Healthy Skin 101

Feel like you’ve tried dozens of different creams, serums, and masks to improve the look and feel of your skin, only to be left feeling discouraged and without any results?

There is a lot of advice to sift through to find what really works to improve the health of your skin, and many conventional topical products contain harsh additives that damage the skin over time.

In this article, I’ll be sharing with you the most important holistic things you can start doing for your skin, whether you want to reduce wrinkles, mediate the effects of aging, or just maintain your youthful glow.

Healthy Skin Begins in the Gut

No matter what your skincare goals are, it’s important to always look at the health of one system first: the digestive system. If you already know your digestion is your pain point–I’ve created a course specifically to help you rebalance this system.

Many skin issues are associated with food sensitivities we don’t often connect to skin health. Several foods are inflammatory to the skin and gut, and can wreak havoc on the skin in the form of acne, redness, or dry, flaky skin.

A few foods to limit or avoid:

• Sugar
• Alcohol
• Gluten
• Dairy

Everyone’s personal sensitivity varies–so you may omit one or two of these foods for 3-4 weeks and watch your skin for improvement. If when you add them back, your skin worsens, you know to avoid the offending food.

There are several foods to add to your day for healthier, more supple skin. These foods will promote collagen production, and help your skin hang on to much-needed moisture.

• • Lutein: This amazing carotenoid is great for overall skin tone, can promote skin lightening, and helps the skin maintain moisture (1). You can find lutein in greens, squash, broccoli, asparagus, and red pepper.
  • Vitamin C and other antioxidants are essential for the skin and help to reduce inflammation and damage that contribute to signs of skin aging. Plus, vitamin C is a crucial part of collagen production.
  • B vitamins might be the most overlooked skin nutrient. B vitamins stimulate fibrillin and elastin within the skin, which means increased cell protection, longer cell life, and improved barrier protection–all of which lead to healthier, more youthful skin. B vitamins also serve as a humectant to hold moisture within the skin (2). 

• Collagen and L-glutamine which serve as the “glue” that holds your skin together are essential for plump and youthful skin. You can get more collagen in your diet by consuming gelatin or bone broth, or by adding a spoonful of Belly Fix to your daily routine.

Get Rid of Toxic Skincare Ingredients

When using topical products (this means makeup too!) it’s important to stay as natural as possible with as few additives, preservatives, and fillers as possible. 

If you’re dealing with breakouts, or uneven skin, and need powerful natural solutions, take a look at 5 ways East West Chinese medicine can help you clear your skin.

Many of the additives in topical skincare can irritate skin, creating a confusing cycle when you thought a product was supposed to improve your skin. 

A couple of my favorite natural skincare ingredients are:

• • Vitamin C – broken blood vessels or skin redness? Topical or oral vitamin C is a must for inflammation and antioxidant protection.
  • Hyaluronic acid (HA) – Youthful skin retains its look and feel due to the high content of moisture (3). And the key molecule involved in skin moisture: it’s HA. 
  • Vitamin E – the fat-soluble antioxidant that’s crucial for supple, smooth skin. Plus, vitamin E also supports skin health by protecting from the sun’s damaging rays.

• CoQ10 and alpha-lipoic acid – These antioxidant powerhouses not only protect the skin from inflammation but support the health of mitochondria, boosting cell turnover and promoting an even skin tone.

• Licorice root – Licorice root is a natural source of compounds that improve the look of dark spots and can brighten skin. You can find my favorite licorice root serum right here.

Looking for an easy, clean skincare solution to get started? You can find this kit and other awesome Eminence essentials over on the CentreSpringMD spa site.

Many products in conventional skincare products are endocrine disruptors which can overwhelm your body’s natural detox pathways, bogging down the liver, and causing toxins to erupt from the skin. 

The good news? It’s easy to support your body’s detox pathways, ensuring toxins leave your body in a healthy way–and not in the form of breakouts or acne!

Detox for Healthy Skin

Few systems are as inextricably connected as the liver and skin. And you’ll learn how an EastWest approach to taking care of your liver is one of the best ways to improve your skin.

You see, the liver is responsible for performing the majority of toxin cleanup and removal in the body. It does this by filtering through blood, proteins, and byproducts, such as those that come from environmental toxins and even medications that you take. 

All these unwanted compounds need a safe pathway out of the body. So if your body’s toxic burden is high, your liver can become overworked, and the effects may begin to show on your skin.

How can you support holistic detox pathways for brighter, more vibrant skin?

Eat these detoxing foods:

• Broccoli
• Greens & kale
• Parsley or cilantro

You can also incorporate a detox drink about 3 to 5 times per week to aid in digestion and support your body’s detox pathways.

Tip: Aim to consume about 100 oz of water per day, give or take depending on your activity levels.

Biohack Your Beauty with EastWest Skin Care

Other skin care tips you can use to work with your body’s natural processes to give a boost to things like detox, cell turnover, which can improve the look and feel of healthy skin.

Jade Rollers and Chinese Medicine

EastWest Chinese medicine offers dozens of natural benefits to the skin, pairing holistic methods with ancient healing techniques to improve skin from the inside out, and outside in.

To learn which herbs I recommend, and how you can use Chinese medicine to clear your skin, check out these tips.

Infrared sauna

Also called infrared therapy, this simple yet amazing treatment works wonders for several systems. During infrared sauna, infrared light penetrates the skin, releasing toxins, and reducing inflammation. Infrared therapy also boosts oxygen and nutrient delivery to cells, which can help your skin get the nourishment it needs to remain supple and healthy (4).

Sleep

Sleep is amazing for the skin. While you sleep, your body increases collagen production, which can improve the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. During sleep, more hormones are released which can strengthen skin and connective tissue, helping to maintain a youthful appearance.

Massage

Massage therapy is incredibly beneficial for skin health, detox, and inflammation. A therapeutic massage will stimulate blood flow, helping to bring nutrients and oxygen to the skin, and promoting the release of toxins through the manipulation of fascia beneath the skin (5).

Microneedling

Microneedling is a fantastic alternative to more invasive procedures but offers so much benefit for as simple a procedure as it is.

This minimally invasive treatment promotes skin rejuvenation by puncturing the skin with tiny, painless needles. The skin responds by producing more collagen and elastin, filling in fine lines and plumping the skin. A great time to start micro needling is in your 30s, to catch fine lines as they’re starting to appear.

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Resources

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5063591/ 
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29672394/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583886/
4. https://elemental.medium.com/infrared-saunas-benefits-and-disadvantages-c1045a935590
5. https://blog.mildred-elley.edu/blog/positive-effects-of-massage-therapy-on-the-body