natural beauty hacks

The key to stunning, youthful and blemish-free skin lies in the gut.

Our skin is by far our largest organ in the body, but it is often taken for granted. In Australia, we bask in the sun, slather random beauty products on our skin, dip it in dishwashing detergent and inject it with cosmetic treatments. Skin is a complex organ. It protects us from foreign microbes. It really matters what you put on your skin and how you treat it. Congested or problematic skin conditions can arise when the skin is overburdened from highly processed substances such as refined sugar, white flour products and excessive fats. These foods trigger our body’s inflammation response and can lead to an over-production of sebum, leading to skin conditions such as acne.

For glowing skin, the first step is to steer clear of refined sugars, white flour products, dairy and unhealthy oils (unfortunately used in restaurants and cafes). Feed your skin from the inside-out, with foods rich in the antioxidants beta-carotene, zinc, and vitamins A, C and E. Include healthy, monounsaturated fats such as avocado, olive and wheatgerm oils, and foods rich in silica (minimises wrinkles by making collagen). Silica-rich foods include leafy green vegetables, cucumber, millet, oats, onions, rice, whole grains, alfalfa, barley and beetroot.

Replace posh lotions with cups of green tea and rosehip tea. Sweat a lot to clean skin cells. Jump in the ocean as often as possible. It’s one of the best things you can do to recharge and revitalise your skin.

The best stand-out pantry staples for glowing skin include:

• Fruits include berries, apples, kiwifruit, pineapple, pawpaw, lemons, limes and lots of coconuts and avocado.
• Vegetables include beetroot, green leafy veggies such as rocket and spinach, anything green (broccoli, snow peas, cucumber, etc).
• Herbs include garlic, ginger, onions, coriander, mint, fennel, alfalfa and parsley.
• Grains include oats, millet, barley and brown rice.
• Fermented veggies e.g. sauerkraut and foods such as kefir which are high in pre and probiotics.

The most unconventional nutrition tip for glowing skin?
I really believe in the gut-skin axis (relationship). Care for your digestive system and your skin will respond with a glow that no amount of botox can buy! As I write in Aussie Body Diet, our skin is our largest detoxification organ and glowing skin has a direct relationship with how well our food intake is being processed and nutrients being assimilated by our digestive system, as well as the health of liver and kidneys.

Therefore, my most unconventional tip would be to eat fermented veggies and make homemade kefir. Recipes for Raw Fermented Veggies, Sauerkraut and Kefir are found in the Extra Goodies for All Phases section in Aussie Body Diet.

How can I have bright, white eyes?
The whites or sclera in our eyes can change in colour to a more yellowish tone due to the harshness of our climate. For example, too much sun or wind exposure can damage the DNA of the eye cellular structure causing yellowing of the sclera. Leafy greens are great for brighter eyes. This leafy green vegetable is rich in nutrients and antioxidants. Spinach is loaded with lutein, which keeps your eyes healthy and sparkling. Spinach is also a good source of vitamins B, C, and E, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, and omega-3 fatty acids.

What will make white spots on my nails disappear?
White spots on nails can be a signal that you’re lacking zinc, sulphur and iron. Include more foods which contains these minerals can help you treat the condition. Maintaining a balanced diet is essential for the overall health of the entire body, including the fingernails. Include more calcium-rich foods and drinks that are fortified with calcium is a good way to keep the nails from getting these white spots.

Do carrots really make the skin look warmer?
Crunch on carrots to keep your skin healthy and vibrant. Carrots are high in beta carotene, an antioxidant that is converted to vitamin A inside the body. It helps repair skin tissue and protects against the sun’s harsh rays. Betacarotene constitutes the orange or red tones we find in fruit and vegetables such as carrots, pumpkin and sweet potato. It is a fat-soluable antioxidant which not only has the ability to improve skin elasticity and tone, but the carotenoid component enables a natural tanning of the skin by subtly changing pigment.

