What are the effects of stress on your skin and the way we age?

Effects Of Stress On Your Skin

It has been said that stress can manifest itself on one’s appearance in many ways, but primarily by making the skin more sensitive and more reactive.

For example, stress maybe linked to psoriasis or rosacea, your digestive system results in acne lesions that are more inflamed and more persistent, brittle nails and ridging of the nails, hair loss, hives, and excessive perspiration.

Stress also is a known trigger or can be a worsening factor for fever blisters, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis and has even been shown to impair skin barrier function and dehydrate the skin — allowing more irritants, allergens, and infectious agents to penetrate the skin and cause problems.

Beyond the direct physiological effects of stress, people under stress also tend to neglect or abuse their skin. For example, they often lack the energy and motivation to adhere to their skin care regimens, and there also might be signs of stress-related habits — such as scratching, pulling or rubbing — that can exacerbate issues.

On a microscopic level, stress reduction can decrease the release of pro-inflammatory stress hormones and chemicals. For example, release of neuropeptides (or stress chemicals released from the nerve endings) can be reduced with stress management techniques. Like exercising, breathing techniques Yoga,Qi Gong walking, meditating, laughing, Yes, that is right, laughing opens up the heart and resets the way you are breathing, dancing at home on your own, and so many other ways. The intention is to rest the mind until you feel joy. This often results in skin that looks and functions better.

Stress does a lot more than make us feel awful — it can wreak havoc on your skin. We’re getting some expert insight into just what it does to your complexion and how to reverse the effects.The first step is to understand what stress is. This is a great definition from sharecare.com When the demands placed on us exceed our ability to cope, we experience Stress and also is defined as the thoughts, feelings, behaviors and physiological changes that happened as a result of our response to those demands and perceptions. A whopping 82 % of women say they have had at least one physical stress symptom in the last month such ua a relentless headache, an upset stomach, or tightness in the chest.

Acne breakouts

Acne breakouts are stressful enough — especially when they happen the day before a date or other big event, but it turns out stress itself could be causing those pesky blemishes. “Overproduction of the stress hormone cortisol sets the stage for acne flare-ups by promoting oily skin and interfering with your body’s ability to regulate inflammation.”not to mention it helps you gain weight in the mid section of your body ( muffin top) Hummmm not so nice. So what’s a girl to do? To calm your complexion, we suggest aside from the few tips we share here about reseting your self to different activities and perception of the situations that cause you stress.You can start using an organic skin cream that contains natural anti-inflammatories such as green and chamomile teas, cucumber and any product that is cooling and soothing. We will give you links to a great system for one Dr Nicolas Perricone his whole system is about inflammation, great skin care and supplements too.

http://www.perriconemd.com

Dehydration

Dry skin? All those long (stressful) days could be the cause. “Stress interferes with the ability of the skin to retain moisture.” If you’ve been dealing with more stress than you’d like — and it shows, switch to a distressing plan get a massage go to a spa change your diet to a more blend easy to digest diet,switch to a more rich cream that contains plant-derived moisturizers such as aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, shea butter and avocado oil treat your self to hydrating masks. “These will help hydrate and lubricate the skin, improving not only the appearance of the skin, but also its ability to function as a natural shield against bacteria, irritants and toxins.”

Reduced collagen production

Stress can also be the enemy of youthful-looking skin, so if you want to turn back the clock, you’ll need to find a way to minimize stress. “Increased levels of another stress hormone, epinephrine, constricts blood vessels, reducing the flow of oxygen and nutrients that skin needs to manufacture collagen.” If you want to combat the effect of stress on your skin, a great facial exercise routine is a great one to practice, you can find a large assortment of facial exercises on DVD. “One of the best ways to restore healthy circulation is a program of facial exercises that incorporates aerobic techniques.”

Neglect and abuse of skin

If you’re overloaded with frustrating demands and a never-ending to-do list, you may find yourself going to bed with your makeup on, not bothering to moisturize and even indulging in bad habits like picking at your skin. To get your skin back on track, treat yourself to a professional facial. “Make sure the salon you choose provides a soothing atmosphere and plenty of TLC. With a little pampering to reduce your stress level and a revitalized complexion, you’ll feel motivated to resume a disciplined skin care routine.”We recommend to choose a natural Organic Skin care system to truly regenerate and calm the skin without harsh chemicals that causes more issues for your body to deal with.

Dull and troubled skin

What is happening with your digestion can have a big impact on what is going on with your skin, for example in Chinese Medicine the lungs rule Skin so if we are not experiencing full breathing we will have issues with are skin, hair nails to mention a few, at the same time Chinese Medicine believes that the Spleen controls weight lose,the ability to create cellulite and the Spleen is directly connected to worrying, so ladies for the overly worry and controlling little fairies we may want to leg go and trust don’t for get that trust is connection to are deep intuition and faith and we have that available at all time we just need to tap in to it. When stressed, the body’s digestive system can go a haywire because the blood is directed away from the digestive system and everything becomes Unbalanced and this kind digestion issues has been found to lead to problem skin such as dryness, oiliness, blemishes and dullness, or sometimes a combination of all of these issues. Problems such as eczema,rosacea and dermatitis can occur, too.

