3. Eat clean. Every bit of good food advice that benefits your body also benefits your skin. Increase your consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy oils. Reduce the amounts of refined foods, trans fats, and sugar in your diet.
Why: Antioxidants in fresh produce fight skin cancer and counter the causes of wrinkles and age spots. Good fats (such as those found in fish, seeds and nuts, avocados, coconut, and olives) nourish skin and keep it supple.
Tip: Plan your meals ahead of time with the help of a menu calendar. Prep your whole day’s snacks at breakfast. When we are hungry we reach for what is easy. Planning ahead sets you up for success.
4. Reduce stress. Too often, we guilt ourselves into thinking that stress-reducing activities equal wasting time. Stop thinking that way. You’ll be better able to do whatever it is you do if you make time for relaxing. And you’re skin will relax as well. Exercise, listen to music, read, hang with friends, get a massage — do whatever you do to unwind.
Why: Stress causes muscle tension, which deepens the lines of the face. Stress also causes the body to build up cortisol and increases sebum production. Excessive sebum clogs pores. Cortisol brings on inflammation, which breaks down collagen, the substance that causes our skin to look smooth and firm. Stress also weakens the immune system, contributing to acne and psoriasis.
Tip: Schedule stress busters: Start with deep, slow breathing. Set an hourly, inconspicuous “ding” on your phone to prompt you to take 10 deep, slow breaths.
5. Exercise. There’s no substitute for it. Happily, there are so many ways to exercise that you can find your fit: run, walk, bike, swim, dance. From Ragnar to Jazzercise there’s something for everyone. For me, I’ve figured out that I hate to drive to exercise so it has to be from somewhere I already am – home, work, kids' activities. And I prefer to be outside. The gym and the treadmill were not built for me. I need to feel the elements against my skin of air, sun, water.
Why: Exercise increases blood flow, bringing oxygen and nutrients to the skin, and in general helps the body’s systems filter out toxins through the liver. Exercise also reduces stress and helps regulate hormones, which, as mentioned earlier, controls sebum production. One study found that in people over 40, exercise thins the outer dead layers of skin which thicken with age, and thickens the inner alive layers, which thin with age. Under scrutiny, the skin of avid exercisers even over the age of 65 had the composition of 20 and 30 year olds.
Tip: Piggyback your exercise on to something you already do. This is a habit development trick that works in many places. When I take my kids to school I also take my dog and stop on the way home for a walk. (Downside is this doesn’t work when school is out so I’m piggybacking swimming laps with my husband’s leaving for work in the morning.) An accountability partner, regular class, or group might help depending on your temperament. Dr. Bronner’s has lunchtime Zumba, yoga, and cardio workouts throughout the week. Not only is it easy to join in — no driving, no fee — but there’s also a group expecting you.
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