Falling for Antioxidants

Hello! Happy Pumpkin season!

This month I’ve featured our pumpkin facial, not only because it’s seasonal, but because it’s another way to add antioxidants to the skin. In addition to nourishing the skin, the acid made from pumpkin breaks down the “glue” that holds dead skin cells together in the outer layer (epidermis), gently revealing the new, fresh layer. Pumpkin is a rich source of antioxidant, as evidenced by the rich orange color.

So what are antioxidants? Anti-oxidants are molecules that can prevent or interrupt the cycle of oxidation, which leads to cellular destruction. Oxidation is the toxic by-product of the fuel-generating process that our bodies perform daily, which produces free radicals, often referred to as oxidative stress. Free radicals are the pirates that de-stabilize cells, and eventually lead to cellular breakdown. Like the carcinogenic black smoke that is produced at a campfire, our bodies generate toxins (free radicals) under increased stress illness, and now there is research to suggest that exercise can significantly increase free radical production. Sun is a major source of free radical damage. Antioxidants have the ability to neutralize free radicals and keep our immune systems on track.

In my esthetics practice, I recommend antioxidants to all of my clients, because stress, and oxidative stress, are obstacles to healthy, beautiful skin. Ideally we get an ample supply of anti-oxidants from a wide variety of foods, especially fresh vegetables and fruits. However, to maintain optimal health in a stressed lifestyle, I believe it is to our advantage to supplement a vegetable-rich diet with mega-doses of whole-food based antioxidants. They can be found in many forms. My personal favorite is Juice Plus, a capsule form, because of the ease and convenience. I also use Dr. Tony O’Donnell’s Radiant Greens and Pomegranate Plus, both of which are considered super foods. In short, antioxidants boost the immune system in a very immediate, measurable way.

In the past five years there has been a growing trend to use antioxidants on the skin – and for a good reason! Applied topically, antioxidant serums protect the skin from free radical damage from the sun, stress and other environmental assaults. Vitamin C was one of the first to be used, but it is the least stable, so expensive Vitamin C serums, often packaged in brown glass bottles, begin to lose their potency the minute the airtight seal is broken.

At Abundance, I have been using idebenone, a synthetic form of CoQ10 delivered in a time-released formula from PRIORI Skin Care, with impressive results. We use it in conjunction with other elements of a well-rounded skin care program to significantly change the texture and color of the skin. Each skin care line now uses their own formulation of antioxidants in various deliveries – cleansers, moisturizers, serums and masques.

So this fall, enjoy the rich, bright colored (the redder the better) fruits and vegetables because they are full of life-giving anti-oxidants. A single apple contains over 40,000 different phyto-nutrients, none of which you can get from a manufactured vitamin tablet! If you would like more information about our antioxidants, feel free to give us a call or stop by the salon – we’d be happy to share with you.