Desert climates have lots of sunshine but they are dry and arid and you need to take extra special care of your skin to keep it looking great.
The protection of our skin is as important, as the appearance of our skin says so much about us. We all make quick assessments when we meet someone for the first time; to check out their age we look at their skin and the color of their hair.
Worries about skin affect all of us, whatever our age. The young worry about spots and acne and the over-thirties worry about lines and wrinkles.
The answer to younger looking skin is a holistic one that means there is no single solution. Skin care cream manufacturers would like to believe that they have found the answer; but looking younger is a much more complex issue. You can have beautiful skin but you need to work from the inside out.
Sun damage and dry skin are the problems of a desert climate and it is so important to recognize this and take steps to avoid the skin aging early when you are young. It is a well-established fact that approximately 80 percent of skin aging is environmental and only 20 percent is genetic. A face exposed to the sun will age, unless you protect it. Sometimes skin takes years for the damage to show up; and years of sun exposure on skin leaves it looking leathery, with age spots. It really is not worth it. Protect your skin with a sunscreen on your hands and face. In the Gulf sunscreen is a must but if you are only out for short periods you do not need it to be an extra high factor. Factor 15 is fine for every day but for longer exposure and for children always use SPF30 or more. Protect your eyes with sunglasses.
Computer screens
If you sit in front of computer all day you will notice that your eyes, lips and skin free dry; so use a good natural moisturizer and lip balm and have a glass of water on your desk.
Food
Everything you do or don’t put into your mouth affects the quality of your skin. For example, a dull spotty complexion betrays a diet high in fats, sugars and processed foods. The amazing news is that you can transform your skin by making simple changes to your eating habits.
Good skin care
Practice good skin care. Use gentle products to cleanse, moisturize and gently exfoliate. There are so many products on the market to choose from. Experiment and find products that suit your skin type. Many people who live in hot climates and use air conditioning may have dry skin – you may need to use a gentle exfoliant to remove dead skin so that your moisturizer can do some work. It is very important to moisturize your skin at night and I recommend skin oil, as oils are more easily absorbed than creams; then you can wake up to lovely soft skin. It is also important to use a moisturizer on your lips such as Vaseline, which keeps the moisture in; and always have a bottle of water by your bed.
Skin massage
A daily massage is a great way to keep skin looking fresh and young. I met an old lady of 80 who had fabulous skin and I asked her what her secret was. She told me that the benefits of gentle massage every day had been passed on to her by her mother and grandmother.
Face-lift without surgery
Facial exercises keep the muscles toned. As we grow older our facial muscles need exercising to counter the effects of degenerating connective tissues that lead to sagging around the jaw line, and drooping eyelids. Facial exercise is also vital following weight loss. If you would like to receive my complete facial workout, and a fact sheet on skin care in harsh climate you can e-mail to [email protected] for a free copy.
My father used to say that true beauty lasts forever and I take that to mean a beautiful kind person has a beautiful kind face.
For more tips on healthy living sign up to receive my monthly newsletter by e-mailing to [email protected]. For a daily health tip you can follow me on twitter: @AlvaCarpenter.
Ask Alva
I am not sure what fiber is and which foods contain it. Please help me as I have been told to include more fiber in my diet as I suffer from frequent constipation.
— Salim
All plant-based foods contain fiber. Good sources of fiber include fruit, vegetables, wholegrain rice and pasta, wholemeal bread, wholegrain breakfast cereals, nuts, seeds and bran. Fruit, vegetables, beans, lentils and oats are particularly good sources of soluble fiber, whilst wholemeal bread, brown rice, wholegrain breakfast cereals, fruit and vegetables are all good sources of insoluble fiber. As long as you eat fruit and vegetables, cereal for breakfast, a whole meal salad sandwich for lunch and a few seeds and nuts as a snack, and brown rice with supper you will be getting plenty of fiber. For constipation I would also recommend drinking 8 to 12 glasses of water per day and a daily small pot of white plain yogurt. If this does not give you healthy stools consult your doctor again.
— Alva
