The benefits of a sauna have been known for thousands of years. From the ancient Romans to the early civilisations of South America, people have used saunas for both relaxation and therapeutic reasons.

Although our skin, along with the kidneys, liver and intestinal tract together perform the natural elimination of toxins there is probably nothing better we can do to help the process than taking a sauna. Toxins in the body build up as a result of both normal body metabolism and through various pollutants entering the body by way of the lungs, the digestive system or the skin.

Our skin, the largest organ of the body, contains both sweat and oil glands that help eliminate toxins. However, lack of exercise, the wearing of clothes, use of body care products etc all mean the skin is not fully able to do the job it was meant to do! In addition, over stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system and negative emotions reduce the skins function by decreasing blood circulation.

Medical studies have confirmed that many toxins can be eliminated through the skin but modern living does not help the process. The pollutants, dust and grime clog our pores preventing the elimination of waste. By dramatically increasing the rate at which we sweat, a sauna can help flush away toxic build up, massively reduce the load on our other cleansing organs and at the same time bring many health benefits. Not least, fantastic looking skin!

During a sauna the sweat is able to remove both water soluble toxins (including some toxic heavy metals) and with extended use (ensure safety guidelines are followed), oil based toxins like those found  in pesticides, skin care products and solvents. As the body is heated blood is moved towards the skin in order to dissipate heat. This promotes great circulation which is great for the skin and will help the joints and muscles to relax. In fact, raising body temperature will assist the body in its fight against bacteria and viruses and may even help to kill other types of abnormal cell associated with cancer etc.

Helping to prevent disease by eliminating the build up of toxins is just one of many sauna benefits. Swiss doctors have used sauna therapy to effectively treat high blood pressure. It can take as few as 15 sauna sessions to bring blood pressure back to normal! Also, saunas can increase the metabolic rate which over the long term will help with weight loss.

The real good news from the perspective of this blog is that saunas are fantastic for the skin! The body care lotions and creams we use to cover up blemishes, skin problems and signs of aging often compound the problem that we had in the first place. These body care products contain chemicals that only further clog up the pores and promote spots etc. The combined effect of high temperature and steam of a wet sauna will open up the skin’s pores and release trapped oils and dirt. Blood circulation increases and tense facial muscles, often the cause of wrinkles and lines, will relax. Because the sauna is great for relaxation the effects of stress on the skin are reduced.

An often overlooked aspect of the sauna and high on the list of good skin tips is the potential for great skin efoliation. One of the benefits of a good sauna is that skin exfoliation is made easier. Using a loofah, exfoliating gloves or a skin brush will not only remove dead skin but encourage better lymphatic circulation and speed up the removal of toxins. The overall effect of smooth glowing soft skin and a clear complexion will match any skin exfoliator on the market.

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According to Leslie and Susannah Kenton authors of ‘ Raw Energy ‘, a raw diet makes a woman look 10 years younger with firmer flesh, softer lines, shiny hair and great skin! After 2 years on a raw diet a woman can completely transform her body even to the extent of removing stubborn cellulite. Lots of evidence from other sources can back these statements up and yet we still seem to prefer a diet that is nutritionally deficient. A statement from the ‘ The China Study ‘ refering to the well known Atkins diet says "Perhaps it is a testament to the power of modern marketing savvy that an obese man with heart disease and high blood pressure became one of the richest snake oil salesmen ever to live". Not kind words but at least ‘ The China Study ‘ has plenty of evidence to back up its statements! It seems that if you want natural beauty secrets then look no further than what you feed your body.

From a personal perspective I feel we have become obsessed with short term thinking and results. Diets like the Atkins diet only work because fewer calories are being consumed than are actually needed on a daily basis. The body then takes what it needs from the fat reserves and hey presto you lose weight! But what of our long term health? In one study people on the Atkins diet had a 53% increase in the amount of calcium excreted in their urine. Might this be an indication of why the incidence of Osteoporosis is rising - because we generally consume too many animal products. In the same study, 10% of the volunteers reported hair loss. What other signs of aging might we discover with long term testing? I believe the skin would be in for a rough ride!

Numerous studies throughout the USA and Europe have shown that many people suffer from nutritional deficiencies. One such deficiency of the Western diet is the lack of zinc which is needed to prevent the skin from wrinkling. Also, a lack of vitamin C will effect the health of collagen, the fibrous protein that gives your skin its texture and smooth appearance. Beta-Carotene, found in green vegetables and carrots ensures you get enough vitamin A to regulate the oil balance in your skin and protect your skin against the environment. Eat an abundance of these vitamins in their original form and you can throw away that moisturiser and let your natural beauty shine through!

