Skin! A Big Deal!

I don’t know if you are aware that the skin is the largest organ in your body and one of the most complicated? It is significant in all that our body does with functions such as guarding our muscles, bones and internal organs; it insulates us; regulates our temperature; helps produce vitamin D; conveys our sense of touch; protects against infection and disease; it keeps everything airtight and watertight.

It is an organ that demands a lot of attention with huge focus and competition between manufacturers to produce products to create clearer, healthier, younger looking skin. Just as it plays a positive role in our health and well-being it can also cause many problems with as many as 3,000 different skin disorders.

Often our skin is overlooked and undervalued in the role it plays until we start to encounter problems whether that be eczema as a child, spots as a teenager, sunburn or the dreaded signs of aging, wrinkles! So often we are worried about the outside and applying lotions and potions to keep it young but we forget that what we do on the inside is also significant. All too often something showing up on our skin is actually a reaction to something wrong on the inside – a food we are eating or dehydration from not drinking enough water. 

The pores within our skin are like a two-way valve, they play a big role in regulating our hydration because they allow us to sweat helping the body to regulate temperature but they also absorb water from our environment to help keep us hydrated. Do you consider what products you use on your skin and in your environment because you should! What is in your products will find their way into your system, using toxin laden products will eventually find their way through your bloodstream and into your liver, an organ that has a massive work load and adding in the toxins can lead to it getting congested and unable to work well?

The skin also plays a big role in our immunity which right now has to be a subject at the top of our list I’m sure. Vitamin D is a significant contributor to our immunity and one of the best ways we can take this on board is to get out into the sunshine, of course we have to balance this with the damage that too much sun can also do! During the winter months when there is less light, less sun and the weather just doesn’t encourage us out can mean for many they see a big drop in their vitamin D that not only affects their immunity levels but also their mental health. The skin is also able to fight off bugs and allergens as our skin also contains part of our immune system.

So by looking after our skin, keeping it hydrated and in a good condition we can help protect ourselves from disease and infection, we can support our immune system and help our mental health. Steps you can implement to help support this important organ:-

• Drink a minimum of 2 litres a day, this is how much is required to keep the body in balance.
• Take a walk, go out for a run, do some gardening, go fishing whatever it takes to get you outside.
• Use products to help the skin be in the best possible condition, exfoliate, cleanse, moisturise.
• Use natural products on you and in your home to avoid toxic uptake.
• Eat a clean, healthy diet and support with good quality supplements.