My patients and female friends are constantly asking me about natural ways to create wrinkle free skin. I've written about many natural beauty care products and options in my blog, but one therapy that I am finding increasingly more effective is acupuncture!
I wrote yesterday about how helpful acupuncture can be for the relief of menopause symptoms and estrogen dominance, but it has been shown to also improve blood flow and the thickness, tone, elasticity, and smoothness of facial and neck skin through stimulation of fibroblasts. Fibroblasts have a few jobs, but one of the most important is they produce collagen to keep the skin nicely plumped and supported.
You can find a acupuncturist in your area here. And for more information on anti-aging skin care, be sure to visit my Web site.
According to a new study in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, taking fish oil can reduce your risk of developing breast cancer.
Researchers had about 35,000 women fill out questionnaires, which included questions about their past and present supplement use. About 8 percent of the respondents were taking or had taken fish oil at some point. Over the next six years, 880 women got breast cancer. Researchers found that the women who were taking fish oil when the study began had a reduced risk of one type of cancer--invasive ductal carcinoma, which is the most common form.
I recommend fish oil to treat and prevent a wide variety of health conditions and complaints. Just some of the reasons to take fish oil includenatural appetite control; regulation of hormones, including estrogen dominance; creating wrinkle free skin; and alleviating perimenopause symptoms like hot flashes. I am so pleased that fish oil is starting to be recognized as a breast cancer preventive, too!
I recommend taking a minimum of 1,000 mg of fish oil per day.
For more information on menopause relief, effects of menopause, or menopause related problems, visit my Web site. While there, you can also sign up for my FREE eLetterormonthly newsletter.
I am a huge believer in using the best natural skin care…and then I turned 40. Suddenly, I started getting paranoid that my face was going to look like a road map and that my pores would become the potholes on that road.
As I looked into amping up my skin care regimen, I was hard pressed to find safe, natural alternatives. Then I came across microdermabrasion (microderm) and decided to give it a try.
Microderm is used primarily to reduce fine lines and wrinkles and reduce pore size. Okay, I was listening. The procedure itself involves a suction cup and what feels like sand to exfoliate the skin at a deeper level than most over-the-counter products can achieve.
I signed up for two sessions at a local medispa and discovered two things:
It is natural, in terms of no chemicals are used.
The person running the machine makes ALL the difference in the world.
I had the exact procedure performed by two different people and my results were dramatically different (think better) with the second person. My skin was smooth, soft, my pore size was reduced, and it actually seemed to glow. Best of all, the effect lasted a few weeks.
If you are looking for a chemical-free way to enhance your anti aging anti wrinkle regimen, I recommend giving microdermabrasion a try. My only caveats are to avoid the procedure if you have sensitive skin and to do your research regarding technicians.
There was a great article in the most recent issue of Elle magazine. They looked at several of the top natural weight loss plans on the market and had experts comment on how each individual diet affected the skin.
They looked at the Atkins diet, South Beach Diet, vegan diet, Mediterranean diet, raw diet, and low-fat diet. I immediately guessed that the Mediterranean would be their best natural skin care diet and I was right.
The Mediterranean diet is chock full of great essential fatty acids (keeps skin moist and helps attain a wrinkle free face), antioxidants (fights off free radical damage), and great lean proteins (maintain collagen and skin tone).
The vegan and raw diets are good in that you get lots of essential fatty acids to promote wrinkle free skin, as well as antioxidants to fend off those pesky free radicals. However, both diets run the risk of being dangerously low in protein. If you follow either of these natural weight loss programs, be sure to include lots of plant-based proteins such as beans, nuts and nut butters, and organic tofu once or twice a week.
The South Beach was next. The lack of sugars is great if acne is an issue, plus cutting sugar helps promote collagen production. The author suggests taking essential fatty acids and increasing water intake to prevent dehydrating the skin during the first two weeks of the program, when so many fruits and veggies are off the table (pardon the pun).
Low-fat weight loss plans are inherently bad for the skin by their very name…low fat. Your body needs healthy fats (i.e. essential fatty acids) to retain hydration and suppleness. If you insist on following this type of natural weight loss plan, add lots of fish to your diet and include a fish oil supplement.
