Skin Health…Why It Matters to Overall Health

. . . plus, how skin is your body’s early warning system for recognizing disease By now, you know skin is your body’s largest organ. And as you might expect, its size is a telling indicator of the important role it plays in our overall health. Because skin—all 22 square feet and 8 pounds of it—is made up of a complex system of cell layers, nerves, and glands that protects us, nourishes us, and helps us interact with the outside world. How your skin is a window to your overall health Scientists generally agree that the health of your skin is a reflection of your overall health. In other words, if you look healthy on the outside, you are likely healthy on the inside. In fact, there are many ways your skin provides clues that something is wrong internally. Inflammation, discoloration, swelling, numbness, wrinkles—to name a few—are “early warning signs” that can be used to identify hidden health risks, or the onset of serious disease conditions. Not surprisingly, such indicators of your body’s early warning system for detecting illness are virtually endless…highlighting how critical is to maintain the health of your skin. Because without healthy skin, it can be difficult to recognize these various skin conditions as trademark symptoms of the more dangerous—even life-threatening—diseases. Skin health tips for maintaining overall health With skin playing such a significant role in your body, we recommend adding the following 7 daily habits as part of living a healthy lifestyle, and to optimize your skin health in support of your overall health.

1. Protect your skin. Reduce the risk of physical damage to your skin by wearing protective clothing—long-sleeve shirts, gloves, goggles, head gear, etc.—whenever engaging in dangerous work or recreational activities. Plus, using our Beyond Health water purification systems will ensure the water you use at home for washing clothes and showering is free of harmful chemicals, like chlorine. Also, remember to shower off at home after swimming in a public pool or soaking in a spa…as this article explains the dangers of taking in even small amounts of chlorine through your skin.
2. Clean your skin. Whether part of your daily cleaning routine or immediately after an exposure to toxins, thoroughly wash your skin with warm soapy water. But pass on the usual popular bar and liquid soaps—as well as over-hyped antibacterial soaps that contain toxic chemicals. Fortunately, Beyond Health offers an extraordinary all-natural premier soap called Olivella made from 100% virgin olive oil.
3. Heal your skin. Whether you’re trying to remedy normal skin aging, combat dry winter skin, or heal a painful sunburn, choose an all-natural high quality coconut oil, or any number of our Beyond Health skin care products—instead of traditional lotions usually loaded with toxic chemicals—to return your skin to optimal health.
4. Feed your skin. Diet is by far the most important factor in keeping your skin looking and feeling healthy. Revisit our previous article revealing the foods and food processing methods that promote healthy skin—and those that age skin prematurely.
5. Hydrate your skin. Spending any amount of time outdoors in the winter, sunbathing in the summer, sweating while exercising, consuming caffeine or alcohol—even indoors with air conditioning or forced air heat—tend to dehydrate the skin. Some experts suggest drinking half your body weight in water daily during normal activity. Others say drink only when you feel thirsty. Yet, because of the importance of water to your body’s organs and systems—including skin—for proper functioning, we suggest drinking a minimum of eight 8-ounce glasses of purified water every day during normal activity—more for increased physical activity—to ensure your skin and other cells stay adequately hydrated.
6. Move your skin. Exercise has such a positive effect on your whole body, especially the skin. From our previous article, you can see how exercise increases blood flow to your skin to produce a rosy complexion…and promotes the delivery of abundant oxygen and nutrients to its cells while clearing away harmful toxins and pollutants. Rebounding is an excellent way to do this.
7. Rest and relax your skin. When you are feeling overwhelmed, apply any number of the following stress-reduction techniques to calm your entire body…and restore your skin health. Pray or meditate daily…do stretching exercises…practice yoga…get a massage or facial…listen to soothing music…enjoy a favorite hobby...take a hot bath or shower…get a good night’s sleep to clear your mind…take a well-deserved vacation…and more.

Got any additional ways you optimize your skin health to benefit your overall health? Please share them with us in the comments below.