Desert Health News - May-June 2024

www.desertglowspa.com www.justusskincare.com Targeted treatments. If you’re dealing with age spots or want to keep wrinkles at bay, night is the time to bring out the heavy hitters. While there is always ongoing research, there are a few ingredients that are considered classics and can spare you the need to dive into a research mission. They include retinol or its newer sibling, retinal, for cell regeneration; vitamin C; niacinamide; alpha hydroxy acids; and peptides. Humidifier. You may want to consider having one in your bedroom to introduce moisture into the dry desert air, which will help maintain your skin’s hydration levels throughout the night. When you understand the connection between your nighttime routine and your daytime glow, your skin might begin to thrive in the desert like the durable socialites – blossoming cacti and bougainvillea. It just takes a bit of commitment. Brook Dougherty of Indio is the founder of JustUs Skincare and welcomes your questions. She can be reached at (310) 266.7171 or brook@justusskincare.com. For more information, visit www.justusskincare.com. As we age, our life story often shows up on our face. It’s especially true when one lives in the desert. If you feel the story your desert skin is telling you is one of despair, you might find relief by establishing a few new habits before you tuck in for the evening. A morning routine is about protection and shielding. We need our hats, dark glasses and SPF. Most of us are pretty good about that. But in the desert, our evening skin care is about restoration, and that is as important as remembering our SPF. And, yes, it is just as important for men as it is for women. We may be busy during the day, but it is at night when our body switches into high gear and gets to work restoring itself, and that includes our largest organ, our skin. Think of it like the night crews fixing the roads while the traffic is light. While we sleep, our skin does its best to fight the ravages of the UV rays to which we’ve been exposed and the other environmental factors that are intensified in desert climates. When we forego a few simple steps at the sink and choose instead to read another chapter or keep scrolling through TikTok, we lessen our sleep time and the time our skin has to rejuvenate. Adapting a nighttime skincare routine for the desert is more about the choices you make in the skincare aisle and less about slathering on any old cream you may have found under your sink. With a little dedication, it’s worth the effort. Cleanse. Try to find a cleanser that contains some oil, so you don’t strip your skin of its own natural oils. Hydrate. Find a mist (not a toner) that doesn’t advertise that it’s going to close your pores. Your pores know how to close on their own. Choose a mist that draws water into the skin from the surrounding air and from deeper layers of skin like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, aloe vera and sodium PCA, which is derived from amino acids. Moisturize. There is no rule that says we need a different moisturizer for day and night, but we do need a moisturizer that is rich. Ingredients should include butters like murumuru or cupuaçu and oils that smooth and soften the skin. Use more at night to compensate for losses during the day. Remember, most moisturizers feel good, some even smell good, but if there aren’t any emollients that you recognize, chances are you may be buying a feeling, not a product that can deliver a measurable result. How can you tell? Look at your face in the mirror in the morning. No matter your age, your skin should look a bit plumper than it did the night before, and it should feel smooth. Aging is part of the human experience, but why do some of us just get older while others seem to gracefully defy aging? We can all admit that the desire to look and feel younger is a normal response as we approach our silver or golden years. While cosmetic creativity is an effective option for many, others seem to discover secret ingredients in the recipe for a healthier and happier twilight. We recently spoke with best-selling author and celebrated health advocate Barbara Rogers about her recipe for aging gracefully. Rogers knows a few things about having the right recipe. Her book, It’s A No Grainer , is full of delicious grain-free recipes that have helped people of all ages on their wellness journey. We’ve shared some of our favorites in many issues of Desert Health . Like many of us, Rogers didn’t grow up living a healthy lifestyle. In fact, her health journey began much later in her life, inspired by integrative doctor Joseph Scherger, MD, author of Lean and Fit . To address her health concerns as she aged, Dr. Scherger recommended she try a grain-free lifestyle. It wasn’t long before Rogers could see and feel the benefits – and jumped in whole-heartedly. A binder of recipes she created for Dr. Scherger and his patients even found its way to my desk those many years ago. “Just do it! Go grain-free. I promise you’ll look and feel better,” encourages Rogers, now in her 70s and enjoying pickleball most mornings, along with an almost daily routine of 60 pushups. Some of the other secrets to longevity she practices include gratitude, generosity and grace. “Sometimes as they age, people become less grateful,” she adds. “Complaining and a lack of appreciation are unnecessary weights so many of us carry.” She considers generosity a great complaint killer, “as many who have this aging-well thing down have figured out.” Looking outside of ourselves and giving to those around us ¬– in even the smallest of ways – is like oxygen to the aging mind and body, she says. Grace, she concludes, is a small word with huge implications. “As we give grace to others and to ourselves, we give the gift of life.” How can you incorporate these age-defying ingredients into your life? Rogers, and others like her, are inspiring examples to follow. It’s quite possible you’ll meet her at one of our valley’s many charitable events – especially her favorite, Loving All Animals. As you read this and think about which ingredients are missing from your life, remember, some people simply age, while others age gracefully. Lauren Del Sarto is founder/publisher of Desert Health. For more information, visit www.itsanograinercookbook.com. www.DesertHealthNews.com May/June 2024 Health & Beauty The Valley ' s Leading Resource for Health and Wellness 18 • Injectables: Botox, Fillers, Sculptra • Laser services: skin resurfacing, acne treatment, hair removal, tattoo removal • Non-surgical thread lift • IPL photofacial • Hair restoration • PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) • Microneedling • Chemical peels • Medical weight loss • Vitamin shots "Pam was great. She was very thorough during my consultation and offered several options for treatment, without any pressure to do any particular treatment. I was very nervous going in, but Pam is very gentle and reassuring." Leslie Burns 760.565.3990 73241 Highway 111, Ste. 5A Palm Desert d rtglowspa.com Pamela Gossman DNP, APN, BC-FNP, CPHQ Board Certified Nurse Practitioner Feel more confident and beautiful inside and out Discovering the Recipe for Aging Gracefully By Lauren Del Sarto A nighttime skincare routine is all about restoration. A humidifier can help add moisture to dry desert air. Nighttime is Skin Time By Brook Dougherty Health Advocate and Author Barbara Rogers