While the concept of mindfulness is not new, and its values have been discussed for centuries in various traditions, only recently has the scientific world captured the health-promoting potential of mindfulness. In the 1942 textbook Fundamentals of Medical Dermatology, many pages are devoted to mindfulness as it relates to sleep and mental rest. The advice cuts to the very heart of the mindfulness-based instructions in every pop self-help book over the past two decades. It is humorous to think that some of the folks who cuddle up with Oprah et al. on talk shows actually think they invented this stuff!

For healthy skin, the textbook advises:

- “Systematic practice at living in the moment and viewing life with serene detachment.”
- “Live in the present from one day to the next.”
- “Refuse to think of the past, stop speculating, planning, and foreboding for the future.”
- “Practice getting outside yourself, viewing your world with detachment, as if looking at it as a parade going by.. .as a spectator, not a marcher.”
- “And one must focus the attention on things that take him (the patient) outside himself. Hence walking out of doors… watching the wind, the clouds, the grass and trees, or if in the city, the life about one, is the proper method.”

Remember, this textbook was the basis for what was being taught to young doctors and future dermatologists! This type of wisdom was forgotten when pharmaceutics showed up.

In recent years, mindfulness has been shown to improve inflammatory skin conditions, including dermatitis and psoriasis. Mindfulness almost certainly reduces inflammation by stress-reducing mechanisms. Here are the facts:

- New Japanese research indicates that mindfulness can increase levels of the feel-good chemical serotonin.
- A 2008 study of patients with chronic anxiety shows that instructions on becoming more mindful decreased worry and symptoms of anxiety, which in turn improved sleep quality and daytime energy and mental focus.
- A study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (2003) shows that greater awareness and being mindful in life from day to day is correlated with enhanced well-being—improved mood, optimism, life satisfaction, and willingness to attempt new experiences.

Mindfulness of individuals is assessed by inquiring about their focus in the present and preoccupation with past and future. Common questions include, “Do you snack without being aware that you are eating?” or “Do you forget someone’s name almost immediately after he or she has told you?”

One study in Psychosomatic Medicine (2003) exemplifies the value of MBSR. Researchers showed that an eight-week mindfulness course was associated with greater activation of areas of the brain that govern positive emotions. It is important to note that the beneficial results on mood and the immune system were not recorded on the day the eight-week program ended. Instead, the changes were documented four months after the program’s completion.

The topical application of vitamin B3 (as nicotinic acid or niacinamide) can prevent water loss from the skin. It can also stimulate the production of ceramides and the keratin in the epidermis. Vitamin B3 is like an epidermal bricklayer because it has a positive influence on both the bricks and the mortar. In addition, it has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties when topically applied. Not only that, but topical vitamin B3 reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles (including eye wrinkles!) and can produce a more uniform color to the skin. The latter attribute should not be underestimated as some studies indicate that a non-uniform skin tone with blotches and hyperpigmentation is perceived as a major contributor to a more aged skin appearance, right up there with wrinkles.

An added value of vitamin B3 is that it can help prevent the usual suppression of the immune system after UV exposure when taken either orally or topically. Note that in the beauty realm, the form of B3 used is typically niacinomide. Dosing with oral B3 as the niacin form found in some vitamin supplements may lead to an uncomfortable flushing reaction in the skin.

When inflammation is ongoing in the skin (and with our dietary habits and stressors these days, when is it not?), the skin steps up its demand for the B vitamin folic acid. We know that after UV exposure, the skin’s demand for folic acid increases, likely because one of folate’s most important roles is in the protection and repair of the DNA in our cells and in the formation of new cells.

In a study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology (2008), German researchers showed that topical folic acid (along with creatine, which we will discuss later) protected human skin against UV damage, reduced the volume of wrinkles, and increased skin firmness relative to the control. Based on the grading system, there was a significant decrease in fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes, and the skin was smoother after eight weeks of use. While the role of creatine, a nutrient which supports the energy production in skin cells cannot be dismissed, it is almost certain that more studies on topical folic acid will roll out soon. Topical B vitamins are undoubtedly here to stay as part of topical skin foods.

To function on the front lines of defense, skin cells require massive amounts of energy. The cellular unit responsible for energy production is called the mitochondria. Each of our mitochondrion is like a fully rechargeable AAA battery that uses nutritional components to operate in high gear. When we are young, the mitochondria is very efficient and can run on poor nutritional quality. However, through the aging process, its efficiency declines, and mitochondria becomes less forgiving of our poor selection of dietary choices. Fast food and other nutrient-deficient foods provide only low-grade raw materials for energy production.

When the skin-aging process starts in earnest in mid-life and beyond, the demand for energy production for defense, repair, and regeneration reaches an all-time high. To make matters worse, when the mitochondrial function starts to decline, it actually increases the formation of free radicals and contributes to the oxidative stress burden in the skin.

Skin-care companies are working hard to develop topical formulations that help to support the functioning of mitochondria. There are also hints that the oral administration of mitochondrial-supporting nutrients can help curb the skin-aging process.

Yutaka Ashida, PhD, and colleagues reported in 2004 that the oral administration of 60 milligrams of Co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10) daily for three months reduced the volume and depth of eye wrinkles. The supplement also increased the total surface area around the eyes that was free from wrinkles. The same group then did experimental studies to see if the oral CoQ10 actually reached the skin. Sure enough, the oral administration of CoQ10 increased epidermal levels by an astounding 194 percent. Interestingly, most other organs did not see a significant increase in CoQ10 levels, indicating that it makes a beeline for its frontline work in the skin. In addition to its role as a strong antioxidant in the skin, CoQ10 plays a critical role in the production of mitochondrial energy.

