The Beauty Potion: Eating for Health, radiance, vibrancy, and loving it.

Are you interested in maximizing the potential of your beauty, health, radiance, and intelligence? Not only that, but becoming better at regulating emotions, heck, even, experiencing emotions? Process this for a moment: The happiest you’ve ever been in your life, up till now, is minimal compared to the capacity of joy you can experience! The most beautiful you’ve ever felt could be taken to a complete new high! The health and radiancy you’ve known is pennies, when looking at your true potential; if you started by fixing just one thing: Your gut health. 

Everybody knows that they should “cut down on the cookies,” and, “stop eating so many chips.” Let’s be honest, though, how helpful is that information? 

Enough of this vague bull-crap, you and me, we’re going deeper than that. 

As you journey with me through The Beauty Potion, we’re going to learn what eating healthy means, how to make it an enchanting lifestyle, instead of something restrictive, as well as why fixing what you eat can make you more beautiful, happier, and intelligent. 

THE GUT-BRAIN AXIS

Inside of your Gastrointestinal (GI) Track are hundreds of neurotransmitter receptors wiggling along its walls. This is why you notice when your stress is high, you can feel it in your stomach. In fact, when norepinephrine (a stress/fight-or-flight hormone) gets released, your brain uses those neuroreceptors to cancel digestion and save energy for other working muscles to get you out of the situation. The nervous system is littered throughout your entire body. It plays its influence heavily on each system, which is the reason your heart is beating, lungs are breathing, eyes are seeing, etc. Because of your brain! And allow me to put this into your perspective: When you truly look at illnesses, the origin of them, where does it always stem from? Inflammation. Now, ask yourself, what is the way inflammation enters the body 90% of the time? Through the gut. Your gut causes the inflammation, which then sends inflammation to the brain, who sends it through the nervous system, and then out into your whole entire body. 

We’ve gotten to a point in our scientific literature where there have been multiple well done studies (on humans, for a change) linking chronic gut inflammation to ADHD, Depression, anxiety disorders, and many, many other psychologically distressed symptoms.  

Take a peek for yourself: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6469458/ 

Ultra-Processed foods are the root of this because their nutrient “quality” comes in an overabundance of sugar, saturated fat, food additives, and dietary emulsifiers (which have no nutrient quality at all. They’re there purely to make the foods more addictive and pleasurable for the eyes, with more and more evidence coming out each day linking them to again, say for me baby; INFLAMMATION)

Sugar and fat in general are not “bad for you” the problem, as with anything, is when it is consumed in excess. Just one of these products has waaaaaaay more of these nutrients than you need in a day, and here’s the kicker, they’re designed to be addictive! “Serving size is one cookie” They’re trying to act like they didn’t curate these double-fudge, chocolate chip, bites of pure ecstasy, to be so enticing that “I’m not going to eat the whole bag in one sitting.” (Of course not, they wouldn’t do that.)  

What I find the most maniacal, is that the public knows that this excess consumption is bad, but they’re not told the full impact of what this does to your whole entire body.

(The reason being is that the emotional high we get from these foods feel like they outweigh the cons, and marketers know this, which is why we cannot go 5 seconds without an ad about fast-food retailers' new, spicy, hot, regret-tomorrow-burger deal!) 

Let’s fix this education problem, shall we, my love? 

• Chronic overconsumption of sugar damages dopamine receptors, making you need more intensity/extreme, in order to feel pleasure or reward. (This means more stimulation must be present to feel joy. Lessening our ability to find pleasure in daily activities, and neurologically rewires you rely on this sugar to find the “proper stimulation” it’s looking for.)  

• Multiple studies have linked excess sugar intake in a regular diet with overstimulated neural activity. If this is not checked, ADHD/Autism has been shown to develop in relation to it. 

• Constant inflammation in the brain due to inflammation in the gut, influences the brain blood barrier to have more permeability, making it less selective in its hormone acceptance. (This means toxic substances are able to enter the brain easier than in a healthy one, which biologically increases the risk of psychological disorders.)  

