Beautiful, Problem-Free Skin: Natural Remedies for 5 Common Skin Concerns

Beautiful, Problem-Free Skin: Natural Remedies for 5 Common Skin Concerns BY SUSAN M. LARK, M.D. Topics Found in This Report Nourish Your Skin Fro...
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Beautiful, Problem-Free Skin:

Natural Remedies for 5 Common Skin Concerns

BY SUSAN M. LARK, M.D.

Topics Found in This Report Nourish Your Skin From the Inside Out.......................................................1 Recipe for Glowing Beauty......................................................................2 Water, Water, and More Water ..................................................................3 Use Acupressure to Restore Luster to Your Skin ........................................3 1. Facial Beauty Point..................................................................................3 2. Heavenly Appearance Point...................................................................4 3. Heavenly Pillar Point................................................................................4 Don’t Forget to Exfoliate...............................................................................4 A Real Skin Saver............................................................................................4 How to Use Aloe..........................................................................................5 Treat Eczema with Tea...................................................................................5 Treating Psoriasis Naturally...........................................................................6 Reduce Stress..............................................................................................6 Soak up a Little Sun.....................................................................................7 Soak in a Spa................................................................................................7 The Forbidden Five..................................................................................7 Take Care of Your Liver...............................................................................8 Take a Natural Anti-inflammatory Supplement........................................8 Try Skin-Cap.................................................................................................8 An Easy Remedy for Plantar Warts...............................................................9 Fade Age Spots Naturally.............................................................................9 The Usual Treatment for Erasing Age Spots.............................................9 Try Lemon Instead.....................................................................................10

Natural Remedies for 5 Common Skin Concerns Have you ever met a woman who just radiated beauty—with smooth, glowing skin and the ability to light up every room? I’ll bet you have, and you’ve probably wondered what her secret is. Let me tell you right out, it’s not the latest beauty fad. In fact, most of the so-called “beauty” products on the market today are actually bad for your skin—and your health. The truth lies in a saying that many of us heard even as little girls: Beauty is only skin deep. That adage might be old, but it is true. Nothing betrays a woman’s age like the skin on her hands, face, and neck. A lifetime of sun, wind, housework, and outdoor activities takes its toll on this sensitive, exposed skin. Drying and wrinkling of skin is often accelerated by improper nutrition, stress, lack of exercise, and hormonal changes that start to occur at midlife. Most women treat dry skin with a moisturizer and use sunscreen. Others may have a skin care regimen that includes night cream, undereye ointment, astringent, and blemish medication. But there is much more you can do to restore the structure and health of your skin and its underlying tissues. In this special report, I’ll show you how to nourish your skin from the inside out. I’ll also share other natural remedies that can help treat common skin concerns, such as dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, plantar warts, and age spots. By the time you finish reading, you’ll be well on your way to promoting healthy, naturally glowing skin.

Nourish Your Skin From the Inside Out If you want your skin to look youthful and glowing, one of the best places to start is your diet. Spicy foods like ginger and chili peppers, caffeinated beverages, red meat, and alcohol tend to dry out the skin, and mucous membranes like the vagina. Women at midlife and older who have already experienced drier skin due to menopause-related hormone deficiency should be especially cautious about eating these foods. I also recommend avoiding refined sugar due to its vasoconstrictive effects, which cause decreased circulation to the skin. 1

Recipe for Glowing Beauty Loaded with unsaturated fatty acids, avocados are a wonderful food that promotes soft skin, healthy cell walls, and strong nerves.

