Ok, I’m going to be forthright now! And I know that some things are just hard to give up as you’ll have to change your lifestyle. But the truth is that everything that we do affects us in one way or the other. What am I on about? Well, today, I want to talk about our skin, the largest organ of the body. The skin is the first thing that others see when they meet you. This means that we need to look after it well and avoid making some poor lifestyle choices that leave us worse off. Recently my friend Opal and I were having a casual conversation where she shared that she had stopped putting dyes in her hair as she feels that those chemicals must seep into your skin somehow, and who knows what damage they are doing. It’s then that I thought about my lifestyle and how it may be affecting my skin. I’m not much of a make-up girl (shocker, I know) but I know that there are many other poor lifestyle choices that affect the skin. Below I will share a few of them with you. If you can think of others, why not share them with us and our readers.
Smoking ( I don’t mean to judge your lifestyle)
It’s a known fact that smoking does more harm than good. The pores of the skin have a way of absorbing all the toxins from cigarettes which leaves you with a dull look, pimples, and that smell that no one likes. No matter how much skin cream and body lotion you use, it cannot mask the odour you don’t want to share. I am no medical professional, and neither are most of our readers, but I’m sure we know that smoking has no positive benefits for the skin whatsoever. I’m not a fan of smoking. At. All. My friend Diona at Mommywaystowin.had great success at stopping the nasty habit and looking after her skin. You can always read her story. Hopefully, someone will be helped by reading that article.
Drinking (the bad lifestyle one)
In addition to re-hydrating the body, water has a lot of benefits. That’s not the liquid being mentioned here though. We all know that excessive alcohol impairs our judgement! Right? Right! Well when one drinks too much alcohol, it actually dries out the skin while perhaps giving the person drinking the impression that they have had a lot of water. Nothing could be further from the truth! And that type of damage is hard to repair. I can recognise a heavy drinker when I see one, just by looking at the state of the skin on their face! Wise up, and do what’s best for you and your skin!
Too Much Sun Exposure (okay the tanning lifestyle … dunno)
It has been scientifically proven that overexposure to the sun’s UV rays is directly linked to skin cancer in addition to other risky skin conditions. Whilst we are on the topic of overexposure of the skin, it is important here to mention overexposure can also come from those sun lounges. Watch it! Don’t say you weren’t told! Think about it. does the look warrant get skin cancer?
Inadequate Water (don’t you feel thirsty?)
Want to have healthy beautiful skin? Start by ensuring that you drink plenty of water. Let it be your drink of choice. Top up at every opportunity. This is something I’m trying to improve on in my own life. I don’t think I drink enough water each day at all. I actually have to force myself to drink it, just because I know of the benefits to my health and well being. Lack of water leaves you dehydrated, makes your skin lacklustre and suppleness. Drink more for your skin’s sake. As I say, I need to take my own advice here! But as the heat is on, I’ll begin to drink more. And when I’m thirsty, I know what liquid I should be reaching out for. By the way, water is found naturally in most fruits and vegetables. Can you think of some of these? I’ve tried this trend of putting some fruits or pieces of fruit in a bottle, then topping up with ice and then water. When it’s refrigerated overnight, it makes an amazingly refreshing drink! Lemon and cucumber water is my favourite.
Greasy Food ( Tasty lifestyle for some but …)
The less grease in your food, the better your skin looks. This is another proven lifestyle choice of fact! Eliminate more of the fat and you will see improvement in your skin’s appearance. Of-course a little fat in the diet is necessary. But don’t overdo it now! What I do to remind myself to lay off the fat is to imagine each teaspoon of fat of any kind as a tablespoon of yellow ugly fat around my heart! Yuk! I know. That strategy works sometimes to help me to avoid greasy food.
I need to remember these tips too. So to summarise, eat healthier and avoid alcohol and also avoid overexposure to the sun. You should be so proud of your flawless skin when you see improvements after making these lifestyle changes.
PS. Drop us any other skincare tips you have in the comment box below.
Have a good week and do drop us a high five sometimes.
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Rhonda says
Great points! Somethings I get bored with drinking water do I like to add a lemon or orange slice to it and it really helps.
Joleisa says
Hi Rhonda
I do love lemon water too! So many great benefits! Did you know you could grate the zest and freeze it too? lovely in salads and even stews.
Thanks for stopping by.
xoxo
Jess says
Great post, Jo & Leisa! I am always on the look out on how I can improve my health and you cover some great points. I always fall down on the water side of things so thanks for kicking my butt back into shape!
Joleisa says
Leisa has found it so easy to drink tons of water every day, she thinks the more you drink, the nicer it tastes and the more you want! I’m still trying to improve my intake. So grateful to you for stopping by and glad we have a part in kicking your butt back into shape!
xoxo
Claire-Marie says
Really enjoyed reading this post. I’ve noticed such a difference in my skin since I’ve started to cut down on the amount of take-aways and junk food I eat!
Joleisa says
If only we could spread the word around to enough people! Thanks for popping by! Cheers to great skin.
Bryannah says
Great article! After quitting smoking and reducing my alcohol intake I found a huge improvement in my skin and complexion. It’s curious that I’ve always consumed a vast amount of water and teas, but continuing other bad habits still contributed significantly! It’s all about balance and this summarizes it perfectly!
Joleisa says
I agree that it’s all about balance. I’m glad that you’re regaining your flawless complexion and skin tone. You’re a testament to what can happen when we consider our lifestyle habits and the effects on our skin. Thanks so much for popping by.
xoxo
Sainab says
Oh yes, I am all for the drinking water one. It really has amazing benefits to your skin. I am on the same page as you, I literally force myself to drink sometimes just because I know how good it is!
Joleisa says
Nothing like a good full glass of water to quench the thirst and also to nourish the skin. You’re so right, thanks for popping by Sainab.
Jenn Loyd Life + Style says
These are good reminders for me. I live in Arizona where the heat recks havoc on my skin. I need to be doing more to protect it.
Keri says
Your strategy about imagining the fat in your body sounds interesting. That may help me! Thanks!
MONICA says
I think it’s the greasy foods that do it for me. I try my best to drink lots of water each day to flush toxins out.
heath says
The right foods affect the look of your skin from the inside out, much like how your skincare products work when applied directly to your skin.
Powerful antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and purification qualities exist in abundance in many of your favorite foods. And I’m willing to bet that some of your most crave-worthy treats are on the list!
Nadine says
I think, 10 minute from sun exposure of full body at 10 am to 11 am is most beneficial. Even a 5 min exposure is good enough thanks for the helpful tips btw