Beauty Pure and Simple by Kristen Ma

Author:Kristen Ma
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shambhala Publications

Rule 4: Calm Down

Both modern medicine and holistic practices agree that stress is detrimental to our health. Awareness of this helps us understand that our emotions also affect our body and skin. It is surprising how beneficial simply relaxing and grounding yourself can be to your complexion. Healthy individuals have a glow that naturally draws others to them, and being well rested is a vital part of that radiance. But it’s impossible to get adequate rest if you’re under chronic stress, and the combination of the two depletes your whole immune system. Stress is incredibly taxing, and in the long term, it leads to premature signs of aging, dehydration, water retention, inflammation, and weight gain. Stress makes you more susceptible to dry skin and fine lines, which in turn contributes to oil imbalance, acne, poor absorption, sensitivity, hyperpigmentation, allergic reactions, dullness, and clogged pores.

One reason for all this havoc is that stress-related fatigue depletes the adrenal glands, which leads to dehydration. As discussed at the beginning of this chapter, hydration is the single most important factor for the health of the skin, the immune system, and the body as a whole. Some health practitioners believe the adrenals are so important that they must be treated before any other healing can occur. Because they regulate stress and energy levels, improving their function helps all of the other organs work better. The adrenal glands are located above the kidneys (which control the retention and release of water), and they secrete adrenaline when the body is under stress. Adrenaline protects us by providing extra energy to combat danger; however, when the adrenals are overstimulated for a long time, they cause the kidneys to be overstimulated as well, and the body loses water.

Stress-induced constipation can also cause dehydration. When you are under a lot of stress, the anxiety often causes tension in the muscles. You may think this type of muscular tension is limited to the neck and shoulders, but many people actually carry stress in the abdominal area. This affects the intestinal muscles, causing them to tense up and making elimination more difficult. Constipation is dehydrating because blocked bowels absorb water. Diagnosing stress-related dehydration from the skin is easy, because it is not cured by applying creams or drinking liquid. For this reason, facials are dually beneficial; they treat the skin and promote relaxation. At Pure + simple, our Lymphomaniac Facial includes a stomach massage along with a lymphatic drainage massage.

From an ayurvedic view, all these conditions are indicative of vata aggravation. Both the kidneys and the colon are governed by this dosha, and because of the delicate, unstable quality of air, the resulting symptoms of dehydration, weight loss, and memory loss have a vata quality. Vata imbalance can also lead to dysfunction in the other doshas.

One example is kapha water retention. Because the body becomes accustomed to losing water when under continual stress, it begins to store excess fluid to prevent depletion, leading to a kapha imbalance. This creates heaviness in the body along with puffiness around the eyes and face.

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