Cleansing from within:
Clear, radiant skin requires more than lotions and potions, no matter how religiously you baste yourself. Those products help, of course, but to have beautiful skin you really need to cleanse your whole body, inside and out. Skincare professionals emphasize a wholesome diet as the path to healthy skin and suggest an occasional fast or cleanse to purify your system. To learn more about effective detox diets, see below

Moisturize:
Don’t be tempted to skip this step after you cleanse and tone. Even though your skin tends to feel less dry in summer, it still needs moisture to keep it supple and radiant. It makes sense to switch to something less heavy than what you normally use in winter—for example, explore using an oil-free moisturizer during the day. If your skin feels really parched, try something different, such as hyaluronic acid (HA), a little-known molecule found in almost every cell of the body. This gelatinous material performs a number of functions, including cushioning the joints, protecting the eyes, adding volume to the hair, and lubricating the skin. To find out more about HA, see below

Protect:
Wear a broad-spectrum high-SPF sunscreen—and lots of it—every day. When it comes to the skin, the biggest free-radical assault comes from the sun. Those rays do their damage whether it’s sunny or not, so slather on the sunscreen. But be intelligent about sunscreen, which is not without its share of controversy. To educate yourself on the latest buzzwords in sun care, see below

Natural Radiance—Cleanse your skin with a detox diet

By Jeff Kent

Clear, radiant skin requires more than lotions and potions, no matter how religiously you baste yourself. Those products help, of course, but to have beautiful skin you really need to cleanse your whole body, inside and out. That’s why skin-care professionals emphasize a wholesome diet as the path to healthy skin and suggest an occasional fast or cleanse to purify your system. Done properly, a nutrient-rich detoxifying cleanse can boost your complexion’s intrinsic beauty and revive your youthful appearance.

"A cleanse is a way to eliminate toxins from the body," says Halé Sofia Schatz, author of If the Buddha Came to Dinner: How to Nourish Your Body to Awaken Your Spirit (Hyperion, 2004). Look at it as a seasonal cleaning of the body’s closets, a way to help the body rid itself of the ill effects of a buildup of impurities—environmental contaminants from the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the toxins we consume in our less-than-healthy diets.

Looks don’t lie
Nutritionist and author Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, says the face seldom lies about your dietary indiscretions. "Simply put, what you put into your body comes out on your face." But even though she sounds negative, Gittleman actually offers hope. "Dryness, oiliness, pimples, bumps, dermatitis, blotchy skin, large facial pores, brown spots, wrinkles, collagen loss—all of these conditions can be managed, treated, and controlled with diet and proper nutrition."

Think of skin as a shell that protects us, says Jen Murphy, esthetician for Pangea Organics. It’s the first line of defense for the immune system and readily reacts to any systemic assault by swelling up and turning red—a sign of inflammation. Unfortunately, Murphy says, this exacerbates the aging process because "the body then uses all its energy fighting off irritants rather than making healthy cells."

The body eliminates fully one-third of its alien invaders—bacteria, viruses, and toxins—through the skin, according to Gittleman. When the organs of elimination (like the liver, colon, and kidneys) become overwhelmed, the skin picks up the slack. The body pushes toxins through the pores to the surface of the skin, where they do less harm systemically. Overall that’s good news, but at skin level, those toxins can clog pores and cause irritation, leading to breakouts, redness, and inflammation.

A skin-oriented cleanse (and subsequent diet) typically reduces or eliminates substances that trigger problems for your skin. The worst offenders include hydrogenated vegetable oils (trans fats), sugar, caffeine, alcohol, red meat, excess dairy, processed foods, and refined carbohydrates.

Feed your face
Along with getting rid of the bad stuff, you must consume more vital nutrients so your digestive system can handle the heavy lifting and sifting of toxins. Without plenty of antioxidants and other vitamins, your body can’t break down these toxins, and they continue to work their poison.

It’s also important to transition properly from your regular diet to one that will help your body detoxify itself. "Unprepared fasting in today’s world can make you really sick," Gittleman says. "Your liver can be overwhelmed by the process of breaking down and purifying toxins that have been stored for decades. Detoxifying stimulates the release of fatty deposits that can dump toxins into your system. If this happens too quickly and without nutritional support, you can exceed your liver’s capacity for detoxification."

To avoid those conditions, dietary experts recommend ramping up your daily dose of fruits and vegetables, -substituting whole grains for refined carbs, replacing fatty red meat with omega-3-rich fish, {given the conditions fish now live in, I personally question this advice -Blue, and wouldn't low carb be better than refined?} -cooking with olive or sesame oil instead of hydrogenated vegetable oil, consuming nuts and seeds and foods with high levels of antioxidants, and drinking plenty of fluids, especially purified (but not distilled) water.

