photo: Lee Scott
I normally dislike New Years Resolutions as they set me up for failure and disappointment. Here are 10 easy commitments in no particular order that I have compiled for you (and me) to incorporate into our daily routine to achieve the best skin and best you ever. No pressure, no judgement, just suggestions.
1. I will begin every morning with lemon water.
Add the fresh juice of 1/2 lemon to a glass of room temperature water. Consume first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Lemon water provides an energy boost by oxygenating the body, promoting good digestion, boosting your immune system, detoxifying the liver, helping you lose weight and detoxifying the skin.
A good rule of thumb for keeping your body hydrated is to drink 1/2 of your body weight in ounces of water/day ( 160 lb person should drink 80 ounces of water = ten 8-ounce glasses of water/day).
2. I will limit my coffee intake and start my day with a green smoothie.
Instead of reaching for the coffee maker (coffee is hard on the adrenals), I will make a green juice. Leafy greens are full of phytonutrients, protein, vitamins, antioxidants…they nourish the body with pure nutrition, oxygenate the skin and stimulate lymphatic drainage.
If you have never made a green smoothie, here is an easy, delicious yet nutritious recipe
1 kiwi (peeled)
½ c frozen or fresh strawberries
½ c frozen or fresh pineapple
½ lemon (peeled and seeds removed)
2 c fresh spinach
1-1 ½ cups of water or coconut water (unpasteurized)
If you aren’t quite ready to use leafy greens, make any fruit smoothie a green smoothie by adding cucumber, celery, parsley, cilantro, basil, mint leaves or spirulina to your smoothie. Slowly work your way up to 2 cups of spinach (ideal for beginners), kale, spring greens or romaine lettuce (swiss chard may be too bitter). Make sure to rotate your greens. Add 1-2 servings of fruit and super charge it with ¼ cup raw nuts or seeds. Add coconut water or nut milk for the liquid and super foods such as goji berries, chia seeds, acai, maca, or raw cacao. Make sure you have a high power blender.
3. I will honour my body with real foods and healthy fats.
One of the best things that anyone can do for their health is to embrace a whole, plant based-diet of fruits, vegetables, starchy root vegetables, whole grains & legumes), reduce your meat, dairy and highly refined and sugar food intake. Fat is another story as some fats are actually healthy.
A balanced diet contains unsaturated (healthy) fats. Replace saturated (unhealthy) fats found in palm oil, fried food, margarine, processed meats, animal fat with unsaturated fats. Omega 3 & 6 EFA are critical to good health and great skin. They are found in:
omega-3 EFA: oil (flax, hemp, olive and canola), pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, soybeans, spirulina.
omega-6 EFA: seeds, nuts, grains, avocado, vegetable oils (corn, safflower, sesame, sunflower), green leafy vegetables.
4. I will honour my skin with natural, organic beauty products
Take the leap into healthy beauty with natural and organic beauty products. You do not need to compromise your health for beauty and organic beauty products contain active ingredients that are highly effective and results-oriented.
5. I will purge toxic & negative energy out of my life.
Instead, I will surround myself with kind, generous, like-minded people who support and nurture me.
6. I will put myself first.
I will make time for myself and practice a healthier lifestyle by ensure proper rest, meditating, exercising, getting together with girlfriends, reading and doing whatever I need to in order to reduce stress in my life.
7. I will exfoliate my skin.
Although facial exfoliation is a commonly overlooked step in one's home skin care routine, it makes a substantial difference in the way that your skin looks and feels. Skin regenerates every 28 to 40 days. Exfoliating your skin weekly with a gentle exfoliator helps to create a smooth complexion and to allow for better skin penetration of product for maximum benefits.
For the body, I prefer dry brushing to remove dead skin, stimulate circulation, help prevent cellulite and increase elasticity in the skin. I use a soft jute body brush with long cotton cords. In the morning before showering, start at the bottom of your feet and work your way up the back and front of your legs always brushing upward towards the heart. I spend extra time on more stagnant areas (i.e. belly, inner thigh, buttocks). A great pre-shower wake-up!
8. I will introduce a serum into my skin care routine.
A daily skin care routine is vital to great skin. In addition to cleansing and moisturizing, adding a facial oil serum to your daily routine (regardless of your skin type) will help you achieve dramatic results with very little effort. Seek serums containing rosehip, argan, jojoba, seabucktorn oils. Add a few drops directly onto your skin or into your moisturizer for an instant healthy, radiant glow.
9. I will take a probiotic supplement
Our gut guides our overall health and well-being. A daily probiotic supplement helps to boost the good bacteria in our gut which boosts our immune system, improves digestion, clarity and balance. Although ideal as a daily supplement, a probiotic is most critical when taking or have taken antibiotics which destroy bacteria (both good and bad) to reintroduce good bacteria back into our system.
10. I will remove the word 'fat' out of my vocabulary.
No more resolutions to lose weight. I will not be so hard on myself. Instead, I will start loving my body by getting it healthy and staying healthy.
Will you incorporate any of these? What are your commitments for 2015?