BEAUTY
Feed your fabulousness
Toni Younghusband
Posted Thu, 24 Jan 2008

"Food is my friend. It has helped me surpass even my greatest expectations of athletic performance, endurance, and good health." That's a quote from former Wimbledon tennis champion, Martina Navratilova, but how many of us think of food in the same way?

Isn't it true that most of us have a much more complicated relationship with food? We eat for emotional comfort, we snack to quick fix falling blood sugar levels, we gorge at buffets because the food is free and we shovel food into our mouths in front of the TV without being conscious of what we're eating.

We've forgotten why we eat, which is to give our bodies the energy they need to perform at their peak; to nourish from the inside.

Ironically, we're prepared to spend thousands each year on lotions and potions to improve our bodies externally but we neglect the cheapest, most effective potion of all: food.

Eating healthily — fresh, raw, organic, low-fat — has a myriad benefits for our bodies both inside and out. Here's why and how:

A clear, glowing complexion

Think of your skin — your largest organ — as a mirror, a mirror that reflects everything you do with your life. So imagine what happens to your skin if you smoke, drink excessively, eat junk, don't get enough sleep and can't handle stress.

The best way to combat the harmful effects of an unhealthy lifestyle is to nourish from the inside; to stock up on disease-fighting vitamins and minerals that will arm your skin against the free radical damage that speeds up ageing.

Drink water

Water hydrates and cleanses from the inside. "Because your skin is your largest organ of elimination, if your urinary system or your bowels are under stress, your skin will take on its share of removing wastes. This may mean more blemishes, skin irritations or rashes," say Kim Morrison and Fleur Whelligan, authors of the health and vitality guide, 'Like an apple a day'.

Hydrated skin looks plump, and it glows. Our get-gorgeous tip — slice lemons or oranges, or throw handfuls of mint leaves or fresh strawberries into a litre jug of icy cold water and leave on your desk for the day. Make sure the jug is empty by the time you leave for home.

Eat fat

Seriously your skin needs fat; otherwise it looks lifeless and dull. But we're talking good fat here — not that sludgy gloop that junk food is fried in! Include good-quality fats like omega-3 and -6s, which are the building blocks for healthy cells. Find them in oily fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, and sardines), nuts and seeds.

Our get-gorgeous tip — throw a handful of seed mix (try Pouyakis' mix of linseed, pumpkin, sunflower and sesame — available at supermarkets) over a tuna salad for an über-healthy lunch.

Cut back on stress

Strain and worry show on your face in lines and wrinkles. Stress is a common trigger for a variety of unpleasant skin conditions like acne, eczema, psoriasis, cold sores and blisters.

Take preventative action before they occur. Our get-gorgeous tip is to set aside five minutes twice a day and practise deep-breathing exercises, suggests physiotherapist Sue Fuller-Good.

"Your diaphragm is a cone-shaped muscle situated below your rib angle (where ribs meet in the front). As you breathe in, your belly should bulge a little and as you breathe out it should hollow. Focus on breathing in deeply, but avoiding moving your chest upward; in fact, aim to have your breast bone stay almost still while your lower lungs fill with air. Your diaphragm is designed to pull down as it contracts, thereby expanding your lungs fully. This takes concentration and focus. As you focus on where you breathe, as well as on releasing that breath as fully as possible, you will oxygenate your brain and body as well as clear some of the 'clutter' in your head.

Stop smoking

"Smoking is one of the worst culprits in skin ageing," says Dr Geraldine Mitton, Shape advisory board member and anti-ageing specialist. Smoking damages the collagen in our skin and causes premature wrinkles.

It is said that a woman who smokes ages 10 years faster than a woman who doesn't. Eeuw. Our get-gorgeous tip is to take an antioxidant to protect against external pollutants like exhaust fumes, cigarette smoke and sun exposure.

Get more sleep

Sleep is your best remedy against puffy, bloodshot eyes, dark under-eye circles and a pale, washed-out complexion.

Most of us need a good eight hours to facilitate vital cell repair, which occurs slightly faster at night. Dermatologists also suggest using your most 'active' skin creams before bed because many anti-ageing ingredients, like retinoids, can break down chemically when exposed to sunlight.

