Fertility is only skin deep

Hi readers!

We are now halfway through January.  How are you coming along on those resolutions you made a couple of weeks ago?

You’ve probably read about the scenario, or have experienced it firsthand.  We are all gung ho on resolutions for the first few weeks of the year, then things start to go south and by the end of January, we’re right back to where we started.

If your resolutions, or intentions as I prefer to call them, involve starting a new, positive habit, then I have good news for you. It only takes 3 weeks of consistent behavior to build a new habit.  Therefore, if you can get through these tricky first few weeks of January, you’re probably in great shape!

By the same token, if you’ve already fallen off the wagon, it won’t take long, or much effort, to get back on.

One of my resolutions for the year is to up my game on personal hygiene.

I know that sounds funny – and I assure you that I am a very clean person! – but hear me out.  I wanted to focus on hygiene so that it’s more an exercise of self-care.  I do well on the basics of keeping myself neat, clean and presentable, but I wasn’t sure I was really caring for myself or nurturing myself.  I wasn’t making my grooming part of an overall self-care routine.  That’s what I want to change.

One area I’m focusing on pretty intently right now is skin care.

Skin care has always been a challenge for me because I don’t like cleansers or moisturizers that feel overly heavy or greasy, and I find that many of them do.  Even though I don’t have oily skin, they just felt like too much for me.  Oftentimes, I will forego the moisturizer because I just can’t stand how they feel on my face, hands, or body.  

However, we need to care for our skin. It’s an incredible way to nourish our physical body.

And keeping it hydrated and moisturized is important, just as it’s important to hydrate the rest of our body.

Why is skincare so important and what does it have to do with fertility?

Skin is our largest organ. When we think about our organs, we usually think about our internal organs – liver, heart, kidneys and the like – but our skin is an organ too and it is the largest one we have, covering almost our entire body. 

Skin is our protection against bacteria, against infection, dirt and toxins.  As I’ve written to you before, we are exposed to thousands of bacteria every day.  Our skin’s job is to protect the rest of our body, including our important internal organs, protected from these toxins.

Therefore, it’s important to keep our skin healthy, clean and in good working order. Proper skin care is essential for maintaining your skin’s health.

Additionally, so much of self-care is about being comfortable in our own skin – this expression is often used metaphorically, but it’s true in reality too!  This is the skin you’re in, so you need to make sure you take care of it.

Skin needs moisture to thrive. Skin cells are always replacing themselves. Your skin will regenerate itself, on average, every 27 days. This continual loss of cells leaves your vulnerable to dryness and the elements.  Moisture gives our skin the boost it needs to stay healthy.

One way to keep moisture in our skin is through the natural hydration we get from water.  Yes, this yet another reason to drink more water.  Have you noticed that your skin is naturally softer and glows more when you’re getting enough natural hydration?

Skin Care and Fertility

Many ingredients found in everyday skin care products contain high levels of perfluorinated chemicals, or PFCs.  These are very dangerous toxins that can exacerbate or even cause infertility issues.  They are known endocrine disruptors, which means that they upset our delicate hormone balance. Hormone imbalance is the leading cause of female infertility.

This issue is not unique to women, however.  Men also need to watch the products that they use that come into contact with their skin, as endocrine disruptors and PFCs can have an impact on their hormone balance as well.

Skin care products are designed to be absorbed into the skin.  If these products are overly toxic then those toxins will be sent immediately to our cells, everywhere the product is applied.  They can go from there to the bloodstream and then travel all over the body.

As I have said before, it is important to watch all of the products that are exposed to your skin.  You might not be able to go completely toxin-free but try to minimize toxins as much as you can.  That will minimize the toxic chemicals that are absorbed through your skin and can penetrate your body.

Here is a recipe for a facial using all natural products that you already have around the house.  I have given this recipe to a number of my clients and to the participants in my Love Yourself Challenge.  One of my New Year’s Intentions around skin care is to give myself a facial using this recipe once a week. 

These products are effective at moisturizing and caring for our skin and giving us a healthy, natural glow.

Do-It-Yourself Oatmeal Face Mask

Ingredients:

• ½ cup hot (not boiling) water
• 1/3 cup oats
• 2 Tbsp. plain, unsweetened yogurt
• 2 Tbsp. raw honey
• Juice from ½ lemon

Combine the water and oats and settle for 2-3 minutes.  Add yogurt and honey, and combine.  Squeeze lemon juice and mix. 

Apply thin layer of mask to your face and let sit for 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes, rinse with warm water.  Gently pat dry.  Apply a good quality, natural moisturizer.

This mask is beneficial on many levels.  The oatmeal is good for exfoliating the skin and removing dirt and oils.  The yogurt kills any impurities so it is effective at keeping the skin clean and blemish-free.  The honey and lemon juice contain antioxidants that protect skin from cell damage from free radicals.

Try this facial and let me know how you like it!

Love,

Steph xo