HEALTHY IS BEAUTIFUL

Help Your Body Blossom Into Summer For a Beautiful You!

Spring has sprung while summer lingers just around the corner – time to tune-up your body in preparation for feeling fabulous as we slip back into sexy skin-baring dresses, shorts, and tees. Whether you’re planning on dusting off the old itsy-bitsy-teeny-weenie-yellow-polka-dot-bikini for a victory lap or you just want to feel a surge of spring vitality – here are three top suggestions to bring out your beautiful natural beauty:

1. YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT: ARE YOU WHOLESOME OR OVERLY PROCESSED?

Follow these simple, yet powerful eating tips to spring your metabolism into action, cut out the toxins, and increase energy. Keep it simple by choosing a variety of natural whole foods to feel and look radiant.

Some red flags to watch for: If it comes in packaging plastered with health claims then put it down and walk away! If it looks too good to be true then there’s probably a lot of money to be made at your expense – after all, many of the biggest bang-for-your-buck nutrient rich natural foods don’t need a convincing package to demystify its contents. The farther away a food is to its natural state, the more it should be avoided – or at the very least, be sure to really enjoy it!

The information available can certainly be overwhelming and confusing but fear not – this is not a diet, just a simple reminder to be mindful of what you put into your body to feel and look your best.

A FEW FAST FACTS TO GET YOU INSPIRED:

Seasonal Spring Asparagus, Spinach, Peas, and Strawberries – all great sources of anti-oxidants and bioflavonoids - to slow down the aging-process by eliminating free-radicals and keeping inflammation in-check, vitamin C - essential to building collagen, and carotenes – essential to building connective tissue throughout, and those are just a few of many benefits to keep your skin, gums and eyes looking young and supple.

Wild Salmon, Nuts – excellent sources of omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids which are amazing for your skin and is also known to give your brain a boost – not just another pretty face!

2. WATER: NOT JUST FOR ELEPHANTS!

Surely, you already know that drinking water is essential merely to stay alive but did you know that it is the best skin beauty treatment around? Besides hydrating skin from the inside out to keep the cells plump rather than wrinkling and sagging - water assists with just about every vital bodily function. Keep all your cells plump and juicy by simply drinking enough water to feel and look healthy.

SIGNS OF DEHYDRATION INCLUDE:

- Fatigue and loss of concentration - instead of caffeine, try water for a lift.
- Dry, parched skin and dull eyes.
- Feeling hungry – yes, sometimes you’re just dehydrated.
- Headaches.
- Feeling thirsty is a sign that you are already quite dehydrated.

Best solution is to keep a water bottle with you and sip from it throughout the day. Nothing fancy –luckily we are blessed with clean drinkable tap water and it’s free!

3. EXERCISE: GET THAT BODY MOVING!

This one is so easy and gives back countless benefits both physically and mentally – simply embrace some modest and regular exercise into your daily routine - a little goes a long way!

Moving your body increases circulation, flushes toxins, releases endorphins, tones your muscles, increases cell turnover and feels great while giving you a youthful healthy glow – highly effective and it’s free – what is more beautiful than that!

SIMPLE IDEAS TO GET MOVING THROUGHOUT A REGULAR BUSY DAY:

- Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator.
- Ride a bicycle for transportation – no gas or parking required and can actually save time and money. Pick up a free City of Toronto Bicycle Route Map in any bike shop to plan your route.
- Walk whenever you can - even for 10 minutes – it all adds up.
- Sit on an exercise ball at work (instead of a chair) as an effortless way to work your core and keep your spine straight while you balance your body.
- Do a little stretching periodically throughout the day to give your circulation a little boost and distribute some extra oxygen to your cells.
- For the more adventurous: Dance like nobody’s watching!

HEALTHY IS BEAUTIFUL

Don’t underestimate just how amazing your body truly is – expensive lotions and potions, make-up and designer clothes sure are nice but pale in comparison with the sparkle of vivacity. These basic healthy habits are guaranteed to make you feel and look great plus offer the added benefit of more restful sleep –and it’s not called beauty sleep for nothing - regular restful sleep offers major health benefits and looks great too.