On a mission to find more great books for my collection I have recently picked up Kate Sommerville's Complection Perfection. What a great book! Not only does Sommerville give advice on how to deal with any skin type she adds great detail about the anatomy of the skin, how what you eat benefits or hurts or skin, and what you should look for in products. She teaches WHY you should do these things for your skin to truly help any person understand HOW to do it. In fact she covers the who, what, where, whens and how's of skincare. After reading through the book a few times I have hilighted all of the general information that really stood out to me. For more detail about you own skin type you can pick up a copy of her book at Chapters.
In order to treat our skin we need to first understand what it does and how it functions.
Protect:
We generally associate chronology as why we age but it is more of a free- radical issue. Free radicals are produced by UV rays which become highly reactive and cause damage to our DNA strands. They cause the genetic structure to change. Because the cells are no longer the perfect copies they were before they start to influence the cells underneath to form an unhealthy structure. A lot of this free radical damage could have been avoided by staying out of the sun. We all know by now that we should always be wearing sunscreen to protect our skin. Another way to get some extra SPF is to use mineral makeup. The minerals in these products protect against UV rays. They create a physial barrier from the sun and usually contain an SPF of 15-22. When you are looking for a moisturizers make sure all moisturizers and serums contains free-radical-fighting antioxidents like vitamins C, E, and green tea extracts. There are also certain foods and ingrediants to boost your SPF. Watermelon and promegrante can actually boost your SPF by several factors. Foods or supplements that contain essential fatty acids, such as omega-3, can strengthen your skin's natural barrier function, protecting the skin from within.
Beauty and the Buffet
For a detailed list of food you should include in your diet and why check out Sommerville's book.
Anatomy of the Skin.
In order to treat our skin we need to first understand what it does and how it functions.
The top layer of your skin is called the Epidermis. There are 5 layers of cells in the epidermis. Each top layer of cells indicates what the cells being born underneath are going to be like and what they will do. For healthy skin we not only have to get rid of the damage cells on top but also manage the cells underneath.
Beneath the Epidermis is the Dermis. There are cells in this layer of skin called fibroblasts which produce elastin and collegen. These cells are bathed in hylorhonic acid-- a lubricant that holds water, giving your skin texture, bounce and a youthful look. As we age collegen and elastin break down faster then the fribroblasts can produce them. The number of fibroblasts decreases and hylorhonic acid decreases which contributes to aging and dry skin.
Subcutaneous Tissue is the next layer of fat and connective tissue. This layer tends to get thinner as we age so our skin looks less plump and smooth. Underneath this tissue is our muscle.
Kate Sommerville's My Skin Health Pyramid
Protect:
We generally associate chronology as why we age but it is more of a free- radical issue. Free radicals are produced by UV rays which become highly reactive and cause damage to our DNA strands. They cause the genetic structure to change. Because the cells are no longer the perfect copies they were before they start to influence the cells underneath to form an unhealthy structure. A lot of this free radical damage could have been avoided by staying out of the sun. We all know by now that we should always be wearing sunscreen to protect our skin. Another way to get some extra SPF is to use mineral makeup. The minerals in these products protect against UV rays. They create a physial barrier from the sun and usually contain an SPF of 15-22. When you are looking for a moisturizers make sure all moisturizers and serums contains free-radical-fighting antioxidents like vitamins C, E, and green tea extracts. There are also certain foods and ingrediants to boost your SPF. Watermelon and promegrante can actually boost your SPF by several factors. Foods or supplements that contain essential fatty acids, such as omega-3, can strengthen your skin's natural barrier function, protecting the skin from within.
Hydrate:
When people think of hydration they often mistaken it with moisturizing. Hydration is the process of getting water into the skin cells; moisturizing is the process of locking it there by applying a cream or lotion on top of the hydrated skin. For example: If you put a drop of water on a dry piece of leather, the wet patch will plump up but will soon dry out again. If you apply an oily perservative over the wet patch it will remain plump. Both of these processes are truly necessary in order to have healthy skin . The more hydrated the cells are, the healthier they are. Without the proper hydration our cells die. The products we choose to hydrate our skin should contain ingrediants that act as Humectants- to attract water to the skin, Occlusives- that keep hydration from evaporating and Emmolients- which add lubrication to the skin. Hylorhonic acid is fantastic as a topical ingredient. It acts as a humectant, occlusive, and emmolient. It binds water into the skin cells and helps them hold 1000 times their weight in water. Because we lose hylorinc acid as we age it is a crucial supplement. We also need to keep our skin from dehydrating. If you overexfoliate or overtreat your skin, you can leave in unprotected . Water will evaporate too quickly leaving your skin dry, dehydrated, and prone to infection. Along with drinking enough water, taking supplements of fish oil, flaxseed oil, or omega-3 fatty acids works to hydrate and lock moisture into the cells. Hylorhonic acid supplements combined with coenzyme Q10 are incredibly effective in attracting more water to the skin cells and locking it in by preventing evaporation. Many beverages dehydrate you skin. Caffiene pulls the moisture content out of skin cells. Simple sugars such as high-fructose corn syrup and refined white sugar take a lot of water to metabolize.
