As a skin therapist and Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner Laura Jones BSc (Hons), Lic. Acu, MBAcC knows all to well the affect your general wellbeing can have on your skin. This week we asked Laura for her favourite tips for healthy radiant skin….
Juicing – Having tried a green juice cleanse last year for the first time I was pleasantly surprised not just by how tasty the juices are, but by the amazing effect it had on my skin and health in general. I was so impressed by the difference this initial cleanse made and the comments I had about my glowing skin, that I now incorporate at least one green juice a day into my diet. I certainly notice the difference in my complexion if I have missed a few days. I also do a 3 day juice cleanse about once a year in the spring. I personally choose this time of year to cleanse because spring is the time when our energy moves from yin (stillness) to yang (movement). Spring is the season of the Liver and the colour green, and so detoxifying your body and Liver with green juices at this time can help ease this transition of energy, and prevent you from getting colds at this time of year.
Breathing – In Chinese Medicine there are a number of important ways in which one gets their qi (energy) and one of those is through breathing properly. We all know the negative effect that stress can have on our bodies and our skin, and the positive effect that oxygen has on the skin and body tissues, but most of us do not breathe well the majority of the time. Sitting at a desk all day hunched up means that often we are not using our full lung capacity when breathing, so oxygen is not being diffused through our tissues efficiently. Try to take a few minutes a day to take a few deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth trying to aim for a count of ten as you breathe in and the same when you breathe out. Remember to let all the tension leave your body as you breathe out. The Lungs in Chinese Medicine are said to control the skin and hair and so if your lungs and strong and healthy your skin will be too.
Regular Facial Massage – Our face is not just made up of skin but beneath lies muscle, adipose and connective tissue, blood vessels, and lymph. Massage may benefit all of these components by
- aiding in de-squamation (removal of dead skin cells)
- increasing circulation of lymph to remove waste products from the area
- increasing blood flow to the area bringing oxygen and nutrients to regenerate the skin and improve its elasticity
- breaking down scar tissue and helping collagen fibres to realign themselves correctly
- improving muscle tone and regulating hormones
Regular facial massage with an expert therapist can do wonders for your skin, but did you also know regularly massaging your own face at home can enhance these effects too? If you are not sure how to do this then look out for my upcoming post and workshop here at CONTENT on how to recreate facial massage at home.
