Lymphatic Drainage for Beautiful Skin

If research has taught us anything over the years, it is regarding the importance of approaching beauty from an integrated perspective.  Keeping skin in optimal condition with natural based products such as argan oil is one way to battle loss of moisture, but alongside our skincare routine, we should start from within.

Many practices exist to help us keep wrinkles and loss of firmness at bay – everything from facial exercises to yoga for stress and other issues that can cause our skin to age prematurely.  Of all these natural practices, one of the most important is lymphatic drainage.  Lymphatic drainage is a simple yet very useful therapy one can apply at home, with pretty amazing results!

What is the Lymphatic System?
The lymphatic system is effectively the body’s waste disposal system, but it also is a vital route for the absorption of vital nutrients and a carrier of disease-fighting immune cells. The lymphatic system is a complex network of channels which flow throughout the entirety of the body. Toxins are carried from these tiny channels into lymphatic vessels and eventually to the lymph nodes, where they are purified. This detoxified liquid then returns thru the body to continue carrying out its important work.

What Happens When the Lymphatic System Functions Poorly?
Beauty guru, Leslie Kenton, points out that unlike blood, which moves through the body thanks to the contraction of the heart, lymph has only one way to circulate: the natural pressure applied by our muscles when we move. In order for the lymphatic system to work properly, we need to exercise regularly, to enable our muscles (and the power of gravity) to help lymph effectively eliminate toxins from cells and tissues.

Unfortunately, human beings have become far more sedentary over the years, and the result is a build-up of toxins that shows up in our skin through wrinkles, cellulite and water retention. More importantly, the sedentary lifestyle has significant, negative consequences for our health. Poor diets are also to blame, as our addictions to alcohol and substances. For beautiful, radiant skin, one of the most vital steps to take is to lower the toxic burden on your lymph system by quitting any harmful addictions, avoiding alcohol and never taking up the habit of smoking.

Here are several ways we can optimize lymphatic function.

Dry Skin Brushing
If your goal is smooth, soft skin - then you should exfoliate regularly while you're in the shower.  Add a natural fiber brush, to get the lymphatic benefits. Use circular motions to brush the skin. Start in the feet and work your way upwards to your calves, thighs, stomach, back and neck. Try to set aside at least 15 minutes for your brushing routine and work your way up to around 25 minutes.

Trampoline or Rebounder
A great way to drain your lymph system is by jumping!  You can do this with a trampoline or rebouder.  Which is a small trampoline.  Jumping allows you to defy gravity and helps the lymph move through your body.

Lymphatic Drainage Massage
This is one of the gentlest, soothing massages there is.  Your massage therapist will apply slight pressure in specific points in your body.  Bring a pillow as the gentle touch will surely put you to sleep!

Consume a healthy diet
It is important to detoxify the body naturally through occasional fasting. On a daily basis, we should also be careful to feed our bodies with organic fruits and vegetables, which are free of pesticides and heavy metals that can wear our lymphatic system out. Specific foods should be avoided: these include high-sugar foods, store bought fruit juices and sodas and other beverages containing inordinate amounts of sugar. We should aim to feed ourselves (and our families) less processed, packaged items and eat raw, fresh produce whenever possible. Fruits and vegetables should be consumed whole when possible, to avail of the healthy fiber they contain.  Finally, drink plenty of water in place of flavored beverages and alcohol.

Stay active
Set aside at least 30 minutes a day for exercise.  Not only will you be doing your lymphatic system a favor, but also doing something great for your cardiovascular and muscular systems. Try to balance cardiovascular workouts with strength exercises, and out exercises like yoga, Tai Chi or other holistic activities.  They're all proven by research to be very effective stress busters.


This article was written by guest Author: Helen Davids

Renew Actives Turmeric Curcumin Review

Although I've heard about the benefits of turmeric, I've never tried it before.  So I was so excited to try a bottle from Renew Actives!  I couldn't wait to put turmeric supplements to the test to see if it would really relieve my aching joints and muscles and help with my daily pain.

Turmeric, particularly curcumin, which is the main ingredient in turmeric that's been studied many times for it's health benefits may be the most effective nutritional supplement in existence.  Many high-quality studies show that it has major benefits for your body and brain!  Here are the main benefits of turmeric with curcumin.

• Relieves Joint Pain, Knee and Back Pain

• Detoxifies the Body

• Helps with Arthritis

• Reduces Inflammation and Blood Sugar levels

• Boosts Brain Function and Memory Function

• Improves Digestion and Blood Circulation

• Promotes Cardiovascular Health, Normal Blood Pressure and Good Circulation

It also supports healthy joints, skin, hair, heart and mood. Turmeric has unique anti-oxidant qualities and may support your immune system and resistance to infections.  It's one of the best anti-inflammatory agents found on Earth.  In several studies, its potency has compared favorably to anti-inflammatory pharmaceutical drugs, except without the side effects!

