Beautiful Skin at Any Age

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October 4, 2009


beautiful_skin.jpgYour skin is amazing! Take a minute to think about it. Your skin is a large, complex organ that is constantly changing as you age. In order to obtain beautiful skin (no matter how old you are) you will need to get to know the skin you are in! For example, did you know that each square inch of skin on a normal size body contains 65 hairs, 650 sweat glands and 9,500,000 skin cells! Wow! Just because the skin is a complex organ does not mean that it can’t be beautiful! Yes, there is work involved if you want beautiful skin. However, nothing beats the look of fresh, plump, clear beautiful skin…so any work involved is well worth it!

For those of you wondering how to get beautiful skin, you need to understand a little bit about what skin is. Because the skin is such a vast and complex organ, it should come as no surprise that there are over 900 diseases and conditions that can affect it. For this reason alone it is very important that you know and understand your skin type so that you can implement a DAILY skin care routine that best fits your skin’s needs.

As previously mentioned your skin is complex and made up of many parts.  In order to get beautiful skin, it is important that you understand your skin and what it needs in order to be healthy. The epidermis, for example, is the top layer of skin (that you actually see). Within the top layer there are six layers underneath. Each under lying layer has a specific function. The Dermis is beneath the epidermis and its main job is to maintain the structure of the skin. Within the dermis you will find sweat glands, sebaceous glands, hair follicles and lymphatic vessels. The dermis is much thicker than the epidermis and is made up of collagen and elastin fibers (for more on the importance of collagen and elastin, read our post on Retinol Wrinkle Cream). Finally, beneath it all lays the subcutaneous layer. This layer is very important as it serves as a shock absorber and heat insulator (which helps to keep you warm and toasty during the cold winter months!). Understanding how your skin functions is very important. The more you know the easier it will be to get the results you want!

As you age, your skin will change. The good news is that beautiful skin is attainable at any age as long as you know how some of the secrets to beautiful skin so you can care for it properly. Obviously, individuals who implemented a skin care routine as a teen (and actually stuck with it) will have a head start. DNA also plays a major role when it comes to the look and type of skin that you have. Some people are born with fantastic skin genes (you know, the people that never have break-outs and always look fresh and vibrant!). The good news is that even if you weren’t born with perfect skin DNA, you can always take advantage of the many skin care products and procedures that are available today (and trust me, there are MANY!). Anyone can have beautiful skin; some just have to work a little harder than others.

No matter what your age may be one of the most important skin care rules to follow is AWLAYS WEAR SUNSCREEN! Did you know that just ONE serious sunburn as a child can cause skin cancer twenty or even thirty years later? That is an amazing piece of information and certainly worth noting! No wonder mothers lather their babies and toddlers with sunscreen! Speaking of toddlers, their skin is superbly resilient and quick to heal. One washing a day is usually all it takes to keep a toddler’s skin clean and fresh. It is very important to teach good skin care habits early in life. You should place just as much importance on skin care as you do on proper diet and bathing! Children are like sponges. They soak in everything that you say. If you can put your child on the path to good skin care habits early they will thank you later in life when they have fresh, young looking skin well into adulthood!

Ahh, the teenage years, such fun! The baby soft skin that was once perfect and blemish free will begin to face several challenges. For one thing, hormonal changes that signal the beginning of adulthood can wreak havoc on a teen’s skin. This is the best time to talk to your teen about skin care and encourage a daily skin care routine. Most teenagers will welcome the advice as the pressure they often feel to have beautiful skin can be great (most teenagers I know do everything in their power to avoid getting pimples!). Now is the time to invest in quality skin care products. If you are not certain as to what type of skin your teenager has or what products (if any) they should use, it might be a good idea to make an appointment with a dermatologist in order to get some advice. A dermatologist can give beautiful skin care tips and recommend the skin care products that best fit the needs of your teen’s skin. It is also important to discuss diet with your teenager as many foods can cause oily skin and break-outs!

Speaking of diet, unfortunately, as we age, we tend to gain weight. It is very important to eat a proper diet due to the fact that weight loss and gain can contribute to our skin care woes (think stretching and sagging!). Just remember, what you put into your body is just as important as what you put on it. There is NOTHING in a bottle that you can buy that takes the place of good nutrition and hygiene!

