Anti-Aging Foods for Your Skin

I’m going to take a detour from my usual posts about mental health and focus on another area that I work with: skin health. Since I do facial acupuncture regularly, I often get asked what foods can promote anti-aging. More and more people want to work on skin anti-aging from the inside in addition to working on it from the outside. Research in this area is still growing but the good news is that most of the dietary recommendations that reduce aging in the skin are also good for your overall health.

One study done in 2007 on 4000 American women in their 40s-70s found that women who had a higher dietary intake of vitamin C had fewer wrinkles. Some good sources of vitamin C in the diet are citrus fruits (obviously), bell peppers (any colour), guava (a very rich source), rosehips and blackcurrants but vitamin C is found in many other fruits and vegetables.

This same study also found that women who ate more linoleic acid in their diet were less likely to experience the drying out and thinning of the skin that often happens with age. Linoleic acid can be found in things like vegetables oil, nuts (like walnuts), seeds and soybeans.

A more recent study done on about 3000 Caucasian women ages 45-60 found that higher dietary intake of alpha linolenic acid (ALA) and EPA was associated with fewer signs of aging in the skin. These are both omega-3 fatty acids. Flax is a great source of ALA but this fatty acid is also in walnuts and soy as well as some other foods. EPA is mainly found in fish – especially anchovies, mackerel, oysters, salmon and whitefish.

High fruit and vegetable consumption in general helps slow aging of the skin. It’s hard to find studies on what fruits and vegetables have been shown to be useful. Some sources recommend things like avocados, dark leafy greens, berries, orange vegetables like sweet potatoes and carrots and pineapples.

Things you should consider limiting in your life to keep your skin youthful are sugar, alcohol and excessive caloric intake. These things are popular in the anti-aging research right now.

If you would like to learn more about how naturopathic medicine can help you age well book a free 15-minute consultation today.

Facial Acupuncture FAQ

Does it actually work? Almost all of my patients have been happy with their results.

How many sessions do I need? 5-10.

When will I start seeing results? Usually by the 3rd session - earlier for some people!

Does it hurt? It feels like little pinches on the skin. Most patients agree that it is not a very painful experience.

Is it covered? If you have naturopathic medicine coverage, you care will be covered under that. When I do facial acupuncture, it’s not just about the skin. I also incorporate acupuncture points for addressing other concerns (e.g. stress, sleep, anxiety) and we work on improving your overall health. This wholistic approach to health (and to skin care) is the basis of naturopathic medicine.

Where do you put the needles? I insert them in different regions of the face. I can also put needles in different acupuncture points on the body to help with your other health goals (e.g. digestive issues, stress, anxiety, poor sleep and so on).

Is there anything in the needles? No. Nothing is injected. The needles stimulate your own skin to boost circulation and trigger a healing response.

How long are the sessions? 30-60 minutes.

Will it make my skin worse if I stop doing it? No. Facial acupuncture does not make your skin dependent on it.

What do I do if I want to ask more questions before starting? Book a free 15-minute consult by clicking the button below.

Stress Part 1: What it Does to the Skin

Stress affects everyone. You’d be surprised at all the bizarre ways stress can impact your body. If you’ve read my blog posts, you’ll know that working with mental health is a huge passion of mine. I’ve decided to write a series on stress to highlight how big of a role it plays in overall health. In the first few articles I’ll talk about different ways stress can impact the body. Then I’ll go over some ways you can lower stress on your own. This week, we’ll start at the surface and talk about how stress affects the skin. This is also known as the brain-skin connection. Read on to find out more!

Acne

Most of us can relate to having an inconvenient stress-breakout just before a big event. The stress-acne link has been studied for a long time. When the body is stressed, it releases all kinds of chemicals. Some of these stress chemicals act on the skin to increase sebum which clogs pores and leads to pimples. Some increase inflammation in and around skin cells which causes redness and pain. Stress may also weaken the immune system. This makes the skin more prone to infection by acne-causing bacteria.

Aging

There are a couple different theories on why the skin ages. One theory is that DNA damage, oxidation and inflammation age the skin. The stress hormones epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol have been found to increase DNA damage. They may also reduce skin cell regeneration. Stress can decrease the anti-oxidant functions in skin cells. These damages can lead to signs of aging like fine lines, dark spots and loss of elasticity.

Eczema and Psoriasis

Stress seems to alter the skin in eczema patients in ways that are not fully understood. These alterations impact skin inflammation, oxidation and repair. 

Psoriasis is a skin condition that involves itchy, scaly patches forming on the skin. It’s a condition driven by inflammation and immune reactions. In psoriasis patients, stress seems to increase the inflammation molecules in the body which aggravates the skin. The skin of psoriasis patients may also have higher levels of chemicals that respond to stress.

Hives

Stress has been shown to increase the activity of mast cells. Mast cells play a major roll in hive development and itchy skin.

Naturopathic medicine has a lot to offer when it comes to stress. Herbs, nutrition and acupuncture work wonders on stress levels. If you need help with your stress or your skin, book an appointment or free 15-minute consult.