• The heavy saturated fat (Solid at room temp.)  content in Ultra-Processed Foods is what tends to be the link to clogged arteries, which inevitably produces chronic high blood pressure, and if bad enough, strokes, cardiovascular damage, diabetes, etc. 

• Type 2 Diabetes accounts for about 99% of diabetic cases. For context, Type 2 refers to onset through lifestyle/dietary choices, not genetic. 

• Trans fats, banned by the FDA for known causes in promoting LDL cholesterol, (unhealthy when too high), lowering HDL cholesterol (healthy), plus increased risks of heart attacks, stroke, developing obesity, as well as Type 2 Diabetes. Still, Trans fats can be found in most baked goods, fast food chains, frozen foods, basically any Ultra-Processed Foods!

Now, I’m going to stop there, because I’m sure you get the point, but just remember there's more. If you have a diet that is high in sugar, sodas, chips, etc. You most likely aren’t going to notice the difference in how it feels to eat real food vs. things like that. In fact, when first beginning to make better food decisions, it will initially seem flavorless in comparison, but this is only because your taste buds have been hyper-stimulated for years. (Luckily, they adapt fast.)

Whenever I talk about this topic I always remember the fallout of my ice cream addiction. I had it almost 3-4 times a week, and nothing could "compare to the flavor!" However, I decided I was going to try my sugar detox method. (where I completely cut out all artificial sugar.) I only did this for a little less than 30 days, before I decided to go out for ice cream again, and when I took a bite, I thought I was nearly going to vomit! It was overwhelmingly sweet, it tasted fake, like I was eating liquid plastic! I began noticing this for any food that had a CEO's paycheck, list worth of ingredients, they’re disgusting! And I used to be obsessed with them!

 When we know real food, our brain doesn’t want that fake crap anymore. We begin to be able to taste the quality of the ingredients, and when foods lack quality, they lack taste.

 (Trust, you think letting all those foods go is going to be hard, baby, you just haven’t had real flavor in a long time. You’re not in for a restrictive nightmare, but a revitalizing journey for your taste buds and body.)

HOW TO LOVE EATING HEALTHY 

Eating well has the same rules as yourself, to love it, you must have a better mindset.

One of two things happens in our lives: 

• Either, we grow up with an abundant access to food, and devalue its presence, leading you to only seek it for pleasure. 

• Or, you’re raised with very little food. Developing almost a “worshipping” mentality around it, obsession, and desires to hoard a large quantity/stuffing it into your face whenever you get the opportunity, because it could be the last. 

No matter which one is true to your experience, it all comes down to misinterpreting food's role in your body. In an ideal world, everyone would eat only when genuinely hungry, but we cannot deny the social and emotional aspects of food, taste preferences, and nostalgic qualities it has. This is why I like to think of food as not only fuel for your energy system, but your heart, mind, and spirit. What can I eat today that is going to nourish every part of me? Instead of what is convenient to throw in my body at this moment, so I can keep moving?

 The true reason why most people say they “like eating processed foods” is because they’re like Kirby when they sit down for a meal, baby, stop being a vacuum cleaner. Nobody sits down to pause anymore. Take a minute, taste the flavors of the food you have in front of you, let this food nourish you. Processed foods are meant to be consumed quickly, because their flavors are so intense you only need to pop them into your mouth for a second than swallow. 

(If you slowed down, chewed thoroughly, you would understand the nasty plastic taste I am talking about.)

With natural, nutrient rich foods, you have to breathe, become a connoisseur of some sorts and see the expansive flavors all these items possess. People only think they taste bad, because you can’t properly enjoy them while having your eyes drilled into your phone, work task, or TV screen. Oh! I forgot to mention one more thing your mind will be shocked to consume. The hormones in your gut have a lag in communication between digestion and your brain, this means your stomach can be physically full, but the time it takes for you to actually feel full has to catch up. As mentioned earlier, These Highly-Processed foods are meant to be consumed quickly. This means, you can eat a 1,000 kcal burger with 500 kcal fries in the span of 60 seconds, and still feel hungry, leading you to seek more of these high energy foods to "satiate you.” 

