Granville Family Pharmacy

:: Healthy Skin Care Tips

Tip 2: Look after your skin

From a very early age it is important to learn to protect your skin. Not only will this reduce your likelihoo

d of developing skin cancers, but it will also reduce the aging effects. Some tips to do this include:

Stay out of the sun between 11am and 3pm (daylight saving hours) or between 10am and 2pm all other times of the year.
Stay in the shade. However, be sure to choose your shade carefully as UV can reflect off certain surfaces and you may still burn
Wear clothing that gives you good protection from the sun
Wear wide-brimmed hats to protect your face, neck and ears
Use sunscreen. Sunscreen with SPF of at least 15+ with broad spectrum and water resistance should be used regardless of your skin type.
Protect you lips with either sunscreen or lip balm with SPF.
Protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses that meet Australian Standards. Wrap around style and closely fitting sunglasses offer the best protection.
Be careful driving a car. Just because the window is up doesn't mean you are fully protected.

Beautiful Skin Here are some interesting tips for healthy skin:

Drink 8-10 glasses of water a day to hydrate your skin
Eat two handfuls of dark leafy green vegetables every day
Eat moisturising foods rich in healthy fats - have 1 to 2 tablespoons of ground linseeds/flaxseeds or flaxseed oil per day and/or eat fish two to three times per week
For lunches and dinners: fill half your plate with salad or vegetables as they are low in calories. The other half of your plate is reserved for carbohydrates and protein. Have approximately three average-sized dinner plates of food each day
Excessive dieting is bad for the skin so be sensible and never skip a meal. Your food is your fuel, nothing more and nothing less, and if you choose mostly healthy foods and eat a sensible amount, your body will look and feel great
Get plenty of sleep. Eight hours of quality sleep is recommended for gorgeous skin
Moderate exercise is great for the skin as it improves circulation to the skin and lymphatic drainage of cellular waste. This gives you a healthy glow
When choosing a beauty product, check the ingredient list and test the product on your skin
Wear a hat and apply sunscreen if you’re spending time in the sun – they’re the best anti-ageing products available!
Relax. Just a few minutes each day is great for your skin

A range of healthy, natural foods can dramatically improve skin for a fraction of the price of costly cosmetics or dermatologist visits:

Healthy Eating Green Tea - Green tea is rich in antioxidants that reduce inflammation and protect cell membranes. It has been proven to reduce the damage of sunburns and overexposure to ultraviolet light, which in turn reduces the risk of skin cancer. Green tea is also high in polyphenols - compounds that eliminate cancer-causing free radicals.

Salmon - Salmon, along with other fatty fish, walnuts and flaxseed - is high in healthy fatty acids that are key for achieving healthy skin. Essential fatty acids such as omega-3s help keep cell membranes healthy by keeping out harmful substances as well as allowing nutrients to enter cells and exit with waste products. Omega-3s also reduce the body's production of inflammatory agents that can damage the skin.

Increasing consumption of omega-3 fatty acid-rich foods such as salmon will help keep the skin supple and youthful. A 1:1 ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3s is ideal, but the ratio in the typical diet is more like 20:1, so boosting consumption of salmon and other oily fish can help bring that ratio closer to 1:1. Salmon is also rich in protein, potassium, selenium and vitamin B12.

Blueberries - Blueberries are considered by many experts to be the highest food source of antioxidants, which target free radicals that can wreak havoc on skin cells. The antioxidants and phytochemicals (plant sources of nutrition) in blueberries neutralize DNA-damaging free radicals, reducing cell damage. When skin cells are protected from damage and disintegration, the skin looks younger for longer. Blueberries are also an excellent source of soluble and insoluble fiber, vitamin C, manganese, vitamin E and riboflavin.

Carrots - Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A, which is a required nutrient for healthy skin. They also contain high levels of antioxidants, which prevent free radical damage of skin cells. Vitamin A is required for developing and maintaining skin cells, and a deficiency of the vitamin can cause dry skin. Carrots are also a superior source of fiber, biotin, vitamins K, C and B6, potassium and thiamine.

In addition to eating these foods regularly, avoid certain foods that trigger bad skin reactions. Such ingredients include sugar, white flour, saturated fats and fried foods, which are especially bad for the skin, since they can trap oil and bacteria beneath the skin, causing acne and other skin ailments.

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