Anti Aging Skin Care

We all want to keep a youthful appearance. Our skin is the most obvious evidence of aging. As we age, the inevitable effects of sun, environmental conditions and lifestyle begin to take their toll on the skin. So what can we do? Here are some anti aging skin care secrets you can put to work today. The key to our strategy is to proactively slow aging.

Herbalists use a holistic, or whole body approach, when building an anti aging skin care strategy. The idea is that the apparent problem is usually only a symptom, not the cause. This is particularly the case in problems of the skin. By treating the underlying causes of aging skin, you can actually add years to your life. In the natural process of aging, skin loses elasticity, gravity pulls loose skin downward, and wrinkles appear. This process can be significantly slowed, and even reversed.

Anti-Aging Advice and Ideas.

Good nutrition is essential to any anti aging skin care program. It's difficult to get all the nutrients your body needs for optimum health through diet alone. Supplements are often necessary to ensure adequate nutrition.

There are many herbs and nutrients we can use to restore and maintain healthier and more youthful looking skin.

If your health allows a short-duration juice fast, try it. Research shows that a short fast activates a specific gene that repairs DNA. Reducing calories has a similar effect.

Folic acid is a B vitamin that acts to slow aging. You can also buy Resveratrol, a molecule contained in red wine, as a supplement. Resveratrol has been shown to reverse aging, as recently published in Scientific American. Folic acid and resveratrol act in much the same way.

Other important nutrients in any anti aging skin care program are Vitamins A, C, E and zinc. These, in correct proportions and quantity, will restore elasticity and a supple, softer appearance to the skin.

Vitamin E oil can be applied topically to crows feet, forehead, lip lines, and other problem areas with remarkable results. The easiest method is to pierce the Vitamin E gel cap and squeeze the oil directly on the skin. It's quite sticky, but if you do this at bedtime, it's well absorbed by morning. Vitamin E is also effective on scars, which will disappear over time.

Avocado, jojoba, and almond oils are all excellent moisturizers, found in most health food stores. Applied to the skin on a daily basis brings wonderful results in just a couple of weeks. You'll see the difference.

Papaya is a natural skin healer, used during the Civil War as a dressing for wounds. Papaya leaves are both antiseptic and promote new cell growth. Papaya is available in tablet form. For a soothing face mask, grind several tablets into a powder, adding a little water to make a paste. Apply directly to the skin, and leave on for about half an hour before rinsing off. Make use of all of these great anti aging skin care secrets. You'll be glad you did.

Article by M.E. Harrold an independent writer for Healthy Help Files on Beauty issues.