What is Skin?

Skin is the body’s largest organ, so taking care if it should be a priority for us all. Skin is made up of three layers, each with its own important role.

The outside layer is the epidermis. The bottom of the epidermis is constantly forming new cells which start to move to the top of the epidermis once they are completed. At the top of the epidermis, old cells die and eventually flake off, to be replaced with the newly formed cells. In fact, every minute of the day we loose between 30,000 and 40,000 dead skin cells from the surface of our skin!
The layer under the epidermis is called the dermis. The dermis contains nerve endings, blood vessels, oil glands and sweat glands, and also tough and stretchy collagen and elastin.

The third and bottom layer is subcutaneous fat. It is made up mostly of fat and helps our bodies stay warm and absorb shocks, such as bumps and bruises. The subcutaneous layer also helps hold our skin to all the tissues underneath.

Skin Concerns:

Skin concerns falls into two fundamental categories. The first category is a medical problem with skin which may include rashes, infections from bacteria, skin irritations, acne, fungal infections, herpes and other common skin disorders. Short-term medical skin conditions can include sunburn, itches, insect bits, minor skin cuts, and bruises.

The second category is cosmetic concerns with skin. This includes aging, daily skin care and the effects of diet on the skin.

Some skin concerns transcend both categories, whereas good skin often signifies overall good health and wellbeing, poor skin could well be a sign all is not well internally or be a result of many years of poor diet and skincare. We will explore both categories below.

Noni and Medical Conditions of the Skin:

If you have a medical condition that affects your skin, a visit to a dermatologist is recommended. Noni is well documented as having beneficial properties that can help in skin disorders, but these are more often than not anecdotal evidence. Often aggressive chemical products are prescribed for skin conditions which can lead to side effects. This can lead people to a desire to experiment with natural or organic products to keep their skin healthy.

Noni contains a range of powerful natural chemical constituents and antioxidants which are beneficial to skin. These include; Anthraquinones, which are antibacterial, anti-tumour, analgesic, anti-viral and have type 1 collagen synthesis; Glycosides and Glucosides, which are anti-cancer and anti-tumour; Lignans and Neolignans which are antioxidant and arteriosclerosis; Polysaccharides, which are immuno modulatory, anti-cancer and anti-tumour; Scopoletin, which is anti-inflammatory, analgesic, histamine-inhibiting, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal.

Anti-inflammatories can be used for certain skin conditions and histamine-inhibition is useful for treating hives, allergic skin reactions and dermatographism. Usually anti-histamine medications are prescribed, but drinking Noni juice allows you to treat histamine related conditions in an all-natural way. Because the juice works down at a cellular level, it may help combat the cause of skin conditions.

In addition to taking Noni juice orally, it can be applied topically for many skin conditions. We have received many anecdotal stories of Noni successfully used topically to treat acne, herpes, burns and sunburn and many other skin conditions.

Noni and Cosmetic Skin Care:

As we age, our bodies change in dramatic ways. The aging of the skin is one of the most noticeable and tends to define our age the most. The healthy and beautiful skin of youth disappears. With good skin care both internally and externally, it is possible to restore the skin to a younger, healthier condition, although it is unlikely that changes that occur to the skin in the aging process can be completely reversed.

Although genetics can play a part in how our skin looks, the biggest role in maintaining healthy skin comes from how we treat it ourselves. Prolonged exposure to the sun is one of the most damaging things for skin. If we don’t protect ourselves from the sun’s ultra-violet rays, our skin develop deep wrinkles, becomes dry and rough with liver spots and more serious disorders such as skin tumours.

Smoking accelerates the aging process of the skin and increases wrinkles. Smoking causes narrowing of the tiny blood vessels in the outermost layer of the skin, decreasing blood flow and depleting the skin of oxygen and nutrients such as Vitamin A that as so important to a healthy skin.

Skin needs to be treated with respect. Wash it gently during daily ablutions. Use warm water rather than hot, and limit bath and shower times. Hot water and long showers remove natural oils from your skin. Avoid strong soaps as these too strip oils from you skin. Moisturise regularly – this helps maintain the skins natural moisture level and provides a seal over the skin. Shave carefully – shaving can cause skin irritations, especially if the skin is thin, dry or very sensitive.

Exercise regularly – exercise encourages the production of collagen and aids circulation and therefore blood supply to the skin. Drink plenty of water – the recommended 6-8 glasses a day are perfect for re-hydrating dry skin. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables – Vitamin C is especially important for skin. Limit alcohol consumption – too much can lead to permanent damage to blood vessels. Get plenty of sleep – sleep time is when your body repairs itself, and the skin benefits tremendously to regular 8 hours+ of sleep per night.

It seems Grandma knew what she was talking about. The way to good health, whether it is skin, heart, diabetes, over weight, arthritis, liver, cholesterol or a myriad of other ailments all have the same common factors. Maintain a good diet with plenty of fruit and veges, exercise daily, don’t smoke, drink alcohol in moderation, drink plenty of water, and stay within recommended weight bands.

Of course this is an over-simplification – sometimes the healthiest person in the world can be struck down by a debilitating disease and there seems no rhyme or reason and no justice in this happening. But if you take the millions of preventable diseases out of our health systems world wide by people taking ownership of their own health, imagine the wonderful consequences.

Apollo Noni Juice is a natural, organic addition to the daily diet that gives so many great health benefits. It is a complete, natural product, so unlike many supplements, it doesn’t throw the body out of balance.