The thousand daily commitments, work, family, management of the house. There is no woman today who does not feel the weight of stress on her life. And the effects are seen above all in the mirror…
Take the child to school, run away because there is an important meeting in the office. Then there is shopping, taking the little one to the swimming course, calling the mother who is not well, going to the dry cleaners to collect the jackets.
It is not at all strange that those who follow these rhythms meet, sooner or later, a sense of tiredness and exhaustion.
But not only: the stress generated by the hectic life also produces effects on the skin and on the external appearance.
Women suffer the most from this “stress sickness”: they are the real ones responsible for family commitments and are more subject to the natural processes of skin aging.
A study carried out by the American journalist Anna Magee and the artist Auriole Prince photographed the effects of ten years of stressful life on the faces of some volunteers. And the results are truly amazing.
Premature aging
The skin of a stressed woman is even ten years older: tensions dehydrate the skin, produce redness on the surface and in depth favor inflammatory processes (rosacea and acne).
In addition, partial closure of the pores of the skin and an increase in the activity of cortisol and other hormones that promote the production of sebum are observed. Hence the appearance of pimples and skin inflammations.
The face undergoes a loss of brightness, takes on a grayish color, due to a lower blood supply to the skin. Bags appear under the eyes, drooping cheeks, wrinkles and crow’s feet.
Under the blows of stress the hair turns gray before time. This phenomenon is caused by the high levels of stress hormones that weaken the follicles.
When stress reaches unbearable levels they can also fall, it is that disorder that doctors call psychogenic alopecia, that is, the sudden fall of entire strands.
With a proper diet you can do a lot
Diet and lifestyles can make all the difference. First of all, it is good to stay away from cigarettes and alcohol. Then it is good to protect your face from UV rays even in winter and even in the city.
Moderate but constant physical activity is highly recommended.
And as far as diet is concerned, we must prefer foods containing antioxidants, such as fruits and vegetables, legumes, blue fish. White meats, pasta and rice are also good – preferably wholemeal.
Fried, red meats, heavy and fatty condiments, sweets and sugars in general should be banned.
Joycelyn Elders is the author and creator of EmpowerEssence, a health and wellness blog. Elders is a respected public health advocate and pediatrician dedicated to promoting general health and well-being.
The blog covers a wide range of topics related to health and wellness, with articles organized into several categories.