It is a fact that your skin changes with each decade of life. No matter what age you may be it is very important to KNOW the type of skin you have in order to care for it properly. Make it a habit to clean and moisturize DAILY and exfoliate regularly (every few weeks should be fine). Whether you are ten, twenty, thirty or even eighty, sunscreen is a MUST! the type of skin you have in order to care for it properly. Make it a habit to cleanse and moisturize The older you get the more skin care challenges you will face. Obtaining plump, moist and wrinkle free skin will become more and more difficult. The good news is that you CAN have beautiful skin well into your later years as long as you take action NOW! So figure out what skin type you are (normal, oily, sensitive, oil-dry, or oily-acne prone), arm yourself with the appropriate skin care products and implement a permanent skin care routine. Before you know it, you will be on your way to healthy, beautiful skin!

Thanks for reading!

-K

Categories: Beauty, General Skin Care, Moisturizing, Oily Skin, anti aging skin care, fighting wrinkles.

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Get Rid of Eye Bags and Dark Circles

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September 26, 2009


Bags are great. Stylish, convenient, fashionable; they are the accessory no girl wants to be without. That is, at least, until they appear under the eyes. Two of the biggest complaints people have when it comes to their skin are dark, under eye bags. Yuck! Unfortunately, the eye area is often a clear reflection of the life-style that you lead. For example, if you party all night, several days a week, most likely you are going to have problems with bags under your eyes. Not pretty, to say the least. Lack of sleep can also lead to swollen eyelids which can make cosmetic application a problem in the morning (especially if you are on a time constraint as you will have to wait for the swelling to subside before applying eye make-up!).The bottom line is swollen eyelids and eye bags do not make for a fresh, glowing face! Fortunately, there are things you can do to improve the look of the area around your eyes and in no time, you will be on the road to clear beautiful skin! Of course, you may have to curb your late night lifestyle, but hey, sacrifices must be made if you want a fresh face!

If you have bags or dark eye circles, don’t worry, there are things you can do to improve the look of the skin around your eyes. Of course, there are many different products on the market to assist you with your fight including all natural and organic skin care products; however there are several simple home remedies you can try as well.

Before we go any further, let’s discuss what causes eye puffiness and dark circles in the first place. Well, as previously mentioned, your lifestyle plays a huge role; however, unfortunately, both of these skin problems can be caused by genetics as well. Sorry (go blame your mother). Other reasons for dark circles and under eye bags include poor diet, allergies, smoking, medications you may be taking, aging and sinus problems (such as a sinus infection).

The skin around the eyes is very thin and delicate; therefore, you should always apply skin treatments and eye creams in a very gentle manner. It is also important to note that the facial moisturizer that you use on your face should not be used on your eyes. Why? Well for one thing, facial moisturizers and creams are usually too rich for such a delicate area. Using a rich face moisturizer on your eyes can actually cause little white bumps to form (these bumps are known as milia or in simple terms, whiteheads). On a separate note, if you wear contact lenses it is very important that you avoid putting rich face creams on the skin around your eyes. If the skin cream gets into your eyes there is a very good chance that it could cloud your contacts and cause vision problems. Not fun! Rich facial moisturizers and creams can also clog your tear ducts and actually prevent your eyes from lubricating. So play it safe and only use skin care products that are specifically made for the delicate eye area.

Eye creams are designed to be light (and safe) for the delicate skin that surrounds your eye sockets. Though light, they are loaded with a high level of moisture, which is a good thing! A good eye cream will not only firm but energize the area as well. If you purchase a good, high quality eye cream you should only need to dab on a drop or two as a little goes a long way! If you want to refresh and energize the skin that surrounds your eyes it is very important to develop a daily skin routine and stick to it. Trust me, in twenty years you will be glad you did! Oh and before I forget, avoid eye creams that contain the ingredient Retin-A. If Retin-A finds its way into your eyes they can become extremely irritated and worst case scenario, damaged.

