What' s the key to beautiful healthy skin?

As we put away our winter clothes and put on our summer garments we notice too dry or too oily skin, acne, freckles, dark spots, pimples, cellulitis. It’ s time for all sorts of body scrubs, lotions and  butters that promise healthy, soft, hydrated and toned skins.

When skin problems appear we tend to look for an external solution, but did you know that most part of the problem and hence the solution comes from the inside?

The first step to  beautiful healthy skin starts in the kitchen

Our skin reflects the condition of our organs, so a skin symptom is telling you about an imbalance in your body and depending on the area of your face or body that it appears, it is actually pointing at which organ or vital function needs looking at.

Our bodies have the ability to cleanse themselves through four basic metabolic processes: breathing, perspiration, urination and bowel movements. Also sexual activity and, in women, menstruation, birth giving and breastfeeding contribute to the discharge of excess, toxins and residues. The same happens with physical, emotional or mental movement- they free metabolic energy.

When the above natural process are not enough to cleanse our bodies, because the intake is excessive, the body still has other mechanisms to rid itself from excess and toxins such as  diarrhea, fever or inflammation among others. If we continue to eat in a chaotic and excessive way for a long period of time, these unwanted substances can be discharged through the skin. They form a layer of fat under the skin, block the pores, hair follicles and sweat glands. Our skin will then look dry, because this layer of fat does not let oil and fluids to get to the surface. Many people believe that a dry skin means insufficient oil intake and they will increase it or put on more body lotion or thicker lotions for dry or very- dry skins, which will only make the condition worse.

There are external therapies to take care of your skin and improve its condition. However, they will not be effective in the long run if we don’t deal with the core of the problem, which is what we put inside our bodies and not on the outside.

On the 4^th of June we are having a workshop in Paphos where you can learn about external treatments and the kinds of foods that will help improve different skin problems. We will also cook and try specific recipes for a great looking skin.

About the art of cooking

We work eight or more hours a day and have plenty of other things to do apart from work, from taking care of our families and homes and, if we are lucky and still find some time and energy, exercising, seeing friends and indulging ourselves in our favorite hobbies.  

Such demanding schedules have brought about a fast food culture of processed foods of all kinds: frozen foods, microwave meals, instant snacks, ready-made sauces, etc. These processed foods lack energy and this is precisely the effect they have on us: they fill us up momentarily, but they fail to nurture and give us vitality.

Another option we have is to eat out or order take away meals. Usually such meals are cooked with too much fat and salt and we are in for an unpleasant digestion after having them.

Our physical, emotional and mental well being starts in the kitchen. If we are to enjoy healthy, peaceful and happy lives, the key is in cooking. And I don’t mean spending hours in the kitchen as our mothers and grandmothers could do, but finding the equilibrium between our busy lifestyles and a balanced diet, something which is possible with some knowledge, training and organization.

To master the art of cooking you need to know about the nutritional and energetic values of food and also different cooking techniques and their effects in our bodies. It is not the same to eat a root than a stalk, to eat a raw apple or a baked one, to salt your food while it is cooking or to sprinkle raw salt on it. I am talking about a way of cooking in which the choice of ingredients and the way of cooking them have a purpose: to keep us in the best possible health, to recover from all sorts of ailments and illnesses, to be emotionally and mentally strong and balanced. The effects of this way of cooking and eating are so remarkable than in a few months most people have improved their condition to an unbelievable stage.

And it is very important to let our children participate in this health creating process. They will enjoy the cooking, become more aware of what they are eating and start taking responsibility for their food choices. By introducing them to the art of cooking you are bestowing on them the most precious gift: the means to a healthy and happy life.