Tag Archive for: anti-oxidants

Dr. G’s Energetic Salad

Dr. G is firm believer in the concept ‘You are what you eat’. If your diet is subpar, one of the first places it can show is on the skin (skin health often acts as a major indicator to what is happening internally). Being the largest organ of the body, the skin not only reflects internal state of health, but is also the first line of defense between the internal and external environment. In this recipe, the key ingredient is quinoa. Quinoa contains high levels of riboflavin which provides elasticity to the skin to give it the required softness and resiliency. It also works to tone the skin and prevent the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.

What you need: 

The Energetic Salad: Inspired by plant profusion energetic eye cream

2 cups quinoa (high in riboflavin and protein)

1 cup raspberries (high levels of the anti-oxidant Resveratrol)

1/2 orange (Vitamin C)

2 teaspoons olive oil (Omega fatty acids)

2 basil leaves chopped (high in Vitamin K + Iron)

Cook Quinoa until soft and then let cool at room temperature. In separate bowl mix raspberries, orange,oil oil and chopped basil leaves. Mix together and serve at room temperature. This salad will fill you up and give you all the energy you need to finish your day!

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Spring Resolutions: solutions to internal + external skin issues



Internal

The Bummer: Breakouts + Irritation

Say goodbye to sugar, it is NOT your friend. Sugar is addictive and present in almost everything! Pay attention to your daily sugar intake. Even that ‘healthy’ green juice you’re drinking may have extra sugar.

Idea!

Dairy intake not only affects the digestive system but also the skin. Try quitting dairy for a month and see how your skin glows brighter.

The Bummer: Dehydration

Watch alcohol intake. Alcohol has dreadful and hazardous effects on the body and skin. Alcohol dehydrates eyes, skin and inside of the body. Alcohol has a bad effect on Vitamin A, B3 and Vitamin C, which are all imperative antioxidants for healthy skin and organ function. Alcohol also affects blood sugar levels and can raise blood pressure.

Good eats:

  • Leafy greens
  • All berries
  • Lettuce
  • Raw spinach
  • Tomato sauce
  • Bell peppers
  • Cucumbers
  • Pineapple

The bummers: fine lines, dullness + loss of elasticity

Eating healthy can also reduce pollution effects on the skin and the body. Eating a diet high in anti-oxidant rich foods such as leafy greens and berries and foods high in essential fatty acids (salmon, avocado, almonds) shows on your face as well as internally.

Steer clear of foods that encourage and cause Glycation. The Glycation process, which is basically, sugars (from food and alcohol) breaking down the collagen fibers in the skin and therefore speeding up the aging process. Glycation equals loss of elasticity and collagen, which equals sagging skin. Foods that feed Glycation and cause inflammation in the body and the skin are carbohydrates, fried foods, sugar, fatty meats and alcohol.

External

The Bummer: Breakouts

  • Everyday pollution from industrial soot, car exhaust, the ozone layer, second hand smoke
  • Not washing your face after the gym
  • Not taking off your makeup at night
  • Bad ingredients (Say NO to: PEGS, mineral oil, alcohol, silicone)

Idea:

Exfoliate and detoxify those pores and follow with treating skin with an anti-pollution, anti-oxidant serum. Try our Brightening Elixir!

The bummer: Fine Lines

  • Chronological age- you can help DNA by using targeted skincare products and protecting skin from sun and pollution with SPF and an anti-pollution, anti-oxidant rich serum.
  • Sun damage- Exfoliate, treat with a serum (think Vitamin C, Vitamin B and Ferulic acid) and protect with an SPF.
  • Smoking- just don’t do it! And if you did then follow the steps above to erase the signs. Smoker’s skin is usually dull, gray and showing signs of loss of collagen and elasticity.  Exfoliation followed with a treatment serum can help reverse the damage.

The bummer: Dullness

  • Not exfoliating
  • Dehydration

Idea:

Try our Doctor’s Scrub or Fresh-A-Peel (lactic acid)!

The Bummer: Irritation

  • Overuse of acids and Retinol
  • Incorrect choice of moisturizers

Idea:

Ease up on aggressive acids and treatments. Try a nourishing oil that has brightening effects. Think cold pressed oils full of Omegas fatty acids. 

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Eye creams for every decade: Tips for rolling back time

The skin under the eyes is quite different from the rest of your face, and as you age, it reveals aging signs up to 20 percent faster than the rest of your face (yes, scary!). That’s because of a whole confluence of disheartening factors. The skin here is extremely thin, with the lowest elasticity, firmness, and oil production, the worst barrier function (i.e. limited absorption of actives and poor protection from environmental stressors) and , and often times develops the deepest wrinkles. Here’s what you need to know and practice with your eye treatments through the decades.

20’s – Prevention (and late night recovery repair)

Woke up looking as rough as you feel? 20’s are a decade of work hard, play hard.

Treatment: In need of a quick fix to telltale signs of overindulgence and under-sleeping, like puffiness and dark circles, look for eye creams that contain anti-inflammatory fighting ingredients like Vitamin K, Arnica, Caffeine and/or soothing tea extracts.

30’s – The first signs

We begin to see some signs of aging in the early 30’s. These changes include hyperpigmentation or”dark circles” around the eyes. Additionally, we may begin to see some fine lines and textural changes around the eye area due to the thinness of the skin.

Treatment: Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory creams containing vitamin A, C and E can also help to ward off free-radicals and give an extra boost to collagen production (hello enhanced plumpness to the skin). By building collagen the treatments help to minimize the appearance of dark circles that are in-part caused by blood vessels close to the surface of aging, thinner skin and reduce inflammation around the eye area.

40’s – Age is here to stay

Throughout the 40’s, dark circles may become more prominent, along with more visible lines. Even after getting ample sleep (8 hours), your eyes are giving you that “tired look” even when they feel fresh; we’ve all been there!

Treatment: Retinol creams or for those who can tolerate them, gentle prescription-strength retinoids can be helpful. These creams help to increase cell turnover thereby minimizing dark-circles and textural changes. They also can help stimulate collagen production thereby preventing volume loss down the road.

50’s +- Soften Wrinkles

Say no more…

Treatment: In addition to continuing to use products that contain retinol, anti-oxidants and skin rejuvenating properties, peptide-based eye creams often present an effective alternative (especially if you have sensitive skin) if you’re looking for a way to avoid dermal fillers or plastic surgery. Peptides are designed to provide collagen-boosters (say goodbye to those stubborn fine lines) to your skin and improve circulation, so you can often expect reduced darkness and an increase in skin plumpness and elasticity.

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