The skin is the largest organ of the body. You can look at someone's skin and easily ascertain their overall health. Is it dry? Oily? Splotchy? Are they prone to breakouts? Hives? Rashes? Toxins get pushed through our skin constantly. Our skin is what protects us from the elements, meaning it is constantly exposed to dirt, fumes, sun, and wind. What can you do for healthy skin?
1. Drink more water. Filtered, clean, fresh water. Drinking 64 or more ounces of water each day will help your body function optimally. It will aid in the elimination of toxins, especially. So kick the soft drink and coffee addiction, and see how good you feel when you start drinking water!
2. Raw Honey. This speaks for itself in two ways. First, cut the refined sugars. Just a teaspoon of the stuff will lower immune function by 50% for 6 hours!!! If your immune system is struggling to keep up, your body certainly won't have any energy left over for balancing your other bodily processes. Satisfy your sweet tooth with fruit, or a teaspoon of raw honey, full of vitamins and minerals. Second, it works wonders on your skin. Mix it with an herbal masque, or slather it straight on your skin, and let it sit for a while. Wash it off and you'll notice an immediate difference.
3. Eat your fruits and veggies. I know, I know. Mom's been telling you this all along, but it it's true!! A diet high in plant foods and low in things like saturated fats, refined flours and sugars, and animal products promotes a healthy body. The skin and the digestive system are closely related, in that poor digestion can contribute to skin problems. If the digestive system can't eliminate toxins the right way, they end up cycling through the body to be eliminated via the skin. Plant foods high in vitamins and minerals, fibers, and essential fatty acids promote digestive health! So mom was right.
4. Meditate. Seriously. Many skin disorders have been linked to stress or anxiety. Just 10 minutes of quiet each day can calm your mind, soothe your body, and promote better stress management in other aspects of your life. It's important to allow the mind and body to truly be still.
5. Do some yoga. In addition to being a stress reliever, some poses, especially inversions, promote blood flow to the face. So, specifically for skin disorders that show up on the face, these can promote healthy circulation which promotes healthy skin cells, and so on.
6. Get your vitamin A. This vitamin is directly related to production of keratin, which means a lack of it can result in dry, flaky skin. So eat your red and orange veggies, and better yet, take a supplement. Mixed Carotenoids are ideal.
7. Get your vitamin C. This vitamin is directly related to collagen production, which influence elasticity of the skin. Drink your OJ, or supplement at least 1000 mg per day.
8. Burdock Root. This amazing herb is best know as an alterative (or a blood cleanser). Burdock not only cleans the blood, it also helps the digestive system, liver, and bowels. The tea can also be used as a rinse for oily hair and skin! You can take it as a tea or a tincture.
9. Check those skin care products. Lotions, soaps, creams, body washes, even make up can all contain chemicals that destroy the skin's ability to produce natural oils, maintain normal pH balance, and even be carcinogenic. Switch to castille soap for washing (it's made from saponified plant oils), and try moisturizing with jojoba oil or a lotion or cream made from organic ingredients with no chemicals, preservatives, or anything artificial.
Mountain Rose Herbs sells wonderful products for skin care. It's important to wash dirt and make-up from your face every day.
10. Steam! Opening the pores of the skin allows toxins to escape. If you fill a bowl or basin with boiling water, cover your face with a towel and lean over the basin, so that the towel covers it and traps the steam. Stay there as long as you can! To steam the whole body, get the shower as hot as you can stand it and shut all the doors to the bathroom, turning off the ventilation. You can add herbs, dried or fresh, to the steam to make it more effective. Some good herbs are calendula, lavender, chamomile, and burdock.
