Good Nutrition Can Start With Fresh Juice~ From Your Very Own Kitchen.

I did not think I could ever make decent juice, but somehow it is addicting, and I am doing a really good job.  Perhaps it is all the time on my hands right now that I have been able to really play with all sorts of different ingredients and come up with some of my very favorite varieties.  Maybe it is the way my skin is glowing, or maybe it is the way it makes me feel.  It could be all of these reasons that make it so addicting.  

However don’t worry, I am not going to sit here and tell you that you must be a good health nut and do this or that in order to be a super good healthy person.  That is certainly not my style...What I am going to tell you is what has worked for me and what I have researched and discovered myself.  If you want to give juicing a go, get out your blender or your Nutra bullet and a small strainer, or if you want to fire up and go buy a Champion Juicer and really join the club then lets do this!!  Soon it will become a habit.  It is honestly kind of fun. 🙃

Information.  So here is the deal, why juicing helps us so much.  Our skin is our largest organ and we must honor it.  To start with that, basically we need to feed our muscles healthy nutrition in order to help keep the lymph moving around (among other things in our bodies). If we don’t keep those muscles strong, lymph becomes stagnant, and as a result we become puffy and pale~ think the way we look the morning after you drink too much or eat a lot of salt or sugar. Increasing lymph drainage is also why a good facial massage  is so helpful, (as well as increased blood circulation and facia release).  One of the best ways to feed the muscles is with greens.  For me, I get this mostly through juicing and salads.  Since I cannot eat enough salads, the juicing helps me get my nutrients in for the day, plus I don’t feel like a rabbit.  I will touch on other advantages to our skin from juicing as I describe some individual ingredient options below. 

What I like about juicing is that it removes most of the fiber from the fruit or vegetable.  Although the fiber is important and good for you, we are searching for nutrients here; so instead of our bodies working on digesting all of that fiber, the gut absorbes those nutrients directly and they go straight to work.  Just what we want.  The nutrients help to oxygenate the bloodcells which in turn oxygenate our skin and make it radiant and luminous.  Be sure and get your fiber somewhere where else however! 

As I mentioned above, there are even more advantages to juicing for for your skin besides feeding the muscles to help move lymph and we see that in individual ingredients. Here are some descriptions of a few ingredients and they benefit your skin.  

1.Adding Aloe vera to your juice helps repair collagen with Vitamin C and delays aging, reduces skin irritations like acne.

2.   Carrots:  Have anti-oxidants full of vitamin A which slow aging and cell  degeneration.  Also has Vitamin C which helps with collagen prodution.  

3. Papaya:  Have vitiamins C and E and Licopene as well as betacarotene and digestive enzymes that reduce inflammation in the body by breaking down inflammatory foriegn protiens.  (A medium Glycemic Index should be offset by other lower GI foods).  

4. Pinnapple:  Also a medium GI food, however beneficial with vitamin C as an anti oxidant and enzyme bromelain which helps breakdown undigested proteins which can be a reason for skin problems.

  

 5.  Celery:  **A great Green**. Boost energy, clear skin, reverse chronic inflammatory disease and auto-immune conditions, help with weight loss, aid digestion.  Take on an empty stomach.  

The following greens, both in vegetable form and low GI fruit form are beneficial for daily consumption.  Always try to consume more vegies than fruits. (To keep the sugar to a minimum).  

1.  Parsley

2.  Kale

3.  Lettuce

4.  Spinach

5.  Cucumber

6.  Green Apple

7.  Strawberries

8.  Kiwi

9.  Apples

Juices are best when served on ice, or blended with ice.  If you prefer no ice, then chill your fruit and vegis before you make your juice so the results are chilled.  

