A video advertisement recently earned the ire of the public as it tried to define what “beauty” isn’t supposed to look like. After watching it, I found myself fussing over my weight and how my skin still had some marks from the incessant breakouts caused by stress, hormonal problems, and the constant wearing of masks. It did the job, I guess. I was feeling a tad more insecure, beating myself up about how I’d been letting go of how I look. At the same time, I couldn’t help but feel ashamed, worrying over such things when people were dying.
Was the pandemic to blame? Oh, definitely. What we see on the outside, however, is just the beginning, not entirely a superficial concern. “Whatever is on our skin—what we see on the outside—is based on what we put in our bodies. It’s also a manifestation of what’s going on inside,” says Dr. Candy Drilon-Dalman of Centro Holistico. Since we moved back from Berlin, I’ve been consulting with Dr. Candy and going to Centro Holistico for my skin concerns.
Candy practices integrative medicine, a marriage of Eastern and Western practices. Through her suggested lifestyle changes, detoxification treatments, and my newfound love for acupuncture, I’ve seen my skin improve along with my overall wellness. With the pandemic a looming presence in our lives, I admit, however, that my coping mechanisms haven’t always been helpful to my wellness journey.
The Pandemic Effect
“We’ve all been stressed,” says Candy, assuring me I’m not alone in this. “As human beings, we’re not made to be in isolation.”
Having to socially distance ourselves and being stuck at home during this pandemic has affected our stress levels. Cortisol, the stress hormone, wreaks havoc in the body, leading to hormonal imbalance and metabolic dysfunction. This is why people have been noticing changes in their skin, hair, and weight.
It’s what works for you, as long as you don’t have high cholesterol, everything is balanced in your life, and you’re happy.
“Next thing you know, your motivation is affected. Why exercise when you’ll just be at home anyway?” Candy says, adding that these factors have been affecting people differently and to varying degrees. Some of her patients got more anxious and while they did lose weight, their health also took a hit. While there’s been a baby boom in the country during the lockdowns, women who have fertility issues are reportedly having an even harder time conceiving. People who have made huge strides in their wellness journey found themselves taking a few steps back.
Beyond the Surface
So what can we do to keep our health in check and let that glow show on the outside as well? Candy says the first step is to assess your current state is to ask yourself what you want to get out of life—yes, even in the middle of the pandemic. This helps set a goal you can stick to and encourages motivation. Do you want to come out of this not just alive but healthy? Would you like to reach your ideal weight? It begins with aligning your values and your goals.
Next is diet. “You always have to make sure you eat to live, you don’t live to eat,” she says. Eating to nourish our bodies is not the easiest, especially with how Filipinos eat ordinarily. We do love our meat and rice. “We often treat vegetables as a side dish. Truth is, each meal has to contain 60-70 percent vegetables,” adds the doctor.
Candy says it’s also best to avoid processed food as they make our detoxification system work harder. This is a sure fire way to wear out organs like your liver, making them age and deteriorate quicker.
She adds that movement remains important during this time. Sure, it’s harder to exercise when you’re cooped up in a smaller space but it can be as simple as jogging in place. You may not be able to do as much as you could at the gym but it’s better than not moving at all. You’d want to use your biggest detoxification organ—your skin—to sweat out toxins in your body.
Increasing our water intake, exposing ourselves to the morning sun, even just by the window, also go a long way. Hydration and vitamin D from the sun both help combat inflammation while helping the immune system stay strong.
Lastly, it’s important to keep one’s bowel movement in check. “We eat every day so it’s also healthier to move our bowels daily,” Candy explains. Daily bowel movement is a sign of a healthy gut. The doctors says it’s best to not keep waste in our bodies longer than necessary. She advises taking in more fiber to help aid the digestive system and try to lessen or cut out sugar, which proliferates bad bacteria in the gut that can later cause an imbalance.
Be Kind To Yourself
With all these in mind, Candy says it’s also important to be kind to yourself. “When you find yourself indulging, don’t beat yourself up about it.” She advocates living an ideal life 80 percent of the time and letting yourself indulge every now and then. “You can always make it up to yourself,” she says.
Candy credits her family for helping her cope during the pandemic as well as the social connections she maintains despite the restrictions. Taking an hour to herself daily in the mornings has also helped her stay motivated. But what of beauty? It’s 2021 and it’s entirely up to us. In the age of self-care, what’s important is that we love ourselves enough to take care of ourselves. “There’s no strict definition of beauty anymore,” Candy muses. After all, people are diverse. We come in all sizes and vary in features. “It’s what works for you, as long as you don’t have high cholesterol, everything is balanced in your life, and you’re happy.”