Natural Beauty Basics

By: Jenni Saake (DME)

Thank you for allowing me to share a little sliver of your day as you read this column.  For my first post it only seems right to share a bit about myself so you know who it is you are trusting for your information.  I’m featured here as a “Natural Beauty Expert” and yes, I think that is a fair description.  However my expertise has not been learned through special training, nor am I naturally gifted in knowledge of my topic.  Rather I share with you what I have searched out in answer to my own questions about health and beauty.  Much of what I have to say is information you could readily find for yourself were you to set out looking for it, but I can speak as an expert because I have taken the time to do that searching on your behalf and am happy to share what I’ve learned along my own journey to natural beauty.

If you have questions you would like to see answered here, I would like to hear from you!  If you ask things that I don’t know the answer to but think my readers will benefit from learning about as well, I will be honest with you that you are asking about things outside my area of current knowledge, but will gladly do my best to research and let you know what I find out.  So with these disclaimers, I welcome you to this little corner of my world and look forward to learning about natural beauty alongside you!

Let’s start with the most basic of basics.  Ask most beauty experts their number one piece of beauty advice and you will probably hear, “Drink lots of water!” Hydration is so important to ever cell in our bodies. There really is no substitute for pure, clean, refreshing water. Just “drinking” isn’t good enough as caffeinated, alcohol rich, sugary or chemical-laden (such as diet) drinks can actually rob our bodies of many of the benefits of plain water.

Sometimes it is hard to drink enough because water is just that, plain!  It doesn’t “taste good” to us so we seek alternatives. Slices of citrus (lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit or some combination of these) might give it the kick we need to make it more inviting. Or for an unusual and refreshing alternative, try slicing a chilled cucumber into your water. (Don’t forget to save a couple slices for a cooling puffy-eye treat!)

Another common reason for not drinking enough is simple business or forgetfulness. Make a habit of drinking you 64+ daily ounces by setting a pitcher out on the counter, lining up 8 glasses as a visual reminder to count down through the day, or by setting a timer for hourly drinks.  If you have other creative ways to make sure you are staying well-hydrated, I look forward to hearing what you have to share.

I’ve always believed that our bodies are only the start of beauty though, and that true beauty begins deep within, even deeper than the cellular level.  Just as it is important to train ourselves to stay physically hydrated, it is equally critical, really even more so, to make a habit out of daily refreshing our spirits too!  We all come from different religious backgrounds (or some choose to avoid religion all together), but in my Christian faith Jesus calls Himself the “Living Water” and time meditating on the Bible and spending moments with Him in prayer is how my heart is refreshed, just as water blesses my physical body.  You might find your spirit energized through exercise, or pursuing a beloved hobby, or simply reaching outside yourself to lend a helping hand to someone in need.  When I feel truly joyful and at peace inside, I glow with unique beauty that radiates to the world around me no matter the condition of my physical body.