Health is more than skin deep

You know the old saying, “Beauty is only skin deep”?   Well, did you know that the beauty of the skin comes from deep inside you? 

Your skin is actually an organ.  In fact, your skin is the single largest organ of your body. 

Your skin has many functions.  Obviously it protects your muscles and bones.  It is also an elimination organ, meaning it will help eliminate toxins when needed.  It helps to cool your body with its ability to sweat.  It also helps you stay warm by shunting blood from the vast capillary beds.

Healthy skin in our environment takes work.  Just look at the average American teenager.  Most teens don’t stand a chance without some serious diet, toxin elimination, and concentrated gut health work.

You see, the health of our skin, often reflects the health of other body systems.  When the liver is backed up with toxins, when the lining of the small intestine is damaged, when the kidneys aren’t functioning properly, or when the endocrine(hormone) system is off kilter, often these will be manifested in poor skin health.

The health of our skin is also a reflection of our diet.  Many times when people complain of dry skin, I’ll ask if they drink water or if they eat healthy fat.  Both of those things are imperative to soft, well hydrated skin.

So what do you do if you have skin that isn’t where you would like it to be?  

• First……examine your diet.  Do you drink half your body weight in ounces of pure water each day?  Do you consume adequate amounts of healthy fats, especially those high in omega’s?   

• Second, examine your gut health.  If you need to work on that, go read the last few blog posts, they will walk you through a quick tutorial on how to regain gut health and hook you up with where to get more information on gut health.

• Third, take inventory of the toxin load on your body from your environment.  Look at all the products you are using in, on, and around your body.  What improvements can you make?  Can you eliminate any of the toxin load?  Making small changes can all add up to a huge difference for your health.

Want a few ideas on toxin sources to get rid of?

• In your body:
• cooking with tools made of aluminum or teflon coatings
• bpa plastic containers
• oral care products
• highly processed foods and preservatives
• synthetically manufactured vitamins and OTC drugs
• poor water
• On your body:
• deodorants with aluminum hydroxides
• synthetic cosmetics
• perfumes (remember the skin absorbs things readily...if you don't intend to ingest something don't put it on your skin!)
• synthetic personal care products
• Around your body:
• synthetic air fresheners (inhalation is a very efficient way to get chemicals outside of you, into you.)
• synthetic cleaners and the fumes that accompany them (marketers have caught on that putting "natural" on the label sells products)
• environmental pollution

Young Living has solutions for all these challenges.

Cleaning products are a huge source of these toxins.  If you need scary reasons to de-tox your cleaning regimen, ‘check out this cleaning agent hall of shame’.

So, I thought I would share a toxin-free and cost saving DIY:

Thieves Foaming Hand Soap: Cost is about $2.00

Supplies:

• Empty Foaming Soap Container in working condition 

• Dr Bronner’s Unscented Liquid Castile Soap 

• Coconut or Vit E oil 

• Young Living Essential Oils of choice 

Depending on your container size, start with 10% soap, fill remainder with water(remember to leave room at the top for the foam making apparatus.

Then I add 2tbs of liquid soap, 8-10 drop of Thieves oil for my 8oz container. I usually don’t add the coconut or vit E, but that is just me. Shake well.

Oh and did I mention your scent combinations here are endless. Two of my favorite aside from Thieves are 

• Lemongrass/Lavender 
• Lemon/Spearmint. 

After your initial cost of the bottle, you can refill for less than $1 with ingredients you can pronounce!

Would you like to burn some calories and produce something for your community?  How about up-cycling to build a cold frame or hoop house?  Nothing beats cabin fever like planting.  It's probably good for your skin too...

It's amazing what can come together in one afternoon with cheap plastic sheeting, hoops from conduit or PVC pipe, and left-over lumber.  I put old wire around mine so the chickens can prepare the beds when it's time to re-plant.  Carrots and salad greens are only a few weeks away!

What are your favorite up-cycling and toxin busting activities?