9 Simple Habits for a Healthy Glow

If you’ve decided to kick off the New Year with some new healthy habits (or maybe you want to get back into the swing of some old healthy habits)

…it’s probably because you’ve got some big-ass goals you want to achieve in the new year, right?!

But you might be feeling a little tired, cranky and clogged up after holiday festivities.
So you could be finding it harder to bounce into the new year with the energy and vitality you need to kick those serious goals!

We hear you! …every year the festive season and Christmas indulgences put a big toxin load on our bodies.

So we’ve got 9 super simple ways for you to help your body process any excess toxins and start the new year with energy and a healthy glow.

Picking up these habits will help to hit the reset button on your body after a busy festive season and here’s why…

Take out the trash, take out the toxins

These 9 healthy habits will help to limit your toxin exposure.
A toxin is a molecule that can cause damage and disease in your body …and unfortunately, toxins are all around you!

Everyday, you’re exposed to chemicals in your food, food packaging, cosmetics, medications, allergens, cookware and air pollution. So limiting your exposure where you can is important.

Removing junk and processed foods, using natural products in the home and on your skin and adopting some supportive practices (such as deep breathing and dry skin brushing) will all help to reduce your toxic load and help your body to process toxins more effectively.

But toxins come from both inside and outside the body.

They can also be produced inside your body, as by-products of everyday biological functioning. By-products including ammonia, excess hormones and free radicals.
Your body needs to process and eliminate these by-products to stop them building up and causing problems.

Which is where your liver comes into play…

Love your liver and it will love you right back!

The good news is that your body is already naturally good at getting rid of toxins itself.

However, when your good intentions fall by the wayside …such as when the wine’s been flowing and you’ve eaten richer foods over Christmas and the New Year …your toxic load will have increased.

Your body’s major detoxification organ is your liver – it works very hard …so you need to give it a little love and nurturing from time to time.

When your liver becomes overloaded or if you’re constipated, toxins can build up in the body and be pushed through to the skin and other organs to be cleared out.
This can cause inflamed skin, breakouts and all manner of aches and pains.

Once your liver’s working efficiently and effectively, your other organs can go to work.
Your skin, lungs, bowels, kidneys and bladder will effectively eliminate the toxins processed by your liver.

Your body finds processing everything much simpler and easier when there are less toxins involved and will reward you with a clear head, energy and a healthy glow.

Ready to get started with these 9 healthy habits to kick off your new year?

 

#1 Cut out white foods

White foods… they don’t sound too appealing do they?

White foods are generally highly processed and will contain sugar or gluten – or both.

Think white flour, rice, pasta, bread, crackers, chips and fries, dairy, cereal and simple sugars (like table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup), which you’ll find in sweets, cakes and chocolate.

White foods are often easy to overeat and less satisfying than ‘good carbs’.

They create a blood sugar storm and are inflammatory to your gut.

Within an hour or two of eating white foods that digest quickly, your blood sugar levels will plummet and you’ll notice that your hunger pangs have returned with a vengeance!

The resulting fluctuation in your blood sugar levels can exacerbate sugar cravings and deplete your body of essential nutrients needed for healthy hair skin and nails.
Excess blood sugar also damages collagen in your skin and leads to premature ageing.

Adding sources of good soluble fibre to your diet (typically found in vegetables, fruit, seeds and nuts), will help to slow down your digestion and help release energy slowly throughout the day.

When you first start to cut back on sugar and other processed foods you’re bound to have some sugar cravings!
Cinnamon can really help with this, it’s been shown to lower blood sugar by increasing your insulin sensitivity.

Our Golden Latte blend can help as it contains cinnamon …it also contains our skin superfood #10, turmeric.

…and it isn’t just good for making a latte.
Why not try adding it to smoothies, protein balls, oats, chia puddings, soups or veggies?

 

#2 Eat a rainbow of wholefoods

Have you heard the saying, ‘eat the rainbow’…?

It sounds fantastic to us …and who wouldn’t be excited by that idea, right!?!

We’re talking organic and biodynamic fruit and veggies, nuts and free range eggs, wild caught fish, grass fed meat and healthy fats.
These foods are more likely to be anti-inflammatory and provide the valuable nutrients needed to support your body and replenish missing vitamins and minerals.

As a matter of course, wholefoods will contain far less chemicals, antibiotics and preservatives, which will help to reduce your toxic load.

Then if you’re wondering why you’d swap to grass-fed meat… did you know that grass-fed animals contains significantly more anti-inflammatory Omega 3 fats and far less inflammatory Omega 6 fats than standard meat?

