Your Skin—Glow With Health From the Inside Out

The health of our skin, the largest sensory organ of the body, is an excellent indication of our general health. Unlike many of the body’s other organs, it is on display for all to see. As we have all experienced, we can only “fake” beautiful skin to a certain degree. Caking on make-up can make us look like wax versions of our real selves, and “touch ups,” as are done on TV commercials and magazine covers, do not work in real life! True glowing, hydrated, smooth, and beautiful skin is the result of maintaining health at the cellular level. Just like the rest of the body’s organs, our skin is made entirely of cells. Remembering this, we can make the choices necessary to facilitate growth and healing within the body that will be evident with every look in the mirror. We can wake up in the morning with skin that feels smooth to the touch and have the dewy, shiny look that radiates health. We can all be genuinely beautiful in our own way and feel secure enough to go without make-up once in a while!

It all starts with—you guessed it—diet. Unfortunately, the typical American diet, void of fruits and vegetables and loaded with processed convenience foods, causes our body’s internal environment to become acidic and loaded with pollutants. It should also be mentioned that many of our body’s natural processes result in acidity as well. Despite this, our bodies should be able to maintain an optimal pH-balanced environment. The problem is, when we create more acidity with our dietary choices, we are “bogging-down” the system, and it grows increasingly difficult for our bodies to keep up. As this occurs, our tissues become acidic instead of slightly alkaline, and we do not provide the specific atmosphere necessary to promote general cell health. When our body’s cells are not functioning properly, all bodily systems are hindered, including the processes of the skin cells. This causes skin cells to age prematurely and results in wrinkling, sagging, dullness, and loss of elasticity. (1) Regrettably, most of America is eating an acid-forming diet. It is really a matter of becoming familiar with the types of foods that aid in the creation of an optimal environment for our cells’ health and function. These foods are ones which promote alkalinity. The most excellent choices include vegetables (especially dark green leafy ones), fresh fruits, some nuts and seeds, and some sprouted grains. The acidity of a food on the outside of the body is not an indication of whether or not it will promote acidity inside the body. The body breaks all food down into acidifying or alkalizing particles. The foods which will be broken down to create alkalizing particles are the optimal choices. Lemons, for example, are known for their acidity outside of the body but are extremely alkalizing inside the body. This doesn’t mean we can’t eat anything but alkalizing foods, especially once we have created a pH-balanced environment. We just need to make sure to include enough alkalizing foods with every acidifying food we eat. For instance, with our slice of lean roast beef, we should make sure to include a generous portion or two of vegetables on the side. There are many books written on this topic where we can find more lengthy explanations and food lists.

In addition to diet, we can achieve even higher quality results when we supplement with the vitamins and minerals our bodies may not be getting and, as we age, the hormones our bodies lack. We all know that as we age our hormone levels decrease, and experience negative side effects from this. Our skin is certainly not left out on this one. Low estrogen and/or testosterone can cause wrinkles, low cortisol can result in rashes and skin irritations, low DHEA and thyroid hormones promote excessively dry skin, and the list continues. (2) Although only the skin-related effects are mentioned here, there are many other negative symptoms which are associated with unbalanced or depleted hormones, most of them to the detriment of disease prevention. This is why we must find out our deficiencies so that we can then replenish our bodies with the hormones they are lacking. At Fountain of You we can work with an entire team of medical professionals to determine our bodies’ needs and develop an individualized age management plan. We don’t have to live with the effects of hormone decline.

Every moment we are alive there exist continuous streams of communication between our brain and the rest of our body. This occurs through a number of different ways, but perhaps one of the more fascinating ways has to do with peptides. Peptides are small chains of amino acids that, together, enable an amazing form of communication within the body. Peptides originating in the brain are called neuropeptides. They are responsible for much of what we experience as emotions, and it is through the neuropeptides that the brain is able to communicate these emotions with all other parts of the body, including the skin. When we experience joy, laughter, fun, and a sense of wellbeing, neuropeptides make their way around the body “telling” the other systems of the body that we are feeling happy. Pretty soon our entire bodies are radiating the joy we are feeling. When this message is received by the skin through means of its peptide receptors, the surrounding skin cells are given this message as well. In this way, the health of our brain and the health of our skin (and every other part of the body) are linked! This is why happy people tend to have more beautiful skin! (1) It has long been established that feeling joy is resultant of a choice we make to be happy rather than by our external surroundings. We usually have to make a conscience decision to feel happy and allow joy to permeate every cell in our bodies. If feeling joy doesn’t come naturally at first, that’s ok. We can go through the motions and “pretend” to feel it until our emotions eventually catch up. (3)

Starting on the inside is absolutely required to attain beautiful skin, but if internal health is the ice cream, cosmetic procedures are the cherry on top. As we age, because of declining hormone levels, we may not be able to completely compensate by eating correctly, exercising, and looking on the bright side. This is not to minimize the importance and utter necessity of those things, but our skin will most definitely appreciate a little help now and then. We are hardwired to recognize an aging face. This is why the implementation of cosmetic procedures and services is important when we desire a youthful appearance. Of course, Fountain of You offers a comprehensive array of aesthetic services to complement any age management plan. Each of us is different, so a careful analysis will determine the individualized needs of our skin. Chemical peels, for example can help reduce fine lines, and Botox treatments can relax targeted muscles to minimize wrinkles. Dermal fillers are wonderful for improving the volume of some areas of the face, and there are a number of different laser and radio frequency therapies which are effective for resurfacing, tightening, and generally improving the quality of the skin’s appearance.

Isn’t it exciting to learn that we can actually be young again from the inside out? We can take the necessary steps to achieve health, happiness, and a youthful appearance when we have knowledge of what is available. We definitely have options. The aging process is in our own hands. All we have to do is take control!

(1) Graf, J, & Bowman, A. (2007). Stop aging, start living: the revolutionary 2-week ph diet that erases wrinkles, beautifies skin, and makes you feel fanastic. New York: Random House.

(2) Hertoghe, T, Nabet, J, & Sears, B. (2002). The Hormone solution: stay younger longer. New York: Random House.

(3) Crowley, C., & Lodge, H.S. (2007). Younger next year for women:live strong, fit, and sexy-until you're 80 and beyond. New York: Workman Publishing.