How to keep your skin firm?

The skin is a mirror for the rest of the body. Bad habits can be revealed and stress may be disclosed. No matter what we do, it will eventually affect our skin. Our skin reflects the life we live and if there is a lot of imbalance, the skin loses its firm, healthy glow. It might be unnoticeable in early youth, but sooner or later it can't be ignored.

There are a number of factors that negatively affect the elasticity of our skin. Some of them are sun exposure, smoking, and wrong nutrition that destroycollagen and elastin, the fibers that keep it firm and elastic. Fortunately there are a number of ways to prevent the skin from losing its elasticity. Here are some simple secrets to keeping the skin firm and supple for as long as possible:

• Use Moisturizer: Moisturize your skin every day. Remember that some environmental factors such as sun, wind, and water can make it to lose its moisture. To prevent this, use special cream or oil right after bathing. Pay special attention to your face, neck, and hands since they are the parts of your body that are most vulnerable to the environmental influences. Organic, natural moisturizers with anti aging nutrients are best.
• Drink water: Drink a lot of water. Humidity is essential for our skin. It makes the biological cells to regenerate. Therefore, don't forget to drink recommended daily water intake, at least 8 glasses of water a day.
• Healthy diet: Citrus fruits help to keep the skin looking young. That's because the antioxidant Vitamin C found in citrus is involved in the formation of collagen a protein that binds cells and tissues together. In certain proportions, every food is good for the human body and therefore it is important to maintain a healthy diet.  A balanced diet is necessary to supply the body with all the vitamins and minerals that it needs.
• Avoid losing your weight too fast: When you lose your weight too fast, your skin cannot keep up with the corresponding change in your body. As a result, some wrinkles may be left. The wrong diet can also influence the condition of your skin leading to skin problems. Therefore, check carefully whether you are following the right diet that cannot damage your skin.
• Alternate showers: Try taking hot and cold shower by turns. This will allow the pores to open, skin to relax and make your skin elastic. Contrasting shower can also help in cases with cellulite.
• Exercise daily: Routine exercise keeps your skin elastic and supple. Your skin requires oxygen, and the amount it takes is reduced with age. Exercise provides it with more oxygen.
• Eat the Strings and Peels: There are more health reasons to add fruits and vegetables to your diet. Silica found in plant-based foods can help maintain the elasticity of your skin and improve your complexion. So if possible, enjoy the whole fruit and vegetable, like cucumber skin, onion springs and the strings of celery (ajmud) and asparagus (shatwar).
• Swap Your Carbohydrates: Replace refined carbohydrate foods like white bread, cookies, and pasta with their whole-grain cousins. Not only do whole grains provide a lot more anti-aging antioxidants, they also provide fiber which is the key element of a healthy skin diet.
• Use sunscreen: You may know that 15 daily minutes in a sun provides daily portion of vitamin D. However, an extended period can dry your skin and damage it by fastening aging process and causing various diseases. Therefore, don't spend too much time in the sun and use sunscreen to prevent skin damage from happening.
• Quit smoking and Drinking: Smoking and drinking alcohol does a lot of damage to the body.  They make the skin lose water and unwanted materials get in the body causing skin diseases.  The skin of heavy smokers also gets pale and therefore it is advisable to quit smoking and drinking alcohol.
• Balance your skin's pH: The pH refers to the balance of acid and alkali in your skin. That is, how acidic your skin is. Your skin needs a slightly acidic pH level (somewhere around 5.5) to protect your body from bacterial infections. The best foods to eat to keep skin pH at the right level are those that contain alpha-hydroxy acids. These include foods like apples, blackberries, any citrus food and tomatoes. You can also use a good, natural and organic toner to balance your skin's pH.

No matter what we do, it will eventually affect our skin.  If the skin is taken care of then it will look healthy and shine.  Proper nourishment of the body is vital in making a difference to the way our skin looks.