Archive for September, 2009
September 27th, 2009 -- Posted in Anti-Aging Fitness, Anti-Aging Skin Care |
Everybody knows how working out can benefit your overall health. But did you know that it’s also good for your skin? Find out why, in this article.
So how can regular exercise improve the look of your skin? The answer to this question will seem obvious if you consider the fact that skin is the largest human organ. It’s a well-known fact how regular exercise improves the health of your internal organs – such as your heart, liver, kidneys, muscles, etc. – and thus your overall health. However, in this article we will focus on how your skin can benefit from your regular workouts.
1. Increased blood flow.
You have probably noticed that after a good workout, you feel pumped and energized. That’s because when you exercise, the blood flow increases throughout your body. This increased blood flow carries more oxygen to your cells and more oxygen means improved natural collagen production for your skin. In addition, the blood will carry more nutrients through your veins, which improves skin health. These nutrients can really increase your skin care products effectiveness.
2. Sweat.
In addition to the increased blood flow, there is a very much obvious effect of exercise – sweat. When you sweat, your body gets an “extra” outlet to release toxins. Those toxins could clog your pores, thus can cause blemishes and acne. Our body’s mechanisms to get rid of toxins are the kidneys, the liver and our skin. By exercising regularly, you increase their functions and therefore your body’s ability to cleanse itself. That said, it’s quite clear how important is it to shower after working out, as those toxins are now released and are on the surface of your skin. All you need to do is, wash them off! 
3. Natural moisture production.
The best moisturizer that you can find for your skin is the one your skin produces on its own. During exercise your skin releases natural oils that provide moisture for your skin. This will result in a healthy, beautiful, natural glow and your skin will look more firm. However, as we’ve previously mentioned – don’t forget to cleanse your skin after working out to prevent the toxins and dirt from clogging your pores.
4. Toning muscles.
The next benefit that I wanted to mention is the fact, that by exercising, you are toning your muscles. Why is this important for your skin? – you may ask. For 2 reasons. One of them is not-so-obvious; working out benefits your skin’s overall appearance, because if the muscle is toned under the skin, the skin will look more supple and firm. In addition, the increased blood-flow will improve your skin’s natural collagen production. The other reason is more “in-you-face” – as for most of us, ladies – and that benefit is reducing cellulite! As cellulite is basically an uneven fat deposit under your skin, it is very likely, that you can smooth away that “orange-peel” with exercise. Of course, you can’t get completely rid of cellulite by working out, but you can definitely improve the appearance of it.
5. Reduce Stress.
And last but not least – we must mention the stress factor. We all heard of stress triggering, or for the least, worsening acne and breakouts. Working out reduces stress, therefore you will have a better chance at getting rid of that acne. Plus, since you’re less stressed, there will be less frowning 
– which is great for the look of your facial skin.
So there we have it; 5 strong reasons why regular exercise should be part of our everyday skin care “regimen”. It’s all up to you now if you want to act on it…
September 20th, 2009 -- Posted in Vitamins and Supplements |
Throughout our daily life we are exposed to pollution, exhaust fumes, toxins in our environment, cigarette smoke, highly processed foods, pesticides, herbicides, and many more pollutants that occur in our environment. For the most part, we accept this pollution as part of industrial growth and progress. However, our bodies do not accept this pollution! And it is doing damage everyday and every time that we are exposed to it.
Pollution and environmental toxins are full of free radicals which invade the body and do harm. The human body produces antioxidants which fight off free radicals and keep the body healthy, however as time goes on, more and more free radicals are being produced and entering our bodies which reduces the amount of antioxidants that are available to fight them.
Free radicals cause a variety of problems for the human body including, premature aging, poor circulation, mental detritions, liver damage, a lack of energy, bruising, heart disease and even cancer.
It is imperative that the body has a plentiful store of antioxidants to draw from in order to effectively fight the free radicals that invade the body. Because of the constant bombardment of environmental stresses on the body, the antioxidants are being used up and it becomes necessary for us to ingest antioxidants in order to help fight the war on free radicals.
Fortunately there are many sources of antioxidants that are available to us. Some common sources are vitamin E which is found in wheat germ oil, nuts and seeds, whole grains, egg yolks, and leafy green vegetables and vitamin C which can be found in broccoli, citrus fruits, brussel sprouts, potatoes, parsley and strawberries. Beta carotene which can be found in dark green leafy vegetables and orange and yellow vegetables, lutein is found in kale, leeks, spinach, collard greens, romaine lettuce, peas and egg yolks, and lycopene which is found primarily in tomatoes, are also great sources.
Vitamin B2 which is commonly found in dairy products, eggs and meat products, Coenzyme Q10 which is found in fish and meat and cysteine which is found in most high protein foods are also excellent antioxidants. Herbs such as bilberry, turmeric, and grape seed are also rich sources of antioxidants.
The best way to ensure that your body has enough antioxidants is to consume a wide variety of enzymes, vitamins, minerals and herbs to properly arm yourself against free radicals. Many people choose to take a vitamin supplement that is specifically formulated to fight free radicals as well.
Throughout our daily life we are exposed to pollution, exhaust fumes, toxins in our environment, cigarette smoke, highly processed foods, pesticides, herbicides, and many more pollutants that occur in our environment. For the most part, we accept this pollution as part of industrial growth and progress. However, our bodies do not accept this pollution! And it is doing damage everyday and every time that we are exposed to it.
