What is the relationship between health and beauty? If you are a person that is interested in health and fitness, you have probably heard of the phrase “outer beauty is the reflection of inner health.” That phrase is true to some degree. Health and beauty often go hand in hand, as our health often affects how we look.
Skincare products and makeup help enhance our physical appearance, however, a healthy lifestyle is what will give you that natural and beautiful glow. You won’t only look better, but will also feel better, as you strive for a beautifully healthier you.
If you are just getting started in living a healthy lifestyle, you might not know where to start and what to consider. Here is how lifestyle choices, like exercise, diet, and enough sleep, will do wonders for your overall health and beauty.
EXERCISE ON HEALTH AND BEAUTY
If you want to improve your health and beauty, you may want to consider having a regular exercise routine. Being active does wonders to the body. The most apparent effect of exercise is a toned body. However, it is not the only advantage of exercising. Physical activities can lead to better results in other parts of the body as well.
- Glowing Skin
Exercising regularly improves the health of the skin. Exercise improves blood circulation, which helps supply oxygen and essential nutrients to the skin. It is the reason why you achieve the so-called “post-workout glow.” Perspiration from working out is also a way of eliminating toxins from the body.
- Healthier Hair
The improved blood circulation caused by exercising also benefits your crowning glory. The blood flow supplies nutrients to the scalp and hair follicles, which prompts hair growth. It also prevents the hair from being brittle and avoids hair loss. Blood rushes antioxidants to the scalp that fights off free radicals. Free radicals are oxidized molecules that can damage your hair. Regular exercise keeps the scalp healthy.
- Wrinkle Reduction
Exercise prevents wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin. It supports the production of collagen, a protein that helps the structure of the skin. Regular exercise also strengthens and tones the muscles beneath the skin, which results in a healthier look. Stronger muscles result in firmer and more elastic looking skin.
- Acne Prevention
Acne is caused by the overproduction of sebum (oily secretion of the sebaceous glands) that clogs the pores. Sebum is regularly released through the pores, but an imbalance in hormones like testosterone and cortisol (stress hormone) causes overproduction of it. Exercising helps correct this hormonal imbalance; it relieves stress, which lowers cortisol levels.
Perspiration helps clean out pores and remove dead skin cells, oils, chemicals that can build up over time and block the pores — sweating flushes out toxins, which eliminates acne and prevents inflammation of the skin to foreign particles.
- Improved Breast Appearance
Specific exercises help in making the breast look fuller and perkier. Workout routines that focus on the pectoral muscles keep the breast tissue toned. Swimming is the most recommended type of exercise to improve the look of the breast. Regular exercise also lowers the risk of developing breast cancer.
DIET ON HEALTH AND BEAUTY
Diet and exercise go hand-in-hand. It’s not a healthy lifestyle if you only do one without the other. Diet does not mean lessening the amount of food we eat, which is only a part of it. It is more about the type of food you eat. “You are what you eat,” is very accurate. What you intake in your body affects your overall wellness and appearance. Different types of food have different effects on specific parts of the body:
- Weight Loss
One of the most apparent impacts of what we eat shows on our weight. The intake of a large amount of unhealthy food will result in gaining weight. However, diet does not mean eating no or small amounts of food. The goal of a diet is achieving healthy weight loss. Healthy weight loss can be achieved by consuming whole foods.
Leafy greens, lean beef sirloin, salmon, boiled potatoes, and chicken breast are loaded with nutrients and help you stay full longer. Of course, being in a caloric deficit (eating fewer calories than what your body needs to burn) is still necessary for weight loss, but it is more important to eat healthy food in order to look and feel healthy.
- Flawless Skin
Eating healthy helps in the production of collagen, the protein responsible for skin elasticity. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and food filled with protein clear skin blemishes and makes it look more radiant.
Unhealthy eating habits will take a toll on your skin. It can result in a dull complexion, acne breakouts, and blotchy skin. Avoid foods that are high in sugar, like candy and pastries, as they can result in fine lines and wrinkles. Fatty and processed food make the skin greasy and may cause breakouts.
- Healthy Hair
A lack of nutrients may cause hair and scalp issues. Without enough vitamins and minerals, hair becomes dull, weaker, and thinner. Vitamin A, C, E, and B vitamins are essential nutrients for healthy hair. Some of the suggested foods include tangerines, almond butter, strawberries, fish, and eggs.
