March | 2019 | resveralife

March 18, 2019August 12, 2019 by Victoria Santalesa

Jojoba Oil is Biocompatible with the Skin

There are only a handful of ingredients out there that are genuinely suitable for all skin types, and jojoba oil is one of these.

What makes this ingredient so great?

The fact that jojoba oil is biocompatible with the skin, meaning that the skin readily accepts it and puts it to good use.

What is Jojoba Oil?

Jojoba oil

Jojoba oil is extracted from the seed of the jojoba plant – a shrub that is native to certain parts of southern USA and Mexico. Around 50% of the seed contains the oil, which looks like a thick golden liquid when it is pure, with a subtle nutty scent to it.

Although this liquid is referred to as an oil, it is technically a wax, making it even softer than a normal oil.

Unlike many of the other oils out there, from almond to safflower to squalene, jojoba oil is quite stable when it comes to resisting oxidation, making this a fantastic oil to incorporate into skin care products when you need them to have a longer shelf life.

Wondering what else the oil is used for?

Since the jojoba plant itself is quite slow and difficult to grow, jojoba oil is only really used for small-scale purposes.

Historically, it has been used by Native Americans to treat skin wounds and other similar conditions, and is now also currently being explored as an alternative sustainable fuel source.

The Biocompatibility of Jojoba Oil

So, what exactly does it mean when an ingredient is said to be biocompatible with the skin?

It basically means that the molecular structure of jojoba oil, along with the natural fats within it, are extremely similar to the oil that the skin naturally produces.

This means that, when jojoba oil is applied to the skin, the skin is tricked into thinking that this oil is actually its own sebum. This results in the skin absorbing much more of it, and at a much faster rate, than other ingredients.

Jojoba is the only plant out there that creates an oil that is so similar to the skin’s natural sebum, making this ingredient rather special.

If you have oily skin, you are probably thinking…

Why would I want to be putting even more oil on my skin?

The idea of applying oil to oily skin may seem counter-intuitive at first, but hold on….

When you apply the oil and trick your skin into thinking that the oil is its own sebum, this then causes the skin to cut back on the amount of actual sebum that it is producing.

Intrigued?

Keep reading…

A Fantastic Anti-Acne Ingredient

Oily skin is also usually prone to breakouts. This is due to the excess oil settling in within the pores and mixing together with dead skin cells, dirt and other impurities. This then forms a clog, blocking up the entrance to the pores and resulting in inflammation, which manifests as a breakout.

Well, as mentioned above, jojoba oil quickly helps to rebalance the amount of sebum that your skin produces, leaving your skin significantly less oily.

Worried that the jojoba oil itself will clog your pores up?

Jojoba oil is noncomedogenic, meaning that it is unlikely to lead to clogged pores on its own.

There are a few other ways in which jojoba oil can help to treat and prevent acne too:

Antibacterial – the oil’s antibacterial qualities mean that it is able to destroy the acne-causing bacteria on the surface of the skin, preventing it from triggering a breakout. Don’t worry, research has shown that jojoba oil leaves all of the good bacteria alone, targeting just the bad ones instead
Anti-inflammatory – jojoba oil contains anti-inflammatory properties that help to soothe irritated skin. Since acne is largely caused by inflammation, this goes a long way in preventing breakouts
Cleansing – many people don’t realize that jojoba oil boasts cleansing properties too. It is able to dissolve away any sebum that has been deposited within the pores, clearing the pores out and preventing blockages. This is all down to the fact that it can penetrate so deeply into the skin’s layers, thanks to its biocompatibility

How do you cleanse with jojoba oil?

Good question! Lots of skin and body products are infused with jojoba oil to enhance the cleansing properties, so all that sebum and clogged pores can be effectively and gently removed.

Are soaps infused with jojoba oil effective?

Handmade soaps

These are soaps used for the skin on the body, and can be highly effective as an anti-acne measure, especially if you struggle with body acne. Resveralife recommends the Coco N’ Oats Soap and the Hemp Soap if you are looking for a swift, effective cleanse.

An Effective Sunscreen

Moisturizers are designed to support the skin’s protective barrier, enabling it to do its job better.

