April 25, 2011

Exercise and skin

I have been on an exercise and diet regimen for a hand full of months.  It has been great as far as slimming down, energy boost and overall self esteem bump.  However, the one benefit that I did not anticipate was the improvement in clarity and tone of my skin.  

When I exercise I get really really red and sweaty.  I always attributed that "cleansing" that was happening under my skin to it looking good.  Upon further research I have learned just how amazing any type of exercise is for your skin.  WebMD has a brilliant article.  You can find the entire read at  http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/acne/features/exercise-your-body-your-skin

Here is one small piece of it that captured my attention.  It links hormone balance to great looking and functioning skin.
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"It's no secret that exercise has important benefits for the entire body. But what many people don't realize is that our skin is the largest organ of our body, and thus, the benefits can be enormous," says Audrey Kunin, MD, a Kansas City, Mo., dermatologist and author of The DERMAdoctor Skinstruction Manual.
Among them, says Kunin, is increased circulation and delivery of nutrients to skin cells, whooshing away potentially damaging toxins. Another is giving skin the optimum conditions for making collagen, the support fibers that help keep wrinkles and lines at bay.
But perhaps the most dramatic effects of exercise are on acne-prone skin. Doctors say working out provides many benefits that can help clear the skin. How? Exercise mediates the production of testosterone-related hormones such as DHEA and DHT.
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Try to take a few minutes to read the entire article.  It was really interesting and made a lot of sense.  Makeup can only look as good as the skin that is underneath.

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