The IndUS Network e-magazine

Beauty is skin deep ...

Skin Safety and Skin Cancer Awareness month

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Secrets behind healthy and flawless skin

Skin is the largest organ of the body because it actually breathes and absorbs things which are good and bad. It helps you warm up when you're cold and cool off when you're hot. It lets you feel things by touch, protects you and keeps your body organs from falling out ;)

Your skin adds a significant percentage to your overall personality. A skin appearance is considered to be representing one’s overall internal health. With so much in stake, it is no wonder that “skin care” is a multi-million dollar industry today. There are products targeted for every aspect of skin care, for every skin type and for every age group from every major brand. There are tanning salons in every corner of the town and beauty spas in every resort around the world. The TV commercials, magazines and news paper are flooded with advertisements claiming color-changing, age-defying or wrinkle-free capabilities.

So what is the secret behind keeping your skin healthy and flawless?

The answer is simpler than you think. There are 6 questions you need to ask yourself to see how conscious you are about skin health.

1. Are you drinking enough water?
Water is a best cleansing agent for your body. Remember to drink at least 8 glasses of water every day.
2. Are you sleeping enough?
Sleep can rejuvenate and renew your body elements. Make a resolution to have 8 hours of sleep.
3. Are you keeping your skin clean?
Read the section “A clean skin is a happy skin” to learn the do’s and do not’s in maintaining a clean skin.
4. Are you exercising regularly?
Regular exercise increases the flow of blood to different parts of the body including skin. This results in a healthy looking skin.
5. Are you watching what you are eating?
As the saying goes “you are what you eat”. More oily and fat rich foods are associated to common skin issues such as acnes. Eat anti-oxidant foods or foods richer in Vitamin A, B, D and E.
6. Are you moisturizing your skin?
It is not enough to just clean your skin. It is important to keep it moist. There are many products available in the market which you can pick based on your skin type and purpose. However, avoid using non-organic cosmetics or non-organic skin care products. Pick products containing Vitamin A, B, D, E or K.

To summarize, off-the-shelf skin care products can only help in keeping your skin moisturized or renewed. In order to maintain a glowing skin you need to look into your overall lifestyle as mentioned above.

Don't miss to watch the following 15 minute video which is interesting (and inspiring too) on skin care.

Video: Tips for maintaining healthy skin


Clean skin is happy skin

One simple way to take care of your skin is to keep it clean. Few do’s and do not‘s you can follow while cleaning are:

Do’s :

• Always keep your hands clean. Your hands can spread germs to other parts of your skin and body.
• Limit your bath time. Hot water and long showers remove oils from your skin
• Avoid strong soaps. Strong soaps can strip oil from your skin. Instead, choose mild cleansers.
• Shave carefully. To protect and lubricate your skin, apply shaving cream, lotion or gel before shaving. For the closest shave, use a clean, sharp razor. Shave in the direction the hair grows, not against it.
• Pat dry. After washing or bathing, gently pat or blot your skin dry with a towel so that some moisture remains on your skin.

Do Not’s:

• Don’t smoke: Smoking makes your skin look older and contributes to wrinkles. Smoking narrows the tiny blood vessels in the outermost layers of skin, which decreases blood flow. This depletes the skin of oxygen and nutrients, such as vitamin A, that are important to skin health. Smoking also damages collagen and elastin — fibers that give your skin its strength and elasticity. In addition, the repetitive facial expressions you make when smoking — such as pursing your lips when inhaling and squinting your eyes to keep out smoke — may contribute to wrinkles
• Stay safe in the Sun by applying sun protection cream otherwise it can cause burns, rashes or cancer.


What does Alternative Medicine recommend on Skin Care?

Beauty is the perfection of what is visually perceived.

The skin is seen as the mirror of inner health. The external body is simply the manifestation of everything that happens inside ,including the emotions.By addressing the components of our life ,we can control our skin’s health.

Now a days, the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat , everything is polluted. These pollutants, when enter our body from outside , causes different types of diseases. We clean our body externally but not internally. Healthy internal radiance is regarded as the true definition of health.

Ayurvedic medicine recommends oil massage and herbal steam bath(boiling the fresh herbs in water and sweating is induced by the steam),which improves peripheral circulation by vasodilation. The role of Ayurveda is to rebuild tissue, strengthen the immune system and restore balance to the person.

Also , acupressure, the ancient chinese method of healing helps the skin to detox by applying pressure at specific points in the body.

The only way to remove the pollutants from inside is the body and mind purification therapy.

Mind-body activities such as breathing techniques, meditation and yoga work wonders in keeping our energy or prana level high. It is an extremely effective technique for total relaxation and stress relief. Meditation is food for our soul and it brings forth the inner wealth. Meditation removes fixed and preconceived impressions and removes the stresses of day-to-day living .It is hundred times more refreshing than sleep because it helps you to live in the present moment.

To attain a perfect state of health , one has to be mentally calm, steady and emotionally soft. But this is not an easy state to attain in today's fast-paced life. Practice of yoga can release tensions, negative emotions and help one to live in present moment.

The mental thought patterns are the ones which causes the most disease in the body. A person is said to be in a state of perfect health only when he/she has a healthy body and healthy mind. And a healthy mind only can cultivate good ,positive thoughts. In this age of technology, we care very little for our emotional and spiritual needs.

Practices such as yoga, pranayama and meditation not only give you physical health but also mental and emotional heath and this is true wealth. So ,let us acquire the true wealth and have a glowing skin and sparkling eyes radiating positive energy everywhere.



Rich Father ... Poor Father

"A truly rich father is one
whose children run into his arms
when his hands are empty."
-- Unknown


Disclaimer: The above content is provided for information and awareness purpose only. It is not prescriptive or suggestive or meant to replaces your qualified physician's advice or consultation.