Many people just don’t get enough of these vitamins in their normal diet and resort to buying them in pill form. The market for vitamins and minerals grows by the year, a sure sign that our normal diet is severely lacking! The fact is, vitamin pills and minerals on their own just don’t make the grade. Natural fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and grains contain all the nutrients you need in the way nature intended. It shouldn’t be underestimated the power of plant food to rejuvenate the skin and that includes their natural water content.

With our obsession for great skin the desire for short term results means purchasing a multitude of potions, lotions and supplements to improve how we look. The reality is, most of these products (with the exception of good exfoliators, unless you prefer skin brushing, saunas or the beach life) do not match the power of natural beauty secrets provided by nature. Just top up your diet with zinc (good sources are Avocado, string beans, peanuts, soybeans and pumpkin seeds), beta-carotene (sources include Peppers, Apricots, Grapefruit, Carrot, Cucumber, Blueberries and Limes) and vitamin C (including citrus fruits, Tomatoes, Water Cress, Celery, Broccoli and Apples).  The fact that a lot of these fruits and vegetables also help lower cholesterol is great news for the skin. Good circulation is an essential requirement of great skin and should not be under estimated. Fruits and vegetables in their natural form are also packed with key antioxidants giving you that essential protection. When all is said and done a well balanced diet rich in plant foods with as few animal products (including dairy) as you can is the key to great looking skin.

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When it comes to premature aging, one of the top offenders has to be stress. It’s extremely damaging to our health and long term plays havoc with the skin. Regardless of the skin products one uses, ageless skin care is not possible without first managing stress and second, providing the skin with the right nutrition. In fact, both are so closely linked that much of the stress we feel is compounded by the foods we eat. But let’s first see what happens when we are stressed and how good nutrition is possibly the ultimate in skin care.

During a stressful situation a number of things happen. Our heart rate and blood pressure increase as the adrenal glands pump adrenaline into the body. The stress hormone cortisol is released and to provide fuel for a possible ‘fight or flight’ response both fat and sugar rush into the bloodstream. Now in a heightened state of alertness we are ready to deal with anything but herein lies the problem! Our response to a situation often far exceeds that required of the situation playing havoc with our hormonal systems and long term health.

Take for example the fat left in the bloodstream after a stressful situation. Because the blood is now thicker it is less able to flow through the blood vessels placing a strain on the heart.

Also, because not all of the fat gets burned off it ends up us plaque in the arteries with the inevitable result of hypertension and the possibility of a stroke. This is why exercise is so good at both alleviating and preventing stress. The fat and sugar are used up by the muscles during exercise allowing the blood to flow more freely.

What has this to do with skin care?

More than most people think. Good circulation is essential for young looking skin and exercise is just one way to get the blood flowing more freely. Another would be deep breathing through the nose. High up in the nasal pharynx is a rich source of nitric oxide. When you breathe deeply through the nose the nitric oxide enters the body and causes dilation of the arteries, another major contributor to skin health.

The stress hormone cortisol is known to cause degredation of skin collagen. By inhibiting collagen synthesis, cortisol can cause fragile vessels and thinning of the skin. The blood vessels become susceptible to rupture so the skin bruises easily. A lot of skin products (moisturisers, skin exfoliators etc) include chemicals like Tretinoin (an acid form of vitamin A) to increase collagen production in the dermis. But this is just trying to treat the condition and does not get to the root of the problem.

For optimum skin health there’s probably nothing better than changing to a diet rich in complex carbohydrates. The brain works best when blood-glucose levels are stable. The more stable the less stress you feel (remember it’s not the situation but the response to the situation that counts), the less likely you’ll be rushing for the temporary relief of a sugar fix. Simple carbohydrates (refined sugar, flour etc) play havoc with blood-glucose levels, our stress levels, our health and ultimately our skin. Complex carbohydrates even the playing field and ensure the skin is given the nutrition it needs from the inside out!

The good nutrition of a diet rich in plant foods not only helps prevent stress but works to help maintain good circulation and feeds the skin with the nutrients it requires - the one and only true remedy for ageless skin care! Ensure you get the right vitamins and antioxidant content for your skin by choosing deeply colored fruits and vegetables. Try citrus fruits (packed with Vitamin C and required for the synthesis of collagen), Apricots (high in beta-carotene which the body turns into Vitamin A. The kernel of the apricot is used in many skin products), Tomatoes, Broccoli, Squash, Apples, Avocado and Carrots to get the vitamin A, C and E your skin loves! Deeply colored fruits and vegetables are packed with antioxidants helping to protect your skin against the ravages of life!

