InnerGlow Skin Care Resources

Free-Radicals and Inflammation-Aging Connection

“Aging” of our skin is a pre-programmed process that begins with degeneration or damage of tissue at a cellular level.  Finding ways to reduce or eliminate cell damage significantly affects the aging process.

The most important cause of cellular damage is free-radicals.  Free radicals are oxygen molecules that have lost an electron in interactions with other molecules.  As a result, these molecules are extremely unstable, or reactive.  In their quest to “heal” themselves, free radicals steal electrons from other, healthy molecules, creating more free radicals in the process, damaging cell components.

Although free radicals are entirely natural – they are a by-product of normal bodily processes, like breathing air or digesting food – they are also extremely damaging.  Every time free radicals seek to stabilize themselves, they harm healthy cells.  Worse, free radicals aren’t just manufactured by our own bodies.  They’re also unleashed by external factors including sunlight, cigarette smoke, hormonal imbalances, a poor diet, undiagnosed food sensitivities and air pollution.

Free radicals can damage virtually every part of a cell, including the nucleus, where DNA, the body’s unique genetic blueprint, is produced.  They can also harm the fats inside the cells.  If they take the extra electron they need from the collagen molecule in our skin, the result is that the collagen becomes damaged.  Recall from our understanding of the anatomy/physiology of the skin that collagen is one of the main proteins that give our skin it youthful suppleness and tautness.  When the collagen becomes damaged, the skin gets discoloured and stiff and loses elasticity, a condition that tends to make the skin look “old”.  Since collagen stays in our skin for years, free radicals can attack it mercilessly and the end result is that free radicals sap our skin of its youthful appearance.

Antioxidants

Happily, our skin has allies in its continuing fight against free-radical damage.  Antioxidants are a group of nutrients (including certain vitamins, amino acids and some other natural substances) that can stop or even reverse free-radical damage and put an end to subclinical inflammation and micro-scarring.  They are basically standing guard and prepared to fight to keep your cells healthy, your skin beautiful and your body disease-free.  Since there is no way to constantly monitor free radical activity or to measure the amount of antioxidants you have at any given moment, the best way to ensure you have protection is to have regular intake of dietary antioxidants.  The best way to do this is to eat the freshest fruits and vegetables several times per day.  

In addition to this is important to take an anti-oxidant-rich vitamin supplement that addresses your individual needs, based on your age, activity level, gender, how much stress you endure on an average day and other health concerns.

Research proves that consuming healthy foods can help your skin have a youthful, plump, radiant, glowing appearance.  In 2007, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study done by British researchers that examined whether the food people eat affects the way their skin looks – and the answer was clear.  More pronounced wrinkles were found in those with a higher intake of bad fats and processed carbohydrates (such as white bread and packaged cookies and snacks), while a diet rich in vitamin C was found to reduce wrinkles later in life.  

When we don’t have enough anti-oxidants on board and free radicals get the upper hand, they damage the deep workings of the skin tissue in a process called “oxidation”.  Think of the way an apple turns brown when it’s exposed to the air and you’ll get the picture.

Organic skin care is one of the fastest growing areas of the beauty industry. Many people are becoming more aware of the dangers of long term use of many commercial skin care products.  

 The cosmetics industry is a $50 billion a year business in the United States alone and spends a remarkable $2 billion a year on advertising.  It is important to know that the FDA leaves synthetic additives in cosmetics largely unregulated, yet many of these chemically based products often contain known or suspected carcinogens, neurotoxins and hormone disruptors.  In addition, few studies have looked at the dangerous cumulative and inflammatory effects of combining so many different skin products over a lifetime – or how these chemicals interact with all the other chemicals we are exposed to. 

The average woman uses 5-12 different products on her skin each and every day, exposing herself to a cocktail of over 100 chemicals that are absorbed into her body!  Even more appalling than that is the amount of chemicals we place on our skin every year. Women who use makeup daily absorb, on average, 5 pounds each year!

We are often shocked to find how many people are consciously choosing high-quality organic foods and at the same time ignoring the quality of skin care products they use on their skin every day.  Our skin can absorb anywhere from 21-94% of what is put on it.  Since the skin has the ability to absorb, and body tissue has the ability to store, the personal care products we use every day can cause toxic chemicals to add up.  It is important to use only ingredients that promote your healthy appearance without doing any potential harm whenever possible.  If there is not a product you would be willing to “eat”, you should not be putting it on your skin. 

 We believe that your skin, like the rest of your body, needs nutrients ~ not chemicals. When you use natural skin care products, you have the added benefits of naturally occurring compounds found in nature that work with the body to heal, rejuvenate, and fight free radical damage that can lead to aging and disease. These natural products function as “food” that help feed, nurture and protect your skin. This is unlike commercial products that don’t address the underlying cause, and temporarily suppress skin pathologies. 

There are a growing number of wonderful chemical-free, body-friendly and organic skin care products available on the market.  Our take is that if there is an ingredient that could potentially be harmful or could have adverse long-term effects on our health, why would we use it in our products when there are healthy and safe alternatives?  The health of the skin is dependent on sound nutritional practices, healthy living and effective, safe protection on its surface. 

