Nutrition and skin care.

By now most of us are realising just how important and extremely necessary it is to look after our skin, every day. If you’re anything like me though, you may be kind of indifferent to what it is that you actually put inside your body. I think that we spend a lot of money stocking up our bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens and cars even our bags. You get the picture. A session on the sunbed and we feel revitalised, refreshed, radiant, our skins giving us that sumptuous suntan we crave and know that somewhere deep down, those rays are doing good things to the way our bodies work, because we’re responsible tanners.

You know, I’ve got to remind myself to continually asses what I eat, to continually picture in my mind that I am what I eat. Those of you who automatically reach out for healthy eats and drinks will stand in wonder at the rest of us. ‘How can you not?’ they retort. Easy. ‘Just try my lifestyle and see if I’ve the time or inclination to think healthy’ you say or more often than not; you feel.

Nutritional therapists continually remind us that ‘you are what you eat.’ and that ‘your skin is a reflection of good health’.

Although I acknowledge that the UV rays, whether from a safe, monitored environment like a sunbed session, or from the sun itself, where you have to monitor and asses the whole effects yourself; does definitely do my skin the world of good, especially since I suffer from that dreaded psoriasis; and for those of you who have naturally lovely skin without maintaining any effort, (you lucky things), it really is a most ugly uncomfortable condition, as are many of the skin ailments.

Being the largest organ of the body, the skin does rely on a steady oxygen supply and nutrients to feed the millions of cells, which it consists of. The skin is aided in receiving these vital amounts by water. The cells of the body produce more cholesterol and are unable to absorb the foods’ nutrients if water is infrequently used. We are all more dehydrated than we think. Hence the admonition, ‘Drink 2 litres of water a day’. (Yes of course we can quietly sip our way through the day). I would say that this is an absolutely vital necessity.

Other vital foods this time that the skin needs are essential fatty acids. Why? To help distribute the water! Also, the fatty acids nourish the skin from within. The result? A lovely, soft complexion!

Good digestion is important. Regular bowel movements are a must to eliminate unwanted waste from the body. Constipation can make the skin dull and can help towards skin ailments.

Free radicals, molecules produced by, sunlight, tobacco smoke, air pollution, as well as being produced naturally by our bodies, behave by causing our own molecules to be abnormally behaved. This can speed up the aging process over the years, contribute to cancer and heart disease. It has been noted that taking a good antioxidant like Selenium, is a good supplement. Avoiding hydrogenated margarine and substitute butter products helps reduce the risks of free radicals increasing in the body. Trying to eat good nutritious food is not easy these days. Of course organic is always best. Supplement vitamins are used now more than ever. They cannot make up for proper food though, and must always be used alongside your food.

So it’s obvious that the main areas of concern are just the ones we’ve been told about time and time again.

• Drink plenty water
• Get plenty exercise or regular
• Get plenty fresh fruit and veg.
• Get plenty fresh air
• Rest and relax well, feel good

• Avoid alcohol, it dehydrates
• Avoid too much tea and coffee
• Avoid being a couch potato
• Avoid smoking

As my grandfather always said, ‘All things in moderation’.

Quote: Positive thoughts
(joy, happiness, fulfillment, achievement, worthiness) have positive results (enthusiasm, calm, well-being, ease, energy, love). Negative thoughts (judgment, unworthiness, mistrust, resentment, fear) produce negative results (tension, anxiety, alienation, anger, fatigue).

Author: Peter McWilliams