Of particular importance to skin-conscious detoxers: foods rich in the "skin" nutrients vitamin A and zinc. Butter and cod liver oil contain ample amounts of vitamin A, while eggs and pumpkin seeds are packed with zinc. And you should probably consider taking these "beauty" supplements: vitamin B complex, which helps your body cope with the skin-taxing stress of daily life; vitamin C, which aids in collagen building; and vitamin E, which rejuvenates. Both C and E are strong antioxidants that break down toxins and help the skin rebound from sun damage and other assaults. Also include some manganese and magnesium, two beautifying minerals that help eliminate toxins from the liver.

Taking additional essential fatty acids (EFAs) is also vital for skin-oriented detoxing. They not only help reduce cholesterol, but they provide many skin-related benefits as well. "EFAs are key to moisturizing the skin, decreasing wrinkles, and protecting the skin from sunburn," says Gittleman. "They help treat dandruff, eczema, psoriasis, dry skin, and other sensitive skin conditions. They also help maintain the fluidity of skin’s natural water-loss barrier, which prevents dangerous substances from inflaming the skin."

Omega-3 fish oils may grab most of the EFA headlines, but the unsung hero of radiant skin is actually omega-6, specifically gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). Found mostly in plant oils, such as black currant seed, hemp, borage, and evening primrose oils, GLA moistens the fatty layer beneath the skin and increases cellular resistance, making it one of the best internal moisturizers. GLA supplementation can reduce sun damage by decreasing the dehydrating effect of sun on the skin, and the oils help block androgens, male-based hormones linked to everything from acne to baldness. Research has also shown that GLA deficiencies lead to weakened capillaries. "This is significant for people who complain of redness and sensitivity," says Gittleman. She recommends 500 mg to 3 grams of GLA a day, depending on your weight and specific needs. Keep in mind, however, that the body needs to maintain a specific ratio of omega-3s and -6s to protect the heart, and hemp oil provides both of them in that correct ratio.

Keep it clean
Remember to cleanse your skin regularly during a detox. Routinely brush your body (but not your face) to remove dead cells and other detritus from the skin’s surface. Take frequent hot showers and spend some time in a sauna or steam room—both activities will help speed up the elimination process.
Symptoms (blotches, breakouts, and rashes) sometimes can get worse during a detox before they get better. In any case, a symptom should last no more than a week. If it does, check in with your healthcare provider—the last thing you want to do is exceed your body’s ability to cope with the detoxification process.

Valori Treloar, MD, who is a board-certified dermatologist, takes a holistic approach to skin care at her Integrative Dermatology clinic in Newton, Massachusetts. She views detoxing as a lifestyle, not an isolated event. The best results come from long-term changes to diet and behavior, not a drastic, temporary overhaul of eating habits. "The problem with a detox diet is that some people take it as permission to toxify, as if a detox will undo all these lifestyle habits that aren’t conducive to good health," says Treloar. "A better approach would be to maintain healthier practices consistently."

Gittleman recommends an initial detox, followed by an extended maintenance program. Her year-round plan suggests a restorative focus for each season: Spring tones the liver; summer targets the heart and small intestines; autumn highlights the lungs and large intestines; and the kidneys and adrenals get their due during winter. Throughout the program, the diet and nutritional focus remains on seven beauty fundamentals: a detoxified system; purified water; proteins; essential fatty acids; immune-boosting fruits and vegetables; balanced hormones; and vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Pregnant women and nursing moms shouldn’t undertake a cleanse. Nor should those with a delicate constitution or other health issues that make it unwise for them to risk the potentially negative symptoms that may accompany the release of dormant toxins. But if you’re generally healthy and ready to make a rejuvenating change—give it a go. And then adopt a healthy, skin-friendly diet. The rest of your body will love you for it.

Natural Radiance—Give Your Face a Lift

Natural Radiance—Which Sunscreens may be more foe than friend

By James Keough

With the summer sun near its zenith, the need for sunscreen would never seem greater, especially with the steady rise in the prevalence of skin cancer. According to a report in 2005 from the World Health Organization, the annual incidence for melanoma has more than doubled in the last 30 years in the US. Yet in our rush to cover up, we may actually be choosing products that could do more harm than good. The fly in the ointment, so to speak, is nanotechnology, the science of engineering materials at the sub-molecular level. It holds great promise in medicine and many other areas, but some say eager companies have rushed to use nano before they’ve thoroughly tested it—despite copious red flags about its potential for harm.

