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Clare Rogers |
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I’ve always had a great interest in skin care and love doing facials. I was an acne prone teenager and had some miserable years in adolescence due to poor advice and strong medical treatments. Our GP even advised my mother to cut my hair off! Whether adolescent or adult, skin problems can be very upsetting and painful - and when its our own face affected, we feel so exposed and vulnerable. The skin is our largest organ of elimination and it’s bound to reflect what’s going on in our bodies, both hormonally and nutritionally. When we start to get pimples, rashes or dry spots it can often indicate that something isn’t right and it’s important to pay attention to these small changes. Not checking what the problem is and treating it immediately can lead to the development of a more deeply rooted issue. Left untreated , the skin condition can require a course of antibiotics, which can be very disruptive and damaging to digestive health and also, in extreme cases, lead to respiratory problems. The colon and lungs are also organs of elimination and if the skin isn’t functioning correctly then it inevitably puts more pressure on the other organs. Deterioration in skin condition usually reflects a change in lifestyle, such as few late nights, poor diet, poor health or stress. It is so important to get as much sleep as you need, for the skin to heal and repair itself effectually, the optimum hours being between 10pm and midnight. Also, sleeping for longer in the morning doesn’t help - no wonder teenagers have skin problems, on top of hormonal imbalances - they go to bed late and sleep in until lunch! Water helps keep everything fluid and moving through the body. Eight glasses of still water, per day is a guide. More is needed if you are very active and in hot weather and always have no cooler than room temperature and avoid ice - if drinks are too cold, the body has to warm the fluid until its beneficial. Avoid carbonated drinks in general, especially diet drinks (which are more likely to be full of chemical sweeteners) and caffeine should be moderated as well. If you have skin complaints, nutritionally it’s best to avoid ‘sticky’ foods, which can congest the skin and colon. Classically cheese, bananas, yoghurt, pasta, bread are all a no. Try apples and pears, rice and beans. The ‘sticky’ foods can be reintroduced in moderation for a balanced diet and Supplements can also be included, vit C and zinc for acne skins and vit C and E for dry skins. Hormones do play a great part in our skin condition and puberty, pregnancy and menopause are unlikely to go by without some changes in our skin, which is entirely normal. There can be other hormonal related conditions such as polycystic ovaries. Stress really can manifest itself in the skin and when under stress we produce more adrenalin, too. Our lifestyles are more stressful these days but we don’t think we are under stress because it’s the norm! If you know you are following a healthy lifestyle then do seek further advice from an expert if your condition isn’t improving. Most of my views are from my studies of the fundamentals and concepts of Ayurveda. A simple rule is ‘like increases like’. So if your skin is looking red and is hot? Avoid red foods and drinks, and spicy foods. Dry, flaky skin? Avoid the dry foods like toast, crisps and biscuits. Take more fluid and wet food. Your skin will go through seasonal changes, with the spring and autumn being the most likely months for you to notice minor changes. It’s following nature and just preparing for the next season. This is the optimum time to have a facial. Removal of dead skin will allow any blemishes to heal more quickly and the hydration from massage will keep away the flaky patches. Visit www.thetreatmentrooms.co.uk
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