A child?s skin is nearly flawless. As we age, maintaining that soft, supple skin becomes difficult. This happens because our skin is constantly in contact with damaging environmental factors. Eczema, psoriasis and acne occur more frequently with aging. This may leave your skin feeling itchy, dry and swollen. These skin conditions make looking younger even more difficult.
Younger Skin is Naturally Healthier
One of the best ways to make your skin look younger is to repair and then maintain its health. Instead of just concentrating on your face, you should adopt a skin care routine that encompasses your entire body. To do this, you have to start from the inside out.
1. Make Sure These Nutrients are Plentiful in Your Diet
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids keep your skin from drying out. Fatty acids strengthen your skin cells and keep them moist. Linolenic acid actually keeps your skin from dehydrating. As we age, we are more prone to suffering with dry skin. Even so, no matter what your age, adding omega-3 fatty acids to your diet will help you look younger by eliminating dry skin. Some of the best sources of fatty acids include flaxseed oil, fresh basil and fish oil. Many of the anti-aging supplements contain omega-3 fatty acids.
Vitamin A
Another essential nutrient is vitamin A because it helps repair skin tissue. If you apply vitamin A on your skin, it can relieve skin problems like psoriasis, prevent acne and diminish the signs of aging. You can add more vitamin A to your diet by eating colorful vegetables, especially the dark green and leafy varieties.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is full of antioxidants. As the years go by, your skin is repeatedly exposed to the free radicals associated with UV rays, food toxins and environmental pollutants. The antioxidants in vitamin E can protect your skin from the damage caused by these free radicals. Look for lotions and moisturizers that contain pure vitamin E. Another way to obtain these benefits is through eating foods rich in vitamin E. These foods include dried apricots, seeds and nuts.
Vitamin K
This nutrient helps blood clot and it works well to reduce the dark circles underneath your eyes.
The most important B vitamin for the skin is biotin. This nutrient forms the base of the skin. If you do not have an adequate amount of biotin, you could suffer with dermatitis or hair loss. Dermatitis is a scaly skin reaction that itches. Biotin is found in eggs, bananas, rice and oatmeal.
2. Drink Plenty of Water
Water helps to flush the toxins from your body. It also restores the moisture your skin loses when temperatures are extra hot or the air is dry. No matter what type of skin you have, just drinking more water can help you look younger.
3. Exercise Regularly
Researchers at McMaster University discovered that working out three times weekly can keep skin looking younger and may even reverse the effects of aging for people aged 65 years or older. This study involved the outermost layer of the skin (stratum corneum). This is the visible layer of skin.
The Study
One group of the study participants performed moderately intense exercises like cycling or jogging three times a week for a period of three months. Participants? routine intensity was equal to 65 percent of their personal aerobic limit. The other group did not exercise during this time. The team found that the participants who exercised had inner and outer skin layers that resembled those seen in healthy 20- to 40- year olds. The researchers discovered that exercise not only preserved the skin, but also reversed the skin?s age when an individual began an exercise routine later in life.
The Theory
The main theory as to how exercise offers such age-defying power involves proteins called myokines. These proteins are released by the muscle cells during exercise. When researchers examined the biopsies of the research participants, they found that a specific kind of myokine (referred to as IL-15) was 50 percent higher in those who exercised.+Dr.Cheryl Lee Eberting a well respected, board certified dermatologist, has created a 100% organic, hypoallergenic skin care cherylleemd.com