Did you know that a good skin care regime not only helps you to have younger looking skin, but it also keeps you healthy? According to the CDC, quality of health is directly related to cleanliness and taking proper care of your skin can reduce the bacteria and viruses on the skin’s surface, thereby helping to reduce the amount of infections spread by contact. So, healthy skin means a healthier you!
Healthy skin begins with a proper skin care routine. Basically, all you need is soap and water and sometimes even soap is unnecessary on certain parts of your body. Unless you have certain skin conditions, such as oily skin, you can clean most of your body with just plain water. Some areas, however, such as the hands, underarms and the groin area should be cleansed with soap.
There are some skin conditions that require more than just soap and water to ensure healthy skin. For instance, oily skin can be more prone to acne so an oily skin care routine may include cleansing more than once a day and using products made specifically to treat oily skin. On the other hand, if you have dry skin, your routine would focus more on helping your skin to retain moisture and a good night cream made specifically for dry skin would be beneficial. Regardless of what skin type you have, sunscreen is essential to maintaining healthy skin.
What you put in your body affects the health of your skin just as much as what you put on it. Eating a balanced diet is important for your overall health and to get beautiful healthy skin, your diet must include fresh fruits, vegetables and essential fatty acids.
Raw fruits and vegetables are rich in nutrients and antioxidants so make sure you have the recommended number of servings each day. Essential fatty acids can be found in healthy oils and fats, such as olive oil, fish, and seeds and nuts. Skip the refined foods and go for carbs that are as close to their natural state as possible, like whole wheat bread and brown rice. Eat smaller meals throughout the day rather than three big meals and make sure your snacks include healthy foods, such as fruit or nuts.
Be sure to hydrate your skin properly, not just on the outside but from the inside as well, by drinking plenty of fluids every day. You should also limit the amount of time you spend in the sun. The sun is a great source of Vitamin D but exposure should be limited in order to reap the benefits and avoid damage to your skin. It is recommended that you spend about 20-30 minutes two or three times a week in the sun during the spring and fall months. In the summer, when the sun is strongest, 15-20 minutes two or three times a week should suffice.
And last but not least, try to avoid stress as much as possible. Even though this often easier said then done, stress can aggravate certain skin conditions and sabotage your efforts to achieve and maintain healthy skin. So try to take some time out for yourself and relax as often as you can.
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