April 17th sees a New Zealand first, a unique event sponsored by Aveeno skincare where 300 women will participate in the largest outdoor Pilates class at the Western Springs Quarry instructed by the experts, Peak Pilates. The event, Aveeno Inspires Pilates Day is to celebrate the new, Stress Relief Moisturiser and Body Wash.
The event will be hosted by Dr Libby Weaver, one of Australias leading nutrition specialists now based in Auckland. Dr Weaver is a passionate advocate of health and well being, and her understanding of the role hormones play in influencing our bodies, stress levels, clarity of thought and sleep has made her a sought after consultant and speaker.
The FashioNZ team caught up with her to find out her top tips on promoting beauty and wellbeing from within.
Many women lead busy, stressful lives and often have limited time for a beauty routine do you have any tips for finding simple ways to fit this regime in each morning?
There will always be 24 hours in a day and it is our top priorities that tend to get our attention the most. For some, seeing a “beauty” routine as a way of nurturing yourself can help make this a priority if you want it to be.
What foods can we put in to our bodies that will improve the look and feel of our skin?
Foods rich in the essential fats including oily fish such as salmon, sardines and anchovies, flaxseeds, walnuts and pecans are fantastic for the skin. Supplementing the diet with omega 3's as well as evening primrose oil (contains an essential omega 6 fat) can make a noticeable difference to skin quite quickly as well. Eating good fats is good for our skin!
What exercise do you recommend to help achieve overall general wellbeing?
Any exercise that focuses on breathing is wonderful for our body, mind and soul. Pilates, yoga, tai chi, qi gong, walking and appreciating nature and remaining conscious of your breath can be highly beneficial activities for our wellbeing.
How does reducing stress in our lives affect the way we look and feel?
If you even think about the facial expressions you create when are stressed you can feel the tension mounting! Our biochemistry is altered significantly when we produce additional stress hormones such as adrenalin and cortisol, the latter being a hormone that, in excess, can interfere with burning body fat. Over time, a chronic stress response can deplete our energy and also use nutrients from our diet that could be better used elsewhere in our body.
Find out more about Dr Libby at www.drlibby.co.nz