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One of our greatest concerns about skin health is the possible damage that might result from too much exposure to the Sun leading to wrinkles and possibly even worse. The penetration of the skin by the sun’s UV rays causes structural damage to collagen inhibiting skin repair. In addition, exposure to the  sun can lead to the formation of free radicals, resulting in both damage to our cells and further possibility of damage to collagen.

Free Radicals can cause cancer by damaging a cell’s DNA and preventing the body’s ability to repair it. If the cell then multiplies the defect is carried forward eventually leading to visible signs that something has gone wrong!

The problem for us humans of course is that we need the Sun rays for our health. Natural sunlight ensures we get plenty of vitamin D, vital for bone health, blood clotting, the immune system and the nervous system. But here’s the rub. If we don’t get enough sunlight a lack of vitamin D can also lead to cancer. It seems we lose both ways but really it’s just a question of balance.

The goal of course is to get the sunlight we need for our health but not so much it will damage our skin. And the more we can do to prevent wrinkles the better.

I have some concerns about the long term damage sunscreens might be doing to our skin. The temporary benefits of applying these lotions are of course in no doubt, but what damage might we be doing to the skin’s natural function. We need some other ways to prevent wrinkles and protect against skin damage. Some of the following suggestions may help you protect the skin whilst using a little less sunscreen.

Try spending a bit more time outside in the winter. Vitamin D is created when UVB rays interact with cholesterol. In the winter months the body increases the amount cholesterol we have in order to create more Vitamin D. The body has actually evolved to have higher levels of cholesterol just so that we don’t go short on Vitamin D. If you spend time in the Sun during the least harmful times of the year you’ll be able to manufacture the Vitamin D you need without the need for elevated levels of cholesterol which of course can be bad for your health in other ways!

If you live near the sea and you’re brave enough to face the cold, why not spend some time down by the beach. Not only will you be exposing more of your skin, the combination of sea salt, wind and sand work together as a wonderful skin exfoliator. In certain parts of the world you just can’t get enough sun during the winter months to get the necessary vitamin D. Try eating cold water fish like mackerel, herring and salmon or tuck into some sunflower seeds!

In Dr Sharon Moalem’s book The ‘ Survival of the Sickest ‘ we learn about one negative side to wearing sunglasses. When your skin color changes through exposure to the sun it’s because of melanin, a skin pigment created by the pituitary gland. The Melanin prevents the skin burning by absorption of harmful ultra-violet light. However, the pituitary gland can only determine how much melanin to produce via signals it gets from the eye. When the eye determines that it’s sunny the pituitary gland creates more melanin to protect the skin. Wearing sunglasses may lead to unnecessary sunburn because the pituitary gland doesn’t produce sufficient melanin. Next time you go out leave your sunglasses off for a short period and give your skin a break.

Of all the things you can do to protect the skin the most underated has to be a diet rich in antioxidants. More and more research is showing the power of plants to prevent cancer and hold back the signs of aging. Deeply colored fruits and vegetables like Avocado, Carrots, Broccoli, citrus fruits and tomatoes are all great for the skin. Lycopene, an antioxidant found in cooked tomatoes has been linked to reduced cancer risk and also protects against skin damage from the sun. To keep the skin moisturised from the inside, you might try eating millet a grain which is rich in mineral salt and silicon (eliminates toxins), or try eating more essential fatty acids found in oily fish like mackerel and sardines. Change your diet to include more of these foods, your skin deserves it!

I’m willing to bet that the rising incidence of skin cancer is not down to the ozone layer alone. Some experts believe that chemicals in some sunscreens actually destroy our skin’s natural mechanism for defending against sun damage. I am also convinced that the general change in diet (a movement away from complex carbohydrates to simple carbohydrates) is partly responsible. Through personal experience I know that changing from a diet high in animal products and/or simple carbohydrates (refined sugar, flour etc) to a diet rich in plant foods will change your complexion. Your skin will actually turn a shade darker - is this nature’s way of helping protect the skin?

Although, you might be considered insane to spend time in the hot sun without any protection I would recommend using less sunscreen and find other ways to prevent wrinkles and skin damage, like covering up. We need the sun like we need oxygen but in either case too much of a good thing can be harmful!

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