The Ultimate Guide to Gorgeous Skin

Regardless of their age, most people want to have radiant and younger-looking skin all the time. If you are one of them, the following information from Dr. Mercola on vitamin D, diet, and wise lifestyle decisions is just what you might need to update your beauty regimen and get that healthy glowing skin you desire.

Vitamin D: Your Skin’s Best Friend

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient to help support your body’s healthy immune response. Without it, your body may become weak and vulnerable to all sorts of infections. According to Dr. Mercola, exposing your skin to sensible and adequate amounts of sunshine is the best possible way to optimize your body’s supply of vitamin D.

If you’re not used to the sun, try to build up your tolerance regularly and gradually. Spring and early summer are the best seasons to start with, as this will prep your skin for stronger sunlight later in the year. You can start with as little as 10 minutes a day under the sun.

The best time of the day to sunbathe is as close to solar noon as possible. You can use your skin as a time guide. When your skin turns the slightest shade of pink, it’s time to get in the shade or cover up.

Light-colored skins need at least 20 minutes of sun exposure every day. Darker color skins (e.g. Indian or African American) may take three to six times longer to get to the equilibrium concentration of vitamin D. Of course, longer exposure will be needed if sunbathing takes place during off-peak times of ultraviolet light (before 12 PM or after 3 PM) or at the beginning or end of summer months (April or September).

If you’re chained to a nine-to-five job, another convenient way to get vitamin D is through vitamin D supplementation or safe tanning beds. Choose good-quality tanning beds and stay away from outdated and potentially harmful equipment like the ones that emit dangerous electromagnetic field (EMF) radiation.

Remember to ask first if it has a safe tanning system that uses electronic ballast and makes use of beneficial UVB, infrared, red, and blue lights to help promote pain and stress relief and a more radiant and youthful-looking skin, among other benefits..

Skin-Smart Foods

Your skin does reflect how well you nourish it. Discovery Health recommends including a number of nutrient-rich foods to maintain gorgeous skin. Munch on healthy treats such as nuts like almonds, cashews, walnuts, and hazelnuts. They contain antioxidants and vitamin E, which help fight skin aging and free radicals. They also help keep your skin’s natural moisture.

Generally, all vegetables have positive effects for the body. However, natural health expert Dr. Joseph Mercola explains that red and green vegetables provide more optimal results for your skin.

• Orange and red vegetables like carrot, squash, and pumpkin are loaded with beta-carotene, which is converted by the body into vitamin A. Vitamin A is believed to prevent cell damage and premature aging.
• Greens like chlorella, kale, spinaches, dandelion green, and broccoli are filled with vitamin A, too. “Green foods – especially chlorella– are also good for your liver, which is responsible for cleansing and flushing out dangerous toxins in the body,” says Dr. Mercola.
• Citrus fruits such as orange and lemons are bursting with vitamin C, which aids your body’s production of collagen. Collagen is a protein that makes up your skin’s basic structure. If collagen breaks down, it can leave your skin looking old and saggy. Vitamin C can help tighten it up.
• Whole fruits like goji berries (not the juice), raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries are rich sources of antioxidants and can also support your body’s internal sunscreen.

Say No to Sugar and Grains!

While certain skin-clearing foods may provide fantastic effects, consuming foods that can ramp up your insulin and leptin levels speed up your skin’s aging process and create negative impact. To keep your insulin and leptin at optimal levels, Dr. Mercola suggests avoiding simple carbohydrates or grain carbs that raises your insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1).

Greater IGF-1 levels can cause an increase in male hormones, which is the reason why your pores secrete more sebum, a greasy substance that traps acne-promoting bacteria and may also cause skin cells (known as keratinocytes) to multiply, a process associated with acne. This is why it is so important to stay away from grains if you have acne problems.

Dr. Mercola says that the first big step to a blemish-free skin is to make an effort to eliminate all sugar and grains from your diet, like those found in candy, soda, baked and processed foods, for a few weeks. You will notice an improvement in your complexion immediately. Other common culprits of bad skin that you probably don’t know about are trans-fat, processed table salt, pasteurized dairy products, drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol.

The Wonders of Exercise

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is also a major component of achieving a youthful, glowing skin. Exercising regularly with plenty of high-intensity routines provides positive results in your overall health, including helping your body flush out toxins. For best results, go to an infrared sauna room where you can sweat profusely.  The more you sweat, the more you flush out stubborn and unwanted dirt and contaminants that’s clogging your pores.

Try doing Peak 8 exercises for a range of health benefits.

Pure, Clear Drinking Water

If there is a “fountain of youth,” perhaps it’s water, as an abundance of it can instantly produce positive effects in your body. Hydrating your body with pure, fresh, safe, and chemical-free drinking water facilitates cell growth, cell regeneration, eliminates wastes, and scrapes off dead skin cells. It can also improve your skin tone.

A clear sign that you’re getting enough water is when your urine color is pale yellow. If your urine is bright yellow, you probably need to drink more water, (except if you’re taking B vitamins, which turns urine bright yellow).

Be a Sleeping Beauty

Research shows that a good night’s sleep decreases stress levels and results in a blemish-free skin. This is because when your sleep, the body takes the time to heal and rebuild, and this applies to your skin as well. Sleep also restores good mood and energy levels.

Dr. Mercola says that if you improve your diet and lifestyle, you can expect to see the difference and the wonderful improvements not only in the quality of your skin, but in your overall health as well. Remember, lifestyle changes require a lot of hardwork, but the countless rewards will always be worth it!

Keep posted for more helpful and healthful tips from Dr. Mercola.

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Tags: dr. joseph mercola, dr. mercola, peak 8 exercises, sleep, Vitamin D