5 Ways To Be Beautiful -Instantly!

     Wow that sounded like a Fairness cream commercial! But now that I have your attention, let me clarify, the 5 ways I am going to mention will not bring results immediately, because hello, I am not advising a cosmetic surgery!  But nonetheless these are ways and mean, and simple things that one can include in daily life which can bring about miraculous results and can actually leave you feeling beautiful.
1.       Seasonal Fruits:
-This had to be on top of my list coz (a), I m a nutritionist and fruits play an important part in most of the recommendations and (b) they are the Pandora ’s Box of benefits.
Fruits are the warehouse of all the essential vitamins and minerals which may/ may not be present in other food group but in lesser concentration and hence become pivotal to a good health.  Also it is very important to consume fruits during their natural season because they are most dense in nutrients (sans pesticides and artificial ripening chemicals) during this time.
-Fruits are also very nutrient specific during weather change. This basically means that you will get Oranges and Guavas, which are rich in Vitamin C, only in the winter season because this Vitamin helps boost Immunity- which is most susceptible during winters; and you will get a watermelon only during summers because its High water content and minerals help you stay hydrated and fresh! (yes Nature has some Kickass Logic)
-Also the rich vitamin content (read vitamin C and E especially) make your skin glow and helps maintain its natural elasticity and suppleness.
-You can also watch your weight with fruits because the high fibre content of fruits make you feel satiated faster and helps you consume lesser calories. So thumbs up to a fit physique!
2.       Water:
- Minimum 3 litres and counting. That should be the mantra (unless you have edema or a kidney disorder, in which case you should restrict your intake). There are innumerable benefits of this wonderful liquid. Our body is 70% water (debatable to a higher percentage). It is  a natural detoxificating agent that helps flush out all the toxins from our body (which is also the reason why you are made to drink lot of water after an alcoholic binge as it dilutes the toxin and washes it out). It makes your skin hydrated and brings out a beautiful glow.
-Water is also a very important player in fat metabolism. So if you are really working hard in the gym, trying to get away with the lumps and not getting any results, time to check your water intake.
3.       Omega 3 Fatty Acid:
-This ‘sophisticated sounding oil’ is required by the heart to carry out its functions smoothly. This fatty acid basically helps to increase the Good Cholesterol in our body and take over the bad cholesterol thereby preventing cardiovascular diseases. Healthy heart is healthy you (now I sound like a cooking oil commercial!)
-This omega 3 Fatty acid also improves luster and texture of your hair while also has anti-ageing effect on the skin.
-The easiest way to consume omega 3 fatty acid is to introduce fish in your diet (if you are a non- vegetarian) or flax seeds which can be roasted and chewed-on during the day. Walnuts and soybean are other sources.
4.       Exercise:
-I cannot stress enough on how important exercise is to stay healthy and remain beautiful. Fitness reasons apart, Exercising in any form releases Endorphin- the hormone which make you feel exhilarated and happy and blocks any kind of pain. That's why people become addicted to strenuous forms of exercises and experience "runner's high."
- Working out also releases Dopamine- which is a pleasure hormone( the ‘dope’ in dopamine actually justifies the name;) ) Dopamine helps you relax and makes you feel happy and light, and everyone knows that a happy soul is a beautiful soul.
- Exercise also makes you sweat a lot which opens up the pores in your skin and helps it to breathe. It also increases your blood circulation which can fight skin problems like zits and acne.
5.       Smile:
-This is a cheesy one but so damn true. Even on your worse day, when you know you aren’t feeling your best, a simple smile can make you look gorgeous and wonderful. And this is just not a poetic extract, it is scientifically proven too.  When you smile, even a fake one, your face stretches and the muscular movement helps trigger endorphin (the happy hormone) which make you feel good and boost up your mood. So when you smile, not only are you making others happy, you are doing a huge favour to relieve yourself from stress!
 So Stay Happy, Stay healthy … Stay Beautiful!
 

Reading A food Label

The following label building skills are intended to make it easier for you to use nutrition labels to make quick, informed food choices that contribute to a healthy diet.
The Nutrition Facts Label - An Overview:
The information in the main or top section can vary with each food product; it contains product-specific information (serving size, calories, and nutrient information). The bottom part contains a footnote with Daily Values (DVs) for 2,000 and 2,500-calorie diets. This footnote provides recommended dietary information for important nutrients, including fats, sodium and fiber. The footnote is found only on larger packages and does not change from product to product.

Tips to use food labels effectively:
· Pay attention to the serving size, especially how many servings there are in the food package. Then ask yourself, "How many servings am I consuming"? (e.g., 1/2 serving, 1 serving, or more) · Keep your intake of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol as low as possible as part of a nutritionally balanced diet.
· The % Daily Values are based on the Daily Value recommendations for key nutrients according to the specified caloric diet (e.g.2000 cal diet)
· To limit nutrients that have no %DV, like trans fat and sugars, compare the labels of similar products and choose the food with the lowest amount.
· Hypertensive people and people with renal disorders should pay special attention to sodium content of the food. Also check out for preservatives like sodium benzoate. Avoid these.
· Look out for terms like- ‘high fiber’, ‘low fat’, ‘no preservative’, ‘sugar free’, ‘0 trans fat’, ‘cholesterol free’, ‘no MSG’; to ensure that you are picking out a healthy option.