Beauty without Under-Eye Bags
07.20.09
Nearly 11.7 million cosmetic surgical and nonsurgical procedures were performed in the United States in 2007, according to the latest statistics collected by the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Cosmetic surgical procedures (including eyelid surgery, which was the third most popular type of cosmetic surgery) increased 8 percent between 2006 and 2007.
Blepharoplasty eyelid surgery lifts the sagging tissues underneath your eye that make you look tired and sad, into more youthful proportions.
What REALLY Causes Under-Eye Bags?
It’s a pity that our culture is so into the quick fix, because it is very rare when the rigid application of basic natural therapies is insufficient to eliminate the need for these types of surgical interventions.
Typically, bags under your eyes are related to a number of causes such as
- Thyroid dysfunction
- Fatigue
- Not enough sleep
- Over exercising
- Fluid retention
- Toxic loads
- Smoking
- Allergies
But one of the most important ones is oxidative stress – the result of eating a largely unhealthy diet of processed foods – which causes an accumulation of free radicals, or cell damaging substances, in your body. Naturally, this type of cellular damage is most visible on your face, in the form of wrinkles, bags, droopy eyelids and loss of skin elasticity and glow.
Diets high in sugar increase free radicals and oxidative stress, and leads to signs of premature aging, and according to a recent study published in the European Journal of Clinical Investigation on May 16, 2008, people with metabolic syndrome suffer greater levels of oxidative stress than those who are not pre-diabetic.
Almost 26 percent of U.S. adults over the age of 20 are pre-diabetics, and more than 35 percent of seniors, 60 and older have pre-diabetes. And that’s in addition to the 8 percent that have already crossed the line and are diabetics. Obese people also have much higher levels of oxidative stress.
There’s more to great skin and a youthful face than your genes at work.
The way to decrease the speed at which signs of your real age show up, is by consuming large amounts of whole, unprocessed, healthy raw foods that are loaded with antioxidants. If you’re still young, you will be less likely to develop them in the first place if you take a proactive, healthy approach now.
Science also corroborates the wisdom of eating a nutrient dense diet for skin rejuvenation. A 2001 study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition concluded that the fountain of youth might be as close as your kitchen.
In this international study of eating patterns and skin aging, investigators found that both dark- and fair-skinned people who ate plenty of wholesome foods, and passed on sugary confections, were less prone to wrinkling.
This anti-wrinkle effect of a nutritious diet was consistent from sun-drenched Australia to sun-deprived Sweden.
Some of the skin-smoothing foods included:
- green leafy vegetables
- beans
- olive oil
- nuts
The researchers found that even when they factored in age and smoking — which is linked to premature skin aging — diet still played a role in wrinkling of skin. Overall, people who ate more of the foods that are universally recommended for good health had smoother skin.
Certain foods offered skin protection due to their high levels of antioxidants such as vitamins A, C and E. The skin, they noted, is a “major target of oxidative stress.”
Monounsaturated fats such as olive oil may offer protection through the same mechanism. Fatty acids are present in your skin, and monounsaturated fats resist oxidative damage.
Visit us at the Radiant Clinic of Colorado to have your thyroid, adrenals, and other natural body functions that may not be operating properly. Call 970-278-0900 or click here to request an appointment.
Tags: ALCAT, allergies, bags under eyes, beauty, depression, fatigue, insomnia, oxidative stress, processed foods, smoking, toxic, toxicity