|
Everything I did to glow up in 2 years
Warning this will be a long post, it has everything I've learnt in the past couple of years from hair growth, to styling, to weightloss, to nervous system regulation and more. I'm in my early 30s, I have 3B hair, tall, two years ago I was obese, prediabetic, I had anxiety problems, now I'm just a tall [seemingly ;) ] effortlessly pretty black girl and I want all my beauties on here to have my beauty secrets. Topics discussed: Haircare Style Makeup Teeth Skincare Weight loss vs Fat loss Healthy Fat loss Body Recomposition Inflammation Gut Health How to lower androgen/testosterone levels Nervous System Regulation/Stress Management Tea Cycling Seed Cycling Hair I have PCOS so it affects my hair growth and causes hirsutism, basically male patterened facial hair and male patterned baldness. Hair Growth: Here is the true secret sauce to hair growth, stimulating your scalp. I do daily scalp massages with a bamboo brush (even the bristles are made of rounded bamboo) very gentle. This is the one I use: Golab Beauty I do short strokes which prevents any tangles. Morning and Night. I then go in with a scalp serum, I use The Oui scalp serum but it costs a pretty penny. In the first yearish I used (The 'Ordinary' Haircare Growth Set Multi-Peptide Serum For Hair Density) which worked wonders and was cost effective. At nights I seal with any scalp oil that has rosemary oil. Sadly Mielle's formula no longer works for me, but As I Am rosemary oil has been working, I also like the Camille Rose Rosemary Oil Strengthening Hair and Scalp Drops. For Washing my hair I suffer from sebaceous dermatitis which causes scaliness. Paradoxically my scalp is so oily which is what triggers the ezcema and develops the dry patches. Reversing my PCOS symptoms fixed this but what also helped was the Nizoral shampoo with 1% Ketoconazole. It's harsh so I do it once to twice a month at most and I always follow up with a moisturizing shampoo, and of course finish with a wash out conditioner & leave in conditioner. Hair Retention: This is the info we all know about preventing breakage but I'll include just in case. Hair growth happens in the scalp like said before but to retain that growth it's important to wear protective hairstyles (especially while asleep), a silk/satin bonnet or wrap, silk/satin pillowcase, do not let your hair air dry at night. There is debate about this but I've seen hair specialists and scientists say our hair is especially fragile when wet (especially curly/kinky hair). Therefore, we are much more prone to snags and breakage while our hair is wet. So going to bed make sure your hair is dried. If you're air drying your hair during the day try not to touch it too much - as little manipulation as possible. Personally choose to diffuse/blow dry my hair and this has prevented most of the breakage I was previously experiencing. Lastly, moisturize and oil your ends. I won't pretend like I know which order is best or even if it's important but I've found that using hair moisturizer/diluted leave in conditioner then hair oil works best for me. Hirsutism/Facial Hair: Spearmint essential oil. I add 1-2 drops of the oil to my moisturizer each time I put on my moisturizer and it helped A LOT with reducing my facial hair. I also drink a lot of spearmint tea. Spearmint specifically has been proven to lower androgen/testosterone levels which is why it helps. I also took supplements which I'll include at the end because they served multiple purposes. Be sure not to add the oil to the entire bottle because that will ruin your moisturizer's formula. Just add the drops in your palm/finger tips and mix in your face cream each time you moisturize your jawline, chin, underneck. Also, do this after moisturizing the upper part of your face without the oil because it's harsh and the scent can be irritating to your eye area. Body hair: Personally I sugar wax my arms and legs, the hair has grown back so thin now. I make it myself and follow tutorials from abetweene on youtube. Hair colour/Hairstyle: This will depend on your face shape and color season. I'm a dark winter colour season and I have a heart face shape. I used the Dressika app to discover my color season before I could afford to get myself professionally assessed and I got the same results. Just be sure to use natural lighting, like by a window. Once you have your colour season you can choose hair colours that work best for you (although natural almost always works best). For my hairstyle I try to choose styles that compliment my heart shaped face. I used the youtube channel Dear Peachie to help me with figuring this out. Style I think most of us know about Kibbe and colour seasons. This was how I upgraded my wardrobe. I'm a soft dramatic so I wear things that work for my tall height and accentuate my waist. This was the game changer with colour seasons. Most of us know about our true seasons, but it can get restrictive. Sister seasons and colour dissonance is also helpful to know. My colour season is dark winter, so my sister seasons would be dark autumn and true winter. Thid gives me more wiggle room to style myself. Dissonance are colours that are outside your true season and your sister seasons, you sprinke this in to add interest. Think of an outfit that is extremely matchy and cohesive but has that one accessory or item that stands out and adds interest. It's really fun in art and in fashion. For my shoes I've started wearing dancing heels which help my flat feet lol and look stylish. Heel insoles help too, as well as the product Shoe Gummi. I still can't last more than 2, 3 hours at most but it's definitely bearable compared to before. Matching