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If you read glossy magazines you could easily assume that women are terrified of growing old, or maybe I should say, looking old, spending millions on cosmetic procedures such as botox, liposuction and anti-aging treatments. Popular culture would have us believe the older women get, the less attractive and useful they feel. Fortunately, for most women this is all rubbish (thank goodness). Ask most how they feel about aging and most will confess to wanting to look younger but not 21 again. Women will initially say they want to look 5 or 10 years younger but when questioned further, most say they just want to look good for the age they actually are.

Far from hating growing older, research is showing that yes while women may buy anti-aging creams and treatments in order to slow the aging process, most women are actually more positive about their self image as they move from their 20s and 30s and into middle age.

An article I read called “Could aging be good for women?” by Susan Nolen-Hoeksema outlined that women’s lives overall improve with age, not just how they feel about their bodies but their mental health and life satisfaction also improve. Feelings of loneliness, anxiety and depression were less prevalent among women of middle age than younger women. One of the reasons cited for this improvement in mental and emotional health is the development of greater psychological strength with age. Strong friend networks with trusted people was another reason.

The reason I am writing about this is that this October will be my 20 year school reunion (yes I am 37) and upon receiving the invitation I confess my first thought was “OH MY GOD, I HAVE TO LOSE 5 KG IN THE NEXT 3 MONTHS”. Once I stopped laughing at my own thought process, I started to think about the aging process in general. I am in the very fortunate position to have a 21 year old sister who is in the bloom of early womanhood. She is vibrant, gorgeous and, well young which in itself has beauty. But would I want to be 21 again? No way! Do I even want to look 21? No, I actually spent my 20s having to show ID to get into any pub or club so looking my age is ok. Reflecting on the past 20 years since highschool ended I realized that I am really happy with where I am and that my love of good skincare is just about wanting to look the best I can, right now at the age of 37.

So I have decided that rather than try to lose 5 kg before my highschool reunion, instead I will buy myself a fantastic outfit and enjoy how good I look just as I am. I would love to hear how you feel about the aging process and if you are happy with where you are at right now.

P.S.  I do actually have a few secret skin products up my sleeve to help me look fabulous on the night! The La Mav Line Perfector is my top pick for any big event. The Rhizobian Gum helps to smooth out skin and provides a good base for foundation. Minerelle Foundations give excellent long lasting cover that doesn’t smudge or kiss off and Hemp Organics Ruby Lipstick, being a drier formulation, is quite stay-fast. Just a little help for a fun evening!

Antiaging ingredients and eye creams that work…a myth or reality? While there may be many products in the market that claim to work, how many actually do make a difference? Two tried and true ways of finding out are:

1.     Review the research. Antiaging is big business but there are a handful of key ingredients that show real promise. Among them, marine extracts, Hibiscus esculentus extract, sodium hyaluronate and naturally sourced alpha hydroxy acids.

2.     Alternatively you can try a product out for yourself. What works for others may not work for you…and vice versa and it can be worth spending the money to find out.

The Eyes have it…

In my opinion eye cream isn’t just a clever marketing gimmick – it really does work! And it makes sense to take care of the skin around your eye, as it is the thinnest skin on your face and the first to show the signs of aging. And yes, eye creams are different to everyday face creams. Moisturisers tend to have a heavier molecular structure and so can cause puffiness or inflammation around the eye area. Eye creams are designed specifically for the delicate skin around the eye.

In my experience, eye creams are lighter and tend to absorb in more quickly. The ingredients are also targeted for the eye area however, there are many different choices when it comes to eye creams and eye products tend to focus on specific issues be it puffiness, dark circles or fine lines and wrinkles. Choose the one that suits best suits your skin and the predominant issue. Similarly to moisturisers, it is important to choose age-appropriate eye creams (and I don’t mean R-rated eye creams!). Anti-aging eye products and creams are probably to rich for someone in their early 20s. In this case an eye gel may have a better result.

To get the best out of your eye cream use it daily both in the morning after cleansing and in the evening after you’ve removed your make-up.  Gently apply using the pad of your fourth finger and dab the eye cream around your eye socket. Our pick of the very best natural eye creams on the market now:

1. Worth every cent La Mav Certified Organic Firming Eye Lotion contains active ingredients to help with skin restructuring by preserving collagen & elastin fibers and marine extracts help reduce the appearance of dark circles.

