The Best Examples Of Natural Beauty Products That Benefit Your Health

The Best Examples Of Natural Beauty Products That Benefit Your Health

Image: Unsplash

More and more women these days are throwing out their traditional beauty and skincare products and are restocking their arsenals with natural and non-toxic replacements. As awareness has grown around the health hazards and risks caused by the formulas of many big-name beauty brands, making the switch feels not only important, but necessary. If you’ve been considering changing up the brands in your routine, here are the best examples of natural beauty products that benefit your health.

Organic Skincare

Organic skincare is a great place to start as what we put on our skin naturally gets absorbed into the body and thus effects our health both inside and out. As opposed to being formulated with chemicals and synthetics, organic skincare is made from plant-based ingredients grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, etc. The chemicals and synthetics in a lot of traditional skincare products have been linked to everything from illness to skin irritation. Furthermore, switching to organic skincare can make your skin feel softer as they are free of drying agents like sulfates, and eliminating irritating chemicals and synthetics may improve your complexion if you’re suffering from breakouts or acne. Organic skincare brands we love include Juice Beauty, Pacifica and Ecco Bella.

Natural Makeup

As well as getting absorbed into the body through the skin, makeup naturally gets in close contact with some of the body’s most sensitive areas including the eyes and mouth. With lipstick in particular, it’s important to make the switch to more natural products when you think about how much of that product you’re unknowingly ingesting on a daily basis! Like traditional skincare products, many makeup formulations are full of harsh chemicals and toxins that can cause serious long-term health consequences including breast cancer, hormonal imbalances, and a weaker immune system. However, there are a number of additional reasons to switch to natural makeup. First, natural makeup is much healthier for sensitive skin and reduces the chances of triggering an allergic reaction or causing rashes and breakouts. Not only do natural products limit irritation, they actually nourish your body with ingredients like vitamin E and antioxidants that will keep you looking both youthful and healthy. Natural makeup is also non-comedogenic which allows the skin to breathe and prevents the buildup of unhealthy bacteria that can clog your pores. To get started with natural makeup, try Bite Beauty, Vapour Beauty, and Au Naturale.

Natural Haircare

Have you ever noticed that your favourite shampoo seems to lose its effectiveness after you’ve used it for a while? That’s because most haircare brands are packed full of silicones and/or sulphates that give you great results at first, only to leave your hair feeling limp and unhealthy after a few washes. This is because most mainstream haircare products strip your hair of the natural oils designed to protect your locks and keep them healthy. Organic and natural haircare products will actually nourish your hair and restore the natural balance of oils it needs to keep itself clean and healthy. In addition, if you have a sensitive scalp or suffer from a condition like psoriasis, the lack of chemicals in natural haircare products will be more gentle and less irritating, helping you avoid allergic reactions or flare-ups of painfully dry skin. If you’re interested in trying natural haircare products, check out Honest Beauty, Earth’s Nectar, or Evolvh.

If you’re looking to improve your health in all areas of your life, a great first step is to cut down on the chemicals, toxins, and synthetics you’re exposing yourself to. That said, there is no better place to start than with skincare, makeup, and haircare. Switching to a more natural beauty routine will not only limit your exposure to these harmful products, you’ll also start to see incredible benefits like softer skin, a clearer complexion, and more luscious locks.

Have you tried any natural beauty products? Share your favourite brands in the comments!

Hello Moringa!

Hello Moringa – Could This Be Your New Favorite Superfood?

Image: Google Images Free Use

For thousands for years, people have been cultivating and benefiting from the medicinal properties of the moringa plant. As early as 2000 BCE it was used on the Indian Subcontinent to treat everything from skin irritations to asthma. As the plant and its users spread across the world, its nutritional benefits caused it to become a staple in Southeast Asia. Today, the entire plant is used as both a superfood and as a key ingredient in natural remedies and medicines. Read on to find out why moringa just might be your new favorite superfood.

Nutritional Value

Moringa leaves and pods are packed full of amazing nutrients that can help you reach your recommended daily intake of certain vitamins and minerals. The leaves are full of protean, vitamin B6, vitamin C, iron, riboflavin, vitamin A, and magnesium. While the pods don’t offer as wide a variety of vitamins and minerals, one cup of fresh pods contains 157% of your daily vitamin C requirement. While fresh Moringa leaves and pods might be a bit tricky to track down in North America, there are plenty of supplements available where the leaves are broken down into either a power or capsules.