pajamas and loungewear. You just feel so luxurious dressing up at home and they can (should) be comfy :) Accessories: I wear glasses that work with my heart shaped face. I have a neutral leaning warm undertone so I wear gold jewelry, if I wear pearls or other gem stones I mix in gold to provide more harmony with my skin. Perfume, wear what works with your body chemistry. Some smell delictable on people I know and icky on me, and vice versa. Wear what works for you. Nails, press ons. So convenient, so cheap. Hair accessories, bows, barretes, clips, scrunchies, a ribbon, you could be wearing jeans and a t shirt but a simple hair accessory upgrades the look automatically. Makeup I used the youtube channel Dear Peachie to help me with finding eye looks, brows, blush placement for my face shape I have a low visual weight face and I am a romantic ingenue, because of this I go for more subtle looks that emphasis two facial features maximum at a time (eyes, lips, cheeks). Don't get me wrong I love glam bold makeup but soft and subtle makes me glow, I turn heads when my makeup is done like this. Teeth Wax free floss (Cocofloss $10 expensive but I love it 😅, Burst black floss, Moon graphite floss, Twice floss, Dr. Jen’s silk floss) Oil pulling (coconut oil with clove & tea tree oil, or Guru Nanda oil pulling product) Brush teeth Tongue scraper (not everyday, couple of times a week and not too hard) Alcohol free mouthwash (TheraBreath) More so related to my lip area but I try to use wrinkle preventing straws or when I do use regular straws, I place it on the side of my mouth. The reason this works is because puckering the lips excessively causes smokers lines/wrinkles around the mouth. Skin Skincare. This was something that took me a while to work on because of my PCOS, age, weight and etc. Facial Care: The basics includes chemical exfoliation, retinol, moisturizer/recover. I cycle my nightly skincare routine with this in mind and always keep the same morning routine. Mornings look like this (Jojoba oil to help while I use my gua sha, Water based cleanser, eye cream, vitamin c/peptide serum, moisturizer with a drop or two of glycerin, spearmint oil mixed with face cream on the jawline & neck area, finish with sunscreen). My nights I alternate these routines in this order Night 1 - Chemical Exfoliation (Oil cleanser to help while I use my gua sha, Water based cleanser, eye cream, glycolic/lactic acid, moisturizer with a drop or two of glycerin, spearmint oil mixed with face cream on the jawline & neck area, castor oil on lashes and brows) Night 2 - Retinol (Oil cleanser to help while I use my gua sha, Water based cleanser, eye cream, retinol, moisturizer, spearmint oil mixed with face cream on the jawline & neck area, castor oil on lashes and brows) Night 3 - Moisturizer/Recovery (Oil cleanser to help while I use my gua sha, Water based cleanser, eye cream, retinol, moisturizer with a drop or two of glycerin, rosehip oil as sealant on entire face, spearmint oil mixed with face cream on the jawline & neck area, castor oil on lashes and brows) Repeat Night 1 - 3 (sometimes I need more days to recover if my skin is sensitive or acting up, do what works for you personally) Other things that I've done/used to help: red light therapy (helps with both hair growth, so I use it on my scalp, and with stretch marks so I use it on my face and body), Microcurrent device (helps with collagen production and stretchmarks) - I use the brand NuFace & NuBody, Volufiline (a skin serum I mix with eye cream that helps with hollowness under the eyes, Kigelia Africana Skin Cream (I use the brand Maelys B-Perky which contains this ingredient and helped to tighten my chest area and my loose skin on the area), face yoga and myo fascia face massage, these help with the tautness of my face (basically everything else helps with wrinkles, these exercises and the microcurrent helps and prevents, sagging especially jowls). I follow tutorials I search for from youtube. Body Care: Similar to facial care body care includes exfoliation, retinol, moisturizer/recover Night 1 - Physical Exfoliation (Dry brush/Body Scrub, Hydrating lotion with a few drops of glycerin, rosehip oil as sealant on entire body) Night 2 - Retinol (Jojoba oil to help while I use my gua sha, retinol body wash, retinol body lotion) Night 3 - Moisturizer/Recovery (Jojoba oil to help while I use my gua sha, Hydrating lotion with a few drops of glycerin, rosehip oil as sealant on entire body) Again, repeat Night 1 - 3 use more days for recovery if needed Stretch marks/loose skin: Whether due to weight gain, pregnancy, etc. we can't ever truly get rid of loose skin or stretch marks but moisturizing the skin and derma rolling can help with the appearance. Especially derma rolling. Do NOT derma roll while pregnant but you can do so after when you’ve recovered and talk to your doctor (if you've had a c section you have to wait before derma rolling). I used this video as motivation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChG8aSvEU6A For the body I never went beyond 1.5mm it worked for my deepest stretch marks. If this is too aggressive 1.0mm still works just as well. Make sure you use 70% alcohol as this is what experts say is better at disinfecting. It has more water, which helps it to dissolve more slowly, penetrate cells, and kill bacteria. The disinfecting power of rubbing alcohol drops at concentrations higher than 80%-85%. Make sure you disinfect the derma roller before and after use, and make sure you disinfect your area of contact before rolling as well. Do not do heavy workouts workout or sweat inducing activities for at least 3 days after and avoid harsh products. I started