How to Shine with These Simple Healthy Beauty Tips

Last Updated on August 23, 2020 by Ellen Christian

I’m so excited that I had the opportunity to share these simple healthy beauty tips from Pina LoGiudice, the author of The Little Book of Healthy Beauty, with you all today.  The Little Book of Healthy Beauty is a practical guide that presents five simple keys to great beauty and health (sleep, food, exercise, relaxation, detoxification) and explains how to maximize their benefits. It offers advice on natural remedies like vitamins and herbs, and gives Dr. Pina’s expert guidance based on over a decade of research and clinical experience. I will receive a thank you gift for sharing this information. This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

How to Shine with These Simple Healthy Beauty Tips

The philosophy of naturopathic medicine is to use the most natural methods to achieve optimal health and beauty. People who follow this philosophy have a “glow”–an almost indescribable radiance, beauty, and energetic vitality. Dr. Pina’s holistic wisdom blends practices from naturopaths, scientists, and Chinese medicine and is informed by medical research.

Here are the questions that Dr. Pina answered:

1. What do you mean by “glow”?

When I talk about glow, I’m trying to describe an indescribable radiance, beauty, and shine that is exuded by people who are truly healthy and happy. It’s the kind of energy that doesn’t radiate from a good makeup and hair day. It is the outward manifestation of someone’s inner vitality. You have met those people – whether they are all scrubby in T-shirt and jeans, or dressed to the nines – they shine, and it’s infectious. It inspires the rest of us to shine, too.

2. I have serious trouble sleeping at night – I have restless legs or my mind won’t quiet down. What are some tips for better sleep?

The first thing I recommend is always to first establish a sleep ritual or schedule. The body loves having a consistent rhythm. First, I would ensure you are going to bed between 10-10:30pm, avoid eating to late or not eating dinner at all. Next, avoid all blue screens (computers, ipads, texting) at least 30 minutes before bed. If you need to get the “to do” list off your mind, jot it down on paper and know it will be there for you in the AM.

I always recommend a 20-minute mediation before bed as well to really relax the body and let go of the day. If these suggestions don’t work, then there are some excellent natural supplements. While there are many to try, two of my favorites are melatonin or tryptophan to help you fall and stay asleep, respectively. And, restless legs may also have an iron deficiency connection – so check your iron too.

3. There are so many diets and health trends out there. Is there any merit to any of these diet fads like fasting, paleo, raw foods, etc.?

There are so many diet and health trends and there are merits to each. However, due to that fact that we are all individuals, you have to find the right diet regimen that resonates with your body. It is true that one man’s food is another man’s poison – so even among healthy food regimens, one person may do best with one versus another. However, I do believe out of all the research studies, the diet most beneficial for most people’s health and longevity is the Mediterranean diet. If you look at the “Blue Zones,” the places on earth where people live the longest, they seem to follow some version of what is a Mediterranean food plan.

4. We all have those days where we’re a bit down in the dumps and struggling with a low mood. What are some tips to turning our day around?

Low mood can have multiple factors. It is a key to get good quality sleep, because poor sleep contributes to low mood. Exercise has been shown to work as well as any antidepressant in most cases. And, yes, breakfast still is the most important meal of the day – a good breakfast with plenty of protein will balance your blood sugar, to avoid fluctuations that can result in mood changes. Plus, the early protein will give your body the amino acids it needs to make plenty of neurotransmitters – the ‘feel good’ chemicals of the brain. I strongly recommend checking vitamin D levels and supplement accordingly – for it can help boost mood. Also, supplemental fish oil and probiotics will also balance the brain. I find that doing daily meditations and having an affirmation or mantra that you say to yourself to counter any negative thoughts is also a great way to ward off the negative messages. Finally, take some time to laugh – see a funny movie, and be goofy with friends by playing.

5. Acupuncture looks painful. What exactly does it do and are the benefits scientifically proven?

Based on thousands of years of study and practice, acupuncture involves inserting fine needles into various spots on the body, first to balance your energy, and then to balance your overall energy with the environment around you. In Chinese medicine, when your energy is out of balance, disease can follow.

Acupuncture is actually quite relaxing. I have many patients who were first afraid of acupuncture, only to find that it’s calming and relaxing. The needles do not hurt. They feel like a pin stick that goes away quickly. Occasionally, you may feel a dull ache – nothing dramatic, but if for some reason you feel pain, tell your acupuncturist, and she’ll remove the needle pronto.

And, everyday, more and more scientific studies back up what the Chinese have known for millennia. In fact, the World Health Organization has documented the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating over 250 diseases. Besides being effective, it is safe – acupuncture is very safe when performed by a professional; it does not adversely interact with other treatments, like drugs. It’s also safe during pregnancy and for breast-feeding women. Large scale studies have reviewed millions of treatments and found exceedingly rare side effects.

6. What exactly is detoxification – what is it for and is it something I should try?

Our environment is full of toxins – and we know that in a person who is predisposed to disease, these toxins can help turn on autoimmune disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer and pretty much every disease humans face. Detoxification is a process to support your body to avoid incoming toxins, and release stored toxins. There are several types of detoxification programs that are out there that can focus on different parts of the body to detoxify or you can detox the body as a whole. The first step includes supporting the elimination pathways: sweating, bowel movements, and urinating. Without exercise, eating fiber and drinking plenty of water, the body’s natural ability to detoxify is inhibited. Once these are in place, then you can use various food regimens and herbal preparations to help your body clean out. I often will focus on a plan to support the liver’s ability to detoxify, by using nutrients and foods especially for that purpose. In our practice, we do recommend doing a preferably supervised detox program twice a year being that we live in a world that is very toxic on our system. Doing a detox allows the body to clean out and reset. Everyone is different, so the appropriate detox for you might be different from someone else’s, but yes, I do think you should try it.

7. Are supplements necessary? If I eat healthy, shouldn’t I be getting everything I need through foods?

Unfortunately, due to lack of crop rotation, lack of nutrients in our soil, and the increase of environmental burden on our bodies, I do think supplements are necessary. Studies have shown that none of us are getting enough nutrition from our foods. And if you exercise or are stressed, chances are you may be even more deficient by burning through those vitamins even faster. While in theory, eating healthy should be enough, sadly just eating healthy isn’t sufficient. For most patients, do recommend at least the basic 3 (see www.3UNeed.com): a multivitamin, an omega fish oil, and a probiotic. Then, if a person has particular needs or health concerns, then maybe one or two other vitamins and herbs might also be appropriate.