Natural skin care remedies have been used since the beginning of time and have long-standing in traditions of Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, Native American medicine, and in European and other cultures.
Generally, skin care remedies are two-fold: internally treating the cause and externally treating the symptom with balms, ointments, oils, clays and other concoctions. In order for the external treatments to be really effective, the lifestyle including diet and exercise has to be addressed.
The Intimate Connection between the Liver, Gut and Skin
Skin conditions have many causes. In the western herbalism tradition, the liver is often looked at as playing an important role in skin health. This is because if the liver is not able to adequately process and remove toxins, they make their way back into the bloodstream and out through the skin.
Herbs that support the liver and are therefore considered tonics for skin health include dandelion root, burdock root, bupleurum root, milk thistle, sassafras and yellow dock root.
Skin Care Practices
Much of what is passed down in the mainstream about skin care is being shown to be incorrect. For example, cleansing with oils, herbs and foods is becoming well known as are the detriments of using soaps to clean the face.
Similarly, using chemicals on the skin can cause inflammation, irritation and generally deplete the health of the skin. Use this website to learn how to take care of your skin 100% naturally.
If you are interested in learning more about addressing liver concerns(and hence, potential skin care treatments) using herbal medicine, I encourage you to peruse the articles in Jim McDonald’s Herbcraft site.
Lifestyle Greatly Contributes to Skin Health
General guidelines for a healthy lifestyle can be conflicting. I always recommend a natural approach, from diet to exercise to skin care.
Eat healthy, whole and natural foods, and work out the processed foods, sweets and other junk foods. This can be difficult and it’s ok to make it a process. I’ve been eating healthy and consciously for 9 years and yet just gave up my last major vice this past winter: sugar. Once the initial craving and crankiness subsided, I felt great! I have noticed I am less prone to anger and just all around happier.
Check out the Weston A. Price Foundation for more dietary information that is really healthy, not mass marketed.
Exercise. I am now really into kundalini yoga and in the past have practiced tai chi, kung fu, pa qua and other types of yoga. Even just going for a walk and doing some stretches at home is beneficial.
Sleep. If you can, do it! For the past 2 years, my son has kept me from sleeping soundly and I definitely noticed a difference in my skin tone!
Drink water, herbal teas and infusions and green tea.
Susun Weed is an herbal elder and has a ton of wisdom on her site about herbal infusions and other herbal medicines. Here is a video of Susun demonstrating how to make herbal infusions and why.