Free Holistic Beauty from the Inside Out by Julie Gabriel

teaspoon of honey stirred into a large glass of water with an added squeeze of a lemon makes an easy detox drink. It boosts up your skin glow, detoxifies the liver, and jump-starts your metabolism so you use up your calories from food more efficiently.
    The second big change you can make is to replace simple carbs with complex carbohydrates, which provide more body-cleansing fiber and sustained energy release. Complex carbs include whole grains such as brown rice, oats, millet, barley, lentils, quinoa, buckwheat, and whole wheat, as well as root vegetables, legumes, squash, and pumpkin. Not only do they contain lots of fiber, but they also provide essential minerals such as bone-strengthening magnesium and antioxidant selenium.
    Selenium is extremely important to maintain the youthfulness of your skin as well as minimize the risk of skin cancer. Skin-wise, it helps thicken the skin and reduce sun spots and other signs of long-term sun damage. Along with vitamins C and E, selenium wards off free radicals that damage the skin’s DNA and may lead to skin cancer. As selenium prevents and in some ways reverses the skin damage by UV rays, it reduces the thickening of the skin caused by excessive sun exposure, so the skin remains smooth, elastic, and soft. Selenium can be found in nuts, seaweed, and sesame seeds, but you can also top levels of this mighty antioxidant withsupplements. For best results, your antiaging skin supplement should contain generous amounts of selenium lycopene, lutein, beta-carotene, and a natural source of vitamin E.
    Molecules of silica (silicon) give strength and hardness to skin, hair and nails. Silica is the most abundant mineral in Earth’s crust. In the human body, silica is part of some of the most resilient human tissue such as arteries, tendons, eyes, joints, and skin. Silica helps form collagen as it is part of the collagen-building amino acid proline; it also forms keratin and hyaluronic acid, vitally important constituents of a healthy skin. As a mineral, silica is a quartz crystal, so it has very definite crystalline structure. Homeopaths believe that silica promotes wound healing and reduces scars, which may be due to silica’s ability to penetrate deep into the dermis and “patch things up” with increased collagen formation. It also helps draw toxins out of the skin. Silicate clays montmorillonite and kaolin are great for skin detoxification and rejuvenation. You can also boost levels of silica in your body naturally with silica supplements or by increasing the amount of fiber in your diet. Whole grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables, and mushrooms are great sources of readily available silica to nourish our skin and hair.
    Zinc is another essential component of healthy skin, but don’t think its only task is to keep you pretty. Zinc participates in the creation of vital enzymes that regulate each and every function and reaction of our bodies. Unfortunately, our ability to absorb this vital metal reduces with age. Zinc is also essential for a healthy hormonal balance, lactose digestion, liver health, DNA maintenance, strong bones, tough immune system, and smooth kidney function—to name just a few of its functions. Zinc also helps the body make good use of vitamin A coming from various sources, and this helps zinc and vitamin A work together to maintain your glowing complexion. Make sure you add zinc to your multivitamin ration as quickly as possible; this metal is one of the mightiest antioxidants helping you stay beautiful.
    For ages, humans obtained zinc from grains, dairy, and meat, but technological progress depleted our soils of this vital element.
    These days, fish and crustaceans are better sources of zinc than meats and dairy. Oysters, shellfish, and coldwater fish, especially herring, contain exceptional zinc levels. Animal sources, such as eggs and liver, contain fairly high levels of zinc but still lower than those found in seafood.
    Zinc is better absorbed from animal foods