2. Haven Scent Rosehip Eye Cream is a light soothing eye cream that nourishes and hydrates skin using certified organic aloe vera and rosehip oil. A favorite indeed!

3. To minimise dark circles Devita Under Eye Repair Gel is ideal. A light, refreshing serum that soothes tired eyes. The inclusion of bioflavanoids Astaxanthin and Hesperdin help strengthen the capillary network under the eyes and clear dark circles. Don’t expect overnight results; give it 3 months and you should see a lightening of dark circles – anything less is unrealistic.

4. As a light and soothing gel, Third Stone Botanicals Green Tea Eye Serum l contains colloidal silica and green tea antioxidants soothe and protect the delicate eye area and help reduce puffiness. Storing this product in the fridge will further help with the reduction of puffy eyes.

Tell us what your favorite eye product is and why for your chance to win a $10 Vitale Gift Voucher (prize will be presented 14 days after post).

Every day we are exposed to air pollution, sunlight, smoke and more all which give rise to the production of “free radicals”.  Damage to our DNA, protein (collagen & elastin) and protein remodeling (skin healing) are all side effects of the production of free radicals. Internally the metabolism, the effects of stress and emotions and the result of everyday body process that utilize oxygen all create free radicals. Externally ultraviolet light from the sun and environmental stressors such as smoking, pollution, poor dietary habits and chemical exposure also contribute. The production of free radicals and the damage they cause is one of the key mechanisms of aging.  As one ages, the skin’s structural foundation weakens. Specifically, collagen which keeps the skin firm and elastin which maintains elasticity and helps prevent the skin from sagging. Free radicals attack your skin’s collagen and elastin layers, accelerating the creation of fine lines and wrinkles.

Skin-aging caused by free radicals occurs over time however, the damaging effect of free radicals is exacerbated in the presence of an antioxidant

deficiency which can accelerate this process considerably. Consider for example the skin of a smoker aged 40 years compared to a non-smoker. In this case, the antioxidant defenses of the skin are far outweighed by the production of free radicals as a byproduct of the daily cigarette habit. Much research has been done with regard to the benefits of antioxidants to combat the production of free radicals. Antioxidants neutralize the free radicals that harm the cells, causing damage and premature aging. Specifically antioxidants help to maintain the health of the skin cells such as collagen and elastin which keeps skin supple.

There are two ways to slow the effects of free radical damage on the skin:

Reduce the production of free radicals. You can’t really do much

about reducing free radical product that is the byproduct of everyday bodily processes however you can reduce your exposure to the environmental factors such as ultraviolet rays, pollution, chemicals and poor dietary habits. So the key advice such as minimizing exposure to midday sun and giving up smoking apply here.

Improve your antioxidant status. The neutralizing effects of antioxidants don’t prevent the effects of free radical damage however ensuring that your antioxidant status is optimal will certainly slow skin aging. Antioxidants can be increased internally and topically by:

1. Eating plenty of antioxidant rich foods – colourful fruit, vegetables and wholegrains are excellent sources of antioxidants. Key antioxidant rich foods for the skin include mangosteen, turmeric, green tea and berries of any kind.
2. 

   Antioxidant Supplements can help top up your levels

   Antioxidant Supplementation – specifically vitamins C and E, as well as lipoic acid and flavonoids (green tea and grapeseed), exert protective effect against oxidative stress in the skin and help protect the skin from damage caused by the sun. Lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin as a specific subset of carotenoids may also be used as oral sun protectants and contribute to the maintenance of skin health.

