EXERCISE - HEALTHY SKIN CONNECTION
You can think of exercise as cleansing your skin from the inside…
The SKIN is our major organ of elimination. As a Naturopath, the general aims of treatment for the skin are to:
- Enhance elimination through other primary eliminative organs such as the liver, kidneys, lungs, bowel, etc.
- Stimulate the lymphatic function (the rubbish dump for the body)
- Cleanse the blood, remove infection
- Reduce inflammation and allergic processes
- Balance immune function
- Restore healthy gut flora and microbiome
Skin Health
Exercise can help protect your skin from damage caused by oxidative stress and aid in the production of protective anti-oxidants. By increasing blood flow through exercise, it will help to nourish skin cells and keep them healthy and vital.
Move… Sedentary lifestyles often begin at work, so try to get up and move every hour throughout the day, even if it’s only for thirty seconds, as this will help prevent blood and lymph from stagnating.
Decreasing Stress Helps Improve Skin Health and Wrinkle Reduction
Stress stimulates our sebaceous glands (oil glands), found in the skin. Our stress hormones are called cortisol and adrenaline.
Cortisol is a hormone that blocks collagen production. Therefore, excess stress can cause the skin to lose its internal structure. A high cortisol level may cause the collagen in your skin to break down, which can increase wrinkles and sagging.
Studies have found that cortisol levels drop after an intense workout.
Skin Imbalances
If you have dermatological conditions such as acne, rosacea, or psoriasis, you may need to take special care to keep your skin protected while exercising. But don't let skin problems prevent you from being active.
