What is
holistic skin care? It’s a regimen that recognizes that your skin is not just
the outermost layer of your body it’s also a reflection of your body’s internal
state. Rather than just treating the surface symptoms, such as wrinkles, sallow
skin, acne, dry flakes, and so on, holistic skin care aims to target the root
problems in an effort to revitalize and rejuvenate the entire body. As a
result, you don’t just see an improved appearance; you also feel more
energized, clear-headed, and physically fit.
Prescription
Drugs Vs. Holistic Treatment Options
Holistic
skin care sometimes gets a negative reputation from mainstreamers who prefer to
prescribe drugs for virtually every condition they encounter. The trouble is,
most prescription medications and medical fixes have isolated effects, failing
to take the whole picture into account. A strong oral anti-acne drug like
Accutane might have the effect of reducing superficial skin oiliness and
reducing acne, but only at the expense of the liver. Botox injections may plump
up the skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles, but the effects are
temporary and the safeness of the procedure is questionable.
Now
what if you knew that eating salmon 10 times a week could not only plump up
your skin and fill out wrinkles but also make your hair more lustrous, diminish
blemishes, and improve your elimination system? Would you still opt for that
Botox needle, or would you start making salmon part of your weekly diet plan?
And
what if you were told that dry brushing your skin each morning before jumping
in the shower could revitalize your sluggish circulatory system, boosting your
energy, empowering your immune system, ridding your body of toxins, and
clearing your head and skin? Would you keep taking dangerous antibiotics for
your acne when simply sloughing your legs and arms with a loofah could
dramatically improve your complexion? (And did you know that taking antibiotics
can actually throw your whole system out of whack, killing off the good
bacteria that are essential to digestion ultimately clogging up your
elimination system and worsening your complexion?)
Certainly,
some medicines are modern miracles, providing cures to people who would
otherwise be condemned to suffering. But in this day and age, medications are
so over-prescribed (and often inappropriately prescribed) that it is good to be
wary before popping another pill. Many physicians in the West don’t know much
about natural treatments options or alternative solutions to common skin
problems. It is well within your rights as a patient to research them and
discuss them with your physician or dermatologist if you so choose.
Caring
for Your Skin the Natural Way
In your
attempts to improve the condition of your skin, start by looking inward. Don’t
just think about how you look think about how you feel.
Are you
irritable, congested, upset, depressed, stressed out? If so, topical treatments
alone may not do the trick. You’ve got to exercise, drink plenty of water, dry
brush your skin and perhaps even get regular massages as a way to recharge your
batteries, boost circulation and improve your mental state. How we look is a
reflection of what’s going on inside, and that includes both our physical and
our emotional health.
Pay
attention to your diet a much neglected aspect of life in our modern day and
age. Make sure you are eating foods that feed your skin, not foods that work
against your body. Avoid excessive sugars, white flour and processed items,
which trigger dangerous inflammation. Junk foods and fast foods are a big
no-no. Limit your intake of meat, which essentially rots inside your gut;
instead, choose plenty of veggies and fruits they will help sweep out your
colon, improving absorption of nutrients and boosting your energy levels. Eat
lots of oily fish, like salmon, to give your body the essential fats for proper
functioning.
As you
eat, try this simple and yet incredibly effective tip: chew your food
thoroughly. Don’t just chomp a few times and swallow. Instead, chew at least a
dozen times on each side of the mouth. Most of us don’t break down our food
into small enough pieces, and this can wreak havoc on our digestion by
hindering the body’s absorption of nutrients. You may be surprised to find that
this simple change has a considerable impact on how you feel and how your skin
looks.
Give
the Holistic Approach an Honest Try
If
you’re used to quick fixes and easy prescriptions, it may be hard to accept the
idea that deceptively simple changes like the ones above, in combination with
natural topical treatments and vitamin supplements, can have a major impact on
your health and your skin’s condition. But just give them a try and you may be
shocked at how quickly your body transforms. The human body is astonishingly
resilient and fast to respond to positive changes you’ll see the proof in your
mirror!
