Natural beauty from head to toe: five health tips you'll love

Most mainstream beauty products are quick fixes in a bottle. But the lasting effects they have on your looks--and health--may not be so beautiful. Consider these five steps to natural beauty--they'll give you a fresh start on looking good and feeling great.

1. Eat Well

Magazines, newspapers and television shows have bombarded you with information on the importance of eating fruits and vegetables every day. But to create a change in the way you look and feel, you need to go a few steps further.

One painless way to develop a healthier diet is to go organic. Food labeled "organic" is produced according to guidelines established by the Organic Food Production Act, passed in 1990 and administered by the United States Department of Agriculture. Switching to organic food reduces your potential exposure to pesticides and herbicides--since they are not used by organic farmers--and also contributes to a cleaner, more biodiverse environment. And certified organic foods have not been intentionally altered at the genetic level, a practice that may have deleterious effects for humans and the earth, although scientists continue to debate this. Regardless, a recent review of 41 studies by researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore concluded that organically grown produce contain higher levels of most minerals and vitamins--especially magnesium, iron and vitamin C--than their conventional counterparts.

Whole foods are the perfect complement to eating organic because they retain built-in nutritional benefits. Whole foods have not been overly processed. For example, white flour--which begins as a wholesome grain but is then processed into the white fluffy powder you buy--offers little, if any, nutritional value. Whole grains, on the other hand, are good sources of minerals, vitamin E, the B vitamins and fiber. And watch out for those so-called healthy bars you snack on to satisfy your sweet tooth; sugar--whether it's cane juice, brown rice syrup or molasses--is still sugar. "Excessive amounts of sugar can overstimulate hormones and deplete certain vitamins and minerals," says Elson Haas, M.D., director of the Preventative Medical Center of Marin in San Rafael, Calif.

It's equally important that you rid your diet of transfats--hydrogenated oils commonly found in margarine and commercially prepared baked goods. Read labels, and look for the words "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated"; they're everywhere. Studies have shown that transfats may contribute to heart disease. Opt instead for monounsaturated fats, such as olive or canola oil, which are thought to reduce blood levels of LDL, or bad cholesterol.

2. Pitch the Bad Stuff

Instead of smearing and brushing on cosmetics filled with chemicals, try the makeup available at your local natural food store. Mainstream makeup obtains its vibrant hues from synthetic colors, which can promote acne or cause allergic contact dermatitis. Worse, says Samuel Epstein, M.D., professor of occupational and environmental medicine at the University of Illinois School of Public Health in Chicago, some artificial colors are carcinogenic.

Instead, try natural cosmetics. Based on naturally derived minerals, herbs and plant oils, these natural makeup products rival in quality those found at the drugstore cosmetic counter--and will make your cheeks rosy and your lashes longer without the same health worries.

3. Practice Feminine Hygiene

Television commercials would have you believe that certain popular feminine hygiene products will leave you feeling so fresh and flirty that you'll find yourself dancing through a field of daisies. If you knew how some of these tampons and douches were made, you'd find these ads even more absurd. Not only have traditional tampons been linked to toxic shock syndrome, they are made of synthetic fibers, contain chemical fragrances and may harbor traces of dioxin, a by-product of chlorine bleach. Safer than their conventional cousins, natural pads and tampons are made from 100 percent unbleached organic cotton and are fragrance- and dioxin-free.

What about douching? It may seem like the ultimate in feminine hygiene, but according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health, douching is no longer recommended. Routine douching alters the delicate chemical balance in the vagina and can make a woman more susceptible to infection. Your body will naturally dean itself, so your best bet is to let nature take its course.

4. Hair Care and Color, Naturally

We all love color, especially when it comes to our hair. But conventional hair color is highly alkaline and can irritate the scalp. What's more, it may increase your risk of cancer. Researchers at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles have found that women exposed to permanent hair dyes at least once a month have twice the risk of developing bladder cancer. If you color your hair, switch to one of the many plant-based hair dyes, available in shades from blond to black. For extra body and shimmering results, try natural henna. Unlike chemical dyes, which penetrate the hair shaft, henna wraps each strand of hair with a protective coat of color.