5 Steps to More Youthful Skin

Cover Up

The sun breaks down both collagen and elastin in your skin, making it your skin’s worst enemy.  One way to counteract it is to stay indoors…but that’s no fun.  Instead, slather up with a broad-spectrum, sunblock formula that contains Helioplex or Mexoryl — which offer the longest-acting protection — and has an SPF that’s at least 30.  That will help keep the big, bad sun in it’s place.

Summon the Power of Antioxidants

If the sun is the bad guy in your skin’s soap opera, then antioxidants are the superheroes.  They protect skin from forces in the environment — known as free radicals — that break down elastin and collagen.  Free radicals can be produced in the body from the inside or outside.  Not only pollution and chemicals in the environment but what you put in your body can create a free radical party…we don’t want that!  Fortunately, you can flush free radicals internally and externally too.  Each day, use a skin care product with multiple antioxidants in it, as they work best when combined.  At the same time, make sure you’re consuming antioxidant rich foods and antioxidant rich supplements (I recommend a whole, raw food product like Fruit of the Spirit for natural antioxidant support).  This strategy will cover you inside and out.

Keep It Moist

Everyone knows that moisturizers keep your skin from drying and cracking but most people don’t realize that they also help protect against free radical damage.  Dehydration can actually lead to oxidative stress, which is the precursor to free radicals.  Get it?  Oxidative stress…antioxidants.  Now we’re learning something!  Keeping your skin moist helps it repair itself and prevent damage from the environment.  Look for products containing cholesterol, ceramides, essential fatty acids, and niacinamide for the most protection.

Eat Good Stuff

To repair itself, your skin needs help from the inside too.  Research shows that when essential nutrients like vitamin C and zinc are lacking, the skin just can’t repair itself as efficiently.  In order to give your skin the support it needs, make sure you’re getting enough healthy fat (the kind in fish such as salmon), dark green veggies and nuts.  Green tea is also and excellent source of antioxidants.  The more naturally occurring antioxidants you can put in your body, the better off your skin will be.  Once again, Fruit of the Spirit fits this bill.  With all of its amazingly blessed ingredients, Fruit of the Spirit is jam packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Stop Smoking

I’m not going to pass judgement or try and be an anti-smoking ad.  Instead, I’ll just throw out some facts.  Smoking destroys collagen, the most abundant protein in humans, responsible for strong skin and connective tissue.  Smoking destroys elastin, a protein in skin and connective tissue that allows it to return to its original position when poked, pinched or stretched.  Smoking decreases estrogen, which is necessary to keep skin firm.  I think that says enough and says it all!

Respecting the body that God’s given you means more than just not putting bad things into it…don’t forget the outside of the temple!