The Beauty Diet
Page 15
Drink plenty of water. Limiting liquid will not prevent water retention. Providing lots of water encourages the body to release it.
Enjoy green tea. This beauty beverage is a source of caffeine, which acts as a diuretic.
Avoid foods high in sodium. A high-salt diet raises the level of sodium in your blood and body fluids. In this environment, cells hold on to extra water and enlarge. Foods high in sodium include:
1. ¼ cup miso soup: 2,516 mg
2. 1 teaspoon table salt: 2,346 mg
3. 1 can anchovies: 1,651 mg
4. 1 tablespoon soy sauce: 1,029 mg
5. 1 medium dill pickle: 833 mg
6. ½ cup canned tomato sauce: 738 mg
7. 1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce: 690 mg
8. 1 ounce cured salt pork: 404 mg
9. Processed foods, fast foods, and canned soups: quantity varies
Get enough B vitamins. They may be effective in reducing water retention. The various B vitamins work together in the body, so eat a wide variety of foods to be sure you get all of them. Among my Top 10 Beauty Foods, the best source of thiamin (B1) and biotin (B7) is walnuts, the best source of riboflavin (B2) and pantothenic acid (B5) is yogurt, the best source of niacin (B3) is wild salmon, the best source of folate (B9) is spinach, and the best source of cobalamin (B12)—which is available only from animal sources—is oysters. Spinach, walnuts, and salmon are all good sources of pyridoxine (B6).
How to Keep Your Eyes Wide—or Fake It
Here are some tips and tricks for looking bright-eyed and alert—even when you're feeling the opposite!
Most people have puffy eyes in the morning. Usually the puffiness clears up as you stand up and go about your day. If you seriously don't want to wake up with puffy eyes, try sleeping on pillows that keep your head elevated.
To help eliminate dark circles under your eyes, get more beauty sleep.
To avoid wrinkles, don't spend extended periods of time in front of a computer or television screen. Avoid any activity that stresses the eyes and causes you to squint. To diminish an existing line, you can try sleeping with a piece of tape over it.
Wear sunglasses. Bright sunlight makes you squint and contributes to wrinkles; plus, the UV light harms both your eyes and the delicate skin around your eyes.
Relax. Finding ways to relax not only can reduce dark circles but also is incredibly beneficial to your overall appearance (see Chapter 8).
Apply soothing substances to your eyes, including green tea, chamomile, cucumber, witch hazel, ginkgo, and aloe vera. For a home remedy, soak chamomile tea bags in ice water until they're really cold, squeeze out the water, then place the bags on your eyelids for 15 to 20 minutes. An alternative is to use cold cucumber slices or simply a cold cloth. Both the cool compresses and the relaxation will help your appearance.
Shape your brows so they have an arch that opens the area above your eyes. However, don't try to redraw the brows nature gave you.
Use an under-eye moisturizer specifically designed for the area. Some contain skin lighteners, while others are supposed to shrink capillaries. Keeping skin moist will diminish wrinkles.
Line your eyes, but to make them appear larger, don't line them all the way around with the same color. Try a darker shade on top and a lighter shade below.
Expert Advice: Makeup Tips for Beautiful Eyes
My friend Giella produces her own custom-blended cosmetics for the high-end department store Henri Bendel in New York City. I asked Giella for her expert advice for using makeup to enhance your eyes, especially when it comes to getting rid of dark circles and bags. Here's what she had to say:
Concealing dark circles is always a challenge. Here are some rules: Light colors give a more pronounced look, and dark colors recede. It's important to get the perfect combination of light and dark colors to disguise dark circles. Typically, concealers are too light, and that just makes circles more apparent. One tip is to blend two colors: one color that has a peach tone to cancel the skin's blue and another that is lighter to brighten the eye.
When blending, always use a concealer brush. It makes it much easier to control the coverage. A synthetic brush, made out of Taklon, has the feel of silk but the firmness of synthetic hairs. A brush will also warm up the concealer when stroking it, making it easier to apply. You can paint it on very lightly by using the tip of your brush, or you can use the flat side of the brush for a larger area. Remember, put concealer only where you need it. For example, you may not need it completely under your eyes. Typically, the inner corner of your eyes is sufficient. After applying the concealer with your brush, tap it with your ring finger (tap, tap, tap) until it disappears. Do not rub.
Vitamin A's Role in Beauty
Recommended Dietary Allowance
WOMEN
MEN
700 RE (2,333 IU)
900 RE (3,000 IU)
Vitamin A is a natural skin smoother. It is also important to healthy bones, teeth, hair, and fingernails. The active form of vitamin A (retinyl palmitate, a storage form of retinol) is found only in animal food sources. However, the precursor of vitamin A is beta-carotene, a plant compound with antioxidant properties. Your body can convert beta-carotene into vitamin A. While it is possible to take too many vitamin A supplements (do not exceed 10,000 IU per day, and exercise caution if you are simultaneously using a vitamin A–based medication, especially if you are considering pregnancy), it is not possible to overdose on beta-carotene.
