So many women who come to me for facials are duped into thinking that facial wipes for cleaning your skin or using retinol to remove wrinkles is the right approach to skincare. Even young women are being given retinol to use daily on their skin with the promise of beautiful skin only to see that they are prematurely aging and are dry and flaky. Retinols thin your skin. You need plump fat skin in order to age gracefully. Eating a healthy diet helps you have plump skin, and so does using products loaded with pure essential oils, algae, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

I do believe that what you eat, your state of mind while you are eating, how well you digest your food, and then how well you eliminate the waste from your body is the best way to maintain good health and beauty. Since diet plays such an important role in your health and beauty, here are a few recipes that can help you along.

Roasted Caramelized Butternut squash

1 butternut squash peeled and cut into small pieces.
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of ground coriander
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1 /2 teaspoon of sea salt and fresh ground white pepper to taste

Toss well. Bake in preheated oven on a sheet pan for 1/2 hour or until tender and caramelized.

A smoothie that is excellent for clearing inflammatory skin issues and aids in weight loss:

3/4 cup fresh organic blueberries (anti-oxidants, helps lower LDL cholesterol, anti-aging)
1/2 cup of almonds (protein, vitamin E, magnesium, and manganese)
2 1/2 cups of filtered water
1 teaspoon of cinnamon (powerful anti-oxidant and great for helping weight loss)
1 teaspoon of cardamom (antimicrobial)
1 teaspoon of ground coriander (anti-inflammatory and helps with weight loss)
1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves (anti-inflammatory)
1 teaspoon of ground ginger (anti-inflammatory)
1 tablespoon of bee pollen (anti-aging)
1/2 cup chopped organic kale (full of anti-aging nutrients)

Blend on high speed in a powerful blender until completely creamy. Add water if necessary.

I drink one glass of this in the morning after my glass of water with fresh lemon juice. I save the rest for later in the day when I want to snack. Very satisfying.