Some of my favorite combinations:

Key Lime Green Juice~

 Handful of fresh parsley and stems

Two kiwis, peeled

1 lime peeled

1 apple, cored

Green Suprise

Kale leaves, stem removed

Two apples, cored

1 cucumber

1 lemon, peeled

Ginger Aide

6 stalks celery with leaves if possible

Two apples, cored

2 piece fresh ginger, peeled

Creamcicle

Grapefruit, peeled

2 apples, cored

2 carrots

Feel free to add your own~

Happy juicing!  

~Lynn

Why do I need anti-oxidants really~ and what is a free radical anyway? (The Benefits of Vitamin C)

It seems we hear about anti-oxidants all over the place; from food, drinks, vitamins and skincare.  Everyone brags how their product is loaded with this super powerhouse that will help in all sorts of important aspects.  But do you really know what these benefits are, and what they are fighting?  Where do these super duper anti-oxidants come from? 

To best understand what an anti-oxidant is doing for you, it is important to know what they are fighting.  Enter the Free Radical...(sound like something I used to see on my old college campus in Eugene).  Seriously though, the free radical causes tremendous damage to your skin if left unchecked.  To put it simply, free radicals are unstable molecules that are missing an electron and are floating in the air -such as UV rays, pollution or smoke, that bombard our skin and wage a war on our stable molecules for electrons.  As they rip electrons from our stable molecules to help stabilize themselves, a chain reaction of newly created free radicals is caused in our own bodies that leaves behind destruction in our skin that can be seen in the form of things such as fine lines, dark spots, and accelerated aging.  Ugh, not what we were hoping for.  

Enter the Anti-oxidant!  There are many different forms of effective anti-oxidants.  Some of my favorites are Vitamins A, C, E, (which when used together are even more potent).  I adore Niacinimide, resveratrol, and coEnzyme Q10.   Each of these ingredients have benefits beyond just anti-oxidant, however for now lets focus just on Vitamin C.  

Probably the most hyped anti-oxidant is vitamin C- It is great at boosting your immune system, slowing aging, and maintaining a youthful glow.  One of the key ways this vitamin keeps your youthfulness is by helping your body produce collagen.  Since we know that collagen helps keep our skin plump and tight, this is certainly something we want to boost.  So, the more naturally we can get our bodies to product collagen, the less lines you are likely to develop.  Not only does the vitamin C help collagen production in our skin, but it also helps collagen production throughout our body.  The absorbing acid in vitamin c helps in the production of the protein collagen which travels to certain parts of our bodies that are in need of support or repair; scars, blood vessels, surface level abrasions among other things.  

So all that collagen stuff is great, but how do the anti oxidants stop the free radicals?  

Here you go:  Remember how the free radicals were stealing electrons from the healthy molecules in our bodies/skin?  Here is where the anti-oxidants step up and lend an electron to the free radicals, thus stopping the chain of damage that they have started.  So what you get from anti-oxidants is a process of stopping the damage from occurring, plus a process of rebuilding the structure of the skin and body.  However, I do think it is important to take anti-oxidants internally and topically.  So improve your diet, eat the rainbow (as my doc says).  Then find good skincare that you know works.  I will list some excellent vitamin C and Niaminicide products below that I have in stock for you.  

Of course, I can always answer any questions for you, I am more than happy to help.  

Thank you

~Lynn

Lbussing@me.com

Shop Here

Silke Face Cream

Lira Bio Hydra C Serum 

Skinscript RX Retinaldehyde Serum with Iconic A

Skinscript RX Vitamin C /Greentea serum

All this hand washing, are your dry hands actually a disadvantage around germs?

It has always been recommended that we wash our hands frequently, however with onset of COVID-19, it is not only recommended but necessary.  I know in my profession, I wash my hands multiple times during one facial, let alone many times during the day beyond that.  There are times when a good paraffin soak feels absolutely necessary to restore my hands to a state of hydration perfection.  But that is not always possible, not for me and not for the majority of people.  With the new hand washing recommendations I know I am not alone in suffering the dryness and cracking that comes with repeated washing and the constant use of hand sanitizers.  Not only are our hand suffering from the dryness, they may also be more vulnerable to bacteria and infection.  

