Spa+Clinic Team Many women protect their coffee habit with all the ferocity of a mother lion protecting a cub. Caffeine provides a short-term energy surge but its longterm effects are insidious, says dermo-nutrionist Janine Tait, creator of Bestow Beauty, a range of inner beauty products derived from superfoods. She explains:
When your to-do list is growing longer by the day and the busyness of family and work is getting on top of you, coffee feels like the friend you rely on to make life work.
The only problem is, it doesn’t make life work … It makes life worse.
I used to be addicted to coffee because I thought it gave me energy. As a holistic skin therapist with a growing business I truly thought I needed caffeine to power my busy life. However, over time I began to notice how hard it was on my nervous system.
I felt wired all the time and found it hard to relax. Once I realised what caffeine was doing to my body, I gave it up. I was grateful to discover a much calmer me and I think probably my clients were too!
Despite my fears, once my body adjusted to living without caffeine I found I was even more productive than ever.
HOLISTIC SKIN HEALTH
Since qualifying as a dermo-nutritionist, I have been educating beauty therapists about the links between nutrition and skin health.
Coffee always comes into the conversation. Working the “slow beauty”* way means working holistically.
If we are to partner with our clients to achieve beautiful skin we have to inspire them to make healthy changes to their diet and lifestyle.
One of the biggest favours you can do for your clients is to help them replace their coffee ritual for a herbal tea ritual [Editor’s note: Why not retail some?!]. Next time you are talking with your client about their diet – and what their coffee habit is like – here are some health facts to gently introduce into the conversation.
COFFEE IS NOT YOUR FRIEND
Excess caffeine stresses your nervous system and increases blood pressure. This leaves some people feeling irritable and agitated.
Caffeine also increases the impact of adrenaline by interfering with the enzyme that would normally break down this stress hormone.
So when you are feeling stressed, don’t turn to coffee for a pick-me-up. It will simply add stress to stress.
Coffee can deplete essential skin-enhancing vitamins and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium and vitamin C. The B family of vitamins are particularly important for energy and stress resilience and coffee robs us of their vital assistance in our lives.
COFFEE AND SKIN DISORDERS
When it comes to healing skin disorders you need to be aware of the negative impact of coffee on skin.
Coffee is a common “heating food” which has a vaso-dilating effect on the skin. Vaso refers to the blood and dilating means to expand.
Vasodilators, like coffee, sensitise skin by increasing blood flow through the fine capillary system that feeds the skin cells. This can result in red, irritated skin and exacerbates any existing inflammation.
If your client is prone to rosacea, acne, or has red, sensitive skin they should avoid drinking coffee.
A WORLD OF COLOUR
Since giving up coffee I have enjoyed exploring the colourful and therapeutic world of herbal teas.
Whereas coffee depletes your body, herbal teas actually nourish and hydrate you. A simple tea break can give you an extra boost of antioxidants, calm and relax you, cleanse the body or give you a burst of energy. It all depends on which tea you choose.
Some teas have particular advantages for skin health. Every tea break is an opportunity for hydrating nutrition that supports beautiful skin. Here are examples of three skin- friendly teas.
HIBISCUS TEA
This is one of my personal favourites. It has a pretty pink colour and a tangy, fresh flavour. Therapeutically, hibiscus is a super-tea, containing more antioxidants than any other tea.
These antioxidants help to combat the ageing affects of free-radicals in your body and help reduce inflammation, another major cause of ageing.
It is also known for its ability to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
GREEN TEA
Green tea contains a particular family of antioxidants which have been scientifically proven to increase the hydration of the upper layers of the skin.
This enhances enzyme action in the stratum corneum and also increases natural moisturising factor chemicals in the corneocytes by three times their normal level.
WHITE TEA
White tea comes from the green tea plant family, but only the tender young tips of the plant are used.
This means that white tea contains everything the green tea contains, but in significantly higher levels.
For these reasons, white tea is particularly useful for anti- ageing. It helps prevent the breakdown of collagen and elastin in the skin as well as improving hydration.
‘TIME FOR TEA, TIME FOR ME’ RITUAL
A short tea break, when done with intention, can be a very helpful way of relaxing and rejuvenating your body and mind.
At Bestow headquarters in New Zealand, we gather to drink organic herbal tea together at morning tea time.
We take turns making it, setting our vintage china on a silver serving tray. It is a beautiful ritual which gives us a joyful pause in our busy day.
Nutritionally, it is a great opportunity to hydrate and get some added vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.
I believe that our skin reflects the sum of our daily habits. Your daily hot drink ritual is one of those habits that has an accumulative effect on your health over a life time.
Do your body a favour and replace the depleting effect of coffee with the hydrating nourishment of herbal teas.
Once you convert to this beautiful ritual yourself you will find it much easier to inspire your clients to make the same positive change.
ABOUT THE SLOW BEAUTY MOVEMENT*
This describes a fast growing sub-culture of beauty therapists who have lost faith in the “quick-fix”, often invasive products and procedures that abound in the beauty industry
and are drawn to a holistic approach to skincare with a focus on
dermo-nutrition, wellness and genuine skin health from the inside out.
The Slow Beauty movement is following a similar trajectory to the Slow Food Movement and reflects a similar shift in values away from short-term convenience towards slower, deeper and truer ideals.
Janine Tait is New Zealand’s leading dermo-nutritionist and the founder of Bestow Beauty, which offers a beautiful range of organic super-food blends, recipes and rituals to nourish skin from within. She is also a respected leader within the Slow Beauty movement which champions a holistic approach to skincare.