Chicken Stir-Fry with Avocado (Serves 2) ❧ 7 ounces chicken breast ❧ 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice ❧ Sea salt to taste ❧ Black pepper to taste ❧ Paprika ❧ ½ teaspoon ground star anise ❧ 1 green bell pepper ❧ 2 cloves garlic

❧ 1 onion ❧ 1–2 tablespoons olive oil ❧ 1 bunch fresh Italian parsley ❧ 1 avocado ❧ 10 black olives, pitted ❧ Steamed millet or brown rice for accompaniment

1. Combine the lemon juice, salt, pepper, a pinch of paprika, and the star anise in a shallow bowl. Slice the chicken into thin strips and add to the bowl, turning to coat. 2. Remove the stem, ribs, and seeds from the bell pepper; rinse and coarsely chop. Peel and finely chop the garlic and onion. 3. Drain the chicken. In a wok or large skillet, heat the oil over mediumhigh heat. Add the chicken and brown on all sides. Add a pinch of paprika, and the bell pepper, garlic, and onion. Stir-fry for 5 minutes. Wash and shake dry the parsley, remove the leaves from the stems, and chop. Halve the avocado and remove the pit; with a paring knife, score the flesh within the skin; scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Mix the avocado, olives, and parsley, and season to taste with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. 4. Divide the chicken mixture among serving dishes, top with the avocado mixture, and serve with millet or rice. This recipe is from my book, Eat Papayas Naked: The pH-Balanced Diet for Super Health and Glowing Beauty. It’s available on Amazon.com or by calling 800-941-1997.

Replace these foods with choices high in water and mineral content, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes, soups, and salads, as well as foods rich in essential fatty acids (EFAs). Fresh fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, cantaloupe, spinach, romaine lettuce, and broccoli are high in vitamins A, C, and E—powerful antioxidants that help support the overall health of your skin. Foods rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, like flaxseed oil (1–2 tablespoons 2

per day), raw pumpkin seeds (1–2 ounces per serving), and cold-water fish such as salmon, trout, or halibut (three times a week) also help keep your skin soft and moist. EFAs—flaxseed oil in particular—also have been found to soothe and heal dry, chapped lips. In fact, since it slows the rate of moisture evaporation from skin, flaxseed oil offers more lip protection than lipstick. I also recommend including monounsaturated oils like olive oil in salad dressings and in cooking.

Water, Water, and More Water Everything in your body depends on water. In fact, water makes up 82 percent of your blood, 75 percent of your muscle, 25 percent of your bone, 76 percent of your brain tissue, and 90 percent of your lung tissue! Plus, water neutralizes acidity, which can dry out your skin. You should drink eight 8-ounce glasses of filtered water each day to keep your skin soft and supple. I have found that if I keep a glass of water on my desk and next to my bed, I have no problem consuming this amount—and even more—each day.

Use Acupressure to Restore Luster to Your Skin In addition to following a healthy diet and drinking plenty of pure water every day, there are a few simple, painless acupressure exercises that can restore luster to your skin and help reduce wrinkles. With its roots in Chinese medicine, acupressure is similar to acupuncture in that it stimulates the flow of energy to promote healing. But unlike acupuncture, acupressure uses touch rather than needles and can be done by a novice as a self-treatment. To try acupressure for your skin, I recommend using it on three particular points, which I’ll describe in a minute. Using the tips of your fingers, stimulate these points with gentle to medium pressure. Acupressure should be performed bilaterally, so if you treat a point on your right side first, treat the same point on your left side before moving onto the next point.

1. Facial Beauty Point This point is located at the bottom of your cheekbone, directly below your pupil. It helps sagging, poor complexion, and blemishes.

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2. Heavenly Appearance Point This is the indentation found directly below your ear lobe, just behind your jawbone. It helps balance the thyroid gland, which in turn increases the luster of skin.

3. Heavenly Pillar Point This point can be found just below the base of your skull, a fingerwidth away from your spine. It is excellent for reducing the appearance of swollen eyes.

Don’t Forget to Exfoliate Exfoliants made with the proper formulation and strength of alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) found in fruit can not only help remove dead skin cells that weigh down and suffocate aging skin, but can also improve skin moisture and boost the activity of skin-protecting antioxidants. A study reported in The Journal of Dermatology found that cultured human skin fibroblasts treated with the AHA glycolic acid responded better, with greater collagen stimulation, than when treated with the AHA malic acid. I recommend twice-weekly exfoliation, using a mild AHA product (5 to 10 percent AHA) to improve the shedding of dead cells while avoiding irritation and inflammation. I particularly like NeoStrata Ultra Smoothing Cream, which contains 8 percent glycolic acid and 2 percent AHA citric acid. To purchase it online or to find a retailer in your area, visit www.neostrata.com.

