The more you learn about your body and how it works, the better you can take care of it and keep il looking its best. Try not to be self-conscious about your individual shape; instead, concentrate on being more body conscious, learning how to revitalize and recharge yourself through a combination of exercise, diet, and relaxation. You may also like to expand your beauty routine so that you have time to beautify your whole body with a range of pampering home treatments.

Exercise

Exercise not only keeps you in shape, it makes you feel more relaxed and helps you sleep well and enables you to handle stress better - all of which will benefit the appearance of your skin and body. Exercise also reduces the body's fat reserves by converting them into energy and so helps improve body shape. Building an exercise program into your routine is probably one of the most positive steps you can take to enhance your body. Start with gentle activities such as walking, stretching, or swimming, and work up to five 30-minute sessions a week. 

Relaxation Techniques

Once a hay, take time to relax your body and mind, and free yourself from tension. Relaxing is a skill that needs to be learned and developed; start by practicing these simple but effective techniques.

1 Abdominal breathing helps induce calmness. Place one band on your chest and the other on your abdomen. Breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose, allowing your stomach lo expand but keeping your chest still. Breathe out slowly through your nose and repeat for five to ten minutes.

2 Close your eyes and count backward from 20. saying each number silently as you breathe out. Repeat several times.

3 Shut your eyes and imagine a tranquil scene. Hold the picture in your mind for five minutes without allowing other thoughts to intrude.

Diet

Even the most sophisticated skin-care and body treatments will not be effective if you do not feed your skin from within. Drink plenty of water (four glasses a day or more) and herbal teas to flush out toxins and prevent dehydration. Ensure that your diet contains the essential nutrients for healthy skin. Certain vitamins arc thought to be particularly valuable for improving the complexion and boosting the circulation. These include:

Vitamin A to help maintain the skin^'s elasticity. Good sources arc carrots, rutabagas, yellow or orange vegetables, and dark green leafy vegetables.

Vitamin A to promote healthy circulation. Good sources are grains, beans, green leafy vegetables, seeds and mils, and fish and seafood.

Vitamin C to assist in the formation of collagen (the skin's support fibers). Good sources are citrus fruit, broccoli, green leafy vegetables, cherries, and apricots.