Newer doesn't always mean better. When it comes to dry skin, rosacea,
or a cold sore, holistic therapy might be just what the skin doctor
ordered. After all, the cures below—all from traditional Chinese
medicine, Ayurveda, homeopathy, and naturopathy—have been around for
centuries for a reason. One thing all practitioners from these fields
agree on is that treating your skin from the inside out using a whole
body approach delivers serious beauty-boosting benefits.
Take a look at these 9 at-home skin fixes that have stood the test of time:
DRY SKINIn Ayurvedic medicine, an ancient Indian
holistic system, practitioners approach health conditions based on the
five elements: air, space, fire, water, and earth, explains Nisha Saini
of New York Ayurveda. When there's an imbalance of the water element—something almost everyone experiences in winter—the skin becomes dry.
Try it:
To treat dry skin on your body, gently brush off dead cells with
exfoliation gloves, which are gentler than a scrub. Try Earth
Therapeutics Exfoliating Hydro Glove ($4,
ulta.com).
To moisturize, massage rich sesame oil mixed with a couple of drops of
essential oil like basil or geranium into skin. (Just make sure you're
getting your money's worth; check out these
7 signs your essential oils are fake.)
ACNE"According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), acne signals a problem within the digestive system,
" says Ken Rosenberg, a practitioner at the
Institute for Health and Healing in San Francisco. For example, too much phlegm in the body can show up as cystic acne on the skin.
Try it:
Avoid dairy, which is considered "damp" in TCM because it contributes
to phlegm. (Scientific research also shows a possible link between dairy
and acne, as dairy proteins may cause inflammation and lead to
pimples.) Rosenberg also suggests skipping shellfish.
"They're bottom feeders, which we believe leaves residue in the blood, contributing to problem skin.
"
ROSACEA
Sensitive skin problems like rosacea are
associated with the fire element in Ayurvedic medicine. Not
surprisingly, cooling your body and blood is the key to treating the
issue, says Sanai.
Try it: Cook with ghee, or
clarified butter, which will cool the body from within, Sinai says. To
calm skin topically, apply a cooling cleanser made of one tsp almond
meal and ½ tsp each of orange peel and dry powdered milk. Add enough rose water to create a paste. Massage all over your face and neck in a circular motion for one minute, then rinse.
ECZEMATraditional Chinese medicine practitioners
recognize eczema as a sign of an imbalance of your body’s Qi—their name
for energy. Specifically, it signals an excess of the elements wind and
heat in the body, which lead to redness and flaking, says Peggy
Robinson, doctor of acupuncture and oriental medicine at
Cornerstone Healing in Brooklyn, NY.
Try it:
To keep skin hydrated and moist, boil honeysuckle flowers in water like
a tea, let cool, and apply to affected areas. If you can't find
honeysuckle, try Tea Haven's loose Honeysuckle Flower Tea ($17 for 2
ounces,
teahaven.com).
The flowering herb nourishes and relieves heat, which surfaces as
redness on skin. Adding cooling foods to your diet, like mint leaves or
peppermint, will also improve circulation and aid in cooling your skin.
COLD SORESBlisters around your lips are set off
by the herpes virus, so your first defense is strengthening your immune
system, says Chicago-area naturopathic doctor
Kelly Simms.
Try it: Eat
foods rich in immune-boosting vitamin A (like sweet potatoes and red
peppers), vitamin D (like canned sardines) and probiotics (like yogurt).
Pop a multivitamin and a probiotic supplement to ensure you're getting
enough of the above. Dab licorice gel or salve (find it at health food
stores) onto the sore. Licorice contains active compounds like
triterpenoids, which research shows have antiviral properties.
PSORIASIS"In TCM, we think of psoriasis like an invasion of a pathogen in the body. It's the most difficult skin condition to alleviate,
" says
Robinson. That means treating the body from within, and identifying
root causes. Controlling stress, which leads to outbreaks, is the first
step.
Try it: Deep breathing. "The
lungs are important in Chinese medicine. The respiratory system is what
circulates toxins out of the body. If you're not breathing well, your
skin gets stagnated," she
says. Most of us take shallow chest breaths. Instead, practice
stress-relieving belly breathing. When you breathe in, your abdomen
should inflate and then deflate when you exhale. Practice once in the
early morning, midday, and evening. The goal is to make breathing this
way a habit.
FOOT FUNGUSYeast called candida is a normal part
of our gut flora, but when it overgrows it can show up as skin fungus,
says Simms. Both stress and a diet high in refined sugars can make this
overgrowth worse, and make you more susceptible to fungal problems.
Try it:
Taking anti-candida supplements like garlic, which offers a higher
concentration of antifungal properties than eating the root. Topically,
use oils like tea tree or neem on toenail or foot fungus, says Simms.
Twice a day apply oil directly to the nail or affected area on the foot,
and cover with a bandage. If you don't see any improvement, see your
dermatologist since fungus can be tough to treat.
HIVESHives can be set off by a number of factors, including allergens in food or beauty products.
"Your goal here is to support your liver, the organ that filters out the histamines that cause outbreaks," says Simms.
Try it:
Switch to plain or olive oil-based soaps, which are non-reactive on
skin, to eliminate possible allergens. Drink dandelion or nettle tea
(available at health food stores) to improve your liver's ability to
detox the body. Research in animals has shown that dandelion can also
help protect liver cells from damage. And consider taking an oatmeal
bath: Oats contain compounds called avenathramides that decrease
inflammation and irritation. Simms suggests grinding one or two cups of
oatmeal, submerging in a bowl of water, then adding it to your bath.
Soak for 15 to 20 minutes.
OILY SKINOiliness
"is a compensatory function of skin,
" says Sujatha Mannal, a homeopath who trained in India and now practices at
WholeHealth Chicago.
In layman's terms, that means a lack of oil prompts the body to
overcorrect and send oil to the skin's surface. The solution? Bring back
balance.
Try it: Add more healthy fats into your
diet by cooking with grapeseed and sesame oil, for one. And incorporate
it into your beauty regimen, too, says Mannal. In place of your usual
washing routine, dip a cotton ball in coconut oil (the oil is hard at
room temperature, so soften in the microwave first) and swipe onto skin.
Its antibacterial qualities cleanse without drying. Then rinse with
water and remove excess oil with a cotton ball dipped in witch hazel.
Follow up with your usual anti-aging serum and daily moisturizer.
Sources: http://www.prevention.com/health/health-concerns/natural-remedies-rosacea-acne-dry-skin-and-more
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TCM - Traditionally Chinese Medicine
