Posted on December 3, 2015.
By Thelma Ledford
“Beauty is only skin deep! Beauty is as beauty does!” are phrases we often hear said.. They are referring to a person’s character and behavior. “Real beauty” originates from within the person. A person’s motives and attitudes are reflected in spite of the outward appearance of the person or their behavior. So beauty is really an “inside” job! The same is true of the skin. Skin beauty is from the inside out. When it comes to creating great looking skin, nothing is truer than the adage “You are what you eat!” What you put “in your face” is every bit as important as what you put “on your face.” Cosmetics can help cover some signs of an unhealthy lifestyle, but ultimately the ravages of a poor diet with free radical damage will become apparent no matter how professional the makeup job. The quality of our skin simply reflects the quality of the raw materials (foods) used to make its cells. All of us appreciate smooth, healthy skin. There is much skin damage that can be avoided during teenage years with plenty of attention to the health of the body. The largest and most visible organ, the skin, is a reflection of the body’s interior health. If the liver isn’t functioning properly, for instance, the skin may have a yellow cast. When the lungs are deprived of sufficient oxygen, the skin appears gray. A person who drinks excessively often has skin that looks red or swollen. And people who eat overly processed nutrient-poor foods usually develop breakouts, whiteheads, or clogged pores. This is the body’s way of cleansing itself—it is trying to dump the toxins. It is more important to attend to the food we eat, than the medication we use on the surface. The medication may help dry up the blemishes, but it will not correct the problem; medical drugs can cause lifetime damage. Many people try to solve a skin problem by trying every new product in the marketplace. This is not wise; the manufacturers will accommodate you. The skin must be nourished. We should clean up our diets, supplement, and drink plenty of fresh, pure water if we are serious about a smooth, healthy unblemished skin on the outside—especially during teenage years when the hormones are active. The skin consists of two major layers and is made up of countless cells. The cells in the outer layer, the epidermis, are actually dead cells; the cells of the lower layer, the dermis, are alive. The outer cells reproduce every three to six weeks. On the surface we are never very old. The newly formed cells migrate up and away from the nourishment; die and are gradually washed off. As the skin eliminates these dead outer layers it plays an important role in the body’s elimination of wastes. It also acts as protection from outside invaders. Be wise in choosing any kind of skin care products in fact, any product that you put on your skin soaks into your bloodstream. Products you choose should do more than enhance the natural appearance; they should feed and nourish the skin and not clog the pores, thus aiding the removal of wastes through the skin. One day a person told me that they thought the more expensive the product was the better job it did. Others say that the cheapest cream will do the same kind of job. Will it? Both of these extremes are untrue and misleading. In all of life we must make our decisions based upon quality or value; according to the available finances. We try to locate quality in food, cars, home furnishings, medical, and about most everything. Why would it be any different with the skin care and personal products? We can’t judge the product by the cost, or label. I have used many different creams and cosmetics until I discovered the one I’ve been using for years. They meet these criteria. Remember, everything you put on the skin soaks into the blood stream. Be sure to use safe products. The skin is a quick route to the bloodstream. That is why medication patches can be used directly on the skin.
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