derma rolling while working on losing weight (at the beginning of my journey while still obese) and continued a year after losing 130lbs. Derma rolling works by causing micro tears, the skin heals the area and in the process of doing so develops more collagen - leading to thicker skin, lighter stretch marks and tighter skin. Since I did this before losing the weight it helped my skin adapt a lot. I won't pretend like I have 0 loose skin or stretch marks but it's barely visible. Someone has to be intimately close to notice. Obviously genetics, how slowly you lose the weight, diet, and moisturizing the skin helps but my PCOS contributed to low collagen (thin skin) and so the derma rolling really helped. Weight loss vs Fat loss Tons of info here but I promise if you read through it helps to know this stuff. Weightloss comes down to calories in versus calories out. I know that's rudely simpliflied and not that easy, but it truly is the answer to weightloss (which may be fat, water, or muscle). This is why people can eat barely nothing, lose weight but their shape stays the same (basically skinny fat). It's also why fasting or going low carb works so fast (water weight is the first to go). Fatloss on the other hand is more complicated. This involves our TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). TDEE includes: Resting/Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), Metabolic Equivalent of Task or Exercise activity thermogenesis (EAT), Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT), Thermic Effect of Food (TEF), and Adaptive Thermogenesis (AT). BMR (~70% daily energy) the energy taken to exist, so tasks like breathing. Your sex, body composition (muscle to fat ratio), age, and genetics play a role in this EAT (~5% daily energy) the energy taken for exercise weight lifting, swimming, high intensity walks, etc. NEAT (~15% daily energy) the energy taken for non exercise movements like walking, fidgeting, showering, standing, etc TEF (~10% daily energy depending on the macronutrients of your meal) the energy taken to digest, protein has the highest TEF of all the macronutrients, Carbs have a TEF of around 5-10%, while Fats have the lowest TEF, around 0-3%. Adaptive Thermogenesis (AT) is the changes in energy expenditure (energy used) that occur in response to changes in energy balance. For example when you eat more food than you need, your body may increase energy expenditure to prevent weight gain eg. move more, eat less the next day, etc.. On the other hand, when you eat less food than you need, your body may decrease energy expenditure to conserve energy and prevent weight loss eg. less movement, eat more the next day. Other things that affect AT include diet composition (eg high/low protein, high/low carb, calorie dense foods, etc), physical activity (eg. weights vs. cardio), and environmental factors such as temperature and altitude. Things that influence AT can make weight management challenging, as it can lead to plateaus or rebounds in weight loss efforts. This is why lack of sleep, hormonal issues, aging, etc. makes weightloss harder. Here is a clearer example of this Things that affect calories in: 8-9 Hours of sleep (Maintains metabolic homeostasis, insulin sensitivity, hormonal processes). Compromised sleep lead to: Increased Gherlin (hunger hormone - feeling hungrier & therefor eating more) Decreased Leptin (sensation of satiety - needing to eat more to feel full) Insulin resistance: This is when the cells in your muscles, fat, and liver don't respond well to insulin and can't easily take up glucose from your blood. This results in excessive sugar in the blood & as a result the body produces more insulin in order to try to help the cells obtain the energy from glucose. This leads to weight gain as the insulin increases hunger. Also, since the body is insulin resistant, the excess glucose is converted to fat for long-term storage. Things that can cause insulin resistance: PCOS, Inactivity/sedentary lifestyle, family history of diabetes, gestational diabetes, hypertension, alcohol abuse, poor sleep habits, high cholesterol levels, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, high bodyweight, acromegaly Things that affect calories out: Body Composition (Fat to muscle ratio) Gut health Compromised sleep affects our energy levels which leads to Decreased NEAT (Non exercise activity thermogenesis) Hypothyroidism (lowered levels of T3 and T4) Thyroid hormones T3 and T4 affects every cell and all the organs in your body by regulating the rate at which your body uses calories/energy which is known as our bmr, meaning this affects your metabolic rate. Too few calories lowers daily NEAT By eating below your BMI (calories needed to perform basic biological processes), your body makes up for this through energy conservation by lowering your NEAT (non exercise activity thermogenesis). Basically you lack the energy to perform your normal daily activities. This also affects your body composition and cardio health as you become sedentary (stop moving as much). Healthy Fat loss So to lose fat in a healthy way you need to: Get enough sleep (8-9 hours per night) Manage your stress levels/nervous system regulation Look after your gut health Manage inflammation Increase your daily steps (8-10k per day) Weight lift Eat high protein (protein takes the most amount of energy to digest). Manage your insulin resistence Eat in a caloric deficit (make sure your calories in do not exceed calories out). Futher information about the bold items in the list is included below. Also, I know this all seems overwhelming but keep in mind you are creating a lifestyle change. This is not a quick fix. To manage