A Real Skin Saver As a house plant, it’s almost ideal: its graceful, fleshy leaves form a lovely rosette; it’s forgiving when you forget to water it; and it multiplies like crazy, so you can give the “babies” to friends. In addition to being hearty and beautiful, the Aloe vera plant can also soothe, heal, and moisturize skin. A large body of research documents the use of aloe for a variety of dermatological conditions, including rashes, acne scars, dermatitis, psoriasis, and wound healing. A case history published in 1935 described the use of Aloe vera gel on a woman whose radiation burns would not respond to conventional medical treatments. The gel produced complete, scar-free healing within five weeks. Other investigators have revealed an almost perfect match between what aloe provides and what the skin needs when it is damaged or irritated. 4

When applied to the skin, aloe reduces the scaliness, itchiness, and extent of seborrheic dermatitis; prompts the remission of psoriasis; relieves poison ivy; helps heal chronic leg ulcers; and speeds healing after dermabrasion.

How to Use Aloe For mild poison ivy rash, cleanse the area with warm water, pat it dry, and apply aloe gel several times a day to keep the rash moist. For moderate or severe poison ivy, see your doctor. For seborrheic dermatitis or psoriasis, apply aloe gel several times a day to keep the affected area moist. If the area is extensive, take 250 mg of stabilized Aloe vera powder two to four times a day with a glass of water, 30 minutes before meals. This takes longer to work, but the longterm results may be better. For more severe cases of psoriasis or seborrheic dermatitis, see your doctor. For other skin conditions, I recommend drinking 2–4 ounces of Aloe vera juice per day, mixed with either water or juice or blended in a smoothie. I am partial to Aloe Life’s whole leaf aloe juice concentrate (800-414-2563 or www.aloelife.com). Although allergic reactions to Aloe vera gel are quite rare, before using it, dab a small amount on your leg or arm and monitor the area for 24 hours. If your skin becomes red or itchy, or you develop hives, do not apply aloe preparations to your skin or ingest them. Think about testing yourself now, so that you’re sure you can safely use the gel if a skin emergency occurs. Also, if you are using Aloe vera juice and experience diarrhea, reduce your intake until you can tolerate it comfortably.

Treat Eczema with Tea If you suffer from eczema, I want to tell you about another natural remedy that may help you. It is a Chinese herbal tea that has been shown to reduce eczema symptoms in some people and completely eliminate them in others. According to researchers, components in the tea work together to stop the inflammatory prostaglandins and leukotrienes that often contribute to skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis. The tea, called E-tea, can be purchased from P.C. Teas Company (www.teastohealth.com or 800-423-8728). If you don’t like the taste of the tea, the company also sells the herb in capsule form. 5

The suggested dosage for the tea is one cup after each meal for the first week. After the first week, if you see improvement, you can taper down to two cups of tea a day following meals, and then down to one cup daily. If you choose to use the capsules instead, follow the dosage recommendations on the product label. Researchers also suggest that, for best results, you should eliminate spicy and hot foods, alcohol, and shellfish from your diet. You should also eat more fresh fruit and vegetables and fish.

Treating Psoriasis Naturally Psoriasis—a chronic, inflammatory skin disease that causes reddened, thickened, scaly, and sometimes itchy or oozy patches—affects upward of 7.5 million people in the US. It’s an immune system “misfire,” in which immune cells called T cells overreact to some unknown trigger and create a chronic, self-perpetuating inflammation at the base of the skin. Fortunately, the body has the ability to heal itself when it’s given the support it needs. In addition to drinking E-tea and using Aloe vera, here’s how many of my patients have achieved significant, long-term relief and healing from psoriasis.

