Be Beautiful – Inside and Out
Most young adults want to look beautiful and flawless: smooth skin, shiny hair and lean physique. Many people use external measures to make these wants a reality. In fact, the cosmetic industry spends millions of dollars annually with promises to make us attractive and desirable. To achieve this reality we need to start working from the inside out. “Beauty starts from within” does not only apply to our personalities; it also applies to treating our bodies with respect and creating health from the inside out.
“You are what you eat,” is a saying that rings true. People are motivated to buy nice clothing, cars, houses, but they often neglect to invest the same amount of time and effort into maintaining a healthy mind and body. What are you putting into your body? Your body is a machine that requires top of the line fuel and maintenance. Imagine what would happen, if you put the same effort into making sure you body was getting the appropriate nutrition it needs.
When you start eating organic, nutrient dense foods your body is able to function at an optimum level. Your body is an amazing organism and is able naturally to sustain itself if given the appropriate nutrition. Almost immediately, you will begin to notice the difference a healthy diet and life style can make: your skin clears up, your hair looks healthier and your eyes shine brighter. You can stop depending on external aesthetics to compensate for your lack of internal health.
Furthermore, beauty on the inside is not only related to the way you look. Nutritious foods which enrich our bodies also contribute to healthy brain connections. A healthy brain creates a positive outlook towards life. So whenever we deprive our bodies of good nutrition we often end up feeling tired and sluggish, depressed and unmotivated.
Another thing that is often not discussed is the gut-brain connection. The majority of our serotonin is stored in ourintestinal tract. Serotonin plays a big role in our ability to feel happy and joyous. Many suffer from imbalanced micro-flora in the gut, which affects our serotonin levels. We can maintain a healthy gut by including fermented foods, probiotics, and bone broth soups. Bone broth is high in glutamine, which helps to repair and restore the intestinal wall.
Not only is a healthy intestinal tract important for maintaining healthy serotonin levels but it also builds up our immunity (90% of your immunity starts in your gut.) By maintaining a healthy gut you ensure that you are protected against infection and disease. Infection and disease are things that are often preventable when you start taking care of your bodies core needs.
It can often be difficult to know where to begin when trying to start your journey back to optimum health. Simple tips to follow are:
1) Shop around the perimeter of the grocery store
2) Avoid eating processed foods
3) Fall in love with cooking (take a class, do some research online)
4) Look for simple ways to incorporate good nutrition into your diet (many resources are available online to start you on this journey)
5) Instead of taking foods out of your diet immediately, begin adding healthy foods in
6) Begin this journey with a friend to help keep accountability
7) Take a weekend workshop to get you started, and ask questions!
We all want to feel and look our best. The choice is up to you. Don’t put yourself down. You are capable of making these changes. So let us resolve in this coming year to honor our bodies and give ourselves the respect we deserve.
We at Nested Naturals are always happy to interact and answer any questions you may have about how to get started. Do not feel shy, and do not hesitate to ask us questions. Without questions we get no answers.
