Time To Get Beautiful!

And one, and two, and one, and two, and… oh sorry wait, haha that is to get fit!

And we were talking about getting beautiful! 😀
In my opinion, there are a lot of things which contribute to beauty, here is a little list:

  1. Self-confidence
  2. Good clothes
  3. No stress
  4. Enlightenment – Agreeably, Buddha is really the only one who has achieved this so far but hey, can’t we try?

The idea of beauty is convoluted these days, truly I have to write a post about it soon! But that is later. For now, you can get all off the above and more to make yourself beautiful just by reading Marcela De Vivo’s wonderful article below! 

Oh, and as a reward for becoming beautiful, then check out some cookies just for you below 😉

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Beauty Benefits Of Yoga

People turn to yoga for many different reasons, whether they’re trying to meet fitness goals or want to achieve a more peaceful state of mind. Yoga provides instant gratification and a lasting transformation, and is on establishing a healthy lifestyle.

Yoga does through by involving different meditation routines in order to achieve a balanced union between the mind, body and the spirit. This is done through posture to pose, and breathing exercises.

When bringing a certain level of mental commitment, a person can attain inner peace with the practice of yoga. It can help alleviate stress, attain mental stability, and heighten focus.

Yoga is also considered a form of complementary alternative medicine, which many people use in combination with western traditional medicine, to help cure or alleviate symptoms of certain ailments. Yoga can be practiced in two ways: aerobic form and non-aerobic form.

The non-aerobic form of Yoga exercise is suitable for all ages. Non-aerobic exercises help to alleviate neck, shoulder, spine and knee pain. It can also be used to help conditions like osteoporosis, high blood pressure, and rheumatoid arthritis.

But there are other benefits that you might be surprised to learn about — in particular, the beauty of benefits of yoga.

Beauty Benefits 

The practice of yoga can be an excellent tool to achieve a beautiful outward appearance. It helps to remove harmful toxins from the body, while activating good cells. Those good cells are what makes healthy, glowing skin and hair.

The meditation aspect of yoga is also extremely important for you skin, as meditation helps to reduce stress. This means that your body is producing a smaller amount of stress hormones like cortisol, which is linked with acne-related problems as well as the formation of lines and wrinkles.

Practicing yoga also allows the body to absorb nutrients from nutritious foods, while certain poses can help in the digestion of food. This process helps combat food cravings, which means can help you keep that svelte figure earned from mastering the more aerobic poses.

To maximize the beauty benefits of your yoga routine, make sure to drink plenty of water — at leat 64 ounces. Water is needed to remove the toxins from the body through sweat and urine. Consuming a proper amount of water will also help to hydrate the skin, hair and nails.

There are certain yoga exercises that have anti-aging benefits.

A simple Yoga Asana exercise begins by standing straight with the feet about one foot apart, begin by covering your face with your hands and breathe deeply ten times. Then begin to rub your face, forehead and cheeks and then again take ten deep breaths. This exercise is great in the prevention of wrinkles, and helps a face to radiate and glow.

Another simple exercise that helps to bring forth a glowing face and creates a nice jawline, is the rotation of the tongue along the outside of your gums twenty-one times before meals. This massages the cheek capillaires, tones the gum, and helps to eliminate facial wrinkles.

Whatever the fitness level, yoga can provide many benefits inwardly and outwardly. It is an exercise and ritual that works to improve the inside first by providing inner peace and a mental calm, which then radiates outward.

**Marcela De Vivo is a freelance writer in the Los Angeles area. She writes on everything from technology to travel, but specialises in health, working with Skin Energizer to develop interesting beauty content. 

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Thank you very much Marcela for sharing such a fantastic new take on Yoga!
Wow, truly that is all you need to do to be beautiful? Let’s see if ticks the list:

  1. Self-Confidence – Check – If I could tangle myself into a pretzel, definitely, I would feel a little superior to the average guy on the street who can’t even touch his toes 😉
  2. Good Clothes – Check
    Cookie break!

    Cookie break!

    – I do not know about you guys, but girls, our butts look fabulous in yoga pants! It is natural!

