There are billions of dollars each year on skin care products that promise to make you look younger by erasing wrinkles, lightening age spots, and eliminating itching or flaking. But the simplest and cheapest ways to keep your skin young looking and keep your skin healthy is to avoid the sun. Sunlight is a major cause of the skin damage which leads to wrinkles, dryness and age spots.
Have you ever seen an older person who has worked outside all their life? Or have you seen some of the old pictures of the cowboys who spent their life outside and in the sun? If you want to find a person that has a ton of wrinkles then that really is the place to look. Your old Native American pictures who showed people who had once again lived outside all their life in the sun and elements all show people who have lots of wrinkles.
Over time, the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) light damages the fibers in the skin called collagen and elastin. The breakdown of elastin causes the skin to lose its ability to snap back after stretching. The breakdown of collagen causes the skin to lose its ability to hold its firmness and leads to sagging. As a result, wrinkles form and gravity pulls the skin and causes it to sag. This is most noticeable on the face, neck, and upper arms and really contributes to looking older.
The solution of course is to avoid the sun and when the sun cannot be avoided wear sunscreen.
Smoking cigarettes also contributes to wrinkles. The reason for this difference is not clear. It may be because smoking also plays a role in damaging elastin which leads to more wrinkles. Studies have shown that facial wrinkles increase with the amount of cigarettes and number of years a person has smoked.
Without trying to offending all the smokers, the obvious solution to this is to not smoke. I am thankful every day that I never started smoking because I know it is very difficult to stop smoking.
A company that provides my skincare products has discovered foods and supplements that will increase the natural growth of collagen and elastin in your skin. Their studies have shown that as you increase the collagen and elastin in the skin, the wrinkles In addition to that they use all natural ingredients and by that I mean their skin care products are safe enough to eat. However, because I have no idea about their taste, I cannot recommend eating them.
However there are things that you eat that do affect your skin. When you recognize the fact that your skin is your largest organ your body has you realize that what you eat affects your skin as well as the rest of your body. So what are some of the things you can eat that you might not have thought of?
Lactobacillus is bacteria found in foods that are fermented, like yogurt, but are commonly used in dietary supplements advertised a probiotics. Studies have shown some benefits linked to Lactobacillus and treating and/or preventing skin disorders such as eczema, fever blisters, and acne.
Water is also needed for skin health as well as overall body health. Dehydration is often as simple as lack of water consumption so make sure to keep yourself hydrated. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Dehydration causes stress and stress causes further dehydration. To make it even worse they say that stress also causes dry skin. Being well-hydrated is important to your physical and mental health so it is not just dry skin that you are trying to avoid.
Fish oil has omega-3 fatty acids that have also been linked to benefits to the skin. Their benefits to heart health and brain health are better known, but EPA, one of the three fatty acids, greatly benefits skin by regulating oil production to boost hydration and prevent acne, and by delaying the skins aging process to stave off wrinkles. Most of us don’t get enough omega-3s in our diets so supplements here can also help your health and your skin.
So as you can see, there are simple things that you can do to keep your skin looking young. If you visit my website you can learn more about the company I use for skincare products and their products have ingredients that studies have shown can actually remove wrinkles. But simple things like dietary supplements and drinking enough water can make a difference. It doesn’t always have to be hard. Check out my website below to learn more.
