We have all heard that “beauty comes from within,” an expression that is usually related to spiritual beauty, capable of overcoming physical form. I fully agree that this is true, but it is good to remember that physical beauty also comes from within. Healthy food and self awareness will  help you to always be well, because even your emotions are affected by what you eat and drink.

Using creams and other exterior solutions are of little value. I like good creams, but I know that they are not the answer to having truly beautiful skin. I remember one time at the counter of a famous and expensive French brand, where the saleswoman tried to convince me to buy a wrinkle cream that was “rejuvenating.” The problem is that the saleswoman was full of wrinkles! It’s true that she was older than me, but I still realized that it did not make sense.

Healthy Food Improves Hair and Skin

Although always having good food habits and theoretically knowing that beautiful skin, hair and nails depend on the nutrients the body absorbs, I had never given much attention to this subject. After I began having a very rich diet of organic vegetables (living in a country house in Brazil, where we had an orchard), greens and fruits, and taking some homeopathic minerals, I was impressed with the results. After six months I noticed that my hair was strong, thick and shinier than before; and a glowing skin that did not even need creams – it was naturally moisturized. When everybody commented about the beauty of my hair, I had the confirmation that the  improvement was genuine.

However, health is much more important than beauty. And in general, healthy people are beautiful. The body only takes sufficient amount of nutrients to beautify skin and hair after providing it to vital organs. Our system is so perfect that it will not stop nourishing the heart for example, in order to give us a beautiful skin.

Thus, hair loss, skin blemishes, acne, brittle nails and other similar problems are usually caused by the lack of some essential component in the diet. And if you really think about it, you should be worrying about what could be wrong inside, instead of worrying only by the external signs. These signs can be also caused by hormone imbalances, the body’s inability to absorb nutrients and other problems. A medical opinion is always important to have a precise diagnostic and identify if you have a serious condition. Even for serious conditions, eating properly and taking homeopathic minerals will always help.

How to Eat Healthier

The best way to become aware of what you need is to make a chart (just once), so you have a precise idea of what you eat on a regular day. Therefore you’ll be able to see what is missing and what is  excessive.  You should provide all nutrients your cells need to function perfectly: complex carbs, protein, good fats, vitamins, minerals, fibers. The key is to eat a little bit of everything.

In addition, it is essential to investigate the consumption of substances that, besides being poor, steal your minerals and vitamins for being processed. You should avoid these bad foods: soft drinks,  simple carbohydrates (refined sugars and refined flours) and hydrogenated fats present in almost all industrialized foods. Certain preservatives are poisonous, not to mentioning the pesticides that are used on a large scale. Try to buy organics, whenever possible.

Water

Forgetting to take liquids is one of the worse things you could do to your health. If an adult body is 60% water, pay attention to the amount you take everyday.

Water is very important, but you should not exaggerate, especially if you eat healthy food, with enough fresh vegetables and fruits, which have high amounts of liquid. Taking  too much water will only overload your system, and it is not healthy.

Hormones

Another important aspect for health and beauty is your hormonal balance. When hormone production decreases, with age or any other reason, your whole body is negatively impacted. The skin loses vitality, there is bone and muscle loss and typical problems related to “old age” begin to appear. With healthy food, exercise, spiritual practices, homeopathy and herbal medicine, it is possible to improve that picture.

For significant improvement, hormone replacement with bioidentical hormones can be a good idea, and it is worth reading about them, and seeing a specialist. These hormones, although prepared in a laboratory, are made from plants and used in the form of cream – which means that they are not ingested and thus fulfill their function without overloading the liver and other organs.

This post is for educational purposes only, and it is not intended to replace medical treatment.

Maria Alves, DCHM
Remote consultations over Skype available.