Colour = nutrients and antioxidants

Naturally occurring phytochemicals in fruit and vegetables are what gives your fruit and veggies their bright colours.

Phytochemicals also act as antioxidants. They help to mop up potentially harmful free radicals before they get a chance to damage skin cells. Which is just what you need during the summer months when you’re exposed to more UV light.

The Pete Evans Bone Broth Superbend contains dehydrated bone broth (from grass-fed, organic beef bones) plus some carefully selected Australian bush foods, including Kakadu Plum. An anti-inflammatory, anti-ageing superfood that has one of the highest levels of natural Vitamin C of any food on the planet!

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps to reduce your free radical damage from sun exposure. Which is great for during the summer months!

 

#3 Detoxifying superfoods

The definition of a superfood is – a nutrient rich food that is considered to be especially beneficial for health and well-being.

Adding ‘superfoods’ to your diet will ‘supercharge’ your skin, hair, immunity, energy levels, vitality.

As we mentioned earlier…

Supporting your liver is key to your overall health

Foods that directly support the liver, like liver or liver capsules, leafy greens and greens powders, matcha green tea and other detoxifying teas are great to help your liver process toxins and help you form healthier habits.

Adding these to your diet doesn’t have to be hard!

If you’re not a fan of eating liver, then go for our grass-fed beef liver capsules. They’re #5 in our Top 10 Skin Superfoods because they contain B12, iron zinc and fat soluble vitamins A, D, E & K …all of the nutrients needed to help the liver eliminate toxins, a process that is critical for healthy, glowing skin.

Leafy greens are #7 in our Top 10 Skin Superfoods and there are so many simple ways of adding more leafy greens to your diet.

Why not try tossing a handful of spinach onto your plate with your morning eggs, adding a handful of greens to your frittata …or even easier, pop a couple of scoops of our Peptipro greens with collagen into your green smoothie for brekkie?

Supporting the gut and good digestion

With 60-80% of the immune system located in the gut …foods such as fermented foods, probiotics and functional tea’s like BetterMe Tea are great to support your gut with both digestion and elimination during a detox.

You could even try making your own fermented food, we love to make our own kimchi, it’s too easy not to try!

Anti-inflammatory superfoods

There are also plenty of foods you can eat that are anti-inflammatory and rich in antioxidants like turmeric, camu camu, kakadu plum and matcha green tea.

The Pete Evans Collagen Superblend contains, amongst other ‘super’ things, Camu Camu which is an anti-inflammatory, anti-ageing superfood that has the highest levels of natural Vitamin C of any food on the planet!

Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps to reduce your free radical damage from sun exposure, great during the summer months.

 

#4 Get sweaty

Getting sweaty is an important part of getting rid of toxins in the body as the secondary route of elimination of toxins is through your skin (the primary route is your colon).

When you sweat it helps your body to eliminate toxins and waste products from your liver. This stops them from building up in your body.

Exercise helps your body’s organs of elimination to function optimally.

Moving your body helps to circulate both blood and lymph. The more these circulate, the more the liver and lymphatic system can do the job of cleansing and purifying the blood and body.

Your skin is cleansed from the inside out by the cleansing process of sweating. That gorgeous skin glow you get after exercising is real!

The key is to choose an exercise that you like and feel you can turn into a habit that will easily fit it into your weekly routine.

Running every morning at 6am might be good for some early birds, but if you’re more of a night owl …a restorative yoga session early evening is probably more your cup of green tea!

Other more relaxing ways to get your sweat on would be to take a hot bath, steam room or an infrared sauna.

 

#5 Add some salt

We know what you’re thinking, you’re meant to avoid too much salt.

Well, this is a different sort of salt altogether …and if you haven’t yet discovered the replenishing powers of an Epsom salt or Dead Sea Salt bath, then you’re in for a treat!

Epsom salts contains magnesium sulphate and Dead Sea Salts contain magnesium chloride and a host of other trace minerals.
Studies have shown that magnesium and sulphate are both more easily absorbed through your skin than your gut.

Magnesium has a part to play in over 300 of the biochemical reactions in your body (and you might surprised to hear that most of us aren’t getting enough of it).

It plays an important role in organising many of your bodily functions, like muscle control, electrical impulses and energy production as well as the elimination of harmful toxins.

Sulphates play an important role in the formation of your brain tissue, joint proteins and the proteins that line your digestive tract and is also necessary for liver detoxification.

So go for a swim at the beach, soak in a relaxing bath with our Replenishing Mineral Bath Salts …or why not give floatation therapy or salt therapy a go?

We love floating!

 

#6 Dry brush before showering

Dry body brushing is an ancient beauty technique that you’ll want to embrace.

