Body Beautiful The
fact that we enjoyed perfect velvety skin in our teenage years is not reason
enough to enjoy it throughout. Sun damage is cumulative and can be seen
on our skin a decade or two later. The skin on our body needs the same
kind of love and care as our face. Dull, coarse and lifeless skin is a
result of a generally toxic lifestyle, and healthy eating, proper exercise
and body brushing can make a dramatic difference.
Grab the Veggies
Your diet supplies the nutrients
needed by the cells to keep skin, hair and nails looking healthy. Therefore,
it is important that you feed your body a well balanced diet. Vegetables
are actually ‘longevity’ foods; they are clean burning, ‘high octane’ fuels
that return the cells causing premature ageing. Veggies like tomatoes,
carrots, broccoli and green leafy vegetables like spinach are packed with
vitamin A and C, beta carotene and fibre. These nutrients not only make
your skin glow, but even help in destroying cancerous cells and preventing
heart attacks. They are also loaded with calcium – the mineral your body
needs to keep your bones from buckling. Vegetables are rich in healthy
carbohydrates and devoid of fat or cholesterol, making them good for the
heart.
Poor eating habits can cause
temporary hair loss, cracks in the corner of your mouth and brittle nails.
Your skin can bruise easily, heal slowly and look dull, drab and ‘ashy’.
A good diet, on the other hand will keep your skin looking healthy and
toned, and sport a fine texture and colour. Besides, a healthy diet will
keep skin diseases at bay. In fact, if you eat right, you wont need to
take vitamin supplements. In short there is no substitute for veggies.
Fitness Goals
Exercise is surprisingly enjoyable,
good for the self-esteem and carries significant benefits for the quality
of our lives and our health. Be it yoga, aerobics or walking, and no matter
how little of it, it is important for both physical and mental health.
Exercise is a panacea for boredom, tension, anxiety and even PMS. Working
up a sweat is natural and healthy, a vital requirement for a balanced,
fulfilled life.
Exercise improves blood circulation,
which helps in the reproduction of new cells, besides getting rid of all
impurities to reveal radiant skin. But when you donut exercise enough,
the blood circulation is sluggish and the skin receives less oxygen. As
a result, your skin may look dull and sallow, one that lacks lustre. In
fact, it might even aggravate acne.
It might take some getting
used to, but once you get started, your body and mind will get accustomed
to the exertion and actually hunger for it.
Simply Brush it Away
Body brushing is a good way
to stimulate blood circulation. Because the skin is an organ of elimination
(and the largest one in the body), many toxins can be eliminated if you
stimulate the circulation and the lymph system by brushing the skin. Use
a loofah or a body sponge and brush in circular motions to remove the dead
skin cells. Pay special attention to the elbows, knees, shoulders, the
back and thighs. Do this every day before bathing or showering. Also, keep
the temperature of your bath water a little higher that of your skin so
as to stimulate sluggish circulation.
Smoother skin is a spin-off
of this toxin eliminating regimen, which leaves you feeling invigorated
and truly bright-eyed.
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Indian Oil Baths
Indian oil baths are a centuries
old practice used in southern India for any variety of specific reasons,
with all of them directed at enabling good health. In past generations
of the Indian culture, oil baths were thought to allow "cold" to enter
the body through the head, ears and feet, lowering body temperature and
assisting an individual to endure the warm climate. In today's modern world,
Indian oil baths are still quite popular as important aspects of holidays
activities such as Diwali, and are are frequently used on occasions of
marriage by the bride before the wedding ceremony.
Indian oil baths incorporate
the use of sesame or coconut oil most commonly, and the oil is often infused
with medicinal herbs or fresh spices. The method of usage is simple -
the oil is massaged into the skin on the head, hands, feet, ears and other
appropriate locations, and is followed by a warm to hot bath. In some areas
of southern India this is a weekly ritual for the entire local population
and is afforded considerable respect as an important component of health
and wellness.
In the area of actually improving
general good health, the use of Indian oil baths helps to keeps skin and
it's pores open and supple, and in reality does help cool the body temperature
by allowing perspiration to flow freely. Oil baths have a similar impact
on keeping hair manageable and healthy, and prevents dry skin build-up
on elbows, knees, feet and hands. In many instances circulatory issues
can be aided greatly by the use of Indian bath oils and massage in helping
blood flow to extremities. It is also a very common practice in southern
India for a woman following childbirth to partake of oil baths to calm
strained muscles, and it is even believed to improve the amount of a nursing
mother's breast milk.
Perhaps the greatest benefit
attributable to those who use Indian bath oils lies in the tremendous benefit
associated with the reduction of stress. The deep muscle massage combined
with healing herbs and a warm bath provide an excellent source of relaxation,
lowering blood pressure and enabling healthy heart rhythms. This aspect
of using Indian bath oils also has a positive impact upon the ability to
sleep soundly, allowing an individual to gain deep and restorative sleep
patterns that may otherwise be beyond reach. This benefit of Indian bath
oils is especially useful in those with ill health or suffering from chronic
medical conditions.
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