And 5 things you can do right now to improve how you look and feel.
Our skin is our body’s largest organ. It is logical that skin issues can be an indicator of being out of balance with our overall health. When hormones, stress, diet and gut bacteria get out of whack it can first show up in your skin. Whether it is simple dryness, acne, or eczema you can make the connection of how you are on the inside by what you look like on the outside.
I have personally struggled for years with dryness, rosacea, adult acne and more severely melanoma (the deadliest form of skin cancer). After my cancer surgery removed a large portion of skin and tissue from my upper leg I began researching natural solutions to improve my health. I discovered the important connection that what we put on our bodies is just as important as what we put in it. Everything is so connected. I began reading labels and making changes to the products I used and foods that I ate. Switching to organic was a logical choice for both skin care products and foods. But I still wasn’t seeing great results. I sought out a Naturopath who helped me discover some food sensitivities that were causing or exacerbating my bad skin. Together we worked on removing trigger foods, balancing my hormones (gotta love that wonderful age where menopause comes knocking) improving my gut bacteria (who knew our guts played such a huge role in our looks?!) and reducing my stress. Yes I’m still working on that! I’m a wife and the mother of 5 sons (about to become a grandma!) and I’m starting a business when most people start thinking about retirement no I’m not stressed. Lol
Discovering the food sensitivities was crucial to improving my skin health. I discovered that I had a severe dairy sensitivity something my stomach was trying to tell me for years. I had actually eliminated most dairy, well except for cheese but who wants to give that up?! I had switched most of my dairy to substitutes like almond milk but guess what my top two sensitivities where? Yep Dairy and Almonds no wonder I wasn’t feeling or looking better. Even though I thought I was eating healthy I wasn’t eating healthy for me! Once I removed the inflammatory foods I did start to notice changes with my skin. However nothing is ever that simple and I discovered that if I did a combination of things I had better looking skin and an overall feeling of better health. Here are the 5 things you can do right now that will help improve not only your skin but your health too.
1. Talk with your Doctor or Naturopath about Food Sensitivity testing. A simple blood test can help you find out if you are eating healthy for your body. Common food allergies/sensitivities are Dairy, Gluten,Almonds/nuts, Eggs. The inflammation caused by eating foods you are reactive to can result in conditions like rosacea, eczema and acne.
2. Limit your exposure to chemicals by seeking out organic and natural foods and products. It’s no coincidence that I stated an organic skin care line. I love that our Moyaa products are natural, organic and high in vitamins and fatty acids that help nourish and protect your skin. Remember what goes on your body goes in it.
3. Protect your skin from the elements. We all need vitamin D but sunbathing with baby oil and baking in the sun are no longer acceptable. I’m also very cautious about sunscreens these days so if you use one please look for a natural one. Your best bet is to limit the time in the sun avoid the hours when the sun is at its hottest. Wear long breathable fabrics like hemp or organic cottons in the summer and cover up exposed skin when you need to be outside in the cold weather.
4. Read your labels. This is so important for both your food and your skin care products. There are so many different names for things like corn, sugar, and msg. If you don’t know what an ingredient is take the time to google it! Same goes for your make up and creams. Things to avoid in your products are Petroleum, BHD, Parabens, Polyethylene, Fragrance, Formaldehyde.
5. Get into the routine of drinking lots of water and using less on your skin. Did you know that you can actually wash your skin too much? Hey I’m all for being clean but how many times do you need to wash? Well that is definitely a personal choice but if you wash your face at night (recommended especially if you wear make up) do you really need to wash it again in the morning? If you change your pillowcase every few days how did you get your face dirty when sleeping? Too much soap and water can disrupt your PH balance and that can cause skin irritations and breakouts. So monitor your habits and make adjustments as needed. Locking in moisture with a natural moisturizer like Moyaa Shea Butter after you cleanse also helps to keep your skin healthy.
Finding a healthy balance in life is so important and when we are out of balance our body sends us these reminders to take care of ourselves better. What is your skin telling you? Please pay attention it could be trying to save your life. Mine did.
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