(Welcome to the psychology of our obesity epidemic, my friends.) 

LEARNING TO SLOW DOWN, AND APPRECIATE YOUR FOOD is our first mindset switch. Our next one comes to understanding why we crave the foods we crave.

The next time you go to eat, ask yourself: 

• “Why do I want this food?” 

• “What is the reason I am eating right now?” 

• “What made me choose this option instead of another”

One of the most common hindrances reported to getting on track with healthy eating, is emotional eating. “Nothing quite gives me that same comfort as a cookie does.” 

Girl, trust me, I was that depressed woman eating 4 bowls of my Smore’s cereal a day, with 6 other meals + 5 more snacks; now as someone who only eats 2-3 meals a day, and feels happier, calmer, and more comforted than I did when I substituted with food, here are the things that cured my emotional eating habits: 

• Understand the trigger: When do I feel the need to eat? What am I trying to fix with this food? What are the situations I want all this sugar in? Ask, and reveal the emotion behind the desire. 

  
  

• Substitute: What is something else I could do that would give me the same emotions I am craving from this food?

  (EX: I do a dance session, it fires me up and fills me with excitement! What works for you?) 

  
  

• Regulate: Replacing the habit is perfect, but to really seal the deal, practice regulation. Understand why this situation is making me upset? What about it gives me the most frustration?

  (Sometimes, just identifying the real reason for the problem is satisfying enough. I don’t even need to do the dance session, because my emotions just wished to be heard.)

• As a bonus, you can also ask yourself, “What can I do to fix this situation? Through either editing my mindset, attitude, and approach; or actually getting myself away from this environment and finding something that fulfills me more.

Número Tres: Identifying what naughty food habits look like:

• “I have to eat everything on my plate.”

  I know you don’t want to waste food, so baby, just get a smaller plate. If you’re at a point where you have access to food when you desire, just let yourself get up and get more if you’re still hungry. It is very easy to look at all the delicious cuisines and want to eat everything, but we often overestimate how much food we really need to feel full. Next thing you know you’re half-way through your plate, looking down at your bloated stomach and thinking “damn. I still got to eat all this?”

  If I have a few extra bites left, even when I got a smaller serving, I don’t finish it.

  Forcing yourself to eat is just as bad as starving yourself. 

  
  

• A common food habit people have is sitting down in front of their TV, and immediately thinking, “what am I going to snack on?”

  You didn’t even check to see if you're hungry, but your brain saw the signal (TV) so it relayed the response (Snack). What I did to fix this habit was, learn to keep your mind engaged. (And, yes, you can still wind down from a stressful day while doing this.)

  All I did was flip the dubbing on the TV to a language I wanted to learn, you can’t lose with this method. You get to learn a foreign language, keep your mind engaged enough so it doesn’t wander onto food, and relax all at the same time! (If this is not your forte, you could do some stretches/workout sessions while watching. Or, cut the TV out completely by reading a book, creating art, writing, meditating, whatever else calms you, explore your interests!)  

  
  

• Frankly, any mindset/habit that makes eating forceful or mindless is one to change, but the mindset I HATE the most (and is the reason people think “dieting” is miserable) is RESTRICTION.

The true way to love eating healthy comes from understanding that there is ZERO RESTRICTION involved. (Unless, directly stated by a Doctor, that you will be un-alived or extremely sick from eating that food.)

The only time I restricted myself was for that 30 day sugar detox, and after that I didn’t want to go back, that is the difference nobody talks about. People are too focused on telling themselves what they can and cannot eat, that they don’t even let themselves enjoy their new diet. They talk about diets as if they’re temporary to fix some kind of aesthetic dislike or health issue, but that is not what this is, this is a lifestyle upgrade!