  3. No Stress – Big Check – In all seriousness, as written above, yoga is a way of relaxing your mind and letting it rest for a simple 5-10 minutes before it is up and powered for the remainder of the day – A little silence period for your brain goes a long way and keeps your thoughts clearer. Imagine if you were working (as a HSC student should be 😛 JOKES!), 24 hours a day, without a break non-stop, pulling out files left-right-and-centre – Your desk, office or room would be a disaster. How can you function if you do not take a breather and reorganise yourself, just as your thoughts have to – don’t let them pile up on that desk in your brain!
  4. Enlightenment – Check if you want it to be – A lot of meditation and getting in touch with your spirituality will definitely lead you there 🙂

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Ok, so now my rejuvenated, re-beautified readers (though you already were beautiful before), you deserve a treat for all that hard beautifying!

Do you remember how last post, there was a lot of emphasis on Gluten Free (and while we are talking about it, if you haven’t entered, go enter the give away :D)?

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Well, I decided, to honour the Gluten free diet, I would make my own gluten free treats. And thus the softest, crumbiest, bestest (don’t judge) peanut butter chocolate chip cookies were made. They crackle of sugar in them was just omg. Died. Just now. Seriously, I don’t know how I am still typing… 😉

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“Are these gluten free PB cookies easy?” One may ask.

“It’s got 5 ingredients.” Is my reply.

 

So little cleaning :)

So little cleaning 🙂

Gluten-Free Choc-Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
Adapted from: Divine Baking 
(though there is that much you can change :P)

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup chunky peanut butter (I mean generous one cup!)
  • 1 cup brown sugar (light or dark, your choice)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup chocolate chips (+ extra for the top) – I used an assortment 🙂

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper
  2. Mix first 4 ingredients in a bowl until combined
  3. Stir through chocolate chips until just mixed through
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  4. Use moistened hands and roll tablespoons of the dough into a ball
  5. Place on the tray, roughly 2 inches apart
  6. Flatten slightly with the palm of your hand
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  7. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are puffed and golden on the bottom, soft to touch
  8. Straight out of the oven, place a couple of chocolate chips on each cookie!
  9. Let cool on trays for 15-20 minutes before removing to cool fully on wire racks
  10. JUST kidding, eat them immediately. You think I am joking? Pssht…

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Notes:

  • Wouldn’t it be fab to try this with other nut butters?
  • Add in some vanilla essence if you want to make it 6 ingredients (grumbles) 😉
  • If you want light coloured cookies, then use caster sugar instead of brown – you can use half and half but the cookie will still be more dark

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110 Comments

  1. Pingback: Guest Post #2: Giving Baked Goods As Gifts | Go Bake Yourself

  11. Shirley Tay says:

    For a moment, I thought u were going to compete with me on writing beauty posts. Hahaha! Just kidding! I know the goodness of yoga, but that’s like mission impossible for me. I hate to exercise, & yoga is a tough sport. That being said, I fully support yoga 🙂 Stay beautiful, Uru! Love seeing your pix in FB 🙂

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  12. Brittany says:

    I have found that I NEED yoga. I just need need it. I am so much calmer with it in my almost daily life!! I love this post, and the beauty tied into it!! I also need these cookies in my life. YUM!

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  18. Ruby @ The Ruby Red Apron says:

    Yoga and peanut butter?! You have my attention. I can’t believe these cookies are gluten-free, they look delicious! Anyway, I love practicing yoga, it’s so good for stress! And I’m sure these cookies are also good for getting rid of stress!!

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  21. Lilly Sue says:

    You are so adorable CCU! Love your comments on beauty 🙂 Yoga is a fabulous exercise that makes your mind and body feel wonderful. Now I want to go to yoga!! Also these cookies look incredible 🙂

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  22. gottagetbaked says:

    I know that yoga is good for mental and physical stress and lots of people vouch for it (including my husband – it’s been so good for his back pain and stress levels), but I just can’t do it! I’ve tried it a few times but I’m such a stressed out headcase that I can’t relax. I need hard core cardio, like kick boxing or something. I also need these cookies – I can’t believe they’re only 5 ingredients! I’m amazed! They look fabulous, Uru.

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  24. Lisa says:

    I love yoga and need to get back into it because it centers and calms me. I also love flourless peanut butter chocolate chip cookies and made big cookie sandwiches with fillinf them with cinnamon peanut butter cream. Sinful! Yours look amazing..will try chunky PB next time!

