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www.thevillagenews.co.za
22 April 2020
MY WELLNESS
Lockdown beauty SOS By Lindi Prinsloo Refine Anti-ageing & Laser Clinic
D
uring this lockdown period, we’ve found ourselves being deemed a non-essential service. Beauty, non-essential? What! But so it is and here we are, some stuck at home alone, some with young children to drive them crazy, and somehow, some way we need to find a path through this extended, five-week lockdown. Not only are you far less active during this period, but if you are limiting your trips to the shops you may be eating different foods to what your body is used to. Your sleep may also be affected by this change in routine. I have heard from many friends that they are experiencing periods of stress, frustration and even grief for the life that they’ve had to leave behind and the adjustments they are having to make. We’ve put together some tips and tricks to help you stay happy and healthy during lockdown. You may even enjoy this chance to pause and reflect. See this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take stock of your life, pamper yourself and set future goals. This will ensure that you come out of lockdown with your chakras balanced, ready to grab life by the horns. Get enough sleep Sleep is an essential part of staying healthy. When we sleep the hormone, melatonin, is released and essentially detoxes our brain and body for the next day. Inadequate sleep can cause your
body to release more of the stress hormone, cortisol, which can cause inflammation in your skin, manifesting as acne or psoriasis. Interestingly enough, excess cortisol caused by stress and lack of sleep also lowers your immune system. So enough sleep is one of the essential ingredients for supporting your immune system at this time. Remember to exercise You’ve probably heard that exercise causes your body to release endorphins, those wonderful little morphine-like hormone molecules that elevate your mood. Exercise also burns cortisone, making it a great way to reduce stress and anxiety and help keep your skin clear. There are many exercise programs on YouTube that can be easily followed, even in a small space such as an apartment. Set exercise goals for yourself. These can be as simple as increasing the number of push ups you do or timing yourself doing the plank and holding it for longer each day. If you find yourself working out more than once a day because, well, you have the time, just remember to wash your face before and after (as well as taking a shower post-workout) and apply moisturiser. Get enough vitamins It is interesting to note the overlap between those vitamins and minerals we need to maintain a healthy skin and those needed to support a strong and healthy immune
system. A solid dose of vitamin C (1 000 mg daily) and zinc are required for both healthy skin and immunity. Most pharmacies would be able to supply you with a reputable supplement and the good news is that some health shops are also open during lockdown. Usually, we warn of the dangers of the sun. However, it also has a very important role to play in keeping our skin and immune systems healthy. We’ve had glorious weather over this lockdown period and you should ensure that you are exposed to the sun for around 20 minutes every day. This will increase the production and conversion of vitamin D – an essential vitamin needed to protect you from colds and flu. You can still protect the skin on your face with sunscreen and expose other areas of your body.
as they could also cause over-stimulation of the sebum glands. Don’t forget to moisturise after you wash your hands
If you cannot get sun exposure for some reason, you will need to supplement with vitamin D. The US Institute of Medicine suggests an average daily intake of 400–800 IU, or 10–20 micrograms of vitamin D. Vitamin D is long-acting, so you may opt for a weekly dose of 5 000 IU from a company such as Metagenics.
We’re all washing our hands much more often than usual (or we should be!). This could lead to more cases of hand eczema, as all that washing and use of hand sanitiser dries out the skin. Many people are experiencing cracked and chapped hands. It is essential to moisturise after handwashing, as chapped skin allows bacteria and viruses to penetrate. Moisturising adds a layer of essential protection to your skin and protects from infection.
Use skin masks, peels and exfoliators with caution
Avoid foods with a high glycemic index
With extra time on your hands, you might be tempted to indulge in all kinds of masks, exfoliators and peels. Be cautious about getting carried away with this kind of treatment as you really could be hurting your skin. All that exfoliating and peeling affects your skin’s acid mantle.
A healthy, balanced diet is good for your skin, too. While there is no one miracle food that will give you great skin, there are foods you should try to avoid. Foods with a high glycemic index don’t do your skin any favours. These include boxed cereals, white bread, rice and crackers.
You have good bacteria and bad bacteria on your skin, and you don’t want to get rid of all the good stuff. If you over treat, your pH levels go up and that can lead to skin problems. Be aware of home-made facial masks,
Anything rich in antioxidants – foods like strawberries, spinach, raspberries and artichokes – are good choices to support overall health. Due to the lack of movement during lockdown, you may find that you are eating less.
This is fine and natural. We should all adjust our diets to lower kilojoule intake at this time. Running out of skin care products? While none of the following should necessarily make up your entire skin routine, there are household items you could use if you are running low on your regular skincare products. There are people who believe that coconut oil can help with eczema and dry skin. But don’t put it on your face. It has been shown to be comedogenic, which means it can cause blocked pores and breakouts. You can, however, use castor oil on your face. As a source of triglycerides, which help retain moisture, castor oil can be beneficial to your skin. And good old petroleum jelly applied once or twice a week can help repair the skin’s barrier – but don’t overdo it! Take advantage of being less rushed. Take care of yourself. Moisturise. Keep up your skin care regime. If you’ve haven’t had time in the past to stick to a routine, now is an excellent opportunity to do that. There have been interesting social media posts with everything from facial yoga poses, to face muscle exercises. Stick to the basics and we’ll see you soon for our serious skin treatments!