Reduce Stress Stress plays a major role in psoriasis flare-ups. There are many stress reduction techniques that can help alleviate chronic illness. I am especially excited about the growing number of so-called untreatable diseases that respond to regular qigong practice, particularly Spring Forest Qigong. If you are interested in learning more about qigong, I highly recommend the book, Born a Healer by Chunyi Lin. As Chunyi Lin describes in his book, qigong is a fluid blend of exercise and meditation. It combines gentle movements, postures, gestures, mindful breathing, and quieting of the mind—all with the purpose to free the flow of qi (also spelled chi), which is the life force that circulates through our bodies. Chunyi Lin explains that Spring Forest Qigong exercises help to normalize, balance, and support the energy systems that feed healthy organs and support overall health. I’ve found that a regularly practiced program is an effective shield against illness. Spring Forest Qigong not only produces significant health benefits afterwards, but actually feels healing and energizing while you’re doing it. I use Chunyi Lin’s wonderful home-study video series, Spring Forest Qigong, as a part of my personal health regimen. 6

The Forbidden Five There are five unhealthy chemicals commonly used in a variety of skin care products, especially sunscreens: octyl-methoxycinnamate (OMC), benzophenone-3, homosalate, 4-methyl-benzylidene camphor (4-MBC), and octyl-dimethyl-PABA. According to a study conducted at the University of Zurich, Switzerland in 2001, all five of these substances have estrogenic properties. This is not good news for women. Applying substances to your skin that produce estrogen-like effects can cause endometriosis, severe PMS, breast cysts, and migraines. In extreme situations, these chemicals can stimulate estrogen receptors, possibly increasing risk of estrogen-dependent cancers. It is even possible for breastfeeding and/or pregnant women to unknowingly pass the hormone to their babies. My intent is to inform, not alarm you. Used in small doses, these chemicals may not produce toxic results. But our bodies are exposed to all kinds of toxins, and the cumulative effect can be harmful. Of the five chemicals tested, 4-MBC was deemed most likely to produce estrogenic effects. For this reason, I strongly recommend not purchasing products that contain 4-MBC. I would also recommend that children, cancer patients, and anyone with a weakened immune system avoid using products that contain any of the “forbidden five.”

Chunyi Lin’s book and his Spring Forest Qigong home-study program are available on his Web site, www.springforestqigong.com or by calling 952-593-5555.

Soak up a Little Sun It’s well known that UVB phototherapy helps reduce psoriasis inflammation. A study at Wake Forest University found that commercial tanning beds, which emit both UVA and UVB rays, can also be effective— although they’re considerably weaker than UVB-specific sunlamps. Here’s what I recommend: Go outside for a half-hour walk each day and get two benefits at the same time—stress reduction and free UVB.

Soak in a Spa To make phototherapy even more effective, you might want to try soaking first in a bath of mineral salts. In a study published in the May 2002 issue of the Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, skin affected with psoriasis was soaked twice daily for a total of four weeks in either a mild mineral bath or warmed distilled water, then exposed to 7

the sun after each soak. There was an amazing 85-percent improvement in the skin soaked in the mineral bath before sun exposure, compared to a 50percent improvement in the skin soaked in distilled water.

Take Care of Your Liver Your liver is an incredible, multi-tasking organ, and one of its most burdensome jobs is dealing with the toxins of everyday life. If it can’t keep up with the load, it will literally begin to accumulate partially processed toxins within its own cells and intercellular spaces. When that happens, part of the toxic backlog begins to ooze from secondary sites such as the pores of your skin. In several of my patients, this secondary toxin processing appears to have triggered the chronic inflammation of psoriasis, because liver detoxification brought significant relief. Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant and immune booster, and one of the most important detoxifiers in the body. Good food sources of glutathione include avocados, watermelon, cantaloupe, acorn squash, and asparagus. Along with eating more of these foods, I recommend taking a glutathione supplement. Unfortunately, glutathione taken in capsule form is not well absorbed, so you get very little therapeutic benefit. However, glutathione is very well absorbed and utilized when taken in a liposomal liquid form. I recommend the Liposomal Glutathione Drink from ReadiSorb (877303-3238 or www.readisorb.com), which has been formulated by a very knowledgeable physician in my field. Take one teaspoon of this product per day. Note: The company only sells to health care professionals, so you will need to ask your physician to order this product for you.