Health Benefits

In addition to helping you get those necessary vitamins and minerals, moringa has several other health benefits. The leaves are full of antioxidants and one study found that taking moringa leaf powder every day can significantly increase blood antioxidant levels. The antioxidants in moringa leaves can help lower your blood pressure and balance blood sugar levels. Scientists have also found anti-inflammatory properties in the moringa plant which can help reduce the chances of developing serious health issues like heart disease and cancer. In addition, moringa has been shown to help lower cholesterol, thus further reducing the risk of heart disease.

Medicinal Properties

Moringa’s use in traditional medicine is well-documented. Over the years, this plant has been used to treat a variety of medical issues including asthma, anemia, gastritis, headache, kidney stones, ulcers, and thyroid disorders. There is also evidence that taking moringa supplements after giving birth can increase breast milk production, however its effects—either positive or negative—on a nursing infant are still unclear. When applied topically, moringa has been used to fight conditions like dandruff, warts, skin infections, and gingivitis.

Get Your Daily Dose

As with any supplement or major dietary change, it’s always best to consult your doctor first and foremost. But once you’ve been given the all-clear, here are some ways to get incorporate moringa into your diet. Short of getting your hands of fresh leaves or pods, your best bet it to purchase moringa leaf power or capsules. Capsules are perfect if you’re always on the go and are used to taking daily vitamin tablets. They are also a good choice if you don’t like the taste of moringa. However, moringa power is usually more concentrated and thus contains more of the benefits of this superfood. Moringa powder can be made into a tea, mixed with juice, or incorporated into smoothies and salad dressings. You can also try moringa seed oil, although it is harder to find. This can be used topically to encourage healthy skin and hair, to sooth arthritis pain, and to heal scars and burns more quickly.

Whenever a plant has been used successfully by so many people across countless centuries, it’s sure to have amazing benefits that can also be captured by this generation. With winter just around the corner, it’s more important than ever to pay a little closer attention to your health and wellness, so why not give moringa a try? Whether you’re looking to boost your nutrition, improve your overall health, or help heal aches and pains, moringa just might be your new favorite superfood.

Why Your Gut Needs More Than Just Probiotics

Why Your Gut Needs More Than Just Probiotics

Image: Unsplash

If you’ve been doing any thinking on or research into gut health in the past few years, likely you’ve heard about the importance of probiotics. In fact, chances are you’ve heard of it even if you’ve done nothing more than watch a recent yoghurt commercial! Probiotics are all the rage in trendy gut health but, while they are important, they’re definitely not the only key to a healthy digestive tract. Here’s why your gut needs more than just probiotics.

The Gut Is Super Complex

Probiotics aren’t the only thing living happily in a healthy gut. The microbiome of the digestive system is made up not only of healthy bacteria, but also fungi, yeasts, and viruses. All these organisms need to be working together in harmony in order for you to have a healthy gut. That’s why taking probiotics might not necessarily be the solution to your digestive problems. It’s possible that your health issues are stemming from a whole other aspect of the microbiome altogether such as an overgrowth of yeast or an imbalanced fungal composition.

Your Gut Is Unique

While it’s tempting to think that there’s a universal ideal balance of organisms in the microbiome that we can all strive to achieve, the truth is that everyone’s gut is unique. What magically improved the gut health of your best friend might not work at all for you. Some people naturally have more probiotics in their gut than most, while others have more diversity in the organisms in their digestive tract. Many things can influence the uniqueness of your gut including your genetics, diet, and lifestyle. This means that not only does your gut need more than just probiotics because of its complexity, it likely needs its own unique cocktail of healthy flora and bacteria in order to achieve the optimal health and balance for your one-of-a-kind body.

So What Do You Really Need?

Now that we know why we need more than just probiotics, we can talk a bit about what we need. Remember, that this is general advice and that every body is different so it might take some time for you to find the perfect balance for yourself.

Fermented Foods

Fermented foods are an amazing and natural way of replenishing the health of your gut. Not only do they contain healthy probiotics, they are also packed full of healthy yeasts, vitamins, minerals, and bacteria. In addition, fermented foods help the body produce healthy acids to aid digestion. Fermented foods can include things like kimchi, kombucha, sauerkraut and — yes! — yoghurt.

