Healthy and Green Living

By Lisa Benest, MD

Our skin renews itself every 28 days, sloughing off old dead skin cells and replacing them with fresh new ones—but only if we practice good skin care. This great skin care routine locks in moisture, keeps chemicals out and gives skin the proper nourishment to help you to look better in 28 days or less.

Exercise. Our bodies weren’t built to be sedentary. Even though we no longer have to hunt wild game to put a meal on the table, that’s what the body was built for. Exercise keeps our muscles in shape, and helps the blood transport nutrients to every cell in the body. Without those nutrients, the body has a hard time regenerating. Exercise is a vital part of a natural skin care routine.

Drink plenty of water. Most experts recommend about 6-8 glasses of purified water a day. The body uses water to flush out toxins. Without it, they lodge in the cells. You may have been told that any liquid will do. Not true: Some liquids (such as alcohol, coffee, tea) actually cause dehydration. So keep up the water intake no matter what else you drink. Healthy skin needs to be hydrated.

Get enough sleep. The body renews itself while we’re sleeping. Get at least seven hours a night, and try to make at least one or two of those hours before midnight. The old adage of “early to bed, early to rise” isn’t just an old wives’ tale. The body clock is set to sleep when the sun goes down and wake when it comes up. Natural skin care is enhanced by adhering to this natural cycle.

Get rid of sugar. Believe it or not, most people with a sweet tooth can overcome the sugar habit within a few days. Just don’t eat sugar, and don’t drink sodas, and you’ll see what I mean. For the first couple of days the urge might be almost overwhelming but if you don’t give in to it, you’ll find that within just a few days the cravings are much less. When you eat sugar regularly, the body expects it. All you have to do is break the routine. If you have trouble doing this, it might be because you’re not getting enough nourishing food and your body is craving a source of energy. Give it protein, healthy fats (such as omega 3 fish oils or flaxseed oils) and complex carbohydrates like vegetables and fruit. After you get through your brief sugar withdrawal period, you should have the energy you need. And do not substitute sugar with artificial sweeteners. These can be even more toxic for the body than sugar.

Eat fresh food. Something that comes in a box and lasts for years doesn’t have the nutrient value your body needs to regenerate. Fresh, nutritious food is vital to any natural skin care routine. No matter how many creams, lotions and other skin care products you slather on, your skin will be fighting an uphill battle without nourishment.

Get rid of as many chemicals as you can. Although natural and synthetic chemicals have improved life in industrialized countries in many ways, our bodies are only equipped to handle so much. Pesticides, herbicides and many of the chemicals in our food are toxic. And don’t forget the chemical cleaners we have under our sinks! If all our body’s energy is being used to get rid of excess toxins, it doesn’t leave much left over for the regeneration process. Eating organic food is another natural skin care basic.

Stop using skin care treatment products that are primarily made with chemicals. Some products can fool you. They say “natural” on the label, but when you look at the ingredients you’ll find that the natural ingredients comprise only 2 or 3 percent. The rest are chemicals and some of them are toxic. Do a little research on this subject–don’t just buy the hype–and use natural skin care products from companies that care about your health.

Following the steps above, and using gentle, natural skin care treatment that doesn’t damage the skin will have you looking better in a month. And you’ll probably feel better than you’ve felt in years!