Wellness month is upon us, and the BYS Family are pushing our bodies to the limit yet again as we try some of today’s most popular health hacks — fasting and facials!
Fasting has recently surged in popularity for multiple reasons; however, this practice has been around for centuries and plays a critical role in many religions and cultures. It is proven to have a multitude of health benefits, both short and long-term, and the BYS Fam have put it to the test to see which of these benefits we experience.
Fasting is essentially the refrainment from consuming all foods and most liquids for a specific amount of time. There are several different types of fasting methods, and many people fast every day while they sleep and eat ‘breakfast’ just that little bit later in the day. Despite what many people think, fasting is relatively easy to do, and all comes down to your mental strength. It may feel quite uncomfortable in the beginning; however, your body will become accustomed to not eating for extended periods.
The BYS Team followed the most popular form of intermittent fasting, the 16/8 method. We fasted for 16 hours of the day, every day for a week and during this period we attempted to abstain from all foods and liquids, apart from very low and non-caloric beverages such as black coffee and water. Studies show that some forms of fasting allow for small amounts of low-calorie beverages, as long as you remain under 50 calories and your insulin doesn’t spike.
Here are just a few of the health benefits one may experience from fasting
- Assists weight loss by reducing calorie intake
- Boosts metabolism
- Increased energy
- Reduce insulin resistance
- Reduce inflammation
- Improved heart health
- Mental clarity
- May increase human growth hormone
In addition to pushing our bodies to the limit, we will be nourishing our skin with homemade face masks. Facials are proven to have many short-term benefits and are extremely popular to help get a radiant glow. We will be using ingredients that you can easily find at your local supermarket — turmeric powder, honey and plain yoghurt.
Studies show that turmeric face masks are anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, which may help reduce acne, promote skin brightening and target your pores to help calm the skin. This superfood is a wonder ingredient for not just your insides but your skin too.
Here is a DIY skin-brightening face mask for you to try at home:
Ingredients
1 tsp. turmeric root powder
3 tbsp. organic plain yoghurt
3 drops raw honey
Optional: 2 tbsp. ground oats to help soothe the skin.
Directions
Place all ingredients into a bowl and combine until smooth.
Spread the mixture evenly over clean skin, kick back and relax for 15-minutes and let the mask do its thang.
Rinse face thoroughly. (Be mindful that turmeric’s natural yellow colour can stain the skin. Try using an organic variety to reduce the chances of staining. If staining does occur, coconut oil should do the trick to remove it!)
If you decide to give this a go, tag us in your IG stories or post for a chance to be featured!
Watch our Wellness Month Vlog on Youtube.