your insulin resistance (info from the book Glucose Goddess by Jessie Inchauspé): Eat within an hour of waking up Protein with breakfast Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar before each meal (diluted in a glass of water) Eat foods in this order, veggies -> protein -> fat -> starches -> carbs -> sugar Never eat sweets/dessert/carbs on an empty stomach (dessert after dinner) Keep refined carbs and added sugar at a minimum. Minimize alcohol intake Try to minimize sodas, fruit juice and sweet drinks (this is because there is no fiber to help with the glucose spike or at least try to have these drinks after eating something fiberous) Only eat fruit whole, not transformed eg. eat the orange instead of having the orange juice, again fiber makes a world of a difference Put clothing on your carbs. Eg. have protein/fats/fiber with your carbs A short walk after carb heavy meals Fasting - this is controversial and I should add a disclaimer, if you in any way shape or form have or had an eating disorder, especially restrictive eating, I highly recommend against fasting. Intermittent fasting has a lot of studies out there that were done on men. The book Fast Like a Girl by Dr. Mindy Pelz includes a nuanced view of fasting that takes into account our hormones and our monthly cycle. She also has a free app 'Fast like a girl', you log your period and it tells you how long to fast. However, bioindividuality is key here, genetics, etc. Please if you are considering fasting make sure you get bloodwork done first. Manage your electrolyte levels, do not neglect iron and protein levels. Personally, I prefer using the other methods since fasting can also inadvertently worsens insulin resistence due to increased stress/cortisol which cause higher hunger cues. Some with insulin resistence found fasting to be helpful. So make sure you do what works for you and always consult your doctor. Supplements: Vitamin D paired with Vitamin K1 & K2 Magnesium Biglycinate (I take this before bed) Omega-3 Fatty Acids Turmeric Coenzyme 10 (Take with Clomid & Vitamin E) N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) Inositol Zinc (Important to Note: It works inversely with testosterone - raises testosterone if your levels are low and lowers it if your levels are high) To eat in a caloric deficit, calculate your TDEE and subtract 200-500 calories from that number. I like using this calculator. https://tdeecalculator.net Eg. If it's calculated to be 2000 calories, you subtract 200, so 1800 should be your daily calorie intake. For the activity levels make sure you do not oversell yourself. Here is a general guide: Sedentary: Office job sat all day or less than 3000 steps per day Lightly Active: Exercise 1-3 times per week or 3-10k steps daily (up to 3-4 miles daily) Moderately Active: Exercise 3-5 times per week or 10-15k steps daily (up to 4-7 miles daily) Highly Active: Hard exercise 6-7 training days per week or 15-20k steps daily (up to 7-10 miles daily) Extremely Active: Intense daily exercise/hard physical labour 7 days a week or 25k+ steps daily (up to 10 miles daily) As you lose weight your body adapts so after a while you may need to recalculate your TDEE and deficit. Once you are at your ideal weight, you no longer subtract the 200-500, you simply eat the TDEE amount to maintain but you do this gradually. After I lost the weight I came out of the deficit by adding 50 calories to my daily intake per week, till I was at maintenance/my TDEE. This prevented me from gaining fat or water weight. Lastly, muscle mass (increase in muscle raises your metabolic level, meaning you burn more calories at rest). This is ideal and is also how you'll see someone who is short, seemingly small but weigh more than you imagined. Muscle density weighs more than fat. Think of a 50 pound dumbbell versus 50 pounds of feathers, you would need a whole lot of feathers to match the weight. Same difference, you need a larger volume of fat to equal to the same amount of muscle. Therefore, lifting weights is ideal because you will become more toned, burn more calories at rest, be able to eat more even when you've lost the weight to maintain your phisique, you'll be more insulin sensitive, and you will have stronger and higher bone density (really important for women, we lose up to 5% of muscle mass per decade after the age of 30). Body Recompositon: Weightlifting for health (and aesthetics), lose fat & gain muscle It is possible to gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. I followed Huskular Goddess and and LexiiGettingFit for inspiration and they were really the ones that opened my eyes to the concept of body recomposition (gain musle while losing fat). The benefits of this is as you're getting smaller your TDEE is increasing. This means by the time you lose the weight you'll still be eating an adequate amount. The other benefits include insulin sensitivity versus insulin resistence, higher metabolism, and a improved body composition like I mentioned before in the dummbell versus feather example. The downside is the number on the scale won't have a dramatic shift while your clothes will be fitting looser. Again, weight density plays tricks on us and it's easy to get caught up in body dismorphia but I promise it works. In order to sustain and build muscle while losing fat, you need to be consuming enough protein while remaining in a caloric deficit. So 60-80g of protein per day minimum to lose 1-2lbs per week. Ideally it should be 0.8-1g of per pound of lean body mass. Eg, someone is 300lbs and they want to get down to 150lbs. They would eat 120-150g of protein per day. If this is too much, try to get at least 60-80g like I mentioned