55 and over Skin Care issues
EDS Skin Care Forums Forum Index » Skin Care and Makeup Forum

free skin care · Tue Dec 09, 2008 5:25 pm

Antonia, you sound like you are in great shape and really take care of yourself! I have a few questions for you. What is your diet like, and since you believe in all the supplements, I am guessing you believe in a healthy diet for good skin, as well?

How to you incorporate all of those products into a daily routine?

And, when do you take all those supplements? Give us your daily routine with your skin care and supplement regimen! Very Happy

free skin care · Tue Dec 09, 2008 5:25 pm

Thanks for sharing your great regime Antonia! Sounds like you are well on your way to *slowing* down the hands of time.

Dontcha just love EDS? .. Very Happy

free skin care · Tue Dec 09, 2008 5:37 pm

I just lost my reply there Sad

Yes, Kassie, I just love it. Since I discovered it, I can't get any work done. I work at home, and have no one looking over my shoulder. I love all of your advice in particular, and Bethany's too. I live in Vancouver so one day I'll actually visit the spa!

Rileygirl, I am just "filing" away my latest round of supplements that I drove down to the US to pick up today. So I'll post my morning and evening routine later.

free skin care · Tue Dec 09, 2008 6:35 pm

OK, so here we go. I forgot to mention that I take a pomegranate formula daily, which is just excellent for the skin

Morning:

- calcium hydroxyapatite formula
- saw palmetto (to keep my hair from falling)
- coQ10 100 mg
- grape seed phytosome
- B-complex
- ALA
- MSM 1000 mg
- acetyl-L-carnitine
- 2000 mg vit C as ascorbate
- N-acetyl-cysteine
- EGCG (green tea extract)
- milk thistle phytosome
- silica
- GLS
- Mixed tocotrienols nad tocopherols
- turmeric (curcumin)
- pomegranate
- lycopene
- spirulina
- sea buckthorn
- omega-3 capsule

Evening:

- calcium hydroxyapatite formula
- milk thistle phytosome
- GLS
- indole-3-carbinol
- resveratrol 100 mg
- grape seed phytosome
- niacinamide/biotin
- L-carnosine
- turmeric (curcumin)
- Phytovision
- Ester-C 500 mg
- Varivein
- spirulina
- omega-3 capsule

I would recommend a soy supplement. I can't have any soy as it gives me migraines. I also have to avoid bananas, nuts and various other goodies (including peanut butter) due to tyramine content (another migraine trigger).

Typical diet:

I don't eat red meat of any kind and rarely eat fowl. Can't eat tofu. So concentrate on fish for protein. Lots of salmon!

Brekky is almost always the same:

one organic flax waffle with low fat plain yogurt, into which I mix plain, unsweetened whey protein. Smother this with ground flaxseed and top with frozen organic blueberries. 2 cups black tea and one cup rooibos tea. Once or twice a week I just have a huge and fattening organic muffin at the local coffee shop.

Mid morning low-fat latté

lunch is usually an egg or two poached with steamed broccoli, or a slice of wholegrain bread made into a sandwich with 1/2 avocado, sliced tomato, sliced onion and broccoli sprouts (yum!)

Dinner is varied but often edamame, apple slices dipped in organic hummus (I'd prefer organic crunchy peanut butter), and a can of salmon.

If I'm starving, I have a few almonds with craisins or organic raisins.

I drink far too much tea and far too little water.

This routine seems to help keep my skin very moist and glowing. I think the omega oils help.

free skin care · Tue Dec 09, 2008 6:45 pm

Thanks for the breakdown, Antonia. I don't know when you have time to eat after taking all those supplements!

free skin care · Tue Dec 09, 2008 6:54 pm

Okay, now fasten your seatbelts for my regimen, which will give you all a good hearty belly laugh ... Laughing

Supplements:

- 1000 mg vitamin C
- 1000 mg MSM
- 1200 mg calcium plus D

Breakfast:

coffee and 2 cigarettes (yes I started again.. Crying or Very sad

)

Lunch:

I don't eat lunch

Dinner:

Fats, carbs + salad (usually meat, veggies and potato or rice) And yes, of course it's white rice.. Bad Grin

Snack at night:

Usually tea and toast or the like (and of course I use sugar and whole milk, doesn't everybody... Rolling Eyes

)

I'm also a major couch ho (thanks to my medical drama's), but not to worry, a glass of wine or 3 once or twice a week eases the pain..

