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Feb 08
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Great Skin Great Health

Why great skin mirrors inner health

By Health, Skin No Comments

Skin is the largest organ in the body and crucially the only organ we have ongoing visual access to. Your skin is a visible reflection of your health and an important indicator of your inner health, in particular, your gut health.

Many skin conditions such as eczema, dry skin, acne and rosacea can be linked to the gut health as their root cause.  As such, addressing gut health is perhaps the most effective starting point in achieving healthy glowing skin, particularly as we age.

So why is gut health so important for your skin?

We rub off millions of skin cells every day and create a whole new layer of skin every 17-42 days. With a healthy digestive tract and efficient digestion, the digestive process will deliver all the nutrients to effect this turnover.

The role of digestion is to break down the foods we eat, process them and consequently absorb the nutrients from these foods, so that our body has all the nutrients it needs to grow, repair and function optimally.  Compromised gut health will inhibit this process and your body will not receive sufficient nutrients. Whilst the body will prioritise life-threatening functions, hair, skin and nail health are considered less crucial and will not receive adequate nutrients if the nutrients are lacking. This is immediately noticeable visually with symptoms such as splitting nails, lack-lustre hair and dull skin.

Healing your gut is crucial to ensure optimal health. In the first instance, limiting sugar and refined carbohydrates and alcohol as well as eating a diet which includes plenty of colourful vegetables and fruits will provide a rich source of nutrients and fibre, as well as good fats found in nuts/seeds, oily fish, avocado.

However, if gut health has been allowed to deteriorate over time, the lining of the intestines can become damaged and inflamed. This allows undigested food proteins as well as toxic waste products to pass through the intestine barriers, which would otherwise be tight junctions in a healthy gut, directly into the blood stream. This is called Leaky Gut Syndrome and if not addressed, can wreak havoc throughout the body; causing an autoimmune response which can result in symptoms such as allergic reactions, food allergies, migraines and fatigue.

One of the most effective nutrients that can be used to help heal this damage is L-Glutamine, an amino acid that can repair and reverse these damaging effects. Alongside dietary changes, a daily supplement containing this nutrient can begin to rejuvenate the lining of the intestinal wall within 12 weeks.

With a healthy digestive system and a good diet, you can look forward to healthy fresh looking skin with renewed energy and vigour.

Jan 29
Love0
Combatting Stress Totally Derma

Fresh and Ready for the year ahead; Combatting Stress

By Health No Comments

The start of the year is always a time to setting goals and resolving to make positive changes, with your health lifestyle often topping the list. Without doubt, making your health the focus of your new year challenge will leave you feeling less lethargic and more energized; perfect to get your through the colder, dreary winter months.

Stress is one of the biggest factors that affect our wellbeing; do you find that:

  • You’re unusually tired, most of the time?
  • You have trouble waking and getting going for the day despite going to bed at a reasonable time?
  • You are often under the weather and don’t recover quickly after being ill?
    You crave sweet foods?
  • You tend to feel more energized towards the later part of the day, after around 6pm?

These symptoms of stress make our daily lives more difficult to deal and furthermore will result in an inflammatory response.

In our busy lives, reducing inflammation is key and the essence of boosting your inner health.

Why is this?

Inflammation is the body’s natural defence and repair mechamism; if we injure ourselves, your body will react with swelling, redness and pain in the area of damage. This is natural response and should be short lived until the injury is healed. Whilst this is response is familiar for injuries on the outside of the body, it is also important to remember that this same process is taking place inside the body, where and inflammatory response to stress is similar. Modern living exposes us to constant stress, which in turn triggers the inflammatory response within the body and consequently the production of free radicals. Unresolved or chronic inflammation will leave these free radicals to cause further damage and harm.

So how can we reduce inflammation and limit free radical damage to ensure we look and feel our very best?

In the first instance, addressing your diet is very important.

  • Eat more plant based foods which will provide good fibre to help support a healthy digestive system and remove toxins
  • Reduce foods that contain refine sugars and carbohydrates such as pasta, bread, cakes as these will cause a stress response as your blood sugar levels and consequently your insulin levels surge
  • Consume more vegetables and fruits, aiming to reach 7 portions a day. This will provide plenty of vitamins, minerals and fibre to ensure your body processes are working optimally and efficiently. Choosing brightly coloured vegetables and fruits, such as carrots, blueberries and tomatoes that are rich in antioxidants will help to combat free radical damage.
  • Eat whole foods and cook from scratch as far as possible.
  • Increase sources of anti-inflammatory essential fats found in oily fish, flaxseed, nuts and seeds.
  • Avoid processed foods that contain preservatives, colourings and perhaps unhealthy fats that your body will need to prioritise as part of the detoxification process.
  • Consider a daily supplement that contains good quality antioxidants, alongside your daily food choices for an added boost. For example, Vitamin C, Grape Seed Extract and Green Tea extract are all powerful antioxidants that will combat the harmful effects of stress. (Take a look at the Totally Derma® Collagen Drink Supplement that works from the INSIDE to stimulate the body’s optimum production of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid, addressing both the aesthetic (physical) signs of ageing and the underlying physiological processes).

Taking a whole body approach and it is important to remember that factoring in at exercise and more activity on a daily basis and good sleep hygiene are also key.

  • Aim for a minimum of 30 mins exercise; a daily walk, exercise class or gym session but also habits like taking the stairs instead of the lift/escalator and parking further from your destination will also help to increase your daily activity levels
  • Remember, over-exercising can also be a stressor, so avoid harsh training routines that will leave you exhausted and drained
  • Avoid phones/tablets/laptops at least an hour before bedtime and consider a hot bath, a herbal tea and a book or magazine instead