Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/1364104
www.AbbysHealthFood.com | # 45 | Page 33 The skin is the largest organ of the body, both in size and weight. It consists of two parts, the epidermis, or outer layer, and the dermis, the deeper, thicker layer. Inside the dermis layer is the subcutaneous layer that consists of fat cells, connective tissue, and large blood vessels. The skin plays a role both in the excretion, the elimination of substances from the body, and absorption, the passage of materials from the external environment into the body cells. Conventional wisdom we carry from grade school has us believing that the skin is a protective sheath – a waterproof barrier to our vulnerable inner parts. But it is by no means an impermeable wall. To the contrary, substances can readily pass through the skin and affect our insides. A small amount of water-soluble substances may be absorbed, but it is mostly the fat-soluble substances that penetrate the outer layer of the skin (this is most evident when you rub body lotion or oil onto your skin; lotions and oils are fat- soluble, which is why they get absorbed so easily). Fat- soluble toxins then pass into the dermis and into the blood vessels located there. Once in the blood, they travel through the blood vessels and eventually end up in the – you guessed it –liver. Example: Transdermal drug administration relies on the skin's effective transport system. Drugs applied directly to the skin; usually via a cream or patch get absorbed through the outer layer into the dermis and then into the blood vessels. From there the drug makes its way to the liver, where it can be processed and perform its function. Common transdermal drugs used today include nicotine and birth control patches. Cosmetics and skin care creams that contain chemicals get into the blood stream the same way. They don't just stay on top of the skin. Propylene glycol, for instance, is used in many cosmetic creams and makeup as a moisturizer or as an effective carrier of active ingredients through the skin layers and into the bloodstream. Although it is listed by the FDA as "generally recognized safe," it is also listed on several government and environmental safety sites as being a suspected skin irritant that can also be toxic to the nervous, immune, and respiratory systems. FACT: "Liver" comes from an Old English Word meaning "life." Length and quality of life depend on proper liver function. A typical four-pound liver manufactures 13,000 different chemicals, maintains 2,000 enzyme systems, filters 100 gallons of blood daily, and produces 1 quart of bile daily. It sits on the right side of your abdomen under your ribs. You cannot survive more than 24 hours without a functioning liver. The SKIN You're In Email to WIN a $25 GIFT CARD The next winner will be announced in the next edi on of Abby's Mag EMAIL US at: AbbysMag@gmail.com and let us know: 1. What article/story you liked best in this edition FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A $25 GIFT CARD! 2. What is your favorite Vitamin/Supplement Co.? Last Magazine's Edition Winner: Claudia S.