3. Topical antioxidants – provide some protection against environmental damage to the skin and may help slow down skin aging. However, the effectiveness of topical antioxidants depends on a number of factors including skin permeability, the concentration of the antioxidant and the other ingredients in the cream and whether they are water or fat soluble among other things. Also keep in mind that just because an ingredient is an antioxidant, doesn’t mean that it will be effective for slowing skin aging and indeed that different antioxidants have different effects on the skin. Some of the more effective topical antioxidants that have been researched thus far include:

• Vitamin C – supports and stimulates collagen synthesis and reduces free radical damage
• Vitamin E – assists with skin healing, protects cellular membranes which helps maintain the health of the skin cell
• Green tea – reduces erythema and the effects of ultraviolet radiation, anti-inflammatory effects.
• Betacarotene & Carotenes – helps minimise sun damage
• Vitamin A (as retinoic acid) – increase synthesis of collagen, reducing fine wrinkles, improve skin texture and increase skin thickness
• Coenzyme Q10 – improving the cells ability to produce new collagen. It also increases the ability of the cell to minimise damage from free radical production.
• Lipoic acid – inhibit cross-linking which contributes to the ageing process

Whether in our diet, as supplements or topically applied, antioxidant play an important role in slowing down the aging process. Of course to get the best effect it is important to consider all three delivery methods. In addition, minimising your exposure to the environmental factors that cause free radical production, will significantly add to slowing the aging process, not just of your skin, but of your whole body.

ED note: In this article by Tarj Mavi, she questions the use of AHAs for younger skin (ie. women & men in their 20s). This is interesting as in previous blogs I have said that I am a fan of AHAs and think they are great

for congested skin (still waiting to see if they work for me on pigmentation). The other thing to note is that AHAs should not be used continuously which is the mistake I think many companies make when promoting AHA products designed for daily use. For more informaition about this have a look at my previous blog on this topic. For my 2 cents, I am still a fan of AHAs when used appropriately. In any case I thought I would give you the opportunity to read what Tarj has to say which is a very different view point and of course I would love to read about your experiences using AHAs so please comment!

The Anti Aging Obsession – when should we start? By Tarj Mavi

It is not surprising that women of all ages are becoming increasingly aware of societies perception of growing old and we are PETRIFIED almost so that it’s bordering on insanity. Everyone is so worried that once the first signs of wrinkles or age spots appear we rush out and buy the strongest anti ageing treatment we can find hoping results will appear within the next couple of days, not giving a second thoughts to the possible side effects. As we repeatedly hear and read about Hollywood elite’s obsession with ageing and dieting we look for more permanent and sometimes damaging ways to erase ageing altogether. Even Scarlett Johansson at 25 who has been nominated the world’s sexiest women numerous times, has become so paranoid about her weight and complexion that she’s already been using anti ageing products since she hit 20.

In response to this ageing mania – The today show aired a segment this morning suggesting that young women who use anti ageing products could potentially be accelerating the ageing process rather than preventing/slowing it. The show discussed how the production of skin cells decreases with age. Products containing retinoids or alpha hydoxy acid compounds (glycolic and malic acids) purposely destroy skin cells to break down a layer of skin to help increase the speed of cell renewal and even out uneven skin tone in older women. However, if you’re constantly breaking down the natural, water-retaining protective layers of the skin; younger skin doesn’t have the strength to withstand the additional environmental factors and can react harmfully.

Younger skin is more sensitive than older skin. It is more susceptible to react badly to stronger ingredients like AHA’s, sometimes resulting in irritation, increased dryness and hence becoming more prone to sun damage. So if someone starts using products containing retinoids or AHA’s before their 25, you can ironically cause many of the problems that you’re trying to avert.

After the show a La Mav customer called me extremely concerned that at 26 she was damaging her skin. But you do NOT have to be concerned – safety was my number 1 concern when I started creating La Mav. I wanted to create a product that was not only age defying but that had the hydrating

capabilities to be used on all skin types and on all ages so that no matter the condition of the skin La Mav will work for you. For me anti ageing is about nourishing the skin to repair and maintain skin’s condition through constant hydration and rejuvenation. While none of La Mav products contain retinoids or alpha hydoxy acid compounds they are instead formulated with real, natural & potent active ingredients that increase firmness and elasticity of your skin with soothing & hydrating properties. Regardless of whether you’re 22, 26, 46 or 56 you can use La Mav with the assurance that your skin is getting the nutrients it needs to restore skin’s natural glow.

So when is the best time to start using an anti wrinkle cream?? It really depends on the individual and their skin type & condition – as many different factors play a role in the skin’s composition and overall elasticity. Some people should start using it as soon as they reach their 20’s, while others can wait until their 30’s.

