Strong Heart, Beautiful Skin

Aerobic exercises stimulate the heart muscles to stretch during continuous routines such as bicycling, swimming, aerobics, speed walking, and jumping ropes. This cardio exercise does not only benefit the heart, but it is an important basis of healthy living. Everyone should try to exercise 150 minutes per week. It will help keep your hormones balanced, reduce brain degeneration, reduce the risk of many types of cancer as well as reduce the risk of diabetes or Alzheimer’s disease. Most importantly, it is anti-aging therapy at its best because it works on both the inside and out! Let’s explore how exercise affects our outer beauty.

• Cardio exercise sends the blood rushing through the finest capillaries on the skin and brings oxygen and nutrients to the skin cells. It also helps remove harmful oxidants at the same time just like if you were to wash down your kitchen drain.
• Regular exercise helps reduce the level of cortisol hormone, in other words, the stress hormones. Too much stress hormones in your body can worsen skin rashes and acnes.
• Regular exercise reduces excessive fat in the body. Fatty tissue is a stockroom for toxins such as pesticides and is a factor in causing hormonal imbalance. And you guessed it, if the hormone is imbalance, acne comes for a visit.
• Oxidants and molecular inflammation are two reasons why we age quickly. Exercise is the easiest way to reduce those unwanted oxidants in the body.
• Regular exercise helps us sleep better. When we get our beauty sleep, our skin glows to show it.

• UV exposure during outdoor exercise can bring sunspots and unwanted freckles. Put on some sunscreen beforehand and wear a hat and other sun protection gears. Avoid exercising during 10 – 4 pm, a time when UV radiation is the highest during the day.
• Wearing makeup during exercise will cause clogging of the pore. Remove all makeup before each exercise session.
• Clothing (including underwear) should be something that is breathable. Avoid wearing thick cotton to prevent skin irritation from sweat.
• Shower after the exercise session to prevent skin infection, including yeast and bacteria that can cause skin inflammation.
• Wipe down public exercise station to prevent contact dermatitis, such as HPV that causes skin warts.
• Some skin conditions, such as redness and hives, can worsen during exercise in hot weather that leads to excessive sweating. It is recommended to perform cardio exercise under cooler conditions, such as running in an air-conditioned environment or swimming. Shower after the session and put on some skin lotion to keep the skin moist.

The above guidelines are just theoretical and you may not yet see the benefit clearly. I would recommend that you take a closer look at professional athletes like pro football Cristiano Ronaldo. You will see that their skin is practically glowing! So why not start practicing today? Try exercising regularly for at least 2 – 3 months and you will see the difference in the mirror.