The skin "eats" – Food Pharmacy

Skincare with Karin Björkegren Jones

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The skin “eats”

Just as we have become more and more, what can you say, food-wise, it may be time that we also become skin care-wise. Because we have understood that what we eat and in fact also how we eat (as in when we eat and chew properly) is important for our health.

We have learned that semi-finished and finished products bought off the shelf, are not the best because of the additives that are often found in these dishes. We have simply understood that food is best if it is prepared from scratch and with good – that is with organic and labeled ingredients.

We have also understood that we feel good about eating more greens, and we are also many who have joined the trend of juicing green to get as much green in us as possible. In the same way that we have understood how important food is for our health, we have also begun to understand that the skin also “eats”.

“There are too many people counting calories and not enough people counting chemicals.”

It’s a quote from an unknown person that I found a few years ago, and it’s really time to change that attitude when it comes to skin care. By taking care of and nourishing your skin with natural ingredients, you will feel better both physically and mentally. Because everything is connected.

So what do you feed your skin with? Do you look at the contents of the jar? Do you ever choose your skin care based on content that you know?

I know, it’s so hard to understand a table of contents but NOC Sweden, an industry organization for brands in natural, organic skin and beauty care does. It has produced a list of content that you do not want in your skin care products. The black list, so to speak. I myself simply opt out of a product / product if I do not understand the table of contents. Sure, there are good skin care products out there on the market, but I still want to strike a blow for our own skin care. Do you get the point? You tailor your skin care to your skin’s needs, can it get any better?

Foto: Anneli Hildonen

It is easy, and fun to do your own skin care once you actually know what to lubricate yourself with. It also creates rings on the water, which are so important today and which provide benefits not only to the environment and your skin, but also to your wallet. You have everything to gain from starting to think more green, even when it comes to your skin care. Your skin will feel better both on the inside and on the outside.

But what are the benefits of doing your own skin care?

The result: You will discover the effect of doing your own customized skin care on yourself. I promise you that your skin will shine like an oil painting. You will get what everyone seems to want right now, ie. a glow. You will also feel the difference in the texture of your skin.

The health effect: Let the food be your medicine and the medicine your food. Yes, if Hippocrates had been a dermatologist, he would certainly have applied that sentence to skin care as well. Because just as good food in the long run means good health. So what you lubricate yourself with also has a health effect.

“Every day, the average Swede uses four to twelve hygiene and beauty products that often contain a cocktail of different substances, which are neither beneficial to the environment nor to your skin. The contents of these products are partly or completely composed of substances that are synthetic, petrochemical and nature-identical, the latter being synthetically identified by nature but manufactured in a laboratory. None of them are particularly environmentally friendly. It is not always the case that skin care products are non-organic or organic. Many skin care products contain organic ingredients but only to a certain extent. In conventional skin care, for example, synthetic fragrances are used that are produced in a laboratory. These are volatile and disappear quickly in the air and in order for the scent to remain, you need to add so-called fragrance carriers. These fragrances are often phthalates – emollients that are also used in plastic. A table of contents rarely states which fragrance carrier the product contains, which makes it difficult for us consumers. In several studies, phthalates have been shown to be endocrine disruptors and because they are considered harmful to health, they have also been banned in toys, but not as fragrance carriers.”

Source: Pure beauty natural skin care from the plant kingdom by me and Lena Losciale.

The environment and the wallet: When you choose to do your own skin care with completely pure ingredients and raw materials from the plant kingdom, you make less of an impact on the environment. You do not have to worry about not so environmentally friendly ingredients being washed out into the groundwater. You reuse the bottles and jars in which you have your skin care. And you will also see the change in your wallet.

In the book “Pure beauty natural skin care from the plant kingdom”, you will find over 30 different fantastic recipes both simple, ie. you mix a few vegetable oils with a few drops of essential oil until you create a delicious cream, whisked together into a fragrant fluff. You will find recipes for face masks and hair masks. But also soothing and moisturizing gels. “Pure beauty natural skin care from the plant kingdom” is a fantastic book for those of you who want to take yourself further and become a skin craftsman.

Drink more water

The skin and body need regular refilling of water to be able to cleanse and purify the inside. I usually think that when I drink water, my inside is showered. I always start my morning by drinking a glass of room temperature water. I alternate with sometimes drinking lemon water, or a glass of water with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Lemon can unfortunately affect the enamel so my tip is to alternate and not drink lemon water every day.

Try to drink plenty of water but also preferably herbal teas between meals.

Here are some of my favorites:

Birch leaves are diuretic, good for edema (fluid accumulation) and are said to promote the work of the kidneys. It is said that tea made from birch leaves is rejuvenating and counteracts the hardening deposition processes that are associated with aging. Björkbladste has a strong activating effect on the secretion, which in turn helps to remove slag, while stimulating egg white formation.

Stinging nettle is blood purifying and stimulates blood formation, is also tonic, anti-rheumatic and rich in minerals, chlorophyll, iron and vitamin C.

Peppermint is stimulating and warming for digestion. It is an invigorating herbal tea that is good for bloated stomachs with a lot of gas. It is said to relieve nausea and be good at anxiety. This summer I made iced peppermint tea.

Chamomile is a mild soothing herbal tea. Good for colds, fever, stomach ache and anxiety. Chamomile is one of our most widely used medicinal plants.

Lemon balm is a soothing herbal tea for both heart and soul with a healing effect on palpitations, anxiety and sleep disorders. It is said to help lower high blood pressure. Lemon balm is one of our “women’s herbs”.

Rölleka, with its slightly bitter taste, helps metabolism, increases appetite, helps and relieves the liver process, blood build-up and digestion.

Note! It is preferable to not drink birch leaf tea which is diuretic, in the evening, because then there is a risk that you will have to run to the toilet half the night.

How to make herbal tea

Put a large pinch of herbs (1-2 teaspoons) per teacup in a saucepan of cold water. Let them simmer, do not boil, then take them off the plate, let simmer for at least two minutes. Then you get the most important minerals, vitamins, essential oils and aromas. Strain the tea.

Source: Lilla teboken – flowers and leaves we collect for teas, by Sister Märta in collaboration with the herb group Anastomosen.

This is a guest post. Any opinions expressed are the writer’s own.

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