So what can you do about baggy eyes? Well, for temporary relief, go buy yourself some green tea bags and a potato or two. Lie down and place the item of choice on your eyes for approximately ten to fifteen minutes (and relax!). The caffeine (which is a diuretic) that is in the tea will help to reduce swelling as will the potato! Just don’t put the entire potato on your eyes…a slice (that is VERY cold) will do. Cucumbers work wonders as well! Simply place a cucumber slice on each eye, cover with a cold, damp cloth and wait for ten minutes (an old but effective method when it comes to dealing with eye bags and puffiness)!  If you have tried every eye and skin cream under the sun and have bought so many cucumbers you’d be better off growing your own and nothing seems to eliminate the bags…it may be time to go to the allergist. Bags are often caused by health issues such as chronic allergies.  An allergist can get to the root of the problem and find out if you are allergic to anything that may be contributing to your puffy problem. Remember, diet plays a very important role if you want to have beautiful skin so it may be something you are eating that is actually causing the problem.

There are also many different types of eye skin creams on the market that you may wish to try. For example, The Organic Health and Beauty Company sells a Cellular Extract Eye Lift Gel that “delivers an instant eye lift that creates a toned, more youthful appearance.” While organic skin care products are wonderful and the latest rage, you can always turn to an “oldie but a goodie” and buy Olay Definity Illuminating Eye Treatment. Whether or not it is the best under eye cream for you will require experimenting, but it is very popular and not only strengthens the delicate skin that surrounds the eyes, but it hydrates as well! Your skin will appear immediately brighter and smoother and darkness and shadows will disappear leaving your eyes looking more luminous. I guess that’s why they call it Olay Definity ILLUMINATING Eye Treatment!

Whether you choose to go with an organic skin care product or tea bags, it is important that you develop a go eye bag treatment routine and stick to it! Taking care of your skin should become a habit…one that you enjoy doing because you know the results will be worth the trouble! If you have been fighting with eye bags and under eye puffiness for years, don’t procrastinate any longer…make an appointment with a dermatologist and seek medical advice and help. Unfortunately, there is not a single soul on the planet that can escape the aging process. However, you can be pro-active and start taking care of your skin. The sooner, the better! Good luck, and may the bags under your eyes take a permanent vacation!

Categories: Beauty, Eye Bags and Circles, Moisturizing.

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J.R. Watkins for the Best All Natural Skin Care Products

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August 28, 2009

Looking for the best all natural skin care products? Well look no further! J.R. Watkins is a family owned and operated all natural skin care company that has been in business for over one hundred years! For a company to operate and thrive for that long, they must know what they are doing! J.R. Watkins manufactures high quality products and provides outstanding customer service.  It all began in 1868 when the J.R. Watkins Medical Company launched its first product, Original Liniment. Well, my skin loving friends, J.R. Watkins has come a long way since it sold its first bottle of liniment and now produces and sells hundreds of different health and beauty products…all natural, of course!

The goal of the J.R. Watkins Company is “To be the most TRUSTED natural products company.” Now that’s a mission statement! After all, if the consumer doesn’t trust your product they probably won’t buy it! J.R. Watkins recognizes how important it is to “go green” and protect Mother Earth and that is why they offer a full line of plant based home care products that are free of pollutants and are biodegradable. Wonderful! J.R. Watkins has truly been a pioneer when it comes to natural living. They use only the finest natural ingredients in their products and stand by the commitment they have made not only to their customers but the planet as well.

So what types of products does J.R. Watkins sell? Well, products are broken down into categories including Natural Personal Care, Natural Home Care, Natural Gourmet and Remedies. The Natural Personal Care product line includes facial and foot care products (such as the Gentle Pore Scrub which is made from apricot seeds and other natural ingredients), all natural hand a body lotions (the Lemon Cream Hand and Body Lotion is one my favorites), body creams, hand a cuticle salves, body oils, lip balms, bath salts and all natural travel kits.

