So here's my story...
I grew up as the scrawny girl in my class with a typical case of acne. I was very active, but lacked confidence in my appearance. Through my adolescent years I tried all kinds of treatments for my face including Oxy pads, Neutrogena and Proactive. My skin was not agreeing with the harsh chemicals and would dry out my skin which made it red and even more oily. I became accustomed to living with acne. Even through my young adult years, I suffered with acne greatly. I finally realized that a part of it had to do with how I ate. I was a sugar monger. You put anything sweet in front of me and I ate it. All of it.
I did get involved in gymnastics at the age of 11, but I ended up dropping out 2years later due to my parents' fear of the instructors pushing me while I dealt with bad joints since I was so tiny.
After that I was not as active, I did the teenage thing, and evolved into the adult I am today. During that period, I allowed a lot of stress and unhappiness in my life and I still did not take care of myself properly. My life and perspective started to drastically change when I enrolled in massage school in 2008. I began to discover amazing holistic remedies for my skin as well as finding ways to get active, including yoga. I even began to see a naturopath instead of a western doctor. I really wanted to learn how to better take care of myself naturally.
Facebook and Pinterest soon became all the rage with a multitude of articles and posts claiming that certain natural, and possibly odd and gross, techniques are the surefire cure or remedy to whatever you are looking to lose or improve. I would pick apart those claims by doing thorough research. Reading other people's experiences tended to be the most reliable evidence of solidifying or debunking its legitimacy. Sometimes it was a mix of reviews so I would choose to try it myself to see if it actually worked. I took into consideration varying factors, especially the duration or quantity of times I would try it to see any results. Raiding my kitchen cupboards and fridge was the main key to the adventures. Throughout the past years I have discovered what has been worth my time as a reliable source of bettering myself. Many of these techniques are of an ancient medicinal practice called Ayurveda. You may recognize some of them as you read on and you will know now where they come from.
MY SKIN
1. I quit eating so much crap to begin with. No longer can I even eat a pint of ice cream in one sitting. In fact, I hardly ever consume dairy. I switched to almond milk for my lattes or occasional bowl of cereal. When I have too much dairy I break out and/or my stomach becomes bloated. Sugar intake is super low. I make sure to eat my veggies on a daily basis. Rarely do I get a zit or 2, but when I do it tends to be around that time of month when my hormones are racing through the body.
2. Speaking of, when I do get any pimples I take a q-tip and apply a couple drops of tea tree oil and rub it on the pimple in a vigorous, circular motion for about 20 seconds.
3. I also cleanse my face on a daily basis with castile soap, then apply witch hazel and tea tree oil to a cotton pad to wipe any access dirt off. Then I apply apple cider vinegar to another cotton pad and dap all over my face (not wipe) which helps even the skin tone and diminish scars. After that dries I apply a soothing oil to help create and balance the natural oils of my skin. In the summer time I use something on the lighter side like coconut oil. In the cooler months I opt for jojoba oil as it mimics the natural skin sebum. Lotion does not have the ability to penetrate and nourish the layers of skin as oil.
4. With oil on the body, I apply it thoroughly all over BEFORE I take a shower. The reason is because the heat and steam from the shower helps the oil to absorb into the skin and stay moisturized. The key is to not wash off the oil to allow it to soak in. You can still cleanse the appropriate areas, leaving the rest of the body to enjoy the smoothness of the oil. Lotion, again, does not hold the moisture as the oil does. The good news is if you practice the oil-then-shower method, you do not have to apply the oil every day! You may be able to go 2-3 days without reapplying. This is an Ayurvedic technique.
MY INTERNAL HEALTH1. I drink at least 8 oz of lemon water each morning before I consume anything else. I've had to be patient with waiting to drink my coffee which I look forward to like no one's business. That has helped keep any bloating down, as well as it helps to get my metabolism primed for the day.
2. One of the more unpleasant things I do, but very beneficial, is taking a shot of apple cider vinegar in the morning. I do it about every other morning. I take a spoon of raw honey and coat my mouth, then take the swig of vinegar, take a drink of water to flush it down, then brush my teeth. This is done on an empty stomach. Not only does it help my digestion, but like others I have read in their reviews, it actually does help me sleep better! I notice that when I don't do it that my sleep is restless.
3. I make sure I don't overeat. I eat smaller portions as it is, but I have trained myself to stop when I feel comfortably full and not "stuffed". It is not good for the digestive track to process so much food and it is working overtime to try and digest it.
4. As I stated earlier, I don't really consume dairy. Dairy can cause indigestion and bloating. And, to clear up the understanding of "Lactose Intolerance", we need to break it down. Lactose is a sugar. Sugars are not meant to be mixed with heavier foods such as proteins and fats. Sugars tend to digest within 30 minutes, whereas proteins and fats take about 2-4 hours to digest. If sugar is eaten with fats or proteins, the sugars are sitting around waiting to figure out where to go, so they tend to ferment in our system. This leads to the disagreement of the digestive process, with the results being "intolerant to lactose" with symptoms of bloating, gas and abdominal pain. Cheese doesn't really affect us the way milk does- that is, good high-quality cheese, because it will not contain those disagreeable sugars.
5. I am active on a daily basis. I get bored pretty easily with routine, so throughout the week I incorporate yoga, cardio and weights. I LOVE to hula hoop so I do end up hooping at least 10 minutes a day which gets my heart pumping. I suggest, if you feel like it is too monotonous for you to do just one activity, spice it up and do different things each day. Your heart and immune system stay strong this way.
6. Oil pulling. I bet you've heard about it. It is another Ayurvedic technique. I used to smoke and so I did develop a mild case of gingivitis. I chose to try oil pulling. It is a method of placing approximately 1 Tbsp. of coconut oil in the mouth and gentle swish it around for up to 20 minutes a day. I do not do it daily, I do not do it as long as the recommended 20 minutes, and I use fractionated (or already melted) coconut oil. It still works to help pull toxins from the gums and mouth, heals the gums, and whitens the teeth. Be sure to do so on an empty stomach such as first thing is the morning. It is amazing and perfect to do while you are showering, getting ready, etc.
MY BODY IMAGE
1. Exercise in some form every day. I am definitely not one to be super image-conscious or desire to be a perfect 10, by any means. But with pretty much everything I do above I have been amazed at the results of the one area I've struggled with since after having my son 16 years ago, which was previously my favorite area of my body. My stomach. I have tried so many things without going to extremes- I went to the gym and did anything and everything to shrink my abs and I made sure to include cardio. I would even go jogging, and I am NOT a jogger. But you MUST do something every day if you are trying to achieve weight loss or muscle tone for optimal results. It will help keep your body in a state of constant employment. \
2. The key is to keep your routine fresh and rotating. Your body does not like stagnancy in any way, so with a stagnant routine your body can become immune to what you are doing. Since I picked up hula hooping, between that and weight lifting, a variation of crunches/ab exercises, and yoga, I have noticed a drastic difference in my stomach in just the past couple of months. That, along with eating properly and drinking lemon water in the morning, my abdomen is tightening and now I am noticing only a small 'pudginess' in the lower abdomen which is typically the last to go anyways. I have a feeling that by next summer, I will feel the most confident with my stomach in years. I'm excited, and that's what keeps me motivated.
Again, For results, do something every day and target it internally and externally.
If you get frustrated with trying to achieve your goals, you simply just need to re-evaluate what you are doing and find an adjustment to make until you get it right. Stay determined. There is no means for chemicals, procedures or pills to wave the magic wand for you. All of those have risks and potential side effects. Go natural and you will have nothing to lose.
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