Wednesday, June 10th, 2009 | WELLNESS NEWS
· Beyond Skin Care Myths with Dr Jaena Stanley-Gonzaga, DC· Tip Of The Week: Combating PMS Naturally with Dr Marilyn Mitchell, MD, BHSP
Beyond Skin Care Myths with Dr. Jaena Stanley-Gonzaga, DC
“What is truly needed to keep the skin looking young, clear, healthy and vibrant?” asks ChicagoHealers.com Practitioner Dr. Jaena Stanley Gonzaga. “Would it be expensive moisturizers and creams, pH balanced skin care products, natural products, soap free cleansers, and skin exfoliants? We all have a daily regimen of taking care of our skin”. The question is, “What practices can you do to create a natural and constant expression of radiant skin?”Dr. Gonzaga clears up 8 skin care myths and gives suggestions for healthy, young, vibrant skin:
Myth 1: Your skin can block toxic chemicals from your skin care products. Answer: False
Principle: The skin is the largest organ of the body and is responsible for a variety of functions including protection, sensation, excretion, immunity, blood reservoir, and Vitamin D synthesis. Instead of applying skin products that are chemically toxic to the skin, which can go directly into the blood, liver, brain, lymph, and fat cells, apply moisturizers and other products that are free from the following ingredients: sodium lauryl sulfate (any sulfates), propylene glycol, alcohol, parabens, imidazolidinyl and diazolidinyl urea, synthetic colors, triethanolamine, mineral oil, petroleum, and other chemical based ingredients.
Practice: Read your label and be aware of what you actually put on your skin. Buy skin care products that do not have the above ingredients.
Myth 2: The skin needs to drink, feed and breathe. Answer: True
Principle: Dehydration, lack of topical nutrients and lack of oxygen can perpetuate skin aging. The skin has a capacity of 80% water. The best moisturizer for the skin is water from water soluble moisturizers. This, along with a wellness approach to life, will create juicy plump smooth skin. The shine from oil based moisturizers creates an illusion of moisture. The oils prevent water loss from the skin and do not add any more water than what is already present. The oils are therefore no use to the skin’s natural water binding soluble substances. In addition, the oils create a protective barrier that does not allow the skin to breathe causing hypoxia which damages the skin. For your skin to breathe and absorb the nutrients from the oils, the oils must also be water soluble.
Other ingredients found in skin care products that help with hydration and nourishment are ionized atomic minerals and natural sugars.
Practice: Acknowledge that you skin has its own life force that is not separate from you. Enhance the life force of your skin by giving it natural plant based formulations that utilize water soluble properties, ionized atomic minerals, and chemical free ingredients. Allow your skin to completely hydrate, nourish, and breathe.
Myth 3: pH balanced skin care products are best for the skin. Answer: False
Principle: The skin is a reflection of the whole. Just like the human body, it needs a higher or more alkaline pH for nutrients to be optimally absorbed and utilized by the cells. This type of an environment carries the greatest amount of oxygen that a healthy cell needs. Most products that are available contain chemicals that are depleted of oxygen and have an acidic pH. Many products, including “natural ones”, that are said to be pH balanced are due to the mixture of chemicals present which tricks the body into receiving the toxins as nutrients.
Practice: Find out for yourself. Test your product with pH paper that has a range of 5.5 to 8.0. Optimal pH range would be 7.2 or above.
Myth 4: Sunblock stops skin cancer. Answer: False
Principle: As noted by The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “… the incidence of melanoma of the skin has increased significantly [in the United States] by 7.7% per year from 2003 to 2005 among men, and increased significantly by 2.9% per year from 1993 to 2005 among women. When considering the use of a sun block, understand that the majority protect from the UVB rays that prevent sunburn and not the UVA rays that are more damaging to the skin. What you probably don’t know is that sun block typically needs to be reapplied about every hour. When using sun block, you are also protecting yourself from receiving Vitamin D that is an essential nutrient for cancer prevention. In addition, sun blocks contain numerous toxic chemicals that are even more harmful to your body.
Practice: Be responsible. Limit your exposure to the sun to before 10 a.m. and after 2-3 p.m. when the sun is not at its peak. This will allow skinto still get its Vitamin D nourishment for the day. Look into current sun protection products that use desert plants.
Myth 5: Lifestyle has a direct effect on premature aging. Answer: True
Principle: Depending on your lifestyle habits, it is well documented that smoking and long term sun exposure quickens the aging process of the skin. This can result in the following: loss of elasticity, fine and deep wrinkles, skin damage, thin skin, skin cancer, dullness of skin and leathery skin.
Practice: Honor yourself. Your skin is an expression of how well you take care of yourself.
