Want Glowing Skin? Get Your Digestion Straight!

It is a well known fact in the alternative medicine field that good skin is a reflection of a healthy digestive system. If you see people with skin disorders such as acne, rosacea, and psoriasis, you are likely looking at a person who suffers from constipation, an imbalance of good and bad, and other digestive conditions.

When it comes to a lazy digestive tract, there are two main reasons why it occurs. Those two reasons are a lack of water and not enough fiber.

Water serves a great purpose. I talk about in this post. In essence, what it does is bathe the cells and eliminates waste products which in turn prevent constipation. A constipated body is a not a good thing to have as it can lead to some very serious illnesses and diseases.

When it comes to fiber most people lack fiber in their diets. It is said that the average person eats only about 12 grams of fiber a day. In 2002, the National Academy of Sciences Food and Nutrition Board established recommended fiber intakes. Following the guidelines will help to clean out the digestive tract and give you healthier looking skin.

Here are some suggestions for adding more fiber to your diet:

1. Add Whole Grains – Choose whole grain products over refined. Have brown rice instead of white. Try bulgur and steel cut oats for something different.
2. An Apple a Day - Have an apple, skin on, as a snack.
3. Munch on High-fiber snacks – Snack on nuts, seeds, and dried fruit, such as dates, figs, and prunes.
4. Eat Popcorn – Try some air popped popcorn with olive oil, nutritional yeast, garlic powder and salt for a tasty fiber snack.
5. Eat Beans and Legumes – Open a can of your favorite beans or legumes. Rinse them well and add them to your meal.
6. Ground Flaxseeds - For any easy fiber boost, sprinkle ground flaxseeds (available at health food stores) on rice, salads, oatmeal, or any other meal. Store flaxseeds in the fridge.

It is not impossible to get your digestive tract in order to get a glowing skin tone. What is impossible is healthy looking skin with a clogged up digestion system.

Face Forward: Facial Skin Care Tips

It is important that you take care of your skin. Neglected skin is old, dry, and usually wrinkled. Who wants to have skin that looks bad? It is important to cleanse, exfoliate, tone and moisturize your skin on a daily basis. Following this type of daily routine should carry you on your way toward healthier skin.

The first thing you will want to do is select a gentle skin cleansing solution that works for your specific type of skin; be it dry, oily, normal. It is also important for you use products that are organic and all natural like coconut oil, honey, and shea butter.  There is no need to go out and spend a lot of money for skin care. If you have a good all natural soap made with no tallow (animal fat) and derived from vegetable products, you should be just fine.

When it comes to moisturizing try a mixture of honey and olive oil and your skin will love it. You can also use honey with a little sugar as an exfoliating product. Baking soda is a good exfoliating ingredient too. A granular product like sugar or baking soda is effective in smoothing rough areas and releasing dead skin cells, allowing the face to be better moisturized.

After the exfoliation you might want to consider using a toner or an astringent to tighten skin and remove any makeup or cleanser residue. A nice alternative to a toner or astringent would be to do a facial mask treatment at least once a week. This helps to tackle clogged pores while also firming skin and leaving it soft and silky. Again, honey is a perfect option for a facial mask once or twice a week as it tightens, fights acne, and moisturizes all at the same time.

By following the daily skin care routine along with drinking lots of water, eating a balanced diet, exercising and protecting your skin from sun damage, you should notice positive results. Maintaining discipline and being consistent is key to healthy glowing skin.

You only have one face. Be kind and care for it well.

Why Water Is Good For Your Skin

Your skin is what everyone around you sees, so you want to keep it looking healthy. What would you say is the most important element to skin care? A good moisturizer? Daily cleansing?  A healthy diet?  If you answered yes to any of these things, you’re wrong.  While these are all essential for good skin the most important thing your skin needs is water.  In order to keep your skin looking and feeling great, you need to drink plenty of water.

Our bodies lose water daily and that means your skin is depleted of nutrients it needs when that water is not adequately replaced. When skin cells are dry, they crack, peel and change colors.  Dry skin can be itchy and painful, as well as unsightly.  Lotions and creams can only do so much. They are masks that cover up the issue for just a moment.  To properly hydrate your skin, you need to drink plenty of water.

Like all the other parts of our body, our skin also requires a certain level of water to function properly. The enzymes present in the skin cells require water to generate new cells after the dead cells are sloughed off. To keep the skin and its cells hydrated, the consumption of water is a necessity.

There is no way to get around it!

In the body, water is what helps to flush away harmful waste products.  Without water, there’s nothing to get rid of all the harmful toxins that build up.  This keeps yours cells from working properly and prevents them from being as healthy as they can be.  Your skin cells are no different.  And if your skin cells aren’t healthy, it shows.

Some ways to get the adequate amount of water you need are…

• Keep a 32 oz bottle filled at all times, and have it near you to drink on throughout the day. Try to drink no less than two of these per day.

• Try the formula for proper drinking of water. Drink half of your body weight in ounces. That means that if you weigh 200 lbs, you body needs about 100 ounces of water per day or at least 3 to 4 times per week.

• Add lemon or lime to your water.

• Make a smoothie. Many fruits have water in them and making a smoothie will help you get water in your body. However, do not let this be a replacement for drinking the clear stuff.

Your skin deserves the best. Give a glass of water today!