Tag: anti-aging

Hyaluronic Acid – What is it?

Today’s post is about hyaluronic acid. That ingredient that every skin care company is sprucing about in the media.

In this post we will look at what it actually is and is it worthy of all the media hype.

What is hyaluronic acid or HA?

HA is a humectant — a substance that retains moisture — and it is capable of binding over one thousand times its weight in water. It is actually a substance that occurs naturally in the body where its primary function is to trap water inside tissue cells as well as lubricate the joints. The skin contains about half of the hyaluronic acid in the body. The HA binds to water molecules, which helps keep the skin hydrated and supple.

It also plays a crucial role in wound healing by controlling inflammation and redirecting blood flow to damaged tissue.

Hyaluronic acid levels in the body decrease as people age. This contributes to the physical signs of aging, such as the appearance of wrinkles, and to age-related conditions, including osteoarthritis.

Different uses and benefits

The most talked about use for HA is anti-aging and the skin. However, it is also used in some eye drops to help with dry eye symptoms. It has been found to assist with wound healing when used topically.

Hyaluronic acid injections are also used to treat osteoarthritis.

Research has also found that hyaluronic acid supplements may help reduce symptoms of acid reflux.

As a skin moisturiser, there are a variety of serums, creams and lotions which contain HA.

Studies have found that HA comes in different molecular sizes. The larger molecules, are the best at binding water and offering hydration, cannot penetrate into the skin. When applied topically (to the skin), these molecules sit on top of the skin. This will only Improve hydration at the very surface.

Much smaller molecules can penetrate deeper into the skin; however, these molecules bind less water. For a product to provide maximum surface hydration, it needs to contain HA molecules in a variety of sizes.

HA is also used in dermal fillers, many of which are composed of HA in an injectable gel form. HA fillers add volume by physically filling the area where they are placed, as well as by drawing water to enhance the filling effect. Hyaluronic fillers, can last anywhere from six months to 2 years before being gradually metabolised by the body, depending on their specific chemical makeup.

So, Hyaluronic acid is a really versatile substance and may be the solution you are looking for. As always, it is recommended to seek advice from your chosen health professional.

We hope you found this information interesting,

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper

Sources: Harvard Health Publishing – Nation Library of Medicine – Web MD

About Turmeric

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Hi all,

So this is week 11 of my blog.

I have received some positive feedback regarding my content, which is awesome. Keep the comments coming. I’m glad that you are enjoying my posts and maybe learning something new along the way, just as I am.

Melbourne treasures

Recently we went to Melbourne for a long weekend to visit friends. We were lucky enough to have great weather, so we were able to spend a lot of our time walking around. We averaged approximately 8 kilometres a day, exploring all of the laneways.

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A visit to the Queen Victoria Markets Deli Hall resulted in a stop at an amazing little spice shop. We purchased some Turmeric Latte mix, a Vanilla Chai tea mix and some Vintage Merlot Salt.

I quite like the Vanilla Chia tea, though Scott is not a fan. That leaves more for me.

The Merlot salt is bright pink/purple and can be used in a number of ways. The store assistant advised that it can even be sprinkled on vanilla ice-cream! We are looking forward to trying that. I did however make a block of Raw Chocolate and sprinkled the Merlot Salt on the mix instead of nuts or fruit. It turned out to be quite a nice Dark Salted Chocolate.

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The Turmeric latte was interesting, I think I will have to get used to drinking it. Turmeric is in the health news a bit lately, however it has been used for centuries for reducing inflammation.

A bit about Turmeric

Recently, science has started to back up what the Eastern cultures have known for a long time… it really does contain compounds with medicinal properties. These compounds are called curcuminoids, the most important of which is curcumin.

Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant. However, research has shown that the curcumin content of turmeric is not that high… it’s only around 3%.

Most of the studies on this herb are using turmeric extracts that contain mostly curcumin itself, with dosages usually exceeding 1 gram per day. It would be very difficult to reach these levels just using the turmeric spice in your foods.

Actually, curcumin is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream; however there are ways to improve this situation. It is fat soluble, so it is best to consume it with some healthy fats as this will increase the absorption. Add to this some black pepper, which contains piperine… a natural substance that enhances the absorption of curcumin by up to 2000%.

Chronic inflammation is known to be a contributor to many common Western diseases. Curcumin can inhibit many molecules known to play major roles in inflammation. It turns out that the anti-inflammatory effect is so powerful that it matches the effectiveness of some anti-inflammatory drugs.

Given that oxidation and inflammation are believed to play a role in aging, curcumin may have effects that go way beyond just prevention of disease. (Source -authoritynutrition.com)

There you are, it seems that more Turmeric in your diet, however you get it, will be beneficial.

So, until the next post,

Live Clean n Prosper

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