What does the skin’s barrier actually do?

It has two main responsibilities:

Keeping moisture in the skin by preventing it from evaporating
Blocking dirt, impurities and more from entering into the skin

Infographic on skin barrier function

Wondering why you need a moisturizer if your skin already does that on its own?

Because your skin’s outer protective layer is quite fragile and susceptible to damage. There are so many different factors out there that cause harm to this layer, from sun exposure and wind to pollution and certain cosmetic ingredients.

This then means that this protective barrier will not function as well as it should, resulting in everything from dryness to breakouts to other blemishes.

How does jojoba oil help with all of this?

Due to the fact that it is a waxy oil, jojoba oil forms its own protective layer over the surface of the skin. This enables it to perform both of the roles mentioned above, therefore effectively moisturizing the skin.

Helps to Treat Inflammatory Skin Conditions

The way in which jojoba oil can help to treat acne has already discussed, but there are other inflammatory skin conditions that this oil can be used for too…

Eczema and psoriasis are perfect examples of this.

Both of these skin conditions produce dry, itchy and sensitive areas on the skin, with those patches being highly susceptible to infections.

How does jojoba oil help?

Well, the way in which it forms a protective moisturizing layer over the surface of the skin helps with both the dryness as well as with preventing infections.

The oil also boasts antibacterial and antifungal properties. This means that the oil destroys any harmful bacteria and fungus it comes across, keeping infections at bay.

The oil’s anti-inflammatory properties help to soothe irritated skin, reducing inflammation enough for the skin to start healing.

Those who suffer from eczema and psoriasis also commonly deal with open skin wounds.

Again, jojoba oil can help with this too…

It is highly effective at speeding up wound healing. Research shows that, when the oil is applied to a wound, the skin cells in that area bind together so much more effectively, enabling them to heal faster and better.

A Powerful Anti-Aging Ingredient

Looking for a new ingredient to add to your anti-aging arsenal?

Jojoba oil may be just the thing…

A powerful anti-aging ingredient needs to be a good source of antioxidants.

Why?

Because each and every day, free radicals are created in the body. These are unstable molecules that are formed due to everything from exposure to the sun or pollution to exposure to certain chemicals or cosmetic ingredients.

What do these free radicals do?

They attack the cells and tissues that surround them, causing serious cumulative damage that then ends up permanently harming the DNA within your cells. Free radicals are responsible for everything from accelerated wrinkles to dark spots and hyperpigmentation.

Wondering how you can stop free radicals from causing all of this damage?

With the use of antioxidants!

Antioxidants are pretty much the only thing that can neutralize free radicals. They turn them back into healthy molecules, where they can then function to support the skin, rather than attack it.

Jojoba oil contains quite a few different antioxidants, and in addition to neutralizing the free radicals in the body, they bring with them several other benefits too:

Vitamin A – a powerful antioxidant that also stimulates skin cell turnover and provides the skin with a mild exfoliating effect. Vitamin A is one of the best anti-aging vitamins out there
Vitamin E – known for its healing properties, vitamin E is extremely effective at keeping the skin moisturized
Phenolic Compounds – protects the collagen and elastin in the skin, preventing them from being broken down

Speaking of collagen and elastin…

These two proteins are so important when it comes to the health and appearance of your skin. They are key components of your skin’s structure, giving your skin its firmness, smoothness and elasticity.

Both collagen and elastin are naturally produced by the skin, with the skin creating an abundance of this when it is young. However, as you progress through life, the amount of collagen and elastin that the skin produces decreases quite significantly. This is why fine lines, wrinkles and sagging skin are such common symptoms of aging.

Infographic on collagen in the skin

Free radicals damage the collagen and elastin in the skin, so by making use of the antioxidants within jojoba oil, you are already taking steps when it comes to protecting these vital proteins.

However, jojoba oil can help with your collagen and elastin in other ways too…

Thanks to its many powerful antioxidants, jojoba oil is able to stimulate the skin’s production of collagen and elastin, speeding this back up. This is one of the most effective ways to tackle the visible signs of aging, as there aren’t really any topical ingredients out there that can match the effects that your skin’s own collagen and elastin have.

