In cosmetics, by "anti ageing", we usually mean "slows the signs of ageing in the skin of the face, neck and shoulders."

What causes "ageing" - aside from birthdays?

1. The fact is that as we grow older, skin regeneration slows down. As babies, the juicy plump hydrated bottom cell percolated up to the top cell layer in about a month. As adults, it slows down to about two months. In old age, it takes about three months. So our skin is slower to heal, slower to renew.

Skin is constructed with amino acids from proteins built into rigid collagen and flexible elastin. the older we get, the less well the structure of the skin is maintained. Hello wrinkles.

2. Skin is not the body's priority, and anything that goes wrong in the body will show on the skin. The thinnest skin on the body is under the eyes. After a poor night's sleep, during a cold or 'flu, after drinking alcohol or eating food we are allergic to, we see the signs here in dark circles or puffiness. It's the clogged lymph struggling to carry garbage out of our bodies that we see here.

Of course, that's the case all over the body - we simply see it through the thinnest skin. As we age, environmental toxins build up in the body and the body struggles to expel these through the skin. The older we get, the more "toxic" we can "look".

3. Hormones and secretions that support supple, soft, hydrated skin run out or slow down as we age. On top of this natural effect of ageing, our environment - from smog through to the food we eat and the water we drink - is chock-a-block full of hormone disruptors from petroleum products such as plastics, diesel and other fuels, and from hormonal medications that collect in our water supply. These fat-loving xenoestrogens, phthalates and so forth clog our bodies estrogen receptors and lead to hormonal imbalances. So we naturally dry out, and hormone disruption worsens the effects.

What can we do to slow ageing?

1. Drink 2-3 litres of water a day. Hydrated skin looks "10 years younger"! Avoid water from plastic water bottles or jugs. Find a water filtering system that suits you. I use a ceramic dispenser with a ceramic, silver and charcoal filtre. You can replenish charcoal filtres by drilling a hole, replacing the spent charcoal with more from an aquarium store, and putting a plug or cork in from the hardware store.

2. Eat a varied diet that includes fresh and raw foods. Grow a garden. Enjoy your local farmer's market. Cook at home. Make your own broths. Choose live fermented and traditionally prepared foods over prepared and chemically preserved ones.

3. Limit alcohol, allergens, toxic cosmetics and other intoxicants. The less toxins go in, the less will have to come out through your skin.

4. Exercise. Walk a half hour daily. Work up a sweat every second day. Exercise -like walking - pumps lymph around the lower party of your body, and perspiration removes toxins and other waste products. So exercising is a detoxification treatment. If you are not sporty, try hiking, walking, or dancing with friends. Or borrow some children for a day in the park. Exercise promotes healthy sleep, too.

5. Get outside. We need sunshine all year round. Almost all North Americans are deficient in vitamine D, a pro hormone made in our skin that allows our bodies to use every other vitamin! Not enough vitamine D, and we are malnourished. Spend 15 minutes or more outside in the sun, and you'll be making your own! If you use supplements, make sure you are taking D3 because D2 is synthetic and is toxic to the liver.

Indoor environments have the most toxins in the air - from dust, little critters and recirculating outdoor dirt, through to heavy metals and toxic fire retardants on new fabrics and off gassing furnishings. So get some fresh air at a local park or take a walk down some side streets. We're more physically active outdoors. Try cycling year round. Walk or transit instead of making short car trips.

6. Sleep more and better. Studies of human immune system function demonstrate that those who get 8 hours or more of sleep per night have many fewer colds and 'flus. Exercise. Read instead of watching a TV or computer screen in the hours before bed. Try a handful of walnuts instead of sleeping pills for insomnia. Get electrical things as far away from your bed as possible and turn them off with a power bar. Enjoy a restful evening routine. Sleep deprivation speeds ageing and can even lead to brain damage!

