In recent years, Mindfulness as a practice has emerged as a way to reduce stress and boost happiness. Gratitude has also been scientifically proven to reduce stress and boost your overall quality of life. As you start to feel better - a direct corollary of low-stress levels - your skin will begin to look better too.
Unfortunately for most of us, we only think of gratitude as something to do only during Thanksgiving and maybe, at New Year. But what if this was a practice we partook in daily? The truth is, not only will your life be substantially better, but your skin will be generally healthier and brighter.
Stress is a beauty and health thief. It is the biggest culprit when it comes to skin disorders and the number one reason for premature aging. It doesn't present around big life issues only, it also manifests itself in the small day-to-day issues, and sometimes those can be the worse, as they are easy to ignore and can pile up quickly until you are wallowing under its weight.
Stress is a major factor in many diseases. It negatively affects your gut, impairing your digestive system. 70% of your immune system lies in your gut and 90% of your happy hormone - serotonin - is made in the gut. When your gut is clogged as a result of stress, your system becomes unbalanced, resulting in more stress and manifesting in different health issues, one of which is skin breakouts, inflammation, and acne.
Gratitude relieves stress
Gratitude is a wonderful habit to cultivate and can manifest in a variety of ways - gratitude helps you to stay mindful of things to be grateful for.
You can be grateful for something you achieved at work, it can be a reminder to stay mindful of the blessing of being able to draw your breath unassisted by an oxygen machine, or the ability to plan for the future.
Whatever you choose to be grateful for, be mindful of the truth that every time you express gratitude, your body is automatically lowering its level of cortisol (the stress hormone) by as much as 23% - resulting in lower blood pressure, stronger immunity and improved sleep function.
Low-stress levels lead to healthier skin
As already established, once you are able to get your stress levels under control through staying mindful and practicing gratitude, even in the little, mundane things, your entire immune system starts to benefit.
The result is healthier, clearer, and more radiant skin - of course, your skincare routine plays its own role too. Ingredients like Vitamin C, AHA/BHAs, Retinol, Hyaluronic Acid, and Niacinamide, will help to bring your skin into balance, increases collagen production (your skin's elasticity protein), fight free radicals, correct wrinkles, hydrate and brighten your complexion.
This holiday season, I encourage you to cultivate the habits of gratefulness and mindful meditation into your daily routine. Focusing on even one single thing you are thankful for will help you to sleep better, giving your skin a better chance to heal itself of any abnormalities.
The next time you start to feel stressed, slow down, and center yourself.
Call to mind 1 to 3 things you have or accomplished, then focus on expressing gratitude.
By controlling your first response to challenging situations - and supporting your skin with wonderful products that aid your complexion - your health will improve and your skin will reflect the radiance that your spirit feels inside.
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