So how can our hands be more susceptible to these horrible germy things when we are constantly cleaning them?   Well it's the same as the skin on our face.  When we are constantly washing and using drying sanitizers, our skin becomes so dry and taught it developes tiny micro tears or cracks in the skins natural barrier.  These little cracks are not usually seen by the naked eye, but can develop into larger, more uncomfortable cracks.  Even when unseen however, these little cracks and tears offer perfect entrance points for bacteria and illness to enter our bodies.  

I am in no way recommending you wash your hands less, we need to follow the CDC guidelines of washing our hands for 20 seconds minimum.  However there are things we can do to help keep our skin as moisturized as possible and try to avoid dryness.  First of all, start with a liquid hand soap, one that has mostly natural botanicals and cold pressed oils.  I have found Raw Sugar from Target is an excellent choice.  Avoiding bar soap is always a good idea, the binders tend to have a high PH (causing dryness) as well as the fact that I find it hard to locate bat soaps with ingredients that I am completely comfortable with.  (Some hand made are fine, but not entirely cost effective).  Second, you must moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!  This doesn't mean you have to do it all day long.  If you have a good cream, you may be able to get by with 2-3 times a day and a good slather before bed.  I highly recommend Cerave cream in the tub, found in drug stores or Costco.  Not the lotion, the cream.  This is actually made to PROTECT your skin barrier, and that is exactly what you want.  You may in fact find this cream is very helpful in alieviating your dry, itchy winter skin as well!  

Take note however, if you were dry before, are older or have eczema; it is more important than ever for you to increase the frequency of times you moisturize your hands!  This is also true for people who live in low humidity areas or are using forced air heat.  These elements all contribute to additionally drying your skin.  

Keep washing, moisturize, and stay healthy!  If you have questions, feel free to ask.  

-L

UGH
Why does our skin become thinner as we age?
Is there anything we can do to prevent or fix thinning, fragil skin? 

I remember when my son used to play tennis in HIgh School and some of us moms decided we would try to learn the sport ourselves.  So we took some lessons and joined the women’s league.
I think I started on the ‘K’ team, probably the bottom of the pack; and most of the ladies were fairly aged by my standards at that time.  Little did I know that these older women had been playing for years and could really strategize with that ball.  They kicked my butt most of the time.

One day, I was at the net with one of these tough ladies, and a ball came straight over and hit my team mate right in the shin.  I remember being so shocked at the amount of damage this semi soft shot created on her leg.   Her skin was so obviously thinned, the friction from the ball created a much  larger wound than I could ever have imagined on anyone in my household, or even my own parents.  She had to sit out playing for a few days until her wound healed to ensure it would not erupt while playing.  This was a huge eye opener for me, and one of the lessons that pushed me toward the career that I enjoy today.

So what makes this happen to our skin?  Why would such a seemingly healthy individual suffer such a wound over just a little ball hit?  There are actually a few reasons that cause our skin to become fragile and thin.   Basically, the outer layer (Epidermis) is supported by a fattier layer called the Dermis.  Over time, the Dermis loses its elasticity and can no longer support the Epidermis as it once did, causing a collapse and fragility.  Capillaries become damaged and bruise more easily~ also caused by:
1.  Aging.  Yes, of course the basic loss of elasticity and dryness that comes with decrease in estrogen and menopause.  Yippee.
2.  Sunlight.  UVA, UVB rays have been damaging your skin since the day you were born.  It has been killing and damaging cells, and overtime this damage adds up to thin skin.
3.  Smoking and Drinking.  Sorry folks, these really do damage your skin.  You know how anti-oxidants help to fight free radicals from killing and damaging your skin cells?  Well imagine smoking as taking a free radical bath...😱
4.  Steriod Creams.  These can help with certain skin conditions, however with consistent use they can make cells in the Epidermis smaller and this can affect tissue connection cells, making skin look wrinkled or loose.  However, this may be reversed if the cream is discontinued.
5.  Genetics.  There are always those lucky ones who seem to keep thick skin, and those who seem born with thin skin.

