Nutrition and Skin Health-supplements for all skin problems

Good nutrition is vital for skin health

Nutrition is such a fundamental part of our health and well-being. Without proper nutrition our bodies cannot function properly and we will get ill.

I cannot stress it enough; we need to eat well to be well. With that I mean fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds in their raw states where possible. Drink plenty of water and limit alcohol and fizzy drinks. Eat much less meat, sugar, saturated fats and dairy. 

Nutrition is very important at every stage of our skin development. For healthy skin we need collagen which our bodies make from Vitamin C. To maintain healthy collagen and elastin we need anti-oxidants which our bodies get from Vitamin A, C and E and others. We need fatty acids to keep our skin’s sebum in good health which we get from nuts and seeds. I can go on and on….

As we all know by now, we don’t always get enough vitamins and minerals from our diet and therefore it is a good idea to supplement as well with at least:

• A good multivitamin and mineral from a natural source
• 1000mg Vitamin C
• Cal/Mag in the correct ratio 1:2 ie 400g magnesium to 800g calcium
• Omega 3 and 6
• PLUS any other vitamins as discussed under each skin type/condition/problem

Eat healthy

Ageing skin

According to Dr Nicolas Perricone “ageing is just an inflammatory process”

So, we need to slow down inflammation in our bodies. With this mind, we need to look at nutrients that are anti-inflammatory and that will give our bodies the best change to fight oxidative stress.

The ideal anti-ageing diet will therefore be rich in Omega 3, 6 and 9 and anti-oxidants.

For optimal skin care we need to supplement with the following:

• Vitamin C buffered with Calcium -1000mg
• Omega 3 –loading dose followed by maintenance load*
• Good multivitamin of natural origin
• Vitamin A-2000 to 2500 iu

Remember to take your supplements

Dry Skin

Contributing factors for dry skin (lacking in oil) include a lack of essential fatty acids, Vitamin A as well as water.  Diets should be high in essential fatty acids from seeds and their oils, but low in saturated fat.  Eat lots of fruit and vegetables that contain large amount of water. Limit alcohol and coffee intake.

For optimal skin care we need to supplement with the following:

•  Essential fatty acids such as flax (omega3) and evening primrose oil or borage oil (omega6)
• Vitamin A 5000iu                  
• Vitamin E 200 to 400 iu
• Vitamin B6
•  Zinc
• Vitamin C buffered with Calcium -500mg
  
  
  

  

  Fresh food is best!

Oily Skin

In treating oily skin we should respect the oil/water balance of the skin in order to reduce the oiliness, but keep the skin healthy and comfortable. By removing too much oil topically, the skin will try and re-adjust the lipid levels and produce more oil. It is much more effective to also help from within.

For optimal skin care we need to supplement with the following:

• Lecithin capsules- 400mg
•  Vitamin C buffered with Calcium -1000mg

Acne skin

Acne-prone skin should ideally be treated both topically and systemic. Vitamin A plays a major role in treating acne. Vitamin A has been used for many years and is a tried and tested regime. It, however, important to note the following:

Vitamin A is an oil-soluble vitamin and is stored in the liver.  Therefore it is possible to take too much and poison your body (hypervitaminosis). 

All Vitamin A therapies are prohibited for the following individuals:

• Anyone who has been on Roaccutane or similar treatments within the last 3 months
• Anyone who is trying to fall pregnant within a few months’ time.

Fruits are needed for good health and well-being

For optimal skin care we need to supplement with the following:

• Vitamin A therapy
•   Lecithin capsules

After the Vitamin A therapy to control breakouts:

• Vitamin B3
• Zinc

Please contact me for an appointment so that I can discuss the therapy with you and monitor your progress

Belated New Year’s Resolutions? No, this is a New You Resolution!

I do not really believe in New Year’s resolutions. I tried it so many times when I was younger and it never lasted longer than about mid-February. It was only when I revisited the whole concept during last December that I realized what I did wrong all those years. I was too ambitious and wanted to either change the world, or myself, in one huge blow!