 As previously mentioned J.R. Watkins is committed to Mother Earth and that is why they have created their Natural Home Care product line. Products within this line are, of course, all natural and free from petro chemicals, formaldehyde, and phosphates. Their home products are natural, plant based cleaners that are not only SAFE for you but the planet as well! J.R. Watkins has implemented a “Freedom Code.” This means that the products that they produce are FREE from the following: ammonia, animal ingredients, benzene, bleach, dyes, formaldehyde, petrochemicals, sulfuric acid, kerosene…well, you get the idea. Some of the products that can be purchased include all purpose cleaners (the green tea and lemon all purpose wipes really work!), orange citrus all natural and all purpose cleaner, lemon liquid  laundry concentrate, aloe and green tea liquid dish soap (which is gentle on the hands!), lemon furniture polish, lemon toilet bowl cleaner and many, many more!

It is easy to see that J.R. Watkins is COMMITTED to not only producing the best skin care products but the best home care products as well! As the company expands, so does the variety of products that they sell. Over the past several years they have added not only all natural remedies to their inventory but yummy, natural gourmet items as well (they sell all types of spices, extracts, even dessert and frosting mixes!). If you have a cold and a cough, don’t worry! Simply grab a bottle of all natural Supercold Cough Medicine and you’ll be on your way to feeling better in no time!

J.R. Watkins has been in business for many, many years. They strongly believe that all natural is better and that keeping Mother Earth beautiful is just as important as helping you with beautiful skin! Since 1868, J.R. Watkins has evolved into one of the leading manufacturers of not only all natural skin care products but oh so much more! Finally, a company that really cares…not only about YOU but the planet that WE ALL share!

Categories: All Natural Skin Care Products, Beauty.

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Berry Beautiful Skin Care

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August 26, 2009

1735936_blog1.jpgI had it in mind to begin writing about organic beauty products for beautiful skin but I promised to continue writing about foods for skin care so I’m sticking to that promise. The good news (for me, anyway) is that, when it comes to beauty products, food is about as organic as you can get! If you haven’t already read my post on drinking water for beautiful skin, please start there before you continue reading this. I promise this post will still be here when you finish but, water being as important as it is, you really should begin your skin-friendly foods education with that post.

In this, our next topic on foods that are good for your skin, we’re going to discuss the humble berry and fruits. In my European upbringing, wild berries and fruits were a common and frequent part of life. Avid hikers and outdoorsmen, Germans often find themselves exploring the wilderness and I, a guest in that country, fully embraced their traditions. That meant hiking through the beautiful countryside where the farmers didn’t mind if you picked the occasional apple or grazed from the wild berries surrounding their fields.

Among my favorite treats were the blackberries that grew almost to the point of being a nuisance to the farmers. Plump, juicy, sweet and tart, it was all my father could do to keep me moving if I happened to notice blackberries growing fence-side along the side of the trail. Living here in the US, I find them a lot harder to come by in the wild, but they are worth the effort to find or buy from a grocery store because blackberries are GREAT for healthy, beautiful skin. Why? Antioxidants!

Blackberries aren’t the only berry or fruit high in antioxidants. Sharing their ranking status as having the highest antioxidant capacity (out of just about any food) are blueberries, plums, strawberries and others. Nice as that is, you’re probably left wondering what the big deal is. What are antioxidants anyway, and why are they good for you? Glad you asked.

Basically, think of antioxidants as nutrients in food that keep you healthy by slowing or preventing the natural processes in biology that damage our cells. Getting a bit more technical, the cells in your body naturally produce free-radicals. These are a byproduct of using oxygen. It’s a bit like cell-poop if you want to think of it that way. The cell uses oxygen like you use food and produces free radicals like you might excrete waste. Cell poop is a bad thing. It’s something you can’t simply prevent because the production of free-radicals is a natural byproduct of your cell’s use of oxygen. Short of starving your cells of oxygen (which would kill you), you really have no choice but to suffer the potential consequences of them processing the oxygen which is oxidative damage.

So how do berries, fruits and other foods high in antioxidants help? Another good question! I’m glad you’re here asking. See, antioxidants essentially scavenge free radicals. In sufficient quantities, they can prevent the damage that simply being alive causes to your body. But the good news doesn’t stop there! Studies imply that antioxidants can prevent the development of anything from cancer, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s, rheumatoid arthritis and cataracts! Even taking skin care completely out of the equation those benefits alone make it worth your while to add some blackberries or other fruits to your next shopping list! But, since this is a blog about skin care and a post about foods for beautiful skin, let’s refocus.

