Beauty by Nature

August 16, 2011
Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS

Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS

Award-winning nutritionist and New York Times bestselling author.

86545415Create radiant inner and outer beauty naturally.

When you are feeling your best, you look your best.

In fact, unless you are nutritionally supported from within, it is virtually impossible to look really good because real beauty isn’t just skin deep. When you look in the mirror and notice dull skin, brittle hair, and thin, splitting nails you’re actually seeing outward reflections of inner imbalance. Beauty thieves manifest themselves throughout the different ages and stages of our lives and are heightened by everyday stress and natural hormonal shifts.

Let’s take a closer look at how you can achieve true beauty by turning things inside out. So, let’s do just that as we uncover some beauty fundamentals.

Q: Why is fat such an essential beauty nutrient in all of your programs?
A: Certain kinds of essential fat (like flaxseed oil, fish oil, and black currant seed oil) are absolutely critical for good looks. They give you dewy skin, shining hair, and healthy looking nails by aiding in the absorption of the beautifying vitamins A, D, E, and K by producing hormones and by helping to transport oxygen throughout your body. They are the gatekeepers of your appearance by helping to ward off eczema, dandruff, psoriasis, and hair loss. These oils help keep cell membranes lubricated and ensure that they function properly to battle viruses and bacteria. A little known fact is that essential fatty acids help prevent osteoporosis by delivering calcium to the bones. One tablespoon of liquid oil for each 100 pounds of body weight is your beauti-full recipe, while 360-720 mg of black currant seed oil will fortify cell membranes.

Q: You’ve often discussed how taking birth control pills can negatively impact a woman’s looks. Can you explain?
A: The pill can cause a number of nutrient deficiencies that result in a host of beauty and hormonal imbalances. Among them are a deficiency in vitamin B6, causing dandruff, hair loss, thinning hair, dermatitis, stretch marks, and PMS. Women can also become deficient in vitamin B12 resulting in that rundown, tired look and anemia. Low levels of biotin can occur, which manifest as hair loss, dry hair, eczema, and brittle nails. Folic acid levels become depressed resulting in a sallow complexion, premature graying, and poor skin color. In addition, vitamin C is affected, weakening collagen production and increasing wrinkles and lines. These are just to name a few. And this rings true even for “low dose” pills like “Loestrin” and “Yaz.”

Q: What are some general pointers for avoiding wrinkles for women of all ages and stages of life?
A: No matter what our age, we can blame the sun for most skin damage—including wrinkles. But there are other factors to consider as well, such as repeated facial expressions, smoking, alcohol, caffeine, drugs, poor dental work, a low-protein and fat-free diet, lack of exercise, and environmental stress. Topical vitamin C skin creams—at the right potency—can dramatically reduce the appearance of wrinkles. The amino acid proline in amounts of 500 mg is a potent wrinkle buster. The super antioxidants pine bark and grape seed extract are also helpful in smoothing out wrinkles.

Q: What are your top ten beauty tips for women in their 30s, 40s, and 50s?
A: The top ten beautifiers are: vitamin C to fight wrinkles and support collagen; magnesium for beautiful bones and strong teeth; vitamin B-complex for calm nerves and a stress-less facial expression; vitamin E to prevent sagging facial muscles, age spots, and provide skin lubrication; iron for a rosy complexion; zinc for wound healing and strong hair; hormone-like vitamin D that acts like an antioxidant to aid in preventing premature skin-aging; vitamin A for beautiful soft skin; sulfur to heal and prevent scars; and essential fatty acids to prevent nails from splitting, skin from breaking out and hair from falling out.

In addition to a separate vitamin B-complex and extra vitamin D supplementation, the Female Multiple is a treasure chest of essential beauty-promoting nutrients. It provides capillary-strengthening hesperidin, the unique biological antioxidant—alpha lipoic acid—to recharge vitamins C, E and glutathione by providing missing electrons stolen by free-radicals, and horse chesnut extract to strengthen veins and help prevent varicosities.

Take your beauty quest to deeper levels so you can uncover your entire beauty potential. As the great sculptor Rodin once said, “Beauty is but the spirit breaking through the flesh.” Rediscover that unique, sparkling essence deep inside you and allow it to manifest for the entire world to see.

Related Articles and Podcasts

Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS, is an award-winning New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty books including The Fat Flush Plan series and her latest book, Radical Metabolism. She’s been rewriting the rules of nutrition for more than 40 years and is internationally recognized as a pioneer in the field of diet, detox and women’s health issues. 

For a FREE daily dose of tips and strategies for maintaining healthy weight, conquering insomnia, and much more…check out my Radical Health Tips.

I’d like to meet and greet you on my Facebook groups, so won’t you check us out at the Radical Metabolism RevolutionFat Flush Nation, or my Inner Circle!

2 Comments

  1. Susan

    Of course, hindsight is 20/20, but I wish I knew all those years ago what being on the pill was doing to me and my body. I was on them for 17 years and now, at 46, I suffer terribly as I stuggle to get my hormones back in balance. So many of my friends used to skip their week off and continue on to the next packet of pills to avoid having their period. I’m so glad I never followed that trend!

    Dr. Ann, please do one of these blog entries entirely on the pill. Many people simply don’t realize that while on the pill, they are throwing themselves into a chemical-induced state of menopause! I can honestly say, in retrospect, that I had every symptom you listed above while going from doctor to doctor seeking help. No one ever talked about the possibility of it being the pill. They gave me anti-depressants and sent me on my way! Even when I was anemic I was given anti-depressants! Funny thing is, the only thing that was making me depressed was that no one could or would help me! Other than that, I was in great spirits.

    And don’t even get me started on what it has done to my adrenals!

    Reply
  2. julie jones

    Hi Dr. Ann, Thank you SO much for the wealth of information you provide concerning health and welllness. What type of paraben free skin care and cosmetics do you recommend? Do you have favorite brands that really work without compromising health with parabens and other chemicals? Thank you so much!

    Reply

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. The Dangers of Hair Dyes - True USA - […] If you’re concerned about premature graying and want to get to the “root cause,” see Ann Louise Gittleman’s recommendations…
  2. The Risks of Hair Dyes - Thinkarete.com - […] When you’re involved about untimely graying and need to get to the “root trigger,” see Ann Louise Gittleman’s suggestions…

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