means eating the right skin loving foods.
Selenium: This is a mineral that is useful by your body to create a protein with antioxidant properties. The best source for this skin loving mineral is Brazil Nuts. Other nuts will do but Brazil Nuts are found to be the best source of selenium. Whole wheat, turkey and fish are helpful sources too.
Antioxidants: Yes, I know, we hear so much about antioxidants. But you need antioxidants to protect your skin from pollution and UVA radiation. Include these foods in your diet that are chock full of antioxidants perfect to help your skin battle free radicals. Citrus fruits, cacao, blueberries (organic -non organic are loaded with pesticides), prunes, leafy green vegetables like kale and spinach. And, drink your white and green tea.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Those of you who worked with me on skin care regimens know that I’m big on Omega-3 Fatty Acids. By helping to maintain healthy cell membranes they battle pre-mature aging by keeping your cells hydrated and free of toxins. Some best food sources are wild salmon (just watch the bones), chia & flax seed, walnuts and sardines.
Liquids: Although almost all fitness lovers realize they need plenty of hydration, I’m often surprised at many who don’t consume enough fluid. Thirsty? If so, it means your skin is also. “Juicy” fruits and vegetables are great for hydration and pack vitamins for healthy skin. Include strawberries, watermelons, apples and cantaloupe in your diet. And, of course, drink plenty of filtered or spring water.
Next time you indulge in these foods remember you are not only doing your body good, but your skin will show it too!
Should you have any questions, please contact me at: salcide@fbscc.com
by Action Advisor on February 27, 2010
in News
Your skin barrier consists of the acid mantle of sebum and perspiration. The hard outer skin proteins formed from dried and flattened skin cells, and the underlying mixture of cells and protein fibers.
Damage to the Skin Barrier and Skin Condition
When the skin’s barrier is compromised, the following problems can occur:
Bacterial infections (acne)
Virus infections (cold sores)
Fungal infections (athlete’s foot)
Blotches and rashes
Less skin repair and more rapid untimely aging
Skin PH is a chemist’s term for Potential of Hydrogen. Many skin care companies taut how wonderful their product will “make your pH balance”-but most people don’t fully realize what “pH” really means.
Potential of Hydrogen is used to measure the acidity or alkaline in the “outer” layer of skin. (Your barrier). Without getting into scientific rhetoric, your skin needs a “neutral” acid level. A healthy acid level “protects” the skin in many ways.
Antioxidant- lipids (fats) are oxidized to protect the skin from excessive oxidation. As I mentioned in prior articles-this is why “whiteheads” which are oxidized sebum (natural oil in pores) turn into “blackheads” as the sebum is oxidized (hits natural light).
Water Repellent- a healthy skin barrier keeps water retained. Making the skin less vulnerable to dehydration from environmental factors such as sun and wind (for the outdoor active type).
Bacterial Inhibition- a healthy acid balance (pH) keeps skin healthier with less blemishes.
Certain Soaps Can Damage the Skin Barrier
Mainstream soaps have a higher than normal alkaline thus leading to a higher pH level. Inexpensive soaps with synthetic ingredients (actually detergents) strip away the mantle and protective keratin proteins. This makes the skin more vulnerable to the above mentioned damage to the skin barrier.
Increasing Skin Cell Turnover
A key to maintaining a healthy skin barrier is increasing skin cell turnover. Good cell turnover keeps a wonderful constant flow of cells moving “outward” in the skin with a fresh supply of outer skin proteins replacing the old cells.
Exercise is a key factor for healthy skin cell turnover. The dead, older cells need to be removed so other topical nutrients can better penetrate into the skin barrier. Retinoic acid can be irritating to some persons skin so natural hydroxy acids and exfolliants prove to be effective and gentle to the skin barrier.
Let Your Natural Bacteria Protect You
Bacteria is not as horrible as you think. Normal skin has a small amount of bacteria.
This normally harmless bacteria protects you from disease causing harmful bacteria by filling the niches in your skin’s environment that harmful bacteria could occupy. So don’t worry so much about bacteria, a not so fabulous word.
In closing, I must stress how regular “aerobic” exercise improves skin’s healthy barrier. It does remarkably improve skin quality. Exercise increases blood capillary density in the skin and improves the nutrition of cells.
by Action Advisor on January 2, 2009
in News
How to Look as Fit as your Feel!
New Year and New Aspirations for many of us and of the most common are fitness, financial and relationship goals, all of which relate in some way to our appearance! Whether we care to admit it how we look is a reflection of how we feel and impresses upon others what we are capable of.
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