by Cathy Clements, Nutritionist & Life Coach, NASM CNC, CPT, FNS, WFS
Our skin is the largest organ of our body, although we don’t always think about it that way. It holds us together, sweats to keep us cool and can be damaged if we are out in the sun too long or take a spill off of a bike or on a pickleball court.
Our skin, when not damaged by external forces, is a complete reflection of how we are caring for ourselves.
Everything we eat, drink or put on our skin is expressed through our skin. Eating something that our body doesn’t like or is not particularly good for our body can be expressed as pimples or red splotches. This is a sign of inflammation.
Inflammation is best understood as a toxin our body is reacting to and wants to eliminate.
If we are in the sun too long and get burned, our skin lets us know, maybe years later with cancer or dark age spots. Making careful choices on products we use is the best advice I can provide to you; and use as few as possible.
According to www.ewg.org (Environmental Working Group) no more than SPF 50 should be used.
As the weather changes, so do the needs of our skin. In our arid climate, moisturizer is needed year round. Preferably we are using one with an SPF. Reading the labels of the products we use, remembering they absorb into our skin and into your body, is important.
I use a search engine to query ingredients I am unsure of, and I also go to www.ewg.org to see what is being reported.
I have a friend in the cosmetic field. She informed me that Europe bans more products than the United States out of caution for ingredients it questions as safe for use. There are cosmetic companies that follow those same guidelines here in the states; you have to ask and be diligent in your health.
Skin care is a major component of our health, and we need to consider our skin as an organ, remembering absorption begins there.