Fiber

Fiber is important not only because it feeds the gut’s healthy bacteria, but also because it provides essential vitamins and nutrients along with much-needed energy. Fiber also includes short-chain fatty acids which help reduce inflammation and boost the immune system. There are two kinds of fiber: soluble and insoluble. While soluble fiber is great for lowering blood sugar and cholesterol, insoluble fiber is what really helps clean out your gut.

Prebiotics

While the gut needs healthy bacteria, it also needs the right nutrients to feed that bacteria. That’s where prebiotics come in. As the team at hyperbiotics.com puts it, “Prebiotics are to probiotics what fertilizer is to a garden.” Thinking of it that way, you really can’t have healthy probiotics without prebiotics. The good news is that prebiotics are readily available in all kinds of foods. To increase your intake, eats lots of whole grains and seeds like oats, millet, quinoa, and buckwheat. The less refined, the better!

It’s Not Just About The Food

Something that a lot of people don’t realize is that a healthy gut isn’t just about what you eat or don’t eat. In addition to all the diet-related elements we’ve talked about above, lifestyle habits also play a significant role in maintaining a healthy gut. Here are some lifestyle changes you can make to boost your digestive health.

Exercise

Studies have shown that cardiovascular exercise can increase the diversity of the microbes in our digestive systems. Cardio does this by increasing the levels of butyrate in the gut which is an important component of healthy digestion.

Avoid Anti-Bacterial Soaps and Hand Sanitizers

Many traditional soaps and hand sanitizers go overboard with their bacteria-killing powers and end up ridding your skin of the good bacteria along with the bad. Nowadays there are plenty of more natural cleansers on the market that will keep you clean without killing of your body’s healthy bacteria.

Reduce Stress

Stress can take a serious toll on every aspect of your health, including the health of your gut! In order to allow your natural systems to function as they should, practice stress management techniques to keep your mind and body focused on wellness. Start a daily meditation practice, set aside time for self-care, or go for an evening stroll.

As you can see, the gut is a pretty complex system that needs a lot of different elements to come together in harmony in order to be healthy and happy. Although the system is complex, the solutions are simple! With a few diet and lifestyle changes that incorporate more than just probiotics, you’ll soon find yourself feeling better than ever before.

What’s All The Hype Surrounding Collagen?

What’s All The Hype Surrounding Collagen?

Image: Unsplash

Whether you follow the latest trends in beauty or are more in tune with what’s new in gut health, likely you’ve heard about the importance of collagen. The benefits of this powerful protein are touted all over the place, but chances are that you might not really know what all the hype is about. Sure, you know collagen is important, but what really makes it so special and essential to health and beauty? Read on to find out what’s really behind all the hype surrounding collagen.

What is Collagen?

Collagen is a protein found in bones, muscles, skin, tendons, and connective tissues. It provides structure and “holds the body together,” while also giving strength and elasticity to the skin. Collagen makes up the bulk of the protein in the human body and connects your cells to each other as a major supporting structure. When it comes to the skin, collagen helps with the growth of new cells, while its role deeper in the body is to provide protective coverings for your vital organs. As you age, the body’s natural collagen production declines, but that decline can also be increased by smoking and exposure to UV light. Less collagen production is what leads to wrinkles and weak joints, particularly after the age of 60.

Medical Uses

Collagen is used for all kinds of medical purposes including wound dressing, guided tissue regeneration, prosthetics, and the treatment of osteoarthritis. Collagen dressings can promote healing around a wound that isn’t responding to other treatment or that is suffering from necrotic tissues by providing “a platform for new tissues growth.” In guided tissue regeneration, collagen membranes are used to create a barrier that allows tissues to regenerate after procedures such as dental implants. For patients suffering from osteoarthritis, collagen supplements have been shown to reduce pain and improve joint function.

The Beauty Industry

Collagen is used in the cosmetic industry in both injections and fillers to decrease wrinkles and restore fullness to the skin. In addition to beautiful skin, collagen is also responsible for strong and healthy hair and nails. There are tons of topical creams and beauty products out there that claim to restore or increase collagen and give you more beautiful skin, hair, and nails. However, there is little evidence that the benefits of collagen can be achieved when it’s applied topically as collagen molecules are too large to be absorbed through the skin. The best way to promote collagen production in the body and get the beauty benefits of this powerful protein is to maintain a healthy diet full of amino acids, vitamins, and fatty acids. You can also look into taking collagen supplements for maximum efficiency.