Using Jojoba Oil on Your Skin

Convinced that your skin would be able to benefit from the powers of jojoba oil?

You have a few different options when it comes to using this ingredient…

The easiest way is by purchasing skin care products that already contain jojoba oil in their formulas.

Fortunately, there are several of these to choose from, ranging from serums to moisturizers to oils. All of these are quite effective, so long as they contain a high quality source of jojoba oil.

Using essential oil for body massage

How do you know if the jojoba oil in a product is high quality?

Ideally, it should be cold-pressed. This means that it has been extracted with minimal use of heat, which then preserves all of the skin-boosting compounds within the oil. An organic oil would be even more beneficial, as this ensures that the oil contains the minimum amount of toxins.

Wondering if jojoba oil can be used pure on the skin?

Unlike many of the natural essential oils out there that cannot be used on the skin, it is safe for pure jojoba oil to be applied to the skin.

The oil can also be used as a carrier oil for other essential oils, meaning that you can dilute other pure oils with jojoba oil to create your own unique formula.

Does Jojoba Oil Have Any Side Effects?

Jojoba oil is a hypoallergenic ingredient, meaning that it is safe to be used topically by all skin types, with little chance of it causing a negative reaction. It is even safe to be used around the eyes, which is why this ingredient is so popular when it comes to oil-based eye makeup removers.

Of course, there are always exceptions, and the possible side effects you might experience from using jojoba oil on your skin are:

Itching
Redness
Hives

Fortunately, these side effects are very rare, with most people able to use the ingredient without any problems at all.

However, if your skin is particularly sensitive with new ingredients, you would be best off performing a patch test first before using jojoba oil on your skin.

What is a patch test?

It simply requires you to apply a small amount of the product onto your inner arm, before waiting for 24 to 48 hours. If, after this time, there is no sign of any irritations or reactions, then that means that you are safe to continue using the product.

Jojoba oil really is such a universal ingredient, which sets it apart from many of the other ingredients that are commonly used in skin care. No matter your skin type or the skin concerns you may be dealing with, it is likely that jojoba oil would be able to benefit your skin in some way, making this an ingredient worth incorporating into your daily skin care routine.

in Expert Advice 0 comments

March 4, 2019August 12, 2019 by Resveralife

What’s the Difference Between Wheat and Gluten Intolerance?

Gluten-free and wheat-free diets have become increasingly popular lately, and it is estimated that around 15% of the population is actually intolerant to gluten.

Why have these dietary requirements become so prevalent all of a sudden?

For a number of reasons, such as:

Better awareness and diagnostics mean that doctors are recognizing these dietary requirements more
Modern varieties of wheat are completely different from the varieties that our ancestors used to grow
People are now consuming more and more wheat-based products, many of which haven’t been prepared in a healthy way

So, is a gluten-intolerance and a wheat-intolerance the same thing?

Definitely not. Although the two terms are often used interchangeably, there are some big differences between the two…

What Exactly Are Gluten and Wheat?

Let’s begin by going back to basics and taking a closer look at what gluten and wheat actually are…

Wheat is a cereal grain that is milled into a flour and then used to make a variety of different foods, such as:

Bread
Pasta
Noodles
Cakes
Snack foods
Sauces

Gluten is a composite protein within the wheat, but can also be found in barley and rye.

Therefore, while all foods that contain wheat also contain gluten, gluten can come from sources other than wheat too.

Infographic on the content of gluten in different foods

What is a Wheat Intolerance?

A wheat intolerance, which is also referred to as a wheat sensitivity, refers to the body creating an inflammatory response when it comes across the proteins (including gluten) contained in wheat.

Symptoms don’t necessarily manifest immediately after the wheat has been eaten…

It can sometimes take up to 72 hours for symptoms to arise, and this can be diagnosing a wheat intolerance slightly tricky.

Wondering what the symptoms of a wheat intolerance are?

They vary between individuals, but often include:

Digestive problems – such as bloating, stomach pains or IBS
Skin problems – such as acne, eczema and rashes
Neurological problems – such as migraines and headaches
Fatigue – a noticeable lethargy and lack of energy
Psychological problems – such as depression and anxiety

Is Wheat Intolerance the Same As Wheat Allergy?

