New Year, New You. January 02 2021
Shedding new light on how to transform our skin, our gut, and our lives
Well hey there friends! Welcome to 2021
First of all, I want to check in with you to see how you are doing as we press into the beginning of the new year. There’s still a lot going on right now, and I want you to feel the freedom to give me some feedback on how things are really going in your life. Let me know with a quick reply, comment, or by sending our community group a message to talk with others. It’s 2021 folks, are you doing anything different, wearing new clothes, thinking or feeling different? Drop me New Years’ Resolution!
Whether you’re looking for something new or a chance to revitalize your life, there’s a lot we can talk about with respect to our skin. Humans don’t shed skin like snakes, BUT we do lose dead particles of skin every single day. We also regenerate those cells too. BUT, as with any process in the body (or on the body in this case) we need to have the right nutrients around to support those systems of healing in the body.
The story of your skin is the story of your health,
the story of your health is the story of your life.
Nourish Your Health to Nourish Your Skin
Has anyone ever talked to you about the role of food and nutrition and how it impacts your health or what about the health of your skin? There are several nutrients to consider when we want to help improve the health of our skin. Vitamins C and E are two common nutrients to think about for the skin, but our health is so interconnected, there are multiple factors we could discuss.
Citrus fruits are also one of the first foods used to suggest ways to improve the skin, used in topical treatments, they possess a pleasing fragrance, and are also great for eating too, supplying the body with additional hydration, needed nutrients and antioxidants.
Wait, You’re Saying My Skin Talks to Me?! HOW?!
Some of the more interesting things I’ve been learning over the last couple years are details of the Gut-Brain Connection, how the brain communicates with the intestinal / digestive system and the immune system. This has been incredibly relevant in our time of the global Pandemic events happening across the globe. A recent conversation I heard delved into the mind-blowing realization that “well, yea – duh!”
There MUST be a Skin-Brain Connection as well
I’ve grown to realize that the bacteria in the gut absolutely communicates with the brain, but also the body has millions of bacteria in many more places than just the gut, including the face, nails, hair – and yes also skin, and more! Imagine, the millions of little bugs that are living on your skin, which also plays a critical role as your first line of defense between your immune system and the environment, they are simultaneously protecting you, listening to the environment around you and also communicating that information from the environment to your brain.
There’s so much more to discuss here, but in this week’s podcast recommendation Dr. Keira Barr M.D. speaks with Jason Wachob on the MindBodyGreen Podcast about the ways in which our skin plays a very interesting role in our immune system, our mindset and some of the BEST FOODS to consume for healthy skin for life. Surprise, surprise, eating lots of colorful fruits and vegetables is one of the best things you can do! #Antioxidants #RedBellPepper #Almonds #Pomegranates #Pumpkin
Check out the episode and tell me what food for your skin you want to eat more of in 2021?!
If My Skin Talks to Me, Can I Talk to My Skin?
Dr. Keira Barr discusses some interesting points on the two-way street of conversation mentioned above about skin health, and I also want to point us in a beauty-filled direction to take a look at our line of skin care products and ALL the things that can interact with our – yes, SKIN-BRAIN, Gut-Brain Connections.
Have you ever heard about the Environmental Working Group or EWG for short?
Well, they are one of the established leaders in this space about providing solid information and insight to the public about conscious consumerism, ensuring safety of products for all members of our households, young and old. From their database of informative guides about the long list of potential ingredients that can be included on the label of many beauty products and even some information about ingredients left off the label in some cases. If you ask me, it’s wrong.
Maybe you’ve heard about the cancer risks associated with certain beauty and hygiene products like cervical or ovarian cancer and talcum baby powder, breast cancer risks with aluminum based anti-perspirant deodorant, or the more recent publications during the summer on the harmful ingredients found in many sunscreens. Do a quick internet search to learn all about it. If you ask me, we have reason to be upset when we find toxic chemical loads in breastmilk of mothers trying to feed their babies well.
If you ask me, it’s just so frustrating that…
there are not more safety precautions put into place for companies that put products and packages on the shelf asking consumers to buybuybuy when 1) it may have never been tested, 2) may contain ingredients banned in other countries or 3) ingredients that we know are harmful to the body or brain somehow, or 4) it may lead to unintended consequences for the environment as post-consumer waste products, filling landfills, river run-offs, and ocean beds with many more pollutants than what we’d ever imagined or knew about while simply shopping at the store.
There’s a lot to think about when it comes to making the best decisions aligned with our values, whether that be more focused on personal health, planetary health, animal free testing, or even simply the price of the
product for that matter. Here, I’ve included some helpful links to some great information they have published. Tell me what you think, do you believe there should be more transparency in our system today?
Reducing environmental exposures to some of these potentially harmful chemicals and products may help reduce current inflammation, breakouts, immune “overreaction,” and help prevent future symptoms.
If you’re interested in looking for more natural solutions to your personal health and hygiene needs, consider the following resources below:
Environmental Working Group – Skin Deep
Safe Cosmetics Campaign – Red List
Made Safe- Safe Products for Families
Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families
Take a look at your own habits, do you have a daily dozen products that you use?
What ways could you practice healthier habits around your personal skin care and hygiene needs?