Where your skin is concerned, free radicals damage the membrane of skin cells. Normal oxidation can be the source, but sun exposure can contribute too. Damaged skin cells, of course, run a risk of damaged DNA in the cell. So, the inclusion of antioxidant rich foods in your diet provides an army of free radical hungry nutrients which will protect your cells from being damaged in the first place! Whether your objective is to find something natural or simply the best anti aging skin care products, antioxidant rich foods are your number one resource for results.

Ok, but what if you don’t like blackberries. Hey, I sympathize. I’ve found the blackberries available in grocery stores here in the US to be more tart than those I picked in the German countryside as a child. I’m not a big fan of tart. The good news is that there are plenty foods high in antioxidants that can help you find your way to beautiful skin. In fact, the US Department of Agriculture produced a top 20 list. I’d list them all, but since this post is on fruits and berries, I’ll save the full 20 list for a later post but you should note that 13 out of the 20 items listed are fruits and berries. For now, here are the best fruits and berries you can eat for healthy, beautiful skin.

  1. Blueberries (wild)
  2. Blueberries (cultivated)
  3. Cranberries
  4. Blackberries
  5. Prunes
  6. Raspberries (my favorite berry of all)
  7. Strawberries
  8. Red delicious apples (good for keeping doctors AND dermatologists away)
  9. Granny Smith apples
  10. Sweet cherries
  11. Black plums
  12. Plums
  13. Gala Apples

When it comes to finding foods that are good for you, you’ll often find fruits and berries at the top of the list. But if you’re looking for foods for healthy skin, you can’t go wrong by selecting from the list above. Just as it takes time for the damage caused by free radicals, sun exposure, age and pollution to show on your skin, it also takes time for these antioxidant rich foods to reverse skin damage. For best results, include one of the fruits or berries listed above or one of the foods I’ll mention in my next post in at least one meal every day. In time, you’ll feel better, look better and be a healthier person over all!

Your body is wrapped in a new suit of skin about every 1 to 2 months. By including a healthy diet complete with water, antioxidant-rich foods and other dietary recommendations we’ll include in future posts, you can dramatically change your appearance in a very short amount of time. When to start your diet for beautiful skin? Why not today?

Categories: Beauty, Food for Healthy Skin, Health, anti aging skin care.

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Drink Water for a Healthy Beautiful Skin Care Solution

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August 22, 2009


5214434_blog.jpgNumber one on our list of good foods for your skin is water. Ok, not technically a food for skin care, I know. But for argument’s sake, assume that I mean consumable foods and liquids when I use the word “food.” Water’s benefits for healthy skin simply can’t be overstated. While there are foods that will specialize in promoting different health benefits for your skin, think of water as the A-bomb of skin care. Everything in your body requires it to function efficiently. Your cells (including your skin cells) thrive when ample water is present in the body. They literally starve in its absence.

 

Drinking too little water will lead to dehydration and that will become very evident in your skin. As your body suffers from inadequate water, your skin loses elasticity, becomes dry, flakey and splotchy. And no shortcuts here, folks. When we say water, we mean pure water, not soda or beer. And here’s a surprise, I’m not recommending bottled water either unless it is mineral water. Those minerals found in your clean and perfectly drinkable tap-water are actually good for you and your skin. Excessive filtration or distillation strips water of those minerals.

 

While your particular hydration needs will vary based on climate, activity levels and your body’s own specific requirements, a good safe amount to consume for normal activity is roughly 8 glasses a day. Yes, if you haven’t been good about your water consumption, you’ll find yourself making frequent trips to the bathroom until your body adjusts, but this isn’t just about vanity, folks. Looking good is just the bonus you get for actually being healthier. So go grab a glass of water and then continue reading. We’ll wait…, back? Ok, read on.

 

Now, why is water so good for you? If you haven’t kept up on your science, liquid water is the one requirement for life scientists can absolutely agree on. In fact, your body consists of about 65% water. When something is that fundamental to your make up, it doesn’t take a huge intellectual leap to conclude that the lack of that substance can be detrimental to you in many ways. At the extreme end of the spectrum, there’s death. The average survival rate for somebody deprived completely of water in any form is 3-4 days. That amount can be extended by a day or two or diminished by a day or two based on activity level and climate but, deprive yourself completely of water and the absolute best case scenario will have you dead inside of a week.