Five Good Whole-Food Sources of Vitamin A
1. Beef liver, 3 oz.
9,196 RE
2. Chicken liver, 3 oz.
4,211 RE
3. Cheddar cheese, 1 oz.
86 RE
4. Egg, 1 boiled
84 RE
5. Swiss cheese, 1 oz.
65 RE
Five Good Whole-Food Sources of Beta-Carotene (Which the Body Can Convert to Vitamin A)
1. Pumpkin, canned, 1 cup
5,382 RE
2. Sweet potato, baked with skin, 1
2,487 RE
3. Carrot, raw, 1 medium
2,025 RE
4. Mango, 1 medium
805 RE
5. Spinach, boiled, ½ cup
737 RE
RE = retinol equivalents
Skin texture can make bags or circles look more pronounced. If skin is dry and dehydrated, eyes look much older, so keep the area concealed and hydrated. Use nourishing oils with anti-inflammatory properties to condition skin:
Grapeseed oil is an excellent healing oil that contains linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid. It is a pale green moisturizer that is lighter and more absorbent than most oils. It is a good choice for those with nut allergies.
Another good oil to try is emu oil, a natural oil with anti-inflammatory and moisturizing properties. The product is obtained from the fat of emu birds from Australia. Emu oil also contains essential fatty acids.
Kukui oil comes from the candlenut tree. This rare Hawaiian plant oil is high in essential fatty acids for the maintenance of healthy skin. It is light and nongreasy and easily absorbed by the skin.
Avocado oil lubricates and nourishes the skin and is a rich source of vitamin E. Avocado oil has the highest penetration rate of any plant oil, making it an excellent base for skin preparations. It also is antibacterial.
Soybean oil has long been used in cooking, but lately this oil has grown in popularity for its use in cosmetic applications such as soap, body butter, lip and body balms, face creams and lotions, etc.
Soy butter is another delicious addition for the skin. You can use it alone or mix it in with your concealer. It is a soft material that spreads easily on the skin, making it easier for concealer to glide on.
If your eyes are prone to puffiness, try keeping your concealer and/or creams in the refrigerator. Coolness helps reduce inflammation.
A new lightening powder on the market comes from Phyllanthus emblica, or the Indian gooseberry. It is mostly helpful when dealing with
hyperpigmentation. It can be added to eye cream or concealer to actually lighten dark circles. Significant lightening has been seen after 8 to 10 weeks of use.
8
The Beauty Diet Lifestyle
Fitness—if it came in a bottle, everybody would have a great body.
—Cher
So far I've shared my best advice for keeping your skin clear and smooth; maintaining your full, luxuriant, shiny hair; nurturing your long, strong, shapely fingernails; protecting your healthy, gleaming smile; and nourishing your bright, sparkling eyes. I've drawn on the latest scientific studies and offered you proven recommendations for enhancing your natural beauty from head to toe. I've provided you with vital information about nutrition, and in the chapter after this one I'll give you specific meal plans that offer an abundance of savory snacks and mouthwatering meals that all make use of my Top 10 Beauty Foods. If you read this book from beginning to end and follow my Beauty Diet, you will begin to see wonderful changes in your appearance from the inside out, in as little as four weeks.
But adopting nutritional habits that enhance your health and beauty is only one part of the journey. The Beauty Diet would not be complete without mentioning some other aspects of daily life that play an important role in how you look and feel. I'm talking about your willingness to physically challenge your body and your ability to decompress from the various stressors that surround you. So, in addition to telling you about the best foods and nutrients to consume for optimal beauty, I feel it is pertinent to tell you about lifestyle factors that affect your appearance, including physical activities and behaviors that encourage and maintain your attractiveness and health. Here are the best beauty-enhancing lifestyle secrets I've found—and used myself!
Staying Fit and Fabulous
As a woman concerned with beauty, you're probably pretty finely attuned to the changes you've seen in your body over the past few years. Maybe your body has adjusted to adult life with a little more sagging—a body your partner describes as "cushy." Maybe you've acquired some dreaded cellulite in areas you never could have imagined. And if these are unhappy thoughts, let your mind wander for a bit to the changes you can't see—changes that impact your overall health. To get the whole package—a boost in confidence, a higher energy level, antiaging benefits, and an all-around healthier and more beautiful body—you absolutely must add exercise to the mix.
