WELLNESS TIP OF THE WEEK

Pollution and The Aging Skin

by Rebecca Moy, BSN, RN, Solace Wellness Center & MedSpa

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), pollution is the world’s biggest environmental health risk, and outdoor pollution contributes to 4.2 million deaths per year due to stroke, heart disease, lung cancer and chronic respiratory diseases.

There are six distinct categories of environmental pollutants identified by the WHO: particulate, ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur oxide, nitrogen oxide and lead.

What does this have to do with the skin? Think about the buildings around us; over time, they turn grey and get dirty, and just like those buildings, our skin can become dull and absorb the same outdoor pollutants. Prolonged exposure to airborne pollutants accelerates the skin’s aging process. UV combined with pollutants creates a chemical reaction that damages the skin. When air pollution enters the skin it induces stress. Indoor pollution come from household products, dust, mold, pet dander and gases such as carbon monoxide and radon and creates a similar damaging effect on the skin.

With technology on the rise and our increased dependency on it, we are exposed to more blue light then ever. For most, the first and last thing we do before waking up and going to bed is to be on our phones. Recent studies have shown that repeated exposure to visible blue light induces skin stress, inflammation and hyperpigmentation. Long term exposure results in premature aging of the skin.

Good skincare is such a key factor in keeping the skin healthy. So if you don’t have a good routine already, our team at Solace is ready to show you how our elite bio-organic anti-aging skin care protocols will protect you from outside toxins and premature aging of your skin. 

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WELLNESS ON THE WEB

Plant-Based Diet May Reduce Cardiovascular Death Risk by 32%

Now more than ever, Americans have been introducing plant-based products, like the Impossible and Beyond burgers, into their regular diets, and it’s no coincidence. A growing body of evidence is showing that a plant based diet could benefit cardiovascular health.

According to Medical News Today, a new study appearing in the Journal of the American Heart Association strengthens these findings, as researchers find that eating more vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains and fewer animal products correlate with a much lower risk of dying of a heart attack or other serious cardiovascular event.

The findings reveal that the participants who had the highest intake of plant based foods were 16% less likely to have a cardiovascular condition — such as a heart attack, stroke, or heart failure — when the researchers compared them with adults who consumed the smallest amount of plant-based foods. Additionally, high plant-based food consumers were also 25% less likely to die from any cause and had a 32% lower risk of dying from a cardiovascular condition.

Although it does not prove causation, the research adds to a growing collection of data that suggest that plant-based foods may be the key to keeping a happy, healthy heart.

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Not All Bad: How Some Viruses Can Actually Protect Our Health

The term “virus” often spawns connotations of physical illness and computer malware, but some viruses can actually kill bacteria, while others can fight against more dangerous viruses. So like protective bacteria (probiotics), we have several protective viruses in our body.

Popular Science describes bacteriophages (or “phages”) as viruses that infect and destroy specific bacteria. They’re found in the mucus membrane lining in the digestive, respiratory and reproductive tracts. Phages have actually been used to treat dysentery, sepsis caused by Staphylococcus aureus, salmonella infections and skin infections for nearly a century.

Additionally, viral infections at a young age are important to ensure the proper development of our immune systems.

Modern technology has enabled us to understand more about the complexities of the microbial communities that are part of the human body. Along with good bacteria, we now know there are beneficial viruses present in the gut, skin and even blood.

Still, our understanding of this viral component is largely in its infancy. But it has huge potential in helping us understand viral infections, and importantly, how to fight the bad ones. It could also shed light on the evolution of the human genome, genetic diseases, and the development of gene therapies.