Confessions

Asian women are known for being some of the most beautiful women in the world. Their beauty is not just genetics; it is their strict regime of skin care and maintenance of their beauty.

Western culture focusing on anti-aging products for the already aging person—decreasing signs of fine lines, wrinkles, age spots, etc. Western medicine focuses on the afflicted area (epidermis for anti-aging, AZO or similar products for UTIs). Chinese medicine pays attention to the entire body in reaction to the affliction—the internal organs, body toxins, our energy. Another thing that Chinese medicine advocates is prevention. Prevention is key to everything. Do not put off later when you can prevent now. Many people badger me for using anti-aging cream at 23 but my reply is, “You don’t put on sunscreen AFTER you get sunburned so why not take that approach with everything else?” This entry will give a few tips for healthy skin.

Naturally, we don’t want to believe that we are the ones causing our skin problems. It’s easy to blame it on our “naturally oily face.” Our diet is usually the main cause of our skin problems. It’s nothing to be ashamed of because I think I can safely say that all of us have some bad eating habit and it would be hard for us to cut it out of our lives.

For example, Foods that are cooked in vegetable oil is a major culprit. Surprisingly, vegetable oil is one of the leading causes of hormonal inflammation than any other consumable product on earth. If you could find a way to avoid this oil, almost half of your chronic skin conditions would disappear in about a month. It’s hard to imagine cutting out vegetable oil completely; however, if you’re serious about getting healthier looking skin, at least be conscious of what you consume. It won’t magically clear up on its own. I know, personally, that using alternative cooking oils (like Olive Oil) can clear up skin without any extra effort.

In the west, women typically drink cold sodas, ice tea, lemonade, or ice water with their meals—especially in the American South; while this is refreshing, the only problem with drinking chilled or iced liquids with meals is that the cold drinks travel through your body while solidifying the fats from food. Going further, cold drinks make it harder for your body to digest and dissolve unwanted fats that are found in your food. (Your body has to warm up cold drinks closer to your body temperature so it uses more energy) Asian women, on the other hand, will drink warm liquids like warm water, tea or coffee with meals. Warm drinks help keep the fats in your foods fluid, which aids your body in digesting and dissolving fat as it passes through your system. Drinking warm liquids like white, black, green tea and oolong tea has also been said to reduce the risk of clogged arteries, and drinking a warm glass of water when you wake up will give your metabolism a boost. I prefer hot water with lemon if I am dining out. It is especially nice when the weather is cold and/or wet.

Below the neck

Your face isn't the only part of your body that can show aging signs; your hands and feet and especially your neck also need to be pampered on a regular basis. There is a well-known saying among Chinese women that a woman's hands are her second face, which makes it valid to use your anti-wrinkle skin serums on hands, elbows, knees and feet. Use a moisturizing body lotion on your entire body as well to ensure healthy-looking skin.

Massaging moisturizer into your hands and feet daily can have positive effects on your entire body since they have the most important acupoints on the body. Moisturizers made with chamomile and peppermint is most commonly used to soothe hands and feet. (Peppermint is great in the morning because the smell of mint perks you up.) Getting your feet rubbed not only feels amazing, but according to Chinese medicine, it can increase blood flow to help in lymphatic drainage, speedy healing to all areas of the body, and detoxifying.

I, personally, try to take three or four nights a week to take time out of my busy schedule to do this to my entire body. I did this for my grandmother when she broke her leg and she felt improvement. It felt good and it helped with blood flow since she couldn’t move around as much.