Inflammation, Disease and Skin by Deborah Tosline

Inflammation Detail by: doyouseewhy7 [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]

Deborah Tosline wrote and published “Skin Remodeling DIY: An Introduction to the Underground World of Do-It-Yourself Skincare” in 2015. Her approach to skin care is based on a scientific background, love of research and over 30 years of DIY skincare experience.

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Acute, short term, inflammation protects the body. When inflammation is chronic it is considered to be the “root of most diseases”.

For this reason, it is mandatory to eliminate sources of inflammation and to promote an anti-inflammatory lifestyle to the maximum extent possible, as soon as possible.

After reading about the relationship between inflammation and disease in the late 1980’s I chose to consume nutrient dense and anti-oxidant rich foods and to embrace anti-inflammatory living as insurance to prevent chronic inflammation and the illness associated with it. Today at sixty years of age and because of my experience, I enthusiastically recommend evolving your lifestyle to include delicious anti-inflammatory eating habits and lifestyle activities that fully support the reduction and prevention of inflammation in every way.

Preventing chronic inflammation is not difficult to do. In fact, it’s the same old healthy lifestyle “song and dance”. However, don’t you feel a greater sense of urgency after reading about how inflammation essentially = disease?

Aside from promoting internal health, practicing an anti-inflammatory lifestyle promotes healthy and beautiful skin.

Notice others in a non-judgmental way. Do they have puffy and swollen facial skin or is their skin tight and are their facial features chiseled? What do you think their lifestyle is like? Over time you will notice that the folks who eat the most veggies and fruits and who exercise and live a balanced healthy lifestyle appear to lack chronic inflammation.

I think that it is best when folks learn about the many different ways that may be used to promote an anti-inflammatory lifestyle and to select methods that fit their lifestyle, routine, budget and schedule (LRBS). This makes me reluctant to share my personal anti-inflammatory habits because my way is not perfect and may not be the “right” way but it’s the best way for me based on my LRBS.

Inflammation Time-Course by Jenglish18 [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]

A few examples of Deborah’s anti-inflammatory lifestyle habits:

·     Food – my priority has been to only choose nutrient dense, anti-inflammatory, high quality food, that is amazingly delicious. Have you ever tried vegan desserts? For me, this includes 100% whole organic food at home for 28 years. It does not include processed food. I spend 2 to 4 hours on weekends doing food prep to support my delicious highly nutritious food cravings for the week. You know the drill. Make it happen. Learn to cook. Vegetables, vegetables, vegetables and lots of fruit, nuts, seeds, and raw organic fats, etc. You must avoid processed foods like the plague, search the internet for recipe substitutions and make your favorites at home with nutrient dense ingredients. Is it expensive? Cooking from scratch saves money and I’ve always chosen to buy fewer material goods and spend my money on good food.

·     Beverages – (only) choose nutrient dense, anti-inflammatory beverages. At the age of 19 I was low on funds and my gut (ha ha) instinct was to drink only beneficial beverages. At that time, I chose to no longer consume soda’s or fruit juice and I only drank coffee in the morning and water or tea the remainder of the day, until I discovered kombucha, Matcha green tea and homemade chai. Why spend your hard-earned bank on nutrient deficient inflammation promoting beverages? This is huge. Stop buying that empty soda and juice stuff as soon as possible. 

Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumour by Nephron [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]

·     Inflammation reducing activities: 

o  Sleep – Another priority. I use black out curtains and I follow a bedtime routine that includes softened device screens, noises, and actions to pave my way to slumberous rest. I take melatonin and count my Nadi Shodhana alternate nostril breathing, which by some miracle transitions me into unconsciousness. I know you may say you only need 4 or 6 hours sleep per night, but based on the variety of references that I’ve read on sleep requirements, I don’t believe you. Don’t rob yourself of a vibrant life. Sleep 7 to 9 hours a night and allow Alzheimer’s promoting waste to be cleaned out of your brain. Read about sleep hygiene and implement these practices to foster and embrace sleep, sleep, sleep. Retrain your brain to sleep.

o  Sauna – I began taking a weekly sauna about 28 years ago and continue today. I love dry or steam sauna’s and have recently added near-infrared sauna time to my routine. Most often, I dry brush my entire body (including my face) and apply a raw, organic oil before a dry or steam sauna. This lymphatic flow promoting activity will help transport metabolic wastes for processing and elimination and reduce inflammation. After all these years, I am able to spend 1 hour in the sauna going in and out, heating up, cooling down, heating up and cooling down. Try it for 10 minutes and cool down and repeat this ritual for up to 30 minutes. This is extremely relaxing, you cannot do anything but rest when you sauna!

o  Exercise – every time I take a walk, I feel good, so I’ve walked 4 miles a day 6 days a week (or a one-hour cardio equivalent) for 31 years. I would not give this up and honestly, it’s my mainstay and foundation for strength. Besides that, the increased circulation reduces inflammation. In fact, there are a variety of exercises that are anti-inflammatory. Yes, one must carve out one-hour a day to exercise, but in the long run you will be so glad that you made that time for yourself and I have found that it actually enables me to do a bit more due to the extra stamina that it brings.

Inflammation of a Forearm Extensor Muscle by www.scientificanimations.com [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]

I feel that I can justifiably “guarantee” that your skin will improve when you embrace an anti-inflammatory lifestyle. Try it with gusto for 3 months and reassess everything.

If you need more information, go to the library, search the Internet, read my past Blog articles, or get my book “Skin Remodeling DIY: An Introduction to the Underground World of Do-It-Yourself Skincare” 

Take good care of yourself. xo

Deborah

This article is intended to be used as general information only and is in no way intended to replace medical advice, be used as a medical treatment program, diagnosis, or cure of any disease or medical condition. There are no warranties, expressed or implied, regarding the effectiveness of the practices described in this article. Products or substances discussed herein are for educational purposes only and are not intended as recommendations of the author.