Listen to your body talk before it screams! (How to understand your skin’s warning signs.)
~ Lindsay Davis
Internal communication – our lost compass
For most of us, registering how we feel comes naturally. Sometimes we’re happy, sometimes sad, maybe mad or even a frustrating combo of all three. Our emotions steer us through daily life, affecting choices, decisions and reactions. But what if you could tap into other ways your body communicates with you, like paying attention to your outer shell to determine your inner health? I’m talking about getting intimate with your largest organ … your skin.
[tweet_dis]The skin on your body is a direct reflection of what’s going on inside of you.[/tweet_dis]
As well as being your largest organ, your skin is your body’s largest channel of elimination. Marks, spots, rashes and dysfunction, are your body’s way of telling you something’s not right. By the time these signs start showing up on your skin, there is a good chance that your other channels; lungs, liver, lymphatic system, blood, bowels & kidneys, are being overworked. In order to understand these signs, you must first step back and begin seeing yourself through determined devoted eyes. I’m going to show you exactly how to do that!
Where Do I start?
First off, just slow down. Take a step back from your hectic lifestyle of multi-layered obligations and really get up close and personal with yourself. Make some green tea, find a quiet spot where you can be alone and slowly start to listen. Begin by listening with your eyes and an open mind.
So much of this work is rooted in carving out the time to slow down, take a few deep breaths and settle into who you really are. Seeing beyond the outside and listening to signs from the inside. Take a moment and set a healing intention.
How many times a day do you race past the mirror to pick, prod, poke and criticize? This time, try and shift your mindset and approach things a little differently. Before you sit down to study your skin and all its spots and beauty marks, make your intention very clear.
What’s My Body Trying To Tell Me?
Your body and skin are trying to communicate to you. Remember you’re exploring, not criticizing. Don’t let your mind take you down a road of “ugly imperfections”. Stay accepting and positive of EVERYTHING that makes you, YOU. Remember you’re doing this to create a connection with your body. Embrace this intention. You’re looking to UNDERSTAND what’s really going on in that beautiful body of yours!
Grab a pen & paper and pull up a chair. Now start by examining your face in the mirror. Also, tack on some extra time before your next bath or shower, to really examine your limbs and core. Look at the tone of your skin. Run your hand across an arm or a leg. How does it feel? Try and use these messages to help make better choices for your health. Become an Authentic Beauty detective and find your balance by listening to your body.
CHEATER ALERT: Listen, I know it’s easy to just scan through articles like this and “think” you’re getting some benefit from it, but seriously… why hop from one quick fix article to another without actually stopping to DO something and change your life!! GO ON! Get the pen and paper and sit your beautiful butt down in the chair to do these exercises. Keep reading and you’ll see we reward doers around here
What Does The Coloring Of My Skin Tell Me?
Many cultures have used the face to diagnose health issues. Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine and teachings from the ancient Greeks have promoted the benefits of this technique for centuries.
Here’re some examples of what to look for –
RED
Overtones of red in your skin or eyes indicate that your heart and cardiovascular system are overworking. Fine lines around your nose (broken capillaries) can range from red to purple. Both indicate high blood pressure.
Red located on the face & body, indicates an immune imbalance. It is a key clue of inflammation in the body and signifies a struggle with allergies.
BROWN
Brown around your eyes is often a sign your liver and gallbladder are overworking. It can also indicate your diet is high in excess salt or cholesterol.
YELLOW
Yellow around your eyes can mean the pancreas, liver and gallbladder are stressed. When bile isn’t moving properly through your body you can see it appear in the blood. It shows up as a yellow tinge because it’s slow and stagnant. Our skin is actually quite translucent so in healthy people, clean blood pumps through the body and can be seen in the skin giving a fresh pink dewy appearance.
BLUE & PURPLE
Purple circles under your eyes can be caused by a lack of sleep. Water retention due to hormonal changes or an increased salt intake can also lead to swollen yellow or purple circles under your eyes.
Blue and purple around the eyes and nose can be an indication that the cardiovascular system is in overdrive.
What Are The Signs of Health
Your skin tone should be even and free of blemishes. It should be firm and fresh, without any deep creasing. This indicates that your body is absorbing nutrients properly and dispersing them to the rest of your body.
It’s important when doing your scan not to get overwhelmed or full of negative thoughts. Remember you are looking for subtle messages and your body not only responds to reactions over time, it also reacts in real time. If you are stressed, fighting a cold and looking after your neighbour’s kids then your scan might not seem so pretty.
Alternatively, when you’re in a better state and your scan shows multiple outcomes don’t panic, calmly write it all down and start to think about your lifestyle and habits. See if there’s a common connection to some of the symptoms that you may be experiencing or seeing. It could be your body’s way of telling you that your lack of sleep is affecting you in more ways than one. The most important thing to understand is that tuning in, puts you in touch with your body and increases your awareness which will affect your actions and put you ahead of serious outcomes.
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As I mentioned above, be. rewards doers. So if you did this exercise, COME TELL ME! Post below in the blog comments or on my Facebook page and I’ll hook you up with a Free e-book called “It’s Written All Over Your Face” that’s loaded with articles and tips to help you improve your gorgeous glow!!
What’s your internal compass telling you and what are your systems saying. Send me your results and let’s see what’s going on under that gorgeous shell of yours. There is no right or wrong way to interpret, just have fun with it and be curious. I look forward to your results.
Happy hunting my Authentic Beauty ~
Xx
Lindsay Davis is a certified health coach living in Montreal QC. She graduated from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and later went on to pursue her passion for gut health by completing a digestive intensive with Nutrition Lab. When she’s not saving seeds, fermenting something or fighting for food sovereignty, you can find her roaming through her neighbourhood with various kitchen wares.
Lindsay helps people get clear on their goals and works intimately with clients to create a customized lifestyle plan that unlocks desires and breaks through blocks. She feels the key ingredient to transformation is slowing down, understanding where you’re coming from and believing in where you’re going. You can find her at www.onewholesoul.com