Taking care of your body's largest organ will help you look better
for longer.
You may have heard of a bad hair day. In a similar vein, look in the
mirror to see whether you're having a bad skin day, how appearance
can affect every aspect of your life, including work and
relationships. Skin and one's state of mind are connected and if
your skin doesn't look good, it's hard to feel good.
"We know from science that there are neurotransmitters, neuro-peptides,
hormones, and blood vessels that communicate between our brains and
our other organs. Since the skin is the largest organ, it is a good
place to look for examples of the mind-body connection," explains Dr
Wechsler. "When you are under stress, pro-inflammatory mediators
make their way to the various organs of the body and inevitably to
the skin. These 'bad' molecules trigger inflammation creating a
range of results: breakouts, dullness, flaky skin,
rosacea, dark
circles or eczema."
For example, if you are suffering from lack of sleep or poor
nutrition it will show in your skin's appearance. Whether it is
simply dark circles under your eyes or more exacerbated issues like
eczema or acne, it all effects the way you look. For great skin, the
dermatologist based in New York City advises good health. "If you
get into a rut of poor health practices it can snowball," she says.
" For instance, you stop exercising and eating responsibly and
before you know it there is a general decline in your overall
wellness. Keeping simple daily habits, including caring for your
skin, is a great way to ensure that you do not fall into this kind
of malaise."
As for common mistakes that people make when they are stressed that
lead to further skin damage, she observes that people slack off on
their daily regimen, not using sufficient sun protection and worst
of all... picking at their skin!
Stress is the skin's worst enemy, especially for those who want to
look young as long as they can. Dr Wechsler says that if someone has
a really positive attitude, and they reduce stress in their life
they can minimize this and probably look better.
"But more important, if you are focused on looking young, vibrant,
and healthy, you tend to take precautions like wearing sun block and
eating healthily. The fact is that once you damage your skin you
create a much bigger problem than if you had protected it in the
first place," she says. "Getting the right amount of sleep,
protecting yourself from sun damage and drinking 6-8 glasses of
water a day will also go a long way to maintain youthful looking
skin. Finally, do not carry your burdens alone - seek a doctor,
friend or family member to share your challenges with, it will take
a load off!"
BE PREPARED
When faced with stressful times - like starting a new job, long
business trips or meeting your in-laws - you can prepare yourself
and your skin. Here are some tips from Dr Amy Wechsler.
- Be aware of what you can and cannot control.
- Do not keep everything inside. Find a trusted confidant with whom
to vent or seek help.
- Have another outlet - do not get too fixated on the one event. As
long as you do not pick up an unhealthy habit (smoking, overeating,
drinking, etc) then just about any hobby will do.
- Look at the bigger picture, as a little perspective will help. For
example, if you are preparing for a happy occasion, remind yourself
of that!
- Sleep!!! Easy to say, hard to do.
- Do not let up on your simple daily care. A few minutes in the
morning and at night are all that you need to cleanse, exfoliate and
moisturize. If you do not have time to go to the gym for an hour,
take a mini break, as you deserve at least 15 minutes to yourself
and you should not feel guilty about taking the time to restore
yourself.
- Keep your hands off your face!!!
BEAUTY TEMPTATIONS
You've followed a healthy lifestyle - applying sunblock, taking
antioxidants, exercising, cutting stress and so on - in order to
stay young. Signs of ageing will, however, come one day with crow's
feet, age spots, sagging skin and more. Tackling multiple signs of
ageing may mean adding more treatments to your skincare routine.
Many women find it a fuss to follow a complicated regimen, layering
over three to four products on their skin. Tackling one problem at a
time, many beauty experts say, may be a better approach. And with so
many enticing products at skincare counters, take time to ask for
information and test them to pick the right one for a specific
concern.
Consistent use will determine whether that hope in a jar will make
any difference, although some try-them-all consumers will probably
be tempted by amazing claims from the latest hi-tech formulas.
By Jack Vallieres is the professional freelance writer. He's also
the webmaster of
http://www.daily2healthy.com
