It may sound crazy, but whether it be preventing wrinkles, maintaining a smooth, blemish free complexion or growing long, beautiful hair, a healthy lifestyle should be the base of everyone’s beauty routine.
In this article I’m going to share three amazing beauty hacks you can achieve with the help of fitness and nutrition. You can read more amazing hacks on Health Ambition.
Fountain of Youth
If you’re worried about aging, skip the expensive anti aging creams and head to the gym. Working up a sweat improves circulation to the face and will prevent wrinkles and sagging skin.
A dirty secret of the beauty industry is that most anti aging creams aren’t actually even proven to work!
Exercise is the only proven thing you can do to prevent premature aging and reverse the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Even though all exercise has shown benefits, in particular high intensity interval training (HIIT) and strength training provide the best results for keeping your skin looking tight and young.
If you’re sweating, make sure to cleanse your face afterwards to prevent clogged pores and breakouts, so you can keep a clear, wrinkle free complexion.
Exercise definitely has more benefits for your whole body than an anti aging cream, so hit the gym if you’re ready to start feeling and looking younger!
3 amazing beauty hacks you’ll wish you knew sooner
Edible Sunscreen?
Antioxidants basically act as a military to protect your body from harmful free radicals. They prevent and reverse the damage done by oxidation. There are different types of antioxidants, each of which have specific jobs particularly with skin health. It’s important to note that antioxidants should only be sourced from food as antioxidant supplements aren’t actually proven to have any beneficial results in preventing oxidation. They’re found in all fruits and vegetables, so stock up on produce if you want clear, dewy skin.
Lycopene is an antioxidant found in fruits such as watermelons and tomatoes, which is what gives them that red tone. Lycopene has an amazing job of protecting skin cells from the damage done by UV rays.
Studies have shown that there is a correlation between decreased skin cancer risk and the intake of lycopene. The damage done by UV rays can increase the look of wrinkles and brown spots, causing you to look older and giving you an uneven skintone.
Consistently eating foods high in lycopene gives your body a natural SPF of around 3. Unfortunately, you can’t solely rely on tomatoes and watermelons to prevent sun damage, so it’s important to also use a good sunscreen if you’re planning on spending prolonged periods of time out in the sun. Think of lycopene as an additional benefit to your regular suncare routine!
Healthy Hair
Don’t waste money on popular gummy bear “hair vitamins”. All you need to do is eat your way to longer, thicker, shinier hair! Whatever hair issue you may be dealing with, there is a food source to compensate.
If you suffer from hair loss, load up on beans. Most hair loss, especially among women, is due to low iron levels. When your body has low iron stores, it starts using iron from parts of the body that aren’t as crucial, such as your hair follicles. Beans are a great source of plant based iron. Pair the beans with a source of vitamin C (spinach, bell peppers, tomatoes etc), for better absorption.
If you have an issue with breakage, nosh on strawberries or other sources of vitamin C. Vitamin C is crucial for hair healthy hair growth and will decrease the amount of split ends.
If your hair is dull, eat more salmon! If you don’t eat enough healthy fats, your body will lack proper oils and lubrication. If you’re not a fan of fish, you can choose flaxseeds, walnuts or or cook with olive oil. Omega-3 fatty acids have the responsibility to feed the oil glands and hair follicles and will add shine to your mane, making it nature’s hair mask!
With constant advertisement, it can be pretty hard not to fall into the trap of spending too much money on expensive serums, creams or supplements claiming to be the only way to solve a problem. So next time you see a beautiful girl on Instagram advertising the latest magic pill for long hair or peeling a weird looking mask off her face, take a minute to remember that your health will always be the most effective beauty secret!