The skin which is the largest organ of the body helps in protecting all our internal organs and systems (that is why doctors consider the skin as part of the immune system, they say that it is the first layer of the immune system) and it beautifies the body.
The appearance of the skin can tell how healthy a person is and it is used in many traditional healing like Chinese medicine to diagnose illnesses. The appearance of the skin can make one attractive or repulsive, for women it is a thing of joy to have flawless and glowing skin.
The best way to get this natural beauty is from the inside out; and this can be done through nutrition and healthy lifestyle.
Even if you use the most expensive cream in the world and you are still not getting the right nutrients, your skin will show it and this will not be pleasant.
Remember the skin is an indicator for what is happening inside the body, ancient Chinese healers used skin problems to diagnose diseases and they were right because research has proved them right.
So in this article, we will be looking at natural ways to get a beautiful, glowing and flawless skin; this will include nutrition, face and body mask recipes and healthy lifestyle that ensure a healthy and beautiful skin.
Nutrition
Vitamin A
This vitamin helps with skin repair and maintenance; vitamin A deficiency leads to a dry and flaky skin. It also helps in reducing the damage caused by free radicals and it promotes a healthy skin. Rich sources of this vitamin are eggs, sweet potato, liver, green vegetables and red peppers.
Vitamin C
This vitamin is one of the most important for a healthy, flawless and glowing skin. It strengthens the skin, helps to protect the skin from damage and infection, improves production of collagen, enhance complexion, slows down aging and prevents appearance of aging signs and wrinkles, it brightens the skin and prevents spots and pigmentation.
It also helps in the synthesis of collagen, the main protein that makes up the skin. Take vitamin C rich foods every day; rich sources of vitamin C are red peppers, grapes, oranges, guavas, lemons, limes, kiwi fruit, broccoli, blackcurrants, strawberries, Amla, pawpaw and sweet potatoes.
Vitamin D
This vitamin helps with skin growth and repair; it also helps the skin to regenerate. It fights the activity of free radicals and optimizes the skin immune system.
It makes the skin radiate, boost elasticity and collagen production, prevents acne, fights aging, wrinkles and dark spots.
Get lots of sunshine but avoid high heat of the sun, preferably spend time in sunrise and sunset and eat lots of eggs and poultry to up your vitamin D level.
Vitamin E
This vitamin is vital for skin health; it even prevents skin cancer when combined with vitamin A. Vitamin E is rich in anti-oxidants which help fight free radicals and it slows the process of aging.
Foods rich in vitamin E are walnuts, eggs, almonds, asparagus, avocados, sunflower seeds, olives, oatmeal and dark green leafy vegetables.
Zinc
This trace mineral helps in repairing damaged tissues and heal wounds faster; it also protects the skin from harmful rays and prevent acne because some studies have linked zinc deficiency to acne. It also controls the production of oil and this can help control oily skin.
Rich sources of zinc are ginger, legumes, whole grains, seafood, poultry, pumpkin seeds, mushrooms and dark green leafy vegetables.
Omega-3 fatty acid
This essential fatty acid helps in preventing and treating all kinds of skin conditions like eczema. It also regulate production of hormones, it keeps the skin soft, fresh and supple, it prevents formation of wrinkles, it increases skin flexibility, moisture content and repairs the skin.
Good sources are walnuts, oily fishes, chia seeds, flaxseeds and fish oil supplements.
Selenium
This trace mineral is a powerful anti-oxidant that maintains skin elasticity and firmness; it prevents skin conditions like acne and fights skin cancer. It also promotes absorption of nutrients like vitamin E and this leads to a glowing and healthy skin.
Rich sources of selenium are walnuts, Brazil nuts, wheat germ, brown rice, whole grains, poultry, seafood, onion and dark leafy vegetables.
Lifestyle
Eat healthy foods
Good health starts from your diet, your skin is alive and it needs to be maintained by good nutrition.
Quality nutrients gives quality skin, eat lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, proteins and foods high in vitamins and minerals for a natural glowing and healthy skin. Vitamin C helps to promote a radiant skin.
Avoid over processed foods, they cause nutritional deficiencies which leads to skin problems and unattractive appearance.
Don’t sleep with makeup on
Before you go to bed at night make sure you clean your makeup by either washing your face with soap and water or by using a face wipe made with natural ingredients; you can also put a little quantity of olive oil on a cotton ball and use it to clean your face.
This will aid the skin to breath; it will prevent skin clogging which can lead to blemishes and blackheads. Sleeping with makeup on also promote the growth of yeast on the skin.
Detoxify your body regularly
When we let toxins accumulate in our bodies, this leads to slow circulation of blood because most of the blood vessels will be clogged; this will also increase appearance of pimples, acne and other skin problems and the skin will appear dull.
So to prevent this from happening, regularly detoxify your body by drinking lots water, fasting at least once a week and taking herbal teas like ginger tea regularly.
You can also meet a qualified naturalist to follow a detoxification program which can last up to 30 days.
There is an easy way to detoxify your body every day; always start your day by taking lemon and ginger tea or Moringa tea every morning, it will clear out toxins, strengthen your immune system and prevent chronic diseases from happening to you.
Exercise regularly
This will help to improve blood circulation which will in turn clean out toxins and waste and thereby make the skin glow.
When blood flow is increased, the skin cells will get more blood and this will help them to fight oxidation and neutralize the effect of free radicals and oxidative stress which speeds up aging process in humans. A sedentary lifestyle affects all part of the body including the skin.
Exfoliate
Try and exfoliate your skin at least once a week, this will help to remove dead skin cells which will lead to a brighter complexion and healthy glow.
Natural ways to exfoliate your skin is by mixing oatmeal and yogurt, or walnut powder and yogurt; apply the mixture on your skin, scrub gently with a soft sponge.