7. Nourish your skin from the outside in. Fortunately, you can feed the skin directly rather than counting on the body to have extra nutrients allocated to the skin. What oils are good? All cold pressed oils and botanicals that are skin safe are good for the skin. Find out which ones your skin absorbs best and wants more of.

Here are some botanicals that help slow the signs of ageing in one or more ways.

CARRIER OILS

ALMOND OIL Prunus dulcis Cold Pressed
Sweet Almond Carrier Oil is an excellent emollient and is known for its ability to soften and re-condition the skin. It is rich in proteins, Olein Glyceride Linoleic Acid and Vitamin D, and is considered extremely nourishing, soothing dry skin and irritated areas.

AVOCADO OIL Persea americana, Cold Pressed
Avocado Carrier Oil contains Vitamins A, B1, B2, D, E, and Beta carotene. It is naturally sun protecting and rich in proteins for skin repair.

COCONUT OIL Cocos nucifera, Cold Pressed
is excellent as a skin moisturizer and softener that is clear when liquid in warmer temperatures, and white when solid in cooler temperatures. Coconut Oil has a very slight coconut scent, and has sun protecting qualities.

FLAX SEED OIL Linum usitatissimum, Cold Pressed
is an emollient, high in essential fatty acids, vitamin E , vitamin B and minerals. skin strengthening and anti-inflammatory, it contains the alpha-linoleic acids (ALAs) which may contribute to younger looking skin.

HEMP SEED OIL Cannabis sativa
is extremely nourishing, being high in Omega fatty acids and proteins. It has sun protecting properties and is an environmentally-friendly local choice.

PALM OIL Elaeis guineensis, Cold Pressed
derived from the fruit of the palm tree, it is a natural anti oxidant, semi-solid at room temperature and rich in palmitic acid, vitamin E, vitamin K and magnesium.

PUMPKIN SEED OIL Cucurbita maxima, Cold Pressed
valued in Europe for its skin healing properties (specifically sores, inflammations), it's high in protein, zinc, and polyunsaturated fats. A dark green oily liquid, it has an appealing, roasted nut scent.

RICE BRAN OIL Oryza sativa, Expeller Pressed
is extracted from the bran or outer coat of the brown rice grain removed during the milling process. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins and essential oils. It's a golden brown to brown liquid with a high percentage of fatty acids and unsaponifiables and is one of the best sources of tocotrienols, an antioxidant that may be much more powerful and effective than Vitamin E. It is a mild oil perfect for dry/flaky, sensitive, mature and/or delicate skin (e.g. baby), where additional moisture is required and is effective for keeping skin smooth.

Rice Bran Oil also has constituents believed to hinder UV rays absorption at the skin’s surface. It contains a compound called gamma-oryzanol, a component that can impede the progress of melanin pigmentation by restoring the erythema activity of the tyrosinase enzyme as it intercepts the UV rays at the skin’s surface, hindering UV ray transmission.

SESAME OIL Sesamum indicum, Cold Pressed
is rich in vitaminsA, E and B, and in minerals such as calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. A golden yellow to brownish yellow liquid, it is an excellent emollient.

SHEA BUTTER Butyrospermum parkii, Natural grade, is an emollient rich in cinnamon acid; a healing whole medicine that protects the skin from UV rays, treats eczema, psoriasis and dry flaky, or cracked skin conditions.

WALNUT OIL Juglans regia, Cold Pressed
is an excellent emollient with moisturizing properties for dry, aged, irritated skin. In aromatherapy circles, Walnut Oil is also credited with being a balancing agent for the nervous system.

ENRICHING OILS - +-10% in a carrier oil or base

ACAI BERRY Euterpe oleracea biofunctional extract: Its antioxidants help to decrease cell destruction which in turns helps to combat the aging process, and is an astringent that helps heat small wounds.

ARGAN OIL Argania Spinosa, Cold Pressed
The wild argan tree of semi-desert North Africa is valued for its nutritive, cosmetic and numerous medicinal properties. It has a nutty, spicy and oily scent and is rich in vitamin E, carotenes, antioxidants and essential fatty acids.

