Wednesday, February 11, 2015

How to Have Clearer and Healthier Skin in 9 Easy Steps


To have clearer and healthier skin is at the top of every list. But it is easier said than done. With these 9 tips you can have the skin of your dreams.



1. Drink lots of water. This is probably on all skin care tips but it is one of the most important things that you can do. 90% of people do not drink water and walk around in a constant state of dehydration. In a 2007 study regarding drinking water, it showed that having about 2 cups of water caused the blood flow to increase to the skin. This means that increasing the blood flow increases the circulation which flushes away toxins and helps the skin repel nasty bacteria that cause acne and pimples, It also helps the skin heal faster from acne that may already be present. Fine lines and wrinkles became less noticeable and skin just looks plumped up when you drink water.

2. This is a common sense one and you hear it all the time: Do not Smoke. Smoking ages your skin and makes you look much older. As a former smoker myself I can attest to this because I smoked for many years and I look a lot older than I should. It was hard but it was worth it. Use the nicotine patch or nicotine gum. They both work really well and there are many herbal quit smoking products as well. There is not evidence of anyone getting cancer from any of these.

3. Whenever you are outside make sure that you wear some kind of sunscreen. Our skin has keratin to protect a little bit from the rays but it cannot keep UV rays from causing skin cancer. It is important to get some sun every day to get your vitamin D but only fora few minutes at a time unless you have a good sunscreen on. Then you can stay out longer. Melanoma has various forms and it is worth it to find out what those forms are and if your family history has skin cancer in it and take protective measures to protect you and your family from it.

4, Get the recommended amount of sleep per night. If you do not get 8 to 10 hours of sleep a day, you will get bags under the eyes and get wrinkles earlier. Reduce caffeine during the day and make sure that you do not have any in the evening, avoid eating at least 2 hours before bedtime, and maintain a sleep routine that includes going to bed at the same time each night. This will get your skin back in shape and reduce those ugly bags.

5. Take vitamins and minerals for your skin. Even if you do eat the recommended daily amounts of fruits and vegetables, the minerals in the soil are half of what they were when our grandparents and great grandparents grew and ate vegetables from the ground. Their produce had twice the amounts of vitamins that ours do today. Vitamin A is really good for our complexion. A keeps your skin from flaking and premature aging. A also keeps wastes from plugging up the pores. The B vitamins help maintain the oil producing glands that keep the skin moist. Vitamin c helps keep the collagen healthy which is the support system underneath the skin. Vitamin E is one that we have heard a lot and for good reason. It helps slow the aging of skin cells. Sun exposure can drain vitamin E from your skin. Minerals selenium and zinc are important components in skin care. Selenium can keep UV light from damaging the skin and zinc helps to keep skin strong and supple. So take a vitamin every day to make sure that you get all the recommended nutrients you need. It is cheap health insurance.

6. Eat good food. Too much junk food is not good for you or your skin. Eating junk food does not cause acne directly but it does put stress on the body and its ability to get the proper nutrition from the food that it eats and keep functioning well. It exposes you to nutritional deficiencies and that can cause premature aging because the vitamins and minerals that you need are missing. Eating fruits and vegetables several times a day is a great way to clear up skin. The junk food contains free radicals which are responsible for aging our bodies. Going on a gentle cleanse several times a year can keep your skin clean and healthy.

7. Cleanse your skin the right way. H. You need to find a good cleaner that you like and that works for your skin. You can find them at your grocery store and you do not have to buy the most expensive one to get the best. Avoid bars of soap as they can dry. Use a creamy cleaner for dry skin and a clear cleaner for oily skin. Ones that have salicylic acid are a good choice for skin with acne. Salicylic acid penetrates skin follicles and encourages the follicle to shed dead skin cells from within its self. This way it keeps pores clean and clear. Whatever you do do not scrub the skin harshly and do not do it too much. This can irritate the layers and cause redness and inflammation. If you have acne this can cause it to flare up even worse. Clean your skin gently and only twice a day at most.

8. Reduce stress in your life. Stress can cause acne to worsen in two ways. First it can stimulate adrenal glands to produce male hormones which are known to cause the sebaceous glands to secrete more sebum which causes more acne and second, it slows down the healing process. Stress can decrease wound healing capabilities by up to 40 %. Prayer and meditation have been shown to alleviate stress levels to almost nonexistent levels. So learn some simple meditation techniques and pray or chant a mantra when you are stressed out.

9. Go to a skin spa treatment once a year at least. Skin peels, TCA peels and deep massage therapies will rejuvenate your skin and improve its ability to heal itself.

There you have it. These 9 steps will help keep your skin healthier and cleaner.

 

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