Renew Actives Turmeric Curcumin capsules with black pepper are a natural and pure antioxidant rich solution for chronic pain and inflammation.   Renew Actives Turmeric Curcumin is a whole root extract and 100% natural with no GMO's and no additives.  Their formulas are free of soy, milk, egg, shellfish, corn, wheat, peanuts and sugar.

I highly recommend this supplement for anyone suffering from aches and pains or who just wants the amazing anti-viral, anti-inflammatory benefits of using turmeric.  It's really improved my daily aches and pains, especially my joint pain and knee popping.  I also have a popping noise from my knee from a previous injury and it's really improved while taking the supplement.   I'll be taking turmeric from now on and I love the benefits of using turmeric.

You can learn more about Renew Actives or get yours at Amazon.com.

The Harmful Effects of Sugar

You may be eliminating fatty, salty foods from your diet, but what about sugar? Your love of treats might be affecting your health and skin more than you know. Too much sugar can be toxic to the body and has horrible effects on your overall health and even your appearance. Here's what you need to know about sugar.

Sugar Is a Stepping Stone To Diabetes

Research has found that with every extra 150 calories you get from sugar every day, you increase your diabetes risk by 1.1 percent! That adds up really quickly if you're consuming a lot of sugar on a daily basis. What makes it even easier to reach this amount is that sugar is hidden in many of our grocery store items that we shop for everyday disguised under names such as dextrose and rice syrup. So be sure to read and double-check your food labels.

Sugar Makes You Crash

When you're feeling tired at the office, you might think reaching for a little chocolate or candy will boost your energy levels and make you more alert, but it can actually make you feel worse. This is the bodies response too much sugar. And in turn, will usually cause you to reach for more sugar. Instead of eating sugar that spikes your blood sugar, choose low GI foods that don't raise insulin levels, like berries that get released into the bloodstream much slower, giving you a consistent amount of energy you need throughout the day.

My favorite way to curb a sweet tooth and get my daily dose of fruits, veggies, superfoods and probiotics is greens chews! Greens chews are packed with whole food vitamins, anti-oxidants and are infused with a delicious berry flavor. They also contain superfoods to give you that nutritonal boost. They even taste like candy :) They're great for on the go too. You can throw them in your purse, bag or packed lunch. You can get yours with my 40% off discount here.

Sugar Causes Brain Fog

When you consume too much sugar, you create free radicals in the body. These disturb communication between your brain and nerve cells, causing you to feel like you can't remember things well, feel moody and even have difficulty processing ideas. To prevent it, make sure you don't go over the daily limit of sugar: the maximum amount of sugar recommended per day is five teaspoons for women and nine for men.

Sugar Damages Your Liver

You might think too much alcohol is the real cause of liver harm, but too much sugar is just as bad - believe it or not. When you eat a lot of sugar, it gets sent to your liver. Over time this exhausts the organ, putting you at risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. This is when fat builds up in the liver and prevents it from functioning properly.

Sugar Puts Pressure On Your Heart

Research has found that if you eat too much sugar it can cause you to die of heart disease even if you are not overweight. Reasons for this include how sugar is linked to blood pressure and how sugar causes the liver to send more harmful fats into the blood.

Sugar Boosts Oily Skin

Oily skin from sugar can happen in two ways. First, sugar interferes with your body's production of testosterone, which has many negative effects on your skin. These include making your pores larger and your skin oilier, therefore more prone to breakouts. Second, sugar messes with your blood sugar levels, which can have a negative effect on your mood. This can translate into bad skin because when you're stressed out, your skin reacts to the extra cortisol hormone in the blood by creating more oil.

Sugar Makes You Look Old

Your skin ages from a variety of things, such as free radicals and too much UV sun exposure which damages collagen. But when sugar's in your system, it can also make your skin look older. This is because sugar molecules bond with damaged amino acids. This process ruins the skin's repair process, making your skin look old - for good!

Sugar Kills Collagen

Sugar attacks collagen, the structure needed for firm and elastic skin. This happens because of how sugar increases inflammation, which then breaks down collagen. This process can also cause acne to flare up, leaving you with spotty and older-looking skin.

Many skin conditions and health problems can be avoided just by giving those sugary snacks you love a miss. After all, when you consider all the ways in which sugar can harm your health and appearance, all those sweet treats just don't look so appealing anymore.

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