Here are some tried and true tips (that I use myself and with patients) for keeping a dewy soft complexion and avoiding surgery or chemical injections (number 1 is very important, so the best is for last):

2. Hydration – sometimes drinking water isn’t enough. Do you know what your electrolyte balance is like? Electrolytes help with water absorption, among other important vitalizing functions. The most sophisticated electrolyte mix that I offer in my clinic is sea plasma, which comes in sterile vials, and is foundational to cellular life.
3. Cleanse – Shea butter soap for cleansing is about all you need. Keeping your skin clean is foundational to a healthy appearance. Again, be careful of the chemicals in skincare products. Up to 70% of what you put on your skin gets into your bloodstream.
4. Moisturize – take a look at the label on your moisturizer and make sure you know what every ingredient is. Some of your may say, that’s simple! It’s coconut oil, which is an excellent choice, but if you would like to maximize your benefits trying Skin Blessing serum maybe for you. It is a blend of organic oils that is available at my clinic. I have been using it for 15 years. It is formulated for sensitive skin.
5. Exfoliation – is your best weapon for dealing with the signs of aging. My personal favorite is the Clear+Brilliant laser treatment. It is a natural treatment, since the tool is light itself. Clear+Brilliant is a non-oblative fractional laser which means that the treatment penetrates to only the surface layers of the skin stimulating the even sloughing of the dead surface layer of skin that sinks into wrinkles while promoting collagen production, muscle release and blood flow to the surface.
6. Heal and protect – anti-oxidant mixes that are best for your unique skin presentation are a great way to protect your skin from the inside. Your sunscreen should have natural ingredients, like Stream2Sea, that will protect your skin and the reefs.
7. Plumping – not all injections are created equal. Would you like the natural fullness and youth of your skin back? Saline, peptide, and nutrient injections can help stimulate better muscle and skin tone without chemicals for a natural look and no impediment to your beautiful expressive face.
8. Stimulate collagen production – the best is the Clear+Brilliant laser treatment since it evenly stimulates collagen production across the entire treated surface while the laser naturally tightens skin and reduces pore size.
9. Tone facial and neck muscles – a simple massage routine for your skin and jaw exercises help tone, release, and relax facial muscles. I will be posting a series techniques on my blog in the coming weeks. Tight muscles and habitual muscle movements are the underlying source of fine lines and deeper wrinkles. Acupuncture can help plump out deeper wrinkles. Fine lines are smoothed away with Clear+Brilliant laser treatments.
10. Healing acne – many times acne is a sign of an internal imbalance in your gut, but there is the fact of the bacteria present below the surface of your skin. There is a holistic way to treat acne with herbal medicine. Each case is unique so it is best to get an assessment with a qualified clinical herbalist for a tailored treatment.

The number one beauty tip is simple and easy, smile. It sounds a little corny, but in sincere practice, it yields authentic rewards. Find gratitude in your heart, feel it as a living sensation of a smile in your chest and let that energy flow up to your face. Smile for the life that you have and find joy in the simple things. For instance, if you have too many chores to do at home instead of letting it drag you down, tell yourself “I’m so fortunate to have the clothes, clean water, and machines to wash my clothes” or if your task is to make dinner “I’m blessed with so many fresh food choices, let me see how I can make meals that reflect the best.” These little morsels of gratitude will contribute to your well-being and stress reduction in ways you would not believe until you try it. It’s a little bit of magic.

Tracy L. Hackett, AP DAOM, is an acupuncture physician and doctor of acupuncture and eastern medicine in Washington DC and Jupiter, Florida. She provides all of the treatments mentioned in the above article.

Flu & Cold Prevention

We all know that washing of the hands frequently is very important, but did you ever notice how much you touch your face and eyes during the day? This is where transmission can be immediate. Be careful about hand sanitizers that have bactericidal chemicals because that chemical also kills off the natural bacteria your skin has to prevent outside invaders. Good old soap and water are the best.

At my office, if someone has the flu, which is spread by respiratory droplets, we will disinfect the room used to see the patient before seeing the next patient. This is to protect us and the next person.

If you live with a loved one that is sick, it’s always best to sleep in a separate room, especially if they are coughing all night (unless you want to get sick as well). Of course, many times it’s hard to avoid people that are sick around us. An atomizer with essential oil of eucalyptus can help sterilize the air of viruses traveling in droplets.

Natural Remedies That Help Block Colds & Flu

But, my most important preventive strategies are the natural remedies I have come to depend on to stay as healthy as possible during the winter months. I’ve linked my favorite products to this message for your benefit. My favorite TCM formulas are Yin Qiao (sore throat feverishness) and Gan Mao Ling (chills, body aches) for managing the early symptoms before you get really sick. There are smaller sizes available when you click on the links.  Adding Vitamin D3 5,000 IU daily to this mix provides another boost to the immune system. I’ve discussed the many benefits of vitamin D3 over and over. This vitamin is what saved me when I had the flu last winter. Reboost 

Here’s the trick I use to BEAT THE FLU:

If you definitely have the flu (high fever, body aches, respiratory symptoms, cough, congestion, runny nose), then take 25,000 IU of Vitamin D3 at the first signs of fever or flu-like symptoms. Repeat this dose daily for 3 days. When I had the flu last winter, my fever broke in 12 hours using this with two other natural remedies. Can you imagine beating the flu this quickly with natural remedies? Having my own experience with it, I know these remedies are powerful when used appropriately and sourced from high-quality manufacturers (such as the ones featured here).

The other remedy has been shown to have activity against both Influenza A & B. Remember, during any given flu season, the circulating Influenza virus could be predominantly one or the other. In the past, if the flu vaccine missed which strain became the more predominant one during a season, this rendered the vaccine less than 50% effective. With the flu vaccine a toss-up, it’s best to have an arsenal of natural remedies with proven efficacy against the flu. What are these natural remedies?

And what about colds and sore throats?

Now for the day to day sore throat that may start after exposure to the common cold, I use products like oregano oil and clove oil. Oregano has anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties. So, it is an all-around great anti-infective. Clove oil also has anti-microbial properties. These oils are basically made by these plants as their natural antibiotics. Clove also offers the added benefit of numbing the throat. You can make it into a spray using a spray bottle and mixing with filtered water. You control the strength by the number of drops you add to the spray bottle. You can also spray clove oil in the air if you’re on an airplane to protect you from germs flying in the air (but that may seem a little paranoid to those around you).

Here’s to getting through cold and flu season unscathed by a big one! May you ward off most colds that come your way, and get through any that you succumb to as fast as possible.