Beauty From Within, Not a Jar

By Kathryn Hodges, DC

Maryland Disc Institute

. http://www.mddiscinstitute.com/

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Beauty From Within, Not a Jar

The skin, or integumentary system is the largest organ in the body. It functions to protect our body from sun damage, from invaders (bacteria, viruses, bugs), regulates our temperature by insulating us and helps to eliminate waste. It also absorbs nutrients like water and vitamin D. Our skin derives its nutrients from within.

What makes the skin radiant and glowy? Hydration is key in keeping our skin plump and supple. Drinking plenty of pure water and eliminating dehydrating coffee, tea and soda is important in maintaining skin hydration.

Although we use the sun to make vitamin D, we have to protect our skin from damaging UV radiation whose exposure is cumulative over our lifetimes Good sunscreen is essential for all ages.

A variety of minerals from multiple fruit and vegetable sources strengthens our healthy skin. Fat is essential. We need fats from plants, trees (nuts) and fish to keep our skin plump and moist. Avocados, nuts, seeds, certain oils and fish like salmon and tuna are rich sources of fats. Protein supports the matrix of our skin as found in eggs, beans and cheese as well as clean meats and helps hold water in. Don't be afraid of eggs, they have lecithin which lowers cholesterol and provides omegas needed for healthy skin.

Today, with so many sensitive to dairy, you may join a growing group who benefit from the higher concentration of calcium in almond milk with an increased ease of absorption.

Exercise helps skin two fold. Increasing our cardiovascular rates helps keep the small capillaries that supply the skin open.

Second, sweating allows waste to pass out of our bodies easily. A clean diet composed of mostly fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, fish, beans and clean meat and dairy will help us stay clean inside and assure good elimination daily.

Newer products allow us to target the ability of the skin to renew on a cellular level and have been shown to increase the elasticity and hydration of the skin, both of which result in improved function and appearance of the skin. This is important given that with age, our skin loses its elasticity, or ability to bounce back to shape upon stretch, which results in the appearance of wrinkles.

You are right if you believe beauty is more than skin deep.