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  37. Preena @ A Teaspoon of Turmeric says:

    Great post on the benefits of yoga. Yoga has changed my life and changed me as a person. I’m so grateful for all the good things that have come to me since practicing yoga – I feel like I’m really able to feel everything in life. So much love goes out to India for this beautiful sacred practice! 🙂

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  40. Three Well Beings says:

    This was a wonderful post to read! I love my yoga practice and I love cookies…I can’t have a better midday boost than that! 🙂 I don’t necessarily concern myself with gluten-free, but I’m always eager to have recipes that come together quickly and easily, and if the ingredients include peanut butter, I’m definitely excited. I like the idea of trying other nutbutters. Good thought! You always make me smile…that makes me more beautiful, for sure!

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  42. dianeskitchentable says:

    If I had a plateful of those cookies right now, I wouldn’t have any stress at all. Alas, the last time I tried a yoga class, it took me a week to recover – must have picked the wrong kind of yoga – I need yoga for old ladies.

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    • Choc Chip Uru says:

      Haha maybe you just started off a little strong – easing in is definitely the best way and my grandpa says you are not old until there is no one 15 years older than you – you are absolutely fine 😀

      Cheers
      CCU

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  43. Pingback: Time To Get Beautiful! | Go Bake Yourself | Marcela De Vivo

  53. mjskit says:

    I have to admit that I have a rather stressfree life, but then I start everyday sipping hot tea with a cat on my lap and looking out the window into a beautiful – hearing birds and hawks. How can one be stressed after that? 🙂 Yummy, yummy cookies!!

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  56. The Wimpy Vegetarian says:

    I’m a huge fan of yoga – it makes my body feel about 10 years younger when I keep up my practice. But honestly, my butt in yoga pants is a long way from being beautiful :-). But I got a great laugh from that line 🙂

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  57. Joanne says:

    Yoga is so beneficial in so many ways. It was enjoyable reading all the reminders. Thank you. Lately, I’ve turned to basic yoga positions to help stiff muscles find relief from running.
    As for those cookies, #1! Winner!

    Like

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  58. Curry and Comfort says:

    Oh my… those cookies are loaded with extra yummies and goodies. Love them. 🙂 I can use all the help to make me more beautiful and look 10 years younger. If yoga works, I will be in a warrior pose for as long as it takes. 🙂

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  59. grace says:

    i tried yoga once and simply couldn’t shut off my brain for long enough to relax and forget all my worries. that’s something i need to work on, i guess. 🙂

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  60. viveka says:

    Uru, I have tried yoga …. But I’m not able to concentra enough – so that was it ….
    I think your cookies will make me beautiful too, because if I’m happy I become more beautiful.
    And where I want to be … I want to be back in my 30 years of age body …. I want to be 40 and keep my 64 years of life experience. I totally agree that jokes, humor and laughter is the best thing for a beautiful … life. I know we can have it every day … every hour, but if we all have the same possibility to have good days .. and we take that decision every morning we step out bed.
    Not trying to take the mickey out of meditation and yoga – not at all.

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    • Choc Chip Uru says:

      I know you would not my friend, and I am in agreement with you as well – youth and good life is kept by keeping yourself beautiful the way you want to 🙂
      Yoga for some, humour for others, but both is awesome too 😉
      I find yoga cool but definitely concentrating is tricky!

      Cheers
      CCU

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  84. Jennifer Eloff says:

    Praying and spending time with God is a great form of meditation. When we look at people we love…the beauty we usually see is the beauty within. 🙂

    Lovely cookies combining two of my favorite ingredients! Have a great weekend, Uru!

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  85. gourmetgetaways says:

    LOL! 25mins cooling PFFT! No way, I make a similar recipe and my husband usually eats them off the tray on the way to the bench 😉 Love your cookies! I try and do a yoga class at least once a week, it is so good for flexibility 🙂 Great story.

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    • Choc Chip Uru says:

      Haha I hope you do my friend, they are delicious 😀
      And thank you very much, I would feel fabulous to be on your blog!
      I used to do yoga, not so much now, but the feeling of relaxation is wonderful for sure! 🙂

      Cheers
      CCU

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  94. bec {daisy and the fox} says:

    yummm these cookies look delicious! 🙂 and only 5 ingredients – win win!
    yoga is soooo relaxing – i can see why it would help beautify!
    hope school is treating you well – and isn’t to stressful! (but then we have yoga 😛 )

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