The Beauty and Health Benefits of Exercise
In addition to offering various health benefits, exercise improves your posture, balance, and coordination. Being graceful is an important part of being attractive! Exercise also burns calories, helping you stay slim and beautiful (see "Burning Calories with Exercise"). Bodies require a certain amount of energy to sustain life, but once you've fulfilled that need, the rest is just excess calories that get stored as fat, unless you burn them off. Weight-bearing exercise is particularly important because it builds muscle, and since muscle is the most metabolically active tissue in the body, the more muscle you have, the more calories you'll burn—even when you are sitting. By helping you stay slim, exercise not only keeps you looking fantastic but also fights obesity and all the health problems associated with it, including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
A healthier and more beautiful body is just one dimension of the benefits of exercise. A whole other dimension lies with your state of mind. Exercise can lift your mood and is a great way to manage stress. Research has shown that exercise elevates levels of serotonin (a brain chemical responsible for feelings of calmness and relaxation) to provide an instant lift. Just 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise—done at 60 to 75 percent of your maximum heart rate—has been shown to significantly improve both mood and energy levels. Exercise also stimulates endorphins, other neurotransmitters that provide natural pain relief and make you feel good all over.
Burning Calories with Exercise
The number of calories you burn during different activities depends on several factors, including your weight and how long and vigorously you exercise. Following are some figures for someone who weighs 150 pounds and spends 20 minutes on various activities. Note: these numbers should be used as rough estimates because technique can vary widely.
Bicycling (moderate effort)
191
Bicycling (stationary bike, vigorous effort)
250
Bowling
71
Boxing (punching a heavy bag)
143
Carrying groceries upstairs
179
Dancing (disco)
107
Dancing (ballroom, waltz)
71
Dancing (modern, jazz, tap, ballet)
114
Gardening
95
Jumping rope, fast
286
Kayaking
119
Roller-blading
286
Running (5 mph)
191
Scrubbing the floor (on hands and knees)
90
Sexual activity
31
Shoveling snow
143
Skiing (downhill)
119
Skiing (cross-country, moderate speed)
191
Stair treadmill
214
Swimming (laps, fast, vigorous effort)
238
Swimming (laps, moderate effort)
167
Tennis (singles)
191
Vacuuming
83
Walking (moderate pace, 3 mph)
79
Walking (very brisk pace, 4 mph)
119
Yoga (stretching)
60
Data calculated on bodybuilding.com.
Finding the Fun in Fitness
Exercise doesn't have to mean endless hours of pain and boredom. In fact, it can be fun! It's your workout, so your job is to personalize it just as you would your home décor or your wedding. Following are some forms of exercise that I feel best promote beauty and satisfy the desire to have fun.
BEAUTY MYTH
Weight Training Gives Women Big, Bulky Muscles
Some women are afraid of weight training because they don't want to get big, bulky muscles. I, for one, can attest that I used to avoid weights out of fear of getting too bulky. But after doing some research, I discovered this is a myth: strength training does not make you look like a bodybuilder unless you want to look like a bodybuilder. Women ordinarily do not have enough testosterone to create giant muscles. Working out with weights, stretch bands, or resistance tubing is extremely beneficial to women because we naturally have less muscle and bone than men, and we begin to lose both with age. So, it is one of the best things we can do to counteract these inevitable changes. Overall, strength training is a terrific way to look beautiful and toned while relieving stress. After overcoming my fear of weights, I can tell you my arms looked great in my wedding dress!
Dancing up a Storm
There are so many kinds of dancing that one of them is sure to suit you. Bellydancing? Irish dancing? Modern dance? Ballet? Jazz? Ballroom dancing has become increasingly popular with my favorite TV show "Dancing with the Stars"!
Wherever there's music, there's dancing. Take your dancing up a notch and you'll burn calories, tone your muscles, improve your circulation, and boost your mood and energy level. Dancing can increase your strength, endurance, and flexibility, plus it relieves stress and lets you be creative.
Dancing can be as convenient and affordable as you want it to be. You can sign up for private ballroom dance lessons (I take lessons with my husband, David) or just put on your favorite CD and boogie.
You'll get cardiovascular benefits from dancing three times a week for 20 minutes. If you goal is to lose weight, you'll need to stay on your toes a little longer. There are many different ways to dance your way to fitness, so to make it fun, pick more than one.
Mindful Exercise: Yoga and Tai
Chi
Over the past 10 years, yoga and tai chi have established their own growing sector of the fitness world called mindful exercise. These forms of exercise are so wildly popular that they're often on the daily schedules at fitness centers. The reason so many women can be seen sporting their own yoga mats and shoulder bags on any given Saturday is that these are exercises that work your body while relaxing your mind.
Yoga is no passing trend. In fact, it's more than 5,000 years old. Because of its gentle nature, yoga is suitable for most adults of any age or fitness level. When it's practiced regularly, practitioners notice physical, emotional, and perhaps even spiritual effects of yoga.
If you're exploring the world of yoga, you should know that there is not just one type. There are actually many different practices of yoga, each focusing on a different set of benefits. Hatha yoga, the most popular form practiced in Western countries, focuses on breathing and posture. Other forms of yoga may focus on goals such as relaxation, intuition, or healing. But whatever the form, three integral tenets of yoga—exercise, breathing, and meditation—help students achieve their goals. To find out which form is right for you, head straight to your nearest yoga studio and try it out.