before. Remember even though 1-2lbs per week sounds small, the changes are significant because of the muscle gained. You will look and feel smaller. Weightlifting for a rounder booty (I reshaped my glutes by weightlifting. Hormones can actually affect the shape and my PCOS did a number on me. I developed a V shape over the years. Round, square, heart, A shapes are all based on your bone structure and fat placement. Some of us just have those stubborn fat deposits in certain areas that are genetic, even when we lose the weight, it's a smaller version but the same shape. V shape on the other hand is largely seen in older women post menopause and in younger women with hormonal disorders. This is becuase the hormonal imbalances also causes muscle imbalances. Regulating your hormones helps but it won't grow the muscles for you, so I used Fit With Emely's glute guide based on your glute shape (completely free, I watched all her videos to get this info and it took me two years to go from a V shape to a round shape. Here is the guideline for each shape: Glute Maximus - Everyone should be working on glute maximus. It builds the shelf and overall size. Step ups (all variations), hip thrusts (all variations), lunges, rdl, leg press, all squat variations Glute Minimus - (V and Square shapes), this muscle fills in the middle between the top and lower glute. Hip abduction, single leg bridge, Standing hip abduction/cable raises Gute Medius - (Heart, Round, and A-shaped) this muscles builds a longer hip for top portion of the glutes. Eg. Single leg squat, Single leg deadlift, Cable clamshells, Reverse lung, step ups Underbutt - Everyone should be working on underbutt but this is especially useful for V shaped folks. It works the hamstrings and lower portion of glutes. Good mornings, single leg rdl (also works minimus), single leg hip thrust (also works maximus), hip abductors (also works minimus) How to structure workout: Warm up/Dynamic Stretches (specific to the muscle group you're working eg. lower body warm up or upper body warm up, etc.) Compound exercises (2-3 exercises eg. single leg rdl, good mornings, leg press - for each exercise you do 3-4 sets, 8-12 reps, with 3-4 minute rest between sets). That probably sounds like a foreign language to some, so for instance: Start excercise 1 Set 1 (repeat exercise 1 - rdl 8 times) 3 minute rest Set 2 (repeat exercise 1 - rdl 8 times) 3 minute rest Set 3 (repeat exercise 1 - rdl 8 times) Move on to exercise 2 Set 1 (repeat exercise 2 - leg press 8 times) 3 minute rest Set 2 (repeat exercise 2 - leg press 8 times) 3 minute rest Set 3 (repeat exercise 2 - leg press 8 times) Move on to exercise 3 Set 1 (repeat exercise 3 - good mornings 8 times) 3 minute rest Set 2 (repeat exercise 3 - good mornings 8 times) 3 minute rest Set 3 (repeat exercise 3 - good mornings 8 times) Secondary Workouts (2-3 exercises eg. step ups, bulgarian split squats, lunges - for each exercise you do 3-4 sets, 8-12 reps, with 3-4 minute rest between sets) Isolated/Accessory Movements: these exercises work one part of the muscle more than others, for example an overbias on the underbutt/hamstring like I mentioned before to help with the V shape ( eg. hip abductors, kickbacks, glute bridge, lying leg raises, etc. (1-2 exercises high repetitions, low weight 2-3 sets, 15-20 reps, 1-2 minute rest between sets) Static stretch/cool down (specific to the muscle group you're working eg. lower body cool down or upper body cool down, etc.) Keep in mind that you only need to work on a muscle group 2-3 times a week. So I only do glutes Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Also keep in mind while I work the lower body I am also working my upper body (eg. while doing rdls I am lifting the weight with my upper body), which is why I don't have tailered upper body days, this is for aesthetic reasons, and because weightlifting more than 3 days per week is not feasible with my PCOS. My full routine is: Monday- lower body Tuesday - Pilates/core Wednesday - Rest (I still go for walks on these days) Thursday - lower body Friday - Pilates/core Saturday - lower body Sunday - Rest (I still go for walks on these days) I also used primarily resistance bands in the beginning because gym equipment intimidated me (not anymore :) ). I started with 25lb resistance and went up to 125lbs. I use the product BandBar which allowed me to use the resistance bands like a barbell at home. This isn’t the only option and you can definitely buy resistance bands and do it without the bar. BandBar For the ab separation from being obese, I did this workout 3 times a week (also helpful post pregnancy): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smiGsW-mQX0 For my chest to help with getting perkier boobs (the derma rolling was what made the biggest difference, but this exercise helped as well though it took 6+ months for the changes to be significant. Women tend to take longer to grow chest muscles): https://youtu.be/hg7_R29jGIE?feature=shared I also did workouts to help with my posture and mobility 3 times a week (any I could find online) The last thing I will say is be mindful that you may gain weight initially when you start lifting weights. This is due to slight inflammation/water gain from foreign tension, which will last about a month or two before you adapt BUT your body will adapt, I promise. Keep in mind if it's days before your period or if you are on your period. It's not if, but when, our weight fluctuates. As long as you are in a deficit and doing everything right, the number will go down. Do not get discouraged!!! Here is the edit to this post which includes my supplements, how I managed my inflammation, and how I