Best advice for glossy, shiny hair?
Just like your skin, your hair will be damage by the heat of the sun. It will become dry and lifeless. This can be worse if you are in a tropical beach under the sun. The salt in the sea plus the heat of the sun will really kill the beauty of your hair. Thus, try to protect your hair every time you want to enjoy your summertime in the beach. Try applying some moisturizers and wearing a hat to avoid this. Drink lots of water!

Without water, your body will become dry and it can even be seen with your dry lips. And this will also happen to your hair. 

If you’re not a big drinker, don’t jump to 3L. Take it slow. Start with 500ml on rising, then 500ml mid-morning, followed by mid-afternoon and after dinner. After a few days, increase it to 750ml at the same times. Don’t worry if you visit the bathroom more frequently – this will settle. The bladder’s sphincter is a muscle and like all muscles, it needs to be exercised. The urge to pee will become, well, less urgent. The most important thing to pay attention to with water is when you drink it. Always drink water away from meals, as it can dilute those wonderful digestive enzymes. 

Drinking water at room temperature is easy on the body, because our internal environment runs at 37.5°C. Meanwhile, there’s evidence to suggest that drinking cold water can burn more kilojoules, as your body’s expending energy to warm the water to body temperature. But it doesn’t really matter. The important thing is you’re drinking (lots of) water. 

If you want to mix it up, try quenching your thirst with a squeeze of fresh lime or lemon. Or for the more adventurous, try a tablespoon or two of chlorophyll in your water bottle, which is also very alkalizing for the body. Electrolyte drinks are fantastic for the active athlete. They promote hydration and also are perfect for recovery after exercise. Fresh coconut water is my fave, and is also a great source of potassium, which helps our body reach optimum hydration and recover after exercise.

Drinking good quality water is one of my secrets to a flat belly. Long gone was the thinking that water bloats us (if it does, then it’s not water that’s the culprit, but a mineral imbalance that should be checked out). What’s more, guzzling calorie-free water will actually help to curb your appetite – a lot of the time when you think you’re hungry, you’re actually thirsty.

What clears up acne?
Congested or problematic skin conditions can arise when the skin is overburdened from highly processed substances such as refined sugar, white flour products and excessive fats. These foods trigger our body’s inflammation response and can lead to an over-production of sebum, affecting skin conditions such as acne.

In order to improve skin conditions, steer clear of refined sugars, white four products, dairy and unhealthy oils and dose up on foods rich in the antioxidants beta-carotene, zinc, and vitamins A, C and E. Include healthy, monounsaturated fats such as avocado, olive and wheatgerm oils, and foods rich in silica (minimises wrinkles by making collagen). Silica-rich foods include leafy green vegetables, cucumber, millet, oats, onions, rice, whole grains, alfalfa, barley and beetroot.

How can I whiten my teeth?
Combine 1/2 tsp baking soda with ½ tsp Celtic or Himalayan salt to make a tooth cleanser. Add one drop of breath-freshening peppermint essential oil to the mixture. Wet your toothbrush, then dip it into the mixture and brush. The particles in the baking soda polish the surface of your teeth, while a chemical reaction with the water lightens stains. To avoid damaging your enamel, don’t use this method more than once a week. Snack on saliva-producing foods like apples, pears, strawberries, celery and carrots,” says Thomas Connelly, DDS, a New York City cosmetic dentist. The additional saliva they produce helps remove bacteria from your mouth and whiten your teeth. “Swish water in your mouth for 30 seconds right after eating,” says Dr. Connelly. “It will help prevent the food you just ate from staining your teeth.” Load up on spinach and other dark green veggies, like broccoli and kale. These leafy greens contain a mineral compound which produces a film that covers teeth and protects against stains.

Also, oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic healing method that has been used for thousands of years for oral health, general wellbeing and to treat systemic diseases. Lipids in the oils draw bacteria and other toxins out of the body.

Always use cold, pressed organic oils. I like using coconut oil as it has the bonus of antibacterial and antifungal properties. Other great oils are sesame and olive.

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As you live deeper in the heart, the mirror gets clearer and cleaner. ~Rumi