Beauty And Health: 4 Tips To Feel Better

Content

• Dream. How to get a good night's rest.
• Food. What rules to follow.
• Exercise stress. Is it necessary to go to the gym?
• How stress affects our appearance.

The appearance of the skin, hair and body directly depends on the state of the body. Beauty and health depend not only on genetics, but also on lifestyle and external factors that we can influence.

Healthy sleep

Healthy sleep is of great importance for the body. An adult should sleep at least 7-8 hours. Proper sleep is a source of health, peace of mind and, of course, beauty. In Japan, a study was conducted on 60 healthy women. One group slept less than 5 hours, the other 7–9 hours. The quality of skin hydration, the color depth of dark circles under the eyes and the ability of the skin to recover after exposure to the scrub were evaluated. In all experiments, well-sleeping women had the best results. The subjects from the second group were more satisfied with their appearance than those who did not get enough sleep.

For good sleep, you need to follow a few rules:

1. Sleep should begin no later than 22:00–22:30. 2 hours before going to bed, the hormone melatonin begins to be produced, which serves as the main circadian regulator of the human body. Melatonin is an internal antioxidant that prevents oxidative stress. If you do not sleep during the period of maximum melatonin synthesis (from 22:00 to 02:00), then its level in the body will be reduced, and the level of the stress hormone cortisol will be increased. As a result, the next day you will feel sleepy and have an increased appetite.
2. Given the time of melatonin production, do not use gadgets 2 hours before bedtime - they emit blue light, which reduces melatonin synthesis. If this is not possible, use blue light blocking glasses or a special night mode.
3. Sleep in total darkness. To do this, use a sleep mask or blackout curtains.
4. Silence in the bedroom is also important for healthy sleep.
5. Sleeping in a cool room is always better. A temperature of 18-19 ºС is considered ideal for sleep.
6. Before going to bed, ventilate the room, fresh air is necessary for healthy sleep.
7. Make sure you enjoy your bed. Bed linen should be made from natural fabrics, choose the colors according to your taste.
8. Use a comfortable pillow and mattress. There are many orthopedic models on the market that will preserve the beauty of the face and the health of the spine.
9. A warm shower before bed is relaxing and soothing.
10. Taking magnesium baths in the evening will help calm the nervous system. Use essential oils (lavender, cedar, mint, ylang-ylang). The main rule is that you should like the smell of oil.

Secret hack: If you're having trouble falling asleep, try sleeping under a weighted blanket. It has a hugging effect. There is pressure on the receptors of the body, a person feels protected and reflexively calms down.

Top 6 supplements that can improve sleep:

• tryptophan. This amino acid is a precursor of serotonin and melatonin;
• 5-HTP. This is a metabolite of tryptophan, when it is taken, the formation of melatonin also increases, which allows you to sleep better;
• vitamin B6. The reaction of the conversion of tryptophan to melatonin in the human body can occur only with a sufficient amount of vitamin B6. Therefore, it is so important to prevent a deficiency of this substance;
• GABA or GABA. Gamma-aminobutyric acid has a relaxing effect and serves as an adaptogen, increases endurance and increases the body's resistance to adverse environmental factors;
• magnesium. An indispensable element for the functioning of the body. It has a relaxing effect on the nervous system.

Food

Without a healthy diet, it is impossible to maintain beauty and health. Excess weight puts additional stress on the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems, being a risk factor for age-related diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer's, heart and vascular diseases. A deficiency of vitamins and minerals will certainly affect the appearance of the skin, hair, and general well-being. The abundance of refined, sugary foods and fast food crowds out healthy habits, changing the perception of taste buds, as a result of which a person consumes less vegetables, herbs, whole grains - natural products no longer seem tasty.

For healthy digestion, you need to build a diet: 2-3 main meals and, if necessary, a snack.

