This article is authored by Nipa Asharam for Tata Nutrikorner. Nipa is a full-time practising life coach and wellness coach under the brand 'Eat.Breathe.Smile'. Tata Nutrikorner is online platform aimed at bringing native Indian nutritional values back into the conversation. Health, nutrition, wellness – the Indian way.
A couple of years ago, I let go of make-up and external dependencies to look good. I wasn’t against make-up at all, but my relationship was questionable. I have also grown up in a household that believes that all solutions are inside us.
However, I did not buy that initially and spent loads of money for a glowing skin but took a ‘u-turn’ eventually! When I gave up make-up, naturally I started to focus a lot on inner health because I still wanted to have a glowing skin (who doesn’t want to!) but chose a different route.
When I did the 10-year challenge, honestly, I was amazed! I looked and felt better and scientifically, it makes perfect sense because our age is directly co-related to the length of our telomeres. Telomeres are the caps at the end of each DNA strand that protect our chromosomes. Without this cap, there is no protection, so our attempt is to promote the length of the telomeres.
How do we do that? Well, holistic nutrition is the answer and there are some key foods that we could call ‘superfoods’ (doesn’t have a scientific definition) that can give us a natural glow. Let us go through some key ones here:
Turmeric: Have you wondered why this amazing herb for centuries has been used in cosmetic formulation? It’s antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and astringent properties are clearly the reasons. The curcumin in turmeric helps against ageing and the way I consume it is by mixing it in hot water with other herbs and black pepper at night before going to sleep. Black pepper increases the bio-availability of turmeric by 1000 times! So get this in your daily regime right away.
Ghee: If I am not travelling, this is the first thing that goes into my tummy in the morning. It is vital in fatty acids and works like an inner moisturizer. As we grow older, our mucus starts to dry so this will lubricate in the inside. I have spent a significant amount on different moisturizers and I still do use one; however, it is not my replacement for ghee. If you are vegan, you can replace the same with coconut oil. Both of these are good options.
Avocado: While growing up, the most common phrase was, ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away!’ which I would now like to replace with ‘half an avocado a day keeps the wrinkles away!’ Avocado has been in the spotlight recently as a superfood, containing phytochemicals and important essential nutrients to prevent the negative effects of ageing. Avocados are packed with monounsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants, which are key compounds that keep your arteries healthy and young. It is also low in natural sugar and very satiating so sometimes just half an avocado and some protein can become a great dinner meal.
Aloe vera: Another thing that depletes in our system are stem cells. While people do medical procedure to insert there are non-invasive ways to enhance and promote stems cells. Consuming 30ml of pure organic aloe vera juice is researched as one of them! It is has several other benefits so consuming it daily is a great idea.
Besan or gram flour: Good fat is necessary for great skin and besan is great source of good fat and protein. As a child, when I visited my grandmom, she would mix it with yogurt and ask me to apply it as a scrub! It would clean up my pores and make my skin brighter. When my mom saw my skin after a month was surprised with how fresh I looked. So this can be applied as a face-pack and eaten regular for a natural glow.
Collagen: It is found naturally in our skin, nails and hair and we produce less of it as we age. I do believe we need external sources of natural collagen. Did you know Vitamin C got its name from collagen? So all foods rich on Vitamin C can help with the production of collagen! You also get concentrated collagen peptides that can be consumed daily. I do both and it does make a difference for sure. It leads to reducing wrinkles. Firm skin and also helps the joints.
It goes without saying that working on stress, sleep and mindful eating is a given when it comes to natural glow. A choice I made couple of years ago to give up make up led me to many other good things that today I am so grateful for. Our body is magical, we just need to let it do its magic with holistic nutrition.
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