- Vibrant Eyes
Eyes that are considered attractive are those that are shiny and full of life. Poor nutrition can lead to having dull and lifeless eyes. A poor diet can also result in the formation of under-eye circles.
Make sure to include foods rich in carotenoids in your diet. Carotenoids are antioxidants that promote healthy eyesight. It is found in foods like green peas, kale, spinach, and summer squash.
Eyelashes are also affected by eating unhealthy food. Eyelashes are hair, so it needs proper nutrition. Without the required nutrients, lashes tend to become thin or even fall out.
- Moisturized Lips
Chapped lips may not only be caused by dehydration or overuse of cosmetic products. It may also be because of a lack of nutrition. Certain food keeps your lips moist. These foods include spinach, broccoli, chia seeds, and almonds. Also, drink lots of water (ideally 2 liters per day). Avoid salty food and food with high amounts of caffeine.
- Strong Nails
If your nails break easily, it means that you don’t have enough nutrients in your body. Make sure to eat foods that are high in protein, such as eggs, low-fat dairy, and lean meats.
SLEEP ON HEALTH AND BEAUTY
It is called beauty sleep for a reason. Letting your body rest is as essential as keeping active and eating healthy. It is while we sleep that our body rejuvenates from the number of activities we did during the day. Not having enough hours of sleep makes you look tired and lifeless the next day. It also affects some parts of your body:
- Radiant Skin
Sleep allows the blood to flow to the skin. During the day, our skin is exposed to foreign elements such as hot water, detergents, physical trauma, free radicals, and industrial chemicals. It is when we sleep that our skin repairs itself.
Beautiful, glowing skin comes with a good’s night rest. Sleep helps in stimulating collagen that helps in making the skin look radiant. Collagen production decreases as a person ages, but lack of sleep speeds up that process. Sleep deprivation also produces too much cortisol (stress hormones), which can lead to breakouts and unhealthy looking skin.
Sleep also balances pH levels of the body. pH level is the determiner of how acidic or alkaline a substance is. Lack of sleep causes the skin’s pH level to be too alkaline, which makes it hard for it to produce moisture. It results in dry skin, dull-looking complexion, wrinkles, and acne breakouts. It also makes the skin more prone to sun damage. 7 to 9 hours of sleep is recommended to keep the skin radiant and glowing.
- Bright Eyes
When we lack sleep, people always notice our eyes first. Lack of sleep results in puffy eyes and under-eye circles. Blood does not flow well when you are running low on sleep. Blood vessels under the eyes dilate, and blood collects under the eyes. Under-eye circles are more visible because the skin under the eyes is thin.
To reduce the puffiness of your eye, make sure to stay hydrated and elevate your head with a pillow at night.
- Healthy Hair
Depriving yourself of sleep will make it hard for your hair to grow. Again, sleep helps with blood flow. Lack of sleep limits blood flow to the scalp; thus, the needed nutrients of the hair are not supplied.
Lack of sleep also produces more cortisol, which can lead to hair loss. So get enough sleep to get healthy-looking hair.
Some say that “beauty is pain,” but it doesn’t have to be that way. You can achieve effortless beauty by staying healthy. Remember that exercise, diet, and sleep are intertwined with one another. Make sure to pay attention to each of these components for a healthier body. It takes a high level of discipline to maintain this type of lifestyle, but the results will be worth it. You will not only look good, but you will also feel good.
STRESS ON HEALTH AND BEAUTY
Exercise, diet, and sleep help relieve stress. Stress can deteriorate the body in many ways. Being under extreme amounts of stress can lead to:
- Dull Skin
- Acne Breakouts
- Hair Loss
- Wrinkles and Fine Lines
- Tired Eyes
- Weight Gain
- Weak teeth and gums
- Greying Hair
Relieving stress is important because it not only prevents these physical effects from happening, but it also puts a person in a more positive mindset. According to studies, people who are healthy, laugh more. They listen to joyful music and overall give off positive emotions — a healthy lifestyle results in confidence-boosting behaviors. Pampering also helps to relieve stress. Activities like hair blowouts and spa treatments increase levels of dopamine and serotonin, which are referred to as happy hormones. Taking care of yourself is necessary. Living a healthy lifestyle will make you feel beautiful inside and out.