Healthy eating rules:

• have a full breakfast. The ideal formula is protein + fats + vegetables. Such a breakfast will give energy until lunch, and you will not want a sweet snack in a couple of hours;
• Add vegetables to every meal. So you will get enough fiber, forget about constipation and give food to your microbiota, which plays a special role in beauty and longevity;
• Minimize the amount of industrially processed foods. Aim for 80% whole foods in your diet. Choose farm meat, fish, vegetables, herbs, berries, fruits, whole grains;
• Watch the amount of protein in your diet. Protein is needed to maintain the beauty and health of the skin, hair, and for the whole body. Eat at least 1 g of protein per 1 kg of body weight. Try to eat both animal and vegetable proteins. Distribute them evenly across all meals;
• as a dessert, choose berries, unsweetened fruits, dried fruits (without added sugar and chemical processing), dark chocolate and nuts;
• You need to have the right fats in your diet. Focus on raw-pressed vegetable oils (olive, coconut, avocado, linseed, cedar, sesame), fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids (mackerel, herring, wild salmon, chum salmon). Products with trans fats and refined oils (for example, palm, sunflower, olive) should not be consumed at all, they change the structure of cell membranes and lead to early aging of the body (industrial cakes, cookies, mayonnaises, sauces, margarines, pastries, ice cream with milk fat substitute , sweets with fillings, waffles, muffins, artificial caviar);
• take care of your microbiota, as it is a complete organ responsible for immunity, healthy digestion, skin beauty and synthesizing B vitamins. To do this, consume at least 30 g of fiber per day. Fiber is rich in leafy vegetables, cabbage, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, bananas, berries, cherries, plums, buckwheat, quinoa;
• for a snack, use nuts, aged cheese, vegetables, berries, fruit and vegetable smoothies with the addition of protein in the form of seeds, protein powder. It should be protein and fat. You should not snack on desserts, they will cause a jump in blood sugar, which will subsequently lead to hypoglycemia, and you will feel hungry again;
• fill your plate with food of different colors. The more varied the food, the more different vitamins and nutrients you will get!

The secret to making the right smoothie:

• the basis should be vegetables, herbs and berries. Fruits are allowed, but not more than one or two pieces;
• don't add sugar!
• for saturation, you can add coconut oil, MCT oil, nuts or seeds;
• you can add superfoods (spirulina, whitgrass, hemp protein and others)..

How to Support Microbiota Health with Supplements:

• inulin or Jerusalem artichoke powder. It is a polysaccharide consisting of fructose. It is not absorbed in the small intestine, but reaches the large intestine unchanged, where it is broken down by bifidus and lactobacilli;
• psyllum. Psyllium husk contains soluble fiber and is an excellent way to normalize the microbiome;
• probiotics and live bacteria. They will help create the right environment for the restoration of microflora.

Physical exercise

To maintain the beauty and health of the body, we need daily physical activity. The human body is designed in such a way that we can perform two main motor acts: walking and breathing. Physical inactivity is the main enemy of the inhabitants of megacities. Sedentary work, long hours in transport do not give a natural load on the muscles. Therefore, it is imperative to maintain physical activity.

Proper physical activity that improves a person's well-being:

• 5-10-minute morning exercises will give vivacity for the whole day;
• walks in the open air. Walk at least 10,000 steps daily;
• use the stairs instead of the elevator - you will be provided with a cardio load, the buttocks will be tightened;
• two or three times a week, play active games or strength sports for 45-60 minutes. Another option is to exercise at home for 20-30 minutes daily (video training, dancing, aerobics, exercises with rubber bands);
• flexibility and grace will help develop stretching exercises, Pilates, yoga.

Secret life hack: If you have a sedentary job, take small breaks for exercise every hour - this will save you from hypodynamia!

Antistress

Stress is often associated with emotional and mental stress, but the effect of stress is much broader. The term "stress" means a set of body reactions to adverse external influences (psychological or physical).

Evolutionarily, stress was conceived as a rapid mobilization of the body by obtaining energy from the breakdown of glycogen and fat (to have the strength to escape), suppression of immune and inflammatory responses (to prevent inflammation from developing), and activation of the nervous system (to be on the alert).

