Remember that the skin is our largest organ and we have to take care of it, says Bratschi. "By cleansing, exfoliating and properly hydrating the skin on a regular basis, you will vastly improve the health and condition of your skin and in turn the overall health of your body," she says. Facials that concentrate not only on the face and neck, but also on the hands, arms, feet, shoulders, d�collet� and scalp coupled with aromatherapy and lymph drainage have the benefits of helping your immune system and removing bodily toxins and wastes, she adds.
How often should you get one?
Get a tailored facial monthly to maintain healthy skin, says Bratschi. However, the need for a facial can increase depending on a number of different factors such as "if you travel a lot, live in a large or densely populated area, are exposed to more pollution and contaminants, live in a hot or cold climate, [and/or] have a stressful job or personal life," she says.
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Impact of living life without facials
"Your skin is an outer reflection of your inner being," says Bratschi, and all those aforementioned factors like stress and living in more polluted city can take their toll on your skin. Just think of all the toxins we are exposed to on a daily basis that sit on the skin, clog our pores and work their way in to the bloodstream, she adds.
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Life saving health and beauty appointment: dentist
Let's say you have a class reunion or a wedding coming up and Crest Whitestrips aren't quite cutting it. So you go to your dentist for full-on professional whitening, but while you're there, go ahead and get a cleaning because seeing a dentist regularly will allow you to maintain oral health at its peak, says Golub-Evans. "Everything starts with the mouth, if a patient is healthy within their mouth, it will extend to their condition overall. Strong teeth and gums can even lead to better nutrition (since it doesn�t hurt to chew) and positive self-esteem," he says.
How often should you go?
"Ideally, a patient should see their dentist every six months or at least once every year," says Golub-Evans. And in between those visits? "Brushing and flossing! Flossing is especially important. I recommend that patients floss first, then brush, then rinse every night. In the morning, it's fine to just brush. Once a day flossing is enough for most people. Keeping to an overall healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables is also beneficial. And, of course, people should try to monitor their intake of things like sweets, alcohol and cigarettes. Acidic items are also hard on the teeth," he says.
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Impact of living life without regular dentist visits
"As people mature, the aging process takes it's toll on oral health and, without regular dental check-ups, the ill effects can catch up to you and provide greater challenges than if teeth had been well maintained all along," says Golub-Evans. "People who are pre-disposed to heart disease, or who are dealing with a compromised immune system, should be especially mindful of oral health. The bacteria in the mouth can spread through the bloodstream and create much larger health problems," he adds. "The top health problems we generally see in people who haven't seen a dentist regularly are gingivitis (where the gums swell up as a result of the buildup from not getting routine cleanings) and cavities (which develop from bacteria). When these, and other serious issues, go unseen without a regular check-up, it could ultimately result in bone degradation and tooth loss," says Golub-Evans.
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Life saving health and beauty routine: exercise
Whether you're a workout fanatic or cardiovascular-ly challenged, remember that the payoff is sweet: "Weight maintenance, lean muscle tissue, better mental clarity and happiness, a regular metabolic rate, less yoyo-ing with weight, and much more, the list is endless!" says Borden. Cardio exercises and rebounding (jumping or bouncing) help the lymphatic system, keeping you physically and mentally young -- allowing you to stay active and do things you enjoy longer, she says.
How often should you workout?
"Three to four days a week for 60 minutes is ideal," says Borden. "That can be a mixture of cardiovascular and strength training." She suggests things like weight training, rebounding, full body circuit strength and conditioning training, but above all -- doing any physical activity that you love (for her its Jiu Jitsu, but for you maybe it's tango or tennis.) Plus, a healthy diet should accompany your workout. "Healthy fat is your friend," adds Borden. (She loves Udo's oil, and recommends two tablespoons per 50 pounds of body weight per day.) "It helps with lean muscle tissue, digestion, skin problems, sun sensitivity and better mental health. Also, I can't stress it enough -- drink water, water and more water. Start with your body weight in ounces of water per day, especially if you have not been a big water drinker," she says.
Gone are the days of having one general physician be your sole, go-to healer and cure-all for every ailment. We are a much savvier generation who thinks more about prevention, drawing from both Eastern and Western wisdom. And you know that taking care of your health and beauty involves getting regular beauty treatments, seeing your doctors for annual or biannual checkups and maintaining good habits -- all which contribute to your overall well-being. But did you know that some of these things might actually save your life?
We sat down (well, not literally) with the following experts from a broad spectrum of fields: Lena Bratschi, a CIDESCO (an international beauty therapy association) trained esthetician and founder of Carasoin Spa in Beverly Hills, Calif.; Dr. Jeff Golub-Evans, a cosmetic dentist; Dr. Craig Austin, a New York City Dermatologist and creator of Cane + Austin Products; Ashley Borden, a fitness and lifestyle consultant (with a hefty celebrity clientele, BTW); and Shelena Robinson, nail professional and educational ambassador for CND (creative nail design). They explain the benefits of certain health and beauty treatments, appointments and habits, how often you should do them for optimal wellness and what might happen to your health if you don't do them. So, if you're pretty diligent about taking good care of your health, you'll find out how this care is benefitting you. Or, if you're not so good about making yourself a priority, you might get a little lesson in prevention and early detection and what you should be doing now to make sure you're around to see your children's children.
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