Tip:

Boost your circulation with at least three sessions of cardiovascular exercise a week that can include dancing, fast walking, Zumba classes or just inviting our self to great hikes nature has many healing qualities and fresh air. This will also help you cope better with the stress itself. Include plenty of alkalising foods in your diet (lets don’t forget that stress is acid), such as apple cider vinegar, which makes a great salad dressing, green leafy vegetables and non-animal protein sources because animal sources is acid and in a taxed system is hard to digest. Remember to chew your food well as this helps to alkalise it further before you ingest it and the biggest part of digestion occurs in the mouth, how about that. You can also consider taking probiotics, which can help balance the environment in your gut and the outbreaks you may cocider applying a probiotic skin care line or yogurt with a bit of salt.

Lines and wrinkles

No one likes to talk about wrinkles, let alone face them in the mirror. Ensure your skin stays smoother, longer by minimizing stress. “Cortisol also causes blood sugar levels to spike. The excess sugar molecules in your bloodstream can bond to the proteins in your skin’s collagen fibers causing them to harden and crack and resulting in loose skin( defenetly the Spleen controls satin and is directly connected to worry and stress) and deep wrinkles.” To maintain proper blood sugar levels and keep skin looking youthful, Isabel recommends avoiding refined carbohydrates (e.g. white bread, junk food) and eating more vegetables, whole grains and beans, fermented food like Sauerkraut, organic pickles and nay fermented food of your choice that will aid digestion in a huge way.There are two ways stress contributes here. Firstly, as previously mentioned, stress can cause dry and problem skin, and dryness and dehydration are the leading causes of fine lines and wrinkles. Secondly, the facial expressions that typically come with stress can cause deep, dynamic lines that last far beyond the stressful period. We’re talking frown lines, crow’s feet from squinting at your computer screen and deep lines that run from the nose to the mouth and the chin.

Tip:

Practice mindfulness and meditation be swear of your expressions not only for the permanent marks we can accomplish by this action we probably have a look that is no so attractive. Be aware of the moment you are in. If you feel yourself frowning, or your mouth is turned down, step away from the source of your stress, be it your computer screen, the phone or simply the in-tray on your desk. If possible, take 10 minutes to give yourself a facial massage take a deep breath and reset your mode. Press your fingertips into the middle of your eyebrows and work them all the way around your orbital bones to help relax the muscles that cause the expressions. Relax your mouth by saying your vowels in an overly accentuated manner up to 10 times. This will also help relax your jaw and prevent you from clenching and grinding your teeth witch if your are stressed you most likely do that in your sleep as well and is a great cause of TMJ and if that is the case you may want to use a guard so you don’t damage your teen, jaw or pop a filling. Even if you don’t feel like smiling, force yourself to do it. Research suggests the very act of smiling, even if it’s fake, can improve mood and induce relaxation.

Lack of sleep

Stress causes sleepless nights. This will directly impact on the appearance of your skin and definitely impact your mood and ability to cope. Just one night of tossing and turning will draw the freshness from your face , hair and overall internal and external wellbeing, and if it becomes an ongoing problem, it can affect your skin’s regeneration functions chronically , resulting in dullness, fatigue, under-eye circles and bags and bloodshot eyes witch is result of over taxed adrenals these little glands are your battreries .

Tip:

Put good sleep practices in place. Save vigorous exercise for earlier in the day, rather than just before bed. Before bed, take 15 to 20 minutes to do some gentle stretches and deep breathing to ease the tension of the day. Make sure you have clean sheets made from natural fabrics, allow fresh air to circulate through your bedroom and remove all devices such as smartphones or tablets. Don’t have a TV in your room and definitely no watching TV close to bed it should be at least two hours before be so just record your show and watch them early in the day that way you can forward them and avoid commercials!!see it works out – watching excitable programs it will stimulate your brain and nervous system and make sleeping soundly even harder. Avoid caffeine after 2pm. You can also consider playing meditation CDs to relax you.

Bad habits

Stress can trigger the onset of unhealthy habits such as excessive alcohol consumption, smoking and comfort eating. Again, this can make you less determined to exercise and can create an unhealthy cycle, where you rely on these things to help you relieve stress. This can lead to bad skin and weight gain,heart issues as well as many other health problems.

Tip:

Before you reach for a bottle of wine, cigarette or chocolate, take a walk and get some fresh air. Swap alcohol for a cup of Chamomile tea like Tulsi Tea . Practice meditation and keep positive and uplifting affirmations on your office wall or the fridge to deter you from bad habits and don’t forget to laugh.

Heavy jaw

Grinding teeth and clenching of the jaw are common symptoms of stress. Unfortunately, these habits can cause the jaw muscles to work overtime. This can result not only in damaged teeth, but also a heavier than usual jawline, as the muscles become larger with the grinding action.