These states made it possible to implement the fight-or-flight formula in the short term. The effect of short-term stress passes, and the body returns to its usual metabolic rate. Such stress is not dangerous, but in our daily life we ​​deal with chronic stress, when experiences are not short-lived, but last several hours daily. At the same time, the adaptive mechanisms of the body are depleted and protective factors turn into damaging ones - the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis, autoimmune and infectious diseases increases.

The skin also suffers from the effects of stress, and with it beauty. With prolonged exposure to stress, the cells of the skin and hair follicles begin to produce substances that provoke inflammation. All this negatively affects the skin of the face and body:

• barrier and immune functions decrease;
• inflammatory processes are activated;
• sebum production is stimulated;
• there is a violation of the growth and differentiation of epidermal cells;
• healing processes slow down.

All these processes lead to an increase in dryness and sensitivity of the skin, accelerated aging, the development of diseases such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, acne, eczema, rosacea, seborrheic dermatitis and alopecia.

To reduce the impact of stress on the body, use anti-stress practices:

1. Morning Pages. Write down in the morning in a beautiful notebook everything that comes to mind. You don’t need to specially think out what to write, just write down the flow of thoughts. This creative process allows you to unload your head, thanks to this, tension subsides. It is important that no one interferes with this activity.
2. Do breathing exercises. When stressed, breathing quickens, oxygen levels rise, and carbon dioxide levels decrease. In this case, a shift in the acid-base balance occurs, and we feel nausea, anxiety, and irritability. To restore balance, you need to start breathing slowly.
3. Pamper yourself. Think about what you would like. Going shopping, going to the theatre, meeting old acquaintances often give a feeling of joy. The main thing is not to reward yourself with sweets.
4. Think about your hobby or do something that interests you. Knitting stimulates fine motor skills, unloading the flow of thoughts, drawing helps relieve stress, and reading books or watching an interesting movie will give you a pleasant pastime.
5. Praise yourself. Do this every day while doing something. The first time is when you remember it, the second time is when you are in the process of doing it, and the third time is after it is completed. This exercise improves self-esteem.
6. Meditate. Meditation allows you to stop the flow of thoughts and put your head in order. During meditation, we learn to concentrate attention without being distracted by external factors. After the first practice, you can notice a change in state.

Secret life hack: do breathing exercises daily and you will notice that your stress level has become much lower.

Breathing 4-7-8:

1. Press the tip of the tongue to the palate and leave it there for the duration of the exercise.
2. Take a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth, leaving your tongue on the palate.
3. Breathe in through your nose for 4 counts.
4. Hold your breath for 7 counts.
5. Exhale through your mouth for 8 counts.
6. Repeat the cycle 4 times.

Breathing with pursed lips:

1. Relax the whole body, especially pay attention to the muscle clamps on the head and in the body.
2. For 2 counts, inhale through your nose, mouth closed.
3. Curl your lips like you're about to blow out a candle. Exhale through your mouth for 4 counts.

Repeat 6-8 times.

Breath 7-11:

This technique was invented by American scientists to use it during panic attacks. At rest, the inhalation-exhalation ratio is 7:11. To calm down, lower your heart rate and normalize blood pressure, inhale through your nose for 7 counts and exhale for 11. It is important to breathe like this for at least 5 minutes.

1. Magnesium. A necessary cofactor for many reactions that occur, including in the nervous system. The daily dose is 400 mg.
2. Vitamins of group B. Under stress, the consumption of these vitamins increases. The course is selected individually depending on the results of laboratory tests.
3. Phytopreparations. Collections that contain hop cones, mint, valerian, motherwort, medicinal sweet clover and others have a calming effect.
4. Ayurvedic preparations - chyawanprash, shiva gutika (mummy). They have a tonic effect and help fight the effects of stress.

What is youth? First of all, it is health and a high level of energy, interest in life and sparkle in the eyes. If we talk about external attributes, this is a slender and toned body, clean smooth skin, a flexible spine and correct posture. By following the tips for maintaining beauty and health from this article, you can preserve and prolong youth!