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 It
still astounds me when someone comments on how beautiful my skin
is. I heard it last week from the spa director at the beautiful
Ojai resort where I was speaking. Although I've been speaking at
spas, with arrays of products, I use the mildest of soaps and simple
lotion.
I found myself blushing when Kasia (the Spa director at the Ojai
Spa) marveled about my skin. Even now after being mostly clear and
free of skin problems for years, my identity hasn't quite caught
up yet with reality.
I suffered greatly for more than 20 years with the worst case of
eczema any doctor had ever seen. The many years of cortisone has
thinned my skin to such a pale white luminescence, I often wonder
if that is what other women envy.
I am pleased that after eliminating dairy foods, all cane sugar
and eating wonderful whole grains, veggies, sea veggies, beans,
and seeds, I have clear, smooth, soft skin. I'm even aging slower
than most of my peers and one friend I have not seen in several
years claims I look younger now than when I did ten years ago. I'm
careful about my food, yet I'm one of the most low maintance people
I know. Eating well can save a person a lot of time and money on
looking good.
I recently read that probiotics help to keep skin
clear. Well why not? If your intestines are in order then things
won't be trying to be discharged through other channels. Many skin
conditions like blemishes can be accumulations being pushed out
via skin, rather than other, more appropriate body eliminations.
In Chinese medicine, the vitality of the skin is
related to the lungs, or metal element. In many cases people with
eczema also suffer from asthma. For myself, when I used to suffer
greatly with eczema, I would also often get upper respiratory infections.
Since eating a diet rich in whole foods, I have not only created
beautiful clear skin, I have not had a single infection that used
to be a frequent part of my life.
The kidneys and liver are two major elimination organs.
They contribute a lot to clear beautiful skin. I often wonder about
supplements and their effect on these organs. Occasionally I will
have a client who has a reoccurring skin problem that clears up
quite rapidly when I ask the client to cut down on the amount of
supplements they are taking. Since often these supplements are for
"insurance", the person experiences more energy and health
without them. More does not always mean better.
In fact, another great tip for skin - Simplify! Eating
less quantity is great for skin. Carol Shaw, owner of Lorac cosmetics
has gotten me to simplify my skin care. She says, "For great
skin, exfoliate and moisturize daily."
For exfoliation of the body, that is one place sugar
can come in handy to use as a scrub. Salt too makes an excellent
body scrub. Salt baths are not just relaxing, they help to eliminate
toxins. A daily practice of body scrub is good for your skin and
your spirits. Michio Kushi got me to do body scrub by telling me
that if I did it in the morning I would have a great day and if
I did it in the evening, I would have a great sleep. I believed
him, so it worked.
The way I was taught is to take a wash cloth and wet it with very
hot but not burning water under the faucet and scrub my body in
a circular motion starting with each arm and rubbing down and pulling
on each finger and then up the inside of the arm and over. Continuing
on all parts of the body keeping the washcloth very hot by continuing
to rinse under the water.
I still use milk occasionally, but only topically.
Added to a bath, milk can make the skin so soft and smooth. It's
nice with a bit of lavender to relax in.
Dietarily, eating predominately whole foods is going
to have a wonderful impact on looking younger and having clear,
soft, smooth skin. There do seem to be some standouts though, that
give us an extra boost. Hato Mugi barley is one. This Japanese pearled
grass is easier to digest than many other whole grains.
Barley has been traditionally eaten to dissolve excess protein and
fat, and in Ayurvedic medicine it is used as a blood purifier. Dandelion,
both greens and root are considerably cooling and detoxifying. Great
for skin as well as a whole host of other things since this bitter
herb is good for spleen-pancreas, stomach, kidneys and liver.
I think that one of the most wonderful additions to our diet we
can make to look and feel our best, just has to be seaweeds. There
are volumes written touting their benefits and adding them into
a healthy diet is said to be anti-aging.
Most people have stronger hair and nails at the very minimum. And
what of oil? Flax oil used in salad dressing or added to grain after
cooking not only tastes great, it's good for our skin too. Each
person must find how well they metabolize oil and use the right
amount of good quality oils like extra virgin olive oil, or sesame
oil in their cooking for them. The best oils, even in fish like
salmon, can cause dry skin, blemishes, eczema, etc. when eaten in
too large a quantity for that particular person.
A person who is aging might be said to look like
a prune. Most whole foods have a good deal of water content to them.
Our bodies being over 60% water, hydration is very important to
looking good. Penta water has done research to find the right amount
that doesn't tax the kidneys and keeps a person feeling their best.
They say to drink half your body weight in ounces.
A person who weights 120lbs. would then drink 60oz of water in addition
to their daily diet. (That equals about 3 1/2 regular bottles of
Penta water.) You might need a bit more depending on your activity
level. Again, finding the right amount of water for you is a little
bit of trial and error. Begin noticing for yourself how your refinements
of diet and lifestyle effect what people see in you. I'm sure you
will start hearing those glowing skin compliments very soon!
East meets South rice
I'm told in Columbia it is common to have green onions, garlic and
olive oil in the rice.
Here the flavors of Hato Mugi barley and Jasmine rice are wonderful.
1/2 Cup Hato Mugi Barley
1/2 Cup Jasmine rice
3 green onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Sea salt
2 Cups good water
Olive oil
Bring the water to a boil.
Sort and rinse the grain and then add it to the water along with
the garlic and green onions.
Add a pinch of sea salt, cover the pot with a lid and turn the heat
down to low.
Simmer for 45 minutes. Add a drizzle of olive oil and stir into
the dish.
Susan Marque is a dynamic food coach
teaching people all over the world to live sumptuous, vibrant lives.
With phone coaching, seminars and classes she has been sharing her
whole foods approach to health since 1997. Helping people to achieve
their goals through the choices they make in diet and mind. Her
distinctions have helped people with easy weight loss that stays
off, creating more vitality and energy, clearing ailments, looking
younger and feeling better on every level. www.SusanMarque.com
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