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How to Prevent MASKNE

How to Prevent MASKNE

The MASKNE is real.

Is the coronavirus mask now officially apart of your daily outfit? If so (I sure hope so), then it might be causing irritating skin breakouts you’ve never had to deal with before. Masks provide a layer of protection (obviously), but they can irritate sensitive skin and clog your pores to then flare up acne. The maskne is REAL (ugh). If you’re like us then you are experiencing little pimples around your chin, jaw line and nose (gross). With that being said, we’ve come a long way in terms of mask options to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 . We now have more breathable options made with antibacterial fabric, thanks to all the wonderful companies and their technology we can protect our communities and our skin.

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Let's fight COVID-19 & maskne at the same time

  1. Cleanse and moisturize your skin daily. Keep up with your daily skincare routine now more than ever. Washing your face with a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser before and after wearing a mask is key – It’s not just in the morning and at night anymore.
  2. Skip the makeup when wearing a mask. Beneath a mask, makeup is more likely to clog your pores and lead breakouts. If makeup is necessary, use only products labelled “non-comedogenic” or “won’t clog pores.”
  3. Avoid trying new skin care products that can irritate your skin. Wearing a mask for even a short time can make your skin more sensitive. To reduce skin problems, avoid trying harsh products, such as chemical peels, exfoliant, retinoid, for the first time.
  4. Wear the right mask. Wearing a mask that offers a snug, but comfortable fit helps to protect you and others from the coronavirus.  A snug, comfortable fit also reduces skin problems. If the mask feels too tight or slides around on your face, it can irritate your skin. You’re also more likely to adjust a poorly fitting mask. When you touch your face, you can transfer germs to your mask and face.
  5. Wash your cloth masks. Many health care organizations now recommend that you wash a cloth mask after each use. Washing it also removes oils and skin cells that collect inside the mask, which can lead to skin problems.
  6. Consider buying a mask chain. Buying a mask chain that you can wear around your neck is not only convinent (where’d I put my mask??), it also helps reduce  the amount of germs and acne-causing bacteria spread by tossing your mask  on a table or inside your purse.
  7. Apply a zit cream on your problem areas under your mask. Find a zit-removing product that works best four skin and apply it under your mask to protect your breakouts from getting worse. No one will notice!
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Ways to Embrace and Love Your Body

Ways to Embrace and Love Your Body

Body acceptance means approving and loving your body despite its real or percieved imperfections, allowing a diversity of bodies in the world. 

Saying “thank you” to others is something you learn at an early age. But how often do you thank yourself? Saying “thank you” to your body is one of the most important thinks you can do, especially when you’re pursuing a life of self-love and wellness. It’s not a habit that comes naturally because society is constantly telling us to change ourselves to fit a socially accepted standard.

Embracing your body therefore allows you to refuse to accept body shaming.

If you struggle to love and embrace your body, you are not alone. I haven’t met anyone who has told me that they wouldn’t change one think about their bodies, including people who are incredibly fit or have great self-esteem. We all look in the mirror and find something we would like to change on ourselves sometimes. It almost feels like we are obligated to find something wrong or that we have conditioned, especially in women, to think that feeling good about our bodies makes us narcissistic. We all can be a little too hard on ourselves sometimes. Here at Flourish we know insecurities can arise starting at a young age, no doubt with messages we receive from TV and the pressure of social media. By taking little concrete steps, we can learn to accept and even LOVE our bodies just the way they are. This not only brings immediate results mentally and physically, but also helps model healthy behaviour for future generations.

Embrace your individuality – Comparing yourself to others is anxiety-provoking and unrealistic. No one is perfect – whatever perfect even means.

Make a list of what you love about yourself and what you are grateful for – Think about the compliments you have recieved and write those down. Perhaps it is the colour of your eyes, your personality, your good health, or your smile.

Work towards healing trauma and letting go of thoughts and feelings that do not serve you – Trauma gets stored in our cells and physical memory and leads to a feeling of being disconnected. It is difficult to embrace your body if you do not feel like it is a part of you. Grounding exercises like being in nature, taking Epsom salt baths, and meditations are helpful.

Slow down – We live in such a fast-paced environment. Give yourself permission to slow down, enjoy the special moments, and take care of yourself. Here are a few different ways to slow down in your daily life. Eat slowly. Every time you eat, make it a point to sit down without distractions. Make sure you chew slowly and actually taste what you are eating. This simple practice is a game changer in how you feel in your body every day. Breathe. During the day, take a couple of minutes to just breathe. Take 10 deep breaths and check in with your body. Allow yourself to re-center and refocus before you move on with your daily tasks. Rest. If you can tell that your body or your mind is overly exhausted, it’s important you allow yourself to give your body what it needs. Going to bed early without finishing the dishes is okay. Skipping your workout so you can get home early to veg out on the couch is okay. We don’t praise rest as much as we should.