Ed note: This article is from the La Mav blog and is by Tarj Mavi, the creator of this wonderful brand. I have included it because it describes the 3 tier process Tarj uses to formulate her products and is the reason these products are so very effective. There will be more on this concept in up coming blogs:

An aging population – by Tarj Mavi

By 2020 more than half of our country’s population will be over the age of 40 and there will be more people aged 50 than any other age. Due to these startling statistics anti-ageing skin care products are becoming all the rage – there are even special diets, super foods and supplements all intended to reduce or reverse the things that we’re told time and again were inevitable: wrinkles, sagging (especially around the chin) and age spots (I’m getting depressed just thinking about it).

The main reason the skin starts to sag and forms wrinkles is that elastin and collagen network start to break down. Collagen and elastin are important proteins in the body that help the skin stay firm, supple and strong and without them, the skin loses its elasticity, forms lines, wrinkles and eventually sags (gloomy and dismal but true). Exposure to the sun and pollution can also cause further damage to your skin.

More and more attention is being centred on the ageing population and consequently many skin care companies are madly racing to flood retail shelves both online and offline without doing the necessary research before. As a result many products on the market don’t contain or don’t contain enough active ingredients to actually have long term and effective results on ageing skin. For a skin care product to be effective it must contain active ingredients that help to stimulate the skin’s repair process.

Every single ingredient that goes in La Mav products is selected on the basis of its properties to formulate the best skincare range for your ageing skin with high concentration of active ingredients to successfully aid in increasing elasticity and firmness of the skin. All of our products follow the unique La Mav Three Tier Formula™:

· Tier 3 – Active Constituents

· Tier 2 – Specialty Oils

· Tier 1 – Base Ingredients

The unique Three-Tier Formula™ consists of antioxidants, vitamins, essential fatty acids, therapeutic grade herbal extracts, carrier oils and very gentle and soothing Essential Oils that provide a potent, result-driven concentration for the repair, restoration and rejuvenation of skin at a cellular level.

La Mav is formulated with nutrients for the skin that your pores will drink up and use to produce & support new collagen and elastin fibres. When you use La Mav products your skin will start to look younger, healthier and more radiant so that maybe the next time a shop assistant tells you that your daughter looks like your sister, you will believe her.

In part 2 of this topic, Karen Fischer from her book The Healthy Skin Diet discusses how to measure body acidity or alkalinity and importantly how to shift the balance from acid to a more alkaline system.

How is body acidity or alkalinity measured?

Your body has a natural acid and alkaline balance which is measured by the traditional pH scale (pH literally means ‘potential for hydrogen’). For example, a pH of 1.0 is completely acid and a pH of 14 is all alkaline, and 7.0 is neutral. The pH of a substance is determined by how many hydrogen ions are in a substance. All acids in the body give off hydrogen ions as they dissolve in water.

Now, for the body to remain alive and well the blood needs to be slightly alkaline — at a pH of 7.365 to be precise. If your blood pH becomes slightly acidic your blood would burn holes in your blood vessels. As you can imagine, you can’t feel healthy if you have holes in your veins. In fact, if the blood pH was to vary by about one-tenth, your body’s biomechanical function would fail and you’d die. However the body, being the wise thing that it is, has many back-up plans to ensure the blood’s pH balance is maintained:

1. The body uses its alkaline reserves such as alkaline minerals to keep the blood pH at the correct level. If you keep having an acid lifestyle, these stores run out and your body needs to go to back-up plan number 2 …

2. Back-up plan number 2 involves quickly removing excess acids from your blood and storing them safely in your fat cells. Unfortunately, overweight people who have heaps of acid stored in their fat usually have an incredibly difficult time losing weight because their body will do everything to avoid the influx of acid that would be released during weight-loss. An acidic body holds onto excess weight, making dieting extremely difficult.

3. After your body uses up its alkaline reserves and after it has stored acids in your fat, what happens next? Back-up plan number 3: your body takes

alkaline minerals such as calcium from your bones. This is one of the reasons why people getosteoporosis and shrink as they get older. Their acid lifestyle is threatening to disrupt their blood pH and the body is protecting the blood by leeching calcium from their bones. Unfortunately the modern Western diet is excessively acidic. There are two ways you can find out how acidic you are.