The anti-oxidants present in these mixtures will help slow aging, remove dirt and dead skin cells and make the skin radiate naturally. You can also use orange peel powder or lentil powder mixed with yogurt.
Sleep well
Try and have at least eight hours of sleep every night, sleeplessness leads to aged and saggy skin. Also during sleep, the body repairs itself and healing hormones are released which repairs the body even the skin.
Avoid stress
Do not overwork yourself, practice deep breathing and meditation; stress disrupt the normal level of hormones in the body and these leads to more breakouts, spots and blemishes.
Stress also makes the body to overproduce cortisol and other hormones, it makes the skin oily and oily skins are more prone to acne. Exercise also helps in reducing stress.
Get lot of sunlight
Contrary to modern believe, the sun does not cause cancer. Sunlight is good for every living thing on this planet including humans; sunlight has been used in ancient healing systems to cure virtually every kind of diseases and the act of using sunlight to heal is known as Heliotherapy.
Sunlight strengthens the immune system, increases the number of white blood cells in the body that helps in fighting infections, diseases and foreign invaders and it makes the skin glow.
Sunlight does not cause cancer, in fact the rate of skin cancer increased and is higher in people using sunscreens; what causes skin cancer are the chemicals you put on your skin called creams, the sunscreens you use and when you are filled with toxins.
When you are filled with toxins and you expose yourself to sunlight, the sun will try to expel the toxins from your body by bringing it to the surface and that is why many people have skin problems like aging, wrinkles and sun burn when exposed to sunlight and they blame the sun and don’t know it is they who have the problem.
So back to what I was saying, if you eat well, detoxify yourself regularly and use natural skin products, when you expose yourself to sunlight you will glow naturally.
Enjoy sunrise and sunsets, avoid high heat of the sun and if you must use sunscreen. Use aloe vera gel; it is more effective than all these sunscreens and it fights cancer.
Drink lots of water
Take lots of pure water, this will hydrate your body, flush out toxins, improve circulation of blood and all these will make the skin glow. Water also hydrates the body and removes excess oils and dirt from the skin.
The skin is made up of 15% water so dehydration will affect its appearance and health negatively.
To see a difference in your skin in less than a week, drink at least two liters of water every day, this will brighten your complexion, prevents dryness and wrinkles and it will also improve immune function.
Avoid too much hot water
Frequent usage of hot water on the skin makes it dry because it strips the skin of its moisture and wash away protective oils of the skin.
You can use hot water only when the weather is so cold, if not the best water for skin is cold water, cold water makes the skin glow and strengthen the immune system.
Hot water also opens the pores of the skin and this makes it easy for bacteria and germs to enter into the body but cold water closes the skin pores and this helps in reducing age lines and wrinkles.
Natural skin care recipes
Coconut oil
These are very rich in antioxidants and they fight and prevent the activities of free radicals which cause aging. It helps to maintain clear complexion and keeps the skin soft and moisturized. You can apply this oil all over your body as cream. You don’t have to wash it off.
Lemon
This is one of the best natural ingredients for promoting a clear skin, its high content of citric acid helps to remove dead skin cells and its rich vitamin C removes spots and helps the skin to renew itself.
You can mix the juice of a lemon and apply it on your body for 15, then you wash it off; you can also exfoliate with it by mixing sugar and lemon juice, apply this mixture on your body and use a mild sponge to scrub your body in a circular motion, wait for 10 minutes then you wash it off with lukewarm water. Do this once every week for glowing skin.
Honey
This is a great natural moisturizer; it gives clear skin and prevents skin infection. It also makes the skin soft and supple.
You can apply honey on your skin and let it dry, then you wash it off with lukewarm water, you can also mix honey and milk and apply the mixture on your body. Let it sit for 20 minutes, and then you wash it off with lukewarm water. Do this once a week for a flawless and glowing skin.
Pawpaw
This fruit has natural bleaching properties that will help one get a bright complexion, reduce scar appearance and improve the texture of the skin.
Papain, an enzyme present in papaya helps heal wounds fast and prevents bacterial activities on and in the skin, it also removes dead and damaged skin cells.
To use pawpaw for your skin, blend ripe pawpaw and mix it with a teaspoon of honey and a teaspoon of sandalwood powder; apply this mixture on your body and let it sit for 30 minutes, then you wash it off and have your bath, you can do this once every week.
Aloe vera
This is one wonderful herb with many benefits for the skin; it prevents and treats any kind of skin issues, stops bacterial activities, and soothes inflamed skin.
It also helps in healing scars and it promotes the growth of new skin cells. Apply fresh aloe vera gel all over your body, wait till it dries then you wash it off with a lukewarm water. You can do this daily before you have your bath.
Turmeric
This is a natural skin lightening agent that minimizes scars and skin marks. It can also fight skin allergies and infections.
Mix one table of turmeric powder with pineapple juice, apply this paste to your body, leave it till it dries then you wash it off with lukewarm water.
Walnuts
This nuts are very powerful in converting a dry and dull skin into a beautiful and glowing one; they are rich in anti-oxidants that repairs skin cells makes skin glow.
The powder can be used to exfoliate the skin. Mix walnut powder with yogurt, apply this paste to your body and wait till it is dried, then you scrub your body using a mild sponge, then you wash it off with water and have your bath. You can do this once a week.
Cucumber
This fruit has many benefits for the skin, it helps to improve overall appearance, repair damaged skin cells, removes dead skin cells and makes the body glow. Mix equal amounts of cucumber and lemon juices, apply it on your body and let it dry then you wash it off.
You can also apply only cucumber juice on your body and leave it overnight, in the morning you can wash it off.