Wrinkle-Fighting Foods To Include In Your Diet Every Day

Research proves that consuming healthy foods can help your skin have a youthful, plump, radiant, glowing appearance.  In 2007, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study done by British researchers that examined whether the food people eat affects the way their skin looks – and the answer was clear.  More pronounced wrinkles were found in those with a higher intake of bad fats and processed carbohydrates (such as white bread and packaged cookies and snacks), while a diet rich in vitamin C was found to reduce wrinkling later in life.  There is no doubt that the foods you choose have a lot to do with the beauty of your skin!

What Does Food Have To Do With It?

The body is made up of more than 100 billion cells, each of which is made up of fats and proteins.  Carbohydrates offer these cells energy.  These three components are necessary to support your body’s basic health.

However, these nutrients alone do not make your body and skin healthy.  Your body also needs vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients to perform optimally and look radiant.  These nutrients help the skin repair damage, build support structures, stay moist, and prevent disease.  For example, collagen is the skin’s main structural component, and the body cannot make it without vitamin C.  If you do not eat foods rich in vitamin C, such as oranges, lemons and strawberries, your skin can lose its tight structure and begin to loosen, sag and wrinkle.

 Fruits and vegetables are an important part of every healthy diet.  Because they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other phytonutrients that are beneficial to your skin, they are a vital part of a diet geared towards vibrant skin.  The Canada Food Guide suggests that adults consume 8-10 servings of fruit and vegetables each day.  

Since good skin health begins from within, various vitamins can be of benefit.  

 Vitamin A and its precursor, Beta-Carotene, help preserve the skin’s elasticity, regulate sebaceous glands, protect against infection, and stimulate collagen formation.  A deficiency of this vitamin may result in dry, itchy skin, making it more likely that dead skin cells will clog the pores and cause breakouts.  

The B-complex vitamins help keep the ravages of stress from showing on our skin.  A deficiency is sometimes implicated in cracks around the mouth, corners of the mouth and eyes.  B-complex vitamins are critical links in a number of enzyme-related chemical reactions that protect the skin, and your health in different ways.  At any given time, one of the B-vitamins is at work in your body spurring on carbohydrate metabolism, nervous system function, fatty acid metabolism, the maturation of red blood cells and other important processes. 

Vitamin C does miraculous things for your skin health.  It prevents free-radical damage, strengthens the capillaries, promotes healing, stimulates collagen production and increases skin elasticity.  Bioflavonoids help keep the capillaries strong, thereby inhibiting bruises, spider veins and varicose veins.  

CoEnzyme Q10 is important to add to your supplement regime as it is the antioxidant most easily depleted in the skin by sun exposure or toxins.  It is extremely important because it gets into the cell membrane and protects it from free-radical damage.  It also works in the mitochondria – the energy producing portion of your cells. 

Once you learn how skin is built, how it works, what causes skin problems and what nutrients and foods help your skin look beautiful, you have the ultimate recipe for healthy, radiant skin. 

Essential Fatty Acids in Healthy Skin

If you think healthy skin and oil don’t mix, think again! The right oils—specifically oils high in essential fatty acids (EFAs)—can leave your complexion glowing.

Essential fatty acids are fats that we cannot make – we must take them in from the diet – hence the name “essential”.  EFAs are important structural components of cell membranes throughout the body and increase production of collagen in skin cells. They help cells stay fluid and flexible, allowing nutrients to enter the cells and wastes to exit. Because it is the cell membrane that also holds water in, the stronger that barrier is, the better your cells can hold moisture — and that means plumper, younger looking skin.

There are 2 major classes of essential fatty acids – omega-6 and omega-3. Over the last century, humans have seen a major relative decline in the amount of omega-3 present in the diet, while omega-6 content has risen up dramatically.  Our ideal omega-6 to omega-3 ratio for good health is 1:1, a significant difference from our current average ratio of about 18:1.  This notable over-consumption of omega-6-rich oils such as corn, canola, safflower, sunflower and soybean oils has been proven to have the potential to promote inflammation and oxidative stress. 

 Omega-3 fatty acids, on the other hand, have been shown to be anti-inflammatory in the body. They have also been shown to lower oxidative stress, and to be beneficial in a wide variety of skin imbalances as well as other medical conditions. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish, seafood, flaxseeds, walnuts, olive oil, free-range meats and to a limited degree in dark green leafy vegetables. The best absorbed source is from good quality fish oils.

Since it is difficult to eat enough fish every day, it is important to take EFA’s in a supplement form to make sure you always have adequate amounts in your system.  They should ideally be taken in a two-to-one ratio of EPA:DHA with a combined total of 1800-3000mg/day. 

What Can You Do To Maximize Skin Health and a Radiant “Glow”

In a culture obsessed by youth, we listen to a lot of negative messages about growing older. We want to set the record straight: Aging in years does not have to mean a decline in health, energy, or looks! 

It is exciting to see the growing body of scientific evidence proving the effectiveness of the naturopathic principles to increase our wellbeing healthy life span. Many of the visible signs of aging are caused by external factors that you can at least partially control.  These actions may be the easiest and least expensive things you can do to prevent damage to your skin, gain a more youthful appearance, and build a strong foundation for your pro-active natural skin care. 

Simply put, the more positive information our cells receive from our daily choices — whether from foods rich in micronutrients, exercise, adequate sleep, or managing chronic stress — the more healthful messages they relay to our genes and the better we feel and the more we radiate beauty from the inside out.  

What chemicals are YOU exposing yourself to every day?  It’s time to check.

Go grab your containers of skin care products and check them against the following…

Use https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ to check what chemicals are in the products you use.