So there you have it...You can all stop rolling with laughter now ... Embarassed

, and I'll get back to thanking Gawd for my great genes!

free skin care · Tue Dec 09, 2008 8:02 pm

Too funny, Kassie...and I'll bet you look waaaaay better than I do! My sis thinks I'm a dipstick when she sees all the supplements sitting in my cupboard. One thing that concerns me is the amount of gelatin in the capsules. Is it healthy? Maybe that's why I can scratch diamonds with my nails. Rolling Eyes

free skin care · Tue Dec 09, 2008 8:31 pm

Geeeez Antonia, you take a ton of supplements... You might want to have a looksy at all the 'fillers/preservatives' you're ingesting each day .. Shock

free skin care · Tue Dec 09, 2008 9:34 pm

Yes, exactly...although most of what I take is in capsule form as opposed to tabletted. I'm going to kick out most of the tabs that I am taking. I only buy the really good ones like New Chapter, Sisu and the like.

free skin care · Wed Dec 10, 2008 8:41 am

OMG! I just researched this, Kassie, and I am seriously paring back my supplements. Most of them (whatever quality or price) contain magnesium stearate, which is a hydrogenated oil from cottonseed and probably toxic in the amounts my DH and I are getting. It builds in the body and can block the villi, leading to poor absorption of nutrients. It can also suppress the T-cells of the immune system. I am totally freaked

. Thanks for bringing this to my notice. Most of the supplements made today contain it. Those made by Dr. Ron's Ultra-Pure and Thorne Research don't. I have a whole cupboard full of supplements that I just bought. Ugh!!!!!!! I just thought I was being healthy and have taken lots of supplements over many, many years. (Most I get at cost.) We eat healthily too but you can't get things like curcumin through the diet unless you eat loads of curries. My sis has always said, "Those things will kill you..." I hope that stopping will somehow reverse any damage (???) My husband has heart problems and here I am giving him hydrogenated oils. Crying or Very sad

free skin care · Wed Dec 10, 2008 11:50 am

OK, so I'm reading more and I think that was a knee-jerk reaction back there. The more I read, the more I'm finding out about the positive side of magnesium stearate and stearic acid. However, I wanted to show everyone something I read last night on Sea Buckthorn. (I use the topical oil, but it also comes in capsules.)

"Sea buckthorn provides a lavish feast of nutrients required for healthy, luminous skin. This superfruit contains high volumes of omega 3, 6, 7 and 9. Add in flavonoids, vitamin E, carotenoids, phytosterols, phospholipids, and many more; and you start to appreciate why sea buckthorn is so good for the skin..." The company makes a lot of lovely body products too. I don't know the rules about posting links, but EDS doesn't sell it so I assume it's OK.www.seabuckthorn.ca Apparently it also lowers cholesterol and compounds in the bark and leaves are anticarcinogenic and antitumorogenic. It is also good for the mucous membranes especially the tissues of the vajayjay Wink

(not sure if this applies to the capsules or some sort of topical application...)

free skin care · Wed Dec 10, 2008 12:26 pm

Just be aware that it's best to do everything in moderation...You already have a great healthy diet plan going for you, and that is giving your body most of what it needs the natural way, which is always best... Also keep in mind that every single thing you ingest, has to be metabolized through your liver or kidney's, and it's not always good to have them working *so* hard day in and day out.

Some vitamins can be toxic in "large" amount, and do quite a bit of harm, A + E especially.. Just be careful not to kill yourself with kindness.. (Your body only needs what it needs, and what it can't get rid of through metabolism, can and will build up elsewhere.)

Keep reading!

free skin care · Wed Dec 10, 2008 12:34 pm

I think I'll still take them but cut back a bit. Thanks again, K.

Wed Dec 10, 2008 3:44 pm

Antonia,
Just finished reading your post and I can identify with so much of what you wrote. I've never met anyone who took as many supplements as I do. In fact my morning and evening regiment is almost identical to yours with the exception of a few things. I take L-lysine, ashwagandha extract, cognitex (neuro-protection complex) vit D3,zeaxanthin, arginine/ornithine, glycine,alpha-lipoic acid, vit k and Imedeen (for skin) as well as many of the supplements you mentioned.

At 54 my skin is still oily so no wrinkles but I am losing elastisity.

I use retin-a 2-3 nights a week also CP in the morning and at night. I also use a product which I get from Life Extension called Nu-face
solution morning and night.

Like you I realize the importance of a healthy diet and excercise 3-5 days a week both cardio and strength training. I also do a combination of yoga, pilates and tai-chi once a week for flexibity and balance.

I am considering buying a LED. Are you satisfied with yours? Also I just started FaceEffect excercises to try and strenghten facial muscles in hopes of toning lax skin in lower facial area as well as neck.

I also use bio-identical hormones Estriol and Progesterone and have been for 2 years.

You mentioned that you take saw palmetto for hair thinning. Does this work and how long have you been taking it? I thought this was only for men to use for prostate problems.

I work as a fitness consultant so health and fitness is my passion.

