Morning Glory
© Natural Health/Weider Publications. All rights reserved.
Establishing an a.m. beauty routine helps you look and feel your best all day.
By Megan O'Connell
When you woke up this morning, you were given the chance to start over, wipe the slate clean, and live life on your own terms. But it's tough to acknowledge, much less appreciate, such a gift when you have to tend to kids, pets, and seven other forms of chaos, and still get to the office by 9 o'clock.
While it's impossible — or, at least impractical — to cut all ties and set up stakes on a tropical island, it's still important to approach each new day as a fresh beginning. Establishing a renewing morning ritual will help you do just that. "The key is to nurture and nourish your body every morning," declares New York City-based ayurvedic practitioner Pratima Raichur, author of Absolute Beauty. "Once that's been done, your mind is best prepared for the day ahead."
According to Ayurveda, the goal of a morning ritual is to help clear away internal and external toxins that build up in the body each day; this improves not only the way you feel but also how you look. From a Western point of view, morning ablutions are a way of establishing regularity during hectic and stressful times. Either way, they're a good thing.
We've outlined some basic steps to help you design your own morning ritual — mix and match them to create a routine that's right for you. It will soon become a gift you'll love to open each morning — one that always offers a fresh, new day.
6:30 a.m. Rise and shine
You'll feel better and look better if you wake with the sun. Still, don't be surprised if you notice puffiness, caused by the increased blood flow to your head and neck from lying flat on your back at night. "Gravity will pull fluid away from [puffy] eyes, but you have to be erect for about an hour to see the effect," says Vicki Rapaport, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and medical director of Kalologie, a Los Angeles spa and skin-care boutique.
If you need more help to de-puff, try a cream that has caffeine (to flush excess fluid) and green tea.
6:45 a.m. Drink 8 ounces of warm water
Water is essential to all the systems in the body, but when it comes to beauty, fluids are critical for keeping the skin smooth, hydrated, and radiant. "When you're dehydrated, wrinkles become more visible and skin looks and feels more dry," says Rapaport. "When you're properly hydrated, skin looks plump, firm, and well-moisturized."
As an added bonus, starting your day with a cup of H2O can kick your digestive system into high gear." To cleanse your body internally, add a teaspoon of honey and a teaspoon of lime juice to 8-ounces of warm water," suggests Raichur. And don't forget to keep drinking throughout the day — about eight 8-ounce glasses should be enough unless you're very active.
7:00 a.m. Get a little exercise
The best benefit of working out in the morning is that it's done and off your mind for the rest of the day. "We all have so many conflicting responsibilities, and as the day goes on, it's easier to put aside exercise in favor of deadlines and other tasks," says Richard Cotton, chief exercise physiologist for the online training program MyExercisePlan.com. You don't necessarily have to go to the gym. Whether you take a walk, do yoga, or follow an exercise video, "a 20-minute morning workout is a fabulous substitute for three cups of coffee," he says. "Exercising brings more oxygen and nutrients to the skin so that it's firmer and better nourished." To boost your motivation, get a friend to join in.
7:30 a.m. Scrape your tongue
Regular tooth brushing gives you a brighter smile. But scraping the tongue is just as important for oral health. "Two-thirds of all cases of bad breath are caused by the accumulation of bacteria on the back of the tongue," says Andrew Spielman, D.M.D., a professor at the New York University College of Dentistry.
In ayurvedic medicine, these bacteria, which appear as a coating on the tongue, are known collectively as area. "Scraping your tongue first thing in the morning will remove the ama and its impurities and leave your breath fresh," says Niika Quistgard-DeVivo, a clinical ayurvedic specialist in Hunterdon County, New Jersey.
Toothbrushes can remove some of the halitosis-causing residue that's left on the tongue, but scrapers were found to be 30 percent more effective in a study published last year in The Journal of Periodontology. To use: Place the scraper near the back of the tongue and drag it forward. Repeat several times, rinsing the scraper under warm running water after each sweep.
7:45 a.m. Give yourself a brush-up
Dry brushing is a super-stimulating early morning circulation booster. "Skin is full of nerve cells, and by stimulating the skin's surface you can wake up those, cells, and in turn wake up your whole body," explains Quistgard-DeVivo.
Before you step into the shower, use a natural bristle brush with a long handle to brush every part of the body except the face and neck. Make long, sweeping strokes, always moving toward the heart: Brush from the hands to the shoulders, the feet up to the thighs, and the sides of the back toward the torso.
Dry brushing your body at least two or three times per week will leave you glowing. "Dry brushing gives skin a rosy hue, and the tingling sensation it produces is invigorating as well," says Rapaport.
8:00 a.m. Add a kick to your shower
A short blast of cold water at the end of your shower provides a powerful morning punch. Not only does it help shake off whatever grogginess the warm water may have caused, but it also closes your pores, which protects your immune system. "When you get out of a steaming hot shower, all of your pores are left wide open, which means all that heat is being allowed to leave the body," says Berkeley, California-based Scott Blossom, O.M.D. Cold water also closes hair follicles, leaving your mane looking healthy and shiny.
For an added pick-me-up, wash with an energizing shower gel that contains herbs to stimulate circulation and leave skin feeling refreshed and glowing; the invigorating scents will also rouse your brain.
8:15 a.m. Wash your face
Cleaning your face every night removes makeup and washes away the day's built-up grime to prevent breakouts and a dull complexion. But repeating the process in the morning — either in or out of the shower — Is just as important. "We tend to sweat during the night and this, as well as overnight oil production, can lead to clogged pores if skin isn't cleansed regularly," says Wilma Bergfeld, M.D., a Cleveland dermatologist. Use a gentle cleanser to help avoid irritating or overdrying your skin.
Consider turning your wash routine into a morning massage. Gently rubbing the skin as you cleanse increases circulation, giving skin a healthy glow. A gentle exfoliating cleanser, which sloughs off dulling dead skin cells, can also give skin an extra boost of radiance, while enlivening scents like mint, menthol, and tea tree add eye-opening power. Follow up by using a light moisturizer with an SPF of at least 15.
8:30 a.m. Eat at home
Finding time for a well-balanced breakfast before you head into work may be one of the morning's most difficult tasks, but it's essential. "Eating breakfast at your computer or while you're taking business calls makes it more difficult to digest your food; the body should have to digest only one thing at a time," says Blossom, who also recommends boycotting the morning news during breakfast to avoid unnecessary stress. If you must, catch the traffic report and the weather, then turn the TV or radio off.
A well-balanced breakfast lets you stay alert during the day — and it helps keep you feeling and looking healthy. "The skin, just like the heart and brain, is a vital organ that needs a well-balanced meal first thing to allow for healthy cell turnover and the rebuilding of collagen and elastin," says Rapaport. The monounsaturated oil in peanut butter on wheat toast or the antioxidants and omega fatty acids in a homemade fruit shake help make hair and skin radiant.
© Natural Health/Weider Publications. All rights reserved.