Firstly (and this is the more accurate way), your doctor can test your blood pH with a simple blood test. You need to ask for this test specifically as it is not a routine blood test. A healthy pH reading for your blood is between 7.35 and 7.45; as you can see it’s a very narrow range.

Secondly, you can test your saliva or urine pH with pH strips that you can purchase from your local pharmacy. These pH strips are made of litmus paper, which changes colour when acidic or alkaline substances come into contact with it. Dr Guerrero, a famous American doctor who studied traditional Chinese medicine and is the author of In Balance for Life, recommends testing the urine rather than saliva as the kidneys are one of the body’s organs that eliminate acids. However the urine test is not as accurate as a blood test but it can reveal if you’re acidic and you can do the test daily. This is useful because acid and base (alkalinity) levels fluctuate daily. When your body’s pH is in balance, your urine pH will be between 7.0 and 7.5.5

Cross-check your results from the first blog by doing a pH urine test for five days in a row (to get a more accurate average). Do the urine test first thing in the morning, on rising.

What causes excess acidity in the body?

• acid-forming foods, poor diet
• stress (covered in Chapter 10)
• coffee and other products containing caffeine
• alcohol
• smoking
• chemicals
• dehydration/not enough water
• parasites (worms)
• candida albicans
• drugs, including prescriptive medications
• constipation/poor bowel health.

Acid-forming foods

There are many types of acid-producing foods and the most common ones come from animal produce. Now these foods don’t seem acidic before you

pop them in your mouth — they contain some acids but they also form acids once they’re digested. Acid-forming foods are okay in moderation but when your body is continually trying to counteract an acidic state, acid can become poison to your system.

When you have an acidic system, your body will eventually tire of shunting calcium away from your bones and storing acid in your fat. And if you’re a thin person, with limited fat cells, then you’re in a worse predicament than an overweight person.

Where is your acid being stored? As you can imagine, skinny people can get sick very, very quickly. This means that Skinny-Minnies need to be extra healthy to feel great and have beautiful skin. You can probably guess most of the common acid-forming foods as they’re also the usual ‘offending’ foods that already have bad reputations, such as sugar, white flour products, foods high in saturated fats and damaged (trans) fats, meat, dairy, soft drinks, chips and alcohol. But what you may find surprising is that when you chomp on a piece of fruit, it creates acid during digestion. This is because most fruits have an extremely high sugar content. Yes, these are natural sugars but they promote acidity and they provide a quick and easy meal for thriving microbes.

Acid-forming foods — the worst offenders

vinegar	liquor/spirits/whiskey
pork	beef
processed fruit juice	yellow cheese
milk kefir	yoghurt sweetened with fruit
sugar & artificial sweetener	carp
processed meat/ham/devon	crayfish
herring	salmon
lobster	mackerel
black tea	artificial sweeteners
sugar	chocolate/cocoa
coffee	milk
soft drinks	tap water
wine	hydrogenated fats
peanut & walnut oils	commercially made tomato sauce
pickles & mustard	processed table salt
chickpeas	peanuts
hazelnuts	pecans
sunflower seeds	walnuts
pstachios	blackcurrants
kiwi fruit	mandarins
oranges	pineapple
milled	white rice
white flour products	white/yeast breads

Acid-forming foods — the milder ones

Beer	Wholegrains, wholewheat
Amaranth	Brown rice
Oats	Barley
Qunoa	Spelt
Soft cheeses	Eggs (whole)
plain organic yoghurt	chicken
flounder	lamb
oysters	kidney beans
Trout	sole
lentils	peas
cashews	coconut
pine nuts	sesame seeds
apples	fresh apricots
blueberries	cherries
figs	grapes
mangoes	watermelon, melon
pears	plums
pomegranates	strawberries
most dried fruits	carbonated mineral water
(heated) cold pressed oils	organic mustard

READER QUESTION

Q ‘I’ve heard that acid-forming foods are bad for me. Do I have to totally avoid them to be healthy?’

A No! The foods and liquids that exert the strongest acid-producing effect can be enjoyed in moderation. However, during the Healthy Skin Diet these substances will be strictly limited to no more than three serves per day. Two serves is two glasses of alcohol or one coffee and salmon or chickpeas for dinner. Keep your animal protein serves small — about the size of the palm of your hand — especially if you’re eating meat.