Last was the Atkins diet. The author referred to this plan as “disastrous for the complexion,” due to the excess protein (causes calcium to plummet) and the acidity of the diet, which wreaks havoc with the skin. Not to mention the overabundance of saturated fat, which can lead to breakouts. Forgo this natural weight loss plan and opt instead for other, more skin-promoting programs like those listed earlier.
For more great weight loss and skin care tips, visit Dr. Lark's Web site. While there, you can sign up for her free eLetter, subscribe to her newsletter, check out her lastest products, and get more weight loss and beauty information.
Walk through any department store and you're bombarded with skin care products that claim to rejuvenate, rehydrate, replenish, and more. But if you turn that jar around and look at those products' ingredients, you'll find that most of them are impossible to pronounce...so how are you supposed to feel comfortable about what you're putting on your body?
Luckily, you don't have to spend money on a jar of chemicals to achieve incredible, wrinkle free skin. All you need to do is take a short walk to your kitchen.
Fruity Facial
All women want a wrinkle free face, along with freedom from acne, age spots, fine lines, and dryness. I love this natural skin care recipe so much because it contains avocado, a fruit high in iron, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, and E. And they are rich in oils that rejuvenate the skin, reduce eye puffiness, and leave skin soft, smooth, and nourished.
Combine: 1/2 cup non-instant oatmeal 1 cup mashed avocado 1-2 tablespoon honey
Blend ingredients until desired consistency. Apply mixture to skin and let dry for about 15 minutes. Rinse off.
I just came across a short article that reported on the effects of menopause on skin. The article didn't say anything new...it just reiterated the fact that dryness is yet another frustrating effect of menopause that women have to deal with.
When it comes to alleviating dryness, I recommend using the best natural skin care possible. One of my top recommendations is an all natural beauty care product called Trilane, which is made with 100 percent olive-sourced squalane with jojoba esters. I also write about many other natural anti aging skin care and beauty products throughout my blog (just use the search box and you'll find many, many entries for other natural skin care solutions). Remember, dry skin may be an effect of menopause, but it by no means has to be a permanent issue!
Everything in your body depends on water. In fact, water makes up 82 percent of your blood, 75 percent of your muscle, 25 percent of your bone, 76 percent of your brain tissue, and 90 percent of your lung tissue! Plus, water neutralizes acidity, which can dry out your skin.
Additionally, water is a critical part of the detoxification process. This is key, as healthy detoxification helps to keep your skin blemish-free and even works to reduce cellulite.
You should drink eight 8-ounce glasses of filtered water each day to achieve soft, supple, wrinkle free skin.
I am personally a huge fan of Fiji water from the South Pacific. Renowned for the natural purifier and filtration system that this crystal clear, still water runs through, Fiji has an extremely high concentration of silica (83 mg per liter), which you may remember is an essential nutrient for your hair and skin, thanks to its collagen-building capabilities.
You can find Fiji Water in most grocery stores and convenience stores. The only downside is that it comes in a plastic bottle.
How many times have you heard to place sliced cucumbers on your eyes to reduce puffiness? Or to drink (or even make!) “spa water” with sliced cucumbers in filtered water. The reason? Cucumbers are high in silica.
Silica is a critical ingredient in healthy skin, hair, and nails, and it commonly declines with age. Studies show that daily silica supplementation significantly improves the condition of hair and nails. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 48 women with fine hair, those in the group who took silica enjoyed significantly thicker, stronger hair.
Silica also helps reverse graying and is critical for healthy bone density, which helps explain why prematurely gray hair is linked with bone loss.
So, if your goal is natural anti aging skin care, you can’t go wrong with cucumber. Just be sure to leave the skin on, as the majority of silica is found in the skin. Other silica-containing foods include beets, soybeans, leafy green vegetables, and whole grains. Combined with cucumber, aim to make at least one of these natural skin care ingredients part of your food-based beauty plan every day.
