It’s begun: the busy season of a variety of holidays, time off, hours snuggled up in front of the tv, family gatherings, open house potlucks and festive parties!
You’re probably only concerned about your waistline and the hangover headache, but how will your skin survive? Traditional food and drinks at the end of the year can leave you with certain skin conditions.
SALT: Salty snacks and sides, that special holiday breakfast with REAL bacon, and dining at the home of a host who thinks there is never too much salt for flavor in their dishes will all cause dehydration and make your face bloated.
ALCOHOL: Alcohol dehydrates to dry out the skin. Combine that with exposure to temperature drops in colder climates, and you’re really asking for flaky cracked skin! Also, alcohol can make the skin appear bloated, and as blood vessels dilate, it can cause the red flushed appearance many people get when drinking.
SWEETS: Oh those chocolates, candy canes, desserts… Consuming too much sugar causes glycation, which can interfere with the body’s collagen production. Collagen keeps the skin elastic; when you pinch your skin and it snaps back in shape, that’s thanks to collagen. Guess what not having enough collagen leads to? Fine lines and pre–mature wrinkles.
COFFEE: Overdoing it on the coffee can also cause dehydration and constrict the blood vessels. Adding those comfy cozy flavors in your beverage? See above warnings about excess sugar, chocolate etc. And thanks to the caffeine, you’ll be up all night worrying about your wrinkles and that will cause dark circles and stress breakouts from lack of sleep!
Just keep in the back of the mind: moderation prevents regrets when the new year settles in. Have a great time this season and don’t over–indulge!
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