Show Your Skin Some Love!

The human skin is often known as "the largest organ of the human body". It has the largest surface area of all the body's organs. It also applies to weight, as skin weighs more than any single internal organ, accounting for about 15 percent of body weight. For the average adult human, the skin has a surface area of between 1.5-2.0 square meters, most of it is between 2-3 mm thick. The average square inch of skin holds about 650 sweat glands, 20 blood vessels, 60,000 melanocytes, and more than a thousand nerve endings!  So what can you ladies and gentlemen do so that your precious skin doesn't start to look like last years luggage?  If you want to have the skin of a 5 year old and prevent your skin from looking like it has a crocodile complexion, then read on.

As my blog covers health and fitness through exercise and proper nutrition, I'm going to focus on a few of the best foods to feed your skin for looking and feeling great.  But before I go into some of the basics, there are two very simple things to avoid.  Your first step is to moderate the amount of direct sun exposure, and two is to stay far away from tobacco smoke. It doesn't matter if the cigarette belongs to someone else--you are breathing the same smoke they are. Steer clear or look like leather and stink like a horses saddle!  Ok, on with the guide to younger looking healthy skin.

The first and most important key to healthy looking skin is good hydration.  There's nothing better than pure, clean water to quench your body's thirst.  Most people are dehydrated. If your urine isn't clear, you are drinking too little water. This is hard on your kidneys, and can lead to painful stones and/or urinary tract infection. Plus, it causes your skin to be as flexible as leather and look about the same. Drink up! Alcohol dries the skin, so keep it off your skin and out of your diet for maximum skin protection. Sodas don't help. Their caffeine is dehydrating, as is their sodium and refined sugar.

Vitamin A is one of the most important components of skin health, and low-fat dairy and non-dairy products such as yogurt, kefir, goat milk and almond milk are a great place to get it. Reducing your intake of dairy will cut back on your levels of unhealthy saturated fat and lower cholesterol.  The skin-health assets in Green Tea are matchless. It has anti-inflammatory properties, protects the cell membrane, and sipping on this super drink can also boost your metabolism.

Another snack that is loaded with vitamin A are carrots, which helps balance the pH of your skin's surface, making it just acidic enough to fend off harmful bacteria. National Cancer Institute researchers found that people with the highest intakes of carotenoids—pigments that occur naturally in carrots—were six times less likely to develop skin cancer than those with the lower intakes, so start crunching your carrot sticks when the snack cravings strike.

The high-antioxidant content of blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries yield countless healthy-skin benefits. Not a fan of fleshy fruit? Artichokes, beans, prunes, and pecans are packed with the stuff as well.  Fruit provides your body with vital nutrients that help to fight infections, while repairing cells at the same time.

 

 The common healthy-skin ingredients in salmon, walnuts and flax seed are essential fatty acids, which not only block harmful irritants, but also act as the passageway for nutrients coming in and out, and for waste products to get in and out of the cell. The stronger that barrier is, the better your skin cells hold moisture, and the better looking and feeling your skin will be.

Good-quality healthy oils labeled cold pressed, expeller processed, or extra virgin, keep skin lubricated and looking and feeling healthier. But remember even healthy fat is high in calories, so limit yourself to two tablespoons a day.  Some suggestions include Olive Oil extra virgin, Coconut Oil extra virgin, Avocado, Flax seed Oil and Hemp Hearts.  Limit and or avoid as much as possible butter, margarine, lard and shortening.  These fats are artery clogging!

Studies show that even skin damaged by the sun may suffer fewer consequences if selenium mineral levels are high. So feed your skin some 100 percent fresh ground whole-wheat bread, muffins and other whole grains, such as rolled oats (NOT QUICK OATS), brown rice or wild Rice, quinoa, amaranth, barley, Millet and buckwheat.  Avoid refined grain products such as white rice, white flour, white bread, pasta (non-whole wheat varieties).  Turkey, tuna and Brazil nuts are also high in the mineral selenium, which plays a key role in the health of skin cells.

The tiny seeds of the sunflower are packed with the most natural vitamin E of any food around. And no antioxidant is better at slowing down the aging of skin cells to keep you looking younger longer. Chia seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, walnuts and peanuts also contain the good, essential fats that actually help lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels.  They really are natures perfect booster food packed with nutrients to keep your skin looking younger and feeling great.

Lastly, a good exercise program, consisting of both weights and aerobics will activate and rejuvenate the skin, while improving blood flow. Also, body sweat triggers production of sebum, which is the skin's own natural moisturizer.    Your journey to health and fitness and having great youthful looking and feeling skin begins with proper nutrition and exercise. It's not what you put on your skin, it's what you put on your plate and into your mouth that's important!  Decide, commit, succeed!

Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead

We all know that food has the power to heal.  Specifically, foods high in micronutrients, high in anti-oxidants , foods that are beneficial to your heart and health.  Everything we feed our bodies has a cumulative effect that over time reveals the state of our health.  Do you lack energy?  Do you have a medical condition?  Is your emotional state effected?

