I recently posted an article on a simple routine to Naturally Cure Dry Skin.  Because beauty truly does come from within, today’s article focuses on the relationship between your diet and your skin.

Even though this simple 2-step routine will go a long way toward clearing up your dry skin, it’s not the best way to ensure a healthy epidermis.

The absolute best thing you can do for your skin actually has nothing to do with soaps, body crèmes, or exfoliants!

Hydration

One of the biggest problems with eating an unhealthy cooked food diet is the simple fact that this diet is extremely dehydrating.

Why?  Two reasons:

1.    The food is cooked, meaning that much of the water has been drawn out via heating.
2.    Most cooked food staples are full of irritating salt, spices, and condiments that draw the water out of your cells.

This is why dieticians, nutritionists, and the like recommend a staggering 8-12 glasses of water per day.  This water is needed to counteract the dryness and toxicity inherent in the standard cooked food diet.

But don’t think raw foodists are off the hook!  Unfortunately, the mainstream raw food diet doesn’t do much better in terms of hydration and actually makes the same two mistakes present in a cooked food diet:

1.    While not cooked, many of the foods consumed are DEHYDRATED, and so much of the necessary water is removed.
2.    Raw foodists are known for their love of salt, as well as other irritating spices such as garlic and cayenne pepper.

Again, we see the exact same problems associated with cooked food eaters: dry and toxic ingredients.

This is likely the reason so many raw foodists continue to experience acne (as well as other health issues).

If they would just stop consuming all the dry, fatty, irritating foods and start consuming more fresh, water-rich ingredients, I bet they would see a marked improvement in the condition of their skin.

Which segues nicely into my final point…

How to Stay Hydrated

If you really want radiant skin, you need to stay hydrated.  And the best way to stay hydrated is NOT to drink gallons of water a day, but to eat a diet of water-rich foods.

And what diet might that be?  Why, a low fat raw vegan one, of course!  The amount of sweet fruit you will eat on such a diet has *more* than enough water to keep your skin healthy and hydrated.

And the more simply you eat – meaning the less irritating salt and spices you consume – the less toxic ingredients your body will have to dilute by removing precious water from your cells.

Another benefit of simple eating: no water retention!  Again, irritating salt and spices have to be diluted, which means that your body actually holds on to the water to keep the salt in solution.

Sounds counterintuitive, right?  You are holding onto more water and yet your body is dehydrated.

That’s because the water is no longer in your cells or bloodstream, but in your skin.  This is what gives so many salt lovers that “puffy” look.

It’s Not Just About Diet

Instead of ending on that note, I want to quickly add that it isn’t all about diet.

Perhaps you saw this one coming, but it’s so true!

No matter how clean your diet is, your skin (and your health, for that matter) will never be as great as it could be if you do not take other health factors into account.

Factors such as:

-    Exercise
-    Sunshine
-    Fresh Air
-    Clean drinking water
-    Etc.

All of these have a huge effect on the look and feel of your skin.

Healthy skin comes from within!

Your Results?

Have you recently stopped consuming dehydrating cooked and/or raw foods in favor of more fruity, fresh fare?  How has this worked out for your skin?  Are you radiantly raw and loving it?

Leave a comment below!  I’m a sucker for success stories.

Go raw and be fit,

Swayze

You know how I can tell that winter is almost here?  My skin gets super-duper DRY!

I mean, *really* dry.  Like, peeling and cracking kind of dry.

Sorry.  That’s pretty gross.

During most of the year, my skin stays soft and smooth.  It’s only when the weather changes and we have to turn on the heaters that my silky skin turns into a dry desert.

More disturbing imagery.  Sorry about that.

But no worries!  I have an awesome completely *simple* and *natural* skin care routine that leaves my skin soft, smooth, and healthy.

If you struggle with dry skin during the colder months (or anytime), I definitely suggest giving this 2-step routine a try.

Step #1: Exfoliate

When you hear the word “exfoliate”, you probably think of body scrubs made from hand-harvested French sea salt and crazy expensive “rare” essential oils.

Don’t worry, I’m not that kind of gal.

“Exfoliate” simply means to remove dead skin cells.  You certainly don’t need a pricey, chemical-laden scrub to do that!

*Dry Skin Brushing*

It’s exactly as simple as it sounds.  You just brush your skin while it’s dry!

First, you need to buy the proper brush.  You want one that is made with natural fibers, not synthetic. You can find one for cheap on Amazon.  I actually have two: a standard one for my body and a smaller, less coarse one that I use for my face (which I brush using a circular motion).

Next, you lightly run the brush up and down your body right before your shower.  Now, some methods you may come across on the web are a little labor-intensive.  You can only brush in upward strokes (always toward the heart) and you have to follow a certain pattern (hands to arms to shoulders to chest…).

Sounds like a bunch of new-age mumbo-jumbo to me.  Plus, I’m just way to lazy for all that!

All I do is quickly brush all over right before my shower, paying special attention to my hands, feet, elbows and knees.

