This post is also available in: 日本語 (Japanese)
Hey Tiff! Your skin looks so good, what foundation do you use?
Me – “None. The last time I used foundation was my wedding day in 2013.”
WHAT TELL ME ALL OF YOUR SECRETS RIGHT NOW!
This is one of the routine conversations I have with people. I don’t particularly think I have the best skin. But when my salon lady who does my eyebrows every month makes such comments, I start to think I’m onto something.
Here’s some things that have helped improve my skin. Some I got nailed down, some is an on-going learning and re-habiting process.
1. Quit smoking
If you do smoke, don’t roll your eyes at me. There’s a statistic that states 7 out of 10 smokers want to quit smoking. It’s no easy task and requires major amounts of dedication, strong will, and support.
I used to have 2 wrinkles on my FOREHEAD at the age of 28. Mostly because I used to smoke 2 packs a day for more years than I was legally able to smoke. Smoking burns through one day’s worth of vitamin C (and a whole lotta other stuff) your body needs to function properly. If you’re not getting two days worth of vitamin C, than naturally, it’s gonna show. And it did.
2. Hydration, hydration HYDRATION!
About 60% of our body is made up of water, and if we lose 3% of our moisture it can have negative side effects. I used to hate drinking water when I was younger until I moved to Las Vegas. Yep, I used to live in Vegas. The summers are so hot and dry, by the time you were thirsty, you were already dehydrated. This is when I learned to drink water regularly, throughout the day.
If drinking plain water out of a cup is boring, put it in a cup with a straw. I have a tumbler that holds about 700ml (that’s 24oz for you Americans) that has a straw, and whenever I drink out of it, I notice I drink more water.
Another way to get the hydration you need is through the food you eat. If you eat rice regularly instead of bread, you’re getting more moisture into your system. Think about it. If you bake or fry food it loses moisture. If you steam or boil your food, it has more moisture. It’s not rocket science. Ever notice that in Japan you get these tiny little water glasses when you dine out compared to the jumbo-sized water loaded with ice in the states? It’s because traditional Japanese foods contain more moisture than the typical western diet. Rice and miso soup, anyone?
3. Detox
If you’re putting good stuff in, the bad stuff has to leave right? I’m not talking about those big detoxes you do only at New Years or right before a summer beach party. I’m talking about the stuff that you can do every day, weather you follow the yogic diet or not.
I always start the day with hot water with a zap of heat and citrus. Whenever I feel I need some extra dose of help for my liver to detox, you’ll find me brewing up a hot of detox tea and taking a turmeric blend supplement.
4. Digestion
Did you know our gut account for around 70% of our immune system? I had no idea. When I started look into it, my entire life started making sense. Okay, maybe 70%. Here are some signs of an unhealthy gut:
bloating
blood sugar issues
brittle nails
cravings
difficulty losing weight
eye circles
excessive wrinkles
heartburn/indigestion
nutrient deficiencies
skin rashes/acne
sleepiness after a meal
thyroid issues
I’m sure there’s more, but here’s some that I know of. How many did you have?
In order to improve our digestion, we need to look at what we’re putting into our bodies. Not all food is created equal. If you want to get rid of any health problem that stems from your digestion, you have to really take a deeper look into what you regularly put into your body.
I used to be that girl that drinks 2 cans of carbonated artificially dyed sugar water (Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper, anyone?) and 2 cups of coffee before my first glass of water. I used to live closer to a McDonald’s than a grocery store and ended up eating there 3 times a week. I used to chicken parmesan fettuccine alfredo in a plate bigger than the size of my head (yey for American portion sizes!) and wonder why I feel horrible the next day.
Terrifying. My stomach is screaming as I type this truth.
When I surrounded myself with friends who are into yoga, I learned about this thing called vegetables, and the difference between conventional types and the organic types. My stomach is much happier since my fridge and pantry is stalked with different foods.
Want a grocery shopping list of foods that are good for your digestion AND skin? Click here to grab your shopping list.
When grocery shopping, try filling your basket with more avocados, broccoli, eggs, edamame, fish, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, walnuts and seasonal fruit and veggies. If there’s good for you food in the house, there’s a lower chance you’ll grab a bag of potato chips on your way home.
5. Sleep
Guys, can we do away with this idea that we’ll sleep when we die? Sleep is incredibly important for our mental, emotional and physical health.
And it’s FREE!!
We humans operate much better our sleep needs our met. I’m a person who seriously needs 9 hours of sleep to operate at a 100% level. I can live on less sleep, sure. But don’t expect me to be a 100% when any less amount of sleep.
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