Take care of your skin from the inside out

The skin is the body's largest organ. It covers the whole body and protects it against harmful environmental elements such as toxins, heat and cold, the sun's rays as well as injuries and germs. The skin is the organ of touch. Thanks to all its specific sensory receptors, we can feel the shape of objects, temperature differences, pressure, pain (sting, burning, pinching), etc. It also performs many other bodily functions including temperature control, vitamin D production and waste disposal.

Contrary to what many people may think, taking care of your skin is not limited to choosing good cosmetics and hygiene products. Even if it can indeed have an effect, the skin is a complex organ that requires a more specific look. A chronic skin condition is a red flag and may be a sign that something inside isn't working optimally. This therefore requires a complete analysis of his lifestyle. Here are a few things to check out.

The skin as an emunctory

The skin has the function of eliminating waste from the body. It is an emunctory, or a second-order waste outlet that takes over when our main emunctories (intestinal and kidneys) are overloaded or do not function optimally.

Thus, to reduce the workload sent to the emunctories, it is good to minimize the toxins entering the body. For this, I suggest you look at food, stress management and the hygiene products used.

A balanced diet

A diet rich in plants, fiber, good fats and antioxidants will benefit your skin. It's also about trying to minimize toxic inputs like alcohol, drug abuse, pesticides and herbicides, because these substances need to be metabolized and get out of the body. Whenever possible, be careful not to overindulge in alcohol and opt for organic and pesticide-free foods. This will help reduce the load of toxins sent to the emunctories.

Know how to manage your stress

In a stressful situation, our body is on alert. Our metabolism is increased to be able to respond as effectively as possible to the stressor. An increased metabolism produces more waste to eliminate. If the stress subsides quickly, chances are the body will be able to deal with the waste products produced during the stressful event. However, if the body is continuously stressed, which is called chronic stress, it will constantly produce a large number of waste products, thus overloading the emunctories.

For stress management, all the little things are important. Take deep breaths several times throughout the day, take regular breaks, do some yoga postures, go for a walk, etc. All of these small gestures can help the body relax. It is possible to use tools such as plants or essential oils that can support you in stress management.

Adequate hygiene products

Everything you put on your skin goes into the bloodstream. Everything you breathe in also enters your bloodstream. The toxic molecules that enter your blood are likely to overload the emunctories. It is therefore important to opt for hygiene products and cleaning products that are as natural as possible. There are more and more clean product options on the market. So you have no excuses to deprive yourself of it.

by Mélissa Viger, naturopath

Reviewed by MF Editorial