Begin having fun with your new way of eating! Expanding your cooking ability is not a mommy skill, it’s a life skill, learn it and enrich your well being.

I see too many people starting to eat healthy and all they pick is salad and grilled chicken, that’s cute for one meal honey, but after that you know what I say? BORING! 

Find ways to spice up your kitchen first of all! If I look into your pantries and only see salt and pepper, illegal, you’re getting bamboozled! Your next trip to the store, we better see: Paprika, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Cinnamon, Parsley, Oregano, just to name a few. Second of all, stop cooking the same meals everyday! Darling, no wonder you would find that boring and restrictive. When I do my meal prep, it is not in preparation of cooking, but packing for my own world tour! Tonight I’m eating a dish from Russia, the next Nigeria, Singapore, India. Keep it fun! And on the days you’re craving that restaurant, dessert, or snack, get it baby. The only thing you must keep in mind is, how much of this do I need to satisfy my craving? And what is the correct portion size to satiate me? (Eating a whole cake packs the same satisfying punch as having one slice.)

This way you still meet your craving without feeling like crap for "breaking your diet," and your brain plays no mental games of tantalizing fantasies of the “forbidden foods” because nothing is forbidden. (In fact, this can help you have less cravings in the future.)

TIP:(One extra thing I do when I am craving a food is see if I can make a healthier version that is more satisfying, and if it’s not, then I satisfy the craving with the normal treat. What is helpful about this is you give yourself more options to fulfill the desire, while pleasuring your digestive enzymes with so much more nutrients. Now, if my Brownies do not have sweet potatoes in them, I don’t want them!) 

THE SECRET OF THE BEAUTIFUL 

Do you remember when you saw “that” person. Jaw

dropping, gorgeous, you could not help but stop and stare. Regardless of their bone structure, style, body type, there are distinct markers everyone finds attractive. Imagine you saw that same person, but they had blood-shot eyes, dark circles, hyper-active acne, shredded, unkempt hair, dirty. What makes someone truly beautiful is not their exact proportions, but their health, their vibrancy, and joy. What are the ways you can use your diet as a booster to get you there? 

(If you're interested in expanding your beauty in even more ways than simply through your diet, upgrading your mind and body, as well as waking up to a life you love, than visit me at www.soulchiyu.com for Life Coaching!)

HAPPINESS:

We want to focus on nutrients that synthesize Serotonin, Dopamine, and if you’re an overly anxious person, GABA as well. To do this, keep in mind these key nutrients:

• Tryptophan and Folate (B9): Tryptophan is a Serotonin synthesizing amino acid. Folate is a co-factor in synthesizing Serotonin, which promotes feelings of wellbeing, happiness, plus a bunch of other neural adaptations through BDNF, improving your cognition and learning ability. (It is often prescribed alongside anti-depressants to boost effectiveness.)

Tryptophan: Because it is an essential amino acid, the best source of it is going to be found in animal products. Typically 8oz serving of lean beef, salmon, or chicken can give you more than enough of your Daily Value (DV)% (Based on a 2,000kcal diet, if you eat less, you can get by with adequate tryptophan in smaller portions.) Other options are eggs, pumpkin/chia/sunflower seeds, edamame, tofu and more, but these contain less.

Folate: Comes best in most dark, leafy greens with exceptional absorption when they’re cooked, rather than raw. (as with most vegetables) Spinach, Brussel sprouts, kale, and also, chickpeas, kidney/black beans, lentils, etc. The tricky thing about Folate is it primarily comes in very filling foods, but none have shown to give you 100% DV  in a single serving. If you can’t fit large quantities of these foods into your diet, consuming fortified cereals or discussing with your physician about supplementation is an option. 

• L-Tyrosine: Is an essential nutrient to synthesizing multiple neurotransmitters, especially Dopamine, and adrenaline to maintain alertness, along with working memory. 

Luckily, L-tyrosine is a non-essential amino acid, meaning your body makes it on its own, but sometimes, our body needs a little extra help, so you can find this amino acid in a wide range of meats, poultry, fish, seeds, whole grains like quinoa and oats, as well as most dairy products. 

