Guest Blog: Help Yourself to Healthy Skin
Alison
Cullen BA (Hons), DN, DNT (Dist) is a nutritional therapist with a busy
practice in Glasgow, Scotland. She has worked in the health industry since 1987
and currently combines her practice with the role of Education Manager for the
leading herbal remedy company, A. Vogel Herbal Remedies.
There are many factors that can affect the
health of our skin - age, heredity, diet and stress to name but a few. The condition of our skin can say a lot about
our general health so it’s worth paying attention to any problems that may
arise and looking after it as best we can. After all, skin is the
largest organ in the body.
The health of your skin depends on the
nutrients brought to it in the bloodstream e.g. if you are lacking in zinc,
vitamin A or essential fatty acids then your skin will be dry, flaky or
irritated and slow to heal. Foods that
affect the skin are wheat, dairy products, additives such as monosodium
glutamate, fatty or fried food and over-processed, refined foods. Alcohol, nicotine and sugar are also
recognised as having an adverse effect on the skin. Your diet should contain lots of antioxidants
such as fresh fruits and vegetables. The
antioxidants beta-carotene, vitamins C, E and the mineral selenium are thought
to delay the appearance of lines and wrinkles and also feed collagen, the
substance that keeps our skin flexible and elastic.
Puffiness and swelling of the skin can be
improved by reducing your salt intake.
Avoid highly spiced foods and use a low salt alternative or herbal
seasoning salt in place of your usual table salt.
If toxins are not removed from the body via
the bowel, liver, kidney or lungs, they can come out via the skin instead,
sometimes causing blemishes to appear. To keep your skin hydrated and to aid
proper elimination of toxins through the kidneys and colon drink a minimum of
6-8 glasses of water every day. This
will help reduce bags under the eyes caused by kidney strain and keep skin
looking fresh and dewy-looking.
Cut down on your intake of caffeine in
the form of tea, coffee and fizzy drinks. These can drain moisture from the
body and promote constipation. Opt for
herbal teas or coffee substitutes instead.
If you are constipated, skin problems can become worse so it’s important
to include lots of fibre in your diet.
Fibre increases the volume and softness of bowel content and hastens its
passage through the gut, preventing constipation.
If you don’t get enough sleep you will have
more wrinkles and skin impurities as you are not allowing your body the time it
needs to recover and repair.
To help prevent the appearance of spots and
blemishes wash and cleanse the skin thoroughly on a daily basis. To replace the
moisture and improve the condition of the skin use
a herbal cream containing extracts of
echinacea and viola tricolor. The herb echinacea
has antibacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties and
can be used in the treatment of many skin problems. Applied topically, it assists and speeds up
wound healing.
If you are stressed it will show in your
face. You will look tired, your skin
will be pale, shadows will appear under the eyes and possibly an outbreak of
spots due to stress hormones. Make exercise part of your daily routine.
Anything to get your blood pumping and your skin glowing. Aim to get out into
the fresh air as often as possible to get some colour back into your complexion
and make sure to set aside some ‘me time’ every day to keep those worry lines
at bay.
Mask of the Month: Witches' Brew
The Fall treats are abundant in our house – roasted pumpkin seeds, Michigan cider, grape juice fresh pressed from the farm across the street, donuts. YUM! With all this autumnal loveliness, I thought it would be fun to whip these goodies up into a spooky skin treatment.
I'm not sure about the donuts, though. I think I will just eat those :)
The ingredients are as good for your skin as they are tasty.
The cider and grape juice, with their natural fruit acids, help to naturally
smooth and exfoliate your skin’s surface. The addition of the pumpkin seeds
provides an extra exfoliating element, while the honey and olive oil add a
boost of moisture to surface-dry Fall skin.
What more could a witch ask for?
What more could a witch ask for?
Witches' Brew
1T pumpkin seeds (shells removed)
1t apple cider
1t grape juice
1t honey
1t olive oil
 |
| Grind the pumpkin seeds until they look like this and feel almost like flour. |
- Grind pumpkin seeds in a clean coffee grinder until they are finely ground (almost the consistency of flour).
- In a small bowl (cauldron?), mix the ground seeds, cider, grape juice, honey and olive oil.
- Apply the mask to freshly cleansed skin and leave on for 5-10 minutes.
- GENTLY exfoliate in a circular motion with wet witchy fingertips for 1 minute.
- Rinse the mask off with lukewarm water and follow with your favorite toner and moisturizer.
You can also use this the same way as a nourishing and softening hand treatment!
DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVORITE AUTUMN BREWS?
Grounded by Rainbows
It has been a crazy few weeks around these parts. Running from here to there. Appointments and to-do lists (I am a Virgo after all!). And, honestly, I've been feeling pretty burnt out.
My oldest daughter, and the oldest soul in our home, made me this necklace yesterday. I believe it was her way of helping me to ground myself. A little circle of rainbow balance for a frazzled "MOM".
Today's pace was, in fact, much slower :) And I also realized that if I wear the necklace upside down, it says "WOW!"
May you find peace in your busy life today and your own "WOW!" moment. Much love!
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