The SKINTENTIONAL Pyramid, Vitamins And Minerals (Copper, Zinc, Selenium, Manganese, Silica, and Sulfur)

 Mineral Makeup

Some say that you can trace every sickness, every disease and every ailment to a mineral deficiency. 

When I ask ladies what they want to see when they look in the mirror, the answer from most is "bright, soft, blemish-free skin".  Once we've had a chance to get acquainted, I begin breaking things down. This includes their lifestyle, skincare regimen, and diet. I assume that by this point in life, most of them have a vague idea that minerals are important for their health, but just incase they are not aware, I try and make it quick but informative.

The Breakdown

There are over 20 minerals that are important in helping support physical health and wellness. Most are required in very small quantities, but are necessary for maintenance of life. And each of these minerals have a small job that makes a big difference in the development of healthy skin and it's function. Additionally, six of these minerals are particularly key for promoting and nurturing a clear, glowing complexion. Here are the minerals I recommend and how to use them for achieving soft, radiant skin while fighting disease and facilitate healing when needed.

Copper:  Copper plays a key role in maintaining skin's well-being by stabilizing the skin's protein (we discussed the importance of protein in an earlier post). Collagen is made from proteins, and it gives the skin it's firmness. Together with Vitamin C and Zinc, Copper helps to develop elastin. Skin with healthy levels of both collagen and elastin isn't just more youthful, it's stronger.

Consumption:  The best way to get Copper into the body is by eating green leafy vegetables (spinach, mustard greens, kale), seeds (sesame, sunflower, pumpkin), nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans), vegetables (squash, eggplant, tomatoes, sweet potato, bell pepper, beets, avocado), almost all beans, and some fruits (kiwi, pineapple, pears, raspberries, strawberries).

It's also helpful to take a supplement. The daily recommended dose for women is 9mg per day.

Zinc: This mineral has more than one health benefit. When it comes to the skin, Zinc is able to reduce inflammation, protection from UV damage (also known as a good natural sunblock), reduce the occurrence of acne, and speed up the healing of breakouts.

Consumption: The best way to get Zinc into the body is by eating meat (beef, pork), and seafood (crab, lobster, oysters). 

If taken in supplement form the  daily recommended dose for women is 8mg per day.

Selenium: This power-packed mineral fights inflammation and free radicals (first causes of aging) thereby helping to slow aging. When taking with Vitamin E, it works to heal the skin which lessens the healing time of acne breakouts and post surgery procedures. Selenium is also needed for skin's elasticity ( skin's ability to stretch and then bounce back). Selenium also protects the skin from the sun, lessening  the chance of sunburn which lowers your risk of skin cancer.

Consumption: The best way to get Selenium into the body is by eating Brazil nuts, tuna, sunflower seeds, and brown rice.

If taken in supplement form the daily recommended dose for women is 55 mcg per day.

Manganese: Another superstar, this mineral supports collagen production and fights free radicals which keeps skin healthy and resilient. Together with Zinc and Copper this powerhouse can repair and soothe aggravated skin.

Consumption: The best way to get Manganese into the body is by eating leafy greens (collard greens, kale, spinach), nuts (almonds and pecans), oatmeal, and dark chocolate.

If taken in supplement form the daily recommended dose for women is 2mg per day.

Silica: "The skin sweetheart." Silica is required to produce collagen (our natural filler). I could probably stop there, but there's so much more. It's a natural anti-inflammatory (relieves skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis), keeps the skin hydrated, and is a strong carrier of oxygen (which helps with acne because bacteria cannot live in the presence of oxygen).

Consumption: You can bolster your intake of Silica by eating leafy greens, apples, cucumbers, celery, and asparagus. But the only way to get enough of the mineral is to supplement.

Recommended dose for women is 20mg per day.

Sulfur is one of my favorite minerals to apply during an Acne Detoxing Facial. It inhibits bacteria from acne, promotes healing of breakouts, and reduces inflammation.

Although, it takes time (12 weeks) to see the results in the mirror,  you should start to notice a brighter complexion, a youthful glow, along with firmer and hydrated skin. Your overall health should improve as well.