• L-Theanine: This one is magical for my babes with stress issues. L-Theanine, promotes attention/energy while sending calming signals to the brain and lowering excitatory chemicals. (This allows you to be calm and focused without getting sleepy.) It promotes more restorative sleep, reduces inflammation, and lowers heart rate in response to acute stress. This is your meditation pill all in one drink. You can find this vacation to a peace filled paradise in most teas with the highest being Green/Matcha. (L-theanine is not found naturally occurring in other foods, only trace amounts in Bay Bolete mushrooms.) 

  
  

SKIN:

A diet high in processed foods/sugar has been known to destroy your skin by producing constant inflammation, creating excess sebum through glucose spikes (which makes acne/pimples), and combating collagen and elastin. (these keep your skin bouncy, and youthful.)

You know it’s bad, so what to prioritize to make it better?:

• Vitamin C: Prevents dark spots and brightens skin through inhibiting melanin production without changing natural skin tone, assists in cellular turnover, is a powerful anti-oxidant, and an essential co-enzyme to synthesizing collagen! This can be found in delicious Kiwi’s, (Golden Kiwi’s have 100% DV from just one!) Lemons, Circus Fruits, Strawberries, and Red Bell Peppers. (Make sure they aren’t cooked)

• Zinc: Anti-bacterial (reduces the oil that causes acne) and supports immune health, so your skin can help stay protected from sun damage, acting as your natural sunscreen. Oysters have the most zinc with just 1-2 raw, providing over 100% DV. You can also find this in Beef, Lobster/Crab, Pumpkin Seeds, 75% or more Dark Chocolate, and fortified grains. 

• Protein/Essential Amino Acids: Protein is essential for proper tissue repair and is the structural building blocks of collagen, elastin, keratin, (Enzymes for skin, nail, and hair) and more enzymes necessary for peak function and beauty. These are easy to find if you eat any kind of meat, as nearly all essential amino acids are in them with more than enough amounts to satisfy DV. If you’re vegetarian/vegan, focus on a wide variety of plant based sources like soy, seitan, chickpeas, and beans + whole grains like quinoa (And remember, plant sources are significantly lower, so variety and Vitamin C consumption becomes even more vital for proper nutrient absorption.)

• Vitamin A and E: Both play roles in immune support, cellular turnover, and powerful anti-oxidants! (Vitamin E, especially)

  Wonderful sources of these are Sweet Potatoes, (all DV for Vitamin A in just one!) Spinach, Carrots, Almonds, Sunflower seeds, Cod Liver Oil, Eggs, (Must be pasture raised and cage free.) and Salmon to name a few. 

• Phyto-nutrient (Plant) Anti-oxidants: Your skin doesn’t like toxicities and has commitment issues, so it likes variety. "Eat the Rainbow." Get a beautiful, wide range of colors in both fruits and vegetables and your skin will repay you with the glow.

  
  

Do you notice the trend here? If you want to maximize your beauty, radiance, and joy through your diet the key is DIVERSITY. You can eat “healthy foods” all you would like, but if it is the same category for breakfast, lunch, and dinner you’re not getting the diversity you need to thrive. Lean, clean meats, poultry, fish, dairy, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, try to get as much of these in your meals a day as possible.

My general rule is no repeat foods on the same day.

(ie: I had chicken in my lunch, my dinner must have a different meat or main. My breakfast involved berries, so I will eat a different kind of fruit or have vegetables in the next meal.) 

My love! You’re locked and loaded for a beauty and health chasm to fall upon you. Prepare to hear the recognition of your new revitalized energy and radiance, but most importantly, get ready to feel it! Feel the difference in your body, see it in the mirror, and live life never regretting your decision to choose better foods. 

Are you ready to lock in your nutrition, mentality, and fitness to achieve your Dream-Life? Sign up for coaching at www.soulchiyu.com