Your skin has a wealth of information to tell you. It’s vital that you take a look at the relationship you have with your skin because it could mean heading off health conditions before they become severe. If you're like most people, you take your skin for granted, ignore the cues, and try superficial remedies with short-term relief, but not long-term management.

Your skin can send cues that tell you what’s going on with your internal state of health like the health of your vital organs or whether you have unknown food allergies. Skin sensitivities like itching, rashes, puffiness or peeling and dehydration can provide health indications. It even tells you about the toxicity of your lymph and elimination systems, plus the effects of a poor diet.

The level of stress or emotional states that you hold in your body can be revealed by your skin, often in the form of unsightly acne — whether you’re an adult or an adolescent.

These are just some of the cues from your skin that warn you to pay closer attention for your general health. Once you start paying attention, what can you do? Here are five tips that you can follow to improve the relationship with your skin:

1. SEEK EXPERT HELP
A licensed esthetician can help quickly identify the root causes of your skin problems. The esthetician provides you with a healing skin program to follow and advises when to seek further help for things like skin cancer,psoriasis, or circulatory problems.

2. DRINK HALF YOUR WEIGHT IN OUNCES OF WATER
If you weigh 130 pounds, that's 65 ounces or 8 eight-ounce glasses of water a day. Your body needs lots of water to carry out all its internal functions for optimal health. When you deprive your body of water, your skin suffers as well becoming dry and flaky. Stay away from soft drinks, coffee, and alcohol as they are very drying to the body. Plus, your body and skin needs water to circulate and rid itself of waste and to minimize bloating.

3. BE CONSCIOUS OF WHAT YOU EAT
Food is the basic building blocks of energy, nutrition, and repair for your body and skin. Be aware of what you eat, as all foods affect us negatively or positively. There are no neutral foods. Some of the negative results of poor diet choices include acne, rashes, dryness, puffiness, or color changes. Every time you eat, you either build up your health or put more stress on your body and skin.

4. GET ADEQUATE EXERCISE
Exercise helps improve the circulation of the blood and lymphatic systems, which feed and cleanse the skin. When you engage in your favorite exercise at least twenty minutes, three times a week, such as fast walking, swimming, or running, your skin will be clearer, more moist, and younger looking.

5. PRACTICE DEEP BREATHING
If you’re like most people, you’re a shallow breather. Shallow breathing means only breathing with the upper part of your lungs, rather than pulling the breath from your abdomen. Shallow breathing starves your skin and other systems of oxygen which builds up waste and stress in the body. This results in coarse, rough skin. Just ten deep breaths from your abdomen several times a day, exhaling as fully as possible, can improve the respiration of your skin and lymph circulation.

The skin is the largest organ of the body. It’s your first line of defense against disease and the outside world. When you follow the tips above, you’ll feel and look better. Remember pay attention so you can love and enjoy the skin your in!

Lisa Coolidge is a Licensed Esthetician. You can reach her at 404-261-3787.
Copyright © 2004, Lisa Coolidge, All Rights Reserved

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