Over the years we’ve been told by numerous health gurus that our bodies were not designed to live in this fast-paced, stressful world... that the stress of it all impacts us both mentally and physically and can be why so many of us are affected by health issues; our bodies cannot keep up.
Below we have listed some helpful insights that can be added into our daily routines, and when done consistently, these health conscious habits can make a big difference!
Dietary Changes
Your body requires certain nutrients to rebuild itself. It requires certain enzymes, vitamins and minerals to ensure that the rebuilding process is done properly. There are a few small steps you can take immediately to improve the health and appearance of your skin and hair. Skin repairs itself at a pretty rapid pace, so you can expect to see improvements within a month of adding the following to your diet:
- Vitamin/Mineral Supplement: Begin by adding a good multivitamin/multi-mineral supplement to your daily diet.
- Antioxidants: Add an antioxidant supplement (A, E, C, selenium or equivalent).
- Oils: Replace your salad dressing with olive oil, and change your cooking oil to coconut oil or avocado oil. (Polyunsaturated fats like canola and soybean oil commonly used today; they oxidise at a lower temperature – this means that they throw off free radicals at body temperature, which cause cellular damage and accelerate ageing.)
- Vegetables: If you aren’t already, add at least one serving of dark leafy green vegetables, one serving of yellow vegetables and one of dark red vegetables per day. This will add important enzymes, phytonutrients, minerals and fibre. The easiest way to do this is to insist on one large salad of romaine and RIPE tomato with carrots to nibble on the side – and don’t forget to use olive oil for dressing. A squeeze of lemon goes nicely with this, and the combination of olive oil and lemon helps balance liver enzyme function as well.
- Eggs: Protein is vital to cellular regeneration. Although carbohydrates can give you energy, and in the long run your body can use vegetable proteins to synthesise human proteins, only eggs contain every single amino acid necessary to rebuild human cells. Unless you are allergic or have an intolerance to eggs, it is recommended to add one or two eggs to your menu every day. You can hard boil and chop it over that salad.
- Yogurt: In addition to the protein it adds, yogurt also adds calcium and important digestive enzymes to your diet. Add at least one serving of live culture yogurt daily. It’s cheap, it tastes good and it’s good for you – what more can you ask for? Full fat yogurt is preferable, since the low-fat kind is usually filled with food starch for texture and adds empty calories. Avoid the kind with lots of added sugar if you can, since sugar has little to no real long term nutritional value. If you find that steering clear of dairy is the right choice for you, then opt for non-dairy options like coconut yoghurt.
Hydration
Your body requires adequate water to move nutrients and enzymes throughout the body. If you can drink between 2-3 L per day your body will start to feel the benefits, not only in the texture of your skin, but in your energy and overall health. The more the better!
Sleep
Although it’s hard to find, adequate sleep is one of the most important things you can do for yourself and your appearance. Your body spends most of your sleeping hours regenerating itself, rebuilding cells, balancing hormone levels and brain chemicals. Adequate sleep will not only help you look your best, it will help you feel your best as well. Neurochemicals that control mood and pain levels are produced during sleep, that’s why there’s nothing like a good night sleep to help you reset and feel your best.
Clean Skin and Beauty Products
We are huge advocates for using skincare and beauty products that are free from harsh chemicals and synthetic fragrances. We as consumers can become overwhelmed with all the fancy marketing, packaging and promises, thinking that we are purchasing one thing but in reality can be buying products that will cause more harm than good.
It’s always important to be aware of what you’re putting on your skin and whether your skincare and beauty products are helping or hindering your health. A lot of skincare products can contain harmful chemicals and cheap ingredients that act as fillers and don’t support your skin and can even negatively impact your hormonal health.
A great way to improve your skin, hormones and overall health is to educate yourself as much as possible. If you can make a conscious effort to lower your chemical exposure and switch out your products to organic/natural ones, not only will your skin thrive, but in the long run your body won’t have the burden of toxic chemicals being absorbed into your bloodstream on a day to day basis.
DISCLAIMER:
This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.