improved my gut health. I also edited the information I shared prior to include a few more tips and lifestyle changes I made, and included a few more details. I also rearranged things so there is a separation between style/hair/skin and health information. The post is getting really long so I may create a separate post for personal development/mindset tips. Inflammation In my case my inflammation was caused by my PCOS, insulin resistence and my obesity, but it can be caused by chronic stress, other autoimmune disorders like IBS, Crohn's disease, etc, smoking/alcohol, age related diseases, environmental toxins, diets high in processed foods, sugars, trans fats & high omega-6 fatty acids. In my case the inflammation from the PCOS led to gut inflammation due to the high levels of coritsal (stress hormones) in reaction to the high testosterone and insulin resistence. I also experienced metabolic inflammation (non alcoholic fatty liver disease), skin inflammation (as I mentioned earlier the ezcema on my scalp, alopecia, and hirsutism), adipose tissue inflammation, chronic low grade inflammation (this led to edema or fuid retention -> insulin resistance and my high testosteron/androgen levels also exacerbated this). To fix this these were the thin I added to my life: Dry brushing 2-3 times a week Body Gua sha Face Gua Sha or Face Yoga or Myofascial Massage Jump Rope Trampoline/Rebounder Vibration Plate (very useful for after a workout or while sitting down) Acupressure mat Arvigo (Mayan Abdominal massage) & Lymphatic drainage massage Leg elevation, I sleep with a pillow under my knees. In the evenings I keep my legs up. Massages Sweat more (exercise/sauna/steam room) Portable Infrared Sauna (reduce cortisol by 25%) Microcurrent Compression socks Castor oil pack 3-4x per week Eliminate inflammatory triggers (mine were gluten & dairy) Switch to sourdough Eliminate seed oils Avoid alcohol & smoking Supplements Vitamin D paired with Vitamin K1 & K2 Magnesium Biglycinate (I take this before bed) Omega-3 Fatty Acids Turmeric Coenzyme 10 (Take with Clomid & Vitamin E) N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) Teas that helped Turmeric Red Rasberru Leaf Tea Fennel Chamomile Gut Health Your microbiota needs the right bacteria in the right amount to perform its hormone regulating functions properly. When the type or number of bacteria gets disturbed by events such as stress, or poor diet, or your gut can no longer accomplish its job meaning you'll have inflammation, increased risk of chronic disease, skin conditions, mental health issues, weakened immune system, nutrient absorprion problems, and weight management challenges. For weight loss issues, gut microbiomes influence hormones in producing and signaling leptin and ghrelin (these hormones regulate hunger and fullness signals). Inflammation and insulin resistence is also associated with gut health problems as mentioned before. Energy extraction from foods, certain gut bacteria are more efficient at extracting energy from food, particularly carbohydrates. When there is an imbalance, more calories can be absorbed from food leading to difficulties gaining or losing weight. Things I did to improve gut health/intestinal permeability: Ate foods rich in digestive enzymes (mangoes, pineapple, etc.) Pre and probiotics (incorporate bifidobacterium and lactobacillus) Favorite brand: Seed Heath Probiotics Pickles (without vinegar): Great source of prebiotics Apple Cider Vinegar/Kimchi/Kombucha/Sauerkraut Beware of certain types of vinegar contain chemicals which kill bacteria, “the good bacteria”, and leave the yeast Candida albicans alone. Raw apple cider vinegar contains: Natural probiotics (friendly bacteria), which may help with your immune system and gut health. Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (diluted in a glass of water) before each meal Balsamic vinegar: Acetic acid is the active compound in balsamic vinegar. This acid contains strains of probiotics that aid digestion. The probiotics found in acetic acid can help promote good gut health and digestion while supporting overall immune function. Raw Carrots (has the type of fiber that binds and flushes out toxins in gut, good to have as daily hormone & digestion support) Limit Processed foods and Sugar No drinking or smoking Stress managment (which I'll expand on just below) Increase fiber intake Regularly exercise Supplements Ginger L-Glutamine Olive leaf extract (especially helpful if you have candida overgrowth) Turmereric Teas Ginger Lemon Balm Lower androgens/testosterone Teas Nettle Tea Spearmint tea Spearmint oil topically for hirsutism Supplements Schisandra (adaptogen - stress management & hormone balance) Saffron (Also helps reduce testosterone, lower blood pressure and prevents bad cholesterol) Inositol Holy Basil Magnesium Biglycinate (I take this before bed) Omega-3 Fatty Acids Coenzyme 10 (Take with Clomid & Vitamin E) Zinc (Important to Note: It works inversely with testosterone - raises testosterone if your levels are low and lowers it if your levels are high) Nervous System Regulation/ Stress Management Stress is one of the things that age us the most, and people with PCOS already have higher levels of cortisol so these are the things I do to manage my stress levels: Regulate circadian rhythm, direct sunlight upon waking up. I use a sunrise alarm clock lamp for this Same bedtime everynight (pre midnight) Invert screen colors at bedtime (red filter on screens) Pillow under knees No loud alarms Magnesium biglycinate supplement before bed Regulate circadian rhythm, view the sunset before bed. I use a sunrise alarm clock lamp for this Spend a few minutes breathing through left nostril