BURITI OIL Mauritia Flexuosa, Cold Pressed
The word "buriti" in Brazil means "tree of life." The strong scented oil is a clear deep yellow-orange to reddish colour. Unrefined buriti oil is extremely rich in vitamin E (tocopherols) and has one the richest natural source of pro-vitamin A available (carotenoids). The oil restores moisture lacking in sun-exposed skin and because of its colour, it possesses a naturally occurring SPF factor. The rich unsaturated fatty acids in buriti oil help to rebuild, moisturize and re-hydrate skin cells.

CALENDULA INFUSED OIL Calendula officinalis, speeds wound healing as a proven antioxidant, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and tissue regenerator, useful for chapped and dry skin, varicose veins, and skin ulcers.

CARROT ROOT INFUSED OIL Daucus carota, Cold Pressed
is very high in both vitamins and minerals and has a very slight scent that is sweet and very carrot - like. One of the best oils to rejuvenate and regenerate skin tissues, it helps to remove toxic build-up in the skin, improving the skin's complexion. It soothes burns, blisters and scars; and is considered suitable for all skin types, especially dry and aging skin.

CASTOR OIL Ricinus communis Cold Pressed
acts as a barrier on skin, protecting against harsh environmental conditions.

EVENING PRIMROSE OIL Oenothera biennis, Cold Pressed
is a rich source of gamma linoleic acid, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids which can be used to nourish the skin and balance hormones. It also soothes inflammation, reduces signs of eczema and fights the effects of aging.

JOJOBA OIL Simmondsia chinensis,, Cold Pressed
is a liquid wax that closely resembles the sebum of the skin, and is rich in vitamin E. Natural phospholipids hydrate all skin types - even acneic and oily skins.

NEEM SEED OIL Azadirachta indica, Cold Pressed
rich in fatty acids and glycerides and together with its healing properties, provides an excellent natural moisturizer. This oil has been used for centuries in traditional Indian Medicine to aid in the healing and repair of skin. Neem has a pungent, earthy, green musty smell and the oils is a thick yellowish brown to dark greenish brown liquid.

PERILLA SEED Perilla frutescens, Cold Pressed
rich in vitamins and amino acids. Approximately 50-60% of the oil is Alpha-Linoleic Acid (ALA) which is an Omega-3 fatty acid. The high ALA content helps the skin and hair retain moisture.

ROSEHIP OIL Rosa rubiginosa, Cold Pressed, Extra Virgin
contains a high amount of vitamin E, vitamin A and essential fatty acids which promotes collagen and elastin levels to increase and assists with cell regeneration and is known to help treat dry, irritated, weathered skin. It's a light reddish to deep reddish liquid. CAUTION: it can aggravate acne conditions.

SEA BUCKTHORN Hippophae rhamnoides, Pulp Extraction
contains high concentration of vitamins, tocopherols and saturated fatty acids. Its a reddish brown to golden brown clear liquid with a strong musky smell. High levels of carotenoids, which has beta carotene as its main component, and provides natural UV protection for the skin. Rich in vitamin C, it has antioxidant properties which can effectively combat eczema, psoriasis, wrinkles and other symptoms of dry, aged skin.

TAMANU, MADAGASCAR Calophyllum Inophyllum, Cold Pressed
is a dark green viscous oily liquid with a rich, woody-spicy oil scent. Traditionally used as a cure-all for almost every skin ailment you can think of, from acne to eczema to psoriasis, it is composed of phospholipids and glycolipids, and these are natural constituents of healthy skin and are good water-binding agents.

VITAMINE E tocopherols, protects the skin from UV rays, pollutants and aging, and acts as a preservative for carrier oils. Wheatgerm Triticum vulgare is rich in natural vitamins A, B, D, and E, proteins and lecithin, it is a natural preservative of oils, but is not always desirable because of its strong odour and potential wheat allergies in clients.

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Email Tracey AT Anarres Health DOT ca