5 foods to keep your inner body healthy

1. Our skin is our largest organ and it’s usually the first to signal that something may be off in our bodies. Think acne, blemishes, eczema, bumpy rashes, and more. A healthy and happy radiance is always achievable through the above 5 little steps.

Here are the top five foods and one drink I highly recommend to help improve your complexion :

• Green tea: Green tea contains powerful antioxidants that can combat the free radicals that are bothering your skin and your immune system. The healthier your immune system, the better your skin.
• Garlic: Each clove of garlic contains a chemical called allicin. This chemical reacts with our own blood to be able to kill off harmful bacteria and viruses. Garlic has a plethora of medicinal benefits, including being antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral.
• Oranges: Or anything orange for that matter: carrots, golden beets, butternut squash, pumpkin, and the list goes on. These foods are commonly known for their high content of vitamin C, but they also contain phytonutrients that have been found to promote the health of epithelial tissues, which are found in our eyes, hair, and skin. They also aid in the formation of collagen. So win-win!
• Nuts: They’re high in minerals like zinc and selenium, which are your skin’s best friends! 
• Yogurt: Healthy gut, healthy skin. Remember that. This food contains probiotics, which are the good bacteria our gut needs to keep a healthy balance. It also improves digestion and lowers inflammation.

2. If you want to promote healthy hair and encourage growth, it goes beyond using the best non-toxic shampoos, conditioners, and masks. You also have to eat nutrient-dense foods that will support the health of your hair.

Here are five foods to incorporate into your diet for luscious and strong locks :

• Healthy Fats: Peanut butter, Almonds, walnuts are foods that are rich in healthy fats which are essential to hair health. Omega 3 fatty acids help to nourish hair follicles, which supports the strength of hair strands and keeps them looking shiny. Peanut butter and almonds especially are high in vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps to nourish both the hair and scalp.
• Flax seeds: They are loaded with polyunsaturated fatty acids that keep scalp dryness away.
• Green – Leafy veggies: Iron is an essential mineral that supplies oxygen to your hair follicles. According to some studies, iron deficiency is linked to baldness as well. Low folate can lead to weak, thinning, or brittle hair. Eat more cruciferous vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower—all high sources of folate.
• Citrus fruits: Vitamin C is ideal for hair growth because it helps protect and maintain collagen stores.
• Pumpkin/Pumpkin seeds: Are packed with zinc, which is not only important for our immune health, it also helps prevent hair loss.  

3. Let’s cut to the chase. There’s no magic food or secret trick for slimming down—there’s so much to take into consideration. So what foods will actually help you to slim down? Think about foods that are high in fiber.

Here are the top five items I recommend adding to your diet if you’re looking to slenderize your already beautiful body.

• Mango: The stress hormone cortisol creates belly fat and keeps it stored there. You can add vitamin C-rich foods to help you combat those nasty stress hormones that don’t do the body any good. Mango is rich in vitamin C, so it gets this job done. It’s also known to have high levels of vitamin B-6, which supplies your brain with high amounts of dopamine—the neurotransmitter that signals our body to feel happy.
• Seeds: Chia, flax, and hemp seeds. These are all amazing healthy fats that are high in fiber and omega 3s. They can be used to add protein and fat to smoothies or even mix with your favorite cake recipes.
• Mustard Oil: Being rich in MUFA, PUFA, Omega 3 & 6, Vitamin E, Minerals, and anti-oxidants, Mustard oil demonstrates strong Anti-Microbial property and is Anti-inflammatory in nature. It improves heart health and reduces cancer risks. The most valuable health benefit of Mustard oil can be attributed to its strong stimulant property.
• Pulses: You can’t beat these pulses beans when it comes to eating fiber content.
• Collagen: Tomatoes, cashews, egg whites, bell peppers for good hair, good skin, good glow. Collagen is an amino acid that your body produces naturally but makes less of overtime. It plays a role in strengthening hydration and elasticity, which means tighter skin and fewer wrinkles. Taking collagen tells the body to make more of its own for long-term effects. It could also boost muscle mass for those long, toned, beautiful naked muscles.

4. Vaginal health is no different than any other system—heart, brain, gut, skin—in our body. Our bodies naturally work to maintain a normal pH balance between 6.2 and 7.6, but here’s the kicker: our vagina, as well as some other areas in the body, need a lower pH in order to fend off harmful bacteria, fungus, and other pathogens that leave their mark on our vagina. This area thrives at a much more acidic pH level, between 3.8 and 4.5.

Here are the top five foods to look out for good vaginal health:

• Probiotics: You can take this as a supplement, but I recommend eating them! Foods like yogurt, garlic Paneer, Idli are famous for adding healthy bacteria to the body, including the vaginal area.
• Omega 3: Any vaginal odor is bad, but believe it or not, foods high in omega 3 can fend off those odors. Foods like walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds, seafood, and fish oil tablets.
• Plant-based fats: Nuts, seeds (like chia), olive oil, and avocados. These not only help create a great hormone balance, they can also help regulate pH levels.
• Vitamin C: this is found in many of the fruits you likely already love, including citrus fruits, strawberries, and other berries. This is one of the strongest components for fighting off any free radicals.
• Incorporate apple cider vinegar into your diet and avoid sugar.

5. Sleep is critical. Yet it’s always last on the list, and rarely a priority. “Ready for this truth bomb? If you aren’t sleeping well—or enough—all the plant-based eating and yoga classes in the world won’t enable you to achieve your best health. The fact is, without enough rest, you won’t make smart food choices or have the energy needed to work out.

Here are the top five-step to sleep cleanse if you want to prioritize your shut-eye, and get the rest you need:

• Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. You should be getting seven to eight hours of shuteye per night. When you consistently sync your slumber with your natural sleep rhythms and 24-hour biological clock, you’re able to achieve the best restorative sleep possible.
• Your bedroom should be for sleep only. Make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet, and cool. Also, you should be re-evaluating your mattress every five to eight years. If you are having difficulty getting all your zzz’s, your mattress could be the culprit.
• Screens are one of the biggest sleep disruptors out there. Electronics should be turned off at least 60 minutes before bedtime.
• Quieting your mind long enough to drift off can be difficult. Keep a journal on your nightstand and write down all your worries before you go to bed.
• If you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t fall back asleep, get out of bed. Go into a different room but keep things quiet, dim, and screen-free. Read a chapter or two in low light, listen to soothing music, or color. Try again after 20 minutes or so and continue the process until you can fall asleep.