We have all been led to believe that beauty is on the outside. We are bombarded with advertising that dictates what beauty is or what the mainstream culture purports it to be. But my idea of beauty begins on the inside and eventually expresses itself on the outside. The best way for us to begin to beautify ourselves is to eat a wholesome and organic diet.
Detoxifying the body is a good place to begin. Eliminating processed foods, sugar, white flour and the large amounts of protein that most Americans eat is a sure way to start. Replace these foods with their equivalents; use natural sugar substitutes such as stevia, agave or honey. Eat fruits instead of processed foods that are loaded with refined sugar. Try eating whole grain breads. Experiment by purchasing breads made with spelt flour, rye germ, barley or oats. Take the time to try to slowly reduce protein intake. Tofu is a versatile food that can take on the same seasonings as meat or chicken.
Making better choices when purchasing items such as salad dressing can have a positive influence on your health and give you a jump start on the road to inner beauty. A simple salad my grandmother made every evening for dinner was arugula salad, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. She lived to ninety-six years.
We can single out the areas we want to begin to enhance and select foods that target them: skin, hair, eyes, teeth and nails. For example eating stone crushed cold pressed olive oil can help improve the skin. It is as simple as that! We have the power to change how we feel and look simply by changing our diet. This is not a race or competition so our choice to change from the inside out is for the long haul. Make small consistent changes over time. Gradually increase the amounts of organic whole foods you eat, and whenever possible drink high quality water to help hydrate the body and to help eliminate toxins.
In future articles or programs we can prepare dishes that are targeted toward building beauty from the inside out. We will learn to prepare soups, salads and dressing to begin our inner journey. We will also explore other cultures and see what they can teach us about the journey to inner beauty.