Maintain Your Inner and Outer Beauty
6 Steps to Maintaining Your Inner & Outer Beauty
We
all want beautiful flawless skin, thick and healthy tresses, strong
nails, and pearly whites. Many of us have medicine cabinets and vanities
full of skin creams, hair products, and make-up that we use to maintain
and often times enhance our beauty. Most of us are aware of the harsh
factors like too much sun, wind, or excessive pollution that affect our
skin and cause our skin to age more quickly.
We
know the importance of dental hygiene and avoid foods that stain our
flawless smile. But how well versed are we with the factors that play an
internal role in how we age and how well we maintain our beautiful
skin, nails, and hair. The youthful radiance, the smooth skin, strong
hair, is a reflection of our internal state and gives us a sense of the
health and vitality of our internal organs. Our skin is our largest
organ so it is always communicating messages from beneath the surface
about what is going on within. So let's take a journey inside and learn
how to maintain our beauty within to get the results we want on the surface.
1. The first step towards maintaining outer beauty is eating well.
We've all heard the old adage "you are what you eat"- well its
absolutely true. If you eat healthy whole foods you are likely to have
healthier skin. Indulging in processed foods,
fried foods, sweets, results in a build up of free radicals that attack
your tissues and cause premature aging of the skin. A diet that is high
in sugars and saturated fats will produce wrinkles or speed up the
aging process. Foods high in antioxidants like berries, leafy greens,
squashes, tomatoes all help reduce the appearance of wrinkles. In
general eating a diet rich in whole foods will promote beauty inside and out.
2. Nurturing our middle organs helps make the skin more beautiful. Engaging in mindful practices like yoga or meditation
that are centered around deep breathing is a way to give back to your
lungs and feed your skin. Our cleansing organs that help the body to
eliminate waste have a profound influence upon our outer appearance as
well. Our liver, gallbladder, kidneys, colon, and lymphatic system all
play essential roles in eliminating toxins from our body. They also
influence the repair mechanisms critical to maintaining our beauty. Poor
kidney function results in a dark sallow rings under the eyes. The
kidneys also play a key role in the fullness and luster of our hair, as
well as the brightness of our eyes. Liver dysfunction results in tension
that leads to deep wrinkles, pimples along the forehead, skin
discoloration, and blemishes. If the colon is polluted or imbalanced,
the skin will age quickly, the body may have a foul odor, and the breath
can be unpleasant. If our lymph isn't traveling and our circulation is
poor, the skin will not receive the nourishment it needs and will age
more quickly than it should.
3. The key to making sure our organs are happy is giving them a break.
We over work our bodies so often with our habits: staying up late at
night, eating late, not drinking enough water, eating processed foods,
stress, anger, lack of adequate exercise, etc. We can give back to our
organs by cleansing. When I speak about cleansing I'm referring to detoxification
by elimination of certain foods, mainly animal products, any processed
foods, corn, soy, and dairy for a period of cleansing and rejuvenation
of the organs. Cleansing allows the body to let go of waste and gives
the system a fresh start. When we cleanse the organs get to rest and
repair, and release the junk stored in our cells. Drinking fresh juices,
water with lemon, eating raw foods,
salad greens, fresh fruits, these are all ways to give our insides a
boost and as a result we see the glow in our skin, nails and hair.
4. Cleansing also refers to clearing out places and people in your life where there is clutter or toxic energy that contributes to stress, poor food choices, and poor elimination, etc. If there are people who drain your energy that you may need a break from,
or activities that you are engaged in that are no longer serving you,
if you have emotional burdens, or places in your personal space - home
or office that need clearing, to regain balance in your life take a
break from these things and clear space for health supportive habits and
people, and clarity to shine through. Believe me when your surroundings
are cluttered or toxic it affects you inside mentally and dulls the
shine of your spirit. A fish is only as healthy as the water it's
swimming in, so make sure your environment and those around you reflect
health and wellness.
5. Fruit and veggie juices are the best way to keep your skin glowing. The negatively charged electrons in the fiber of the plant food
bind with the toxins in our bodies pulling them out of our tissues and
flushing them out of the system. Many people experience skin problems
because of their diet- dense, high fat, processed carbs, and animal
protein and they have backed up colons. Plant foods are laden with water
and enzymes, so they aid in your digestive process and elimination.
Pretty Skin Smoothie (Pineapple, Cucumber, Parsley, Apple)
- 1 cup pineapple chunks
- 1/2 apple
- 1/2 cucumber (lightly peeled)
- 1/2 cup Italian parsley
- 1 cup water
- Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
6. Other important ingredients for beauty:
- Flax oil/Borage oil/Evening Primrose oil - Hormone balancing, regulates oil secretion in skin, and scalp
- Blueberries - Antioxidant rich
- Coconut water - Electrolyte rich, similar to our blood plasma, rejuvenating blood builder- good for skin
- Avocado - Rich in "good fats" enriching for skin, nails, hair
- Green tea - Rich in polyphenols and good for skin
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