only Epsom salt foot soak Journal Get back to using my coloring books (I even invested in alcohol based markers it's so fun). Regulates me and gets me in touch with my inner child Time with friends, my puppy, and my family Supplements Holy Basil (adaptogen - stress management & hormonal balance) L-Theanine Magnesium biglycinate Teas Red raspberry leaf (adaptogen - stress management, also good for menstrual cramps) Reishi Mushroom Lemon Balm Night time mocktail (have after dinner and not on an empty stomach due to the sugar levels in the tart cherry) Teaspoon of tart cherry (high levels of melatonin) Magnesium biglycinate powder Probiotic soda (good for gut health) Tea cycling On your period Nettle leaf: Increase iron levels Moringa: Increase iron levels Red Raspberry leaf: Helps with period cramps (best to drink throughout the month, especially at the end of the luteal phase Chamomile: Helps with wellness wind down routine when you're feeling extra tired Follicular phase Focus teas: Peppermint, Spearmint Adaptogens: Lion's mane, Adaptogen latte, and Chaga mushroom Detox: Dandelion Root Ovulation phase Detox: Dandelion root tea Bloating: turmeric tea latte/golden latte Estrogen dominance - symptoms (bad hormonal migraines, hot flashes, nausea): Schisandra berry, Lemon balm Luteal phase PMS symptoms: Raspberry leaf, Schisandra berry, Ginger root (powder or tea) The best teas for PCOS Spearmint For reducing androgens & lowering hirsutism (facial hair) Cinnamon tea (improves insulin sensitivity) Chamomile tea (Adaptogen) Nettle Tea (reduce androgens) Red raspberry leaf (adaptogen/stress relief, also good for menstrual cramps) Schisandra (adaptogen/stress relief & hormone balance) Saffron (Also helps reduce testosterone, lower blood pressure and prevents bad cholesterol) Ginger (ginger offers anti-inflammatory, fertility and hormone-balancing benefits, aides digestion ) Seed Cycling What is seed cycling? Seed cycling refers to the consumption of specific seeds at different times of the month in order to improve the production and levels of sex hormones, specifically estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Seed cycling divides the female menstrual cycle into two parts: During the first half of the menstrual cycle, or days 1 through 14, seed cycling encourages daily consumption of flax and pumpkin seeds. During the second half of the menstrual cycle, or days 15 through 28, seed cycling encourages daily consumption of sunflower and sesame seeds Results from seed cycling will not happen overnight. Normally women observe improvements after approximately three months of seed cycling adherence. It took me about 4ish months. The Benefits of Seed Cycling: Support hormonal balance, alleviate PMS symptoms, decrease hormonal acne, alter irregularity of menstrual cycles, and fight stomach bloating and fatigue. submitted by /u/Plane-Ice-1828 to r/vindictapoc [link] [comments]
|
r/vindictapoc |
Plane-Ice-1828 |
May 11, 2024 |
|
A comprehensive guide to looksmaxxing, from someone who has gone through it
I used to be an ugly duckling in high school (years ago), who was overlooked by everyone. I didn't feel comfortable in my own skin, and it showed. I made a list one day, listing out all of the things I wanted to improve on myself, and slowly, one by one, I managed to improve all of them. So I thought I'd pass on some of what I learned, to hopefully help others. Firstly though, I just wanted to say, that if you are still in high school, you're likely still in that awkward phase most people go through. Your looks WILL improve as you age, no doubt about it. Look forward to the fact that you haven't peaked yet (unlike some of the other Staceys in your class). Below are all of the steps I have implemented over the years to improve myself. Hair: Get your hair professionally cut (if you can). Pick a color that suits you. Go to a stylist and get their opinions on it. If you can't afford it, there are a lot of videos online also teaching you color theory, and the best cut for you. KEEP IT CLEAN. Nothing worse than greasy hair. Use dry shampoo, it helps build volume, and helps keep it from looking greasy in between washes. Use a shampoo that smells good, with no sulfates and parabens Use hair volumizer spray (the one I use is by WOW Hair)/curl conditioner if it's curly Blow-dry it if you're going out, upside-down if it's flat. With a diffuser if it's wavy/curly. But don't bother if you're not going out for a while. It'll ruin your hair. For my friends with straight hair, use a round brush to get that blown-out look (search videos). It looks great, and gives it volume for days Skin/Body If you have acne-prone skin, make an appointment with a derm/doctor and get a prescription for Accutane/Tretinoin/Benzol Peroxide. Make sure you go to a doctor though, because not all of these are suitable for everyone, and it's got contraindications. I've also heard that Curology is a pretty good line who custom makes skincare products If you have cystic acne, I've heard the elimination diet can do wonders. It might be triggered by something you're eating. When I was in high school, I had these horrible little bumps all over my forehead. I used Proactiv and that really helped me (but don't use it if you're using any of the medications I mentioned above, it'll be too much for your skin to handle, and it will become raw and inflamed) Check out r/AsianBeauty for advice on how to take care of your skin, and make it GLOW They will have different solutions for different skin concerns I personally use: AM: Micellar water to cleanse, Vitamin C serum, light layer of Hada Labo HA Moisturizer, Missha Sun milk sunscreen PM: Double cleanse at night, Hada