Skin is an excellent indicator of internal health and wellbeing as it one of the more useful tools for telling what is happening internally without doing any tests.

Thyroid imbalances, Diabetes, Lymphoma, and Lyme Disease, can be determined just by looking at the skin. It's important to check your skin regularly for any strange marks or moles as they can be a sign of an underlying condition.

Your skin is your largest organ, and it’s the only one we wear on the outside, so it can be our window into our overall health if you know what you’re looking for.

What to Look For

Skin discoloration, also known as hyperpigmentation or bronzing of the skin, happens when the body absorbs too much iron. This could be an early indicator of diseases such as diabetes.

It is also important to note that some dermatologic conditions are correlated with occurrences of diabetes and obesity. For example, data shows higher diabetes rates in children with psoriasis, a disease marked by thick, red, itchy, scaly patches on the skin.

Dark circles under your eyes may imply you are tired, but also that you suffer from allergies. More skin redness than usual could indicate too much sugar or processed foods in your diet.

Vitamin B12 deficiencies can lead to hyperpigmentation, too. Those with B12 absorption issues can find that they have skin lesions that aren’t limited to hyperpigmentation; but who also include vitiligo, angular stomatitis and hair changes.

Those with Vitamin D deficiencies may find that their skin is impacted with slower wound healing, This includes issues with slower dental and gum healing after dental surgery. Furthermore, persons deficient with Vitamin D who suffered leg ulcers saw a 28% decrease in the ulcers when they started a Vitamin D supplement treatments.

And, of course, skin damage from too much sun exposure can lead to discoloration and destruction of the elastic and collagen tissue in your skin. Making sure you protect your skin from heavy sun exposure is crucial in the summer, and throughout the year. It’s important for us to be familiar with the skin that we’re in so we can monitor changes that might happen, including all of our moles and spots to keep an eye out for the biggest skin vulnerability, skin cancer.

What Can You Do?

Nutrition is one of the most critical parts in maintaining a healthy inside and outside. Many Doctors now embrace the concept of diet in helping to prevent and slow down the progression of many signs of aging.

Keep an eye on your skin, not just for the spots we look for with monitoring for skin cancer, but also for your colorization and discuss any profound or gradual changes you might have with your physician so you can monitor the changes together.

Beauty comes from the inside and has been a focus of people from ancient times to the modern age. Prevention is the best way to work against any skin. The best prevention strategy against the harmful action of free radicals is a well-regulated lifestyle, with low-stress conditions and a balanced nutritional diet, including anti-oxidative rich food.

While diet might not always fully enough take care of your body, we want you always to be looking and feeling your best so grab your favorite cup of VitaCup because good skin starts on the inside, and vitamins can be one more tool for maintaining healthy skin.