A wheat intolerance is an inflammatory response, while a wheat allergy is a real allergy.

If you have a wheat allergy, you will likely experience the symptoms of this either immediately after consuming wheat, or just a few hours after.

Symptoms include:

Skin irritations
A blocked nose
Watering eyes
Difficulty breathing
Anaphylactic shock

As you can see, the symptoms range from quite mild to life-threatening.

Fortunately, true wheat allergies are extremely rare. They are most commonly found in children, but most kids grow out of this once they reach the age of five. In some cases, the allergy does continue on into adulthood.

Wondering if wheat allergies are triggered by the gluten within wheat?

They can be, but there are around 30 other potential allergens within wheat too. This means that a wheat allergy could be caused by any of these.

What is Gluten Intolerance?

Many people think that a gluten intolerance is the same as an allergy, but this isn’t the case…

While a gluten intolerance is a physical condition, it takes place in the gut.

What causes it?

Sometimes gluten isn’t digested properly, meaning that undigested proteins enter into the intestines.

This triggers your body into treating them just like a foreign invader. This results in an irritated gut lining, as well as flattened microvilli.

What are microvilli?

They are compounds that increase the surface area of each cell, enabling them to better absorb nutrients. When these end up flattened against the wall of your intestines, your body becomes unable to properly absorb the nutrients within the food that you eat.

Symptoms of a gluten intolerance include:

Malabsorption
Nutritional deficiencies
Anemia
Neurological disorders
Skin issues
Chronic fatigue
Depression and other mental health conditions

A gluten intolerance is often referred to as a non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS).

What About Gluten Allergies?

Have you heard people mention gluten allergies before?

Well, let’s get one thing straight…

There’s no such thing as a gluten allergy. It is definitely not an official medical condition.

Instead, people sometimes use the phrase gluten allergy to refer to a gluten intolerance, or even to Celiac disease.

Where Does Celiac Disease Come Into All of This?

Just like a wheat allergy, Celiac disease is an official medical condition.

What exactly is it?

It is an autoimmune disorder that arises when a person who suffers from the condition eats wheat. Their body basically creates an immune response that causes it to attack its small intestines, which then damage the microvilli that line the gut.

As you know, the microvilli are essential for the body to properly absorb nutrients, meaning that those with undiagnosed Celiac disease could potentially suffer from some serious health problems in the long run.

Infographic on celiac disease

Wondering how common Celiac disease is?

It is believed that Celiac disease affects about one in every one hundred people worldwide. However, one in eight of these people do not realize that they have it, or have not been officially diagnosed, which would be extremely problematic for them in the future.

What causes Celiac disease?

It’s hereditary, meaning that it would be in your genes and there’s not really much you can do about that.

Is there a cure?

Unfortunately not, at least not yet.

The main treatment for the disease is a gluten-free diet, which will be discussed more further down.

Diagnosing Wheat and Gluten Intolerances

As you can see, the differences between all of the intolerances and allergies mentioned above can be a little confusing.

Think you may be suffering from one?

The best way to find out for sure is by seeing your doctor, so that proper diagnostic tests can be run.

Wondering how these conditions are actually tested for?

It depends on your systems, but it usually goes as follows:

Diagnosing Celiac disease – this is usually the first step when dealing with any of the symptoms mentioned earlier. This involves a blood screening, as well as a biopsy of the small intestine. Your doctor will also likely want to see whether your symptoms reduce or disappear if you follow a gluten-free diet for a while
Diagnosing a wheat allergy – this is carried out in the same way that other food allergies are diagnosed, with a skin prick test or RAST. You may also need to undergo blind pacebo tests that make use of wheat
Diagnosing a gluten intolerance/ NCGS – Celiac disease and a wheat allergy, along with other disorders that could be causing your symptoms, would first be ruled out. You would then likely need to try following a gluten-free diet for a while to see if this helps. If it does, then this may be enough to diagnose you with a gluten intolerance

All three of these conditions are medically recognized. However, there isn’t a cure, meaning that this is where gluten-free and wheat-free diets come in…

Gluten-Free and Wheat-Free Diets

With the only way to treat the above conditions being a specialized diet, and with all of the above conditions on the rise, it comes as no surprise that both gluten-free and wheat-free diets have become so prevalent.