When people think of hydration they often mistaken it with moisturizing. Hydration is the process of getting water into the skin cells; moisturizing is the process of locking it there by applying a cream or lotion on top of the hydrated skin. For example: If you put a drop of water on a dry piece of leather, the wet patch will plump up but will soon dry out again. If you apply an oily perservative over the wet patch it will remain plump. Both of these processes are truly necessary in order to have healthy skin . The more hydrated the cells are, the healthier they are. Without the proper hydration our cells die. The products we choose to hydrate our skin should contain ingrediants that act as Humectants- to attract water to the skin, Occlusives- that keep hydration from evaporating and Emmolients- which add lubrication to the skin. Hylorhonic acid is fantastic as a topical ingredient. It acts as a humectant, occlusive, and emmolient. It binds water into the skin cells and helps them hold 1000 times their weight in water. Because we lose hylorinc acid as we age it is a crucial supplement. We also need to keep our skin from dehydrating. If you overexfoliate or overtreat your skin, you can leave in unprotected . Water will evaporate too quickly leaving your skin dry, dehydrated, and prone to infection. Along with drinking enough water, taking supplements of fish oil, flaxseed oil, or omega-3 fatty acids works to hydrate and lock moisture into the cells. Hylorhonic acid supplements combined with coenzyme Q10 are incredibly effective in attracting more water to the skin cells and locking it in by preventing evaporation. Many beverages dehydrate you skin. Caffiene pulls the moisture content out of skin cells. Simple sugars such as high-fructose corn syrup and refined white sugar take a lot of water to metabolize.
Feed:
Our skin is like a sponge which can absorb 60% of certain nutrients we feed it externally. Topical vitamins, minerals, anitoxidents and essiential oils have been found to be incredibly effficent in feeding the skin. Vitamins C and E are proven antioxidents which fight free radicals. Topical Vitamin A in the form of retinoic acid or retinol helps break up skin cells that are irregularly stacked, which encourages the cells to turn over and create smoother skin with fewer lines. Copper can help aid in strengthening the skin by stimulating the production of collagen and elastin. Zinc, used topically is an anti-inflammatory. Of course you want to eat lot's of nutrious food to help your body absorb the minerals and vitamins internally.
Our skin is like a sponge which can absorb 60% of certain nutrients we feed it externally. Topical vitamins, minerals, anitoxidents and essiential oils have been found to be incredibly effficent in feeding the skin. Vitamins C and E are proven antioxidents which fight free radicals. Topical Vitamin A in the form of retinoic acid or retinol helps break up skin cells that are irregularly stacked, which encourages the cells to turn over and create smoother skin with fewer lines. Copper can help aid in strengthening the skin by stimulating the production of collagen and elastin. Zinc, used topically is an anti-inflammatory. Of course you want to eat lot's of nutrious food to help your body absorb the minerals and vitamins internally.
Stimulate:
Vitamin A and peptides are great stimulants when used topically. These ingredients have been shown to stimualte fibroblasts, having the effect of reducing lines, smoothing texture and redness over time; strengthen elasticity; and add plumpness to the skin. Studies have also shown that trace amounts of zinc and magnesium in our diet are key factors in the chemical process to strengthen our tissue.
Vitamin A and peptides are great stimulants when used topically. These ingredients have been shown to stimualte fibroblasts, having the effect of reducing lines, smoothing texture and redness over time; strengthen elasticity; and add plumpness to the skin. Studies have also shown that trace amounts of zinc and magnesium in our diet are key factors in the chemical process to strengthen our tissue.
Detox:
Cleanse daily; Exfoliate two or three times a week; spa or at home facials; and sweat from excersing or steaming. Pure unfiltered cranberry juice diluted with water is a great way to cleanse your kidneys. A squeeze of lemon juice added to a glass of water throughout the day will help neutralize excess acidity. Green tea is excellent for cleansing and immunity. A great way to get an effective cleanse is by cutting out certain food from your diet for just three days. This food includes: caffiene, alcohol, sugar, added salt, meat, and processed food. Drink only water, freshly squeezed juice or herbal tea. Load up on raw, fresh produce. For protein have a handful of nuts, low fat yogurt or cottage cheese. If you smoke – STOP IT. When you puff on a cigarette your're drawing in more than 4000 toxins. Smoking also eats up free-radical-fighting vitamin C in your body.