While it’s probably unfair to single out any one segment of industry, cosmetic companies have incorporated nanotechnology into their products with gusto, with anti-aging potions and sunscreens receiving the highest priority. The big push so far for nanotechnology in sunscreens stems from its ability to make two metal oxides—zinc and titanium—seemingly disappear. In bulk form (nano-speak for the way we’re used to seeing materials), these two ingredients block both UVA and UVB rays incredibly well. But they also scatter visible light rays and thus sit on the user’s skin like an unsightly white paste—a look that might be suitable for the lifeguard’s nose but is hardly en vogue for full body coverage. After all, who wants to look like Frosty the Snowman while catching some rays at the beach?

The jury’s still out
Nano-versions of these same metal oxides continue to block harmful rays, but they let visible light shine through—which means you can’t see them when you spread them on your skin. Dave Rejeski, director of The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) and an advocate for more research into nano’s safety issues, sees this as a valid use of the new technology. "Here’s an example where there could be some really significant benefits, because [nano sunscreens] go on easy and they’re transparent, and so if you actually can get more people to use them, it could have a significant impact."

And getting people to use sunscreen more often seems laudable, especially since only about a third of Americans bother to use sunscreens regularly. But not everyone shares this enthusiastic view of nano-ized sunscreens. Jim Thomas, a researcher with the ETC Group—an organization that has called for a moratorium on the introduction of nanoproducts until more is known about their safety—worries that the consumer faces an element of risk. "You have got some pretty good evidence that says when you introduce [metal oxide particles] into living cells, you get free-radical production, which disrupts the DNA of the cell."

Peter Dobson, engineering professor at the University of Oxford, confirmed this fear on ABC Radio’s The Science Show in October 2005: "The free radicals that are produced will damage the skin, damage the molecules in the skin, possibly cleave DNA in unwanted ways, and it’s best to not have that happen in your sunscreen if you can help it."

Label confusion
So how do you know when a sunscreen contains nano-ized zinc or titanium? "I tell people if it’s a transparent sunscreen and it’s got either of those products, then it’s nano," says Thomas. Of course, zinc and titanium oxide particles have degrees of transparency, depending on their size, and to qualify as a nano, they have to measure less than 100 nanometers. So sunscreens that list "micronized" zinc or titanium as ingredients may or may not contain nano particles of those metals. But any products that list Z-COTE or ZinClear as an ingredient clearly contain nano-ized zinc oxide, and products that list Optisol contain nano-sized titanium dioxide particles that have been coated with tiny amounts of manganese. According to Dobson, who invented Optisol, tests show this coating eliminates the formation of free radicals.

Safe or sorry?
So if the nano-ized metal oxides no longer produce free radicals, then we shouldn’t have to worry about them, right? Not necessarily. Quite a bit of research indicates that nanoparticles can find their way into the lymphatic system, breach the blood-brain barrier, and pass between the placenta and a developing fetus. Given that information, who wouldn’t think twice before rubbing a nano sunscreen on their skin? But ongoing studies in the European NANOderm project indicate that we may not need to fret much about that, at least when it comes to titanium. According to a report by project coordinator Tilman Butz, titanium dioxide particles stay blocked in the outer layer of the epidermis "and almost never penetrate to the dermis."

That discovery meshes with what the cosmetic industry has continually said about nano materials in general, and they claim they have research that proves it. Unfortunately, according to Thomas, that data remains proprietary and not in the public domain—and thus, he stresses, free of independent, third-party review.

Nor must the manufacturers tell consumers when a sunscreen contains nanoparticles. "There’s no requirement of labeling, no requirement of disclosure," says Lisa Archer, program director for Friends of the Earth’s Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. "Until there’s some sort of regulation to clearly label whether something’s nano or not, it’s sort of a crapshoot."

So what to do?
Alternatives do exist, however. Quite a few sunscreens use chemicals to absorb both UVB and UVA rays. The brand Hawaiian Tropic decided not to use metal oxides for a couple of reasons, says Dennis Lott, vice president of Technology Affairs at Tanning Research, the parent company. "The fact is there’s an argument that they’re not safe," he says, and that they’re not as effective at screening out UVA when they’re brought down to nano scale. Hawaiian Tropic, like a great many other sunscreens, uses avobenzone (Parsol 1789) to absorb UVA and a blend of other chemicals to absorb UVB. Companies outside the US use Mexoryl, but the FDA has yet to allow its use here.

So what to do? Steer clear of the metal oxides that go on transparently if you can, says Thomas. If you worry about the safety of the various chemicals in sunscreens and other cosmetics—as well you might since Archer says only 11 percent of them have been tested by an independent organization—check out the Skin Deep project developed by the Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org/ reports/skindeep2/index.php). It lets you search products by category, by name, or by brand name, and gives you detailed information about each ingredient.

