By living in an ever more complicated world, it is sometimes difficult to escape stress. Jam-packed schedules, deadlines, bills, and rush hour traffic are all examples of stress triggers. Normally, the focus on stress and how it effects your body is discussed in terms of serious health issues such as heart disease and stroke. The human body is extremely resilient. That does not mean one should test the limits of that resiliency. Stress related illnesses and disorders are becoming increasingly more common. The thought of how stress may be effecting your skin is not always apparent.

Stress can undermine the overall health of your skin. Hormonal changes brought on by stress are known to cause numerous skin problems, acne, thinning of the skin, itching, and even skin disorders. When under stress, the body redirects essential nutrients from the skin to the heart, brain, and lungs, your body’s vital organs. The body’s ability to move into self-preservation mode in order to survive is simply incredible. The human body inherently knows that it cannot survive without properly functioning vital organs.

Extended periods of stress take a major toll on the skin’s ability to function properly. With essential nutrients being detoured during stressful periods, the skin suffers from dehydration, body fluid imbalance, and reduced renewal of skin cells causing it to look dull and sag. This nutrient deprivation puts the entire body in a state of imbalance.

As skin breaks down under the effects of stress, the skin’s barrier function is disrupted. This barrier is the oily layer that seals in moisture and is a protective shield from the environment. Excessive dryness, being more prone to wrinkles, and being more susceptible to harmful substances develop due to the skin’s barrier being compromised.

Coping with and even eliminating stress is easier than one might think. Here are few ways to get you started.

1. Exercise is great for breaking the chains of stress. Get active and watch how fast your stress disappears.

2.Practicing relaxation techniques such as yoga and meditation are also ways of beating stress. A good massage can work wonders.

3. This antidote is one of my de-stressing favorites methods: sleep. After a good night’s sleep or even a short nap, your body feels refreshed, restored, invigorated, and de-stressed.

Not only is stress detrimental to your body’s vital organs, it is also damaging your skin and accelerating premature aging. Call a time out and recuperate. Employ some or even all of the above stress-relieving techniques. Your skin will become a more radiant, more supple, younger looking beneficiary.

A healthy skin tone projects youthfulness, energy, and vitality to the world around us. After all, your skin is an indicator of your overall health. As consumers, we are constantly bombarded by slick marketing proclaiming the discovery of the fountain of youth. Contrary to their claims, the human body is magnificent and more than capable of keeping us looking young and healthy. We only have one responsibility. That is to fuel the body properly with superfoods containing skin-friendly nutrients and regular exercise. This is your guide to discovering your own fountain of youth.

Nothing has more of an effect on your body’s appearance than the food you consume, hence the cliche, “you are what, you eat”. Whoever coined that phrase, solved one of the world’s most pressing questions. How do you live forever? Well, living forever is currently out of our realm of reality but living a long, healthy, prosperous life is not. Our planet produces foods that practically insure extended life spans. Four essential anti-aging vitamins play key roles for living stronger longer.

Vitamin A

There are two forms of vitamin A: retinoids and carotenoids. Retinoids come “ready-made” and are supplied by foods. Carotenoids are converted to vitamin A within the body during the metabolic process. Vitamin A is beneficial to the skin in that it reduces free radicals, protects the skin, aids in skin repair, and is a key nutrient for numerous functions of the skin. The best sources of vitamin can be found in dairy products, eggs, salmon, and halibut. The carotenoids category would include green leafy vegetables, such as, spinach and broccoli, yams, carrots, prunes, and cherries.

B-Complex

B-complex enhances the complexion and stimulates energy production in the skin’s cells. They also help in the production and repair of body tissues. The health benefits of the B-complex vitamins are numerous. Memory functions, emotional balance, proper nervous system functioning are all linked to the B-complexes. B-complexes can be found in fruits (bananas, citrus fruits), grains (oatmeal, whole grains), nuts (walnuts, almonds), legumes (beans, lentils), and animal sources (eggs, tuna).

Vitamin C

Vitamin C benefits the skin by facilitating renewal and repair of bodily tissues, especially the skin. Also note that vitamin C is essential for the formation of collagen. Being a key antioxidant, vitamin C prevents free radical-induced diseases, age-related eye diseases, and helps to lower blood pressure. Leafy green vegetables, cabbage, brussel sprouts and all fruits, especially citrus, are rich in vitamin C.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is one of the most powerful nutrients for your skin. It aids in skin hydration, reduces inflamation, and assists in healing damaged tissue. Much like vitamin C, vitamin E is an important antioxidant. It helps to lower cholesterol, improves blood flow and circulation, protects against cancer and heart disease. Foods rich in vitamin are grains (whole grains, wheat germ), vegetables (sweet potato, avocado), fruits (mango), nuts (sunflower seeds, almonds), legumes (soy beans, soy products), most vegetable oils, and animal products (fish oil, salmon).

The above anti-aging nutrients play key roles to having a more beautiful, more radiant skin tone. Dramatically improving your overall health is not a bad by-product either. Remember, your local grocery store contains foods that are both healthy and unhealthy, free radical fighting and free radical causing, skin beautifying and skin damaging. Choose wisely.

In addition to improving the quality of your diet for maintaining youthful looking skin, LifeCell, a breakthrough skin care treatment that prevents cell damage linked to fine lines and wrinkles is highly recommended to complement your efforts. Discover how women just like you are looking 10 to 15 years younger than their actual ages in our anti aging wrinkle cream review of LifeCell. Ready to see results for yourself? Find out about getting a 40-day supply, RISK FREE!