Holistic Beauty from the Inside Out: Your Complete Guide to Natural Health, Nutrition, and Skincare

230 Pages·2013·2.15 MB·English

by  Julie Gabriel

Copyright © 2013 by Julie Gabriel
A SEVEN STORIES PRESS FIRST EDITION

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Gabriel, Julie.
Holistic beauty from the inside out : your complete guide to natural
health,nutrition, and skincare / Julie Gabriel.—First edition.
pages cm
ISBN 978-1-60980-461-9 (pbk.)
e-Pub ISBN:978-1-60980-462-6
I. Women—Health and hygiene. 2. Holistic medicine. I . Title.
RA778.G228 2013
613'.04242—dc23
2012046140
Book design by Beth Kessler
Printed in the United States of America
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
I dedicate this book to the two lovely ladies in my life
Mama, you are so stunning,
I have no fear of growing older!
Maria, my lovely princess, you are so
naturally beautiful—please keep it that way!
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
ONE Be Happy to Be Beautiful
TWO Relax to Be Beautiful
THREE Become a Sleeping Beauty
FOUR Eat Yourself Beautiful
FIVE Become a Natural Beauty
SIX Beautiful Face
SEVEN Beautifully Spotless Skin
EIGHT Beautifully Calm Skin
NINE Beautifully Ageless Skin
TEN Mineral Makeup
ELEVEN Beautiful Eyes
TWELVE Beautiful Body
THIRTEEN Brilliantly Glowing Hair
CONCLUSION
APPENDICES
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
NOTES
INTRODUCTION
In this modern world, is there a future for old-fashioned oatmeal scrubs, skin-
firming masks with egg yolks and rye bread, and facial toners made of witch
hazel and apple vinegar? In the age of the facelift, is there a place for meditation
and stress-busting exercises? With all of the novel enzymes, nanoparticles,
peptides, and vitamins at the disposal of today's dermatologist, shouldn't we all
have glowing, youthful skin without a single blemish, wrinkle, or dark spot?
Must our nightly slumber still be called "beauty sleep" if we can fix under-eye
shadows with a magic gel? Do we still have to bother with herbs, clay, or oils in
our bid to have gorgeous skin and lustrous hair?
Considering the astounding frequency of acne, eczema, der-matitis,
hyperpigmentation, and hair loss we encounter today, it is clear that the cosmetic
industry does not always deliver on its promises. Yet, somehow many of us still
believe that all it takes to achieve glowing skin and lustrous hair is to slather on a
potion that costs $20 a drop.
It is time to face the facts, ladies. During the last fifty years, the cosmetic
industry has brainwashed women. We give away the responsibility for our
manufacturers who make fantastic claims that are rarely (if ever) based on
human physiology—or plain ol’ common sense. We are taught that we should
rely on “magical” powers inside a glamorous jar or a futuristic-looking capsule,
rather than on our bodies’ own ability to preserve and improve our looks. If it’s
that expensive, we think, it surely must work! We seem to think that we have the
same skin type, skin conditions, genetic makeup, metabolism, stress levels, and
health concerns as thousands of other women who are buying the same jar, at the
same minute, across the world. Even sports shoes come in a wider variety of
options than skin cleansers in a regular department store.
Just as our brain is capable of producing the most powerful antidepressant
known to science—namely, the neurotransmitter endorphin—our body is
perfectly equipped with its own cleansing lotions, rejuvenating potions, and
powerful skin-lifting serums to maintain and restore our natural beauty. Inside
our bodies, we have enormous powers to rejuvenate our skin, hair, and nails
without having to resort to expensive, often toxic, and sometimes even
dangerous cosmetic procedures. Scrubs, masks, and laser treatments are nice and
often beneficial, but even the most expensive cosmetic intervention cannot yield
the lasting beauty we are after.
In this book you will discover how to take care of your skin, hair, and body
in a holistic way, and come to understand why this approach makes more sense
than addressing each issue with an isolated topical solution. You will learn about
the healing powers of nutrition, sleep, and stress-relieving methods when it
comes to skin, hair, nails, or perhaps any “wobbly bits” you may be concerned
about.
For those with an interest in holistic health, you will find chapters that offer a
“whole-body” approach to nutrition, well-ness, health, and beauty. The advice is
very practical and easy to follow. Just as it’s not necessary to be a botanical
expert to grow dill or parsley on your windowsill, similarly it’s not necessary to
be a nutritionist or a yoga expert to practice mindfulness, a beauty-boosting diet,
and stress-relieving exercise. Most important, natural beauty should become the
expression of your unique spirit and personality, which rules the way you treat
your body and set up your mind.
As you read this book, you will learn how your skin absorbs nutritive and
toxic substances, as well as what certain chemicals can do to your body and how
to avoid the most dangerous ones. You will learn about the dangers of synthetic
fragrances and parabens (preservatives), and you will understand why these
cause allergies and increase your risk of heart disease, infertility, cancer, and
other less invasive but still unpleasant health conditions. As soon as you realize
that skincare products are food for your skin, you will be able to feed your skin
right with “beauty meals.” I am sure you know the health value of a homemade
