Food to Avoid If You Want Beautiful Skin

Beautiful skin is not just the visible surface; it's a largest part of our bodies. And believe it or not, this part discloses a state of the whole body. Healthy body equals beautiful skin and health problems cause acnes, swelling, colour changes and a bunch of other skin problems. Therefore, the real skin care begins with healthy lifestyle. Everything we eat affects our appearance, so why not take some products out of the menu to keep our skin beautiful?

What we need are carbohydrates, proteins and even fats for proper nutrition, but some of these can affect our health badly, especially if consumed in great quantities. Protein is essential for our health, but protein, combined with trans-fatty acids and saturated fats will not help you at all. Sausage, bacon and ground beef are the products that contain this harmful combination. This trio is bad for your skin, because they make skin wrinkle and fuel the aging processes. Butter and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils contain trans-fatty acids as well. This food is not exactly bad for you, but if you consume it regularly, you will experience skin changes. If these products are on your regular diet, try and stop eating them for several weeks and check the effect your new diet has on your skin.

Nutritionists would never recommend giving carbohydrates up totally, because they are indeed useful. However, some foods that contain carbohydrates come in harmful combinations that make glucose levels in blood spike. And high glucose levels are the perfect condition for skin damaging effects and inflammations to emerge. Pasta, baked beans and raisins are the products that can suddenly raise glucose levels in blood. Although beans and other legumes contain vitamins and beneficial minerals, baked and canned beans are prepared with ingredients that affect glucose levels badly.

Food like cake, bread, sugar, cereal, full-fat ice cream are categorized as high glycemic ones. This means they have a lot of carbohydrates that are digested quickly after consuming. Food that has a high glycemic index can induce acne. And food with low glycemic index is considered to be more useful for your body. Low glycemic foods are whole grains, fruits, vegetables. Eating more vegetables is always a good decision in order to improve your health, but you should choose uncooked vegetables before prepared ones. Potato chips and French fries are made out of potatoes, but you can't call this ‘vegetable meal' a healthy choice.

Alcohol doesn't do any favour for your skin as well, as it forces the body to dehydrate. The more fluids you lose the more dry your skin becomes, and the dry skin causes wrinkles and early aging. Furthermore, regular drinkers have liver problems that influence the health of skin and cause even more problems.

If some of the above mentioned products are your favourite food, don't take it out of your menu too quickly. If you don't eat those regularly, they may be harmless for the health of your skin. Besides, everyone is unique and the things that influence the health of one person, may have no influence on the other, whatsoever

Prevent Age Spots

Most people don't care about aging and problems that come with old age, until the time finally comes. However, a large number of problems and diseases often linked to old age are actually related to the habits a person had when he was young. Age spots (also known as liver spots) are the early signs of an aging organism. Although usually they become clearly visible only when we're older, they start appearing in one's early twenties. What causes age spots and how can they be prevented?

Age spots are as natural as wrinkles; however some blemishes might be signs of skin cancer. Every unusual freckle or mole should be examined by medics, the same goes for age spots. Although the condition is often called liver spots, it is not related to the liver. Age spots were believed to be linked to liver malfunctions until this hypothesis was examined and denied. Liver malfunctions can influence skin appearance; age spots, however, are, for the most part, caused by age and sun damage. Sometimes no measures of prevention can grant clean skin - this is usually because of the person's genetic predisposition. Age spots can even be caused by emotional stress in rare cases.

Basically, age spots appear because of regular exposure to the sun and the skin's inability to regenerate at an older age. Those that enjoy sun bathing (and other sources of ultra-violet radiation) are more likely to have age spots. They appear on the face and shoulders, the back of arms and hands - the parts of the body which endure most of the hazardous exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. Protecting yourself from the sun is the best method to reduce the chance of developing "liver spots". Limit the time you spend in direct sunlight and wear clothing that covers as much skin as possible. These measures along with sun block are the most helpful in preventing age spots.

A healthy lifestyle can help preventing age spots as well. The skin regenerates constantly, but the process becomes slower and slower as we grow old. A proper diet and exercise can improve the regeneration process, because they make the skin more elastic. Lifestyle and nutrition have important roles when it comes to the condition of a person's skin. If you exercise, avoid toxins, build up and free radicals, you skin will be able to keep elasticity when you're older. And proper nutrition which provides the skin cells with the humidity it needs helps the regeneration process. Remember that tobacco, caffeine and alcohol are detrimental to the skin.

The spots usually are darker than the normal skin tone, so people often consider them un-aesthetical. Age spots are natural; usually they are neither symptoms nor results of any disease and they don't require a treatment. Many people, however, urge to remove them for cosmetic reasons. The color of age spots varies from light tan to dark brown. The most popular and most affordable way to treat liver spots is bleaching. There are many cosmetic creams for bleaching: the ones promoted by big brands, homeopathic ones and even homemade mixtures. Sometimes age spots are treated as scars, they are both damaged skin areas after all.

Healty Skin

Drink a lot of water. Your body is composed mainly of water and it is a necessary component of all the natural processes that occur there. When you drink water it not only hydrates your insides but it hydrates your skin as well. Drinking enough water is also one of the best "diets" for weight loss. You should drink at least eight 8 oz. glasses per day.

