Exercise for Healthy Skin
There are many benefits of exercise – it’s great for our cardiovascular health, weight control, maintenance of muscle tone and bolstering metabolism – but did you know that exercise can benefit our skin, too?
Since October is National Healthy Skin Month, now is a good time to learn about how exercise can also help to improve the health of our skin. The skin is the largest organ in our body, and as a result, it is one of the first places where can appreciate the rewards of good health.
Our skin is filled with blood vessels that lie very close to the surface, so when we exercise, our blood vessels dilate, which gives our skin a healthy “glow”. This additional blood flow bathes the tissues in blood filled with nutrients and oxygen, and helps to increase the regeneration of collagen, which improves skin elasticity and improves the skin texture. There is also an added benefit of sweating: sweat clears out the ducts and pores in the skin, which may help to decrease acne – especially if you clean your skin well just after you have worked out. The additional benefits of the production of endorphins (our feel good hormones) and the subsequent reduction of stress, which often occur after a workout, help to decrease cortisol and other hormonal substances in the blood, which can actually worsen acne. We can’t forget how much exercise helps us to rest and sleep well, and we all know how much a good night’s sleep gives us that bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, well-rested look.
The benefits of exercise for your skin continue for hours after you stop moving as your glow remains and the relaxed feeling you get makes you look less stressed with less facial tension and fewer frown lines – it’s the natural form of Botox!
Research has suggested that exercise may even help the skin to repair itself more quickly, which can help protect against the development of skin cancer – but it’s very important to wear your sunscreen if you choose to workout outdoors. The damaging effects of the sun can occur quickly so keep exercising, but slather on the SPF – at least an SPF of 25 should do the trick and waterproof formulas work the best. Just remember to wash well with soap and water after your workout and then enjoy that glow.
Until next time, here’s to the best of your health!
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