Nourishing your inner, outer self should start in your 20s
THey say that the eyes are the windows to the soul. When it comes to nutrition, many believe that what our bodies appear or look like from the outside is a reflection of what we are inside.
generally, it is said that “inner health” or nutrition refers to the nutrition needed by the body, while outside nutrition is about the nutrition needed by the skin.
That is, essentially, the general rule. However, our nutritional needs also vary as we age. What worked for us during our 20s may not work anymore when we are in our 30s or 40s. Therefore, it is imperative that we learn how to address our individual inner and outer nutritional needs as we age.
Luckily, this month’s Herbalife nutrition e-wellness Tour featured susan Bowerman, senior director, Worldwide nutrition, education and Training of Herbalife nutrition, and Laura Chacon-garbato, director of Worldwide nutrition education and Traning, Chairwoman of the outer nutrition Advisory Board of Herbalife nutrition. in a webinar organized by Herbalife, both Bowerman and Chacon-garbato shared how our eating habits and lifestyle choices can affect our body and skin.
The Herbalife nutrition e-wellness Tour is a monthly event presented by Herbalife nutrition Philippines that aims to impart nutrition education to the public through a forum with health and nutrition experts.
Our nutrition timeline
during the event, Bowerman and garbato discussed the challenges that people face in different age brackets. in a perfect conversational setup, the two offered solutions on how to best address people’s inner and outer nutrition needs—and how these change over time.
“When we talk about nutrition from the inside, we talk about how diet impacts every part of your body, every organ and every cell. everything you eat also ends up on your skin. This is why we wanted to have this inside-out approach and talk about it from both angles because you can’t have one without the other,” Bowerman said.
20s: Establish healthy habits
THE time to start practicing healthy habits is during their 20s. While it may be challenging because of lifestyle changes as we begin to socialize and eat out more, it is important to note that our eating habits at this age—and the changes it brings—may affect our health in later years.
According to Bowerman, it is at this age that one should start consuming more calcium and iron.
“in your 20s, you still have the ability to put down some bone mass. you continue to accumulate bone mass until your mid to late 20s, so getting enough calcium at this time is critically important. iron is also important, especially for women,” Bowerman said.
she also advised against crash dieting and noted that those who consume alcohol because of certain lifestyle habits should watch their alcohol calorie intake.
garbato, meanwhile, averred that for those in their 20s, prevention is important when it comes to the skin’s health. “When you’re younger, you tend to indulge a lot more. We need to remember that diet can impact the way the skin looks. There are also hormonal changes happening in the body so there’s an excess production of oil. it’s an adjustment period for a lot of people, and lifestyle habits can really impact the way the skin looks,” garbato said.
she advised establishing good self-care habits while avoiding those that can negatively affect the skin.
30s: Eat healthy food and exercise
People in their 30s mostly juggle between their career and family life, especially since most are in a rush, they have less time to prepare balanced meals and exercise. This results in them putting on excess weight, which they cannot take off quickly as they did when they were in high school or college.
For people in their 30s to stay healthy, Bowerman recommended that they should eat regular meals and snacks. getting organized and stocking up on nutritious staples in their homes and setting aside time for exercise will also help.
As for the skin, it is in this age bracket where people start seeing the first signs of aging as their hormone levels start to decrease. stress, changes in nutrition, and lack of sleep can also have adverse effects on the skin.
This is why, garbato said, people should be more mindful of their self-care routine. “in our 30s, we should make sure that we’re masking, exfoliating, hydrating, and using that eye cream,” garbato pointed out.
40s: Re-enforce and maintain healthy habits
Bowerman gave this stern warning: “if you don’t challenge your body or change your routine at all, your body doesn’t really continue to grow or develop because it becomes used to that same routine all the time.”
she added that at this age, people should watch their caloric intake, like how much they take in and how much they expend. it is also important that they pay more attention to their muscle mass.
When it comes to the skin, garbato said that in the 40s, fine lines, dryness, sunspots, and loss of firmness start to appear. To counter these, garbato said people should re-evaluate their diet and spend more time to exercise.
50s: Be diligent and sustain the momentum
As their muscle mass start to decline and calorie requirements drop, people in their 50s should control stress eating, especially for those who spend too much time working. They should also eat more nutrient-dense foods and get plenty of calcium. As with any age, having a daily skincare regimen must be prioritized and moisturizing day and night is crucial.
in closing, Bowerman and garbato shared this piece of advice to staying healthy at any age.
“Try to eat a fruit or vegetable with every meal or snack. if you can do that, you do a world of good in nutrition. it’s an easy to rule to live by,” Bowerman said.
For garbato, it is all about consistency. “Make sure that you are consistent with your self-care. Consistency is going to help you get through the different stages of your life and it’s going to help you age gracefully,” she said.