Solution:

Speak to your dentist about wearing a special mouth guard if you grind your teeth in your sleep. A reputable cosmetic or plastic surgeon can also inject a muscle-relaxing product into the muscles to prevent you grinding your teeth. You can also try alternative practices such as kinesiology, acupuncture, and cranial sacrum massage to help ease the tension. Acupunture is what I use and it works miracles. Chiropractor work is another choice I usually resource to for relaxing, Yoga and Gi Gong are my favorites.

Detoxifying Your Life: Stress-Detox Secrets By Dr Perricone

Stress is probably the greatest age-accelerating precipitator there is. As a dermatologist, I can also unequivocally state that stress is also the precipitator of a great many skin problems; in fact, these problems often have their very roots in the psyche.

This can include everything from acne to eczema, rosacea to psoriasis and worse. Unfortunately normal day-to-day interactions with our partners and children can be stressful – no matter how much we love them. Of all of the physical conditions we experience, stress is also the most deadly.

Many circumstances create stress in our daily lives. Arguing with family, friends or colleagues, not getting enough sleep, worrying, working too hard, or even playing too hard can all create stress. Weekend warriors, who try to make up for a week of inactivity by spending hours engaged in strenuous physical sports, raise their stress levels to an unhealthy degree. Any activity that is practiced without moderation can lead to a stress response.

To help reduce the negative effects of stress, I recommend following the anti-inflammatory diet and taking targeted anti-inflammatory nutritional supplements. I also suggest implementing these simple strategies:
Make sure that you get enough sleep
Try to minimize situations that create stress in your life
Don’t drink coffee. Coffee contains many organic acids which can elevate our cortisol levels. It’s important to avoid spiking these levels, as it can be toxic when large amounts of cortisol are circulating in our system for prolonged periods of time. It is not specifically because of the caffeine because you can drink a cup of decaffeinated coffee at 8 AM and your cortisol levels will still be measurable at 10 PM –the same effects as a cup of regular coffee.
Set aside fifteen or twenty minutes a day for meditation or prayer. It is a well- established fact that people who do this have significantly lower cortisol levels. Long term benefits include keeping our skin clear, maintaining a healthy immune system and preventing age-related diseases, such as diabetes, cancer or cardiovascular disease.
Consider learning some simple Yoga exercises. Yoga is an outstanding stress reducing discipline and can lower cortisol levels.
Substitute green tea for coffee.
Get out in nature—fresh air, trees, blue skies, all contribute to our physical and mental well-being.

Foods To Help Ease Anxiety & Stress by Dr. William Cole

According to http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-15428/13-foods-to-help-ease-anxiety-stress.html

Oysters

Research has correlated an imbalance of zinc to copper with anxiety. This trace mineral ratio is responsible for proper neurotransmitter function and adaptation to stress. Increased copper and decreased zinc may lead to symptoms of anxiety.

If it is, oysters are packed with zinc! This superfood of the sea is a great way to balance the proper trace mineral ratio and your stress levels. It’s also important to note that foods like grains and legumes contain phytic acid, an anti-nutrient that can bind to zinc and block its absorption.

Chamomile Tea

Sip on this natural anti-anxiety medicine for its natural calming effect. This soothing, mild tea was shown to significantly decrease anxiety symptoms in just a few weeks!

Turmeric

Curcuminoids, the antioxidants in turmeric, have a neuroprotective quality and help enhance your mood. It was shown in a randomized controlled trialto be an effective option for major depressive disorder, which is closely linked to anxiety disorders.

Dark Chocolate

Science has vindicated chocolate lovers everywhere. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology revealed that people who drank a dark chocolate drink, equal to about 1.5 ounces of dark chocolate per day, felt calmer than those who did not.

Adaptogenic Herbs

The common hormonal signaling pathway dysfunction DR William Cole found in patients struggling with anxiety disorders is the brain-adrenal axis. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is part of your sympathetic “flight-or-fight ” response and something, and can play a role in adrenal fatigue. Stress hormones, like cortisol, can cause seratonin receptors to become less sensitive to activation. The adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha, rhodiola and holy basil( Tulsi ) are few of the tools I use to optimize brain-adrenal function in patients.

Full-Fat Kefir

In the functional medicine, the gut is considered the “second brain” because it’s home to 95% of your “feel good” hormone seratonin. With more than 100 million neurons, your gut’s health is essential to manage anxiety.

Turkey

You know that tired feeling people feel after Thanksgiving dinner? It’s actually from the tryptophan in the turkey. Tryptophan is a precursor to the neurotransmitter serotonin, which helps you to feel calm. Tryptophan in the form of meat, has been shown to reduce anxiety disorders!

Avocados

This superfruit is great for brain health and anxiety. They contain potassium which helps naturally lower blood pressure. Avocados also contain beneficial B vitamins and monounsaturated fats that are needed for neurotransmitter and brain health.

Asparagus

This sulfur-rich vegetable also contains the specifically beneficial B vitamin, folic acid. Low levels of folic acid are linked to neurotransmitter impairment, which can lead to anxiety. A 5.3-ounce serving provides 60% of the recommended daily allowance for folic acid! It also contains moderate amounts of potassium, which can lower blood pressure.