When we get dressed to go to work or perhaps to the bar, we always check our appearance in the mirror. Some of us, more than others. But we can all agree that our appearance is important to our well being. Our mental health is directly linked to our physical health. If we don’t work out and keep in shape, we tend to gain a soggy stomach and fat where we don’t want it to be. But what do we do about it? We tend to see fixing something that has taken a long time to come to fruition to be too hard and time-consuming. But at the end of the day, we’re not happy. We can make big changes to our lives if we accept that we can only regain our confidence if we take a holistic approach to our health and well being. It’s not just aesthetic, far from it actually. Let’s take a look at the types of things you can do right now.

Image Credit

Why do you have blotchy skin?

Our skin is the largest organ in our body. It’s also the most sensitive to the elements, so the sun, rain, wind and cold, all play a pivotal role in the well being of our collagen bonds and general aesthetics. But what happens when you have blotchy skin is very misunderstood.

• It does have something to do with a lack of good circulation. However, it isn’t directly linked to being unfit.
• It doesn’t have anything to do with any makeup that you put on your face.
• Blotchy skin is more so about your lifestyle and how you are treating your skin.
• Don’t over-exfoliate your skin. Exfoliating does hydrate and clean your skin but it also damages the top layer. Wiping away the natural oils is like taking away the protection that your skin puts on, to shield you from the rain and sunshine.
• You need to improve your circulation by doing exercise and getting massages if you can.
• Stop eating foods that damage your skin, such as alcohol, fatty foods, and carbs.

Don’t buy skincare products that have a lot of chemicals in them. Stick to natural ingredients and go for products that have an organic label. Chemicals in products are nothing new, but it’s not good for your skin to be bombarded with liquids or creams that have been concocted in a lab somewhere. The less blotchiness you have the more confidence you’ll feel. You won’t have uneven toned skin which is something many women loathe. Men too should follow this advice if they have blotchy skin, although it’s not as prevalent in men as it is in women.

A smile to forget

Do you have a smile that you’d rather not show? Do you think that when you smile, people would rather look away? You’re not alone, trust us on this. Millions of people own up and admit that they haven’t treated their oral hygiene as well as they should have. Throughout their life, they’ve been drinking alcohol, smoking, drinking sugary drinks, and pouring granulated sugar into the coffee, which is more often than not, black without milk. But if you have really crooked teeth because that’s just how they sprouted, then you may be in the same boat.

These types of dental implants are very solid and build for longevity. They will require a skilled dentist to operate and fit them into your mouth. Cosmetic teeth are becoming very popular because they look like real teeth, they afford you the strength you need to eat solid foods without worrying about them chipping or snapping. They will simply drill a little hole in your gums. This is where the stem of the teeth will go, which is then screwed into the gums. Resin and other chemicals may be applied to properly seat this in. then the teeth are literally screwed on and fitted to stay where it is and keep its tightness.

The health of your nails

Nails are made out of the same stuff your bones are, but they reacted differently to the changing modes of our health. Nails can be an indication of the lack of health that you may be experiencing.

• Can you see white spots on your nails? Then you have a fungal infection that can be treated with some products which you can buy over the counter. But go and see your doctor as well.
• White nails are a clear sign of liver damage of some kind. You need to get yourself checked as soon as possible if you have full white nails, and they’re no longer translucent.
• If you have pale nails, this is a sign that you could have liver disease. It’s very common for people to think that these little spots are just aesthetic but they’re not. They are an indication of underlying problems such as anemia and malnutrition.
• Yellow nails are a clear sign that you have lung disease, diabetes, or a skin disorder such as psoriasis. It’s common for alcoholics and smokers to have yellow nails, as well as drug abusers.

Dry hair

Millions of people around the world can identify with having really dry hair. This is because of a number of things but let’s get the not-so-serious causes out of the way.

• If you don’t drink plenty of water, you may get dry hair. This is because our hair is mostly made out of protein and it needs to have water in order to secrete its natural oils. These oils will give your hair a natural coat of protection and sheen.
• If you drink alcohol you can become dehydrated very quickly, which can also lead to having frizzy hair which tends to be hard to comb or style. So stop drinking alcohol or just limit your intake.
• Dry hair is linked back to overwashing. Stop excessive shampooing and stick to a short rinse and conditioner application most mornings.

Now let’s move onto the real causes.

• Eczema. This condition saps all the water from your system because your skin is constantly dry, itchy, and flakey. Your skin is trying to repair itself all the time and this uses up the water that you ingest.
• Psoriasis. This is a very prevalent skin condition that causes mass flaking of the skin. Your skin is left without natural oils and your body tries to make new oils using the water you drink. This can lead to having dry hair and an itchy scalp.

Cracked or split lips

Many people will be wondering why something so small as a chapped lip, has an effect on their mood. It’s not just that you don’t look your best, but it goes back to the Middle Ages. Many people who suffered from illnesses in the older time periods, did so because of a lack of vitamins. This led to scurvy and having a weaker immune system, which in turn led to horrible diseases spreading like wildfire. So the stigma of cracked or split lips goes back centuries.

• Chapped lips are due to dehydration normally. It’s also due to inflammation, which is brought on by cold weather and dry air. If you have been exposed to winds, such as high up mountains or just when you went for a jog this morning, you could quickly have chapped lips. You can heal this by drinking more water, using a moisturizer that comes in an ointment form, not a cream.
• Split lips are due to sun damage. Exposing your skin to the sun for more than 30 minutes can lead to horrible cracking and splitting of the surface layer. The natural oils are literally lifted off your body and the dryness begins to take hold. Use sunscreen on your lips as well!
• A lack of vitamin B will cause a spiderweb crack, which looks more dramatic than it is. It will occur at the corners of your mouth and spread inward onto the lips. A low level of iron and or zinc can also cause this type of harm.

Sunken eyes

Sunken eyes are something that modern workers are having to deal with on a daily basis. Sometimes it’s just due to a lack of sleep, other times it’s more serious.

If you aren’t getting your normal 8 hours of sleep, your eyes can sink into your head and it makes you look 10 years older and very tired. You’ll also get dark grey patches and circles around your eyes. Dehydration is also a cause for sunken eyes. Dehydration also leads to a darker complexion. However it could also be genetics, if your family has sunken eyes as normal, it’s due to the eyes sitting deeper in the skull and it’s purely due to the shape of your cranium.

Allergic rhinitis is something that comes around every year. It can cause dark circles to form and cause you to rub or scratch your skin around the eyes more often.

If you look like you are not at your best, it’s because your health and well being is not where it should be. Dark circles, dry skin, dry hair, and a whole host of other aesthetically displeasing features, could all be solved with taking more care of your body.