There are hundreds of skin care products available on the market promising to give us more youthful, radiant looking skin. But did you know there are also many things you can do to naturally improve the health condition and appearance of your skin? In fact, most skin care products available on the market won’t even work to their full potential if you aren’t first taking care of your skin on the natural level. Here are a few simple things you can do to begin naturally improving the appearance and health of your skin:
Drink plenty of water
Because our bodies are made up primarily of water, about 55% for women and about 60% for men, staying properly hydrated is essential to maintaining our health in any area of our lives, and this is certainly true when it comes to the health of our skin. Drinking enough water ensures that both your body and your skin do not become dehydrated, and the more hydrated the skin is, the better it will look. Skin looks better when it is well hydrated because it is plumper and even. Additionally, when your body is properly hydrated the water in your body is used to adequately flush out toxins that are harmful to your body and that dull the appearance of your skin. The fact that the water is pushing out unnecessary toxins will also cause your skin to be less oily, which helps prevent, reduce, and treat problems with acne. If your body becomes dehydrated however, your skin will begin to lose its natural elasticity which can cause it to wrinkle, sag, and fade.
Follow a healthy diet
Following a nutritious and healthy diet is not only important to keeping your body healthy, but also to keeping your skin healthy. Just as it is commonly said that you can’t out-work an unhealthy diet with exercise, if you have a bad diet then it will never matter what skin care products or procedures you use because you won’t be able to undo the harm of the bad diet to your skin. When it comes to following a healthy and nutritious diet to benefit your skin, you need to make sure you are both choosing the foods that will help your skin and avoiding foods that will harm your skin.
While it may be surprising, not all fats are bad fats. And the healthy fats such as the ones found in walnuts, fish, and flaxseed oil, have great anti-aging properties that leave behind well hydrated and properly nourished skin. It is also good to eat fruit and vegetables as much as possible since these foods are loaded with vitamins that support our skin and give us a youthful, glowing appearance. Finally, you want to make sure you are eating plenty of foods that are high in protein as the protein will encourage the growth of collagen and elastin, the building blocks to new, healthy skin production. Foods that you want to avoid or limit as much as possible include dairy, particularly if you have sensitive skin and problems with acne, and sugar because it creates a hormonal imbalance that can lead to acne flare ups and cause premature aging of the skin.
Get plenty of sleep
It’s not a coincidence that the saying “I need my beauty rest” has become so popular. It’s true! We all need a proper night’s sleep and rest in order for our skin to maximize it’s natural health and beauty. The natural skin rejuvenation and healing process occurs overnight while we are sleeping. Because of this, it is recommended that everyone gets at least 7 or 8 hours of sleep every night. In addition to sleeping for the right amount of time, you also need to make sure you are sleeping in the right position. Sleeping on your stomach does unnecessary damage to your skin and can cause fine lines, wrinkles, and other signs of premature aging; so, you should always sleep on your back if possible.
While doing these things is a great way to naturally improve the health condition and appearance of your skin, there are also many benefits your skin can receive from a good skin care routine and skin maintenance care procedures, such as facials. Contact Neuvo Health today to discuss your skin care goals and to schedule your next appointment with us.