HEALTHY SKIN CHALLENGE #5: Clean Up Your Skin Care & A Giveaway!

Welcome to the fifth, and final, installment of the Healthy Skin Challenge in honor of National Healthy Skin Month! 

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TODAY'S CHALLENGE: CLEAN UP YOUR SKIN CARE

There are so many skin and body care products on the shelves these days, it can be overwhelming to make the right product choices. The correct skin products for your skin type aside, simply choosing a product that is healthy for your skin, body and the environment can prove to be very, very difficult.

Many products (such as lotions, shampoos, nail polish and toothpaste) in the mass market contain ingredients that are suspected to contribute to cancer, reproductive issues and skin irritation, just to name a few concerns. A great resource to quickly assess the safety of your body care products is the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep® Cosmetics Database. This handy tool allows you to search over 80,000 body care products to determine their safety. You can also look up ratings for individual ingredients.

The database rates products and ingredients with an easy numbering system (from low risk to moderate risk to high risk) that is calculated based on the overall health hazard, as well things such as cancer risk and immunotoxicity. This data is based on what is known about the product's ingredients and scientific studies that may have been completed. 

Not all products are included in the database, obviously, and some ratings may not be accurate due to little being known about individual products or certain ingredients. The rating can also vary depending on how the product is being used. For example, some ingredients may be more dangerous when inhaled rather than used topically on skin. 

Hazard score key:

Low hazard	Moderate hazard	High hazard

Data score key:

Data: None		Data availability rating: the scope of ingredient safety data contained in Skin Deep®, and the number of studies available in the open scientific literature
Data: Limited
Data: Fair
Data: Good
Data: Robust

So the database is not entirely accurate (and some even argue that it sensationalizes the issue of product safety), but, with that being said, it can still be a good resource to begin incorporating healthier skin care into your daily routine, as it offers a ton of options for healthier choices. 

Say, for example, you want to explore a healthier nail polish option. Traditional nail polish contains not-so-yummy ingredients like formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate and toluene (ingredients shown to contribute to cancer, birth defects and nervous system damage). Select "Nail Polish" from the "Nails" menu and you can browse a list of nail polishes available, starting at a "0" risk rating (and continuing up to the higher risk product offerings). 

Honeybee Gardens WaterColors Nail Polish from Skin Deep Database.

So, your final challenge for Healthy Skin Month is to grab the skin and body care products you are currently using and research their safety in the EWG database. If there is a product that appears to be suspect, use the database to find a healthy alternative. Many healthy alternatives are available for purchase online or at your local natural foods store. And don't forget handcrafted products from individual artisans, like those that you can find either locally at farmer's markets or online on sites like Poppy Swap. These products are often superior to anything you can buy at a store and you can talk to the crafter to find out all of the details about the product and ingredients used.

Have fun with this! Make slow changes, one product at a time, or go for the gold and overhaul your entire product stash all at once. Whatever you are comfortable with and makes sense for you. :)

...AND NOW THE GIVEAWAY!!!

DeVita Solar Protective Moisturizer SPF 30+ from Skin Deep Database

I hope you have enjoyed the Healthy Skin Challenge and have incorporated some healthy changes into your life that will make a big impact on your skin's health. To celebrate, I am giving away a package of DeVita Solar Protective Moisturizer SPF 30+! A great all-natural, year-round daytime moisturizer plus sunblock with good-for-skin ingredients like organic aloe gel and glycerin.

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment below with one healthy change you have made during the Healthy Skin Challenge. I will choose a winner with a random generator on Friday, December 6 at Noon.

Blessings and happy skin!

Healthy Skin Challenge #4: Ditch the Four SKIN SINS!

Welcome to the fourth installment of the Healthy Skin Challenge in honor of National Healthy Skin Month! 

Over the next few weeks, I will be posting tips on how you can improve the health of your skin, along with challenges and recipes to jump-start your progress. 

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TODAY'S CHALLENGE: DITCH THE FOUR SKIN SINS!

While I love focusing on the positive things you can do for your skin, I would be remiss if I didn't talk a bit about the things you may be doing each day that might not be supporting your skin's health. While it can be hard to incorporate a good habit, it can be even harder to stop a bad one. It sure sucks being human sometimes. :/

Have you incorporated some new good habits over the last few challenges? Kick ass! Keep up the good work! OK, now on to the bad stuff.

Let's start with the "Dirty 4"!

• Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it makes you pee out all of the fluids your body (and skin cells) need to stay hydrated.
• Excessive alcohol can deplete the body of vitamins and minerals skin desperately needs to maintain health.
• It causes capillaries to dilate, causing redness and flushing, which over time, can become permanently broken capillaries and veins - and permanent discoloration of the skin. 
• Alcohol speeds up the aging process, causing premature aging by weakening skin's oxygen levels and defenses against free radicals.

• Like, alcohol, caffeine (in the form of coffee, soft drinks, chocolate or other beverages) is a diuretic, with excessive consumption causing dehydrated skin.
• Coffee contains tannins, which some believe prevents skin cells from receiving nutrients from food.

• Excessive sugar intake has been shown to cause connective tissue damage in the skin, as well as inflammation, through a process called glycation (a process which creates end products called AGEs). Hmmmm. A-G-E?
• Glycation happens when sugar molecules in your system bombard the skin cells, attaching to fats and proteins.
• The proteins most prone to glycation are the same ones that keep your skin firm and supple - collagen and elastin.
• Glycation also makes skin more susceptible to UV damage, as it creates free radicals.
• For many, the results of glycation (hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, etc.) can begin to show up around the mid-30s. For diabetics, this can happen sooner (lots of information discovered about glycation was through studies of diabeties).
• Sugar is sugar. It doesn't matter if it is spoonfuls of the white stuff, honey, agave, maple syrup, chocolate syrup, fruit or vegetables. But, ideally, to slow down glycation you should definitely stay away from things containing refined white sugar and high fructose corn syrup (AKA The Devil). 
• Skin care products that include green tea or other collagen builders/boosters can help your skin to deal with the glycation process and slow things down a bit.

• Smoking affects the blood vessels, depleting blood/nutrients to the skin cells (which also causes skin discoloration).
• Chemicals in cigarettes and cigarette smoke cause the breakdown of collagen and elastin, resulting in premature aging - wrinkles and saggy skin.
• Cigarette smoke builds up in pores, causing blockages which impair skin function - leading to sallow, dehydrated, dull skin. I can usually tell a cigarette smoker by the appearance of their skin alone.
• Smoking causes those lovely "smoker's lines" around the lips and mouth.

Man, that was a total downer. OK, I'm going to include just a few other thoughts...

A Few Other Things that Suck the Life out of Healthy Skin

• Not taking your makeup off at night - Your skin repairs itself from the daily grind while you sleep. A face full of makeup won't allow your skin to properly breathe, detoxify and repair. Rock that stuff during the day, though, baby! ;)
• Scrubbing your face too hard/too much - Your skin is not your kitchen sink. Excessive cleansing, exfoliating or harsh scrubbing will actually cause more issues than it will help. 
• Washing your face too infrequently - While every skin is different, skin does need a certain amount of proper and thorough cleansing to remove dead skin cells, debris and environmental pollutants.

So, if you are still with me after all that bad news, I want you to breathe a sigh of relief now when I tell you that, while it IS possible to follow these ideal rules to a tee - and my hat goes off to those who do - I would be a total lunatic if I did! And most people I know would, too.

In a world full of DO's and DON'Ts - sometimes there just has to be some "OH, WTFs"! Now, I'm not telling you to go out a swill a box of wine or drink a pot of coffee right now, but what I'm getting at is that there is a place of healthy moderation where we can, at least for a moment, throw caution to the wind. In our house we call these "Sometimes Foods."

Have a cup of coffee once in awhile. Enjoy a glass of red wine with dinner. In fact, coffee and red wine are actually loaded with antioxidants (although this doesn't change their effects in excess)! Have a tasty treat to celebrate a special occasion. We are only human! It is when we get into excess - something our culture knows well - that we can get into a funky place. 

But you really should never smoke. For reals.

So here are a few real-world tips to navigate these guidelines (obviously, check with your doctor to make sure these are appropriate for you and your dietary needs):

• Limit caffeine to one serving a day (one cup of tea, coffee, etc.) or go decaf.
• Limit alcohol to once in a while.
• Limit sweets like cakes, pies, cookies and such to only special occasions. For a daily sweet treat, focus on fresh or dried fruit, so you are also getting the fiber and nutrition. Some of my faves: Orange slices with just a drizzle of dark chocolate and a sprinkle of sea salt. Pomegranate seeds with a squirt of lime juice and a sprinkle of vanilla extract. Medjool dates stuffed with walnuts. These are all decadent and delightful while still offering good stuff for the bod.
• Throw out your cigarettes. You will be healthier for it and your body is so awesome it can even begin to repair some of the damage you may have done while smoking.
• Have some quick, natural cleansing cloths handy for those party nights you struggle to remove your makeup. Swipe your face before your head hits the pillow. :)
• Incorporate a nourishing and supportive skin care regime into your daily routine. More on that in our next challenge!

