TriVita’s Weekly Wellness Report
by Brazos Minshew, TriVita’s Chief Science Officer

Keeping Skin Healthy and Glowing

“I’m tired of all this nonsense about beauty being only skin-deep. That’s deep enough. What do you want, an adorable pancreas?” – Jean Kerr

Beautiful outside, beautiful inside?
Who doesn’t want beautiful skin – especially as we age? Our outside layer of skin often reflects the health of our internal organs, as we discussed in the Weekly Wellness Report on “Liver Spots.”

For instance, skin hydration relies on glucosamine just as joint hydration relies on glucosamine. So, dry skin likely means dry joints. Skin that is easily torn and damaged indicates rapid aging, which likely indicates rapid aging of our circulatory system. Furthermore, skin that is easily burned by the sun may indicate that our essential fatty acid (EFA) and antioxidant reserves are low which means other tissues that rely on antioxidants and EFA for protection may also be at risk.

Therefore, beautiful skin is a good indicator of healthy reserves of critical nutrients.

Inside first…
As we age, we are likely to experience skin that wrinkles and becomes blotchy. It may start to get pigment spots and become easy to injure. There are many products and procedures you can use to help your skin from the outside and those are important. But more important is nourishing the skin from the inside.

Skin has a base of healthy fats. Most of the external emollients we use on our skin are some form of fat. However, humans are not designed to take in fats very efficiently through the skin. The best way to have a healthy base for your skin is to take OmegaPrime essential fatty acids. Two per day is good, but for skin health, more is better!

From the outside…
There is a huge industry that provides cleansers, peels and emollients for the outside of your skin. Use of skin treatments is important only after you have been nourished from the inside. Then your skin will have beauty long after the makeup has been removed. Dr. Libby’s Vital C Powdered Crystals are perfect for your weekly beautiful skin routine. Try this natural deep moisturizer treatment and skin exfoliant:

Add 1/4 teaspoon of Vital C Crystals to your daily skin moisturizer and mix thoroughly.
Liberally apply the cream to your face and neck, massaging gently.
Leave on for 10 minutes.
Wash off completely with warm water; follow with a splash of cold water to close your pores.
Your skin should have a lovely glow!

Sunlight and Vitamin D
The skyrocketing incidence of diabetes, osteoporosis and certain cancers definitely say that we are not getting enough Vitamin D. The increase in insomnia and seasonal depression tells us that we are not getting enough early morning sun.

We need more sunlight. Now, how do we make it safe?

Recognize the need for sun and the need for caution. Plan your sun exposure so that you maximize the benefits while minimizing the risks. For instance, get your sunlight early in the day. Early morning sunlight does not have the high ultra-violet intensity that midday sun does. So, take a 20-minute walk in the early part of the day with your skin exposed to sunlight. This will give you the benefits without the risks of over-exposure.
Alternately, take a 20-minute walk in the evening with your skin exposed to sunlight. There are fewer UV rays in the evening than at midday, though more than in the morning. This will have a less dramatic effect than morning sun but will still provide you with many of the same benefits.
Never expose your skin to midday sun for long periods of time. Wear clothing that covers most of your skin and wear a hat that provides shade for your face and ears.
Certain nutrients work well to protect against sun damage:
Essential fatty acids interact with Vitamin D in your skin to create a bulwark of protection against harmful radiation.
Vitamin C quenches smoldering fires of oxidative stress once they have begun.
Antioxidants, such as green tea (Energy Now!) and those found in berries (Adaptogen 10 Plus) can help protect against DNA damage from radiation.
All these are excellent strategies for dealing with the stress of too much sun.

What about sunscreen?
The discussion about sunscreen is full of heated rhetoric. The first thing I will say about using sunscreen is that it is completely up to you: it’s your choice! I would also point out that people have lived outdoors for thousands of years without serious risk from sun exposure. The increase in skin cancer risk came about as a “perfect storm” of severely polluted air, a low antioxidant/nutrient diet and the 40-year tanning craze that followed World War II.

The truth is that more people die of cancer related to Vitamin D deficiency than of skin cancer caused by sunburn. Again, get some morning and evening sunshine for good health, never get a sunburn and keep your skin covered when you are exposed to midday sun. Beyond these recommendations, do what seems reasonable to you!

Total health
The health of our skin can tell us much about the health of our entire body. We naturally desire that “healthy glow” and beautiful skin. And that makes sense, doesn’t it? We have a tool to assess our internal health immediately at our disposal: our skin. All we have to do is learn to listen to the message of healthy skin!

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Take Control of Your Health

For healthy skin:
Eat healthy fats and take OmegaPrime to help form the foundation
Take Joint Complex for healthy collagen
Drink plenty of water
Eat an antioxidant-rich diet
Take a specific antioxidant, such as Adaptogen 10 Plus or Energy Now!
Use topical antioxidants frequently
Get appropriate sunshine – never burn!
Get your sun exposure early in the day
Alternately, get your sun exposure in the evening
Wear long pants and long sleeves during midday
Wear a hat that provides shade for your face and ears
Take EFAs, Vitamin C and antioxidants for maximum protection!

Learn more!

Protect Your Skin
Skin Self-Exam
Vitamin D and Your Health
Upcoming Weekly Wellness Reports…

Test Yourself: Body Mass Index
Nopalea FAQ
New! – Wellness Talks With Brazos Minshew

Listen to TriVita’s Chief Science Officer, Brazos Minshew, speak on a range of vital health topics. These talks will help you learn more about the science behind different TriVita products, as well as how they can help you and others with different health problems.

Date Topic
7/27/2010 Weight Loss/SMART Goals (Leanology)
7/28//2010 Obesity/Blood Sugar Health (Leanology,Gluconorm)
7/29/2010 Obesity/Heart Health (Leanology, HCY Guard, Nopalea)
7/30/2010 Toxins/Heart Health (Nopalea, HCY Guard)
7/31/2010 Product Questions

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Please note that Weekly Wellness Report topics will be chosen at the discretion of Brazos Minshew and based on general relevance.

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

© 2010 TriVita, Inc.