What can we do to encourage healthy skin, or try to reverse thinning skin?

1.  Collagen Boosters.  Although there is no conclusive evidence that suggests these can actually help with this, what can it hurt?  Adding collagen to your diet only helps build your joint health and adds to your skin health.
2.  Retin A, or topical vitamin A.  This should probably be number one (🔝).  Even if you don't have a doctors prescription, you can get good vitamin A over the counter or from a good esthetician (hint hint).
3.  Vitamin C and E.  Vitamin C deficency can cause bruising, so be sure you add that topically (besides it is an excellent antioxidant and part of my required A,C,E vitamin regimen).  Also add Vitamin E topically, which includes those extra fatty lipds found in almonds and avacados to keep your skin supple.
4.  Massage your face, or dry brush your body to improve circulation! (Another fine excuse to visit an esthetician).
5.  Hydrate with water, always important!
6.  Topical Vitamin K helps bruises fade quicker and may help small broken capillaries heal.
7.  Fractional resurfacing laser.  Stimulates collagen and dermal growth.  ( Med Spa here).
8.  An excellent diet.  Include fruit, veggies, whole grains, portions, and fish oil supplements.
9.  Keep you skin barrier strong- use cleansers ( not stripping soap) and moisturize using a good hyaluronic serum too.

So basically, you can see a lot of it is prevention.  Topical anti-oxidants, sunscreens, moisturizing are always extremely important elements for skincare.  Being aware of these little things can only help in our long term health and wellness, and it feels so good!

Here is a little drink for your skin at night, put it on after a hydrating moisturizer that contains a water  attracting ingredient like hyaluronate or glycerin.  ( Especially if you don't use a serum).

I also enjoy Frankincense oil if you prefer to substitute the Lavender.

Few drops of cold pressed Camellia seed oil
1/4 tsp Vitamin E oil
3 drops Lavendar oil
1 tsp Evening Primrose oil

Mix and store in cool place.
Enjoy and sweet dreams😴

Be well!

-L

What its all about....

Today is my first post, and I am so excited to start sharing with everyone!
As I sit on my couch, I feel I should introduce my buddy Cami.  She is always next to me, my nine pound Maltese/Pomeranian mix.  I don’t know what I would do without her, and it appears at times she doesn’t like to do much without me either.  So you can always be assured she is near me as I post to you!

As I am writing this, I have just spent my second week at home during this Covid-19 experience.  I have learned my job at The Well Spa in Indian Wells will be closed down until September 1st.  Just crazy, right?  I know so many of you are in the same situation, maybe even worse.  I am so sorry for everyone who is suffering financial hardship, or sickness through this time.  I am fortunate that I will still offer work through my El Paseo location, which I am thrilled to start up again once the restrictions are lifted.  (You can learn more about this by going to my website or my facebook page).

I am excited to start sharing information with everyone that I have gathered over my years of working in the facial business.  I love to constantly learn, and I find that many of my clients love to ask questions about skincare during their facials.  So, perhaps this is a way to get some of those questions answered so that when you do come in for a facial, you may be able to relax more, if you like.

It is also a great way for anyone who is just curious about skincare!  There is so much we can do ourselves at home, and you will see that I offer a lot of products at great prices on my Facebook page that will give you tremendous results too.  Even more when you combine with professional sessions!

I also learn a lot about tools that I would love to share with you all, and certainly will.  There are also times when I learn techniques I may be able to share here as well, but maybe my VLOG on my Facebook page may be the best place to check that out.  Visual is usually best for that, I will alert you to check those out.

This should be fun.  Keep checking back so we may stay updated and all learning more!  Please always ask questions.

Thanks~
L