The benefit to green tea lies in the fact that freshly harvested tea leaves contain polyphenols, remarkable compounds with a host of therapeutic actions. In fact, the average cup of brewed green tea contains about 100 mg of polyphenols.
On the beauty front, these polyphenols in green tea give you a natural weightloss “kick” to help you burn calories. Polyphenols appear to block the enzyme that breaks down norepinephrine, a brain chemical that regulates your metabolism. The higher your levels of norepinephrine, the faster your metabolism, which in turn allows you to burn calories even more efficiently.
In one study, researchers divided participants into three groups, giving them either a placebo (sugar pill), caffeine, or green tea extract, which was standardized to 50 percent of the active ingredient epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Researchers found that those who received the green tea burned an additional 500 calories per week, with no changes in diet or physical activity. That equates to about eight pounds a year!
Plus, green tea is a great source of antioxidants, which have been shown to help prevent ultraviolet light-induced inflammation, dryness, and damage to your skin.
To take advantage of this great natural anti aging skin care gem, while also enjoying a natural weightloss kick, aim for about two to three cups of green tea a day.
Wheat germ is rich in vitamin E, which has mildly estrogenic properties. In fact, wheat germ contains the fatty acids and other nutrients that your body needs to support and produce hormones such as estrogen.
This is key for wrinkle free skin, as estrogen is responsible for the deposits of fat under the skin that give rise to the soft and fine-textured skin that many women enjoy when they are young. Estrogen also causes fluid and salt retention in the tissues, which helps plump up and fill out skin, giving you the best natural skin care Mother Nature has to offer.
You can use wheat germ much like flax, by sprinkling it on yogurt or oatmeal or adding to a smoothie. Additionally, you can reap the same natural anti aging skin care benefits from wheat germ oil. Again, you can add to smoothies or even take in supplement form. Dr. Lark recommends taking 2,000–2,400 mg in capsule form a day, in divided doses.
Berries are proof that great things do come in little packages. (Sort of like Tiffany’s…but I digress). Whether you are talking about strawberries, blueberries, or my favorite raspberries, all berries have one thing in common; they are high in antioxidants, particularly vitamin C. This fact makes them a powerful part of any natural anti aging skin care plan.
Vitamin C is needed for collagen production, thereby helping to strengthen the connective tissues underlying the superficial layer of the skin. Plus, research has shown that high levels of vitamins C (as well as vitamin E and beta-carotene) can provide added protection beyond sunscreen to prevent ultraviolet light-induced inflammation, dryness, and other skin damage. Overexposure to the sun can slowly destroy the dermis (the layer of skin just beneath the epidermis), causing it to lose its strength and resilience. The result: sags, folds, creases, and wrinkles.
So up your berry intake in get the best natural skin care these vitamin C powerhouses have to offer. And don’t be afraid to go beyond the obvious of adding them to smoothies, oatmeal, or as a snack.
Add raspberries to a spinach salad for a one-two vitamin A/vitamin C beauty power punch.
Add sliced strawberries and one tablespoon balsamic vinegar to cooked chicken breasts. Sauté for two minutes and serve over brown rice.
Toss quinoa with blueberries and chopped pecans for a delicious side dish to your favorite fish recipe.
Spinach is rich in vitamin A, which has been shown to improve the overall health of your skin. In particular, it is helpful in suppressing oily skin and acne. One study found that high doses of vitamin A helped clear up even the most severe cases of acne in 90 percent of people given the vitamin.
Research has also shown that 100,000 IU of vitamin A daily removed all age spots from subjects over a 12- to 16-month period. While you cannot possibly eat enough spinach in any given day to equal this amount, you can augment your spinach intake with vitamin A supplementation as part of your natural anti aging skin care regimen. Dr. Lark recommends taking its water-soluble precursor, beta-carotene, at 15,000–25,000 IU daily.
This succulent houseplant exemplifies the best natural skin care, due to its ability to soothe, heal, and moisturize skin. In fact, a large body of research documents the use of aloe for a variety of dermatological conditions, including rashes, acne scars, dermatitis, psoriasis, and wound healing.
