When it comes to anything to do with detoxification, it has my full attention. Good internal health means beautiful skin & hair. Great internal health means absolutely radiant skin. Add to this a complete daily and weekly skin care routine made with high-quality natural ingredients, and you are ready to light up a room just by your mere presence.
That was quite the picture I painted there; I know, but truth be told I know that a healthy individual with spotless skin & glossy hair is able to be more impactful simply by the positivity of their presence. Oh and this has nothing to do with the vanity of external appearances.
I will invite you to think of it this way. It does take quite some discipline and commitment to keep your body healthy and clean from the inside, and your skin and hair well cared for on the outside. The rewards speak for themselves. An individual who takes the time to care for the gift of life given to them exudes positivity and inspiration. I look at it this way.
Anyway did you know that uneven and patchy looking skin can indicate that your digestive system is overburdened and could have accumulated too much ama? In Ayurveda, ama is a Sanskrit word meaning toxic buildup of undigested food material. In other words, the gut can become backed up so to speak; and all this is mirrored by the skin. Excess oiliness, open pores, acne, pigmentation, dullness, dryness; you name it and there is every chance it can be traced back to the health of your digestive system.
So where am I going with all this? To two points that I would like to make very strongly (without using any capital letters of course!).
1. Detoxify your body to get gorgeous skin.
2. Have a complete skin care routine to turn it from gorgeous to flawless & ageless.
And yes it is possible.
"I’m seeing a huge difference [in] my skin. [I have fewer] breakouts, and my skin feels much fresher every day. I like touching my skin, which hasn’t happened in a long time."
Let’s start with including these detoxifying foods in our diet as often as possible. Every day if possible.
1. Dandelion Greens: If nature has a detoxification miracle this is it!
This miracle weed is part of my soup very often. It is very easily available at any health food grocery store. In many places around the world, it grows like a weed. My mom told me when she was growing up, it was common knowledge that dandelions had superb healing properties and were definitely in a woman’s diet for a while after she gave birth.
So how do dandelions detoxify the body? Chiefly by enhancing kidney function and making the kidneys far more efficient at eliminating toxic materials. Dandelions also support liver function, which means detoxification for sure.
You can cook dandelion greens just as you would spinach. I have them steamed. They taste bitter, but I have come to love this taste. While eating forkfuls of it, I imagine how much my body will benefit. Oh yes and my skin too. The first thing you might notice too is that your skin looks and feels calmer and far more even and balanced.
2. Bitter Melon: Well this one from the cucumber family has quite the reputation for its medicinal uses. It is highly revered in Ayurveda for its significant health benefits. And if we want
the most of these healing properties, we should think twice before doing anything to reduce its bitterness. My hunch is that what makes it bitter is also what makes it detoxifying in nature.
It is very well known to clean the blood, reduce excess sugar levels, and detoxify the liver while helping its performance. Coumarin present in this miracle food is similar to the insulin found in cattle, and this might well explain its blood sugar lowering ability. High blood sugar puts the whole body under stress. At the level of the skin, diabetes causes hyperpigmentation and patchy skin. What is sadder is that diabetes medications can amplify this issue.
So what does all this mean? It means that bitter melon/karela has the potential to clean the body and help it function optimally. That reward is awesome in itself, but there is more! Spotless and glowing skin. Healthy hair too. A clean body could mean that your occasional acne is on the vanish, or that dullness is turning into a natural glow.
Drinking fresh bitter melon juice every day to jump-start the detoxification process can be the most beneficial way to make it part of your diet. After a week or so, having it 2-3 times a week can be a very good idea. If you are taking medication for diabetes, it is best to ask your doctor’s advice on bitter melon and the right way to incorporate it into your diet.
If you would like to detoxify your skin with a face mask, watch this video to learn a charcoal and carrot remedy. Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel!
3. Khichri: I am a huge fan of this old Ayurvedic detoxification and cleansing ritual. Not only does it clean and heal the digestive system, but it also enhances the health of the
skin, improves its glow and radiance, and might very well slash years off its look and appearance.
Do remember that the state of the digestive system could be directly proportional to how rapidly the skin ages. So if you want to preserve your skin’s youth, or even bring it back, consider this ritual a few times a year. It is simple. Every change of season (4 times a year) and each time you feel you want to give your body a break, have khichri for lunch and dinner for 3-7 days. Drink plenty of water during this time and be sure to keep your workload light if you can.
Khichri is traditionally made with white rice, which is far easier to digest than brown rice and split moong dal. Together this mix is a complete meal (with at least 10 essential amino acids) while being very easy to digest. Therefore your digestive system gets a much-deserved break, in which it can cleanse and rejuvenate itself.
4. Holy Basil and Black Pepper Tea: These two nature’s wonders can be brought together in an effective pairing that delivers.
Holy basil is well known for it blood purification properties in Ayurveda. Plus it boosts your immunity and makes it easier and quicker to recover from infections like the flu. Externally applied in form of a product, it can offer some superb skin revitalization and anti-aging properties. So anything that is so cleansing to the body deserves to be part of our daily diet. A cup of holy basil and pepper tea is such a wonderful thing to keep our body clean from the inside.
Why black pepper you ask? Well, it is known to stimulate your appetite as well as digestion. If your appetite is good and the digestive system efficient, you will naturally decrease ama. Result? Clean and detoxified body, and skin that is beautiful, clear and rejuvenated.
Holy basil tea is widely available in form of tea bags (for those who do not have this herb growing in their garden). 1/2 teaspoon of powdered black pepper can be added to a cup of holy basil tea and enjoyed just before lunch or dinner.
5. Triphala: It is a powdered mixture of three fruits, and quite simply amazing. It is perhaps the highest source of vitamin C and an unparalleled concoction to keep the digestive system healthy and in great function. It helps and supports the elimination process and thus minimizes the
chances of a toxic buildup of undigested food material in the digestive system. For these reasons, it is also very beneficial to keep the skin glowing and free of blemishes and unevenness. It is generally taken after meals as a supplement. It has become popular enough in the West that you can easily shop for it outside of the Indian grocery stores as well. When taking my triphala after dinner every day, I feel assured that I am promoting detoxification of my body while also promoting the glow and clarity of my skin.
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Go natural. It is good karma!