Fun, Facts & Fitness from Mary Morris MSc.
It is true to say that we are always on the lookout for ways of reducing any signs of ageing, and when we were younger we never gave a thought to preserving one of the most important organs of the body... our skin.
Our skin is the largest of all our organs and plays an enormous role in protecting us from harm as you will find out later. It's only when we begin to see signs of 'change' that we begin to invest in it as Rosemary discovered with the Facial Flex, a simple and very effective way to reduce the inevitable emergence of wrinkles and sagging skin.
Skin changes are related to our genetic makeup (my grandmother had the most beautiful skin even at 85!) and other factors such as the environment and our nutrition. But by far the greatest single factor for skin damage is exposure to the sun.
I have to say I don't have many regrets but one I do have is I wish I had not spent so much time in the sun. I know quite definitely that my skin has suffered for it. My grandmother always wore a hat with a BIG brim and knew the sun was damaging even then!
We are the first generation that has booked holidays abroad on a regular basis and my first-ever trip abroad was my honeymoon to Spain in the early ‘70s. I had never experienced that kind of intense heat in my life so became very badly burnt and, in those days, we didn't deal with it well at all. If anything, many people used Sun Tan Oils with absolutely no sun factor protection at all! Today I wear factor 30 on my face every single day, even in the winter. Thankfully, many face creams and cosmetics contain sunscreens within them now which helps on an everyday basis.
Age-related Skin Changes
In our 40s we see major changes in the firmness of our skin and we begin to see the first signs of wrinkles. This is due to the loss of volume and elasticity of the skin. The level of change is very much related to how much our skin has been exposed to the sun. Both my daughters are in their mid-40s and they were taken on holidays abroad from a very young age. Thankfully, we did use high-factor sun creams. These days my grandchildren on holiday abroad look like they are hidden in a sack with just their eyes peeping out!
In our 50s the menopause plays a big part due to the declining levels of oestrogen, so now the skin naturally becomes thinner and drier. Also, because of these hormonal changes, some may even see the signs of spots just as we had as a teenager. The first signs of sun damage may also be seen with brown spots emerging. We gradually produce less oil making it harder to keep the skin moist. It is always a good idea to look for products that suit our individual skin type.
In our 60s and beyond it is hard to hide the signs of ageing. The skin looks thinner and paler with more age spots or 'liver spots' appearing in sun-exposed areas. The connective tissue containing collagen fibres, which give our skin support and strength, now reduces so the skin’s elasticity is far less. (Collagen is the protein that gives skin its youthful appearance). Finally, the blood vessels become more fragile leading to bruising and bleeding under the skin.
Now before you lose the will to live there needs to be a certain level of acceptance at some point that we are getting older. Start to look at yourself with 'kind eyes' and please, please celebrate your best features. Ageing is an inevitable fact of life and needs to be accepted so we live our life to the full. Rosemary and I follow that as a golden rule - and will continue to do so. Wear sunscreen, as has been suggested, but also remember that Vitamin D (which comes from the sunlight and aids our bone health) is also important so leave some small parts of your body without sunscreen (perhaps your arms), for short periods.
The Skin Microbiome
You have heard us mention the gut microbiome on more than one occasion and how it impacts on our overall health. What you possibly may not know is that our skin is teeming with trillions of micro-organisms too. These invisible life-forms are known as the skin microbiome. This is a very new field in scientific research and there is still a lot we don't yet know.
The message coming out so far, though, is that basically if our gut is happy then our skin microbiome will be happy too! It is called the 'gut-skin axis'
- They help to fight infection and act like natural antibiotics.
- They also help to keep our skin acidic, which many germs don't like - perhaps preventing spots.
- They heal wounds and control inflammation.
- They help our immune system to work by acting as a ‘warning flare’ telling our immune system of harmful bacteria and viruses – a rash might be a warning sign of illness.
Fascinating stuff! So, let's all be ‘gut (and skin) happy’ by eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly and getting out into nature with those daily walks... which is exactly what you hear from us every single week without fail. Long may it continue!