The CoQ10 study provides evidence that other nutrients that help maximize mitochondrial function may also have a place in beauty from the inside out. Since many of the B vitamins are essential for the production of energy within the battery, maybe those old advertisements promoting B vitamins for a youthful skin weren’t so wrong after all.

Inadequate intake of zinc, one of the most important skin nutrients, has been shown to contribute to mitochondrial decline. An estimated half of the adult population may be deficient in at least one nutrient that otherwise supports mitochondrial function.

Omega-3 fatty acids are also important in mitochondrial functioning. Other specific dietary supplements known to improve energy production in human cells are: a-lipoic acid, acetyl-L-carnitine, creatine, taurine, ribose, quercetin, rhodiola, grape extracts (with the natural chemical resveratrol), and ginkgo biloba. Note that the common thread among most of these ingredients is that they act as strong antioxidants.

Supplementation with a mitochondria cocktail including these ingredients may be of value in keeping your cells energized and highly functioning. In keeping with our theme that a wrinkle is not just a wrinkle, but a reflection of inner health, consider that mitochondrial cocktails of these supplements (especially CoQ10 a-lipoic acid, and acetyl-L-carnitine) have been shown to be helpful in a number of age-related diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases.

Remember that this is more than a superficial issue; mitochondrial decay is at the core of most diseases of aging. Not surprisingly, a number of these mitochondria-supporting chemicals and herbs can now be found in the ingredient list of the natural topical preparations. Finally, exercise is known to be one of the best ways to preserve the structure and function of the mitochondria through the aging process. Energizer hpe 40 The Elixir of Life – Reviews and guides

Two recent studies highlight the importance of probiotics in relation to the absorption of other skin-friendly nutrients and essential fats. The first showed that oral collagen administered in the form of a Lactobacillus yogurt drink significantly increased the collagen-building proteins in the bloodstream. The second showed that a probiotic yogurt drink with green tea, borage oil, and vitamin E significantly improved barrier function of the stratum corneum versus placebo (non-probiotic acidified milk) after six weeks.

Administering the probiotics and the GLA together seemed to improve the absorption of the GLA: the total amount of GLA making it to the bloodstream doubled during the study! Of course, it is impossible to say that the probiotics alone improved the skin barrier and hydration. The green tea, the GLA, the vitamin E, or some combination of the three may have been responsible. The point is that taking probiotic supplements may be of value for many reasons, including the enhanced absorption of collagen peptides and the other anti-aging ingredients found in dietary supplements.

The big question surrounding probiotics is which supplement or yogurt should be recommended for the maintenance of youthful skin. Many probiotic formulas are on the market, so finding a brand with therapeutic levels of viable bacteria inside the bottle or the yogurt container can be a challenge. There are few, if any, live bacteria in commercial pills, powders, and yogurts.

A Consumer Reports expose in 2005 highlighted many problems with probiotic yogurts and pills. Most experts agree that one billion colony-forming units (CFUs) of bacteria is the minimal level needed to produce meaningful benefits. The researchers at Consumer Reports found that probiotic formulas quite often fell short in CFUs.

In addition, the beneficial effects of probiotics appear to be very much related to the strain of bacteria involved. Sadly, probiotics are still marketed under the umbrella term acidophilus, leading consumers to believe that any old probiotic (or acidophilus!) will do.

We believe that probiotics are an essential part of the nutritional approaches to keeping your skin younger and we have placed our most trusted recommendations for probiotics and yogurts in the appendices.

While the key anti-inflammatory chemicals in ginger (gingerols) appear to perfuse through the skin quite well, turmeric’s principal antioxidant and UV-protecting chemical, curcumin, needs help to get through the skin. The EPA from fish oil might be just the ticket to help access the deeper skin layers.

The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of curcumin and the gingerols after topical application are becoming more apparent with each passing month. Recently, an extract from Asian turmeric was shown to promote collagen production and decrease collagen-destroying MMPs in a more effective manner than green-tea antioxidants. Chemicals from both roots have protected the skin against UV damage in experimental studies.

A study in the International Journal of Dermatology (2006) showed that a topical ginger extract inhibited wrinkle formation in animals exposed to chronic, yet only low-level UV radiation over three months. The researchers set it up that way on purpose so that the low-level UV rays did not cause the usual redness and acute sunburn in the animals—this to reflect the day-today UV exposure of most humans. Incredibly, the ginger extract maintained the normal elasticity of the skin and prevented wrinkles despite the chronic UV exposure. Indeed, the ginger extract inhibited the enzyme that breaks down the elastic fibers (elastase), and the natural structure of the dermal elastic fibers was maintained.

Interestingly, the same researchers also applied a synthetic topical UV sunscreen, and while it may protect against sunburn, it did not protect the elastic fibers and did not prevent wrinkling. Again, we are not saying that sunscreens are of no value. They are, yet we should not rely upon them as the sole means to stop the aging process. Doing so might set you up for disappointment.

Most studies on the topical application of ginger and turmeric are only in the experimental stages, so at the time of this writing, human data is still lacking. All we have at the moment is one human study that used a 0.1 percent curcumin formula along with other herbs. In that study, published in Phyfomedicine (2007), the combination herbal formula with curcumin improved skin firmness and elasticity after four weeks.

New ginger extracts that have some of the skin irritants removed are in the development phase and will be in commercial use shortly. This is an important development because ginger has some fat-soluble components that can irritate the skin and cause undesirable flushing.