Radiate Beauty from the Inside Out

kitchen fresh

By Jodi Brown, the Ultimate Kitchen Commando

Radiate Beauty From The Inside Out

Natural beauty comes from within. It not only shines

through in the glow of your skin, but it is also pervasive in the attitude you present when you face the world. Happy people generally look more radiant than those who scowl, and stress shows up like an unwanted instant message on your face.

Breathe deeply and feed your body nutrient dense foods that encourage hydration and vibrancy and you’ll be rewarded with beauty beyond compare.

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pensacolamagazine.com

September/October 2012

We are learning more every day about the harmful effects of chemicals found in soaps, lotions, deodorant, makeup and perfumes. The skin is like a sponge and anything you use topically ends up in the bloodstream.

The new paradigm is “if you wouldn’t eat it, you shouldn’t put in on your skin.” Common reactions from these chemicals have presented themselves in the form of allergies, rashes, irritations, headaches and respiratory issues. Today, more frightening links are being made to hormonal disruption, cancer and organ damage. What price are you willing to pay to look good? Is it time for you to consider switching to more healthful options?

Probably so.

Here are three things you can quickly and easily start incorporating into your routine to boost your beauty.

Drink more water. You’ve heard it before, and you’ll continue to hear it until you die. Water = Life. Look what happens to plants when they don’t get water. You are exactly the same. Plus, it helps to keep things moving internally. Flush, flush, flush those toxins out of the system and don’t let them set up camp and do more damage than necessary. Carry a water bottle with you everywhere. Stainless steel containers are preferable for transporting your drinking water.

Eat more fresh fruits and veggies - In addition to being loaded with enzymes, vitamins, minerals and fiber that help us to function at optimal health and radiate from within, guess what else they are loaded with? Water!

Get some sun – Oh, I can hear all the questions now.

“But I thought the sun was bad for me?” Excess sun is the enemy. Fifteen minutes a day (think lunch break) with your face and arms exposed (no sunscreen) provides the body with all the Vitamin D it needs. And hello….it gets you out of the office, too. The body was designed to take in Vitamin D this way, not from a little pill. Plus, a little color on the skin makes you feel like you don’t need quite as much makeup.

Three things you can remove from your bathroom and substitute with better choices.

Replace your body lotions with coconut oil - Coconut oil is a saturated fat and at room temperature it is a solid.

It liquefies naturally at higher temperatures above 76 degrees, so when it is solid just put a little between your palms for a few seconds and it will naturally melt from your own body heat. Massage into your skin, sit back and enjoy. It absorbs pretty quickly.

Switch to vegetable based soaps – No matter what anyone tells you, you don’t need deodorant (or fragrance for that matter) in your soap. Stay away from chemical perfumes and additives.

never felt cleaner and they are as you might expect, whiter too. It might not be so easy to win the kids over with this one but the internet is full of great DIY toothpaste recipes that you might want to consider when trying to get junior on board with a more healthful toothpaste.

Here are a couple of recipes for homemade beauty products you can probably throw together with things you already have in your house.

Ooo La La Facial This facial combo comes from my friend, Jyl Bonaguro, who owns Calm Skin Care in Chicago, IL. 1 tsp. of cacao powder 1 tsp. of honey or yogurt Combine both and mix thoroughly. Apply it to your face.

Try not to lick it off.

Remove with a wash cloth 5-15 minutes after applying.

Cacao softens the skin and is rich in antioxidants. Indulge!

Stimulating Exfoliation 1/2 cup of aloe gel 1/2 - 3/4 cup of leftover coffee grinds (from brewing) 1/8 c. sea salt (medium to coarse grind, but not the BIG chunky stuff) Aloe grows like crazy in this climate and multiplies like rabbits. Get yourself some for your yard if you don’t already have it. It has many great uses and is my go-to remedy for burns.

Cut large aloe leaves open and scrape out the insides until you fill 1/2 cup. I like to then put the gel into the food processor to make sure it is well broken up and fairly smooth. Pour the aloe into a bowl after processing and add the remaining ingredients. Combine until it is well blended and holds together. If it is a bit watery, add a few more coffee grinds until it binds together in chunks.

Use this in the shower as a whole body exfoliator and be prepared because it’s super messy but so worth the clean up. The caffeine is slightly stimulating and feels great after application. There also are claims that the application of caffeine helps to reduce cellulite. I can’t verify that, but I do love the way it feels. This stores well in the fridge for weeks and makes a great gift for a friend.

About the Author: Jodi Brown is the Ultimate Kitchen Commando and loves to turn people on to delicious and healthy foods. She assists people with food transitions and teaches healthy cooking classes. She shares her time between New Orleans and Pensacola. To learn more, visit www.ultimatekitchencommando.com.

Get rid of store bought toothpaste – I have switched to using straight up baking soda and my teeth and they have September/October 2012

pensacolamagazine.com

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