Renowned Yoga expert Deepika Mehta and Nutritionist Shonali Sabherwal have answered some questions on skincare, fitness and health for all you lovely readers. Dry skin woes to post-pregnancy care to preventing skin aging, they have covered them all so read on!
Tips by Deepika Mehta
1. How can I look after my skin once I’ve given birth?
You need to start toning the body through physical exercise like Yoga, Pilates and strength-training.
2. How should I relax during pregnancy?
Relaxing the breath in the belly completely and watching the breath is a simple and good meditation to do during pregnancy.
3. How can I effectively protect my skin against premature aging?
Breathing exercises like Kapalbhati and facial exercises like Simhasana (lion pose) are a good way to prevent premature aging.
4. What are the signs of ageing? How do I prevent them?
Doing stimulating physical exercises like Yoga that exercises not just the muscles but also stimulates and massages the organs, detoxes the body, stimulates the endocrine system thereby preventing early signs of aging.
5. What can I do to look my glowing best in college every day?
Exercising the body through Yoga to have a clean, detoxed body and relaxed mind is a good way to have glowing skin. Doing a few Sun salutations, forward bends, twisting poses, backbends and inversions help in detoxing the body and making skin glow.
6. How do I get glowing skin for my wedding day?
Doing a few minutes of Pranayam, meditation, sun salutations and inversions would give one a deep glow on the face for your wedding day.
7. Given the festive season, my diet will go for a toss. Is there a post festive diet I must follow?
Post the festive season get on a detox diet of eating fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans and lentils, nuts, seeds and good fats like olive oil and avocadoes.
8. Are there any exercises I can do for glowing skin?
The exercises for glowing skin are sun salutations, twists, back bends and inversions.
9. How many hours of sleep is enough?
Sleep is when the body recovers so one needs 6-7 hours of sleep to recover and allow the body to rejuvenate.
10. How what I eat is connected to my skin?
What you eat is directly connected to your skin because your skin shows how clean your body is and the tone and firmness of the skin comes from the good diet and proteins you eat which makes up the collagen of the skin keeping the skin tight and firm.
11. How do I take care of dry skin in the winter?
Internally having good fats like nuts, seeds, olive oil, flax oil, fish, avocadoes, coconut oil will keep the body hydrated internally thus ensuring the skin is not dry.
12. How do I take care of dry skin in the monsoons?
Dry skin in the monsoons can be prevented by eating a diet rich in antioxidants and good fats.
Tips by Shonali Sabherwal
1. How do I take care of dry skin?
Eat fruits and vegetables rich in water content such as watermelon, cucumber, carrot, etc. Avoid dry, baked foods.
2. Can a change in diet help treat oily skin?
Yes. What you eat, does have an effect on your skin. For oily skin, reduce the fat intake in your diet and opt for foods with alkaline.
3. Can oily foods cause oily skin?
Yes. Excessive consumption of oily food can result in oily skin.
4. Can what I eat cause acne breakouts?
Excessive fried food, desserts and dairy products can cause acne breakouts. If you have acne-prone skin, include alkaline foods such as leafy vegetables and fruits in your diet.
5. Are there certain things that will aggravate my sensitive skin?
Dairy products, sugar, maida, simple sugars, processed/refined foods are the common culprits that are harmful for sensitive skin.
6. What foods I must look out for to get glowing skin which I can eat every day?
Drink atleast 8- 10 glasses of water every day. Almonds, fruits that are rich in Vitamin C such as cranberries, oranges, papaya and strawberries expedite the process of getting glowing skin.
7. Do certain foods affect the pH level of the body?
Yes. Whole grains, leafy greens, vegetables, beans, fish, seeds and nuts help in maintaining the pH level of skin. Dairy products, sugar, white flour, excessive meat, coffee, tea cause pH imbalances.
8. How can I look after my skin once I’ve given birth? (any specific dietary suggestions)
Follow a dairy-free, sugar-free approach with plenty of whole grains, vegetables, beans, seeds/nuts after pregnancy.
9. How should I relax during pregnancy?
Take some time off for yourself and your body. Mild stretches help in relaxing the muscles of the body. Include whole grains such as brown rice millets in at least one meal in your diet.
10. How can I effectively protect my skin against premature aging?
A vegetarian diet helps avoid premature aging. Load up on antioxidants through organic fruits and vegetables.
11. What are the signs of aging? How do I prevent them?
Sagging skin, age spots, bags under eyes and discoloration are the most common signs of aging skin.
12. What can I do to look my glowing best in college every day?
Drink at least 8- 10 glasses of water every day. Almonds, fruits that are rich in Vitamin C such as cranberries, oranges, papaya and strawberries expedite the process of getting glowing skin.
13. What is the best way to take care of my skin?
Eat, rest, exercise – are the three golden rules of skincare. Practise breathing exercises to maintain healthy skin.
14. How do I get glowing skin for my wedding day?
Drink atleast 8- 10 glasses of water everyday. Almonds, fruits rich in Vitamin C such as cranberries, oranges, papaya and strawberries also make for a healthy duet. Do not go on a crash diet. A fat-free diet will make you look dull and dry on the wedding day. Consume green tea to increase the antioxidants intake.
15. Given the festive season, my diet will go for a toss. Is there a post festive diet I must follow?
After the excessive sugar and oily food intake, give your system a break and opt for lighter foods and foods rich in antioxidants such as green tea, fruits and vegetables.
16. What are the foods that help cleanse the body from within?
Fermented foods such as kaanji, rejuvelac, cultured vegetables are easy cleansers for the body. Opt for fresh juices as well.
17. Do some foods have a harsh effect on skin?
Any kind of food in moderation does not have a harsh effect on skin.
18. How many hours of sleep is enough?
8
19. Are there any easy-to-make food recipes for glowing skin?
Basic brown rice, pressed vegetables with salt (1 tsp salt to 1 kg grated vegetables, pressed for an hour.)
20. I live in Mumbai and my skin is exposed to a lot of pollution. What should I do on a daily basis to maintain my skin?
Eat a lot of whole grain, load up on juices during summer, hydrate, avoid sugar and stimulants like coffee and tea.
21. How to eat your way to healthy / glowing / radiant skin?
Drink atleast 8- 10 glasses of water everyday. Almonds, fruits that are rich in Vitamin C such as cranberries, oranges, papaya and strawberries expedite the process of getting glowing skin.
22. Does organic food help in maintaining healthy, glowing skin?
Yes. It is rich in antioxidants and is a healthier option for overall health.
23. How what I eat is connected to my skin?
It is deeply connected as our digestive system is connected directly to the skin.
24. What are the best foods to eat for glowing summer skin?
Vegetable juices, cold soups, salads, leafy greens.
25. What are the winter foods for healthy glowing skin?
Vegetables which are round in shape such as squash, beets, turnips, yams, whole grains: brown rice, rye, nachni, bajra, Beans: soybeans, red kidney beans and all others.
26. How do I take care of dry skin in the winter?
Eat foods that include black soybeans, darker beans; eat less hard baked goods (bread, cookies) this causes the skin to dry up, eat a little more oil (olive/sesame/coconut all cold pressed)
27. Are there any foods I should avoid for better skin during the monsoon?
Sugar, dairy, white flour and meat is best to avoid during monsoon.
Wasn’t that helpful? I have one more to add specially if you have dry skin. You can use Dove because it contains a quarter moisturising cream. I’ve been using it for years and love it!
StyleinCraft says
very useful tips for glowing skin & skincare.