stew made with organic vegetables versus a hamburger with fries from a fast-
food joint?
QUIT THE FAST FOOD BEAUTY HABIT
Beauty products have a lot in common with the foods that we eat. There are
wholesome, nutrient-rich lotions and potions (and you can make a lot of them at
home) and there are “fast-food” versions that you can find in any supermarket or
pharmacy. These have little or no effect on overall health and well-being. At
best, these blends of cheap petrochemicals and preservatives provide temporary
relief from a specific discomfort. Maybe they make your skin feel less dry than
usual. But the inner cause of dryness remains, so you reach for that plastic tube
more and more often, and your skin itself makes no improvement.
When you understand the difference between “fast-food” and wholesome,
natural beauty, you may decide to go a little longer on your way to a greener self.
After you realize the premium you pay for packaging, storage, and transportation
of conventional beauty products, not to mention their environmental impact, you
will see the benefits of trying some easy recipes for organic, homemade skincare
products. After you see how easy it is to make your own shampoo or body
lotion, you will treat your skin and hair with more consideration and will shop
for ready-made beauty products with more insight. You will become your own
natural beauty expert. Add to that your newly gained knowledge of healing,
beauty-promoting qualities of nutrition and stress relief, and nothing will stop
you from becoming a true beauty, inside and out.
DETOX YOUR FACE
We all strive to look as best as we can. For some of us, money is not a restraint
when it comes to the newest cosmetic procedure, or a scientific-seeming facial
serum. For many others, it is an out-of-reach cure-all we regret not being able to
afford. But what about health risks? Ninety percent of beauty products today are
loaded with tongue-twisting chemical ingredients that promise instant results but
have never been tested for long-term safety by reputable agencies. Even products
labeled as “natural” and “organi” often contain synthetic additives that nearly
nullify the benefits of botanicals and vitamins in the formula. Why should we
risk our health in order to erase a wrinkle or fade a sun spot?
Choosing cosmetic ingredients that are effective yet harmless is not an easy
task. Many antibacterial and antiseptic solutions, preservatives, alcohol,
fragrances, silicones, and polymers used in conventional and natural skincare
products may not be safe to use because of their allergenic and even
carcinogenic potential. As the consumers, we have the right to know what is
good and what is not working. Most often, if you cannot find a product that
works for your skin condition, you can take the matter in your own hands and
prepare the magic potion in your kitchen. it is very easy once you know how.
sometimes making your own skincare is the most economical solution.
Allbeauty treatments and solutions in this book are entirely natural and chemical
free.
This book contains product recommendations of natural and organic products
that work really well for all skin and hair types. There are many excellent all-
natural beauty products you can find in health food stores, natural groceries,
pharmacies, and online, and I only recommend the ones that I have tested
myself, with positive results.
When it comes to beauty, you have to become your own beauty expert,
because no one else knows your skin, your diet, or your lifestyle better than you
do. Your skin and hair conditions change every day. Your diet and your
hormones can make or break that sleek, shiny hairstyle you have been anxious to
achieve. So you need to be watchful, learn how to respond naturally to your skin
and hair changes, and recognize when you need to be gentle or proactive, when
you need to be a little more aggressive, or when you need to simply rest and
wait. This book will empower you with the essential knowledge you need to
make the decisions that are right for you. This book does not rely on folk
wisdom and “magical” cures of yesteryears. Your skin is not the same as the skin
your mother had twenty years ago. Water was different; air and food were less
chemically loaded; skincare was less toxic.
We all are witnesses that creams alone cannot bring us youth, yet we all
know that mere anticipation of a romantic date can tighten our skin better than
any mask and brighten our eyes better than any eyedrops. An eight-hour sleep
for a new mom can do wonders for her face. A meditation can diminish frowns
and wrinkles. Falling in love can help us lose inches from our waistline, and
brings that gorgeous glow to our cheeks that not a single bronzer can match.
In a real world, this amazing self-healing, self-beautifying capability of our
bodies is undermined by the toxic environment we exist in. Contaminated water
and air; synthetically enhanced, genetically modified, and processed food;
artificial skincare; and pressures at work and home can wear out your looks, and
age your skin and hair prematurely. This book explains why you should avoid
parabens, aluminum, artificial fragrances and other estrogen mimickers as well
as how they damage looks and health. Other environmental issues are raised,
with a look at how slaughterhouse-and petroleum-derived ingredients in beauty
products affect the environment. If you are unhappy with the current state of the
unregulated beauty industry, its deceitful claims and self-admiring science, you