Partying all night long?

Of late, due to festivities we have been having lot more late night parties or get-togethers because of which we have noticed that most of us have started having dark circles. The easy solution to control these dark patches would be to sleep better. Apart from sleep deprivation, dark circles can be observed due to varied reasons like genetics, allergies, sinus infections, nasal congestion, lower- eyelid laxity, fluidretention, hormone imbalances, hyperpigmentation, aging and sun exposure.

Since we are working under the sun, our skin is most likely to get tanned, but we can apply coconut oil at night before sleep to help it heal from within. And as discussed at the start, the basic reason behind dark circles can also be lack of sleep due to different reasons so we can try and get that seven to eight hours of sound, undisturbed sleep to control your dark circles.

We should minimise consuming processed foods and avoid junk food of any kind to improve the blood flow and control the appearance of dark circles. Foods containing antioxidant properties like fruits, nuts and seeds, as well as green tea, really improve the tone and texture of your skin and will help in reducing those dark circles.

Here are some of the best sources of antioxidant foods that you can have daily, to control the oxidative stress and detox the body, to prevent dark circles from increasing: strawberry, pomegranate, grape, orange, plum, pineapple, kiwi, grapefruit, carrot, cucumber, red cabbage, peppers, parsley, spinach, lemon, ginger, red beets, almonds, walnuts, apricots, prunes, dates, broad beans, peas, sunflower seeds, barley, millet, oats and corn, cloves, cinnamon and oregano.

Don’t forget to do some deep breathing before you go to sleep. This will ensure that you get seven to eight hours of beauty sleep, as most of the detoxification happens when we enter deep sleep cycle. Drinking plenty of water is important because it is the best life saver. To keep your skin glowing and healthy from within, you should be properly hydrated from inside.

Drink up to 2.5-3 litres of water on daily basis, even during winter, as hydration is necessary not just for skin but for each and every organ in the body. Drinking the recommended amount of water per day can boost blood circulation and elasticity of skin. This will also reduce the appearance of dark spots. In case the appearance of dark circles is due to genetics, it might not improve or may take extra time to get better. But keep following the tips given above to see improvement.

Deepika Rathod
Chief Nutrition Officer, Luke Coutinho Holistic Healing Systems. The writer is a clinical nutritionist with a focus on healthy lifestyle choices.