Article Surfing Archive

Throughout the centuries, the Japanese have managed to develop highly effective skin care methods that deliver great results. The Japanese, as with the Oriental cultures in general, take a holistic approach to health and medicine. And of course, the Japanese skin care methods are no exception.

Holistic approaches to basic health matters have proven themselves to be very effective. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The Japanese skin care methods are about the prevention of the ravages of aging, and not about attempting to cure a chronic age-related skin condition that has taken hold in the first place.

One of the most common Japanese skin care methods is known as the Okinawan diet. In addition to conferring longevity and greatly reducing the risks of cancer and heart disease, when compared with the usual Western nations, the Okinawan diet is known for giving the Japanese who follow it shiny, smooth, youthful skin well into their advanced years.

In the Okinawan diet, vegetables and seafood are the heart of everyday diet. Sweet potatoes, green peppers, and bean sprouts are among the most highly touted vegetables as they provide large amounts of the antioxidants vitamins C, E, A, and zinc. The natural process of oxidation which takes place within the human body every time we eat and digest food causes the production of "free radicals". These *free radicals* advance the aging of the body if left to flow freely, and that includes the aging of the skin (which most people forget is the body's largest organ). Foods that are antioxidants, therefore, slow down the aging process of the body and the skin.

Next, the fish in the Okinawan diet contains Omega 3 fatty acids. These are the "good" cholesterol that the body needs. Omega 3 fatty acids not only fight the aging process, they are also known to prevent wrinkles by keeping the skin moist with healthy oils. The number one cause of aging skin is the increased lack of moisture. So, this skin care method is able to help keep your skin looking young and smooth. As such, many Western health practitioners advise people to replace at least 25% of their current amount of red meat consumption with seafood.

The skin is also kept youthful with calcium. To this end, the Japanese Okinawan diet focuses on consuming tofu, soymilk, tempeh, and yogurt. Animal milk is not consumed because it causes lactic acid buildup in the muscles and can cause digestive problems and mucous.

Another important part of the Japanese diet that contributes to skin health is tea. The green and oolong teas that are favored are rich in the above-mentioned antioxidants.

However, the Japanese skin care methods also include special knowledge of skin cleansers called exfoliants. Exfoliants are used to gently remove the outer layer of skin, where there are many dead skin cells and dirt from wind and weather that can clog up the pores and make the skin look aged. In the West, one of the best exfoliants is apricot scrub. In Japan, after the skin is exfoliated, the new, youthful skin gets treated with moisturizers and pore-tightening botanical oils.

Adzuki beans, rice bran, clays that are rich in minerals, powdered sea vegetables, and powdered herbs such as ginseng are used as exfoliants (the herbs and vegetables also act as toxin expectorants). Jojoba oil, Camellia oil, Aloe Vera, apple cider vinegar, and herbal teas are used to moisturize and oil the skin.

Using these secrets of Japanese skin care methods, one can look 10, 20, even 30 years younger; enjoy greater overall health; and live longer and with more vitality than they may have thought possible. Other than these 3 reasons, one will be able to benefit a lot more from using these Japanese skin care secrets.