Sorting Out the Rays

�?Sun protection products need to screen out two types of ultraviolet rays, UVB, which produce sunburns, and UVA, which damage deeper levels of skin and cause aging and wrinkles. Both types of rays can cause skin cancer. The ability to stop sunburn earns a sunscreen a sun protection factor (SPF), which represents a multiple of the time you can spend in the sun without burning compared to the amount of time it would take you to burn without the sunscreen. Thus if you burn in 10 minutes without sunscreen, a product with an SPF of 15 would allow you to stay out for two and a half hours. The US currently has no equivalent rating for UVA protection, although the FDA promised in 1999 to establish one.

�?To receive the full benefit of a sunscreen, you must apply the amount specified on the label—generally an ounce of sunscreen for your entire body—and you must reapply it as suggested. Swimming and perspiration reduce a product’s efficiency. Note too that no sunscreen blocks out all of the sun’s rays. Nor will SPF 30 block out twice as many rays as 15. SPF 15 sunscreen blocks 93 percent of UVB rays; and SPF 30 only 4 percent more at 97 percent. Jump to SPF 50 and you gain just another 1 percent.

Natural Radiance—Banish Winter Dryness

By Vicky Uhland

You layer on the moisturizer and drink plenty of fluids, but your skin still has those telltale ashy spots, fine lines, and a tight, dry feeling. Blame your parched pelt on the wintertime combo of frosty temperatures and toasty furnaces, both of which lower humidity and cause your skin to lose moisture. But before you resign yourself to scaly skin until the daffodils bloom, try applying a natural body oil.

Body oils work by mimicking the skin’s own oils and forming a barrier that traps moisture next to the skin. In addition, they can plump up the skin and make wrinkles less visible, says Arcadia, California-based dermatologist Dr. David Voron. He notes that body oils are particularly effective for fair-skinned people, who sometimes have less active oil glands, and for the elderly, whose oil glands atrophy as they get older. "Sometimes, you just need to replace the skin’s oils with something external," Voron says.

But not all body oils are the same. "Petrolatum- or mineral oil-based products are bad news, as these will block the action of [the body’s natural oils] as well as any essential oils in products and inhibit healing and skin moisture self-regulation," says natural beauty expert Kat James, author of The Truth About Beauty (Beyond Words Publishing, 2003). Oils from plants act similarly to skin oil, known as sebum, and get absorbed more easily into the body. But James cautions that these body oils must be cold-pressed, or processed without heat, to keep their natural characteristics.

Natural body oils also have another advantage. When the ingredient label reads "100 percent oil," you don’t have to worry about harmful additives. "I’m a big fan of natural oils because you’re simplifying," says Roxanne Renee, a massage therapist and health and beauty manager for a natural food store in Colorado. "Many have more purity than lotions that have preservatives and stabilizers."

Renee says body oils can be used by themselves or mixed with essential oils such as lavender, which have their own healing properties. She recommends that body oils be applied immediately after a shower or bath (towel off lightly), so the oil can trap the moisture left on the skin. But she cautions against overdoing it. "Normally when people tell me they feel oily when they put on an oil, they’ve put on too much," she says. Renee recommends rubbing the oil between your hands to heat and separate it, making it easier to apply. Use just enough to coat both hands with oil, she says.

Beauty expert Kat James suggests these oils for specific skin types:

All skin types
Jojoba, sweet almond and apricot kernel oil, which also work well as carriers for essential oils.

Oily and acne-prone skin
Jojoba, which is actually a wax, mimics the skin’s own oils and can even
remove excess sebum.

St. John’s wort oil—which is usually mixed in olive oil—calms the skin, and grapeseed oil is an astringent. "Two more expensive, newer oils on the scene that do double duty include black cumin seed and cranberry seed oils, which are especially great for acne because they are both powerfully anti-inflammatory and antioxidant," James says. While these oils can be applied directly to the face or body, because they’re highly concentrated and expensive, they’re usually blended with a carrier oil.

Dry or mature skin
Avocado and macadamia oils, along with squalane, which comes from olive oil. James says a type of squalane is found naturally in children’s sebum.

Healing oils
Borage oil helps combat inflammation, while rose hip and sea buckthorn berry oils are the "ultimate healers and sun-damage reversers and protectants," James says. While rose hip oil can be used directly on the face or body, sea buckthorn oil is generally diluted with a carrier oil because it can stain the skin if used full strength. The two oils are often blended into a popular moisturizing combo, James says.

Courtesy of Alternative Medicine [http://www.alternativemedicine.com] August 22, 2007