Cleanse daily; Exfoliate two or three times a week; spa or at home facials; and sweat from excersing or steaming. Pure unfiltered cranberry juice diluted with water is a great way to cleanse your kidneys. A squeeze of lemon juice added to a glass of water throughout the day will help neutralize excess acidity. Green tea is excellent for cleansing and immunity. A great way to get an effective cleanse is by cutting out certain food from your diet for just three days. This food includes: caffiene, alcohol, sugar, added salt, meat, and processed food. Drink only water, freshly squeezed juice or herbal tea. Load up on raw, fresh produce. For protein have a handful of nuts, low fat yogurt or cottage cheese. If you smoke – STOP IT. When you puff on a cigarette your're drawing in more than 4000 toxins. Smoking also eats up free-radical-fighting vitamin C in your body.
Beauty and the Buffet Of course we know that eating healthy is great for our bodies but it is also great for our skin.
Alkaline vs Acidic:
In today's world we eat a lot of acidic food. Food that falls into this category are mostly items we already know are unhealthy such as processed food, saturated fats and oils, and sugary drinks. For a full list of alkaline vs acidic food you can check out this link http://www.energiseforlife.com/list_of_alkaline_foods.php
Sommerville talks about how her father-in-law was diagnosed with stage 5 prostate cancer. Instead of participating in radiation treatments he decided to go with a different approach. His treatment regimen focused on orangic foods, immunity-boosting supplements and drinking nothing but lots of purified water. He maintained an all alkaline enviroment inhis body. By maintaining this he he increased a healthy PH balance and reduced the disease-causing acid waste in his system. The theory (which is not supported by the traditional medical community) is that cancer cells don't grow in an alkaline enviroment. After being completely devoted to the program his cancer disappeared in less that a year's time. Sommerville explains this story to us because not only did she see that big change happen but she also saw incredible changes to his skin. Brown spots and sun damage has completely disappeared from his face in the same way that cancer had. While the restricitions he followed were quite extreme, Sommerville explains that in order for clients to experience extreme skin changes, lifestyle changes have to be made.
Organic Food
50 years ago are food was a lot more nutrious than it is now. Industrialization has impacted the nutritional value of everything we eat. Organically grown fruits and vegetables have been proven time and time again to have higher levels(about 30% more) of anti-oxidents, proteins, and nutrients. Meat is in the same category. Many animals are fed food that arent natural to their diet to fatten them up as soon as possible along with hormones to make them gro bigger. Having unnatural horomones in our food can result in disruptions to our own horomonal balance. This causes all kinds of issues, including skin disorders. Of course we are not expected to eat healhy 100% of the time but we should try and follow the 80/20 rule. Eat your healthiest 80% of the time and allow for other foods you enjoy for the other 20%.
Alkaline vs Acidic:
In today's world we eat a lot of acidic food. Food that falls into this category are mostly items we already know are unhealthy such as processed food, saturated fats and oils, and sugary drinks. For a full list of alkaline vs acidic food you can check out this link http://www.energiseforlife.com/list_of_alkaline_foods.php
Sommerville talks about how her father-in-law was diagnosed with stage 5 prostate cancer. Instead of participating in radiation treatments he decided to go with a different approach. His treatment regimen focused on orangic foods, immunity-boosting supplements and drinking nothing but lots of purified water. He maintained an all alkaline enviroment inhis body. By maintaining this he he increased a healthy PH balance and reduced the disease-causing acid waste in his system. The theory (which is not supported by the traditional medical community) is that cancer cells don't grow in an alkaline enviroment. After being completely devoted to the program his cancer disappeared in less that a year's time. Sommerville explains this story to us because not only did she see that big change happen but she also saw incredible changes to his skin. Brown spots and sun damage has completely disappeared from his face in the same way that cancer had. While the restricitions he followed were quite extreme, Sommerville explains that in order for clients to experience extreme skin changes, lifestyle changes have to be made.
Organic Food
50 years ago are food was a lot more nutrious than it is now. Industrialization has impacted the nutritional value of everything we eat. Organically grown fruits and vegetables have been proven time and time again to have higher levels(about 30% more) of anti-oxidents, proteins, and nutrients. Meat is in the same category. Many animals are fed food that arent natural to their diet to fatten them up as soon as possible along with hormones to make them gro bigger. Having unnatural horomones in our food can result in disruptions to our own horomonal balance. This causes all kinds of issues, including skin disorders. Of course we are not expected to eat healhy 100% of the time but we should try and follow the 80/20 rule. Eat your healthiest 80% of the time and allow for other foods you enjoy for the other 20%.
For a detailed list of food you should include in your diet and why check out Sommerville's book.
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