by Cathy Clements, Nutritionist and Life Coach, NASM CNC, CPT, FNS, WFS
At our elevation, the air is dry, aiding the need for more water and moisturizing.
I am the person who cannot wait for the long days of summer. I find it glorious that the sun is rising earlier and setting later. We know that the sun is good and bad when it comes to our skin.
We are sensitive to the negatives of overdoing it outside. Remember your sunscreen! I don’t know how often I have heard that. But wait, aren’t there benefits from the sun?
Yes. The sun stimulates the production of vitamin D in our bodies. Vitamin D is a vitamin we are generally deficient in because of sunscreen and conditioning to spend less time outside.
Our skin is our largest organ. If we didn’t have it, well, we would be a mess. But if you view your skin as something, an organ, to take care of, then we get better at paying attention.
Our skin has many aspects. It is three layers — epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis. These layers have blood vessels, hair follicles, proteins (collagen, elastin, and keratin), water, lipids, and minerals. All of this helps keep us warm or cools us if we are too hot.
We should be treating our skin with respect. Our skin is a reflection of everything we put in and on our bodies, and it regenerates about every month.
What we eat is reflected in how our skin looks. Eating clean healthy foods helps our skin glow. Some individuals with sensitivity to dairy products have breakouts. Food sensitivities can be displayed as inflammation of many kinds. When we are eating in an unhealthy way, our skin becomes dull and dry.
Drinking water adds to hydrating our skin, as well as the rest of our body. Washing will ensure our pores are cleaned of dirt and oils that collect during the night or the day. Moisturizing is important.