 

Less dramatic than death but very relevant here are the results of too little water. Many of us are slowly starving our bodies of this vital fluid on a daily basis. The results can be as mild as increased appetite (pay attention, gang, that means that too little water can leave you eating too much food which leads, of course, to weight gain). Dehydration is often misinterpreted as hunger. Want an easy way to shave off a few pounds? Make sure you drink your 8 glasses of water every day to suppress your appetite.

 

Other symptoms of mild dehydration include headaches, irritability and other nuisance symptoms. But the most relevant for our purposes is that prolonged dehydration will show in your skin. Let me elaborate a bit on that to explain what I mean by prolonged dehydration. I’m not talking about the failure to consume any liquid at all, but the long-term results of drinking too little water every day or substituting too many diuretics (coffee, tea, soda) in place of plain water. Over the course of months and years, chronic dehydraters (I made that word up) will see all kinds of undesirable results in their skin.

 

Even if you aren’t ready to jump on the virtues of water wagon yet, here’s something you should consider… those expensive skin care products you’re buying, useless. Useless, that is, if you aren’t adequately hydrating by consuming water. What good is locking in moisture if you don’t have enough in you to begin with? Most skin care products that promise healthy, glowing skin cannot come through on those promises if you are inadequately hydrated.

 

Finally, if you wake up with bags or dark circles under your eyes, you may be dehydrated. Both are symptoms of inadequate hydration (though poor sleep and illness can also cause this symptom). But, if you are otherwise healthy and rested yet still waking up to puffy raccoon eyes, it’s time to hit the bottle (the water bottle) and make a positive change in both your looks and your health.

 

The next time you’re out shopping for skin care products or if you buy skin care products online, take a minute to carefully read the product descriptions. You’ll notice they often state “for healthier looking skin.” There’s the difference between most skin care products and legitimate nutrition and hydration. Products give you healthier LOOKING skin while nutrition and water give you healthy skin, plain and simple.

 

We’ll leave it at that for now but the message here is pretty straight forward. Given the choice between healthy looking skin and actual healthy skin, the choice should be simple. And it’s just water, my friends; inexpensive, abundant, healthy water. It is the best anti aging skin care… no, the best overall skin care product you can buy affordably and use regularly. Drink a little today and, in time, you’ll be rewarded with healthier skin than even the most impressive organic skin care products could ever promise you.

 

Update: our next post on foods that are good for your skin is up. We’ll be introducing you to the benefits of delicious fruits and berries.

Categories: Beauty, Food for Healthy Skin, General Skin Care, Health.

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Eat Your Way to Healthier Skin

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August 18, 2009


1735936_blog.jpgAs this site is a joint venture between me and my wife, we often divvy up the duties. She writes about women’s skin care products and issues and I write about men’s skin care products and issues. Every now and again we have to flip a coin, though, because the topic applies equally to both sexes. That’s the case in today’s post which will focus on good foods for healthy skin because, boy or girl, man or woman, what you put in your body very much plays a part in how the outside of your body looks.

Now as a guy, I’d be lying if I said I’ve always given this concept a lot of thought. Truth told, I’m a meat and potatoes kind of guy and my dietary concern was often dictated purely by what particular carnivorous craving was most in need of satisfying. You get older, you get wiser and you find yourself having to consciously make an effort to stay in shape and you start to think about this kind of thing more. As my wife and I have both adopted a healthier lifestyle in the last couple months, food has become an everyday consideration as we shed pounds and build muscle. It hasn’t reached an obsession stage (yet) but we feel it only makes sense to think about our skin as we continue down our self-improvement track. After all, toned, muscled bodies wrapped in wrinkly, oily or splotchy skin sort of defeats the effort, right?

