Everybody wants smooth, supple and naturally healthy skin. But what are the best techniques available to achieve this goal? The rigors of modern life can take their toll on our skin, but that is all the more reason to take time out from the frantic hustle bustle and take action to restore our skin to its former naturally healthy condition. It all comes down to adopting a healthy lifestyle. If you are healthy and happy in yourself, your skin will radiate with a fresh, youthful beauty.

Seek Sun Protection

If you want to have naturally healthy skin, you must protect it from the sun. Too much sun can cause age spots, dry skin and wrinkles. It can also lead to skin cancer in extreme cases. Be sensible, use your common sense. Stay in the shade in the daytime when the sun is at its strongest. Wear sunscreen on exposed skin areas and protective clothing when possible. Is a good tan worth bad skin? No, it isn’t, so use your common sense when on holiday and during the summer heat.

Be Gentle with your Skin

The simple day to day routine of cleaning and grooming, for example men’s shaving, can have a negative effect on your skin condition. Don’t use strong soaps, avoid staying in the bath or shower too long and regularly use a moisturizer. Yes, that includes the men. Dry skin can be very detrimental to your skin’s overall appearance.

Time to Quit Smoking

The adverse effects on your skin condition from smoking should not be underestimated. Smoking causes a decrease in the blood flow which means capillaries are unable to properly nourish the skin’s surface, causing premature ageing and wrinkles. If you’re serious about having great skin you need to get serious about giving up smoking. The results are fast and immediately noticeable. A stub that cigarette out and give your skin a breather.

Avoid Too Much Stress

“That’s easy for you to say,” I can imagine you protest, but stress can make people with sensitive skin develop spots and poor conditioned skin. Take responsibilities at home and at work one step at a time and make manageable checklists of things to do. Yoga is magnificent for dealing with built up anxieties. Give it a go and see what a difference it can make to your overall well being and the condition and appearance of your skin.

Eat the Right Diet

What you consume has a strong influence on your skin condition. Drink lots of water throughout the day and avoid alcohol, which dries the skin. Eat a wide range of vegetables, fruits, nuts, lean proteins (like skinless chicken) and whole grains. Avoid fatty and greasy foods. There are some superfoods that can really help you to achieve the naturally healthy skin condition you desire.

Blueberries and tomatoes, for example, contain crucial antioxidants that are very beneficial for your skin. Wild salmon has essential omega-3 fatty acids which help prevent your skin from becoming too dry. Oysters contain zinc, which plays a major role in rejuvenating skin cells. Eat correctly and your skin will reward you by looking fresh, young and beautiful.

Rebecca is a freelance journalist and an avid health enthusiast. In her free time she writes for Nue Science and a number of other health related publications.