Skin on Skin...let the love begin!!!

Well, despite my efforts to keep it from happening I do believe I have a head cold. Grr. I knew it with this damn weather fluctuating. I am pretty fuzzy headed. Either it's a cold or allergies are really kicking my tush today. 

I will be eating very healthy, drinking plenty of water and green tea and taking my vitamins and the length of the cold shouldn't be too bad. I'm strong and healthy thank God but I simply cannot be sick. It's not an option single, working mothers like me have. :) So mind over matter, I will not be sick. I WILL NOT BE SICK!! Ommmmmmmmm! ;) 

I wanted to talk about skin. We all have it. :D.......it's our largest organ. So we need to take better care of it. There are several natural things you can do to help maintain healthy, youthful skin. It doesn't have to be complicated or cost an entire paycheck going to a spa to accomplish. 

As I always say, DRINK WATER. I cannot stress enough how important water is to your health and appearance. I can tell immediately if I don't have enough. I am more sluggish and I just don't look as awake. My skin looks thirsty if that makes sense. 

Make sure your diet includes a lot of antioxidants. Foods like seeds, nuts, raspberries, spinach, blueberries (Dark colored fruits and berries) are loaded with them. And of course the green tea. Try to make these foods a regular part of your diet. Also include healthy fats. Olive oil, salmon and again the nuts are so good for you both inside and out. Try to make your plate rainbow colored in the foods you're eating to help combat the free-radicals that can age us. And if the warnings about sugar weren't already scary enough, did you know sugar can damage collagen and elastin and cause wrinkles? *Cue horror movie music*....And get your Vitamin C and use a cleanser that contains it. Research suggests that skin that is exposed for a long period of time can produce eight times more collagen. 

Other things you can do to create your own fountain of youth include plenty of sleep, exercise, limit sun exposure, do a body cleanse regularly to rid your body of the toxins that age us, use natural household cleaners and natural cosmetics and body creams and cleansers and buy a plant which can purify the air! I don't have the green thumb my mom did (She was amazing! She could take a piece of one plant and turn it into another plant!) but I will try! 

I know the limiting sun exposure thing is not a great one for many, especially those that love to suntan. I don't think any of us are ignorant to the harm that prolonged sun exposure does to both our health and our skin. My skin has never behaved itself. I burn, peel and freckle. So I own it and just do what I can to take care of it. Honestly, I'd rather be pale now than look like a leather bag by the time I'm 50 but that's me. I have a quest to be a foxy grandma so leather bag skin won't work for that! ;) 

One thing I'd love to stress to the ladies in their 20's. Yes, you are young but you need to start taking care of your skin now if you want to stay looking young. I have seen a lot of teenagers and young women who look much older from the tanning and makeup and "stuff" they are doing to their skin now. If you simply take care of it you will look natural AND young as you age. Wash your face and moisturize EVERY night. Even if you're out and get in at 3am, WASH your face. Don't ever go to bed with crap all over your face. Use eye creams. Even younger women. That area is the first to go so taking care of it early on will benefit you later. 

It really is in our control how we look and how we age. Some of it is genetics yes but what we put in and on our bodies makes a huge difference. Just as eating right and treating your body with the respect it deserves is important....how you take care of your skin is just as important and your body will thank you for it. 

Have a blessed day! 

xoxoxoxo
Tami