This post is the first in my Beautiful Change Challenge series! Over the next 6 weeks I’ll be writing one post per week about how you can make beautiful changes in various areas of your life! This one focuses on my favorite aspect of a healthy, beautiful lifestyle – food, of course. :)
Beauty is a hard thing to describe in words. When I see someone and I think “she (or he) is beautiful,” it’s not always a matter of their physical features. A beautiful person, to me, usually seems vibrant and fresh. When someone has a healthy lifestyle and takes care of themselves, it’s apparent, and it’s attractive.
When I first started learning about nutrition at IIN, I realized the strong connection between the way you eat and the beauty, vitality and fresh energy that radiates from you. Foods that support your cells will make you healthy from the inside out, and that’s gorgeous.
“One who eats for beauty becomes a work of art in progress. Nature’s paint brush immediately sets about applying food-mineral cosmetics to the inner tissues, which become visible externally in the warm, vivid, youthful freshness of the hair, nails and skin.” –David Wolfe, author of Eating for Beauty
You might be wondering – what are some of the best foods for inner and outer beauty? Here’s a list of some of my suggestions along with the ways I recommend to eat them. This week, I’m making the commitment to eat beautifying foods every single day! Are you with me?
The Beauty Foods
AVOCADO
Beautifying traits: Avocados are incredible for your skin! The monounsaturated fats and vitamin E assist production of collagen, enhance skin tone, and can reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Avocados are also rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients, which lead to healthier cells.
How to eat: Sliced up on a salad, massaged into kale, mashed up (with cilantro, onions, lime juice and salt) to make guacamole. Avocados are also great eaten on their own, topped with a little lemon juice, salt and pepper.
BLUEBERRIES
Beautifying traits: These baby blues will make your eyes sparkle! Blueberries are high in powerful antioxidants, vitamin C and flavanoids that particularly have a strengthening effect on the eyes.
How to eat: Eat them alone, on top of a salad, or in a smoothie.
LEAFY GREENS
Beautifying traits: Leafy greens are like pure, sparkling sunlight to the body. They contain alkalizing vitamins and minerals, blood-building chlorophyll, and can help reduce stress – and we know happy and relaxed is beautiful!
How to eat: Make a green juice, salad or smoothie to enjoy raw leafy greens, lightly steam them, or saute with onions and garlic.
COCONUT
Beautifying traits: Eating coconuts will leave your hair and skin glowing. The medium-chain fatty acids in coconuts can boost the immune system and prevent cellular degeneration, which slows the skin’s aging process.
How to eat: There are so many ways to eat coconuts! Coconut water is one of my favorites, along with coconut milk, coconut oil, and the fresh meat from inside a coconut.
OLIVES, OLIVE OIL
Beautifying traits: Olives and olive oil have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body, help skin retain moisture, and contain antioxidants that prevent free radical damage.
How to eat: Eat olives straight up or in a salad. Olive oil is best uncooked (and extra virgin, cold-pressed), so make a homemade salad dressing or drizzle it on your food for extra flavor.
CUCUMBERS
Beautifying traits: Cucumbers have a very high water content, which will keep your skin skin hydrated and glowing.
How to eat: Cucumbers are great as a plain snack! Throw them into a salad, smoothie, or juice them in your juicer for a hydrating drink.
What are some beautifying foods you love? Share in the comments below!
Meredith says
This is fantastic! I love this list. Thank you. Lately I adore eating cooked vegetables for breakfast. That makes me feel alive and beautiful.
Bree says
Great post! I adore all things spinach!