I recently watched a documentary film about a man from Australia who was fat, sick and nearly dead!  100 pounds overweight, loaded up on steroids and suffering from a debilitating autoimmune disease, Joe Cross is at the end of his rope and the end of his hope. In the mirror he saw a 310lb man whose gut was bigger than a beach ball and a path laid out before him that wouldn't end well— with one foot already in the grave, the other wasn't far behind. FAT, SICK & NEARLY DEAD is an inspiring film that chronicles Joe's personal mission to regain his health.  With doctors and conventional medicines unable to help long-term, Joe turns to the only option left, the body's ability to heal itself. He trades in the junk food and hits the road with juicer and generator in tow, vowing only to drink fresh fruit and vegetable juice for the next 60 days.  What happens is an amazing transformation!

My friends, produce is the most important health care your money can buy!  So eliminate where possible junk and processed foods.  Grow a veggie garden! The choice is what proportion to eat dead food (cooked) and living food.(raw)  The best foods to eat are the healthy, nutritious fresh fruits and vegetables. By making these super micronutrient and anti-oxidant foods the major portion of your diet, you can protect yourself against cancer and other serious diseases.

Here are a just a few of the kinds of foods I like to fuel up on. Raspberries, Strawberries, Blueberries, Pineapple, Flax Seeds, Green Leafy Vegetables, Tomatoes, Broccoli, Walnuts, Sunflower seeds, Pomegranates, Beets, and Peppers.

Processed foods high in saturated fat and trans fat are consistently associated with high cancer rates and illness. Just ask Joe Cross where he was headed on that kind of diet.  Here are some quick facts about the foods Joe used to regain his health and vitality.

• Apples contain antioxidants that help protect “good” HDL cholesterol levels in the blood.
• Avocados are densely packed with anti-inflammatory, healthy fats. Well-known for its vitamin E content, an important antioxidant.
• Beets are potent antioxidants with liver-protective properties.
• Blueberries and blackberries are rich in anthocyanins—these phytonutrients have power. They can reduce inflammation, increase detoxifying enzymes in the liver, and stop cancers from creating their own lifeline-blood supply.
• Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable that promotes natural detoxification in the liver. It is high in sulfur and iodine.
• Carrots are the richest plant source of vitamin A, good source of potassium.
• Celery is high in organic sodium, magnesium, and iron. Magnesium is important for the breakdown of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats into energy; for muscle relaxation and the prevention of cramps; and for nerve conduction and preventing tooth decay.
• Cilantro provides a rich source of carotenoids.
• Cinnamon has been shown to help keep blood sugar in check.
• Cucumbers contain potassium and phytosterols, which help lower blood cholesterol levels.
• Fennel’s active ingredient, anethole, blocks inflammation in the body and can stop cancer cells from multiplying.
• Ginger root reduces nausea, pain and inflammation, and provides heartburn relief. It also aids digestion.
• Grapefruits provide a rich source of vitamin C, and are a good source of lycopene (a carotene with prostate cancer-protective properties).
• Kale is an especially nutrient-dense vegetable with many potent micronutrients. Rich and abundant in calcium, lutein, iron, and vitamins A, C, and K, kale has seven times the beta-carotene of broccoli and ten times more lutein, another potent carotene. Kale is part of the cruciferous vegetable family, making it a good source of the phytonutrient indole-3-carbinol. Research shows I3C has many anti-cancer actions, such as promoting estrogen ratios in the blood that are weak, but needed to discourage breast cancer tumor growth. Crucifers are also potent detoxifiers.
• Kiwis offer twice the vitamin C of an orange per serving. They are a good source of vitamin E (a potent antioxidant) and potassium.
• Lemons contain natural anti-nausea and overall digestive-aid properties.
• Mint is rich in plant-based omega-3 fats – an important nutrient for healthy hair, skin, and nails that has powerful anti-inflammatory activity. Omega-3s may also protect against the development of heart disease and certain types of cancers.
• Parsley is a good source of folic acid, which may help lower the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancers. It also promotes fresh breath.
• Pineapples are high in the enzyme bromelain, an anti-inflammatory.
• Spinach is high in iron, vitamin C, and beta-carotene. The vitamin C and beta-carotene in spinach are antioxidants, and may help to protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals. Most dark green leafy veggies are rich in lutein – a phytonutrient shown to help delay age-related macular degeneration of the eyes.
• Sweet potatoes (and carrots for that matter) are rich in – a phytonutrient responsible for giving these veggies their rich orange color. Zeaxanthin has anti-cancer activity: it helps encourage cancer cells to commit suicide (apoptosis), and helps prevent tumors from being able to create their own blood supply (anti-angiogenesis).
• Swiss chard tastes sweeter in juices than spinach. It is rich in vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium. Foods rich in potassium have been shown to lower blood pressure and heart disease risk.
• Tomatoes are rich in lycopene – a member of the carotene family famous for its potential to prevent prostate cancer.
• Turmeric has been shown to have multiple forms of anti-cancer activity in prostate, ovarian, colon, uterine, and breast cancer cells. The active ingredient responsible, curcumin, is approximately 1,000 times more bioavailable (absorbable) when combined with black pepper. 

Did you know that the average person eats fewer than two servings of produce a day!  I want to encourage you to add more fruits and vegetables to your daily diet.  I guarantee you'll become healthier, happier and have more vitality.

If you want the straight dope on fueling your body with nutritious food and what to avoid, I'm here to help and it won't cost you a penny for the free advice based on my own experience and what has worked for me.  I hope you'll follow my blog and provide me with some feedback on my posts.  I'll be catering good choices that include both dietary and lifestyle changes.  So if you could use a boost to your engine, buckle up for the ride of your life and let's get started!