Skin Health

Hey, did you know that the skin is the LARGEST organ in our body?? Yep, it is and it serves a lot of functions. One major function is keeping us healthy. Also, our internal body health will help our skin health and condition. When the body is unhealthy, the skin cellular turnover takes a dive so the body can focus on other things. Keep the whole body healthy to keep the skin healthy. There is tip number one. But now, let's take a look at some info about your skin.

These are my exfoliating skin gloves that I love so much. Easier than a skin brush.

Major Facts/functions of your skin:
* Your skin is the largest organ in your body


* 70% of your lymph is in your skin


* Your skin protects your whole body


* Excretion (getting rid of)- it excretes toxins and waste from your body


* Secretion - Secretes oil, the skin self lubricates and also secretes acid which is healthy because your skin has a 5.5 acidic balance which is healthy


* Absorption - it absorbs what is on it so we have to remember to put only healthy things that we would want in our bodies on our skin. (remember that when you are cleaning) Put essential oils and herbs on your skin instead of chemicals. Absorb good stuff. Stay away from Parabens.

* Heat Regulation - You blood vessels can contract and keep heat in your body, or they open and your skin sweats to cool you body temperature off.


* Good looks - Yeah, if you take care of your skin it will take care of you by blessing you with great looks. You will have that natural glow. Win/win


* Detoxing - You skin is one avenue for toxins to remove themselves from your body. Thanks skin!




Here is my FAVORITE lotion of all time. Pure coconut oil. The kind you cook with. It's solid at room temperature but put it on your hand and watch it melt. I have a jar in the kitchen and a jar up in the bathroom for after my shower. The Whole Foods brand is organic and a good price (I think $5 to $6. Some are expensive so you have to check out all the prices) Get organic though.

Ways you can care for your skin better:
* Only use natural and organic products on your skin. I know, I repeat myself, but one of the tops ways people are exposed to toxins is through household products. It's not the factories around us, it is the items we pay for, bring into our homes, and then willingly let touch our skin and then be absorbed into our bodies.

* Read labels. Go back to Health Lesson 1 about products and give yourself an extra boost.

* Dry skin brush - Yeah!! My number 1 favorite part of skin care. There are tough brushes you can get, but if you want to speed up the process get exfoliating gloves. I have a pair and I rub my whole body down like crazy right before I shower. I don't think you are supposed to exfoliate as much as I do, but I think it is so cool to feel how incredibly soft I can make my skin in a matter of minutes. There is supposed to be a method. Skin brushing not only makes you skin nice and soft, it also is health promoting by moving your lymph. Your lymph needs help moving by skin brushing and exercise, but your lymph cleans up your body and removes toxins. You are supposed to direct all your skin brush strokes towards your heart. It you want an extra bonus of really moving your lymph, put a little extra focus on the front of your armpit and right around your bikini line where a good amount of your lymph nodes are.


* Sweat the bad stuff out - exercise until you sweat (hot yoga, running, eliptical, or you can sauna). Are you exercising until you see and feel sweat?? I used to hate the fact that I was a really sweaty person. I almost felt abnormal for a girl. Well, now, whenever I sweat a lot I just tell myself that I am detoxing and I am thankful that I am sweating. Sweating is great for your skin.


* Shower after sweating (or towel off) - the whole purpose of sweating is to remove toxins. So all those toxins are in your sweat, so shower and rinse them off. Not all would go back in your body, but better to wash them off or wipe them off.


* Soak to remove toxins - Epsom salt, baking soda and maybe essential oils will draw out toxins and make you relaxed and happy. This will soften your skin too. Maybe do a major skin brush and then a soak??? Nice : )

* Don't go fake baking - yes, you need natural sun (15 minutes a day to get your fare share of vitamin D), but don't go to the takking booth.

* Use only natural sunblock


* Drink lots of water - I should have put this one at the top. Nourish from the inside out. I rarely use any lotion or oil on my skin and Kevin is always telling me how soft my skin is. I do drink gallons of water every day. Moisturize your skin from the inside out. Every time Kevin says something about his knuckles being dry my first question is are you drinking enough water?? His answer is always no. Drinking water tremendously improves the moisture in your skin.


Did you know: The human body breathes out 2-3 cups of water a day and sweats out 2-3 cups of water a day?? Yep. So, now do you feel like you might benefit from drinking more water??


This has nothing to do with skin, but we found Chlow taking a nap in the guest bathroom sink.

Tips I use to love my skin....

* When I dry brush I dry brush like crazy. By the time I am done I can literally feel my skin being baby soft. I also have an exfoliating loofa I use in the shower. It's scratchy though.


* I use coconut oil for my skin lotion. I LOVE it. You buy it in the grocery store by the other cooking oils. It's solid at room temperature but in seconds on your hand it melts. It is COMPLETELY natural and gives your skin back the oils it needs not all the other crap they put in lotions. And it smells so good, but doesn't make you smell like coconut all day.

* Exercise to the point of sweating. When I do yoga, I close the door to the yoga room so it gets really hot in there. I try to sweat as much as possible.

* I eat really healthy. I honestly have a lot less skin issues than I used to have once I changed my diet. You are what you eat.

* Water water water. I drink tons of water for my health and as an added bonus my skin is super soft. Nice. Even through the brutal Michigan winter it was really soft.


* I made a natural salt scrub, because I looked at the ones I still had and they had Parabens. Those things are everywhere. So, I took some the the epsom salt I had and added some essential oil to it and threw it in a cup and brought it into the shower. It worked fine and it was much cheaper than the ones you buy in the store with Parabens. Next time I am mixing the salt with the coconut oil. Crazy!!


* I remember that my skin is an ORGAN. When I think of it as am organ I tend to want to treat it better. Give your skin the credit of being a major part of your body



I think that is all I know about skin health, so I will stop there. I haven't talked about sports on the blog in quite some time, but I am still living the life of a sports fanatic. Kevin and I have watched every MSU basketball game. We are so excited to say that we will be at the Final 4 game here in Detroit!! Yeah!!!! Thank you to Kevin Schnieders, who else. He seems to always come through with tickets when it really matters. We'll take pictures.



Okay, I am signing off. Take care

Goooo Green!!!!

Goooo White!!!!

Go Sate Go!!!

MSUUUUUUUU!!!!

Shannon (your proud spartan)