Winter skin detox February 09 2016
A well-known fact is that our skin accumulates toxins and impurities much like a sponge. I have heard people refer to their skin as a “third kidney” as it plays an important role in removing “junk” from the body. Over the long term, these tiny unwanted molecules build up in your body and skin. Toxins may cause the appearance of pimples and blackheads, cause irritation, allergies, or even intensify the effects of aging.
The environment we live in and the conditions to which we expose our bodies determine how much and what type of pollution sticks to the skin. Air pollutants and smoke provide examples for external sources of “junk”. The synthetic and harmful additives in cosmetics and make up also add to the list of external pollutants of skin.
Makeup not only beatifies, it also pollutes the skin
Other harmful chemicals like pesticides and preservatives find their way from the inside: through the food and drinks we consume and especially through the bad habits we indulge like smoking and drinking alcohol.
Finally, the waste material of broken cells that the skin periodically replaces may also build up subduing the formation of new tissue. Our bodies subconsciously and naturally deal with those issues all the time.
Of course, we can consciously choose to aid the processes of elimination and recovery to help our organism be rid of toxins and to have beautiful, healthy skin. Having a balanced diet and drinking plenty of water provide the base for a healthy organism. Those factors, along with regular physical activities can really help your skin repair, clean, and rejuvenate. However this post will focus on 4 activities not related to food or exercise, though regularity helps. You may easily do them alone to stimulate the elimination of build up toxins naturally.
Eat well and drink much water
Eating well entails to choose a diet based primarily on fruits and vegetables. Among the best foods for glowing skin are leafy greens like kale and spinach, berries (especially blueberries), pomegranate, carrots, avocado, tomatoes, broccoli and sweet potatoes. After all we are what we eat. Our cells use the building blocks we give them to get energy and to create new tissue. Therefore, a beautiful and healthy skin relies on some menu planning, wise choices in the supermarket and imagination in the kitchen. Here you can find great ideas and recipes. Eating a variety of food groups in small portions throughout the day will help your body do its job better. For that you also need plenty of water. We are mostly made up of water anyway, so maintain the balance and drink even when you are not thirsty. Water not only maintains a healthy metabolism, but it plays main role in flushing toxins out of the body.
Exfoliate at least once a week
Everyone knows the benefits of exfoliation and we all need it to some extent - Some of us need to exfoliate more often that others depending on skin type and climate. I recommend it at least once a week in the shower or bathtub. It will help your skin shed dead tissue particles and lose toxins very effectively. The skin must be wet or oiled up. If done well, It stimulates the lymphatic system and blood flow both of which play key roles in detoxification. Use gentle exfoliates on tender skin areas like the face and never apply too much pressure in order to avoid redness and inflammation.
Treat yourself to a full body massage sometimes
Massage benefits your skin more than you think. It makes it more elastic and stimulates the formation of new tissue. Deep tissue massage raises the body’s temperature and increases blood flow, therefore it helps your organism "clean up" and recover from its daily operations. Certain points require firmer and deeper massage to release build up pressure or encourage proper lymph flow. The lymphatic circulation is one of the major ways our bodies throw out unwanted chemical compounds they accumulate.
Brush! Brush! Brush!
Brushing is another way to accomplish improved circulation of the blood through the skin and to shed impurities, or dead tissue. The difference with exfoliating is that brushing must always happen on a dry skin. Choose a gentle brush with soft hair and run it over your entire body. Always begin down with your feet and make your way upward using circular motions.
The action not only increases blood flow in the dermis, but it also stimulates your skin's nerve endings and exfoliates dead skin cells. Being tickled seems like an unwanted side effect, although one gets used to it after awhile. Remember to brush all surfaces, including the soles of your feet, armpits and the entire back. All motion should happen in the direction of your heart. If you choose to brush your face, you may do so with a specially designed for that gentle bristle. Personally, I have not done it. What I often do is a simple face mask that we will share in the next post.