Slowly can also get you there…

I have written down some of my personal thoughts about this here, but this is a more beauty and health-specific list that I hope you will strive to get right too:

Always, always wear sun block:
I am talking huge numbers: SPF 50, at least. Yes, I know that most beauticians will gasp and clutch their hearts in shock! The norm is that the higher the number, the higher quantities of chemicals it contains. Rest easy, those jumping hearts! Read more here about taking care in the sun. I have the Perfect Sun Block SPF 50+ for you:

Essel DNA Epinew SPF 50+ Spray-on Face and Body Sun Screen

Essel DNA-Epinew Sunscreen Protection Spray SPF50+ : R 380/150ml SPF 50+ Spray-on face and body sunscreen with added Vitamin A,C and E. UVA and UVB protection with Anti-Oxidants, Water resistant.

Clean your skin every night.
Please do not skip this, no matter how tired and sleepy you are. It only takes about 5 minutes, but you will see the benefits of this quickly.  Store everything you need in a pretty container in your bathroom, so that it is easy to get hold of when you clean your skin at night. Follow the steps here to get a beautiful clean and well-cared-for skin before you go to bed.

Vitaderm Pre-Cleanse R255/150ml

Vitaderm Pre-Cleanse

Vitaderm Pre-Cleanse is a completely water-soluble oil-gel suitable for all skin types.  It can be used as a make-up remover prior to normal cleansing or it can take the place of one’s cleanser. For oily and acne skin, it is best to use a gel cleanser afterwards to cleanse the skin. Vitaderm Pre-Cleanse is popular with men as a shaving product.

Every woman needs an eye cream
Every women 25 years of age and older must use an eye cream every morning and night.  The younger ladies can look at a cream that hydrates and moisturize to keep the skin around your eyes supple and comfortable. You can start looking at an anti-ageing cream in your thirties or younger, if you have very dry skin.

The popular Vitaderm Eye Lift Gel with roll-on ball. R395/20ml

Vitaderm Eye Lift Gel

This eye gel helps boost hydration and brightens the delicate area around the eyes. The Eyeseryl®  protein peptide content assists in reducing dark  circles and puffiness,  whereas the AcquaCell® 

extract softens the appearance of fine lines and  wrinkles.  The Pullulan starch content helps firm  the skin, whist the hyaluronic acid content further boosts hydration. Witch hazel and aloe vera extract helps to soothe and decongests the area

Do not over-exfoliate
Yes, one should exfoliates regularly, but please no more than once a week for oily skins and once every 2-3 weeks for all other skin types ( more gasping and clutching!)

The more you exfoliate and stress your skin, the more oil it will excrete-it is a simple as that!  The more oil you see on your skin, the more you exfoliate, the more oil you will see- a vicious circle…

I have experienced this first hand in my teens, as I always struggled with oily and acne skin.  Stop that scrubbing and I promise you your skin will start to behave and settle. Your exfoliator is NOT the product to use to get you oiliness and acne under control.

Be gentle with your skin.

Drink that water.
Water consumption is so important, please drink at least 1.5.to 2 liters every day.  We need water to: Regulate our body temperature
Cushioning and lubricating our joints
Protect tissues and organs
Moisturise our nose, eyes, mouth
Carry oxygen and nutrients to cells
Aid in digestion
Protect central nervous system, brain and spinal cord
Help to dissolve nutrients, minerals and to make them accessible to the body
Clear out waste via perspiration, urination and bowel movements
Reduce the burden on liver and kidneys by eliminating waste

Drink-up! Your body needs it.

Get enough sleep

In years gone past, our many-times-over-great-grannies got at least 10 hours sleep per night. They got up with the dawn and went to sleep when the first stars showed. That is how we should treat our bodies today as well. Get at least 7-8 hours sleep. Your body needs to heal and to rest. Too little sleep leads to depression, anxiety, hyperactivity and other mood disorders. 

Sleep, what a wonderful thing!

Have a wonderful time taking care of yourselves!

Why we need to exercise for the rest of our lives.

Fitness is defined as good health or physical condition, especially as the result of exercise and proper nutrition. Before the industrial revolution, it was also be describes as our ability to carry out daily tasks and routine physical activities without undue fatigue.

Meditate at least 10 minutes per day!

However, with changes to our modern lifestyle and automation, fitness is now considered a measure of the body’s ability to function at optimum levels for work and leisure; to be healthy and to be able to recuperate after illness. There is a general consensus that everyone will benefit from activity as it promotes good mental and physical health.

