Healthy
Skin
Wondering what you can do to nurture
healthy, vibrant skin from the inside
out? Tackle stress! Here are seven
habits, which if you practice regularly
can lead to great looking skin.Then,
watch every inch of you and especially
your face start to look younger, less
stressed, more alive. Each step chips
away at the non-stop pressure and
tension that can age you by six years
or more.
Seven Habits For Healthy Skin
1. Practice deep breathing
Shift your body’s balance of
oxygen versus carbon dioxide in favour
of energizing, stress-squashing oxygen
by doing slow, controlled breathing
exercises.
How often? Aim for twice a day.
Why do it? When you focus on your
breathing, you’re not focusing
on anything else. That mental shift
helps remove stressors, bringing you
to a deeper level of consciousness,
a place where you can put things into
perspective.
2. Get active
Release the repressed anxiety trapped
inside you by putting your body in
motion for 30 minutes or more.
How often? Do something, anything,
every day, because exercise only tames
stress for a maximum of 24 hours.
So to reap the most benefits, you
need to do it daily. If you prefer,
tuck 10-minute pockets of activity
into your day – at lunch, after
dinner, right after you get up and
the house is still quiet. Find ways
to sneak fitness into your schedule.
Why do it? Staying active boosts circulation,
which delivers more nutrients to cells
and skin. It also increases lung capacity,
so you can take in more oxygen; lifts
your spirits and sense of wellbeing;
and fights age-related diseases. And,
for many, it’s the ultimate
stress reducer.
3. Beat the foods That beat
you
Reduce the allure of sugary, fatty
foods, which are as bad for your skin
as they are for the rest of you, by
eating more lean protein: fish, eggs,
poultry, low-fat dairy foods, and
even walnuts. Also, try to be more
aware of what you reach for –
and how much you consume – when
you’re stressed. Get some pointers
on mindful eating.
How often? All day, but especially
early on morning protein helps curb
afternoon cravings.
Why do it? Protein is key to avoiding
mood swings and energy dips. It helps
you maintain a healthy blood sugar
balance, which in turn keeps certain
hormones (including insulin) in check.
Bumping up your protein intake also
gives you more energy and fights hunger
pangs, which can play games with your
moods.
4. Focus on the Good Things
Pick up a notebook you particularly
like, and at the end of each day,
make a list of things for which you
are truly grateful. Or write down
three things that went well, and why.
How often? Nightly, as part of your
winding-down routine.
Why do it? Keeping a journal that
records the good things in life helps
shift your focus to what you’re
doing right, and that can put the
brakes on the stressful negative chatter
that often goes on in your head.
Healthy Skin Beautiful Girl
5. Stretch Out Your Sleep
Make it a goal to sleep as many hours
as you need to feel alive and productive
the next day – all day.
How often? Every night.
Why do it? Sleep is free cosmetic
medicine, pure and simple. It is what
beauticians and doctors both agree
on. Nothing exacerbates stress and
etches in lines like exhaustion.
6. Take a Time-Out
For most of us, life is so hyperscheduled
and speedy that we never do absolutely
nothing. It’s rare to set aside
time to simply be – no agenda,
no demands, no plan. Find a comfortable,
quiet spot to sit for 10 to 15 minutes
every day, stop all your hustling
and bustling . . . and simply, by
yourself, be still.
How often? Try for once a day.
Why do it? Slowing down for a little
while helps create a sense of spaciousness
in your life, a break in the non-stop
whirl that can open the door to new
perceptions, new solutions, new possibilities.
It gives your brain, your psyche,
your whole being a break. Like one
long, peaceful sigh.
7. Cuddle or Have Sex
Enjoy a little intimacy.
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