What is the best vitamin for your skin?

Vitamin A.


New dermatological studies researched by the American Academy of Dermatology, Duke University about the power of vitamin A for your skin.

Vitamin A is one of the most important vitamins for skin. Not only does it work as an anti-oxidant it also helps to fight free radicals. Vitamin A plays a strong role in strengthening the protective tissue of your skin and repairing skin tissue. Skin tissue protects the body from water loss and dehydrated skin. The skin tissue also uses specialized pigment cells called melanocytes to protect the body from ultra-violet radiation and helps regulate body temperature and metabolism.

Vitamin A is also known to help fight off damaging effects from physical stress on the body and sun exposure that is common with an athletic lifestyle.


If your skin is dry or rough with a combination of acne, white/blackheads you are probably lacking sufficient vitamin A. For persons 18 years and older the daily recommended dosage of vitamin A is 10,000 IUs.

The best sources of vitamin A include animal products such as oily fish, eggs, cheese and non fat milk.

Vegetables, provide carotenoids which the body can transform into retinol (a vitamin A acid). The best sources of carotenoids include yellow, red and dark green plants such as carrots, spinach, bell peppers, kale and turnip greens.

MYTHS ABOUT SKIN CARE

The following are some top myths about skin care which can make your skin care lifestyle choices less confusing.

BREAKOUTS ARE NOT CAUSED BY WHAT YOU EAT-FALSEAs fitness minded people its common we eat clean and nutritious. However, during holidays and off training times we may want to "live a little" with some forbidden food.

Many recent studies have shown eating a high-fat diet (even occasionally) can increase your skin's sebum output, leaving skin unnecessarily oilier. Pizza and cookies have a high glycemic index of carbohydrates which quickly convert to glucose, raises blood sugar level that releases insulin and androgen-the hormones that signal our sebacious glands to get into high gear producing more oil than needed, thus leading to possible breakouts-regardless of what your age is. Some persons tend to eat or binge on the wrong foods while under stress, then lead to believe its the "stress" causing their breakouts.

IF YOU WEAR SUNSCREEN, YOU WON'T GET ENOUGH VITAMIN D-FALSEVitamin D helps to boost the immune system and absorption of calcium. new studies have shown it also helps with depression. You can get plenty of benefits of vitamin D without going unprotected with sunscreen. Choose a multi-vitamin that has 1000 I.Us of vitamin D low fat milk fortified with vitamin D. The rumors of vitamin D deficiency were proven to be exaggerated with many diagnoses were the result of lab errors!

APPLY SUNSCREEN 30 MINUTES BEFORE GOING IN THE SUN-FALSEThis statement always bewildered me. You don't have to wait 30 minutes to head outdoors after applying a sun block.

"Physical" blocks, which contain titanium dioxide and micronized zinc oxide are almost instantly effective. It is vital to apply your sunscreen before you go outside even if its a five minute walk to your car, the tennis court or a run. In only the five minutes you are unprotected, the rays of the sun can cause damage, and, make a habit of all your unprotected 5 minute walks the time adds up for the sun to cause havoc. Before you get dressed in your workout attire, bathing suit, or clothing dot your sunscreen on and remember-the sun can penetrate through light colored clothing.

SPRITZ YOUR FACE WITH WATER WHEN ON A PLANE-FALSE
A BIG no no! Yes, most of us make an effort to combat the low humidity and poor air quality on a plane. But, spritzing your face with water in this environment can actually make your face drier!

The water evaporates and takes with it any moisture that is already on your face. If you like using a water bottle spritzer, be sure to incorporate some liquid aloe vera into the bottle which will give the moisture it's staying power. Your key defense against airplane air quality is drinking lots of bottles water and no alcohol beverages during flight.

Misinformed information about athletic skin care

It astonishes me how many persons are misinformed about proper skin care products for fitness/athletic lifestyles.

As I read forums, Yahoo Answers and even creditable magazines, I am amazed at the product recommendations made. Some of these are innocent opinions of people, who are entitled to share their opinion, but usually add that the product is okay, or are not that happy with their skin. Some are even doctors, who don't lead athletic lifestyles.

Most persons are just down right confused about what is the best cleanser for after a workout or before a workout. A moisturizer for an athletic lifestyle. When one works up a sweat via a raised heart rate from a 3-4 mile run or one hour of weight lifting, those oil producing sebacious glands are in over drive.

The avid exerciser also produces more dead skin cells which is akin to saran wrap, a translucent coating on the skin invisible by human eye, not removed correctly and frequently can lead to skin dullness, acne and dryness. Exfoliate? Sure, it was suggested an apricot scrub is great. Apricot seeds are known to abrade delicate skin tissue, even when not used frequently. But, hey, its only about 6 bucks for a big jar of it. Invest in your skin. Its the most visible and largest organ of your body.

Let me start with cleansers. A staple to a sweaty post workout cleanse. Most of the suggested cleansers for after a workout are mass produced brands that any person can use, including sedentary lifestyles. Currently, I noticed a drug store brand that simply added the word "sport" after the word cleanser. It lists a brief amount of ingredients, mostly synthetic and chemicals with parabens. None of these ingredients work as astringents to kill off the bacteria found in sweat thus leading to acne or any natural emollients to keep adequate moisture levels in the skin from excessive water loss from sweating and sodium, which can be drying to the skin.

But, the general consumer will purchase the product because its only five or eight bucks and the packaging and graphics are appealing to the eye. In the long run, its expensive to buy cheap.

Most of these cleansers contain a higher amount of water than active ingredients so the supply lasts a very little time, before you know it, you are running back to the drug store to buy more. Also, although they make strong claims as "deep pore cleansing" and "keeps your skin worry free from working out", the formula of ingredients don't come even close to achieving these claims.

Then we have the brands the department stores carry. You see, there is no such thing as "department store brands". Another misleading statement to the consumer who thinks if they are purchasing skin care products at a fancy department store with a high price tag they are doing their athletic skin a good thing. Not so.

These brands rent space from the department store. And they pay big bucks to do so, which in the end the consumer actually pays for and for the fancy corrugated packaging and sophisticated glass jars and bottles. Ask the person behind the counter what she/he would recommend for acne induced by exercise, and for certain, they will recommend a general cleanser for acne; period. And a moisturizer for oily skin. Sorry, won't do the job. They may even tell you how great it cleared up their skin when they don't break a sweat from exercise 4-5 times a week.

Maybe I'm too honest, which is why I will never be a millionaire. And that's okay with me. Because ethics and a great conscious is priceless.

With a fitness lifestyle, do you have special skin care needs? Yes. You also need to think of your skin care "regimen" as importantly as you do your workout regimen.

http://www.motionmedica.com/main/articles.aspx

After reading my articles, I'd love to hear your opinion about products for the fitness lifestyle. And when someone recommends a cleanser for after a workout or body creme after showering up to 3 times a day-do your homework.

Use a skin care line specially formulated for the athletic one and you'll experience and learn the difference. Stick with an easy skin care regimen too. But, easy does not mean just wiping sweat off your face with a towelette. Another "worst" thing one can do to their skin after a workout.