Take a Natural Anti-inflammatory Supplement I also recommend supplementing with quercetin. Take 300–600 mg per day. This potent anti-inflammatory helps prevent the formation of polyamines, which are known to stimulate the overproduction of skin cells. In addition, avoid foods that are high-producers of polyamines, including alcohol, sugar, meat, animal fat, and dairy products.

Try Skin-Cap Used in Europe for more than 20 years as a treatment for psoriasis, Skin-Cap contains pyrithione zinc—the active ingredient that’s also in many anti-dandruff shampoos. Approved by the FDA for over-the-counter

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purchase, Skin-Cap is available at many pharmacies and online. My patients have reported the best results with the spray-on preparation.

An Easy Remedy for Plantar Warts Plantar warts grow on the bottom of the feet. If you suffer from plantar warts I don’t have to tell you how painful and bothersome they can be. Conventional treatments often involve freezing the wart or burning it with acid. Fortunately, there is a simple home remedy that you can use to remove the wart—especially if conventional treatments don’t work for you. The remedy, which may come as a surprise, is the peel of a ripe banana. All you have to do is cut a small portion of the peel and tape it over the wart. Just be sure you put the white inner side of the peel facing the wart. Then simply change the peel each day and trim away the dead portion of the wart as needed. The amount of time it takes before the wart is gone will vary. Smaller warts will typically go away within a couple of weeks; larger warts may require a longer treatment period.

Fade Age Spots Naturally Age or liver spots are harmless, round or oval, flat, irregularly-edged brownish spots on the skin that begin to appear after menopause. Age spots usually accompany other symptoms of skin aging such as sagging, rough texture, and wrinkling. Age spots result from free-radical oxidative damage that occurs throughout the body and causes cellular debris to accumulate in skin cells. Exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays, heat, trauma, radiation, heavy metals, and changes in oxygen potential affect melanin (the dark pigment in skin) and hasten the formation of age spots. As I mentioned at the start of this report, poor eating habits—a diet based on dairy, red meat, and saturated fats—affect skin health. According to Chinese medicine, these foods congest the liver, blocking the chi, or energy, and preventing the liver from “purifying” the blood. This can lead to not only age spots, but many other skin conditions such as acne, eczema, boils, and other skin lesions.

The Usual Treatment for Erasing Age Spots ❖ Cosmetic bleaching creams contain monobenzone or hydroquinone (the same substance that’s in film developing chemicals). These 9

substances may bleach the surface of your skin. If you use one, make sure the dose is very low, because they can damage deeper layers of skin and cause white spots. ❖ Vitamin skin creams may have a small effect on the surface of skin, but they have not been proven to affect deeper skin layers. ❖ Laser surgery, burning, freezing, or peeling using Retin A as a catalyst. If you are uncomfortable with these approaches—in addition to following the other recommendations I have shared with you in this report—you might want to try the following natural treatment.

Try Lemon Instead According to Cait Johnson, assistant producer of Care2.com, you can reduce the appearance of age spots with lemon and sugar. Here are her specific recommendations: “To exfoliate dead skin and diminish the appearance of freckles and age spots, gently rub a cut lemon and ½ teaspoon of sugar granules over the skin for a few minutes. Repeat at least once a week until the darkened areas fade. “Another way to lighten age spots: simply sit with a slice of lemon applied directly to the area for 10 minutes. Repeat once a week until spots fade.” This home remedy works because lemon contains fruit acid, which when applied to the skin can naturally “bleach darkened or discolored areas,” and the sugar granules act like a natural exfoliant. The only other point to keep in mind is that you should only use fresh lemon juice and not the kind sold in a bottle. Bottled lemon juice is actually damaging to the skin.

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