A wheat-free diet does not contain any wheat, but can still contain rye and barley.

On the other hand, a gluten-free diet does not contain wheat, rye, barley, or anything else that contains gluten.

Does that mean that a person who requires a wheat-free diet could safely eat a gluten-free diet?

Not necessarily…

As mentioned earlier, there are around 30 potential allergens that have been identified in wheat, and gluten is only one of these. All of those other wheat-based compounds could still be used to create certain gluten-free foods, so long as the gluten itself is not used.

It works the other way too – a person requiring a gluten-free diet wouldn’t be safe eating a wheat-free diet. Those diets may still contain rye and barley, or even just the gluten from them, and this would trigger a reaction.

Don’t suffer from a wheat or gluten intolerance or allergy, but want to know whether you can still eat a gluten-free or wheat-free diet?

With these diets becoming quite trendy, so many people believe that they are the healthy way to go. They end up following a gluten-free diet, even though they don’t necessarily need to.

Although this isn’t necessarily dangerous, there are a few reasons as to why you may want to think twice about this:

Whole wheat is a great source of dietary fiber, and the average American is already deficient in fiber. Yes, it’s possible to get this fiber from other sources, but you would need to put more effort into this
Many bread and cereal products are fortified with important vitamins that are difficult to get elsewhere, such as the B vitamins. However, gluten-free and wheat-free products don’t tend to be fortified with these, meaning that you may need to turn to a dietary supplement
Truly being gluten-free can be extremely difficult. Gluten is found in so many foods, from flavorings to vitamins to soy sauce, and even in toothpaste and certain medications. You may have to make quite a few lifestyle choices to go down this route
Even though these diets are not necessarily any better for you, they will still likely end up costing quite a bit more than your regular diet

If you are just trying to eat in a healthier way, there are plenty of other ways in which you could do this so much better than following a gluten-free or wheat-free diet.

Ancient Wheat Varieties

Fresh loaf of bread on chopping board

Many experts believe that wheat itself isn’t the problem when it comes to the health conditions mentioned above.

Wheat has been feeding humans for more than 10,000 years, so something must have changed!

Well, there could be some logic behind this thinking…

The wheat varieties grown today are so different from the varieties of wheat that our ancestors used to grow. Ancient wheat is genetically different and has less chromosomes, and this makes it easier for the human body to digest. Ancient varieties have also been found to cause a lower immune reaction than today’s wheat.

While those with Celiac disease would still need to avoid these ancient wheat varieties, those with a gluten intolerance may potentially be able to slowly introduce these varieties into their diet.

Even if you don’t suffer from a gluten or wheat intolerance, ancient wheat varieties could still benefit you, as they have been proven to be far more nutritious. They contain higher levels of minerals, including selenium, zinc and copper, than modern wheat, making it no surprise that so many people now suffer from deficiencies in those minerals.

Why have the wheat varieties grown by humans changed so much over the years?

It happened quite recently, in the 60’s, with today’s wheat mostly being a form of dwarf wheat. This wheat is basically a cash crop when it comes to the high yields they provide, and this is something that ancient wheat has a hard time competing with.

Can’t find any breads available that have been made from ancient grains?

You can always buy the grains yourself, and then make your own bread.

Key grains to keep an eye out for include:

Einkorn – one of the oldest of wheat varieties with the simplest genetic structure
Emmer – also known as farro, emmer can be harder to find
Spelt – can also sometimes be referred to as farro, and is quite similar to wheat in terms of flavor and gluten content
Kamut – originated in Egypt, kamut is quite low in gluten, and has a beautiful buttery flavor

With gluten and wheat intolerances becoming so much more common, it is always useful to understand the differences between these conditions. If you think you may be suffering from any of their symptoms, it would definitely be worthwhile to pay a visit to your doctor so that you can be properly diagnosed.

in Eat Well 0 comments

March 2019