Remember that we are human. Remember that life is to be lived. Not from a bubble, but in the real, live flesh. Enjoy life AND be healthy and good to yourself at the same time. You deserve it. :)

Healthy Skin Challenge #3: Nourish Your Skin

Welcome to the third installment of the Healthy Skin Challenge in honor of National Healthy Skin Month! 

Over the next few weeks, I will be posting tips on how you can improve the health of your skin, along with challenges and recipes to jump-start your progress. 

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TODAY'S CHALLENGE: NOURISH YOUR SKIN

At this point in the Healthy Skin Challenge, you should be more hydrated and well-rested, but you are probably wondering why I haven't actually mentioned anything about skin care yet. What's up with that?

I am a true believer that skin cannot reach optimal health until we first address healthy lifestyle changes that promote healthy skin from the inside out. Absolutely, what we put on our skin is important, but without the framework of a healthy lifestyle, even the best quality skin care products alone can only do so much. 

You can cover a turd in gold, but inside, it is still a turd...:)

Tips for Optimal Skin Nutrition

One of the largest influences on the health of our skin is incorporating optimal nutrition into our daily routine. This is done by nourishing your body with healthy foods every day - most notably, a wide variety of raw fruits and vegetables, fruit and vegetable juices, raw nuts and leafy greens, probiotics and healthy fats. 

How do these foods promote healthy skin?

Fruits & Veggies

• Loaded with antioxidants (like Vitamins A, C & E), fruits and veggies help to fight off the free radicals in the body that cause the aging process. Antioxidants can also help protect your skin from sun damage.
• Fruits and veggies, loaded with fiber, also help the body to naturally cleanse and detoxify itself, which results in healthier, glowing skin.

Raw Nuts

• Nuts contain vitamins and minerals that promote good skin tone and texture.
• Phytonutrients and fatty acids in nuts help to make skin more supple and elastic.
• Nuts contain healthy doses of Omega-3s and Omega-6s (healthy fats) that help to reduce inflammation in the body (inflammation is a large contributor to many health issues, including skin issues such as acne and eczema).

Leafy Greens

• Leafy greens are loaded with phytonutrients, including beta carotene and lutein. Beta carotene aids in skin regeneration and there is evidence that lutein can reduce the occurrence of wrinkles.

Probiotics

• Probiotic foods, such as yogurt, dairy or coconut kefir and fermented foods like sauerkraut promote healthy intestinal flora. A healthy balance of good gut bacteria is important in maintaining healthy skin and managing skin issues such as acne and eczema (among other health issues). Here is a great article from Mother Earth News about incorporating fermented foods into your diet.

Healthy Fats

• Skin needs fats and oils in the diet to stay healthy and properly lubricated - be gone the "fat-free" craze of the 90s that left folks with dry, shrively and unhealthy skin!
• Essential fatty acids, found in healthy things like nuts, flaxseed, coconut oil, olive oil and avocado help skin cells to maintain a healthy membrane, which allows water and nutrients in to plump up and feed the cells, while allowing toxins to pass out. Without adequate fats in the diet, cells loose their happy, plump shape and result in dry, saggy baggy skin. 
• Healthy fats in the diet can actually help to balance oil production for those with acne and oily skin. If there are not enough fats in the diet, skin's oil production goes into overdrive to compensate, resulting in clogged pores, blemishes and full-blown acne.

So what about the stuff we eat that works against our skin? Stay tuned for the next challenge to find out more! 

But for today's challenge...

Over the next 3 days, begin to incorporate the following into your daily diet (Obviously, please omit any items that you may be allergic/sensitive to, do not fit into your preferred diet/lifestyle or are contraindicated by a certain medical condition. Please consult with your doctor.):

• 7-8 daily servings of fruits and vegetables (half of these being raw)
• 1 daily serving of fresh greens (spinach, kale, romaine, chard, etc.)
• 1 serving of salmon or walnuts per week
• 1 daily serving of a probiotic food (kefir, yogurt, sauerkraut, kombucha, etc.)
• 1 daily multivitamin
• 1 daily fish oil supplement (or a vegan/vegetarian Omega-3 supplement)

Phew! It sounds like a lot. But don't freak! It really isn't that hard to to incorporate this stuff into your daily routine. Here's how it can be done...

