What your breakouts are trying to tell you about your health
By Lisa Reddy, Yahoo Canada Style
Whether you’re detoxing, overhauling your diet, or maybe treating yo-self a little too often, your skin is a tell-all, a sort of road map of your surroundings, digestive health and general well-being.
While an emergency trip to Sephora is almost always an option, there is more to skincare than lotions and serums. For example, how often is your phone pressed against your cheek? And when did you last wash your pillowcase? Though there are a lot of external factors related to your skin, there’s a whole lot going on internally too.
Face mapping
“The face tells us alot about our whole body — inside and out,” says Mary Wu, the clinical director at the Toronto School of Traditional Chinese Medicine. According to Wu, who worked as a doctor in China, using both TCM and western medicine, poor skin is a combination of obstructed energy, stress and digestive issues.
That’s where face mapping comes in. Traditional Chinese Medicine states that particular breakouts speak volumes about the inner workings of your body.
Red skin and inflamed acne? Too much fire, toxins and fried food, says Wu. Breakouts between your brows and on the cheeks? This could point to repressed emotions and problems properly metabolizing and absorbing nutrients. As for those around the mouth, you can thank the time of the month and your hormones.
Diet, digestion and your skin
“The skin often reflects the internal health of the individual,” says Dr. Jen Newell, a Toronto-based naturopath. Those with rosacea, for example, often have gas and bloating related to low stomach acid, she adds, while celiacs or sufferers of Crohn’s disease see reoccurring skin manifestations.
Newell says that besides proper stress management, adequate sleep and a look at one’s general health history, diet is a key proponent in skin health.
“What you eat can be used to nourish and heal your skin, and also help it really look youthful, smooth and clear,” she says. Foods rich in antioxidants, such as brightly-coloured vegetables, as well as healthy fats (fish, nuts, avocado) will protect your skin from cellular aging and damage, she adds.
Staying hydrated
One major (but simple) skin saviour that both Wu and Newell agree on? Water.
“Think of the differences between a nice plump juicy grape and a dried wrinkly raisin,” says Newell. “Your skin cells when properly hydrated are plump and youthful but once you become dehydrated you will find that those lines and wrinkles are much more noticeable and your skin is more prone to redness and irritation.”
Let us know what you think by tweeting @YahooStyleCA.