Keep it in balance aiming for a 50:50 ratio of acidic to alkaline forming foods.

Foods that are mildly alkalising:

Asparagus	Cauliflower
Garlic	Onions, shallots
radishes	endives
turnips	egg yolk
whey (fresh)	brazil nuts
avocado	bananas
grapefruit	tomatoes (uncooked)
dates	raisins
almond milk	herbal teas
natural mineral water (non-carbonated)	spring or filtered water
butter, buttermilk	cold pressed olive oil (unheated)
herbs & spices	sea salt (unrefined)

Foods that are strongly alkalising:

Most vegetables	Dark leafy greens
Artichoke	Beets, beet greens
Broccoli	Carrots
Cucumber	Dandelion greens
Green beans	Cabbage
Lettuce (not iceberg)	Potatoes
Sweet potatoes	Spinach
Squash	Capsicum
Yams	Zucchini
Almonds	Lemons
Limes	Freshly made vegetable juice
Apple cider vinegar	Green drinks: chlorophyll, wheat grass

Remember: keep it in balance aiming for a 50:50 ratio of acidic to alkaline forming foods.

Related Articles:

Improve your blood alkalinity and detoxification with Chlorophyll

Aging – does diet really make a difference?

Lemon Meringue Detox

Our first Blog!! The healthy skin diet

After a weekend of hot pizza and red wine followed by cold pizza and coffee the next morning, I felt pretty bad (for those of you wondering, yes I really did eat that. I have no excuse except to say that my partner is away so I am eating rubbish). So I decided to do another skin detox and so got out my copy of The Healthy Skin Diet by Karen Fischer. One concept from the book I really like is the idea that acidic systems create health problems, including of course skin issues. This is neatly explained by this excerpt from Karen’s book in which she explains why acidosis is so detrimental.

Chapter 3 from “The Healthy Skin Diet” by Karen Fischer (printed with permission from Karen and Exsile Publishing)

Think green and friendly

‘Think green and friendly’ is not a mantra for a hippy commune; it is an essential step for beautiful skin, involving ‘friendly’ gut flora and ‘green’ foods and drinks that have an alkalising effect on the body. Technically speaking, some parts of your body should be acidic, such as your stomach when it produces digestive acids and your outer layer of skin with its protective acid mantle. However in general, your body’s tissues and blood should be slightly alkaline.

For years I ignored the concept of balancing the body’s pH with alkalising foods. Now when I look back I feel so silly. This guideline is really simple and you quickly see and feel your health improving so you know it’s working!

What happens if your body is too acidic?

The Healthy Skin Diet

According to Dr Guerrero, acidosis can damage cells in your body. An acid-producing lifestyle can also reduce the amount and quality of collagen and elastin being produced so you can end up with premature ageing and wrinkles. Good quality collagen and elastin is essential for youthful-looking skin. Too many acids in the body can also cause demineralisation, which can lead to dry and cracked skin, fingernails that split easily and thin, brittle hair. According to Dr Guerrero, having an overly acidic system can also do damage to your red blood cells so they alter in shape, clump together and they can die prematurely. Your red blood cells should look like round, flat discs — a bit like red frisbees or a throat lozenge — floating freely through your blood plasma. They should also have a negative charge on the outside and a positive charge on the inside. When your red blood cells are negatively charged on the outside as they should be, they cannot clump together. They repel. Unfortunately, when acid strips some of your red blood cells of their negative charge they start attracting each other and they form clumps. Your red blood cells should not clump together unless you’ve cut yourself and the blood flow needs to be stopped from escaping. Otherwise your blood needs to flow without clotting.

