Written by Kristin Larmore, Web Editor
Think about it this way: beauty and health are one in the same. Not to say if you are physically beautiful you are automatically healthy, but that the ingredients you put in your mouth not only nourish your inside, but your outside, as well.. and vice versa.
No, girls- all those vegetables your parents have been telling you to eat you whole life don’t just help your insides. So how do we achieve that sought-after, glowing skin? We want food exploding with antioxidants!
Fortunately, there are those select individuals who are patient and interested enough to do the research for us- and the passionate Elizabeth Ten Houten is one of them. This beauty and skincare expert and former model wrote Cooking Well for Beautiful Skin, a highly informative, fun book to teach girls just like you the facts about skincare and how to use antioxidants correctly. All of her food recipes and what she calls ”beauty bytes” use all-natural, organic ingredients, unlike many of the products on the market today chock-full of chemicals.
She tests all of her recipes and bytes in her workshop, and each one comes to you based on research to treat certain skin conditions. Not to mention, natural is cheaper:
Elizabeth says,”Where I’m coming from, I know you don’t have to spend $100 on a cream to put on your face. You can make one and it will be even better and fresh.”
She says skincare is what she is “all about,” something she has been experimenting with since her teenage years with Conair steam facials and some good old trial and error. Not only that, but she’s a natural chef and she loves to cook!
“It’s all about inner beauty being a reflection of your outer beauty and vice versa, and I really feel that’s why my whole mantra is beauty and health are synonymous. It’s important, especially for young girls, to form good habits early but they need to understand what they’re doing. You can’t just tell them eat this or do that. There are a lot of myths around antioxidants and there are myths everywhere. People are not completely informed. I have been doing a lot of research and I’ll just tell you that they are responsible for preventing free-radicals from oxidizing, and that’s what shows the aging process. And they’re also helpful for preventing diseases. One thing that’s important is that the human body is not capable of producing these antioxidants,” she said.
Though there’s a complicated, scientific explanation, the bottom line is free radicals are highly reactive chemicals that attack the molecules in your body by modifying structures of electrons. This affects gene mutation and the ability of the skin to repair itself. Examples of free radicals include sun exposure, air-born pollutants, cigarette smoke and get this…..even stress!!
And think about the amount of stress you undergo as a teen everyday….because of this, Elizabeth says you might need antioxidants even more than the average person at this time in your life.
However, Elizabeth insists the only way to prevent oxidation and protect ourselves is to incorporate antioxidants into our diet. However, there’s a myriad of myths and truths about antioxidants out there that we need to understand. Researchers say Vitamin E can prevent heart disease, Vitamin C reduces the risk of cataracts and selenium reduces inflammation of the lungs to help asthma; however, none of these points are 100% proven.
MYTH #1- Chocolate is bad for your skin.
In reality, milk chocolate is what makes you break out because of the added dairy. If you’re the slightest bit lactose intolerant, this could manifest itself in a pimple or breakout. Dark chocolate, however, comes from a bean and is a wonderful antioxidant.
MYTH #2- Antioxidant supplements prevent cancer and fulfill antioxidant needs
Elizabeth says, “Here’s the truth. From a health standpoint, the body is capable of creating cancerous cells. But a healthy body will reject these cells. Cell damage occurs. Taking pills to prevent cancer seems nonsensical to me. From a beauty and skincare standpoint, nourishing your body with the real produce that is rich in antioxidants is the strongest defense against illness. It’s true that antioxidants have many health benefits, but so far there’s little statistical data to support the concept that pills are as good as a visit to the farmer’s market.”
MYTH #3- Eating a particular food high in antioxidants, like blueberries for example, will fulfill your body’s needs
Not just one type of antioxidant is going to be enough. You need all of them together for optimal health.
Here are a couple, truths, though, she says we can confirm:
#1 Flavonoids are a group of antioxidants/plant pigments that include produce like kale, carrots and figs, which actually have more Vitamin C than an orange!
#2 Carrots are high in Vitamin A, which is known to improve acne. A lack of the vitamin can actually worsen acne.
#3 To help eliminate dark circles under your eyes, use cucumber to reduce inflammation and puffiness and a cold spoon to tighten the blood vessels under the eyes.
#4 Vitamin C causes face brightening
#5 Selenium repairs damage from free radicals in the skin and hair
What we can prove, Elizabeth says, is antioxidants ARE GOOD for your skin. They can make you truly beautiful.
“If we let them [teens] get a touch of this inner beauty , that’s their true authentic self. That’s what I’ve actually got in my book- defined beauty. My definition of beauty is your inner authentic self. You will not only look more beautiful, but feel more beautiful, which feeds into how you look,” Elizabeth said.
What is the difference between antioxidants in your body and on the skin? Well, applying it topically to skin is another way to give our body the antioxidants through cell absorption. Just like we release nutrients when we sweat, we take them in, as well.
Here’s a beauty byte BONUS to preview Elizabeth’s wonderful book: It’s the honey skin clearing mask!
“It’s one of my favorites and I’ll tell you why. I love honey. It has a lot of medicinal qualities and beauty benefits. It’s antibacterial, it’s antimicrobial. It’s also a natural anti-inflammatory. You mix honey with lemon. That is what I do. When I feel my throat bothering me, I immediately whip up honey and lemon I just drink it.”
Honey Skin Clearing Mask
Directions:
Bring the pot of hot water to a boil. Throw in 6 carrots, cut into chunks with the skins on. Carrots are rich in Vitamin A, and the nutrients are in the skins, so no need to peel…just wash well! Boil until the carrots are soft, 15 minutes. Mash them in a bowl. Add 6 tablespoons of organic honey, and 4 drops of the lavender oil. Mix until you have a smooth orange paste. Place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to let cool. Remove and apply to you and your girlfriends’ faces, avoiding the eye-area. It is a good idea to use a tongue-depressor for application, so you do not deposit the oil and germs from your fingertips to your skin. Honey is a natural anti-bacterial agent, and this mask is your step towards a clear, fresh glow! Leave on for 10 minutes and rinse with cool water, again to seal the pores.
Look for more of Elizabeth’s recipes and beauty bytes, including a deliciously fruity, chocolately trail mix, on Relate in weeks to come! Cooking Well for Beautiful Skin was released November 29, so run to your local bookstore today! It’s also available on Amazon and Elizabeth’s website. Check out her website here.
