Secrets to healthy skin

The top four things you should know about keeping your skin looking young.

Americans aren’t just living longer than ever; they’re staying younger-looking longer or at least trying to. And with all those plastic surgery beauties staring out at you from magazines, ads and television, you may feel like the pressure’s on to protect your youthful skin for the long haul.

What can you do without going under the knife? According to dermatologists’ studies, the answer lies in three factors: what you eat and drink, how you exercise and your environmental surroundings.

The condition of your skin reflects the general health of your body as a whole. As an organ, it doesn’t just cover your body, it buffers your immune system and helps you eliminate toxins. So to improve your overall health and for the sake of your skin, here’s a prescription worth following.

Food
You may not realize that the skin is primarily composed of protein. So it’s important to make sure you eat enough protein to help your skin repair itself on a regular basis. Nutritionists recommend eating fish several times a week as well as meals full of fruits and vegetables which contain phytochemicals and antioxidants that can neutralize damaging free radical cells. Try veggies such as spinach and broccoli and fruits such as oranges.

Water
Water is perhaps one of your skin’s greatest allies. Dermatologists recommend drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water a day, for several reasons. All of the chemical reactions in our cells take place in the presence of water. If you’re not well hydrated, you can’t get the greatest benefits from nutrients or get rid of as many toxins. Dermatologists recommend keeping water on you at all times and sipping it throughout the day.

Exercise
When you exercise, more nutrients are carried to the skin and more waste is carried away. Exercise also allows you to get the most out of your food because you use up excess blood sugar. And, as you know, when you’re physically fit, your skin will reflect it.

Environmental factors
Air pollution, harsh chemicals, cosmetics, sunlight and excessive heat or cold can inflame your skin, which endangers its health. When your skin is inflamed, your body releases more free radicals, the harmful attack cells we’re constantly fighting. So treat your skin gently and it will respond. Every time you get sunburned or feel intense stinging after applying a lotion, you’re not protecting your skin, you’re harming it.