I do this maybe once a week during the summer (especially if I go swimming a lot) and every other day during the winter.

It honestly takes less than 5 minutes.

Step #2: Moisturize

Now that you’ve sufficiently exfoliated and washed off all the yucky dead skin cells with a quick shower, it’s time to moisturize.

But of course, not just any moisturizer will do!  No expensive lotions full of  nasty chemicals like Diethanolamine (DEA) and phthalates (chemicals that have been linked to cancer, by the way).

Any guesses?

*Coconut Oil!*

Yep, just plain organic, unrefined coconut oil.  I buy mine from Whole Foods, but I believe other places sell non-organic, refined brands.  A 12-16oz jar costs between $9 and $12 and it will last for quite a while.

In fact, I have had the same 14oz jar for almost 2 years now!  That’s definitely WAY less expensive than paying $30 (or more) for some high-end body “crème” that only lasts a month or two.

Another great benefit of using coconut oil to moisturize is that there is practically no smell.

Since I’ve been raw, my tolerance for smells has become very low.  This is kind of a bummer because I can no longer wear perfume, which I used to LOVE!

Around Christmas time each year, my Mom and I would head over to Sephora and buy ourselves a new bottle (or two) of fragrance.  She always went for lighter, clean smells while I liked the oriental, woody smells.

This was always something that I really looked forward to each Holiday season.

Well, not any more!  I honestly cannot stand the smell of perfumes or colognes, neither on myself nor on other people.  The smells are just too strong.

Even my favorite perfumes, which I just can’t bare to part with, give me a headache!

*sigh*

And that’s why I use coconut oil as a moisturizer.  No smell!

*Other Oils*

As I said, I like coconut oil because of the price and the no-smell factor.  But there’s nothing inherently special about this oil that makes it a better choice then, say, avocado or grape seed oil.

You can certainly use those  or other plant-based oils if you wish.  There are also natural oil blends you can buy, like Burt’s Bees Apricot Oil, at health food shops or even some pharmacies.

Just be sure to steer clear of petroleum-based mineral oil.

The only downside to coconut oil is that it solidifies at room temp.  You could put the jar into a bowl of hot water before your shower, but (you guessed it) I’m way too lazy for that.

When I’m ready to moisturize, I just take out as much as I need and rub it in my hands.  The heat and friction will warm up the oil and it will return to its liquid state pretty easily.

I can avoid this step during the winter because we always have the heater running which keeps the house really warm and the oil nice and soft.

Let’s Recap

1. Using a natural skin brush, lightly brush up and down your body and in concentric circles on your face.
2. Shower
3. Moisturize with organic, unrefined coconut oil…as much as you like!

Okay, so the routine is actually 3 steps.  But you were going to shower anyway…right?

Oh, I forgot to mention the *best* part about this routine!

You will see results almost instantly!

When I first implemented this routine back in the winter of 2007, my skin was completely dry and cracked.  Within *2 days*, there was about 50% improvement and after about 6 days, my skin was *completely* smooth and soft again.

All because of a skin brush, some coconut oil, and a few extra minutes of my time.

Beat that, Bath and Body Works!

Go raw and be fit,

Swayze

These are some of the top 10 benefits of the raw food diet that most every raw foodist has experienced.  If this doesn’t convince you to go raw, I just don’t know what will!

#1: Improved digestion

If I had to give you my top raw food benefit, improved digestion would be it.  It is the one result that almost every single person who attempts a healthy raw diet experiences.

Not only that, but it usually occurs very quickly.  Almost every digestive issue can be solved in just a few short days, if not less.  Whether you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome or just the occasional upset tummy, you will see major improvements after going raw.

However, if you continue to abuse the #1 food combining rule, than your results will not be as great.  No amount of raw food can undo the effects of the sugar-fat combo.

#2: Permanent Weight Loss

Hmmmm…maybe permanent weight loss should be the top benefit?

I don’t think it’s going too far to say that close to 99.9999999% of people struggle with their weight at some point in their lives.  Many of us go on diet after diet after diet hoping that we will see *some* kind of change in our weight.

Unfortunately, the only change that most of us witness is a higher number on the scale.  And if we do happen to lose weight, it’s usually at the expense of our health (i.e. calorie restriction, dangerous diet pills, frozen food programs, etc.) and typically comes back to haunt us sooner or later.

On the other hand, eating a healthy raw food diet allows you to lose weight *permanently* while improving your health substantially.  Plus, you get to eat *pounds* of food on a daily basis, without any guilt!

#3: More Energy

Unlike what you read/hear from many well-known raw foodists, raw foods do *not* give you energy.  Nothing you eat does, whether it’s a burger or a banana.  Eating food of any kind *requires* energy, just as everything else that you do during the day requires energy.

What makes following a healthy raw vegan diet truly special is that it requires less energy to process inside your body.  2 pounds of grapes literally takes *minutes* to be fully digested by the body.  This is opposed to cooked foods, or even a complicated fatty raw dish, which take hours to be digested.

