Health Hacks: 12 Foods You Can Eat or Wear To Look and Feel Better

Hippocrates probably didn’t have the following food hacks in mind when he said, “Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food,” although the ancients were pretty savvy when it came to natural remedies. I wonder if he would approve of our list, since it promotes the idea that we can turn to wholesome foods to support, restore, and maintain our health and beauty.

1. Aloe vera

Drink: If you are bothered by acid reflux, turn to this natural burn remedy. Aloe vera juice can help reduce inflammation and promote the healing of tissue that has been damaged by stomach acid.

Wear: Aloe vera is also excellent for healing skin issues including; sunburn, chapped or dry skin, as well as dry, calloused or cracked feet. Aloe vera can be used as a replacement for many cosmetics including makeup remover, shaving cream, hand sanitizer, clarifying mask, night time repair mask or just as a hydration facial. Aloe vera is the base for many high-end products and can easily be mixed with essential oils to rival any expensive spa facial.

[Editor's Note: Naturally Savvy recommends the high-quality aloe vera products produced by our partner, Lily of the Desert.]

Read about 10 benefits of aloe vera juice

2. Apple cider vinegar

Eat: This natural food is great for so many things. Here are a few health hacks with ACV. To reduce the risk of heartburn, take one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar followed by eight ounces of water. Apple cider vinegar is also great for building immunity, used for weight loss, curing hiccups, and alleviates cold symptoms.

Wear: Want to try apple cider vinegar (ACV) and onion juice? If this combination makes your mouth pucker, the good news is that it is applied to the skin, not ingested. These two natural ingredients have been shown to reduce the appearance of liver spots. Slice one onion and pulverize it in a blender. Add one half cup of ACV and dab on liver spots every night before bed. After about a month, you should notice a significant difference. ACV is also great to add to your bath to help balance your PH levels and kill bacteria. Fill your tub with water and add one to two cups of apple cider vinegar. Soak for twenty minutes to absorb all the ACV benefits.

3. Apples

Eat: Have you ever wondered if eating an apple a day to keep the doctor away was a myth? As it turns out, it’s true! Apples are an excellent nutrition source. According to a study researchers were able to observe life-extending effects of test animals that consumed apples by ten percent. Not bad for a fruit that you can literally find at every grocery store in the U.S. But be sure to choose organic apples, since conventionally grown are among the most contaminated with toxic chemicals. You will also enjoy some significant health benefits, including nutrients that can help prevent cancer (e.g., vitamin C, fiber, the antioxidants quercetin and triterpenoids), assist in detoxing the body, boost the immune system, and support brain health (via the production of acetylcholine).

Wear: Did you know apples could be used to help clarify your skin? Try this DIY clarifying firming mask that consists of, half of an apple, one teaspoon honey, one teaspoon lemon juice, and one egg. Mix in a food processor and place on face, neck and décolleté for fifteen minutes. Gently remove with a wet towel and enjoy your clear, smooth and firm skin.

4. Bananas

Eat: Have an upset stomach? Whether it's nausea, vomiting, or just a general icky feeling due to a stomach bug or something you ate, don’t reach for the medicine cabinet, instead eat a banana! Bananas contain potassium, which will help if you’re dehydrated from vomiting or diarrhea and work to settle your stomach gently without causing further nausea.

Wear: Bananas are high in potassium, which is wonderful for your lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is what helps your skin clean itself, and it provides nutrients to every cell in your body. Bananas are also high in vitamin E known for improving moisture. For a quick and effective mask, mash a ripe banana, with a teaspoon of lemon juice and one-teaspoon honey. Spread it evenly on your face and neck. Leave it on for fifteen minutes or until dry, and then rinse it off with cold water and a towel. The potassium and vitamin E from bananas will leave your skin feeling soft and hydrated.

5. Beets

Eat: These delicious and often overlooked veggies are a natural way to battle high blood pressure. That’s because beets are high in nitrate, which the body converts to nitric oxide. This substance works on blood pressure in two ways: it relaxes the smooth muscles in the walls of your blood vessels, which keeps your arteries open for healthy blood flow; and it helps stop blood from clotting and thickening. Drinking beet juice also can help lower blood pressure.

Wear: Because of beets rich color and our obsession with a desirable red lip, why not use this delicious vegetable to make some natural lip-gloss and blush? Mix one-teaspoon coconut oil, one-teaspoon beeswax pellets, and one teaspoon of beetroot powder for a lip and cheek stain.

RECIPE: Beet Couscous Salad with Fresh Mint

6. Chocolate

Eat: Yes, there are health benefits to eating chocolate, and this is one you’ll love: it can help you lose weight. Naturally, moderation is key, but experts have reported that dark chocolate (containing at least sixty percent cocoa solids and no sugar) provides essential flavonoids, which nourish gut bacteria. A healthy, diverse population of bacteria is critical because without it, you promote weight gain, inflammation, poor digestion, and other health problems.

Wear: Cocoa recovery eye serums are highly effective. Chocolate makes any mask hydrating, lifting, rejuvenating and toning. Note that when making homemade chocolate masks it’s preferable to use straight organic cocoa powder or find an organic dark chocolate with a minimum of seventy percent cocoa or more. Mix one tablespoon of cocoa powder with one teaspoon of almond oil and one teaspoon of rose hip oil. You can also add one teaspoon of coffee grounds to really perk up your eyes or to combat bags from sleep deprivation (if you choose to do this, add one more teaspoon of almond oil). Apply and let sit for 20 minutes and then rinse. Voila! Vibrant eyes using yummy chocolate!

