Beauty from the inside with The Beauty Chef

Feeling bloated and run down? Skin looking dull and tired after a month of festive celebrations? It’s January people! That’s right, it’s time to kick into gear with healthy habits and new year’s intentions! What if we told you about a product that not only will help your insides, but your skin too? It’s a yes from us!

Passionate about beauty from the inside and the link between gut health and beauty, Carla from The Beauty Chef has developed products that will not only help people to look good but feel better, too. We interviewed Carla and asked her all about the inside-out process including one of her favourite recipes for you to try at home. For your chance to win your own beauty bundle, follow the link at the bottom of this post to find out how!

“My whole philosophy – that beauty begins in the belly – truly stems from my own story”.

The Beauty Chef is founded on the the philosophy that “beauty begins in the belly”. How did you discover this to be true in your own life?

My whole philosophy – that beauty begins in the belly – truly stems from my own story. As a child I had eczema and allergies and saw a naturopath who dramatically changed my diet. This had a profound impact on my skin so early on, I began to understand the link between gut health and the skin.

Then, about 10 years ago, my own daughter began experiencing similar skin issues so that led me to research what might be causing them. After investigating various studies that looked at what we eat and how food affects the gut as well as our skin, I put my family on a gut-healing protocol. As part of this, I started including probiotic-rich, lacto-fermented wholefoods in our diet regularly.

This had a huge impact on my daughter’s skin and the wellbeing of the whole family. My friends also started asking me why my skin always looked so ‘glowy’ so I realised the power of the gut/skin connection. I began experimenting with lacto-fermenting superfoods in my kitchen at home and this is how my first product, GLOW, was created.
What we eat has an incredible medicinal effect on our bodies and glowing skin is basically a reflection of healthy cells and what’s going in our gut, so by nourishing ourselves from within, we can experience a radiance that no amount of cosmetics can replicate.

What are the differences between a probiotic and a prebiotic, and why do we need both?

When it comes to gut health, encouraging microbial diversity is key above all else. And while probiotics (the good bacteria) are important for gut health, prebiotics which feed these good bacteria are just as essential. You need both to foster microbial diversity and that’s why lacto-fermented wholefoods and The Beauty Chef products are so nourishing, because they contain both.

I think when it comes to Winter, we all have the tendency to hibernate and eat a lot of “comfort food”, what are your tips for detoxing in the lead up to Summer and achieving that healthy glow from the inside out?

I’m all about cultivating balance when it comes to diet and I don’t believe in extreme fads or deprivation. In saying that however, there are some simple ways to encourage the body to cleanse itself naturally – and doing a seasonal cleanse is a great way to rebalance. Focus on eating an abundance of plant-based foods, including lots of leafy, cleansing bitter greens (which are seasonal in spring), as well as foods that are easily digested, like soups, stews, broths and smoothies. Incorporating probiotic-rich, lacto-fermented wholefoods (which support gut health and liver detoxification) is also important, as well as healthy sources of protein and lots of essential, healthy fats from oily fish, avocados, nuts and seeds. Regular exercise and drinking lots of filtered water each day will also help.

We know our poor choices can take a while to show up on our skin… how long does it take to start seeing positive results?

Our skin is a great barometer for what’s going on inside the body and it’s also one of the last places to get nutrients. So, if your body is loaded with toxins and the liver is feeling overburdened, nutrients will go to the more vital organs first, leaving the skin starved and toxins will flood through the skin – the body’s largest elimination organ. That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to our skin’s health as it’s a great cue for underlying health and gut issues.

The good news is, by making positive changes to your diet and lifestyle, you can see results in your skin fairly quickly.

Do you have a morning routine you stick to and what Beauty Chef products have you incorporated into your life?

In the morning, I often go for a run or walk along Bondi Beach, and when I come home I drink a glass of GLOW Inner Beauty Powder in filtered water with a splash of COLLAGEN Inner Beauty Boost. This has become such an essential part of my morning ritual and really sets me up for the day!

What are your favourite go to recipes that are gut and skin friendly?

I’m such a foodie but I love soups and stews which are excellent beauty foods and great for both skin and gut health as they are easily digested, rich in nutrients and very hydrating for the skin. It’s too hard to pick a favourite recipe, but my book, The Beauty Chef Cookbook, is full of delicious, nutrient-dense dishes that I turn to again and again.

Can you leave us with your number one tip for glowing skin?

Eat more lacto-fermented wholefoods, of course!

YUM CHAI SMOOTHIE 

INGREDIENTS

1 frozen banana, sliced
2 scoops BODY Inner Beauty Powder
2 cups almond milk (or milk of your choice)

1⁄4 cup macadamia nuts
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1 pinch of turmeric
4 ice cubes, made using filtered water

M E T H O D 

Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth and serve. Serves 2. Enjoy!

Want to start the year off fresh? You could win a pack from The Beauty Chef to help get you started as well as goodies from us! Head to The Beauty Chef’s Instagram on details how to win.

Photos supplied from Real Living Magazine with Styling by Lisa Burden and Photography by Maree Homer.