Stay out of the sun. The ultraviolet rays of the sun are VERY damaging to your skin. Use sunscreen when you are out in it. Be careful of the reflected rays even if you are in the shade. A moisturizer or foundation containing sunscreen is highly recommended for everyday use. I mean EVERY day.

Get plenty of rest. Think that beauty sleep is just a myth? Think again. Proper rest is very important to your overall health and the health of your skin.

Eat Healthy Foods Simple foods are good for you in a lot of ways. They provide essential nutrients; vitamins, minerals and fiber, and are often lower in calories than processed foods. You know the kinds of foods I mean. Beans, rice, vegetables, yogurt, lean meats-there are many more. Cook with olive oil. Use onions, garlic and other high-mineral foods. Many herbs and spices, besides seasoning your supper, also contain beneficial substances. See my Natural Foods page for more information.

Do some type of exercise regularly. Exercise stimulates your entire system to rid itself of built-up toxins. You don't have to buy a treadmill or join a gym (unless you like that kind of thing). Gardening, playing golf, hiking in the woods, whatever you choose to do to get your blood moving is a step in the right direction. Try parking your car a few blocks away from work. There is no doubt that regular activity will begin to make you feel and look better. Once you are accustomed to the walk you may even begin to look forward to it!

You could take up a sport. Even playing frisbee can provide a good cardiovascular workout. It can also improve your strength and hand/eye coordination. Stretching exercises of all kinds are good for working and flexing your joints and muscles. You can do these anywhere; in the middle of your walk, in your living room or kitchen with a chair, even in bed. So get moving! Once you are hooked on activity you may even have to break out that treadmill for rainy days!

Reduce stress. Easier said than done right? Research has shown that stress is a contributing factor in many health problems. If you are not healthy your skin is not going to look healthy. Take some time out just for you. A luxurious bath is a great stress reliever (Perhaps with some nicely scented oil or salt!). So is relaxing with a good book, a cup of hot Earl Grey tea, watching the sun set, taking a walk, or just sitting and watching birds at a feeder outside your window. Most importantly you must be comfortable with yourself. You have to find happiness in what you are doing RIGHT NOW. Not happiness as some sort of goal: ("I will be happy when I have reached this point, have accomplished this much, have finished...") Get the idea? Decide to be happy now.

10 Tips To Healthy Eating And Physical Activity

1. Start Your Day With Breakfast

Breakfast fills your "empty tank" to get you going after a long night without food. Eating a good breakfast can help you do better in school. Easy to prepare breakfasts include: cold cereal with fruit and low-fat milk, whole-wheat toast with peanut butter, yogurt with fruit, whole-grain waffles or even last night's pizza.

2. Get Moving

It's easy to fit physical activities into your daily routine. Walk, bike or jog to see your friends. Take a 10 minute activity break every hour while you read, do homework or watch TV. Climb stairs instead of taking an escalator or elevator. Try to do these things for a total of 30 minutes every day.

3. Snack Smart

Snacks are a great way to refuel. Choose snacks from different food groups - a glass of low-fat milk and a few graham crackers, an apple or celery sticks with peanut butter and raisins, or some dry cereal. If you eat smart at other meals, cookies, chips, and candy are okay for occasional snacking.

4. Work up a sweat

Vigorous work-outs, when you're breathing hard and sweating, help your heart pump better, give you more energy and help you look and feel your best. Start with a warm-up that stretches your muscles. Include 20 minutes of aerobic activity, such as running, jogging or dancing. Follow-up with activities that help make you stronger such as push-ups or lifting weights. Then cool-down with more stretching and deep breathing.

5. Balance your food choices - don't eat too much of one thing

You don't have to give up foods like hamburgers, french fries, and ice cream to eat healthfully. You just have to be smart about how often and how much of them you eat. Your body needs nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, fat, and many different vitamins and minerals such as vitamins C and A, iron, and calcium from a variety of foods.

6. Get fit with friends or family

Being active is much more fun with friends or family. Encourage others to join you and plan one special physical activity event, like a bike ride or hiking, with a group each week.

7. Eat more grains, fruits, and vegetables

These foods give you carbohydrates for energy, plus vitamins, minerals, and fibre. Besides, they taste good! Try breads such as whole-wheat, bagels, and pita. Spaghetti and oatmeal are also in the grain group.

8. Join in physical activities at school

Whether you take a physical education class or do other physical activities at school, such as intramural sports, structured activities are a sure way to feel good, look good and stay physically fit.

9. Foods aren't good or bad

A healthy eating style is like a puzzle with many parts. Each part, or food, is different. Some foods may have more fat, sugar or salt, while others may have more vitamins or fibre. There is a place for all these foods. What makes a diet good or bad is how foods fit together. Balancing your choices is important. Fit in a higher-fat food, like pepperoni pizza, at dinner by choosing lower-fat foods at other meals. And don't forget about moderation. If two pieces of pizza fill you up, don't eat a third.

10. Make healthy eating and physical activities fun!

Take advantage of physical activities you and your friends enjoy doing together and eat the foods you like. Be adventurous - try new sports, games, and other activities as well as new foods. You'll grow stronger, play longer, and look and feel better! Set realistic goals - don't try changing too much at once.