Your skin covers every inch of you, keeping you at a comfortable temperature and allowing you to enjoy the sensation of touch. Without it, you would literally evaporate! A miracle of engineering, your skin is an insulating shield that stretches for some 20 square feet and weighs a total of 8 pounds. Caring for yourself (and your skin) is an important part of caring for part of God’s creation.
Here are some hints for caring for the skin you’re in:
- Keep it clean! There’s no substitute for daily cleansing and hydrating.
- Moisturize. You don’t need to spend a fortune, but a good quality moisturizer applied just after bathing can help seal in the water your skin needs.
- Eat smart. Five weekly servings of fish (high in Omega-three fatty acids) and five daily servings of fruits and vegetables (high in Vitamin C).
- Skip the tanning. One in five American women develops skin cancer. When you’re outside, apply and re-apply 15 or higher SPF sun screen.
- Get examined. Especially if you have a family history of skin cancer, consider having a yearly dermatological examination.
Today we remember Julian of Norwich, renewer of the church (circa 1416). This message was adapted from “The Skin You Are In” written by Molly M. Ginty that first appeared in the July/August 2010 issue of Lutheran Woman Today (now Gather) magazine.
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