Photo by denisemattox.

You already know that beauty is more than skin-deep. Skin health and appearance depend on much more than what fancy lotions, latest “age-defying” cream or organic make-up you might be using.

Beauty begins on the inside…with the gut and nutrition!

Think of your gastrointestinal lining as the skin inside your body. The health of this gut lining can improve the health of the rest of your body and especially your outside skin. There are many similarities: the gut lining replaces itself often, its irritations and inflammations show up on the skin, and nourishing blood flows just under the surface. What is happening on your skin is reflection of what is happening in your gut. A happy gut equals more radiant skin.

You are what you eat.

Many skin problems can be improved with smart nutrition and identifying and eliminating food sensitivities and allergies. Water and essential fatty acids are internal lotions, making skin soft and supple. Nutritious whole foods provide important anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals for the frequent renewal of healthy skin cells.

Get the glow!

Move water and nutrition to the skin surface through getting the glow going. Anything that brings a light sweat to the skin means that the skin is being nourished and the toxins are being removed. The glow can be through walking, yoga, bouncing and even sex. Any movement that brings a light sweat counts.

Smile from the inside.

Learn to manage your reaction to stress. Stress affects the health of your skin. We’ve all noticed cold sores, acne or blemishes popping up when we are under stress. Acupuncture, meditation and sleep can all help us lessen the effects of stress on our skin.

When we start to work on the inside, we not only feel better but also look better!

Dr. Gibran Ramos completed his six year training and internship in Naturopathic and Chinese Medicine at National College of Natural Medicine. Dr. Ramos helps patients transform their lives and optimize their well-being at a private practice in Portland, Oregon.

Photo by fedewild.

Going under the knife isn’t the only way to get rid of fine lines and cellulite. Let this be your guide to a couple of alternatives: acupuncture and cupping. Here’s the lowdown on the two procedures, what to expect when you visit your acupuncturist and what to expect when it comes to results.

Acupuncture: the procedure

If it’s your first consultation with the acupuncturist, you’ll be asked a series of questions like how much water you drink and how many times a day you go to the bathroom. It might seem irrelevant but this thorough understanding of your daily health and wellness provides the practitioner with essential information to individualize your experience.
Next your acupuncturist will have you lie down or recline into a comfortable position. First, a few needles will be inserted into acupuncture points along the body to encourage circulation and wake up sluggish organs signaling vitality. Once those needles are humming with qi, the acupuncturist will begin administering needles to the facial tissue. These hair-thin needles will be gently placed into the skin along areas that need a little pep.

You may ask to have your “smile lines” softened or perhaps that little furrow in your brow relaxed. In some cases a low frequency of electrical stimulation will be administered along the shaft of the needle to encourage the problem area to fill in with new collagen and elastin.

Acupuncture: the results

While results vary from person to person throughout the course of treatment, most patients report an overall sensation of vitality in the face, and the experience of facial rejuvenation. Patients can look forward to experiencing visible diminishment of fine lines without the expense and danger of surgery and chemical injections.

Photo by migraine chick.

Cupping: the procedure

Chinese Medical doctors have traditionally been using cupping for preventing the cold and flu, reducing headaches, and easing backaches in their everyday practices. As patients grow increasingly more aware of its benefits, other new exciting applications for this simple and safe procedure are being developed, namely cellulite reduction.

A small amount of massage oil is applied to the buttocks, hip, low back, and along the upper portion of the leg. These are problem areas that will benefit the most from the application of cupping. A cotton ball soaked in alcohol is placed on the end of a surgical hemostat and lit. This lit end is placed inside the cup then quickly withdrawn. As the hemostat is removed, the cup is rapidly placed upon the skin creating a vacuum.

Cupping: the results

Continued cupping treatment will rapidly and safely encourage metabolic waste elimination via the lymph system at a fraction of the time and cost of endermologie, chemical injections, and topical creams. Patients can expect a visible appearance of smoother skin within one or two treatments but keep in mind that treatment length and frequency are always determined on an individual basis.

Other alternatives

While facial rejuvenation and cupping offer safe, scalpel-free solutions, clean, hydrated, and properly moisturized skin will keep you glowing.  It will come as no surprise that the following skin care remedies are as wearable as they are edible!

• REN’s Revivo Lift. Rich in ginseng and trace elements this serum will revitalize skin leaving a toned sensation.
• Korre’s Yoghurt moisture mask. The probiotics found in this hydrating mask will ward off bad bacteria to help exfoliate and smooth skin.
• Pangea’s organic goji face mask. Goji berry, noted as one of the most powerful antioxidants, gently exfoliates both facial and all over body skin to encourage free radical drainage.

Want to see how your skin care scores? Visit the Environmental Working Group’s awesome cosmetic database Skin Deep to see how your personal care products add up.

Christine M. Dionese L.Ac. specializes in integrative medicine, medical journalism and was the VP of marketing at WellWire LLC. Visit her wellness and lifestyle blog, Reaching Beyond Now.