Pollution and environmental toxins are full of free radicals which invade the body and do harm. The human body produces antioxidants which fight off free radicals and keep the body healthy, however as time goes on, more and more free radicals are being produced and entering our bodies which reduces the amount of antioxidants that are available to fight them.
Free radicals cause a variety of problems for the human body including, premature aging, poor circulation, mental detritions, liver damage, a lack of energy, bruising, heart disease and even cancer.
It is imperative that the body has a plentiful store of antioxidants to draw from in order to effectively fight the free radicals that invade the body. Because of the constant bombardment of environmental stresses on the body, the antioxidants are being used up and it becomes necessary for us to ingest antioxidants in order to help fight the war on free radicals.
Fortunately there are many sources of antioxidants that are available to us. Some common sources are vitamin E which is found in wheat germ oil, nuts and seeds, whole grains, egg yolks, and leafy green vegetables and vitamin C which can be found in broccoli, citrus fruits, brussel sprouts, potatoes, parsley and strawberries. Beta carotene which can be found in dark green leafy vegetables and orange and yellow vegetables, lutein is found in kale, leeks, spinach, collard greens, romaine lettuce, peas and egg yolks, and lycopene which is found primarily in tomatoes, are also great sources.
Vitamin B2 which is commonly found in dairy products, eggs and meat products, Coenzyme Q10 which is found in fish and meat and cysteine which is found in most high protein foods are also excellent antioxidants. Herbs such as bilberry, turmeric, and grape seed are also rich sources of antioxidants.
The best way to ensure that your body has enough antioxidants is to consume a wide variety of enzymes, vitamins, minerals and herbs to properly arm yourself against free radicals. Many people choose to take a vitamin supplement that is specifically formulated to fight free radicals as well.
September 14th, 2009 -- Posted in Uncategorized |
There is a lot of talk these days about free radicals and antioxidants. So what exactly are free radicals? What do they mean to you and your health? Free radicals are natural compounds that occur in the environment and are formed in the body. They are very unstable compounds because they tend to carry a lot of expendable energy. When a free radical reduces or releases its energy into the body, they effectively interfere with certain cells in the body, by reacting with the natural chemicals in the body.
When free radicals interact with the chemicals in the body, they will also interfere with normal cell functioning and can lead to a wide variety of problems in the body. In fact, free radicals have been associated with at least sixty different health conditions, ranging from wrinkles and premature aging to more serious conditions such as cancer.
So where do free radicals come from? Well the answer may surprise you. Free radicals occur naturally in the body during metabolism, however many other free radicals enter the body through other, external sources. Some of the common sources of free radicals are: industry pollution, excess sun exposure, cosmic rays, x-rays, heavy metals, ozone, car exhaust, cigarette smoke, alcohol and chemical compounds.
Free radicals have been linked to cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, premature aging and wrinkles and many other diseases.
Is there anything to be done against free radicals? There is a defense from free radical damage, and they are called antioxidants. Typically your body can handle the free radicals in the body, however if there are not enough antioxidants available, your body will have trouble fighting off the free radicals and suffer the damages.
It is very important to your overall health to lower your exposure to free radical sources while increasing your antioxidant sources in order to defend your body against the damage that can occur.
While medical opinions vary on the importance of antioxidants in extending life and bettering the quality of life, it is a healthy practice to ensure that your body receives enough antioxidants. It is important to eat your fruits and vegetables in order to receive enough antioxidants in the body. The best supplements and vitamins for antioxidants are manganese, zinc, copper, and selenium. Some other vitamins that are antioxidant rich are vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, Vitamin B2, and coenzyme Q10. Most of these vitamins can be found in a healthy diet that is rich in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.
September 1st, 2009 -- Posted in Vitamins and Supplements |
It seems that everyone is trying to lead a healthy lifestyle these days. We are eating better, well balanced meals, and cutting out fatty processed foods. We are experiencing an increase in activity levels adding more and more fitness and daily activity to our lives. With all of this extra interest in our health and vitality the use of vitamins is receiving more attention. What role do vitamins play in our nutrition and overall health?
By definition, vitamins are a group of complex chemical substances that the body requires for proper health. Vitamins are found in a variety of natural food sources. Vitamins produce enzymes that the body needs in order to carry out physiological functions that are necessary for living.
There are a total of thirteen vitamins and the human body requires all of these in order to operate effectively. Vitamins are responsible for promoting normal growth, immune system function, and energy for the cells. There are two groups of vitamins: fat soluble and water soluble.
Fat soluble vitamins include vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K. Fat soluble means that these vitamins are stored in the fatty tissue or liver in the body. The body is capable of storing fat soluble vitamins so you do not need to take them or ingest them everyday for optimal health. However, because these vitamins are stored in the body, there is a risk of overexposure.
Water soluble vitamins cannot be stored in the body because they are dissolvable in water and anything that your body does not need will be expelled from your system. Water soluble vitamins include vitamin C and the B vitamins. Because they do not stay in your system it is important to ingest a healthy amount of these vitamins everyday.
The body is not capable of producing vitamins on its own and that is why it is imperative to eat a well balanced diet full of vegetables, fruit and lean meats. However, as much as we try, a healthy diet is not always possible in today’s world. With busier lives, it can be difficult to always eat a well balanced diet full of the nutrients and vitamins that we require. That is where vitamins and supplements come in. By ingesting vitamins and supplements we can insure against any deficiencies that are caused by holes in our diet.
Vitamins and supplements are not a substitute for proper nutrition. However by adding them to your daily regime you can ensure that your body is receiving all of the nutrients that it needs for you to live the healthiest life possible.