Arym

free skin care · Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:07 pm

arym wrote:

Antonia,
Just finished reading your post and I can identify with so much of what you wrote. I've never met anyone who took as many supplements as I do. In fact my morning and evening regiment is almost identical to yours with the exception of a few things. I take L-lysine, ashwagandha extract, cognitex (neuro-protection complex) vit D3,zeaxanthin, arginine/ornithine, glycine,alpha-lipoic acid, vit k and Imedeen (for skin) as well as many of the supplements you mentioned.

At 54 my skin is still oily so no wrinkles but I am losing elastisity.

I use retin-a 2-3 nights a week also CP in the morning and at night. I also use a product which I get from Life Extension called Nu-face
solution morning and night.

Like you I realize the importance of a healthy diet and excercise 3-5 days a week both cardio and strength training. I also do a combination of yoga, pilates and tai-chi once a week for flexibity and balance.

I am considering buying a LED. Are you satisfied with yours? Also I just started FaceEffect excercises to try and strenghten facial muscles in hopes of toning lax skin in lower facial area as well as neck.

I also use bio-identical hormones Estriol and Progesterone and have been for 2 years.

You mentioned that you take saw palmetto for hair thinning. Does this work and how long have you been taking it? I thought this was only for men to use for prostate problems.

I work as a fitness consultant so health and fitness is my passion.

Arym

Arym! What a great post...it's wonderful to hear from someone who seems to be just as much of a fanatic :.) Cognitex...ah yes! I'm a member of the LEF as well. I am quite concerned about this magnesium stearate thing. I can pm you the positive and negative links if you like. I actually forgot to add that I take 1000 mg of the D3 as well. I have also used Imedeen, but not the post-meno one as it gives me migraines. (It's composed of sea veggies, lycopene and soy, I believe.)

I think my skin is getting very thin although no other problems with it that are "natural." I've not seen the Nu Face from LEF. I used to use their Rejuvenex face cream but it didn't really do much to thicken my skin. I do use a face mask from Cosmesis that they sell. It's the anti-aging one and it smells utterly heavenly Smile

I have to start yoga in the New Year...

About the Baby Quasar...I think it's too early to tell as I have only used it six times. I still have those dratted wrinkles from the surgery. My skin is extremely pearly/dewy and seems to be getting more so. I am thinking this is likely due to the BQ. I think, on reflection, I would get that free-standing LED rather than the hand-held as it takes half an hour and is a PITA. The free-standing one takes nine minutes. I'm using the BQ on my hands on day 2 and in the crooks of my elbows on day 3.

Kassie convinced me to try face exercises. I am making sure that I don't stretch my skin as I do them. In other words, relaxing my face as much as possible while "gritting" my muscles underneath. When I do the jaw and neck ones, I press my hands against the skin so that it doesn't stretch along with the muscle, if you know what I mean.

Saw palmetto undoubtedly stops female pattern baldness caused by testosterone converting to DHT. Estradiol converts somehow to testosterone in my body, so I need it! I had an internist try to figure out what was happening with this testosterone as I am very feminine to look at and have no hairy chest or deep voice. Apparently, it's not hooking on to receptor sites. I use minoxidil too at 5%. When I use both, my hair stays put. The reason it started falling out recently was because I added estradiol to my estriol. Bad move Bad Grin

free skin care · Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:27 pm

Antonia wrote:

use a dermaroller four times a week

Antonia, I am assuming you are using a small mm dermaroller 4 times a week, right?

free skin care · Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:32 pm

Hi Rileygirl...3 or 4 times a week, I use the 1.0 roller but not heavily... I don't draw blood.

free skin care · Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:47 pm

Antonia and Arym, I thought that one of the most important considerations regarding a healthy diet was to eat whole foods and to avoid anything processed. Surely by taking all those supplements your diet is being overwhelmed by man-made manufactured vitamins. How much do you spend a month on all this stuff - it must be an absolute fortune. Now I'm not anti supplements - many of us eat diets that are far from satisfactory, especially those that lead busy lives and don't have time to prepare proper meals. So taking a few supplements to make up for this is fine. But I don't think that overloading your system with all this manufactured stuff can be a good thing. But that's just my opinion.

Kassy, I laughed when I read your diet - I'm afraid it's very similar to mine (so much for all the preaching above!) Sorry to hear your back on the fags though Sad

But maybe you could incorporate all that sucking and blowing into your facial exercises!! Just grab a bunch of flesh each side of the mouth whilst your doing it! (Sorry Loulou! Laughing

)

free skin care · Wed Dec 10, 2008 5:04 pm

Hi Keliu, much of the stuff I purchase is powdered herbal. I agree with what you are saying, however, things like milk thistle, calcium, vitamin D, I consider important. Due to migraines, I cannot eat many of the source foods that make up a "good" diet. I cannot eat any soy products, beans of any kind, tofu, citrus, dairy (except a little yogurt), bananas or any foods containing tyramine or maltodexrin. Because I love animals, and would feel ill eating one, I don't have pork, beef or lamb and only occasionally force myself to eat chicken. My naturopath and doctor both say to have whey protein and a whole slew of supplements. I'm not supposed to eat fish more than three times a week due to mercury. I also have a problem with wheat. So I do my best to get "good nutrition" from the foods I can eat, and pad this out with supplements. In an ideal world, I would eat all the natural and healthy foods that I could get my hands on. Unfortunately, I start an average of three migraines a week Sad

