You’ve probably already heard that the skin is the largest organ in the body and that it is the primary line of defense that separates you from the rest of the unforgiving world. Aside from these facts that never get old, your skin is the very representative of how you take care of yourself and how your body is reacting to your lifestyle, the food you eat and don’t eat, the vices you engage in, and even internal body processes that are out of the naked eye’s reach.
Your skin is a reflection of you. Listen to what your skin says about you.
Cut down on alcohol.
It is a proven fact that too much alcohol is detrimental to health, most especially to organs such as the brain and liver among others, but labels never come with a notice that says alcohol affects the way you look.
Spider veins on a woman’s face
Alcohol can attack in many ways and in different areas to impede proper nutrient absorption by the skin, which is left dry and dull by dehydration and lack of vitamins and minerals. Chronic consumption of more than the recommended amounts of alcoholic beverages can lead to exacerbation of pre-existing skin problems like rosacea and psoriasis, while small blood vessels may rupture and manifest as spider-looking veins on the face.
If these aren’t enough yet to destroy the pretty picture you somehow try to paint for yourself as you deny that you’re drinking too much, check out the cellulite that’s keeping you away from wearing shorts on warm sunny days. Toxin buildup and, not to mention, the high calorie content in alcohol, keeps all those blebs in shape and make them stay right where you don’t want them to be.
Quit smoking.
Lines around the mouth as we grow older are made worse by smoking!
Of course everybody says that. But you never really get to comprehend how important the government warning on the cigarette packs mean until you start to see ugly yellowish stains on your fingers that would reveal that you hold cigarettes as often as you hold on to dear life.
Smoking is nothing less than unhealthy, stinky, and downright ugly. Without you having to say a word, the wrinkles, which have been defining your face deeper and around 20 years earlier than they’re supposed to, formed from squinting and the famous smoker’s pout shall tell of your heavy romance with the infamous tobacco sticks.
Eat the good kind of fat.
It’s good to be conscious of what foods to avoid to keep yourself fit and in shape; however, knowing which kinds not to ignore, aside from fruits and vegetables, is just equally important. Fats are popular for being notorious causes of unsightly flabs and unwanted excess weight. What many people fail to acknowledge, though, is that not all fats are to be avoided.
In fact, the good kinds of fat, such as those contained in salmon, tuna, shrimp, oysters, walnuts, and soybeans among many others, help metabolize the bad ones rich in cholesterol and triglycerides. Also, omega-3 fatty acids, which are components of these foods, have beautifying effects on the skin. They keep your skin well-hydrated and look radiant as they facilitate the natural cycle of skin exfoliation.
The next time you notice dandruff on your scalp or dried skin chopping off from your face, think about what you’ve been eating lately.
Editor’s Note: If you find getting adequate Omega-3 in your diet difficult because of digestive problems or other factors, you can find a wide range of suitable supplements containing Omega-3
Check for diabetes.
Nips and cuts from shaving or nail cleaning and scars from the uncontrollable urge to pop a pimple are normal and don’t make you anything less of a human. If you notice, however, that your wounds, no matter how small and ignorable they may seem, do not heal in time, you may want to have yourself checked for any condition that would impede normal blood flow for healing.
Diabetics share this kind of problem. Without even having your blood tested for high sugar, dark patches of skin, especially on the legs, and an overall darkish discoloration of the lower extremities could right away reveal that you are dealing with poor and sluggish blood circulation as an effect of diabetes.
Check for cancer.
Check your skin regularly for any changes in moles.
“An obvious change in wart or mole” is one of the top 7 warning signs of cancer. Familiarizing yourself with what type of skin lesions you were born with is vital most especially in the early detection of skin cancer. Keep your moles in check. Any changes like itching, bleeding, pain, increase in size, or change in shape should set off an alarm.
Sudden growth of moles in places where they haven’t been before should also be a cause for concern. There is no need to panic, though, as it could mean a lot of things. Before assuming anything else and hyperventilating in shock, go see your doctor and have yourself checked.
You can either take offense in the fact that your skin, whether you like it or not, reveals your innermost troubles to other people or take pride in knowing that your skin is your most helpful companion in determining what and what not to do with your body. Whatever it is, listening to what your skin tells you is something that is worth doing.
This is a guest post by Ella Simpson, a nutritional researcher who advocates for feeling good about oneself by taking great care of the mind and body. She has spent years experimenting with natural ingredients to formulate spa quality body wrap products for home use, which she now sells at her website Wrap Yourself Slim for a fraction of the cost of spa treatment.