Your moisturiser may also be more affective on its own, rather than when mixed with foundation. Our get-gorgeous tip: create a calm, quiet, dark bedroom that facilitates sound sleep and pour a few drops of lavender essential oil onto a handkerchief and sniff before putting your head down. Lavender induces calm.

Get shiny hair

Growing hair receives nourishment via the bloodstream which is why a healthy diet is essential for healthy hair. A serious lack of protein, for example, can lead to hair loss and dry, brittle hair.

Anorexics often suffer extensive hair loss. Harsh sun, dry wind, air conditioning, chlorine and sea water have probably stripped your hair of its natural oils during the holidays. Here’s how to put the shine back:

• Stock up on protein Include low-fat proteins such as fish, chicken, lean red meat, eggs, milk and pulses (chickpeas, lentils) in your diet every day.
• Find vitamin C in fresh fruit and veg, and vitamin B in oily fish (yay, more salmon sashimi!), peas, eggs, milk and wholegrain cereal.
• Biotin (also known as vitamin H) helps your body process the fats, carbohydrates and proteins into energy that its cells can use. It plays an important role in the production of the fatty acids that ensure healthy hair, skin and nerves. It's even said to help prevent hair turning grey. Our get-gorgeous tip is to have a slice of toast with peanut butter for breakfast, snack on hazelnuts, almonds and sesame seeds, and add eggs to your lunchtime salad. These foods are all rich in biotin.

Need more energy?

When we're filled with energy, we exude confidence and radiance. When tired or down, our skin looks as grey as we feel, our hair is limp and lifeless and our eyes lose their sparkle.

Up your energy output by eating fewer refined foods such as cakes, biscuits and confectionary which can slow the body's healing system and drain your energy.

Too much glucose damages the arteries, kidneys, eyes and nerves, says nutrition guru Patrick Holford. "Sugar can greatly affect moods, and anyone who suffers from depression, PMS, hyperactivity, irritability, mood swings or angry outbursts should examine whether they are having a problem controlling their blood sugar."

Be even-tempered, energised and sparkling by swapping refined carbohydrates for low-GI foods. Our get-gorgeous tip: swap white rice for brown, have oats rather than cornflakes for breakfast, have a crumpet for tea rather than a waffle.

Boost brain power

A quick-witted response to a question, the ability to think on your feet and sustain intelligent conversation is an immensely attractive quality. Mood swings, poor recall and sluggish thought processes can be improved through a healthy diet. Here's how:

Certain key nutrients like sugars and fats, for instance, have a dramatic impact on brain cells and brain functioning, resulting in mood changes and long-term behavioural changes.

The brain consists of 60 percent fat; it is essential that you feed it with the correct type of fat in order for it to function properly.

Improve brain function by including plenty of omega-3 essential fats in your diet: salmon, sardines, mackerel, anchovies, nuts, linseed and flaxseed and olive oil.

Sugar ages your brain so avoid over-indulging by swapping sweets for fruit when snacking. "For optimum brain nutrition, eat smaller portions of a diet packed with good fats and fresh, raw, organic fruit and veg, and cut down on overloaded plates packed with processed, preservative-laden foods," says Dr Mitton.

Vitamin C helps your body absorb iron, which has been found to improve concentration and mood. Our get-gorgeous tip is to use cold-pressed sunflower, pumpkin or flaxseed oil in salads, add seeds to cereal and soups and eat plenty of zinc-rich foods. Avoid too much alcohol and caffeine, which overstimulates the central nervous system but can dull thought processes and memory.

Navratilova has never used supplements or protein powers because, she says, she prefers to get her nutrients from foods. "When eaten intact with their natural food package, nutrients are organised and used much better by your body. The foods I eat have made me feel younger and have given me the stamina to play tennis well past the age when most players have retired. Fresh, pure food has a remarkable rejuvenating power, inside and outside your body."

Need a helping hand? You know you should be eating more healthily but you're lacking motivation and inspiration to make the necessary changes to your diet. Not any more! Go to www.shapemag.co.za and register for Shape's fantastic new Healthy Eating Challenge.