Taking Care of Your Body – Part by Part
Published in Action & Fitness Magazine 2009 issue
SKIN
Do you know that you shed about 35,000 dead skin cells per minute? Healthy skin of an average person renews every 28 days. However, aging, bad diet, smoking, and other external factors contribute to the slowing down of the skin renewal process. If your skin can’t renew itself in 28 days, imagine how much dead skin cells you’re carrying around. Before you reach for a plate-sized loofah, here are a few tips on how to keep your skin glowing with a healthy sheen.
Hydrate. Your skin is your body’s largest organ and the first thing people notice. If you don’t want to look like an aging prune, the first thing you do is hydrate—load up on H2O. The body is made up of almost 70% water, so drink up. Sorry folks, fruit juices, and sports drinks don’t count.
Moisturize. Aging depletes collagen production that moisturizes the skin. Replenish lost moisture by using products rich in emollients (lubricates the skin) and natural moisturizing factors like elastin, lipids, ceramides after every bath.
Protect. If people could literally see how deadly the sun’s rays can be, nobody would dare soak up the afternoon sun. Excessive sun exposure literally ages your skin. If you don’t want to look like a prune in your mid-30s, use sunscreens with SPF15 at the very least.
Get some shut eye. Sleep repairs the body at a cellular level. If you deprive your body of its “mending time”, telltale signs of lost sleep will show on your face, starting with bad skin.
Go green. What you eat shows. Opt for healthier food alternatives to flush out the junk in your intestines.
Don’t smoke. Ten sticks a day lead the cancer your way. A study made by Sofie De Hertog and her colleagues at the Leiden University Medical Center in Netherlands shows that the chances of developing squamous cell carcinoma are 3.3 times higher among smokers. Moreover, smoking has been linked to the following skin disorders: premature skin aging, acne, hair loss, and psoriasis.
EYES
If you think the eye is composed of the retina, pupil iris, and cornea alone, obviously, you’re not seeing the entire picture. Pun intended. Your eyes are composed of over two million parts that work together to give you your sense of sight. While your eyes are the windows to your soul, they’re also your windows to the outside world. Here are tips on how to keep your eyes healthy:
Visit your ophthalmologist. Sure, they can be pretty pushy, especially when they turn into sales people when you need to upgrade your eyeglasses, but seriously, they’re for your own good. Vision problems progress, even if you wear your glasses or contacts religiously. If they remain uncorrected for a long period of time, they can worsen, leaving you not only with vision problems but with severe headaches as well. So don’t fear your eye doctor. Regular checkups are a necessity, not a vanity.
Eat your carrots. Bright-colored fruits and vegetables, like carrots, pumpkins, mangoes and apricots contain beta-carotene, which the body transforms into Vitamin A—the one responsible for the maintenance of good eyesight. It also prevents night blindness and keeps the cornea clear. So take a page from Bugs Bunny’s book: carrots are good for yah.
Let there be light! If you want to ruin your eyes, go to the darkest computer joint and play Dota for five hours straight. The poor lighting can give you a severe eye strain while the bright monitor can damage your eyes without you knowing it. Be kind to your eyes, okay? Make sure there’s proper lighting when you read, type, play games, and watch TV. There may be a few changes in your electric bills but your eyes will thank you for it.
Wear sunglasses. The best way to protect your eyes from the damaging UV rays is—surprise—wearing your very big, very dark, very trendy sunglasses. Light sunglasses are effective in blocking out UV rays, but the darker ones can successfully block 98% of UV radiation. A pair of sunglasses is more than just a fashion statement, but do remove them when you’re inside the mall, will you?
TEETH
Do you know that primitive children didn’t have cavities? No, it’s not because they brushed their teeth using dinosaur claws but because they didn’t eat sugar. Well, since we have Krispy Kreme, Starbucks, and Hershey’s today, proper dental care will keep those icky cavities away. So here’s the tooth and nothing but the tooth: if you want to keep your mega-watt smile, you need to do more than just brushing your teeth with precise vertical strokes. Here are a few tips:
Employ proper brushing technique. Two minutes. That’s how long you should brush your teeth after every meal. With a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste, use slow and gentle vertical strokes. Don’t rush and don’t scrub your gums silly to avoid irritation. Pay extra care to those hard-to-reach places. Don’t forget to brush your tongue as well.
Flossing is not just for the obsessive-compulsive. Flossing can effectively remove the icky bits stuck between your teeth and gumline to prevent plaque build-up. Floss at least once a day.
Mouthwash doesn’t treat halitosis. Sure, mouthwash gives you instant fresh breath—for a while. Halitosis is caused by bacteria and poor dental hygiene. Most of these products claim they can kill up to 99.9% of bacteria. That’s bacteria we’re talking about, not the food particles trapped between your teeth. Remove the trapped pieces with brushing and flossing, and then zap the bacteria with mouthwash.
Visit your dentist. There’s a reason why they passed the licensure examination for dentists. They know the best way to take care—or save—your pearly whites. Pay them a visit at least once a year. There’s nothing like a good professional clean.
HEART
Yes, it’s true. In one lifetime, your heart belongs to only one person—you. While your significant bother, I mean other, can make your pulse race, your heart’s health is still in your hands. So give your heart some TLC, here’s how:
Embrace the good fats. Keep your blood cholesterol at a healthy rate by eating fewer cakes, cookies, pastries, and fatty meat products. Go for the healthy fats like Omega 3 and Omega 6 that are present in fishes like salmon, sardines, and healthy oils.
Move it! Running errands can actually be good for your heart, as long as you keep moving. Physical inactivity contributes to irregular cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels. You don’t have to enroll in gym class to keep active. A study pair of running shoes plus a little ingenuity and you’re good to go.
Fiber up! Soluble fiber found in beans, oats, whole wheat goods, fruits and vegetables lower blood cholesterol levels, therefore reduces the risk of heart ailments. Don’t you think it’s about time you switch to healthier alternatives? Go for whole grains and add more veggies to your soup of the day.
Monitor your blood pressure regularly. High blood pressure is the “silent killer” that is linked to strokes and heart attacks. Aside from keeping a positive outlook and staying calm, it’s advisable to have a regular visit to your cardiologist for preventive medicine and proper cardiovascular health care. Remember, you only have one heart. Give it your best care.
