Is exercise critical for your skin’s wellness?

This is the 2nd post in a series during “Wellness Week 2012”

by Jackie Bernardi

Your skin

Your skin is an organ, its intended purpose is to act as the first line of defense for all of your other organs and systems, and to serve as a container to keep everything inside where it should be.  When your body feels threatened, a whole host of activity occurs internally with the sole purpose of protecting itself from the antagonist.

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For example, when bacterium enters our system, the body creates white blood cells to fight off the interloper.  To get these well-prepared cells to the site of invasion, the adrenal glands produce several hormones, one of which is ‘cortisol’. Cortisol is a stress-response hormone, and it does many things, but as far as the skin is concerned, it causes the rapid increase of sebum, causing a back up in the hair follicles, resulting in inflammation and breakouts. You have the ability to control your cortisol output through exercise.

Exercise and skin care

Exercise for a healthy mind and sound body

It is well researched and documented that exercise reduces stress levels.  When stress levels are low, cortisol does not position itself to protect, and inflammation is avoided.  This is important not just to avoid breakouts, but also to reduce inflammation all over.  In addition to a reduction in hormonal activity, exercise causes the body to improve the rate of blood-flow, which increases the speed at which oxygen reaches the cells.  Your skin cells need oxygen to repair damage, stay healthy and be well.

What you can do

Basic exercise is all that is necessary to keep your skin happy.  Low-impact, aerobic exercise for at least 20 minutes, 3 times a week will do wonders to maintain the wellness of your skin.

These are some of my favorite exercises to reduce stress:

• Walking
• Zumba
• Spinning
• Swimming

What is your favorite way to exercise?

To find out more about all the exciting events and discounts for Wellness Week 2012, click here or on the SpaFinder image.

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Jackie Bernardi is a highly sought after skin care consultant and licensed Esthetician with a specialty in medical esthetics. In 2010, she created the Personal Skin Solutions’ programs.  These programs are designed to provide a complete and thorough understanding of each individual’s very specific skin care needs so that they can obtain exceptional results.  The recent launch of the website, PersonalSkinSolutions.com   has allowed her the opportunity to follow her true calling: helping women everywhere achieve health, beauty, and confidence through their skin.  Jackie lives in Newport Beach, California with her husband, their kids, and a crazy Vizsla pup “Archie.”