Alcohol, caffeine... and other enemies to beauty.

We have already talked about smoking... But there are other issues to fight and put behind.

Let's see.

Alcohol. How awful is to see a woman that drinks too much! How her features, her face, her whole beauty vanishes under the abuse of drinks!

I don't want to sound moralist, but there are so many mistaken concepts on social behavior that I wish to clear a few out: since when drinking and smoking is a synonym of fun? Why do we have to hide behind the smoke of a cigarette or a drink to have no inhibitions at a party? Are insecurities that strong? I have smoked and I have drunk champagne and all, but I have realized that those habits can turn into addictions and I've fought hard to avoid them, learning to know myself through years of therapy.

Caffeine. Caffeine can be found in coffee, tea, soft drinks and beverages as Coke and chocolate. It is a central nervous system stimulant and thus it affects our inner balance and vital energy. If you get to have a good night sleep and an organized lifestyle, caffeine is no longer necessary to stay alert.

Salt. One of the reasons why we women suffer from cellulite, overweight due to water retention and swollen eyes in the morning is well known by all of us and it's called SALT. On a lunch in Paris, actress Jacqueline Bisset once confessed to me that when she had to play an older role, she just ate with abundant salt the night before.

Salt is everywhere: on vegetables, meat, sea produce, industrial food, bread and of course, any meal you order at a restaurant. But, what is salt? Basically it is a dietary mineral composed of sodium chloride which is responsible for regulating water balance in the body. In great amounts it becomes risky to our health, generating renal, metabolic and cardiac diseases. Its presence on food has two reasons: seasoning and preservation.

I've become an expert on the subject. World Health Organization recommends a daily intake of no more than 6 grs, so it is important to regulate the amount of salt we voluntarily add to meals. 

I always prepare my meals with no salt although that might mean less flavor. I've learned to replace it with some drops of lemon juice, basil leaves, mint or parsley. In fact, I do not miss it at all and I get to enjoy the real taste of food.

As you can see, diet is a key issue for me. I've been a vegetarian for as long as I can remember. My mother used to play tricks on me to conceal bits of meat in my meals... As an adult I've learned to accept chicken meat and continue to avoid the intake of red meat...

I'll tell you more about this... you'll see...