Your skin is usually the first thing to suffer when red blood cell health is poor. Your red blood cells carry oxygen to your skin but when they are sticky and bulky they cannot give your outer layer a quick and efficient supply of oxygen. Your skin may also look dull and possibly even pasty or greyish from low oxygen supply. You can also feel very lethargic if your blood is sluggish with damaged red blood cells that aren’t supplying enough oxygen. No wonder people often wake up tired after eight hours’ sleep and need a coffee pick-me-up! Fill out the following questionnaire to see if your body is showing any signs of acidosis. Circle any symptoms you experience on a regular basis (three or more times a week):

Common symptoms of acidosis

• fatigue, chronic fatigue syndrome
• fatigue or weakness after eating meals
• frequent colds and flu, low immunity
• poor circulation, cold hands/feet
• low blood pressure
• burning sensation during urination
• kidney stones
• excessive urination
• headaches
• pallor, dull complexion
• gastrointestinal problems: abdominal pains, cramps, acid reflux, diarrhoea, gas, ulcers
• agitation, nervousness, anxiety,
• depression, lack of ambition, lack of joy
• dental problems: bleeding or inflamed gums, cavities, cracked lips, loose teeth, tooth sensitivity
• muscle cramps or spasms, tension in neck and shoulders
• joint pain, arthritis-like pain
• nail and hair problems: brittle hair, hair loss, split nails
• allergies, runny nose, chronic bronchitis
• vaginal discharge, candida albicans
• skin problems: dry skin, eczema, acne, hives, itchy skin, red and patchy skin
• osteoporosis, brittle bones
• insomnia, restless sleep.

If you have circled four or more symptoms then you may have too much acid in your body. In the next blog (a few days from now) Karen discusses how to test for acidosis and what you can actually do to change this state for yourself. Hint: chlorophyll and green leafies help. And I should know, after the weekend, I am focusing on a largely plant based diet to give my body a break!
Related Articles:

Improve your blood alkalinity and detoxification with Chlorophyll

Aging – does diet really make a difference?

Lemon Meringue Detox

Our first Blog!! The healthy skin diet

I have always been curious about AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids). While there was lots of good research around about their benefits there was also some about their potential side effects. So it has been an ingredient I have treated with caution and before I researched the ingredient, some suspicion. I think I am a bit of a cynic – I have to know about an ingredient before I am ready to embrace it. I also don’t like to leave stones unturned so when I realised the potential benefits of AHAs, I decided to give them a try. Who better to try it out on than myself? So this is part one of a blog about “My AHA Experiment”. The next installment will come at the end of 6 months.

AHAs (I use this term to cover BHAs or beta hydroxy acids as well) have a two fold effect. The first thing they do is reduce congestion – woopee, I need some of that! You can see the effects of this action relatively quickly (i.e. 10 days to 3 weeks). The second is to reduce sun damage and improve skin texture. According to clinical skin trials, this takes up to 6 months. I have been using the Devita AHA product for about 5 weeks now and I review the product as well as talk about the benefits and potential issues with the use of AHAs. So installment one of “My AHA Experiment” is below. I will get back to you with an update…in about 5 months time!

“My AHA Experiment”

Click here to view Devita AHAs

Related Articles:
Topical Slow Aging Ingredients

Following on from previous blog about slow aging ingredients, I thought I would discuss in greater depth the benefits of topical vitamin C serum. Vitamin C serum is one of my favorite slow aging ingredients for a number of reasons: the research is there to back up the proported benefits, it is a natural ingredient and I have seen it work on my own skin. Specifically I noticed decreased flushing indicating it had worked to strengthen the capillaries in my skin and improved skin tone. I was really pleased with the outcome as I tend to flush easily and get blotchy skin (when I have wine or hot showers, eat spicy or fatty foods, eat too much sugar, sit in air-conditioning or heating, when I get too much sun and oh so many other things…). In the video I discuss how vitamin C works to achieve this result.

Related Articles:
Topical Ingredients for Slow Aging

Every season new anti-aging products are launched and promoted as the new generation of slow aging. The question is “how do we know it works”? The gold standard of proof is a human clinical trial showing evidence of skin improvement however most topical ingredients have very limited research to back them up. This article looks at 4 ingredients that are commonly used in “anti-aging” products, the research that supports them and how to use them to greatest effect.

Vitamin C – Vitamin C has numerous slow aging

benefits: it works within the skin to promote collagen production by stimulating the genes that make collagen and stopping the enzyme that degrades it, it is an antioxidant and so reduces free-radical production in the skin, it also provides photoprotection from ultraviolet A and B, works to lighten hyperpigmentation and may also assist with the reduction of inflammation in inflammatory skin disorders.

