Health and Fitness Travel pick the top nutrition retreats for healthy ageing.
What is your face telling you?
Affecting much more than your weight and health, a growing understanding of how what you put into your body shows on your face is expanding the importance of digestive health.
In the battle against bags, wrinkles and adult acne, Health and Fitness Travel, the leading experts in tailor-made healthy holidays worldwide, takes a look at the premature ageing effects of sugar, wine, dairy and gluten, and where to make diet changes at nutrition-friendly retreats around the world.
Through a method called ‘skin mapping’ naturopathic experts reveal which type of ‘face’ or ‘faces’ a person has, known as; Sugar Face, Wine Face, Dairy Face and Gluten Face. Taking a different approach to explaining how your diet plays a major role in the aging process, this is an ancient idea which suggests that parts of the face are linked to particular organs in the body. The redness, puffiness, dark shading, sagging, lines or spots on certain parts of the face can reveal a lot about a person’s diet, and so naturopathic experts use this information to suggest the necessary supplements and diet changes to promote healthy ageing.
"Wine Face"
Wine face indicates a high or excess intake of alcohol, which can be seen by a number of different symptoms. As alcohol is high in sugar, the protein collagen (which is vital for skin elasticity) is damaged, enlarging pores and causing eyelids to become droopy. Alcohol also dehydrates the skin, causing increases in the deepness of the nasolabial lines, which run from the nose to the mouth. Face-mapping suggests that the area between the eyes is associated with the liver and redness or deep lines between the brows are a sign of the liver struggling to process alcohol. Other symptoms of the wine face include a red nose and ruddy cheeks, which are a result of inaction of the enzyme used to fight the skin-destroying, inflammatory process caused by alcohol. By cutting out your alcohol intake you will soon see an improvement in the texture and colour of your skin.
Where to go for Wine Face
India – Shreyas
With a strict no alcohol policy, Shreyas, a spiritual retreat on the outskirts of Bangalore, bases its culinary philosophy on balancing the six tastes of Ayurveda: sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent. Reap the health benefits of an alcohol-free holistic holiday that heals and strengthens the body using gourmet vegetarian meals, based on the Ayurvedic nutritional theory. Cooking classes with the communities surrounding this peaceful sanctuary teach you to recreate traditional dishes made with locally grown, freshly picked ingredients. Continue to rejuvenate your well-being during your stay with yoga, meditation and cleansing Ayurvedic spa therapies.
"Gluten Face"
Although fewer people suffer from coeliac disease, many people are sensitive to gluten, some of whom aren’t even aware. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye, which can cause an inflammatory response, leaving the face looking swollen, bloated or inflamed. Other symptoms of the gluten face include dark pigmentation patches and spots around the chin caused by a disturbance in cell production of pigmentation in the skin and a disrupted balance of reproductive hormones due to the inflammatory response. Many people that have tried to overcome these symptoms with a variety of different treatments, have surprisingly found that the only way to improve their skin is through removing gluten from their diet.
Where to go for Gluten Face
The Philippines – The Farm at San Benito
Indulge in gluten free healthy cuisine in the lush tropical surroundings of The Farm at San Benito in the Philippines, specialists in raw and vegan cuisine which is both delicious and nutritious. Enjoy a 5-course gluten free gourmet lunch at the multi-award-winning vegan restaurant, ALIVE! before taking part in healthy raw food demonstrations to learn easy coeliac-friendly recipes to take home with you. With a philosophy based around natural energy, continue to revive your well-being at the luxury spa, which sources natural and organic ingredients for its spa treatments.
"Dairy Face"
As we all know, most dairy products contain lactose, which can’t always be easily digested. Lactose intolerance is one of the most common food intolerances, as many people lose the enzymes to digest lactose effectively later in life. Although some people have very obvious bodily symptoms of their intolerance, many people’s intolerance to lactose may go unnoticed. However, with the help of face-mapping, symptoms can be revealed. Symptoms of the dairy-face, such as puffy eyelids, under-eye bags and dark circles on your face, are caused by an inflammatory process indicating intolerances or digestive issues of dairy products. Dairy products also contain a large amount of hormones which can disrupt the balance of sex hormones, triggering an over-growth in skin cells blocking pores and trapping bacteria as a result.
Where to go for Dairy Face
Spain – SHA Wellness Clinic
With personalised macrobiotic nutrition plans available across all of its wellness holidays, SHA Wellness Clinic in Spain is a dream retreat for a dairy free escape. Dairy, caffeine and alcohol are to be avoided if following a strict macrobiotic diet, where seasonal organic grains, vegetables and beans form the foundation. Together with informative macrobiotic cooking lectures, SHA also offers healthy detox cuisine and juice fasting, to help cleanse the system of harmful toxins. With tailored wellness programs to help combat insomnia, stress, weight loss, smoking and more, there is a well-being solution for every individual.
"Sugar Face"
Symptoms of a high-sugar diet, also known as the ‘sugar face’ include blotches and horizontal lines on the forehead, which also indicate digestive issues. This occurs as sugar in the blood can damage proteins, including collagen and elastin, which keep the skin firm and supple, therefore resulting in increased wrinkling on the forehead and sagging under the eyes. Other symptoms of too much sugar include pustular spots over the face, caused by sugar creating an imbalance of bacteria in the gut, and a gaunt look to the face caused by excess sugar affecting fat distribution. A pasty white face is often due to increased levels of insulin which instructs the body to divert energy to more essential tasks, causing blood vessels around the face to constrict, washing out the skin as a result.
Where to go for Sugar Face
Thailand – Phuket Cleanse Detox & Fitness
Go sugar free at Phuket Cleanse, an inspiring healthy retreat that advocates ‘active cleansing’ which naturally detoxes your body by combining fitness with raw organic nutrition. In food demonstrations, workshops and master classes you’ll be encouraged to explore your relationship with food, listen to your body and discover true health with food that makes you feel energised, glowing and alive. Awaken your body with workouts including Muay Thai, TRX and beach bootcamp classes and recover with post-workout raw and vegan recovery protein drinks.
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