Healthy Lifestyle = Healthy Skin

We all have certain routines or habits we’ve adopted over the years – some of them can be less than ideal. Pay particular attention to what you may be doing that can harm or age your skin. Then make the necessary adjustments to ensure you are doing everything within your power to maintain a healthy and clean skin and body.

Stop Smoking. Smoking causes chemical changes in the human body that accelerate the aging process. A yellow, unhealthy complexion and leathery, wrinkled skin are common among long-time smokers. Smoking also breaks down collagen and elastin in the skin causing sagging.

Smoking is the most controllable of all extrinsic age factors. If you smoke, seek help to stop.

Eat More Fruits and Vegetables. Eat a healthy and well-balanced diet to reduce extrinsic aging. By now we all know eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables is good for overall health and wellness.

Research also suggests that eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables can prevent damage that causes premature skin aging. By the same token, eating a diet loaded with sugar and other refined carbohydrates can speed up the aging process.

Get a Good Night's Sleep. Sleep is restorative medicine that is crucial for cell function and rejuvenation. Get into a routine that allows for adequate sleep each night, and refrain from the things that may get in the way of good sleep, such as consuming caffeinated beverages close to bedtime.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults sleep an average of 8 hours each night. This is not only good for overall wellness, but it also keeps wrinkles and dull skin from developing. Lack of sleep also causes the body to make more of the stress hormone cortisol, which leads to inflammation, itching, and decreased moisture in the skin.

Keep Alcohol Consumption to a Minimum and Stay Hydrated. Don't stop enjoying the occasional glass of wine. But, keep in mind that when the body metabolizes alcohol, it releases a byproduct called acetaldehyde, which is toxic to body tissues and can result in red, dry, wrinkled skin. It also causes dehydration of the skin, leading to premature aging.

Conversely, drinking water for hydration has major benefits for your skin. Striving for at least 8 glasses a day will help rid the body and skin of toxins.

Don't Use Harsh Ingredients and Chemicals. Stay away from abrasive products that can be unfavorable to your skin; things that burn, sting, and have a drying or tightening effect, are not friends of your largest organ. Instead opt for more soothing oils, serums and moisturizers. Choose products that contain natural, healing, and gentle ingredients – such as polyphenols – that are optimal for skin strength and vitality.