Gut Health

Collagen is super important for maintaining a healthy gut. According to a recent study, collagen promotes a healthy intestinal barrier which helps to absorb nutrients and block the absorption of harmful organisms. Collagen tightens the intestinal barrier, thus preventing disorders like leaky gut, inflammatory bowel disease, and celiac disease. Another study also found that people with inflammatory bowel disease were more likely to have lower levels of collagen, thus strengthening the connection between a healthy amount of collagen and a healthy gut.

Now that you understand the how important collagen is to a healthy and beautiful body, inside and out, doesn’t all that hype around it make a little more sense? That being said, it’s important to remember to be wary of beauty products that may be making false claims about how much collagen they can really introduce into your system. Instead of investing your money on high-priced creams and serums, focus on building a healthy diet full of proteins, vitamins, and healthy acids. To really prevent collagen loss, avoid smoking, reduce the amount of sugar in your diet, and wear sunscreen all year round to protect your skin from those damaging UV rays.

How FemTech Is Changing Women’s Health In A Good Way!

How FemTech Is Changing Women’s Health In A Good Way

Image: Unsplash

FemTech is a relatively new term coined to describe a rising sector of technology focused on women’s health. FemTech includes everything from period and fertility tracking apps like Clue to wearable tech specifically designed for women like Leaf. While tech industries have often been traditionally dominated by men, FemTech is changing the game for women all over the world. Here’s how FemTech is changing women’s health in a good way.

Increased Awareness

Whether we’re talking about an app that tracks fertility cycles or an activity tracker designed specifically for women, FemTech is helping women increase their understanding and awareness of their bodies and their health. Knowledge is power and giving women access to educational information and reliable data about their individual bodies can help them make better and more informed choices about their health and wellness needs. But FemTech isn’t just helping the women who use it. Increases in reliable data on women’s health also helps healthcare professionals make better and more personalize patient recommendations as well as helps them understand broader trends in women’s health.

Reduced Stigma

For a long time women’s health was a largely taboo topic in a patriarchal society. Women themselves were kept in the dark as both society and individuals stigmatized women’s health and female bodies. By increasing awareness and understanding about women’s health, FemTech is continuing to reduce the stigma around topics like menstruation and fertility. With many high profile influencers using and publicly recommending FemTech products, the average women is now seeing her stories and her health taking center stage in public conversations instead of being shoved under the rug.

Focus On Wellness, Lifestyle & Prevention

Many FemTech products, like activity trackers, focus on helping women maintain general wellness and healthy lifestyles in order to prevent future illness and disease. This focus on wellness and lifestyle, which includes everything from meditation resources to sleep trackers and food logs, empowers women to take control of their health. Furthermore, focusing on healthy lifestyles and disease prevention reduces strain on the healthcare system by fostering a happier and healthier population.

It Makes Science Accessible

For a long time the average person has had few resources to help them understand the science of their bodies, making them dependent on the advice and opinions of experts. While FemTech is no substitute for a trained and qualified physician, it does make science more accessible and understandable to the average women, who can now get reliable information and data about her unique and individual body. Though FemTech should never be consulted instead of a doctor, it does give women a better understanding of health sciences so that they can have more informed conversations with healthcare professionals about their personal needs and concerns.

It’s Empowering

Female empowerment is perhaps one of the most exciting things about FemTech. It’s easy to forget that it’s only in the past few decades that women have had reliable and consistent access to healthcare education. While those days are gone, FemTech is taking the power of female education to a whole new level. Not only are women empowered by a better understanding of what’s going on in their bodies, that understanding also empowers them to make better personal choices. For example, the recently FDA approved contraceptive app Natural Cycles is offering women a personalized way to reliably track their fertility and prevent pregnancy naturally, without the use of hormones. For many women who have felt limited by the potential side-effects of hormonal birth control, the natural options offered by FemTech are not just empowering, they’re life changing.

After centuries of being kept in the dark about their bodies and their health, women are striking back with the power of FemTech. For the first time, women have access to reliable and personalize data about their bodies and their health that can help them make better, more informed decisions with the help of their physicians. At the same time, FemTech is encouraging women to adopt more natural lifestyle habits to increase their overall wellness so they can stay happy and healthy for years to come.