Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Looking our best: Beauty Basics from the inside out~



We all have a desire to look our best, whether your a man or women, we all desire youthful, radient, and healthy skin. Our eating habits, exercise , and the way we cope with stress has direct impact on the health of our body, skin, hair, and nails. It's important to take a look at your nutritional needs...what does a healthy eating plan look like? It's balanced and comprises food that offer a variety of nutrients that your body needs to function. Many of us think our diet is comprised of mostly healthy foods...we eat some fruits, a few veggies, a multigrain muffin or bagel and think, "I did good today." Lets take a better look, begin logging your meals daily, including all juices and teas. At the end of the day, add it all up! When I lost 25 lbs this habit really opened my eyes on how many calories a piece of food really was, it was astoshing to see on paper just how much the foods I was eating affected my weight, my skin and body, even my hair.

Log on to: www.sparkpeople.com, create a free accont and begin logging your meals, including your water intake...which brings me to my next point-

H20: Water is an essential nutrient, it aids in almost every bodily function, including digestion, circulation, elimination, lymph drainage, and more. Dehydration will make your skin look dull and flaky it may even have a gray or bluish cast. Your hair and nails can be effected as well, turning brittle and weak. Hydration also keeps skin cells looking plump, minimizing the apperance of fine lines on the forehead and/or around the eyes and mouth. Carry bottle water with you, drink it with every meal instead of pop or juice. You could even drink it with flavor, by adding lemon, lime, or orange slices. These are all ways to get that 8-10 glasses in!

Fitness Fusion: REGULAR physical activity is also awesome for the health of your skin, body, hair, and nails...it increases circulation, which brings oxygen and vital nutrients to your cells. Exercise also improves sleep, which minimizez under-eye puffiness and dark circles. Exercise also increases your energy level, lowers anxiety, and elminates depression. When you feel better, you look better. Try incorporating 20-30 min of physical activity a day.
-walk around your neighborhood
-take a fitness class at your local rec center (EMU REC IM).
-take a dance class: Ballroom or Zumba

Grab a fitness partner, do whatever it takes to motivate you, use these tips to get out there and GET ACTIVE!


references: Brown Skin-Dr. Susan Taylors' Prescription for Flawless Skin, Hair, and Nails

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