It promotes healthy, glowing skin by exfoliating dead skin cells (and encourages new cell renewal), which results in smoother and brighter skin.

It can also help you get rid of those pesky ingrown hairs.

From a detoxification perspective, it’s a pretty handy tool to have at your disposal!

Your hundreds of miles of lymphatic tubules help waste to be collected from your tissues and transported for elimination.

When your lymphatic system is not working properly, waste and toxins can build up.

Brushing your skin with a dry brush, in long or circular strokes towards your heart, stimulates your lymphatic system to help clear out built up toxins and cellular waste.

It’s also a great way to focus on just you, and not other distractions before you start your morning shower routine.

Many people report that it makes them feel more vital and energised afterwards.

 

#7 Try a facial Mask

Facial masks can be fantastic for detoxing the skin topically.
Especially if your skin is congested, dull or acne prone.

They’re a really good habit to add to your routine if you’re one of those people  who struggles to make time for yourself.

Why not sit down for 5 mins with a cuppa and a good book while a charcoal or bentonite clay mask helps to draw out toxins and impurities in your skin? Me time that makes you look good, now that’s right up our street!

Why not try do some DIY and make your own mask?
We love this recipe as it also contains soothing honey and purifying essential oils too.

It’ll take you right back to all those childhood mud pie making efforts and will reward you with soft, refreshed looking skin!

Did you know that activated charcoal is also great for your tummy too?

It can be used to treat uncomfortable bloating and is a great help if you’re struck down with food poisoning as it binds the toxins up and help you expel them.

It’s always on our travel ‘must haves’ list!

Matcha green tea powder mixed with a little water is also an excellent mask for your skin as well. The same properties that make it beneficial for drinking are great for your skin.
Especially epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is helpful in reducing redness and inflammation and for evening out skin tone.

The antioxidants may also be helpful for reducing acne and increasing skin elasticity.

 

#8 Do a Digital Detox

Our modern lifestyles can be overwhelming at times.

From your smartphone, computer and tablet to your email, social media and instant messaging. The chances are that you are always ‘on’ and responding to alerts and messages.

This can stop your body from flipping over into that rest and digest phase, where all of the repair and maintenance in the body happens.

Why not try turning off the alerts on your smart phone and computer, taking certain apps off your phone and consciously leaving your phone in your bag or another room for extended periods of time?

Studies have shown that even a short term digital detox can increase mental wellness and focus.

When was the last time you completely disconnected?
If you struggle to disconnect then our 3-Minute Breathing Space guided audio is a really useful mindfulness tool for anytime you’re feeling anxious, frustrated, angry or overwhelmed.

 

#9 Get your Beauty Sleep

Getting good quality, deep sleep is one of the single most important habits that you can start for the new year.

Sleep is a time of detoxification and cellular repair. While you sleep your liver goes to work clearing and eliminating toxins, chemicals and hormones that are no longer needed.

To help you get a good night of restorative sleep, avoid looking at screens and devices before bedtime. But if you have to look at a computer or phone screen during your evening downtime try wearing a pair of blue blocker glasses.

These are specifically designed for use at night time to block stimulating blue light, reducing eye strain and headaches and promoting a more restful sleep.

Aim for 7-9 hours of good quality sleep in a pitch black room.

Try to ensure that you don’t have any light emitting devices in your room as these interfere with your sleep.

We love to wear a sleep mask to ensure that there is no light pollution affecting our sleep and they protect your delicate eye area from moisture loss, pillow creases and skin damage while you’re sleeping.

The saying, ‘Sleep well’ means so much more now doesn’t it?

 

There are obviously so many other things that you can do to help your body process toxins more easily.
The key is to keep it simple so that it’s sustainable.

Just these few changes should help you start the new year with a renewed sense of vitality.
One step at a time you can create good habits for a happier, healthier you!

One other thing… it’s important to note that we’re not talking about restriction with these healthy habits.

This is about identifying new habits that will sustain and nourish you inside and out.
To create clear, glowing skin and the get-up-and-go to live life to the full.

These habits will make you feel more energised, which means you’ll have the enthusiasm to make them part of your routine as you’ll see and feel the results.

Once these habits become part of your daily routine, you’ve nailed it.
They then become part of your normal everyday life and although you might stray from time to time, they’ll always be there.

But it all starts with one. Just pick one of these healthy habits to start with. The one you think will be easiest and go from there. 
Good Luck!

 

Resources

• The University of California and San Francisco
• Healthline.com
• Paleoleap.com
• Paleosecret.com
• Wellnessmama.com
• 180nutrition.com.au
• Powerhungry.com