GLOW WITH THE FLOW
Feeling out of sorts, emotional, irritable, bloated, unattractive, and sluggish? It’s probably that time of the month again and all women feel this when aunt flow arrives for a visit. But we don’t need to. At the launch of Jeunesse Anion Sanitary Napkin, I shared some practical tips on how to keep the glow. Skin.
Nourish your skin from within to minimize breakouts and discoloration. Make sure you get enough Vitamins A, C, and E, which are potent antioxidants that make the skin less prone to acne, and Omega 3, which helps in absorption. Omega 3 also keeps skin soft, moist, and young looking.
What to include in your diet: Yellow and orange vegetables; spinach, and green leafy vegetables; tomatoes; strawberries and blueberries; beans, peas, and lentils; nuts; salmon, tuna, and mackerel.
What to avoid: Simple sugars found in sugary beverages, sweets, cakes, pastries, and other baked products. They stimulate the release of hormones causing acne. Bloat.
Sodium and water retention, constipation, and gas production cause bloating. So, keep yourself hydrated by drinking two to three cups of water every meal and load up on fiber. Get two servings of probiotic foods (probiotic drinks, yogurt, kefir) per day and include prebiotics (garlic, onion, whole grains, honey) in your dishes. Control overeating but don’t skip meals.
What to include in your diet: food that is rich in potassium like orange, banana, melon, avocado, okra, chayote, potato, prunes, sweet potato, spinach, pumpkin, tomato, beets, fresh vegetable, and orange juices; probiotic and prebiotics
What to avoid: salty foods and fatty foods that slow down digestion
Food Cravings.
Learn how to distinguish between physical, emotional, and sensory hunger. The only true hunger is one felt in the belly area. When you feel hunger pangs, assess. Is my hunger below or above the neck? If hunger is felt above the neck, or is being triggered by the sight or smell of food, then you should just drink water. Stock your pantry and fridge with smart snacks. Remember this principle when shopping for snacks: Sweet and salty foods will make you crave more. Sour and bitter foods will decrease your craving. Binge Eating
Make sure that you eat a variety of whole foods and less processed ones. Practice portion control without depriving yourself. Observe proper meal timing so you won’t end up with low energy. Negativity Practice mindful breathing. Take time to pause in the amid of all the negativity. Try these three breathing techniques while seated in a relaxed manner with hands on your lap and your eyes closed: Ocean Breath
To gather strength, slowly inhale through the nose and slowly exhale through the nose while making a rushing or ocean sound at the throat as air passes through.
Alternate Nostril Breathing
When you’re angry or you need to focus and relax, close one nostril with the thumb then slowly inhale and exhale through the other nostril. Do the same thing with the other nostril. Repeat several times until you feel calmer.
Cooling Breath
To decrease cravings and release heat trapped inside the body, curl or roll your tongue while inhaling through the mouth. Hold the cold breath inside the mouth for a few seconds and exhale through the nose.
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