by Linda Page, N.D., Ph.D.
  emember the line from the
song, “You and me against
the world?” Sometimes I feel
that way about our skin
because the skin is our first
line of protection against all
the hazards of the environment
our world hands us today. The body’s
largest organ, the skin acts as a barrier so toxins
and poisons won’t penetrate into deeper layers
of the body and helps release the toxins our
bodies throw off. Still, skin also absorbs much
of what we put on it, sometimes allowing
chemicals and free radicals to enter our bodies.
Our skin needs all the help it can get, especially
from gentle, natural sources. In this
article I want to address the problem of aging
skin—wrinkles, lines, dryness—what some call
“sags and bags syndrome.”
It’s no wonder that cosmetic companies
keep developing the latest and greatest lotions,
creams and topical potions to treat the skin
from the outside. Judging from the size of
today’s beauty industry, they have most of us
convinced that topical applications are the
only way to achieve smooth, firm, wrinkle-free
skin. Most fail to live up to the claim.
I’ve found a more holistic approach works
better. Treating our skin to a specific skintargeted
diet, oxygenating it through
breathing exercises and also natural, highly
absorbable plant based applications, offer
much healthier, longer lasting skin beauty.
What causes the visual effects of aging skin?
First, poor dermal collagen health. When collagen
becomes hard and cross-links with
neighboring collagen fibers, the skin can’t hold
moisture or maintain elasticity. It collapses on
itself, forming a fishnet below the surface of
the skin. We see this as wrinkles. The crosslinking
occurs from free radical attacks on skin
cell membranes, collagen and elastin proteins.
Second, as we get older, circulation to the
skin is compromised and oxygen delivery is
decreased, so nutrients have a harder time
getting to the skin. Adding antioxidants,
which fight the formation of free radicals, can
really help.
Third, dehydration, and thus dry skin,
becomes a problem, especially when there isn’t
enough collagen to hold on to any available
moisture.
Fourth, waste accumulation in the liver
leads to blotchy skin. The liver is a wonderful
detoxifier but it becomes a victim of the
modern world’s “excess” syndrome. Too many
environmental pollutants, too much stress, an
overload of fried foods, caffeine and alcohol all
lead to free radical damage and thus to broken
capillaries, weak vein walls and aging, blotchy
skin.
Finally, 90 percent of skin wrinkles can be
traced to overexposure to the sun. You may not
see any wrinkles now but skin experts agree
that formerly beautiful, wrinkle-free skin can
become deeply creased in just a short period of
time after years of what seemed innocent sun
worship.
So what can you do, especially if you have
sun damage from years ago? Just as your daily
habits contribute to aging skin, developing
new healthy daily habits can produce youngerlooking
healthier skin.
I recommend starting a skin health program
with a liver cleanse. Hardly anyone’s liver
functions at top performance today but the
liver is incredibly resilient and really benefits
from a liver cleanse. It shows on your skin in
no time. You’ll probably lose weight, too. A
clean liver helps all body systems function
better.
More natural tips that everyone, including men, can do for better skin:
 Your diet is an area you can work on right away but remember that a strict NO-FAT diet for weight loss is really no good for your skin or for health. Your skin needs some fat, especially from essential fatty acids, or EFAs. EFAs help skin retain moisture and keep it firm and elastic. In fact, a lack of EFAs can lead to dry skin, dermatitis, eczema and other skin disorders. EFAs are plentiful in seafoods, sea greens, cantaloupe, flaxseed and herbs like evening primrose oil and borage seed. I eat sea greens every day and salmon at least three times a week.
Eat some fresh foods every day. Skin roughness and early wrinkling are the first signs your skin doesn’t have the nutrients it needs to prevent free radicals from damaging your skin.
Relax often. More people are stressed out today than ever before . . . and stress shows up on your skin. High stress accelerates free radical production and sends the skin’s oil glands into overdrive. This can lead to a myriad of problems—more than just breakouts. Rosacea, a skin disorder marked by red patches and tiny fluid filled bumps, is linked to stress reactions and food triggers like spicy foods or cured red meats and red wine. And of course, stress really wears down your skin, adding to wrinkles, lines and dryness.
Exercise to boost your circulation and get lots of fresh air every day. Get plenty of sleep.
Drink eight glasses of water every day.
We hear about wearing sun block all the time and it is really important no matter what age you are. Remember that 90 percent of skin wrinkles can be traced to overexposure to the sun. Even if you don’t see any wrinkles now, skin experts agree that formerly beautiful, wrinkle-free skin can become deeply creased in just a short period of time after years of sun worship.
So wear sunblock every day. You can buy sun block in your favorite moisturizers so it’s easy to remember.
Your skin is another reason to quit smoking. Smoking accelerates the wrinkle process, especially the lines around your mouth . . . to me one of the first places that make you look older.
My program can help your skin do its job. For a complete skin detox program, visit www.healthyhealing.com
For a complete skin nutrition program, see Cooking For Healthy
Healing—Book One—The Healing Diets, and Cooking For
Healthy Healing—Book Two—The Healing Recipes.
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