Breakfast:

The Ultimate Smoothie (taken with a multivitamin and Omega-3 supplement)

1 banana

1 cup mixed berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries)

1/2 avocado

1 large handful spinach

1 small handful walnuts

1 cup yogurt or coconut kefir

1T coconut oil
1-2 medjool dates (optional, for sweetness)

Lunch:

Add a side salad of leafy greens and chopped veggies of your choice to your lunch.

Dinner:

Add a salad with leafy greens and chopped veggies of your choice, along with 1 or 2 cooked/steamed side vegetables with dinner.

Snacks:

Snack on fresh fruit and cut veggies. Add a dip like homemade ranch or hummus if you are feeling crazy!

See? Easy! :)

Um, I left out desserts, though, right? No freakin' way will I leave out dessert! But you will have to wait until the next challenge for that. ;)

Happy, healthy skin to all! 

How are you doing with the challenge so far? I'd love to hear from you!

What are your favorite ways to incorporate healthy foods into your diet?

Healthy Skin Challenge #2: Catch More Z's

Welcome to the second installment of the Healthy Skin Challenge in honor of National Healthy Skin Month! If you missed Challenge #1 you can find it HERE.

Over the next few weeks, I will be posting tips on how you can improve the health of your skin, along with challenges and recipes to jump-start your progress. 

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TODAY'S CHALLENGE: 
CATCH MORE Zs!

We all know how important it is to get good sleep every night. It sounds easy in theory, right? But for many of us in this fast-paced world, getting a solid night's rest is a struggle.

While we sleep, our skin is regenerating and repairing itself from the stresses of the day (environmental irritants, physical stress, etc.). It is when we sleep that our skin fights off the free radicals that cause the aging process (i.e. wrinkles, loss of collagen and sagging skin). Lack of sleep also causes a rise in the bodies level of cortisol, a stress hormone, that contributes to accelerating the aging process and acne. Not getting enough rest also makes skin more susceptible to conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. 

People joke about getting their "beauty rest," but there really is a lot of truth in how sleep affects our skin. Getting more sleep is good for your body for many reasons, healthy skin being one of them.

For the next week, go to bed an hour earlier than usual. Ideally you should be in bed by 10pm and try to get AT LEAST 8 hours of sleep. 

Combined with boosting your fluid intake from our last challenge, take note of how the added rest makes your skin appear. Does it look more vibrant and clear? Is there less redness or more even skin tone? Does it feel smoother and softer?

TIPS:

• Limit your caffeine intake to before Noon, so that you are not wired into the afternoon and evening.
• Avoid too much alcohol before bedtime. While a glass of wine can be a nice way to unwind, too many glasses can actually disrupt your sleep (darn).
• Designate the two hours before bedtime as sacred relaxation time. Rather than cramming more chores into your already busy day, honor yourself by taking this time to unwind - close the computer and turn off your phone, curl up with a book and a cup of tea, do some gentle stretches, a guided meditation or that yoga video you always wish you could get to, take a relaxing bath, chat with your best friend - whatever gives you relaxation and comfort to prepare your body for rest. Keep it simple, so that your nighttime routine flows easily.
• Limit electronics (TV, computer, etc) before bedtime so your brain isn't overly stimulated.
• Keep your room dark and cool for optimal sleep conditions. Layer your bed with several weights of blankets so you can add or subtract layers for your perfect level of warmth.
• Consider using a guided meditation, relaxation audio or white noise soundtrack/app to fall asleep (see below for suggestions) .
• If you are like me and have a nighttime hamster bladder that wakes you up to pee during the night, try to not turn on the light as it can jolt you awake and keep you from easily falling back asleep. :/ Also, try to limit fluids past 7pm.
• Consult a medical professional if you have chronic issues falling asleep or staying asleep during the night. They can help determine if you have a sleep disorder or other health condition that can affect your sleep.

MY PERSONAL RECIPE FOR A GOOD NIGHT'S REST

8:00 PM

With your chores for the day complete, sit down for 10 minutes in a comfortable position in a quiet location and close your eyes. Allow your brain to run through what happened during your day - what went well, what could have gone better, what tomorrow may bring. At the end of the 10 minutes, make a conscious decision to let everything you just processed go. The day is done.

