One component of aging that's probably a little more dear to our hearts is how we look. Now I realize that when you're experiencing extreme pain, you could care less what you look like! I know, I've been there, too. I've worked with patients that had suffered so long; and those pain wrinkles in their foreheads and around their eyes were so deep, I thought they would look like that forever. Fortunately, I was wrong.
Our skin is probably the best example of nature renewing itself. Every moment of everyday, new cells are being produced and old cells die and slough off giving us a chance for a new start. Collastin, in combination with some of the complementary nutrients that I've already discussed, provides improved nutrition and nourishment that quickly manifests as beautiful healthy skin.
I can't remember whether the expression is, If you feel good, you look good or If you look good, you feel good. And I guess it doesn't matter. What I'm trying to communicate here is that your skin is a direct reflection of what's going on in your body. Your skin mirrors your emotional/mental state, hormone balances, liver dysfunction, the state of your immune system, and is a definite reflection of poor nutrition.
Healthy skin starts with a healthy diet. Eating mineral-rich foods help to provide the necessary nutrients as well as support the body in eliminating toxins, either produced by the body or those that you encounter in your environment. I have to admit that I find it difficult to eat all the raw vegetables and fruits that I need to provide myself with these organic minerals on a daily basis. One way to get these minerals, vitamins, and all the great enzymes still intact is to juice your fruits and vegetables. Cooking, storing, and processing fruits and vegetables destroy the enzymes, making it very difficult to digest and absorb the vitamins and minerals found in these foods. The only way to get these enzymes -- that not only aid in the digestion of food, but also support all the metabolic processes in the body -- is to eat raw foods. I've never been able to sit down and eat four carrots, two stalks of celery, two beets, a bunch of parsley, and a cucumber, but I juice them every morning and have them for breakfast. Buy yourself a juicer and start shopping for organic fruits and vegetables! Many of the chemicals now used for insecticides, pesticides, and fertilizers are causing many of our health problems.
Drink eight glasses of distilled water everyday. An easy way to do this is to have two glasses with each meal, one glass in the morning on rising, and one glass right before you go to bed.
Avoid fried, fatty and fast foods. Reduce your intake of animal meat and increase consumption of cold water fish. Caffeine, dairy foods, and sugary foods show up on your skin. Take a tablespoon of flaxseed oil everyday. And for those of you who smoke -- or those of you who are in a smoky environment -- nicotine causes damage to the small blood vessels, the capillaries, which supply the skin and deprive the skin of the oxygen and nutrients that it needs to live and repair damaged tissues. If you must smoke, increase your antioxidant nutrients, including vitamins C, E, beta carotene, and selenium.
To understand aging of the skin, I will need to review just a little anatomy of the skin. The skin is composed of several layers of different types of cells and surrounding connective tissue. The outer layer is called the epidermis and the layer directly underneath is called the dermis.
There are two factors involved in skin aging, chronological and environmental. The major environmental factor is, of course, exposure to the sun--referred to as photoaging. I'm going to address chronological aging, primarily because sun exposure is preventable. Normal human aging is accompanied by epidermal and dermal shrinking. After middle age, the rate at which skin cells divide reduces by 50 percent; synthesis of Vitamin D is reduced; and there's a 10 to 20 percent reduction in the number of melanocytes.
The dermis gives the skin its tensile strength and elastic recoil because of its elastic fibers. It's made up of Type I and Type III collagens (cartilage is comprised primarily of Type II) and elastin. This collagenous and elastic network is held together with a ground substance made up of glycosaminoglycans, glycoproteins, and bound water, which also holds the nerves, blood vessels, and lymphatics.
Changes in the dermal layer are mainly responsible for the appearance of aged skin, its stiffness, flaccidity and wrinkling, and loss of elasticity. As we age, the thickness of the dermis decreases due to a decrease in collagen production. There's also a loss and fragmentation of the elastin and destructive alterations in the manufacturing of the glycosaminoglycans. Blood supply is also reduced, and the capillaries become very fragile and prone to breaking. Hold on, there's hope!
Tissue destruction and repair always involves an element of inflammation. Inflammation aids in the removal of damaged cells and triggers several of the repair processes. However, when chronic inflammation occurs, the healing process is delayed. Collastin works similar to the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, in that it seems to regulate prostaglandin production. Prostaglandins are responsible for regulating inflammation, as well as increasing circulation to the skin; increasing transport of oxygen from the red blood cells to the body tissues; and maintaining the fluidity and integrity of the skin cell membranes.
The more I learn, the more I realize how important glucosamine is! I've been recommending it for years to my patients for joint reconstruction, not realizing that it's also an essential component of healthy skin. This molecule is a prime ingredient in what's called the ground substance or extra-cellular matrix that surrounds the collagen and elastin, and is the element that holds the water! Your skin has a nice smooth feel to it because of its ability to hold moisture. When the glycosaminoglycan molecules break down, the dermis can no longer hold water and the skin dries out and starts to sink in. As the ground substance decreases, the collagen and elastin have nothing to hold them in place and they bend or break, leaving holes which form wrinkles. Not only does glucosamine provide the building blocks for new glycosaminoglycans, but it's also instrumental in providing the structural elements necessary for collagen integrity and function.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant that protects against free radical damage to the skin from UV radiation, infection, and the harmful effects of pollutants. Smoking, alcohol, oral contraceptives, steroids, analgesics, and antidepressants can reduce vitamin C levels in the body. Vitamin C is required for the healing of wounds, to prevent bruising, and is essential for collagen production.
Sulfur is important in the structuring of antibodies that fight infections and allergies. And, important to emphasize in this section is that sulfur is required in building the glycosaminoglycans. The sulfur part of this molecule attracts water, causing these tissues to be lubricated and swell. This process moisturizes the skin and gives it the firmness that we tend to lose as we age. A special form of zinc, zinc monomethionate, contains the sulfur amino acid methionine which effectively provides a source of sulfur. Whenever possible, I recommend this form of zinc supplement.
Manganese is an important co-factor in creating the group of enzymes, glycosyltransferases, necessary for glycosaminoglycan and glycoprotein production. Both of these molecules are found in the ground substance. Not only do they attract water, but they also provide a natural barrier to invading viruses by coating every cell in the entire body.
Zinc is probably the most deficient mineral in the body as we age. Researchers believe that this is caused by a decrease in production of enzymes from the pancreas. Zinc plays three very important roles in healthy skin: repairing damaged tissue through protein production and cell growth; protecting against susceptibility to skin infections; and improving acne conditions. Through zinc's interaction with local hormone activation, it's been found to be just as effective as tetracycline in treating acne--but without the side effects. In one study, the mean acne score decreased from 100 percent to 15 percent after only 12 weeks of treatment with zinc.
One component of aging that's probably a little more dear to our hearts is how we look. Now I realize that when you're experiencing extreme pain, you could care less what you look like! I know, I've been there, too. I've worked with patients that had suffered so long; and those pain wrinkles in their foreheads and around their eyes were so deep, I thought they would look like that forever. Fortunately, I was wrong.
