Complexion Perfection

Wouldn't it be great if solving skin dilemmas was as simple as slapping on a fancy face cream or visiting a swanky spa? Too often people resort to expensive, superficial skin treatments without considering the underlying cause of their beauty concerns.

Healthy skin should be soft, moist, smooth, and pliable at any age. If your skin is dry, rough, patchy, or if you are prone to acne, eczema or other skin conditions, it may be time to stop looking in the mirror and start looking a little deeper at your liver.

The liver is a very busy organ, playing a vital role in metabolism, immune system function, and processing and eliminating toxins from the body. Toxins arrive not only in the form of environmental chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers, but also in the more attractive packaging of coffee, alcohol or ingredients in body care products.

When the liver is overworked, it cannot fully neutralize toxins, and damage manifests itself in many ways. Puffy eyelids in the morning may indicate a stressed liver, for example, as can many other beauty dilemmas such as acne, age spots, and eczema.

Acne

Hormonal fluctuations, stress, food choices, and extreme changes in weather are all factors in triggering acne, and while you can't do much about the weather, you can make changes to your diet to help banish zits.

A diet high in refined carbohydrates permanently boosts the hormone insulin. High insulin levels elevate other hormones, leading to imbalances that can aggravate acne. Since the liver is responsible for metabolizing hormones, too much pizza and pop can put a strain on the system.

Age Spots

These flat brown spots also known as liver spots can appear anywhere on the body, but people are most distressed when they show up on the face. While the spots themselves are not harmful, they might be due to a build up of the by-products of free radical damage caused by exposure to sunlight, as well as diet and lifestyle factors such as excessive alcohol consumption. The spots are an exterior signal that free radical intoxication may be injuring internal organs, such as the liver.

Eczema

Conventional treatments for eczema lesions make use of steroid creams, but these can thin the skin and, when applied to the face, should be used with extreme caution. French scientists discovered in the 1960s that eczema is often associated with the overgrowth of Candida albicans, an unfriendly yeast in the digestive system.

Eczema also indicates that your liver might be overworked, and possibly trying to eliminate the by-products of the candida infection. The best way to eliminate the candida is to stop providing its favourite foods, such as sugar. You can also consider undertaking a cleanse or using a candida fighting kit from your local health food store. The cleanse can take anywhere from three weeks to several months, but you'll end up with a more healthy liver and a clearer complexion.

Waste Management

If you are looking for glowing skin without the wait, be sure you help your skin to detoxify by removing debris that might be blocking exit points. Dirt, oils, and dead bacteria block pores, and essentially trap toxins in the skin. Help to clear the exits by gently exfoliating your face once or twice a week with a mild scrub.

Dry brushing your entire body before you shower not only helps remove dead skin cells, but also circulates lymph to cleanse all of your cells.

Also, focus your diet on fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, whole grains and organic meats, and keep the refined carbohydrates to a minimum.

Let the Mirror Be Your Guide

While it may be true that appearance isn't everything, our looks can give us important clues to some deeper health issues. So, the next time you suffer from an outbreak of pimples or a rash that keeps you up at night, realize that it might be time to clean up your act.