Some great benefits however vitamin C is highly unstable in its natural form ascorbic acid and so it is advisable to only use stabilised forms such as magnesium ascorbyl phosphate or ascorbyl palmitate. Even so, vitamin C in these forms must be kept away from direct sunlight and used once opened otherwise they are prone to oxidation and stop being effective.

In addition, vitamin C absorbs into the skin very slowly and so higher concentrations are required for the above benefits. Look for products that contain 10-20% vitamin C as any less will not be effective. They also need to be acidic in form which is one of the factors that promotes an added exfoliation effect. Buffered vitamin C forms are less effective so make sur that your product has a pH of less than 3.8. If the pH and vitamin C concentration are not supplied with the product, ask your supplier before purchase to ensure you get the desired effects.

Alpha Hydroxy Acids - AHAs/PHAs will help slow aging by revitalising the topmost layer of skin. This effect is achieved by AHAs clearing dead skin cells, thinning the strata corneum thereby exposing newer skin cells, improving the quality of elastic fibres, increasing the density of collagen and stimulating the production of collagen. The net result is an anti-wrinkle effect and a reduction in signs of photoaging.

Most over the counter AHA products contain concentrations of 8-15% which promote visible results over time. However, concentrations lower than 8% do not show significant benefit and products such as cleansers and everyday moisturisers that list AHAs are unlikely to contain enough to make a significant difference.

The anti-wrinkle effect of AHAs is achieved by removing the top layer of dead skin cells (stratum corneum) however it also removes valuable antioxidants, particularly vitamin C and E and may also increases sun sensitivity. These side effects need to be countered by using sunscreen during the day and applying an antioxidant rich moisturiser following use of AHAs.

Due to their acidic nature AHA’s produce a tingling sensation on the skin. This effect is a sign that the product is working to exfoliate the top layers of skin. The exfoliation is gradual and results can be expected after 3 months of use. However, ongoing use of AHAs may have a mild dehydrating effect on the skin due to the potential for water loss as the strata corneum is thinned. To counter this effect, use AHAs for 2-3 months then take a break of 2-3 months.

Copper Peptides – Copper peptides emerged as a skin treatment product in the 70s when it was found to significantly stimulate skin wound healing. This end is achieved by promoting normal collagen growth rather than the abnormal collagen growth found in scar tissue. While these results were achieved with wound healing more recent use has shown that copper peptides may also have a collagen regenerating effect on normal skin. In particular, they can help repair skin after exfoliation (seen as controlled skin damage), minimise the daily assaults from sun damage and pollution and reduce skin inflammation which is significantly associated with hastening the aging process.

While copper peptides have a good safety and efficacy profile, there are some notes of caution related to using copper peptides. Again, with copper peptides, as with AHA’s more is not always better. Taking a break after 2-3 months is advisable as too much copper can have an irritating and pro-oxidant effect. In addition copper peptides are made less effective in an acidic environment so it is best to use them away from AHAs, vitamin C and retanoids.

Plant antioxidants – The most common significant finding for antioxidants of plant origin such as the catechins present in green tea, curcumin from the curry spice turmeric and apigenin present in many fruits and vegetables, is

that they reduce the effects of UV damage in the skin.

For example studies using 10% green tea extract have shown that it works to minimise sun damage by reducing the production of free radicals and inflammation that result from exposure to UV rays. Apart from free radical damage, inflammation is a potential driver of premature skin ageing. Green tea would therefore be a useful addition to a sunscreen or daily moisturiser as it will provide an additional protective effective aside from the SPF factor. Please keep in mind, green tea is in no way a substitute for SPF rather it works by supporting the skins resistance to sun damage.

The unknown factor associated with the use of polyphenols and many other new topical ingredients is that unless a human clinical trial has been conducted, the concentration of the active ingredient required in the cream is unknown. Adding minute amounts of an extract to make a label claim may be beneficial from a marketing perspective but it doesn’t promote skin rejuvenation or slow skin aging.

When choosing a slow aging product for your skin, ensure that you choose those with a high enough concentration of the active ingredient where it is known and otherwise, that it is in at least the top 2/3 of the ingredient listing. Ingredients in the last 1/3 of the label listing are included in very small quantities. Alternatively, if an ingredient is touted as the active in a product then the concentration may be listed on the label. If in doubt, ask the retailer or manufacturer for this information.

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