Nature and Skin Need Balance

Is your goal to eliminate eczema? Dry skin? Oily skin? Aim higher! Aim for balance to overcome skin problems.

Have you ever tried to keep a boat afloat with someone trying to get in over the side? You may want to go over and grab their hand to get it over with, but that would just dump both of you in the water. Your job has to be to balance the boat from the other side, right? 

Balance is a Part of Nature

One way to look at nature is the balance it is constantly working to create. Boats tip in water to equalize weight. Warm and cold try to mix, not separate. Wet and dry try to move toward each other.

Seeing that nature needs balance is what helped me understand how to deal with skin problems. I had wanted to treat my eczema--grab it’s hand and get it over with. But this didn't work because I did not make routine skin care a priority. I was trying to add things (special creams, etc.) to only one side of the boat which seemed to make it more lopsided. Skin is natural, so it requires balance just like a boat in the water.

To Fix or To Balance

A common thing for humans to do is to fix things as they crop up. Dry skin? Moisturize. Depression? Sunshine. Worn out? Sleep.

While these are good plans, there can be other parts of the system that are out of balance and therefore pulling this piece out of alignment. For instance, the immediate thought I had when I got a flat tire was to buy one new tire to replace it. My trusted mechanic set me straight, though. Putting one new tire with 3 older tires can make a car travel unevenly, which can cause imbalance in other systems (see Popely, 2016).

Our bodies are similar. Balance within each of our systems keeps things running smoothly. That balance is especially important when there is a problem. If skin problems crop up, we can address them while we continue with the routines we already have in place that keep our system balanced.

Skin with Balance

Rather than just trying to get rid of certain skin problems, I now work to keep skin balanced. As with many things in life, I’m still trying to make those practices a routine. But as the eczema or other issues show up, I keep going and address the problem within my balanced system, instead of fighting against it.

Tips for Skin Wellness

Manage stress

Too much stress can lead to clogged pores, inflammation, and sensitivity in skin. Find ways to reduce stress and to manage it when it appears. Common activities for lowering stress include yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises.

Drink plenty of water

Skin cannot keep water that it does not have. To keep skin supple, drink enough water so that your skin rebounds quickly after it is pinched.

Sleep Hygiene

Skin builds collagen and repairs itself while you sleep. Good sleep hygiene puts you in the best position to have restful sleep. Parts of sleep hygiene may include an uncluttered sleep area, a regular sleep schedule, and bedtime routines.

Eat good food

The body needs nutrients to perform its functions well, including regular skin renewal. Find a diet lifestyle that works for you and provides your skin with good building blocks. Dr. Christopher suggested the Mucusless Diet to specifically address skin problems.

Watch this video to see what Melanie, our co-founder and formulator, has to say about giving your skin good nutrition from the outside. Superfood for Your Skin

Limit damage

Skin damage comes from many directions. Limiting that damage can help keep it responsive and healthy. Some ways to limit damage include being aware of your time in the sun, not smoking, and cleaning toxins away from skin. Another important piece to limiting damage is to include antioxidants in your food and skin care.

Popely, R. (August 3, 2016). Do I Need to Replace More Than One Tire at a Time? Cars.com. https://www.cars.com/articles/do-i-need-to-replace-more-than-one-tire-at-a-time-1420684865769/