Aging Skin

Wrinkling and sagging skin? Forget topicals, even that moisturizer, because you are only moisturizing dead skin. The best moisturizer does not cost a dime..it is water. The creams used topically that are sold as moisturizer will help the skin to FEEL better and help to hold what moisture is in the skin but they will do little to aid in restoring the skins support structure. Unless you get to the root of the problem of the sagging and wrinkling you are fighting a loosing battle.

Wrinkles and sagging occur from collagen collapse. Collagen and elastin are the support structure of the skin. Period. Collagen is found throughout the body but we will speak of it here only as it pertains to skin. Tanning causes inflammation destroying collagen but there is another inflammation that occurs very deep within the body known as glycation/a.g.e. This occurs because there are too many refined and/or high glycemic foods eaten. This sets in motion a chain reaction of a type of cooking from within. This excess sugar from the diet occurring from eating too many refined foods attaches to proteins and creates a stiffening or an attack on the support structure of the skin, the collagen.

I would often tell my skin care clients that the wrinkle they see today started long ago and now they needed to do two things.

1.Stimulate the body to produce more collagen.
2. Learn how to eat to prevent the collapse of that collagen.

For number 1. Find a darn good aesthetician. For number 2. Stop eating refined, overprocessed foods and foods high in sugars. Realize that eating these foods are not just causing wrinkles and sagging skin they are responsible for a host of diseases which I will speak to in later posts.

To make an impact on skin, eat fresh vegetables, fruits, and fish. Eat whole grains and raw nuts. Enjoy salads with romaine, spinach, kale and any of the fancy spring mixes out there with all the herbs you can stand. And one more thing....drink lots of pure water but in between the meals to not dilute enzymes as the food digests. Do not forget the perfect omega 3/6 ratio in olive oil, with addition of lemon for a dressing. I have a mixture of ground flax seed and add to this granular lecithin from the health store. I keep it in a bag in the refrigerator and toss a couple tablespoons over my salad. Watch the glow come back to the skin and in fact the entire body.

If I were to leave you with one piece of advice to making all of this simple. If man altered the food..(i.e. processed or boxed).....I do not eat it. It really is that simple.


Norma Jean