Myth 6: What you eat and drink has no long term effect on the health of your skin. Answer: False
Principle: Your skin has natural regenerative qualities. Anti-aging is when the next generation of cells are healthier than the first. Your skin’s health and radiance is affected by how you choose to nourish yourself. What building blocks do you choose? You can help defy premature aging with optimal hydration and an increase in consumption of fruits and vegetables. This will not only help to moisturize from the inside out but, it will also enhance oxygenation, reduce free radical damage, reduce inflammation, increase alkalinity, and enhance healing.
Practice: Choose to nourish for long term effects of youthfulness.
Myth 7: Stress can cause wrinkles. Answer: True
Principle: Life’s challenges are never ending. Stress can be thought of as a stimulus or change that the body must respond to immediately. This response in physiology can either reflect optimal adaptability or survival. For many, there is a constant bombardment of emotional stress, environmental stress, lifestyle challenges, physical stress, work deadlines, trauma, relationship problems, death in the family, irritations, annoyances, worries, fears, burdens, and so on, that trigger a constant barrage of cortisol in the body for its survival. Cortisol is a hormone that is released when your automatic defense mechanism senses an emergency and triggers a survival response. Your body is not designed for a constant stress response. Breakdown, exhaustion and premature aging internally and externally will predominate.
Practice: Get back to basics. Breathe and focus on what you are thankful and grateful for!!!
Myth 8: Your natural radiant glow is in direct proportion to living a passionate life. Answer: It’s up to you.
Principle: Have you ever noticed that there is a magnificent glow expressed by those that are living an authentic and passionate life. They gently radiate love and compassion. Coming from passion, they are genuinely happy which shows in their state and physiology. The beauty is seen beyond the skin. We see the beauty in who they truly are.
Practice: Find your passion, be your passion and live your passion for the good of all.
Tip of The Week: Combatting PMS Naturally with Dr. Marilyn Mitchell, MD, BHSP
According to www.healingwithnutrition.com, as many as 90% of all women will have to deal with the aches, pains and emotional stress of Premenstrual Syndrome or PMS at some time during their reproductive years. Additionally, 30% to 40% of all women will have symptoms distressing enough to interfere with their everyday lives. PMS affects many women and can be difficult to treat with traditional therapies. ChicagoHealers.com Practitioner Dr. Marilyn Mitchell says, “what we take in daily in the form of foods and supplements may offer the best results over the long run for improving our well-being”.Dr. Mitchell gives these tips that may help combat PMS:
* Daily Dining – be sure to keep your blood sugars level, limit caffeine, have protein at each meal, eliminate refined sugars and flours, and eat nutritious carbohydrates that are high in fiber (i.e. grains, fruits, vegetables, beans).
* Ditch the Trans Fat – stick to health fats: olive oil, canola oil and coconut butter.
* Steady Supplements –
o Calcium—1200 mg/day in divided doses (no more than 600mg at once). This can include dietary as well as supplement sources.
o Magnesium—has a calming effect. Up to 1000-1500 mg/day. Available in fruits and as a supplement.
o Vitamin D— patients are often deficient in northern climates. 400-2000mg/day. Get checked if you suspect you are deficient.
o Vitamin B6—50-100mg/day* Good Mood Foods – protein, high quality carbohydrates, low glycemic fruits, and dark chocolate.
* Detoxification – there are excellent natural herbs and supplements that are targeted at detox for hormonal balance. This is helpful in tough cases. Herbs used for detox are: milk thistle, dandelion, yerba mate, lemongrass, green tea, and turmeric. When undergoing a detox regimen, it is a good idea to partner with a health care practitioner.
* Take Care of Yourself – quality sleep and relaxation, exercise (yoga and tai chi are especially helpful in the moment), ongoing exercise is preventative, and meditation. These adjunct therapies can often strengthen motivation to carry out good nutritional practices.
* Get Help – hypnosis with a trained clinician can help specific PMS symptoms.
About ChicagoHealers.com
Chicago Healers (www.ChicagoHealers.com) is the nation’s pioneer prescreened integrative health care network, offering a comprehensive understanding of each practitioner’s services, approach, and philosophy. Our holistic health experts teach and advocate natural and empowered health and life choices through their practices, the media, educational events, and our website. With close to 200 practitioners and over 300 treatment services, Chicago Healers has provided nearly 400 free educational events for Chicagoans and has been featured in 300+ TV news programs and print publications. For more information, visit www.chicagohealers.com.Media Contacts: Paramount Public Relations, Inc.
Jessica Prah, 312-643-2460, jprah@paramountpr.com
Lauren Bishop 312-643-0610, lbishop@paramountpr.com