Our skin: It weighs several pounds, is our first line of defense against germs, and is on the receiving end of every physical contact we make. But most of us, most of the time, pay very little attention to this vital human organ.
Proper skin care isn’t a once-in-awhile, casual affair. A daily shower and cursory facial scrub aren’t nearly enough and may actually be counterproductive depending upon the temperature of the water and what we’re applying to our face, hands and bodies.
The arrival of winter and cold weather is the perfect time to pay attention to skin care. For starters, shorter days should not be taken as a signal to let down our solar guard. The threat of sunburn is lessened, but still present. The sun can damage our skin at any season and cloud cover is no barrier to ultraviolet radiation. We need to continue to use a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher and take the same precautions we did during the height of summer.
Skin care might seem simple enough, but the skin, with its three complex layers, is actually the body’s largest organ. Like the brain and the heart, it requires proper care if it is to perform its many functions efficiently. The outer epidermis, consisting of four distinct layers, provides our skin color and protects against invasive germs. But while it may appear smooth and clean, the outer skin is home to a mix of oils, dead skin cells, and plenty of bacteria including many beneficial ones. That is how nature intended things.
When we take a hot shower and lather with a chemical-based soap, we wipe everything out including those natural oils and good bacteria. Those of us using public water supplies simultaneously open our pores to a heavy dose of chlorine. So, in our effort to get clean, we wind up undoing nature’s good work and subjecting the epidermis to a chemical assault. The results can range from dry skin to itching and flaking of varying severity.
Showering and washing are important. We don’t want to offend family and co-workers with how we smell and there are many dangerous germs that need to be killed. But we’ll do better if we take shorter showers or baths in water that is warm but not hot to the touch. Replace chemical soaps with their dyes and harsh additions with natural Castile or glycerin soaps. And shun anti-bacterial soaps, which some studies say do more harm than good. After bathing, apply high-quality jojoba or almond oil to your skin to lock in moisture.
The middle and bottom layers of our skin contain blood vessels, hair follicles, oil glands, fat, collagen and sweat glands. It is here that the nerves for sensation and touch reside, and here that our bodies perform the basic work of conserving our body heat and giving our torso, limbs and face their tone and shape.
To do all that work, our skin needs proper nutrition. But too often we fail to eat the right foods. The Chinese have an ancient saying “The skin is a window into the digestive system.” If so, we can be sure that many of our skin problems, including acne, are the direct result of a diet imbalance. When the body struggles to keep up with the tasks of eliminating toxins and chemicals, it is evident in our skin.
We need to provide the deeper layers of our skin with the nutrients they need, including the right balance of the key omega-3 and -6 fatty acids as well as omega-7 and -9. Studies have found that today’s Western diets typically have an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio of 10-to-1 or more, where a ratio of 4-to-1 or less is considered ideal. Some argue for an even lower ratio, surmising that human beings evolved with a 1-1 ratio of these fatty acids in our diets.
Imbalances typically lead to inflammation in body tissues and organs and can produce a wide variety of illnesses.So, whether you have skin problems now or hope to avoid them in the future, here’s a quick list of reminders:
-- Nourish the body and skin with a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, which provide anti-oxidants and omega-3 fatty acids.
-- Take a high quality fish oil supplement.
-- Keep showers short and warm. Use natural cleansers.
-- After bathing, apply jojoba or almond oil to lock in the skin’s moisture.
-- Coconut oil can be applied to the hair to guard against protein loss.
-- If you use makeup, choose natural products. Use natural astringents, such as witch hazel, to draw out dirt and toxins and tighten pores.
Don’t forget the role of stress. People in a healthy and supportive relationship tend to have better overall health.
Consider an annual trip to see the dermatologist, particularly if you are older, have fair skin, or a family history of skin cancer.
Finally, if you have callouses on your feet, use salt rubs and pumice stones or specially made graters to gently and gradually reduce their thickness. Doing so can reduce pain and avoid more serious ailments.
We can be thankful that the human body is a remarkably resilient organism, capable of enduring much abuse and neglect, and healing itself if we only give it a chance.
Steve Bernardi is a compounding pharmacist and Dr. Gary Kracoff is a registered pharmacist and a naturopathic doctor at Johnson Compounding & Wellness in Waltham. For more information, visit naturalcompounder.com. Readers with questions about natural or homeopathic medicine, compounded medications, or health in general can email firstname.lastname@example.org or call 781-893-3870.