4 Health and Fitness Habits to Up Your Beauty Game

Healthy habits promote well-being, improve your body’s functions, and have a positive impact on your skin — the largest organ in the human body and a reflection of one’s overall wellness. Research shows that many internal and external factors contribute to skin health apart from diet and exercise, such as pollution and stress — which is why having good health and fitness habits are vital to help combat skin problems.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, if you’re concerned about sudden breakouts, you can check your diet and make sure you’re not consuming too much high-glycemic food, such as white rice, white bread, and sugary drinks. If your skin looks dull, you can try to get more exercise or sleep to improve blood circulation and achieve a healthier complexion. On top of eating balanced meals, sweating it out, and getting an ample amount of snooze time, here are other ways you can give your health and fitness game a boost.  

The following can be easily incorporated into your daily routine at home and won’t take more than a few minutes a day. 

As a Facialist to the stars Sophie Carbonari says a face massage is supposed to get energy flowing and stimulate the muscles to support circulation, which helps refresh the skin. It’s not just pleasant and relaxing, getting a facial massage also helps improve the skin in a variety of ways such reducing the appearance of lines and acne, improving blood flow, rejuvenating skin, and giving it a glow.

Bonus: there are also immediate effects. Since massaging the face drains it of excess water, it can result in toned skin and a more contoured shape.

You can give yourself a facial massage using your favorite serum or face oil. Try POND’S Serum Burst Cream, which consists of a creamy formula that bursts into serum droplets upon skin contact. It contains hyaluronic acid and delivers 10x the brightening power of vitamin C with Gluta-boost technology. 

How to do a face massage:

Place your thumb under your chin and the side of your index finger against the side of your nose.

Slowly and firmly swipe the “L” of your hand across your cheeks and towards your ears. Do this while keeping your thumb in place, like a hinge.

Repeat with the other hand on the other cheek.

Try doing this every morning for the best results. You can also make the same motion with a gua sha or a jade roller.

For healthy skin, you’ll need a healthy gut. A balanced microbiome inside the digestive system plays a crucial role in digestion, and absorbing and synthesizing nutrients. When your microbiome is imbalanced, not only will you have a hard time digesting your food, but you’ll also feel easily fatigued, possibly develop a thyroid disfunction, and suddenly have an array of skin issues.

These can include acne, rosacea, and eczema. According to experts, treating gut issues will improve skin issues, too. There are many ways to a healthy gut, and the most popular of them, aside from eating clean, is taking probiotics.

Probiotics are live microorganisms — good bacteria — that promote wellness by fighting off bad bacteria. Foods that are high in probiotics include yogurt, kefir, fermented foods such as apple cider vinegar, kombucha, kimchi, and tempeh. Since these aren’t the food we necessarily eat all the time, you can take probiotic supplements to make sure your gut is always balanced to boost your immune system, improve your mood, and help maintain a healthy weight. This is also a good way to improve your skin tone, elasticity, and resilience to irritants.

An asana is any position performed in the practice of yoga. According to studies, yoga, through breathwork, inversions, and specific asanas, can help fight stress and inflammation, help you sleep better, and improve overall well-being — things that contribute to the skin’s condition. Specific asanas can increase blood circulation in the face and flush out toxins, making skin rosy and glowing. According to Yoga as Medicine published by Yoga Journal, the following poses can help improve bodily functions, with healthier skin as a side effect.

For beginners, you can try doing Matsyasana or the Fish Pose. It fights fatigue, which already makes it a winner, but on top of that, it also promotes healthy skin by improving how the thyroid and pituitary glands function. It stretches the face and neck muscles, which helps get rid of the double chin.

Trikonasana or the Triangle Pose opens up the chest, heart, and lungs and improves blood circulation — resulting in a healthy glow. This pose also improves digestion and helps the body flush out toxins. You can also try Bhujangasana or the Cobra Pose, a popular asana that provides relief from lower back pain, strengthens the spine and encourages flexibility. It promotes glowing skin by reducing stress and fatigue.

Meditation, like most practices, is not something that works overnight. For it to have a life-changing impact, it needs to become a habit. According to research, daily meditation alleviates stress by lowering cortisol levels in the body, by teaching us to control breathing. 

Try meditating first thing in the morning. Sit or lay down in a comfortable position, then place your hands on your sides or chest. Close your eyes and be mindful of your breathing. Don’t feel pressure to clear your mind or be completely still.

The idea is to be completely aware of what your body is doing. As you inhale, scan your body for any tension, and exhale all the pressure away. Set your intention for the day; it can be a goal, an affirmation, or even a wish. Concentrate on this intention and continue breathing. Do this for a few minutes a day. 

These health and fitness habits can easily be practiced at home and are easy enough to do every day, no matter how busy you get. Are you ready to start your new journey? Share this article with your friends or tell us what your tips are in the comments!