According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, adults should exercise at least 150 minutes (2 hours/30min) a week of moderate intensity of 75 minutes (1hour/15min) of vigorous intensity.
The WHO says that a healthy lifestyle is extreme important to improve cardio,respiratory and muscular fitness, bone health and to reduce the risk of disease and depression

What is a healthy lifestyle?
There are different components to a healthy lifestyle. You need to look at the following;

• Regular exercise
If you exercise on a regular basis, not only will your body strengthen and be more resilient to illness, it will also help to decrease your stress levels.

• Balanced diet
This is such an important part of being healthy that I cannot emphasise this enough! Get rid of your bad eating habits and see your body and mind will flourish.

Change your eating habits for long terms benefits

• Manage your external stressors
It is so important to learn how to manage your daily stress. Conditions such as obesity, insomnia and various diseases can be directly linked to our ability to manage stress. Try meditation to help with you stress overload, it really helps!

• At least 7-8 hours of sleep
• This is vitally important! Your body cannot recover and heal itself if you do not get enough rest. Less than 6½ hours of sleep, will affect your hormones and will lead to more health issues.

Sleep is a good thing!

To increase and/or maintain your physical fitness you should look at a combination of strength, cardio exercises and flexibility exercises.

Strength training is a type of physical exercise specializing in the use of resistance to induce muscular contraction which builds the strength, anaerobic endurance, and size of skeletal muscles. It includes gym circuit training, gymnastics, resistance training and martial arts.

Cardio or cardiovascular exercises are  any exercise which involves working your large muscle groups and raising your heart rate for an extended period of time example  running, swimming and cycling. The purposes of this exercises is to improve your heart’s and lungs’ capacity, to make it stronger so that it can work more efficiently.

You do not have to join a gym to get your body moving.

Flexibility training includes stretching exercises for the purpose of increasing one's range of motion. Look at yoga, foam rolling and any other stretching exercises.

Try to exercise at least 3 times a week and slowly build up your time as you grow stronger. Strength training includes gym circuit training, gymnastics, resistance training and martial arts. Cardio,  and look to yoga and stretching exercise for flexibility.

What are the risks of not maintaining our physical fitness?

• Future weight problems
The top 3 killer-diseases in our modern society are heart disease, strokes and chronic lung diseases.  However, for the first time in history, in 2015, more people died from obesity related diseases then those that died from starvation related diseases. Between 1980 – 2000 obesity rates in the USA Doubled This is very concerning and highlight the problem with our obsession with fast foods and unhealthy food.

Yoga is ideal to maintain posture and relieve stress.

• Postural and back problems
Lack of exercise can contribute to our society’s growing number of people who complain about lower back pain and. It is important to be aware of your posture during the long hours in front of your computer. Get up and stretch your body often during your working day and stand and walk tall!


• Reduced mobility and flexibility as we grow older
Our joints lose their flexibility and an exercise routine which includes all the different exercise groups will help to keep you mobile until well into your golden years.

• Health problems
It has been shown over and over, that a strong and mobile body will be much healthier and will be able to fight of diseases.

• Lifestyle diseases
Lifestyle diseases are a ‘modern man” problem as this is directly linked to our lifestyles; too little exercise, bad diet, drug and alcohol consumption, smoking and our social habits of sitting in front of the Television or computer. It is also known as Non-Communicable Diseases. A non-communicable disease is a medical condition or disease that is not caused by infectious agents. Diseases that impact on our lifestyle are heart disease, stroke, obesity and type II diabetes

Life is too short not to make the most of it!

With the advances in nutrition and medical treatments, modern man will far out-live all his ancestors. So, if you do not want to spend your later years sickly and maybe in a wheel chair,you should strive to keep your body in perfect condition to enjoy your life full-on.

So what is the best solution for permanent weight loss?

All the Basics apply, but they are well worth all the effort!

• You need to eat less and exercise a little bit more. 
• Change your eating habits and regulate your food quantity. 
• Learn to listen to your body when you eat and stop eating long before you feel full. 
• You also need to look at what you eat. 
• Eat lots of fruits and veggies plus moderate amounts of good fats, healthy carbs, and lean proteins. 
• Stay away from processed foods like cakes and pastries, white bread, pasta etc. 
• Replace these with low G.I. foods and you will see results. 
• Exercise, a little at first and then slowly increase it as you become stronger and fitter. 
• Please do not join the expensive gym on the corner but rather opt for fun like jogging, skipping, playing with the kids or taking the dog on long walks. 
• These are more sustainable for those who hate to exercise and it will have a positive, uplifting effect as well!