What is the best way to give your skin that all-natural glow? If you ask someone in the cosmetic industry they will load you up with products that will bring out the very best in your skin while covering up every square inch. For just a couple hundred dollars you can have that all natural look that will make anyone believe you are make-up free. Sounds a bit backwards, doesn’t it?
There is nothing wrong with wearing make-up, if that is what you want to do. But to wear make-up in an attempt to cover-up what is there, all in an effort to make it look like you are flaunting an all-natural look–that just doesn’t make sense.
Cosmetic companies make billions of dollars every year helping women cover up their flaws, but this doesn’t actually do anything for your skin. Even those anti-aging creams and miracle cures aren’t ever as effective as they claim to be. If you want an all-natural glow, then you need to take an all-natural approach. This means focusing more on what goes into your body than on what goes onto it.
Inflammation and Skin Care
Inflammation is actually the leading cause of visible aging and skin damage, but it is almost never talked about and rarely addressed medically. There are plenty of environmental causes that take the blame, from overexposure to the sun to toxins in the air, like smog and cigarette smoke. But what you may not realize is that exposure to these sorts of disturbing forces actually causes inflammation in the skin. What is more, the foods that you are eating may be causing inflammation within the body, which can result in a whole lot more than damaged skin, including a wide array of gastrointestinal issues and even mood disturbances.
Of course, it is more than just food that can cause inflammation within the body. The leading causes of internal inflammation include:
- Stress
- Hormonal imbalance
- Toxin exposure
- Overuse of prescription drugs
- Sedentary lifestyle
Factors like this, in addition to culprits like undiagnosed food allergies and foods that are loaded with sugar and fat can cause inflammation to develop throughout the entire body, and more often than not the result of this will become evident on the skin. Inflammation weakens collagen, dilates the blood capillaries on the surface of the skin and can even clog pores.
What does all of this mean for your antiaging skin care plan? When it comes to reducing wrinkles and preserving the most youthful skin, what goes on in your body is just as important (if not more so!) as what goes on the outside. Working with your functional medicine doctor to improve your health holistically can result in a natural glow, reduced wrinkles, and an overall more youthful appearance.
