Practically any exercise routine can provide beneficial effects on skin. Stretching is one good way to prepare the body for exercise, loosening up the muscles for any activity that will follow. This kind of activity does not take much effort, since even standing or sitting up straight already involve stretching. Simply extending your arms upwards and your legs forward constitutes stretching and are exercise in itself.
After stretching, one can proceed to more vigorous exercise routines, such as aerobic exercises. By definition, aerobic exercises are activities that increased blood circulation, making the delivery and transfer of oxygen more efficient throughout the rest of the body. This helps the skin in that it oxygenates the cells and helps remove toxins that we take in from eating processed foods and daily exposure to pollution, particularly smog and smoke.
Another exercise regimen that one can derive much pleasure from is bicycling. Apart from using leg muscles to its fullest capacity, riding a bike is also a popular recreational activity, allowing one to enjoy all that Mother Nature has to offer. The sweat brought on by exercise not only cools the body, it also flushes out dirt and sebum produced by glands in the skin. This reduces the breakout of acne and allows the pore of the skin to breathe.
Running is also a popular exercise routine, especially for those near parks and woodlands. This particular activity can be especially enjoyable when done with friends or family. Running is a well-recognized form of dealing with stress brought on by daily lives. For those living with hectic schedules and are constantly plagued by deadlines, running allows some form of release from all the tension experienced by the mind and the body. This form of exercise also provides much benefit to the skin. Acne breakouts are associated with increased levels of male hormones in the body. Women, in particular, produce these hormones in smaller quantities. However, stress can cause the adrenal glands to increase its secretions of male hormones, leading to the occurrence of those dreaded pimples. Ergo, those whose skins are prone to acne breakouts can achieve clearer complexion through exercise. Reducing stress also means lesser chances of frowning, thereby helping to avoid the formation of lines around the mouth and eyes.
Consequently, running, or other forms of exercise like swimming, dancing, even weight lifting, also reduces the appearance of wrinkles by enhancing the build up of collagen in the body. For those not in the know, collagen is the substance that makes any part of our bodies firm and perky. Therefore, those who have no wishes to show signs of aging should make it a point to incorporate exercise in their daily or weekly routines.
Of course, all these exercise would come to naught if no changes in the overall lifestyle of a person. The benefits of exercise on the skin will not be achieved if one continues to smoke, drink heavily, and take drugs. These substances adversely affect the overall health of the skin, and must be avoided at all cost in order to achieve your best physically. Sleepless nights also contribute to unhealthy skin and appearance, so be sure to make it a point to get enough sleep.
There are some basics which everyone should be doing to give your new regime a great foundation. The condition of your skin reflects your health and lifestyle, so eating and sleeping well is crucial - think of how dull and tired your skin can get if you've had a splurge of nights out.
One of the most important skincare basics is to eat a well-balanced diet and it's well known nowadays that six to eight glasses of water a day are needed to help keep skin hydrated. There are six crucial vitamins and food groups for healthy skin - Vitamins A, B, C and E, essential fatty acids and water-rich foods, so introduce a mix of dairy products, green leafy veg such as spinach and broccoli, wholemeal bread, citrus fruits, nuts such as almonds and hazelnuts and apples, cherry, lettuce and celery into your diet to help boost your radiance levels. Supplement this healthy diet with a good night's sleep of between six and nine hours and you will start to see puffiness and bags disappear before (and from under) your very eyes.
Your skin is a very visual indicator of your emotional wellbeing, so there are other lifestyle factors that will affect your skin, most prominently, your stress levels. Take time to relax, have a massage - it'll vastly improve the condition of your skin as well as making you feel calm and positive. Ditching bad habits can also vastly improve your skin, with smoking and drinking being the most obvious. Alcohol is dehydrating which is bad news for skin and can also cause spider veins, whilst smoking causes harm on a multitude of levels - it damages collagen and elastin, causing sagging skin while also constricting blood vessels and impairing blood flow to the skin. Squinting against the smoke, meanwhile, creates wrinkles.
Once you have made these lifestyle changes, it's time to look at a skincare regime. It may seem obvious but it is vital you know your skin type, so you can adopt the regime that is right for your own particular skin. If you aren't sure of this then visit a consultant in a beauty store and they should be able to help. Once you know your skin type then adopt the simple 3-step routine of cleansing, toning and moisturising, so that you are nourishing your skin from the outside as well as from the inside.
When you are looking for a moisturiser, the 'scientific' information can be mind-boggling, but there are some key ingredients to look out for; antioxidants help fight free radicals which can prematurely age skin; Hyaluronic acid attracts moisture and can hold up to one thousand times its weight in water and therefore is great for mature or dry skins. Vitamin A derivatives or retinoids have anti-wrinkle benefits and can also help acne. Peptides initiate collagen repair, helping to plump skin and smooth away fine lines and Glycolic, lactic and salicylic acids stimulate collagen production and help increase cell turnover, making skin look fresher.
However, it's not just your face you need to think about; if you think about your body too then you won't need a last minute dash when the summer holidays start rolling around. Get rid of dull, surface layer skin by gently exfoliating once or twice a week. Exercise is also a great way to glowing, as it draws oxygen and nutrients to skin cells, firming and nourishing the skin. Physical activity also helps organs become more efficient at ridding your body of toxins, as well as reducing stress and helping you get a better night's sleep - all of which will benefit your skin.
Your skin is your body's largest organ and the one that gains the most exposure to the elements, and therefore, the last step to great skin is ensuring that you protect it properly. Check any moles monthly for change - look out for asymmetry, an irregular border, an uneven colour or a change in size. If you have any concerns, then visit your GP, they would rather a false alarm than leave it until it's too late.
When outside, wear an SPF sun cream every day throughout the spring and summer, even if it doesn't feel hot; less than one in three people uses adequate sun protection, and 70,000 new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year according to the British Skin Foundation. So look for cream with high UVA ratings and a minimum SPF of 15 - if you want a tan you can always cheat with the amount of self-tans on the market these days.
Getting great skin should be easy and manageable as long as you take small steps and introduce them into your everyday routine.
Both Louise Forrest & Andrew Regan are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Louise Forrest has sinced written about articles on various topics from Diabetes Treatment, Spa and Acne Treatment. You should really take some time and visit this Blog about ">hair & skin care. Look at this article and you will see that. Louise Forrest's top article generates over 110000 views. to your Favourites.
Andrew Regan has sinced written about articles on various topics from Travel and Leisure, Small Business and Modelling. Andrew Regan is an online, freelance author from Scotland. He is a keen rugby player and enjoys travelling.. Andrew Regan's top article generates over 20400000 views. to your Favourites.