Mirror Work – You look in the mirror daily. This can be very negative experience for many because of the unkind inner dialogue you hear. Don’t listen to those words. Instead, when you look in the mirror, look yourself in the eyes and say, “I love you.” “You look amazing.” “I am grateful for my body.” Self-talk is proven to work. You can also put a few notes on your mirror with positive, loving reminders.

Find your place of bliss – We should all have that one place we can go to and feel blissful. Think about where you love to go. Is it a walk along the water? A hangout with friends? A workout class? An art class? Self-love is about filling up your own cup. When your cup is full, you can better serve others.

Ask for help – Self-love is asking for help. When you’re having a hard time, you’ll be surprised that most people do want to be there for you. It may be hard to be vulnerable and ask for help, but one of the best ways to get through a tough time is getting the support you need.

 

 

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5 Strategies to CHANGE YOUR SKIN

5 Strategies to CHANGE YOUR SKIN

Beauty, the saying goes, is only skin deep. But the importance of skin goes a lot deeper. Most of us think skin as just our body’s visible outer layer, but doctors consider skin an organ, meaning that it is very much alive and changed with many important duties.

When we think of skin-care, most of us default immediately to products, expensive products that we see on TV or in ads that assure us of their quality and ability to change our skin. When we think of the skin care we own we tend to think which ones are the most esteemed, most expensive, and most beautiful products on our bathroom shelves. Those factors definitely play a part in our overall sense of self-care, and some of that feel-good indulgence, of course. But the real catalyst for our outer beauty begins inside, and that’s the most important.

The real catalyst of our outer beauty begins inside, and that’s the most important.

We want to outline specific strategies for you that, when diligently practices, can lead to transformation. These techniques are truly the foundation of glowing health, so plenty of other benefits may follow.

Properly Hydrate

The easiest and most important first step you can do for healthy skin is to male sure you are properly hydrated. Your cells are nearly 70% water. Staying adequately hydrated helps to keep your cells plump and healthy, plus aid in circulation-all important for glowing skin. Chronic dehydration can cause a loss of elasticity from the skin and the appearance of premature aging. Its also helpful to add some liquid minerals to some of your daily water intake to make sure you are absorbing what you need.

Cut Sugar

Lower your sugar intake. Too much sugar in your diet produces advanced glycation end products, aptly referred to as AGEs. These AGEs break down the foundation of healthy skin and specifically attack collagen and elastin – both important for youthful and healthy skin. The first place to reduce sugar is in your beverages. The next step is to make sure the food you’re eating is plain or unsweetened versions of your favourite foods, like yogurt, oatmeal, etc. This isn’t to say you can’t eat fruit. Fruit is a fantastic way to sweetened up breakfasts without adding syrups, honey, or plain old sugar. Just be reasonable – everything in moderation. 

Collagen Support

Here at Flourish Health we like to focus on the benefits of plant-based options for all ways of natural consumptions. For all our plant-based friends consuming foods like tempeh, tofu, black beans, kidneys, squash, chia, peanuts and cashews are all great plant-based options. Eating foods rich in vitamin C, like citrus fruits, broccoli, and red peppers, can help support your body’s natural production of collagen. People who aren’t plant-based can lean on bone broth or eating chicken on the bone in order to get a source of collagen. If those foods are hard for you to eat, supplementing with a collagen supplement that’s been proven effective is a great way to get healthy skin. You want to find supplements that have great bioavailability, because recent studies show that collagen can even help reduce the skins UVB-induced photoaging (the specific sun rays that wreck your skin.)

Manage Stress

We’re all living in stressful times lately, but even everyday stress can affect the quality of your skin. Taking time to relax and practice self-care can look different for many people. For some it can be meditating, long walks, or a call to a friend. If you need extra support, I recommend supplementing with a good-quality full spectrum CBD supplement. CBD can be very helpful with helping the body deal with stress, anxiety, and poor sleep, which can all negatively affect your skin.

Eat Fat

Low-fat diets belong in the ’90s. Healthy fats are the building blocks of healthy skin cells. Eating items like avocado, whole eggs, grass-fed beef, and wild salmon helps keep your skin cells hydrated, plumper, and youthful while also helping to reduce inflammation, which can cause puffiness, redness, and other skin issues. Even better, a diet rich in healthy fats can help balance blood sugar levels, helping to reduce those AGEs.

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