My Beauty Diary – nourishment, movement and transformation during self isolation: Part Two

Part 2. Nourishment.

Self esteem is the core of healing. Because of the connectedness of mind and body, our sense of self-esteem is our cells sense of self-esteem. This is because, according to Ayurveda, every cell is a center of intelligence and awareness. Every cell carries the sense of self for its own survival. It is the sense of self in the cell that maintains the size and shape of the cell. Self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-respect promote cellular intelligence, which is necessary for proper cell function and immunity. Modern science is just now acknowledging the importance of the mind-body connection, but the knowledge of it has been part of Ayurveda for five thousand years. Our sense of self, our attitudes and understandings, our feelings, are all psychobiological events. Self-esteem is one such event, one that is strengthening to our cells and to all aspects of our bodies. A lack of self-confidence and self-love is detrimental. Thus, self-esteem is important for maintaining immunity. If you love yourself as you are, you will develop confidence, and that will heal disease. That is why cellular immunity, or natural resistance, depends upon self esteem – taken from the book The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies by Vasant Lad.

 

 

The greatest expression of self love is the food we choose to eat. Which brings us onto Part 2 of my series – nourishment. If you missed part 1 – movement – then you can read it here.

 

I write this while in quarantine in Manhattan on a beautiful Sunday afternoon with blue skies and 75 delicious degrees. A light breeze enters my apartment and kisses my skin gently. The feeling of summer wraps around my body and reminds me of the soothing sound of the ocean. Taking a moment to feel the beauty of this day and the image of the ocean and know that we will meet again. However right now we are here, in this moment and so let’s love this moment for all it has to offer us. I know for myself this global pause has allowed me to create the foundation for my future and it all starts with self-esteem.Truly understanding your self worth will set you free.

 

I became a vegetarian at age 14 in England and that evolved into becoming a full vegan while living and modeling in Miami Beach. So therefore my approach to how I nourish my body is through a plant based diet with fresh, organic wholefoods. Prior to this lockdown I was already actively fine tuning. This time has allowed me to focus on these lifestyle changes and create new habits. Eating regular meals, not eating after 8pm and drinking 2 liters of water daily (consistently). Taking the time to eat slowly to support ones digestion (thank you to Margarita Carreras for this reminder, while on the Paradise Beauty Detox at the Sivananda ashram yoga retreat) and acknowledge the absolute joy of nourishing my body. The joy it brings me to nourish my body is part of my daily gratitude. And gratitude is a state of mind that creates inner peace.

 

Let’s talk supplements and adaptagens that will build a strong immune system and help create an alkaline body. As everything is interconnected the skin is a roadmap for what’s going on inside and these superfoods benefit all organs. The skin, being our largest organ, responds by glowing in gratitude. I have been using cacao in my morning smoothies, and for the chocolate lovers out there this is a great alternative. Cacao benefits the immune system and the skin as it is high in antioxidants. It has omega 6 fatty acids which help in cellular healing; good amounts of skin and immune loving vitamin c (which the body does not produce or store and vitamin C helps your body absorb iron) and magnesium (which is abundant in skin benefits). Magnesium is necessary for the enzymes that regulate DNA replication and repair. Without it, the skin is subject to a host of harmful free radical damage and inflammation. Basically magnesium deficiency results in lower levels of fatty acids on the skin. This reduces elasticity and moisture and creates the perfect condition for dryness and inflammation. I continue to use chia seeds in my water (add to water and leave in the fridge for a few hours or overnight), they fill you up so they are great for weight loss, high in protein (hair and skin love and need protein), high in calcium and iron (so great if you have a heavy period as you may need more iron). I have to say I use cayenne pepper for everything! In my oatmeal, everyday in smoothes, salads, when sautéing vegetables, red lentil spaghetti (quarantine favorite)…I’m just a lover of this beneficial spice. It is antioxidant, anti fungal, anti aging and yes can help speed up your metabolism. I started using Himalayan salt five years ago on a regular basis. Again I add it to everything, including my smoothies (only a pinch). It detoxifies the body by balancing systemic PH. Improves hydration by providing trace minerals, removes toxins and improves circulation. Turmeric is a spice I’ve used for years and it is a staple in my diet, however over the last year I’ve been adding it to my smoothies in the form of MegaFood Daily Turmeric. It is fantastic for your skin, keeping it radiant and promoting hair growth – due to its anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti allergic, antioxidant, antiseptic and antibacterial properties. Chlorophyll is one of my continued must haves. I’ve been using this since a teenager in the form of spirulina or chlorella or simply chlorophyll concentrate. I use ‘ChlorOxygen’ by Herbs Etc. It is all about keeping the cells full of oxygen and chlorophyll does that and supports your PH levels. This is especially important as we navigate this virus. Vitamin D3 is a vitamin I take all year, however it’s extremely important right now and if I had to recommend one vitamin to take immediately, this is it. I use the whole food Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw D3. Low levels of vitamin D are associated with an increased risk of respiratory diseases. This vitamin is non negotiable right now to support your immune system. I also brought PH ion Balance diagnostic ph test strips, to test my PH level and I’m happy that it is 7.30. Our ideal PH is slightly alkaline being 7.30-7.45 and below 7 is acidic, an alkaline body is a healthy body. Disease thrives in an acidic body. Try it – it is a superb way to see where your body is at and that will guide you forward. PH stands for power of hydrogen, which is a measurement of the hydrogen ion concentration in the body. Note that I drink organic coffee everyday and coffee is acidic. I love coffee and it just brings me pleasure so I’ve made the conscious choice to keep that in my life and I’m able to achieve my optimum PH level still – great. Alcohol, processed food, meat and cheese are all terribly acidic for example and also awful for your skin, immune system and weight.

 

I’ve made some new discoveries during quarantine. Let me introduce you to, Your Super which has been supporting my body with organic superfood powders. I use them in my morning smoothie and for my bedtime milk. I’m loving Power Matcha, which consists of Matcha, Maca, Moringa, Wheatgrass and Barley Grass. Great for focus. I also made my first Matcha Latte with oat milk and cacao butter. For my bedtime milk I use Magic Mushroom which helps build a strong immune system. It consists of Cacao, Chaga, Ashwagandha, Lucuma, Reishi and Cinnamon. I also add Forever Beautiful to my morning smoothie. This is great for the skin with Chia seeds, Açaí, Maca, Blueberry, Maqui and Acerola. For that extra boost in my morning smoothie I turn to Energy Bomb, with Açaí, Guarana, Maca, Lucuma and banana. Learn more here www.yoursuper.com  and use the code MYBEAUTYDIARY for a 15% discount. 

 

 

Awareness. Listen to how your body feels after you eat certain foods.The more you know your body, the more you get to enjoy it. I’ve been finding tremendous joy in experimenting with different foods and dancing while cooking in my kitchen. In particular listening to the live DJ sets (via IG Live) from the supremely talented D-Nice (@dnice). We are all in this together. Together we’ve got this. How can this experience enhance you as a human being? Let’s emerge back into this world so high on love and allow that to be our vibration as individuals and collectively. Love changes everything and it starts within.

 

Emma is a NYC based model and actress. She is the face for SIBU Beauty’s summer 2020 campaign. Stay connected with her latest projects on IG @emmaukny

My Beauty Diary is published in VegWorld Magazine. The May/June issue arrives this week.

 

Moulton by Emma J is on sale now at Moulton-by-Emma-j.myshopify.com

All proceeds go directly towards the making of Emma’s directorial debut. A story of empowerment through nutrition inspired by her mother’s journey with ovarian cancer.