When aloe is applied to skin, it reduces the scaliness, itchiness, and extent of seborrheic dermatitis; prompts the remission of psoriasis; relieves poison ivy; assists the healing of chronic leg ulcers; and speeds healing after dermabrasion, a technique used to remove acne scars and wrinkles.
Although allergic reactions to aloe vera gel are quite rare, before applying it, you should test yourself by dabbing a small amount on your leg or arm and monitoring the area for 24 hours. If your skin becomes red or itchy or you develop hives, do not use aloe preparations on your skin or ingest them.
I personally use aloe vera juice. As one of my natural skin care recipes, I mix aloe very juice with mineral water and a bit of pomegranate or cranberry juice, and pour over ice into a large wine goblet. (It’s my little evening ritual.)
Now, I’m not going to lie to you…this beauty food is definitely an acquired taste. But the skin and health benefits are worth it!
Have you ever met a woman who just radiates natural beauty? Her skin is smooth and glowing, her hair shines and is healthy, and she seems to light up every room she enters. When you see a woman like this, do you wonder—what is her secret?
I can tell you first hand that the answer is NOT the latest beauty fad. In fact, most of the “beauty” products on the market are actually bad for your skin—not to mention your health. The true secret is natural. Natural beauty radiates from the inside out.
When you look good, you feel good. And when you feel good, you look good. Best of all, some of my favorite natural beauty care products are actually food!
Over the next few days, I’ll share with you the top 10 beauty foods, as well as a few natural skin care recipes…some to eat and some to wear. But all will include foods you can find right in your local grocery or health food store.
Natural Beauty Food #1: Olive Oil
Olive oil is a one of my favorite natural beauty care products for two reasons: it is a great source of essential fatty acids (EFAs), as well as squalene.
EFAs help to moisturize and soften skin, as well as promote shiny, healthy hair. This is particularly important for women with estrogen deficiency (including those in premenopause or perimenopause), as dry skin is on of the more common menopause symptoms. In addition to benefiting skin and hair, EFAs have also been found to soothe and heal dry, chapped lips.
On the squalene front, this natural antioxidant found in olives also occurs naturally in all human tissues, with the greatest concentration in the skin. In fact, rumor has it that Sophia Loren uses olive oil on her skin as part of her natural anti aging skin care regimen.
In addition to using olive oil topically, you can use extra virgin olive oil in typical ways, i.e. to cook with or dress a salad. I also like to use it to top a sweet potato (also a beauty food!) or popcorn, as a delicious and beautiful alternative to butter.
Aloe vera is more than just your common houseplant! It is also a gentle, effective anti-inflammatory, as well as a skin regenerator. I often recommend using facial cleansers that contain aloe if you have acne, eczema, or another condition that causes sensitive skin.
In addition, aloe can: • reduce swelling, inflammation, and pain; • keep exposed tissue moist; • combat skin pathogens as effectively as the antibacterial preparation used on burns and skin ulcers at most hospitals, silver sulfadiazine; • promote wound closure; and • stimulate skin repair and regeneration.
And studies have shown that Aloe vera reduces the scaliness, itchiness, and extent of seborrheic dermatitis; prompts the remission of psoriasis; relieves poison ivy; assists the healing of chronic leg ulcers; and speeds healing after dermabrasion, a technique used to remove acne scars and create wrinkle free skin.
Skin is built on a sponge-like framework of a protein called collagen, which supports the skin and gives the face its youthful, lifted appearance. Unfortunately, as we age, collagen weakens, causing your face to look less plump and wrinkles to be more apparent.
The good news is that studies show that the topical use of marine collagen can create the wrinkle free face you want. Applying collagen topically can cause immediate firmness and hydration of the skin, as well as create a significant increase in overall thickness. The key is to use concentrated collagen that’s formulated for optimal absorption, which you can find in a product called Wrinkle Reducing Collagen Concentrate with InstaFirm.
Now that I've told you how to feed your skin from within with my top 5 supplement recommendations for wrinkle free skin, I am going to share with you what I consider to be some of the best natural skin care ingredients or products you should be using for a gorgeous, wrinkle free face. Let's get started.
