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Fitness Topics
(As appeared in the Summer, 2004 issue of Healthwise magazine.)
From cycling, rollerblading, handball and tennis to simply walking, the warmer months — and the accompanying longer, brighter hours of daylight — bring on an increased yearning for being outdoors. Being active in the outdoors can be more fun — and, in some ways, more healthful — than exercising indoors. However, one potential downside is over-exposure to the sun's intense rays. Sports enthusiasts many times get so caught up in their activities, they tend to overlook the need to protect their skin.
Without the proper precautionary steps, an active individual can become vulnerable to premature aging of the skin and may become more vulnerable to skin cancer. When your skin is excessively exposed to sunlight, its connective tissue fibers will lose their elasticity — causing your skin to become increasingly stiff and leathery. Over time, this will cause you skin to sag and wrinkle.
The key to preventing skin damage — or limiting aging — is to avoid exposure to high intensity sunlight. But, avoiding sunlight is easier than it sounds — particularly for active people. By taking the few basic steps outlined here, you will be rewarding yourself with more youthful, healthful skin — now and into the future.
10 Skincare Strategies:
1. Try planning activities outside the 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. "hot zone," — that time of day when the sun's rays are most intense. By avoiding these peak hours, sun exposure may be reduced by as much as 60 percent.
2. When outdoors for extended periods of time, wear protective clothing. The best are white (to deflect some of the sun's rays) and are made of light materials that whisk away perspiration. Avoid cotton.
3. Apply sunscreen 20-30 minutes prior to going into the sunlight.
4. Use lotions that have high protective factors (SPF15 or more).
5. Use skin cream or ointment (containing ingredients that help keep water in the skin) upon waking up in the morning and prior to going to sleep at night.
6. Eat a balanced diet that includes vegetables, fruits, grains, seeds, and nuts. Avoid fried foods, animal fats, and heat-processed vegetable oils. Heating oils leads to the production of free radicals, which have a destructive effect on the skin. Use cold-pressed oils only.
7. Avoid consuming alcohol and high-caffeine foods and beverages (coffee, non-herbal teas, chocolate, soft drinks, diet drugs, and some pain relievers.) As diuretics, they speed up dehydration, causing the lose of fluids and essential minerals. When dehydrated, the skin becomes a less effective barrier to infection. Since water is necessary for vital processes within the skin, dehydrated skin may not be able to repair itself as easily as well-hydrated skin.
8. Drink 6-8 cups (8 ounces each) of water per day. This hydrates and detoxifies the skin.
9. Get 7-7 ½ hours of sleep per night. The skin's cellular repair activity is at its optimum during this resting phase.
10. Whenever possible, choose playing fields or running paths that are more shaded.
A WORD OF CAUTION ON HYDRATION
Do not drink too much water. Consuming more than what the body needs increases the chances for hyponatremia — a condition whereby the body's sodium levels are diluted to extremely low levels, thereby causing a host of dangerous, unhealthful reactions. Although rare, serious athletes, and fitness enthusiasts should be aware of this condition.
As one of the largest and most versatile organs of the body, the skin plays a vital role in maintaining the body's equilibrium. It serves as a protective barrier preventing harmful substances from entering the body. It also slows down the loss of water, assists in the regulation of body temperature, and allows for respiration to occur. By taking the few basic steps outlined above, you will be rewarding yourself with more youthful, healthful skin — now and into the future.
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