Labo HA Moisturizer, and either Tretinion or iunik beta glucan cream on top of the hyaluronic face cream Watch Dr. Dray on YouTube, she's got great skincare advice This is what works for me, but I have also outgrown my acne phase USE SUNSCREEN every day, and protect your assets. Tretinoin can help to keep your skin looking flawless as you age (for those who are older also) For tretinoin, EASE INTO THIS SLOWLY!!!! If you don't your skill will be 10000x worse Watch videos on how to start with minimal irritation Use vitamin C serum for those with hyperpigmentation. (I use Skinceuticals CE Ferulic, but it's pretty expensive.) I've also heard good things about Paula's Choice products, which are easier on the wallet Moisturize your body as soon as you get out of the shower, while it's still wet (Dr. Dray's advice) If you have the money, go visit a dermatologist. They can recommend lasers/fillers/botox If you are oily, it can be from dehydrated skin. Treat your skin right. There are ways to fix this. It's probably instinct to start washing/exfoliating tf out of your skin, but it may make it worse, and your skin could start producing more oils to compensate Get your nails done, either at home or at a salon. I personally like gel polish because I do it once/twice a month and forget about it. Shave/epilate/wax! This includes your leg hair, your hoohah, your underarms, your arms (if they are hairy), your face, sideburns, etc. Face I had my brows microbladed, and it looks great with minimal effort I had fillers in my lips, it's elevated my look even more I've also been considering lip blushing, it's like microblading for your lips, and looks like you have lipstick on all the time I use the generic version of Latisse (in the evenings before bed), which is available by prescription (called Bimatoprost) for a fraction of the cost. But again, with all prescriptions, talk to your doctor about it I also use a lash conditioning serum from Etude House (before bed) And in the mornings I use LashEnvy before I apply makeup I used to get lash extensions but was too hard/expensive to keep up with Keep blotting paper on you if you have oily skin, shiny is not a good look. Makeup I would honestly just recommend watching YouTube tutorials to find out what works I personally use liquid eyeliner (Nyx), with mascara (Maybelline Falsies are the best I've found), and a tiny bit of foundation and bronzer for slight contouring You can always go to Sephora for a free consult on what looks good for you But all of this can't help if you don't take care of your skin first. Clothes Find out what clothes flatter your body, and your style Justine Leconte has some good videos on this, and I'm sure you could find lots on this I've had personal success buying a bunch of black turtlenecks from Uniqlo, and pairing it with dark blue jeans and sticking to that look. It's minimal effort, and makes me look very polished (but again, I'm a bit older, so it might not be everyone's style) You don't need to spend a fortune on clothes, focus on good quality material and styles that flatter your body, and you FEEL COMFORTABLE in. There's nothing worse than someone who obviously is uncomfortable For the winter, wear low-cut booties, they are very in style. For summer, wear wedges/sandals/runners etc. Don't wear socks with sandals, it was never a good look, and never will be. General Health (Physical & Mental) *MOST IMPORTANT PART- SERIOUSLY!!!\* Obviously, you need to eat right, eat clean in order for your body to look good. Don't calorie restrict, it doesn't work in the long run Don't take any diet pills to try to lose weight. I have before and gained all of it back and then some. Just don't. It's terrible for your health. Look into intermittent fasting, I've had success with it, and it keeps me from grazing all day. Plus it has some possible health benefits Don't smoke, your body will be pissed off Go to the gym! HIIT is amazing. Work on your flexibility, go to yoga. Work on your inner peace and confidence, meditate at night and in the morning. Do glute exercises, and drink protein shakes (if it's okay for your age) Make yourself a list of goals you want to achieve in your life outside of just looks. What do you want to achieve in your life/career? What are your 5 or 10-year goals? I can PROMISE you, after having gone through it that the good quality men don't want just a pretty face, with ZERO ambition. The ones who are looking for pretty will dump them. There's a power imbalance there. You want to be confident of your achievements on top of your looks. Since everyone is stuck inside at the moment, take some time to reflect on the skills you want to build. LEARN A SKILL. Being good at something is one of the biggest confidence boosters you can gain. Your self-esteem will thank you. Personality becomes extremely important in relationships CharismaOnDemand on YouTube has some great tips on how to build confidence, and become charismatic. You want to be the person that people want to talk to. Anyways, that's all I can come up with for now. Become the best version of yourself inside and out. Again, don't just focus on looks. Build your awesome personality, and let it shine too, I was ugly during high school, but people still liked me, because I was forced to develop a good personality. Feel free to PM me if you want any personal advice. I know how hard it was, and I would like to pass it on :). Edit: I also take collagen supplements and biotin. Makes the skin glow, and nails strong. Again, speak to your doctor before taking anything. submitted by /u/vindictaratemethrow to r/Splendida [link] [comments]
|
r/Splendida |
vindictaratemethrow |
Apr 3, 2021 |
United States