With that being said, I think we all need to add a few more leafy greens, bright berries, summer vegetables, fish, and nuts into our shopping cart.

See you at the market!

                                      

THE SKINTENTIONAL Pyramid, Vitamins and Minerals (D)

                               You Are My Sunshine

Vitamin D

Just like you and I, the sun rises each day. And just like you and I, the sun has a lot to do each day.

One of the sun's most important task is to rise and shine. And as our bodies enjoy the feeling of the sun's warm rays on our skin, something else is happening within our bodies that will promote overall health and faster healing of the skin. 

Here's How It Works

The Sunshine Vitamin

When our skin is exposed to sunlight Vitamin D is synthesized from the cholesterol in our bodies. It doesn't take very much exposure to produce all the Vitamin D that we need. With sufficient sun exposure we do not need to supplement our diet, but sun exposure can vary from person to person, day to day, and season to season. If we expose our face, hands, and forearms for 10 to 30 minutes of sunlight, for only two to three days a week, our skin can produce all the Vitamin D we need.

The Feel Good Vitamin

When our bodies produce enough Vitamin D it travels through the blood to help our muscles, nerves, and organs function properly. Vitamin D keeps our energy levels up and enhances our mood too. Our organs are functioning properly and our energy levels are up, we have an overall feeling of wellness. This is why Vitamin D is sometimes referred to as the "Feel Good Vitamin".  

Risk for Vitamin D Deficiency

It's during winter and colder months that we spend more time wearing clothes to cover our face, hands, and forearms, so our bodies synthesize less Vitamin D. People who spend most of their time indoors have an increased risk of Vitamin D deficiency and would benefit from supplementing their diets. Dark skin pigment prevents light from penetrating into the dermis where Vitamin D is formed, this explains why dark skinned individuals are more likely to have a deficiency than those with lighter skin. 

Rising Vitamin D Concerns

These days we are being asked to stay home and this may be causing us to stay indoors more, which can lead to low Vitamin D levels. Older individuals or residents of nursing homes also have increased risk. Vitamin D is an important nutrient for the body's immune system in keeping it strong and preventing infection. Perhaps Vitamin D could help in preventing or treating COVID-19.  

Even though the sun's warm rays are always welcome, remember that too much sun is not recommended for the purpose of tanning and can cause severe damage to the skin.😎

Our skin is the largest organ of the body and performs vital functions including immunity. Skin care companies are infusing their topical formulas with Vitamin D for skin health benefits and treating skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema.

                                                          So Please Don't Take My Sunshine Away.

Time Changes Things

                         Do you know where you're going to? 
                         Do you like the things that life is showing you? 
                         Where are you going to?
                                      

Do you know?

These are questions to ponder. Unfortunately, we can't answer all these question today. Time must pass, life has to be lived. And as this happens, where we want to go and what we hope for today may change. Recently, I've been spending a fair amount of time doing some personal pondering.

A few years ago, my daughter Rachel, created this blog for me. It was one of the most thoughtful gifts she had ever given to me. I enjoyed my daily post as much as anything else that I was doing. But due to my other consuming responsibilities, it became apparent that in order to do it well, I could not give my blog the attention I felt it deserved.

Although putting my blog on the backburner is minute in the big scheme of things, too often we make choices that are rarely worth what we give up (I've made a few).  So after much pondering, I have decided to revive my blog in hopes that it will give me joy as it once did. It's a small step toward being able to answer "Yes" to these questions.

I will not be removing the past blogs so if you haven't read them then this would be the best place to start. I may refer to them from time to time, as they will be useful for understanding and learning as we continue becoming Skintentional. 

Would you like to learn how to care for your skin, add knowledge to what you already know, or simply learn more about the exciting field of Esthetics? Then I invite you to join me in the journey of becoming intentional about skincare.

                                                    Become Skintentional!

                           We have time to grow and and become a beautiful being (inside and out)                                                          both for our Heavenly Father and those we have here on earth.