Even so, I was still of the mindset that external skin care products were the true road to perfect looking skin. After considerable review of the research (and you’d be surprised how much science has gone into the study of this topic) I’ve become a convert. More than any cream, lotion, scrub or tonic, the food we eat is the most important skin care tool in our arsenal. With the possible exception of avoiding sun damage, healthy eating trumps everything when it comes to taking care of your skin. And here’s a shocker; some foods may even help defend against or off set the damage caused by the sun! The bottom line is, if you are looking for skin care products that really work, start in your refrigerator.

I know what you’re thinking. “Gee, Dave, that sounds great! So what foods can I eat for healthy skin?” Patience, my eager friend. We’ll get to that in our next post, but let’s first emphasize that what you AVOID eating (or eat in moderate quantities) is also important. Just as there are good foods that promote healthy (really healthy, not just healthy looking) skin, there are also those that can take you the wrong direction by promoting the excess production of oils. Those of you who have suffered from acne in your youth probably remember the warnings against chocolate and greasy foods. Well, they weren’t just trying to deprive you of the good stuff, gang!

Ok, enough said. Our next post will get into the specifics. Sorry for not covering it here but my wife warned me against writing my usual epic-length posts so that people could more readily absorb the information. I’ll be back soon with the information you need to eat your way to healthier skin.

Categories: Beauty, Food for Healthy Skin, General Skin Care.

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15 Ways to Get Better Sleep

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March 6, 2009

As I’ve stated here before, the kindness we show ourselves is just as important as the kindness we show others. By taking care of yourself you are both charged with positive energy and more motivated to share the wealth of good feelings you enjoy with others. Do you have one of those friends whose positive outlook on life is contagious? Sure, sometimes we just want to wallow in self-pity, but is that really constructive? Isn’t it better when we just let ourselves be carried away by that friend’s uplifting spirit? Why not be that person who brings out the best in others? To get there, you have to start with how you treat yourself. So, with that in mind, we’re covering another be-kind-to-yourself topic today; specifically, sleep.

The value of good sleep is often overlooked by many of us. Some of us avoid it for fear of missing out. Or perhaps we have so many things we want to do that we see sleep as a nuisance and fight it until we simply can’t resist any longer. Others are envious and would like nothing better than a good night of sleep but they simply can’t get it. If you are in the former camp, recognize that sleep isn’t an option, it is a requirement. Allowing yourself the time your body needs to recover will leave you much better equipped to accomplish the things you want to accomplish when you are awake. You’ll also be primed to enjoy those experiences you don’t want to miss as a good night of rest will leave you feeling more engaged, more in the now when the good times are rolling.

Aside from the obvious, healthy sleep should also be a critical element in your skin care and beauty regimen. Failing to get adequate sleep can leave you looking older than your years. By getting enough sleep, you afford your body the opportunity to perform its regularly scheduled maintenance as required. That includes everything from recovering muscles after strenuous workouts to, yes, rebuilding the skin you’re surrounded in which is constantly dying and being replaced. And for those of you who have dealt with shadows and bags under their eyes after too little sleep, you know full well how important good rest is.

For those of you who struggle with sleep for any number of reasons, there are things you can do to help grease the Sandman’s wheels a bit. Follow some of the tips below and see if it doesn’t result in some life changes.