That said, I think a lot of my supplements are more to do with "good skin" than "good nutrition." Laughing

Regarding "the cost," as I mentioned back there (somewhere) I get most of my supplements at cost or free as I work for several supplement companies. Those that I don't, I order from IHerb.

free skin care · Wed Dec 10, 2008 5:11 pm

Keliu wrote:

But maybe you could incorporate all that sucking and blowing into your facial exercises!! Just grab a bunch of flesh each side of the mouth whilst your doing it! (Sorry Loulou! Laughing

)

I missed this. ROTFLMFAO Laughing

free skin care · Wed Dec 10, 2008 5:19 pm

Antonia, I would dearly love to be a vegetarian but I'm afraid laziness and my love of handbags and shoes holds me back! So I admire your conviction there.

I also suffer terribly from migraines to the point where I would have to spend days in bed. Imigran has saved my life - it is the only medication that helps. However, I've also found that Botox (yes a toxin!) has worked for me as well. I still get headaches but they are more easily controlled and I'm sure it's due to having the Botox injected into my forehead. The fact that it gets rid of wrinkles as well doesn't hurt either!

free skin care · Wed Dec 10, 2008 5:32 pm

Hi Keliu... too funny "My love of handbags and shoes..." I'm not vegetarian. I have a ****load of boots, shoes and handbags in the closet. But I cannot eat these creatures. I did try to find vegan shoes once. I was successful, but got awful blisters. I take Amerge. Before that, I used to be in hospital three or four times a month, having units of saline pumped into me. Thank heavens for the triptans, hey? I've had the botox too but it didn't stop migraines.

Sorry to get off track here everyone! I'll behave now.

free skin care · Thu Dec 11, 2008 2:19 pm

<< I should warn you that this discussion is very much simplified--if you have a month of your life to spare, read through the various LED threads (including specific threads on specific devices such as the Lightstim, the Prolight, the Quasar, and a homebrew vendor the LED man...)

Is there one LED most often recommending for use with anti-aging issues ? i.e. - wrinkles, sagging, etc??

Also, is there a consensus on one brand that seems to be most effective??

Thanks! BF

Thu Dec 11, 2008 6:35 pm

Antonia.. I didn't see you mention Vit D, from what I understand it's important to get 1000IU daily. The Sea Buckthorn I've never heard of, where can you get it and how much should you take, it sounds good. Also the Saw Palmetto sounds good, I have baby fine hair and it seems to be thinning. How much of that do you take and where can you get it?

I am a heavy smoker so have quite a few lines above my upper lip. Kassy_A... my diet sounds very similar to yours. I just lost about 20 lbs, so now I'm about 130 lbs and am 5'6".
It feels good to be back at this weight again.
I had decided about 3 mths ago that I needed to lose weight, my goal was to be 130 lbs by my 60th birthday which when I got on the scale last Thursday that's exactly what I was. Actually though I'm starting to feel kind of weak so am trying to eat more but find I don't have much of an appetite, which could be due to depression and I guess my stomach has shrunk. Last night my 23 yr old gorgeous daughter was over and challenged me to try to get into her jeans. Guess what, they fit and looked better on me than on her, she actually said that and I had to agree they really did. Of course under the jeans its a different story, but for 60 I guess its good. Clothes can hide so much, thank God.

I read part of the thread on facial exercises and want to try the ones for my jowls and the little double chin that's appearing. The kissing the ceiling one seems good but I'm worried about getting more wrinkles around my mouth by doing that one.

So glad that I found this site, I only found it last week when I tried to get some help because I over exfoliated my face about 4 days before my birthday. Pretty ironic, I was trying to make my skin look younger and it looked worse than it ever had especially in my birthday pictures which I'm going to destroy.

free skin care · Thu Dec 11, 2008 7:15 pm

Hi Overthehill Smile

I take 1000 Vit D daily as well...I think I added that to the following post Smile

The saw palmetto definitely helps my hair. I take one capsule a day of Doctor's Best (IHerb). The seabuckthorn website iswww.seabuckthorn.ca. Good for you fitting in those jeans!

Automatic Message

If this is your first visit to the EDS Forums please take the time to register. Registration is required for you to post on the forums. Registration will also give you the ability to track messages of interest, send private messages to other users, participate in Gift Certificates draws and enjoy automatic discounts for shopping at our online store. Registration is free and takes just a few seconds to complete.

Click Here to join our community.

If you are already a registered member on the forums, please login to gain full access to the site.