The one *true* energy provider is sleep, which brings me to benefit #4…

#4: Better Sleep

Since I’ve been raw, I rarely ever feel tired when I get into bed.  Even after being raw for so long, I still get ready for bed sometimes and think, “Gee, I’m not going to be able to fall asleep right now.  Maybe I should just stay up for a little longer.”

However, I convince myself to get into bed and the moment my head hits the pillow, I feel so relaxed.  Within minutes, I’m out.

The best part?  When I wake up, I feel completely awake and ready to begin my day.  No more groggy mornings for me!

This is a far cry from my bedtime routine from two years ago.  My routine was this: feel absolutely exhausted by 4pm.  Try not to fall asleep at the wheel on the way to a client’s house.  Feel a little better after a 30-minute nap.  Feel exhausted again by 7pm.  Get into bed still exhausted by 10pm.  Remain awake for an hour.  Wake up at 7am groggy and grouchy.  Repeat.

Yikes, that makes me tired just writing it!

#5: Mental Clarity

I’m sure that many non-raw foodists will disagree with this one.  Raw foodists are supposed to be tree-hugging, hippie nut jobs, right?

On a raw food diet, because you are no longer weighing your body down with hard-to-digest cooked foods, you have more energy to use your brain!

Of course, this has a lot to do with sleep as discussed previously.  Because we spend less energy digesting our foods, we sleep more soundly.  This means that we have more energy during the day, meaning our thoughts are generally much clearer and our focus greatly improved.  We are more mentally, and even emotionally stable.

It’s really a cycle, isn’t it?  The more raw foods you eat, the better you sleep.  The better you sleep, the more energy you have.  The more energy you have, the more mentally stable you are.  The more mentally stable, the easier it is to stay raw.  The longer you stay raw…

#6: Soft, Smooth, & Clear Skin

To be honest, I’ve always had pretty good skin.  I’ve had maybe three blemishes in my entire life.  In fact, the worst my skin has ever been was for the first few months *after* I gave up salt!  But that’s for another article…

I’m not trying to brag.  I just want to be honest.  I’m not here to make up crazy transition stories about how going raw made me grow 5 inches taller and gave me the power of flight.  Although I have gone down almost 2 full shoes…

Anyway, I’m sure that many of you struggle with skin problems, whether it’s a blotchy skin tone, dry skin, oily skin, visible pores, blemishes, etc.

You *do not* need an expensive, chemical-laden skin treatment routine that only serves to further irritate your already abused skin.  All you need is a good heapin’ helping of water-rich raw fruits and veggies.

And some sunshine couldn’t hurt either.

#7: Thick, Healthy, & Shiny Hair

I’ve always had really thick hair, but it was very dry and hard to manage before I went raw.  The worst part was that I would shed like crazy!  My Mom was always pulling handfuls of my long locks out of the rollers of the vacuum.  Yuck!

Now that I eat plenty of nourishing, water-rich foods, my hair is silky and soft.  And I’m no longer a shedding machine!

#8: Healthy Teeth & Gums

But aren’t your teeth supposed to rot out of your head when you go raw?

NO!  The fact that so many long-term raw foodists have suffered tooth decay is simply a testament to the fact that the mainstream raw food diet *does not work*.

On a healthy raw food diet full of sweet fruit, moderate vegetables and little fat, you will not experience teeth problems.  In fact, the condition of your teeth and gums is likely to improve!

The real key is to have a solid dental care system in place and not to make dehydrated foods the base of your diet.

#9: No More Aches, Pains, or Minor Illnesses

How many of you have struggled with “everyday” illnesses and pains such as headaches, migraines, colds, flus, tummy aches, joint pains, muscle cramps, allergies, etc.?  We all have at some point!

I used to struggle with

• anemia
• restless leg syndrome
• muscle and joint pains in my legs and feet
• seasonal colds about 3-4 times a year (pretty much whenever the weather changed)
• the flu every couple of years
• headaches
• heavy menstrual flows and horrible cramps in my abdomen and lower back that left me in tears

And of course there were the seemingly random and unexplained aches and pains that would crop up every once in a while.

Every one of these has been *completely eradicated* since I went raw.  No more headaches.  No more colds.  Perhaps best of all, no more heavy periods and gut-wrenching cramps!  Sorry, guys, but that really is a big one for us ladies.

#10: Save Some Green

When you decide to take your health into your own hands and go raw, you can expect to save *heaps* of money in the process.

No more money wasted on unnecessary drugs, supplements or “superfoods.”  No more expensive doctor’s fees.  No more high insurance rates.

You can finally focus on *you* and spend that extra time and money on the things that actually make you more…well, you!

Still Waiting to Go Raw?

What are you waiting for?  Each day that you remain a slave to your aching back, your extra fat, or even your trip to the local pharmacy, is a day that you could be living raw and loving it!

Go raw and love it,

Swayze