8 Simple Tips For Healthy Skin

Image – © Nobilior – fotolia.com

Our skin is the largest organ in our bodies and functions as the first line of defense against thousands of bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. For our skin to perform this function, it has to be healthy and intact (without breaks like cuts and wounds), moisturized and elastic. Following some simple tips to keep your skin in good condition may help protect you from all kinds of conditions… with the added benefit of making you look great.

1. Eat Healthy
This one sounds like stating the obvious but people still need to hear it. A great body needs great ingredients put in! Plenty of fresh vegetables, fruit and juices are vital for clear, healthy skin.

2. Destressing May Be More Effective Than Facials.
Facials aren’t for everyone. You need to know what kind of skin you have so you can ascertain the products you’re going to use on your face. Using the wrong product on any part of your skin may do more harm than good in the long run. ^[1] Facials work for so many likely because of the relaxing, calming effect the treatment has on you. An hour of meditating, relaxing, and generally letting go of stress may be more beneficial to your skin than taking your chances at getting skin treatment that you’re unsure of.

3. Go Natural.
Mother Nature almost has the entire gamut of skin care topical solutions that address both aesthetic and medical concerns. ^[2] Always go for natural products to put on your skin. Make you products yourself with natural ingredients so you know exactly what you lather on. If you choose to buy your products instead of making them, read the labels before you buy. If it’s too long to read, contain ingredients that you can’t pronounce, or contains ingredients you’ve never heard of before, it’s probably safest to put the item back on the shelf and search for a new, less chemically loaded product.

4. Limit Exposure to UV light.
Repeated, prolonged exposure to UV rays cause sun damage and malignant cell formation on and underneath your skin. This repeated damage and multiplying abnormal cell formations ultimately result in skin cancer. Stay away from overexposure to the sun, which emits both UVA and UVB light. Tanning beds emit UVA light which also causes skin damage, therefore it’s best to stay away from those as well. ^[3]

Parasols, hats and long, loose clothing are best. But in the event that sun exposure is unavoidable, lather sunscreen on exposed areas of your skin. Sunscreens that have grape seed extract, sea buckthorn oil, marigold, artemisia, cumin, milk thistle included in their ingredients will limit the damage done to your skin. However, you can’t be too sure of the content of commercially distributed sunscreens. Squeezing aloe vera gel out direct from the plant’s leaf and lathering it on your skin also protects you from UV damage. ^[4] Using sesame oil and borage oil works as well.

5. Get your weekly dose of antioxidants.
Antioxidants give you protection against free radicals and can help keep your skin looking youthful. ^[5] Our bodies produce their own antioxidants, but this happens in trace amounts. Antioxidants from 3 servings of berries a week also has the additional benefit of protecting your heart. ^[6] Add the fresh berries to your salad, cereal, oatmeal, or make it into a smoothie for easy consumption.

6. Make sure you get your Vitamin C.
Research on skin cancer has proven that Vitamin C protects our body from skin cancer by activating our tumor-fighting antibodies. ^[7] Additionally, another study suggests that it protects us against various cancers that occur in the head and neck. ^[8] You don’t have to worry on overdosing on vitamin C since it’s a water soluble vitamin, which means it easily comes out of your system through urine. However, the safe dosage range would be 1000 to 1,500 milligrams per day. To ensure that you’re staying on dose, get your vitamin C from fruits and vegetables. Papaya, yellow bell peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and strawberries have the highest vitamin C content. Vitamin C is highly acidic, so drink plenty of water. Water is the best neutralizer for any kind of acid, this vitamin included, and increased water intake improves skin elasticity. People who suffer from hyperacidity and gastroesophageal reflux may also take sodium ascorbate instead of the regular vitamin C for reduced acidity.

7. Stay Away From Cigarette Smoke.
It’s well known now that cigarette smoke has an aging effect on the skin.

8. Get Enough Sleep.
Another one that’s fairly obvious. You can always tell when someone isn’t getting enough sleep because of that “haggard” look. Deep sleep is when your body does essential repair work. Another super tip: Change your pillowcase more often. This can help maintaining a fresher facial complexion.