8:15 PM

Prepare a cup of tea. Chamomile is a great choice for relaxation that you can easily find in your local grocery. For a bit more of a sleepy time kick, try Fidnemed Nightime Tea from Mountain Rose Herbs. This tea blend includes hops, passionflower, skullcap and valerian - herbs that promote sleep and relaxation.

8:30 PM

Pour yourself a hot bath (not too hot!). While the water is running, mix a few drops of lavender essential oil into 1 cup full of Epsom salts. You can find Epsom salts at any local drugstore or grocery and, nowadays, it is sometimes easy to find a good quality lavender oil there, too. If not, you can find it at your local natural foods store or online.

Light a yummy candle, add the salts to your bath, hop in, sip your tea and take a 15-30 minute soak with that book you have been wanting to read - a real one made of paper and ink is recommended for the complete experience. :)

9:00 PM

Complete your bedtime routine - take the time to apply a luxurious lotion after getting out of the bath - you deserve it! Put on your robe and fuzzy slippers and curl up on the couch with your cup of tea for a few more decadent moments of reading.

9:30 PM

Crawl into bed and turn out the lights. Using whatever device you listen to music on (smartphone, mp3 player, etc.), fire up your favorite relaxing music, guided sleep meditation or white noise soundtrack. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Sounds of Nature White Noise for Mindfulness, Meditation & Relaxation on iTunes
• The Omvana App for iPhones (allows you to create custom mixed relaxation tracks from a library of meditations, relaxation audio, nature sounds and more!)
• Relax Melodies App (create mixes of 50 nature and white noise sounds)

Hopefully, by now, you are asleep. Nuh nite. Rest well... :)

What do you do to get a restful night's sleep?

Healthy Skin Challenge #1: Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!

Welcome to the first installment of the Healthy Skin Challenge in honor of National Healthy Skin Month! 

Over the next few weeks, I will be posting tips on how you can improve the health of your skin, along with challenges and recipes to jump-start your progress. 

TODAY'S CHALLENGE: BOOST YOUR HYDRATION!

Drinking enough pure water and keeping the body hydrated assists the skin in eliminating toxins. If the body is not eliminating these toxins properly, they can begin to be purged through the skin, which can cause or contribute to conditions such as acne or eczema. Water also carries nutrients to support healthy skin cells. 

When the body is properly hydrated, it can help your skin to stay hydrated (along with a proper skin care regime). Drinking adequate amounts of water can also help to alleviate dark circles under the eyes, which are frequently caused by the body being dehydrated. 

Some professionals recommend drinking 8 glasses a day, however, my thoughts are that you should drink what feels right for you - it may be more or less than 8 glasses. Listen to your body as to how much water to take in. In addition to pure water, the fluid intake can also be in the form of natural juices or herbal teas. Also remember that you may need to drink extra water if you have been exercising or drinking beverages containing caffeine or alcohol.

TIPS:

• Keep a water bottle with you at all times and sip it throughout the day to keep thirst at bay. When you feel thirsty, you are already getting dehydrated.
• For every caffeinated or alcoholic beverage you drink, drink an extra helping of water, as caffeine and alcohol are diuretics and can cause your body to lose fluids.
• Jazz up your H2O! Water doesn't have to be boring! Try these recipes this month to increase your fluid intake...

Apple Cinnamon Soother

Apples and chamomile pair beautifully in this comforting, cold-weather treat.

1 chamomile tea bag

1 apple (cut into chunks)

1-2 sticks cinnamon

1/2 vanilla bean

A few drops liquid stevia (optional)

Place the tea bag in a quart mason jar, cover with hot (almost boiling) water until the jar is about 3/4 full. Fill the remainder of the jar with with apple chunks, cinnamon and vanilla bean (if using). Cover the jar and place in the fridge overnight (or up to 24 hours for more flavor). Strain and serve warm or cold with a few drops of liquid stevia for a sweeter beverage.

Lemongrass, Mint and Vanilla Infused Water
A refreshing and invigorating way to hydrate!

1 large stalk lemongrass, chopped coarsely and crushed slightly
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped coarsely
1/2 vanilla bean
A few drops liquid stevia (optional)

Place ingredients in a half gallon pitcher and place in the fridge to infuse overnight (or up to 24 hours for more flavor). Strain and serve chilled with a sprig of mint and a few drops of liquid stevia for a sweeter beverage.

Chug-a-lug more water starting today and get ready for our next challenge coming soon!

Do you have any favorite ways to get hydrated?