When you look fabulous, how do you feel inside and about yourself? When you feel fabulous, do you radiate with confidence and joy and simply look better? It’s hard to separate the two, but there’s definitely a correlation between your mental wellbeing and your physical appearance. 

That begs the question, can you cultivate inner wellness and see physical results in your appearance? Is it possible to harness health in a way that puts an emphasis on both the exterior and the interior at the same time with the result being the best you've ever been? 

Absolutely! Let’s learn more about how to bolster both your mental health and your physical appearance. 

Why mental health matters 

Mental health relates to your emotional, psychological, and social well-being. That’s a lot of different areas, and poor mental health can range from severe biological diseases to something as routine as life’s regular stresses and how they affect you. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), both mental and physical health are equally important in terms of your overall health. Depression, for example, can increase the risk for many different physical health problems, including stroke, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. 

That’s just one example, but think about it; if you have depression, it makes it easier for you to develop some serious, permanent or long-term, physical health problems. It’s a scary fact that highlights the importance of making your mental health a priority. 

How mental health affects appearance

While your mental health is inextricably tied to your physical health, it’s also tied to your physical appearance. 

Take depression, for example. Although it is clearly not the only mental health concern, it’s the most common mental illness in the United States, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Depression can affect your appearance in the following ways:

♦ Hair loss. Not only does depression and stress prompt hair loss, but people with depression sometimes develop a habit of scratching or pulling their hair, which causes hair loss.

♦ Weight. Eating or not eating is often a coping mechanism. Whether it’s overeating or not eating enough, when a diet becomes a coping mechanism, the focus on healthy foods is thrown out the window.

♦ Acne and other skin conditions. Stress raises cortisol, which makes you more prone to acne, eczema, allergic reactions, and more. All of these conditions can affect your appearance.

♦ Eye appearance. Lack of sleep, crying, stress–all of these can cause your eyes to be red, bloodshot, puffy, and baggy. 

Just imagine, that’s just a few ways your appearance is affected by your mental health in one specific, but common, situation.  

Mental health practices to improve your appearance

Mental health is just as important as your physical health, and yet there’s still a stigma attached to it. While society is getting better at accepting and talking about mental health, we’re still not there yet. You might not be able to change the world by yourself, but you certainly can create change within yourself. 

Try the following to boost your mental health and see if you notice a physical difference.

Mindfulness Meditation. Mindfulness meditation is actually much easier than it sounds. You can do it anywhere, and you don’t need to be in a special position or do any awkward chanting or humming. It’s just the process of being fully present and aware of what’s happening in the moment. 

Meditation is great at relieving stress, but it can do more to help you internally and externally. It boosts the immune system, it can decrease blood pressure and increase blood flow, and improve memory. 

Mindful meditation can also reduce stress, which leads to better eating habits and, in turn, that leads to better weight control, balanced hormones, improved sleep, a decrease in hair loss, and an overall feeling of wellness and happiness.

Kundalini Yoga. Kundalini yoga is a little more meditation-focused than the yoga you may do at your local gym. It combines the physical with a spiritual and a mental side to give you a more encompassing workout. At its core is the belief that there is energy that lies dormant within everyone, and this energy can be released through the practice of yoga.

The reason this type of yoga can be so beneficial for you is its three-pronged approach to wellness. While you’re getting stronger, you’re also focused on spiritual and mental health. The soothing nature of this exercise combined with the physical exertion helps you become stronger, and it relieves stress.

Exercise. Yep, good old exercise. Whether you love to play organized sports or simply go for walks, any type of exercise that you enjoy can help you look and feel better. Exercise is proven to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. It also prompts better circulation, which slows down the visible effects of aging. Not to mention, exercise can directly play a role in how your body is shaped.

Support for your journey

Being healthy, inside and out, is the goal, and the benefits are braided together with nutrition supplying the third strand. It’s been proven again and again that having the right diet can help you mentally and physically, but in today’s fast-paced world, it’s hard to get that diet each and every day. 

That’s why the Hair La Vie Foundation Beauty Elixir is so important. This all-natural drink is packed with science-backed nutrition that helps support immunity, mood, gut health, and rejuvenates collagen, bolsters gut health, and gives you great looking hair and skin. 

The power is all in the ingredients: keratin, prebiotics, collagen, plant-based superfoods, and blue spirulina. One drink a day can help you look and feel your best.

Final thoughts

If you’re determined to improve your appearance, then you’ll benefit from turning your attention inward. The best way to look your best is to work on being your best and improving your overall health.

Modern beauty isn’t just about the best new look, it’s about radiating health and wellness, and that’s best achieved when your entire body is thriving and functioning at its best. This includes your mental health. If you’re serious about changing your appearance for the better, try mindfulness meditation, kundalini yoga, and exercise to achieve your goals. 

Don’t forget that nutrition is also vital. While you want to fuel your body with a variety of the healthiest foods available, you’ll also want to supplement that with Foundation Beauty Elixir to load up your inner and outer beauty with the nutrition your body needs.