7. Cucumbers

Eat: Here’s a hangover remedy that may be new to you: cucumbers. After the party is over, enjoy half a cucumber (peeled) before going to bed. The high water content, along with the electrolytes and B vitamins in this veggie can make the morning after a tad better to face.

Wear: You’ve seen it a million times in the spa or on TV, but did you know it actually works to place sliced cucumbers on your eyes? The ascorbic acid and caffeic acid in cucumbers brings down the water retention in the eyes by reducing the swelling and puffiness around the eye area. Applying a cucumber slice over both closed eyes and sitting for fifteen minutes creates a skin lightening effect that also makes the skin around your eyes appear youthful and glowing. Use the rest of the cucumber to make spa water and enjoy the benefits from the inside too. Just slice in water and add a sprig of mint. Sip with eyes closed and relax.

8. Fennel seeds.

Eat: Got bad breath? Got fennel seeds? Problem solved! These culinary favorites have an anise or licorice flavor and beat those little sugary orbs or chewing gum to freshen or mask your bad breath. Chew ten fennel seeds for five minutes to banish bad breath. The longer you chew them, the better the result. While you’re chewing you’ll also be improving libido. A 2012 study showed that fennel can help reduce painful menstruation and it also works as an aphrodisiac to increase libido in both men and women. Fennel seeds can be found at any grocery store and easily carried in your purse.

Wear: Did you know you could prepare your own fennel facial toner? Start by taking a handful of fennel seeds and boiling them in a small amount of water. Allow the mixture to cool and then add a few drops of neroli essential oil for boosting the curative properties of the toner. Use a cotton pad to apply the mixture all over face, neck and décolleté several times a day.

9. Garlic

Eat: Garlic is known as nature’s flu shot! Garlic supplementation helps to prevent and reduce the severity of common illnesses like the flu and common cold. One twelve- week study found that a daily garlic supplement reduced the number of colds and flus by sixty-three percent. Most of the health effects are due to allicin, one of the sulfur compounds formed when garlic cloves are chopped, crushed or chewed. So while it may or may not keep the vampires away, it has been proven to keep colds and flus away.

Wear: You can eliminate warts with garlic and a little patience. According to Dr. Ben Kim, exposing warts to natural garlic juices can get rid of warts within a week, depending on the size of the wart. Cut a garlic clove in half and coat the wart with the juices of one half. Then affix the other half (cut side) to the wart with medicinal or athletic tape. The garlic piece should be slightly larger than the wart. Wear the garlic while you sleep and take it off during the day. Replace the piece of garlic every night before going to bed until the wart has gone away. Garlic is also excellent for curing earaches. Gently place a half of a clove inside your ear (cut side towards inner ear) and rest. Repeat until remedied.

10. Mustard Seeds

Eat: Athletes have reported that consuming a few teaspoons of mustard seed can relieve muscle cramps. Mustard may provide this relief because it contains acetic acid, a substance that triggers the body to make acetylcholine, which in turn prompts muscles to work. Mustard seed also contains a fair amount of magnesium, another mineral known to help with muscle cramps.

Wear: Mustard seeds are perfect for using as a natural facial scrub. You can add a half-teaspoon of mustard seeds to a teaspoon of rose essential oil and mix until seeds are covered. Let sit for five minutes then use this mix to scrub your face and exfoliate dead skin. Why use mustard seeds as a scrub? They are natural antioxidants, and also contain sulphur so they act as an anti-fungal and can ward off skin infections.

[Editor's Note: For more magnesium, Naturally Savvy recommends the award-winning magnesium supplement from our partner, Natural Vitality.]

11. Potatoes

Eat: Eat an organic potato and you’ll get a lot of nutrition! But the best health hack is eating potatoes for their high concentration of vitamin B6. One medium potato contains over one-half of a milligram of this important nutrient. B6 is important for building your cells, cardiovascular protection, athletic performance, aids in blood pressure stabilization and healthy brain function. Be sure to choose organic potatoes because conventional potatoes are extremely toxic.

Wear: Pureed potato is an old folk remedy for eliminating bags under the eyes. We’ve tried it and love this natural health hack. Pulse a potato in a blender or food processor and place the puree on your closed eyes for thirty minutes while lying down to get rid of those puffy eyes. Raw potato can also help get rid of skin bumps and warts. Place a raw sliver of potato on the bump and cover with medicinal or athletic tape for the day. Raw potato for the win!

12. Strawberries

Eat: Have you ever noticed how happy people are when they eat strawberries? This is because strawberries help to combat depression! Eating strawberries helps to prevent homocysteine from forming in unhealthy amounts, and therefore enables the blood to deliver nutrients to your brain. Unhealthy amounts of homocysteine prevent glands in your body to produce happy hormones such as dopamine and serotonin, so eat strawberries but be sure they are organic as they are heavily sprayed and extremely porous.

Wear: It doesn’t get much better than popping fresh, juicy strawberries into your mouth and enjoying all that natural sweetness. But did you know that rubbing a cut strawberry on your teeth could whiten them? Finish off by swishing some coconut oil in your mouth and then spit it out!

Share your natural health hacks with Naturally Savvy below in the comment section.