#1: Olive-based squalane All humans produce a substance called squalene, which serves as an oxygen carrier, an emollient, and an antioxidant in the body. Additionally, it is a component of sebum, the oily substance produced by our sebaceous glands that protects and "waterproofs" hair and skin. Squalene is also found in other natural sources, like olives. Because squalene is easily oxidized, its stable form, squalane, is used in skin care products to nourish and protect skin.
If you look at the ingredient list of many lotions on the market, one of the things listed is squalane--because it works! But what I don't like is the additional "fillers" that most products contain, like parabens and synthetic fragrances. Fortunately, there's a way to gain the amazing benefits of squalane without the fillers--Trilane. This product contains two ingredients: olive-sourced squalane and jojoba esters. which provide additional moisturizing benefits. Trilane is by far my favorite natural skin care product for dry, flaky skin that needs intense moisturizing.
#5 Recommendation for a Wrinkle Free Face: Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)
EFAs are an excellent way to create moister, softer, wrinkle free skin. The moisturizing effect of these oils has been particularly evident in my younger patients who already have a high moisture content in their skin, so if you are at midlife, it takes a little longer to replenish your moisture content--in some cases, three to six months.
To ensure that you are getting enough EFAs in your diet, eat foods rich in omega-3s, like ground flaxseed (up to 6 Tbsp per day), raw pumpkin seeds, and cold-water fish such as salmon, tuna, or mackerel (up to three times a week). You can also supplement with a high-quality fish oil.
Another form of omega-3s come from krill oil, an EFA complex derived from tiny shrimp called Antarctic krill. Krill oil’s fatty acid and phospholipid content makes it an ideal choice for delivering moisture and hydration to the skin. A clinical study showed that supplementation with krill oil had a positive effect on skin health and appearance, helping to produce wrinkle free skin by improving skin hydration.
You can find fish oil and krill oil at health food stores and vitamin shops.
#4 Recommendation for a Wrinkle Free Face: Olive pulp extract
I am a big fan of olive oil, not only for its health benefits, but for its beauty benefits as well. But did you know that olives only contain 15 to 20 percent oil? More than 50 percent of an olive is juice…and that juice is a very rich source of polyphenols--amazing antioxidant compounds.
Olive pulp extract is particularly rich in the polyphenol called hydroxytyrosol. Research on people given oral doses of olive pulp extract showed that the antioxidant capacity of their blood plasma increased as the dose increased. And, in animal studies,olive pulp extract has been shown to help prevent UV damage to the skin and help keep skin in its normal, healthy state. I recommend 100 mg of olive pulp extract daily.
One brand you can try is Olivenol from Life’s Vigor.
How did this happen? One day I woke worried about treating the occasional blemish and now I wake up worried about smile lines and forehead creases. When did I switch from needing anti-acne skin care to wrinkle free skin care? (Answer? About three years ago!)
Fortunately, the natural anti aging skin care market is exploding the pure, natural, and effective treatments for anti aging/anti wrinkles. And my two favorite are Organic Natralox and the Revenir system.
What I love about Organic Natralox is that it not only uses safe, naturally derived ingredients, but it is clinically proven to reduce wrinkles 30 to 50 percent in just one month! Plus, it helps minimize the appearance of age spots and other visible signs of aging, protects against free-radical damage, and reduces skin dryness and flaking.
As for Revenir, you can can’t get any more basic and yet high-tech that this. Revenir is a hand-held water device that deliver electrolyzed water solutions to help promote wrinkle free skin. In layman’s terms, you add a solution of pure ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and purified water to your Revenir device to create a powerful antioxidant solution that can penetrate your skin’s barrier all the way to the dermis. This is key, as the vast majority of “antioxidant” creams on the market do not get through even the top layer of your skin, let alone penetrating far enough to reach the dermis, where collagen is produced. Plus, the electrolyzation process used by Revenir increases the strength of the antioxidant solution—up to eight times the normal rate. In other words, Revenir fights free radical damage at the cellular level.
As a result, Revenir has been clinically proven to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, soften rough skin, increase collagen and elastin production, and improve the overall health and appearance of the skin.
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