  1. Go to bed when you are tired. Trying to force yourself to sleep at a certain time every night can lead to a never-ending battle with insomnia. Your body will let you know when it’s time to saw some logs. Listen to what it tells you. If you find yourself wide awake until the wee hours of the morning, that’s ok. We’re going to fix your schedule because, key to accomplishing #1 and getting enough sleep is…
  2. Get up at the same time, all the time. Every day. Yes, weekends too. Your mind and body can be trained. In the same way you can learn how addition, develop muscle memory or improve your reaction time, you can train your body to adopt a regular schedule. It will be painful until your body adjusts and you may find yourself getting too little sleep the first few days but, no matter what, get up at the same time every single morning. You’ll gradually find yourself ready for bed earlier every night until you are on a good schedule.
  3. Don’t listen to the experts. They’ve told us 8 hours is ideal for years but, the truth is that we’re all different. For some, 8 hours can mean waking up to a headache or migraine in the morning. Let your body dictate the right amount of sleep. If you wake feeling refreshed after 6 or 7 hours, that’s your target. Stick to it.
  4. Don’t go back to sleep. If you wake up naturally, get out of bed and stay up. Forcing yourself to go back to sleep can throw off your schedule, leave you feeling incredibly tired, lead to oversleeping or to headaches.
  5. Don’t take naps. Unless you are already a talented sleeper (and you wouldn’t be reading this if that were the case) naps can completely ruin your attempts at adjusting your body to a sleep schedule. If you have absolutely no choice due to excessive exhaustion, take no more than a 15-20 minute nap. If you dream, you’ve gone too far.
  6. No caffeine 4-6 hours before you go to bed.
  7. No exercise 4-6 hours before you go to bed.
  8. No eating 2-3 hours before you go to bed.
  9. DON’T think about work or any nagging problems in bed. If thoughts about a troubling issue keep nagging at you, get out of bed and out of your bedroom and write the thoughts down. Read through your list which should include what is bothering you, what you might be able to do to resolve it and, finally, why it really isn’t the end of the world. By making a list and logically addressing the points with some possible solutions and a reality check, you help put it into context as something you really shouldn’t be losing sleep over. You can then resume efforts to sleep. If the thoughts crop up again, get up and review your list. Expand on it. But don’t stay in bed. And remember #2. Regardless how late you stay up reviewing your list, get up at the same time the next morning.
  10. Let your bedroom be a bedroom. Don’t read in it. Don’t watch TV in it. Don’t dwell on problems in it. Do nothing but sleep (and snuggle with your honey) in your bed. By avoiding activities in bed other than sleeping, you train your body to correlate entering your bedroom and crawling into bed with sleeping.
  11. Consider a sleep mask. I have a very low tolerance for even the dimmest light when I sleep. I like it as dark as I can get it and have, on many occasions, resorted to a sleep mask to get what I need. Especially useful on vacations in strange places.
  12. Don’t argue or engage in deep conversations with your spouse in bed. I love a long chat with my wife but it has killed my ability to sleep on numerous occasions. Have your talks in the living room and saw logs in the bedroom.
  13. Get a new mattress. An innerspring mattress can aggravate pressure points and cause all kinds of restlessness, aches and poor quality sleep. If you and your spouse have compatible sleep preferences, a foam mattress might be the right solution. My wife and I have wildly different ideas of what’s comfortable in a mattress. Our solution was an air mattress bed. Specifically, we purchased the Sleep Number Bed as it allows us to adjust for our individual preferences without having to sleep in different beds. For comfort and quality sleep, a foam mattress works just as well, but air mattress beds like the Sleep Number bed trump foam mattresses in that they allow for individual comfort adjustment while also providing all the benefits of a foam mattress. The links I’ve included will take you to my site specifically devoted to air mattress beds.
  14. Meditate. Meditation does not deserve the reputation it sometimes caries as a “fringe” philosophy or the domain of shamans and monks. Every one of you has meditated and likely not even known it. What did you think you were doing when you were on that road trip and miles just whisked on by without you even being aware of their passing. Meditation is simply a relaxed, calm state of mind that allows you to live in the now without all the distraction of your conscious thoughts. Learning to do this in my adolescent years was the single greatest teen accomplishment in a vast arsenal of bizarre lessons learned. Learn it and you’ll be thanking me for the rest of your life for having suggested it.
  15. White noise. Buy yourself a soundscape CD specifically for sleep. If you’ve always zonked right out when sleeping at the beach, get an ocean soundscape CD and play it on repeat. If camping has always had you snoring in seconds, get a CD that has wilderness night sounds such as distant chirping crickets and maybe the sound of a stream.

As I wrote this post and hit 15, I realized I could probably go at this for another hour. Unfortunately, my own sleep schedule requires I be in bed no later than 1AM every morning and that leaves me only 40 minutes to wrap this up, post it, take the pups out one more time and then drift off into blissful slumber. Perhaps I’ll come back and revisit this topic in the future to add to the list. For now, do yourself the kindness of following some of the advice above. It’s just one more way you can care for your skin and it’s my sincere hope that it helps you.

Categories: Beauty, General Skin Care, Health, Inspiration.

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