Say hello to the 5 Ingredients Elixir of youth and beauty

Jul 27, 2024
Alessia Lugoboni at the beach wearing sunglasses and having a cup of tea showing how to easy is to embrace habits that can keep you young and beautiful

Hello my wonderful human!

I know you are curious to jump straight to the answers, as it's appealing to find an-easy-quick-solution to youth and beauty.

You'll soon find out that the discovery of certain routine and habits came from dark places that then bloomed into revelations.

Ok, i’ll start with the most common questions I get asked daily:

 

When were you born?

I grew up in a time with no smart phones, where we had to shout from the street under the window, the name of the kid we wanted to play with. We used to play outside in summer by chasing sprinklers, getting soaking wet then waiting in the sun to dry up before going home. If you heard your name from afar, it was your cue to go home for dinner. I used to go to the shops and buy an ice cream cone with 1000 Lire.

I was born in Verona April,1985. Depending on when you are reading this blog you can do the math.

 


 

Are you vegan, vegetarian?

I’ve been traveling the world since the age of 15 and discovered the joys of many different cuisines. Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Korean, Mediterranean, Maori… The more I try, the more I feel connected to the people around me.

When preparing a meal there is love. A way to share a moment with others, to gather around with family, to find a warm embrace that connects us all.

I aim for a vegetarian or vegan diet, but when I see my family and people I love caring so much about us and preparing meals to share their heart with me, I try my best not to disappoint them.
After all, it’s not always about me, it’s about their feelings too. And a moment together is way more important to me than trying to explain certain choices.

 

Do you follow a restrictive diet?

Being in front of a mirror for most of my life, judging the imperfections rather than my superpowers took a toll on my mental health for way too long.

Since I stopped my career as a dancer I finally moved away from an environment that treats people like a disposable object and never concentrated on important aspects of someone’s life and wellbeing.

 

The word diet has changed its meaning, and in my world now it means “the daily food we intake”. In other words I want to live my life enjoying everything that mother earth has to offer, the beauty of international cuisines and the freedom to savor what’s put in front of me.

Saying this tho, I am extremely careful about the quality of the products, I want only organic and local, this is why I walk to the organic market and buy what is in season (Roberta and Morris from Tre Ponti Bio are my fruit and veggies gurus).

I want to know what’s inside every pack or box of food I pick up, I read labels, ingredients, macros and where it comes from. Whatever I eat has to fuel my beautiful body. I’m like a Ferrari and as such I have to eat the fuel to keep me shining and engine roaring.

As every human being on this planet though, I like gelato. And I'll indulge into something yummy when I feel like it. 

 

How many days a week do you train/workout?

Sitting has never been in my nature. I’m writing this post while sitting on the floor, laptop on couch, switching from split, to crossed legs to butterfly, to single leg stretch.

My body has to be kept mobile and well oiled. If not, it becomes stiff, painful and uncomfortable.
I love walking and running on the nearby hills of Verona where the view is breathtaking, very early in the morning when I can have the silent city to myself.

I love yoga and meditation. It’s like a healing process to love and reconnect to my used/abused ballet body. I integrate postural and mobility sessions to keep my scoliosis at bay so I can live pain free.
And for those days where I need to pump it and let my hair out, I dance what I never could before. The sweatier I finish, the more satisfied I am…even if I look like i’ve never danced before.

Something every day makes me feel happy and accomplished. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as I move.

In fact I’m gonna take a break and go for a swim right now. I’m at the beach with my best friend in the whole world, Lara.

 

 

Do you smoke?

I’m not proud of it, but when you are young, stressed and need a reason for escaping a dark theater sometimes you take on bad habits. I used to smoke as a way to run from stressful situations, to find a moment for myself in an environment that was constantly in-your-face.

When I got told I smelled like an ashtray, I soon decided that it wasn’t lady like, it was a silly habit for my health and that I wanted to stay as healthy as I could in my life. Living life is better than spending time in hospitals.

I have made the decision to look after by body and mind in every possible way. Smoking had no room in the version of my new me.

 

What is your secret?

My aesthetician said: "I chose this job because I love beautiful bodied and curated skin, I love looking after people that care about themselves, I help them feel beautiful and every time they look in the mirror they feel confident and sexy.

What we do here we help people curate the most important part of their confidence: The look.
A pleasant look is like looking at a shopping window: if you curate it, love it, and show how incredible it is, everyone will stop and admire the art that is created."

So my elixir of youth and beauty is formulated by different ingredients:

 

Ingredient 1: Workout

 


 

Dancing, running, walking in nature or at the beach, moving or swimming in a pool, practicing yoga and meditation are feel-good ingredients. They get me going in the morning, they give me energy and put me in a great mood. Even when I’m not in the mood, by just starting dancing, and accomplishing an hour of easy workout is enough to empower me for the whole day.

I get bored doing the same thing every day, this is why it’s important for me to spice my workout up. Listening to my body is a must. I never had this luxury when I was dancing professionally, I was constantly overworked and overtrained. Now I can really listen to what my body feels like, even based on my menstrual cycle, I chose what makes me feel good. I had enough with the guilt trips that I never gave enough, now it’s about body and mind healing. 

 

Ingredient 2: Hydration

If it doesn’t get out, it must be stored somewhere… Cleansing the body from the inside is such a wonderful practice. The best way to do it? Water.

A simple and wonderful magic liquid that keeps us young, clean and beautiful from the inside. And of course it helps flushing out anything that we don’t need. Like a magic brush.

I have to say that I took on a wonderful practice from the Chinese, Japanese, Indian and even English world:  it doesn’t matter if it’s hot or cold outside, I must have my daily hot cuppa. Green teas (in moderation otherwise I jump off the walls) or herbal teas of any kind are a comforting afternoon ritual.

 

Ingredient 3: Relaxing and Draining Massage

Cuddles and contact are a must have in my life. Of course a warm embrace from those you love have a wonderful impact on our heart but there is something incredibly soothing that i’ve learned to learn at a very early stage of my life: Massage.

Trusting a massage therapist is not easy. I have tried my fair share in my whole career. I found those you just want the session to be over and those who create a magical treatment you don’t want to ever end. I have recently found someone that understands me.

Giulia, from GIardino delle Stelle in Verona, she creates cozy atmospheres, chromotherapy with a water-mattress, embracing aromatherapy oils, and especially, she learns new massage techniques as often as she can get. Needless to say that I want to try them all.

Having someone looking after your body and pampering it, is one of the most beautiful experiences I’ve ever had. The rhythm of the body is dictated by your trusted therapist that helps you re-balance the energies you emanate and receive.

Massage to me is a deep meditation, a way to calm my mind and understand where tensions are stored. It’s a way to better understand myself, heal my body and mind.

 

Ingredient 4: Time to unwind

 Everyone talks about beauty sleep and I have to say…it’s true.

Since I got my Ōura Ring I’ve been able to track my daytime stress level, activities, heart rate, menstrual cycle insights and sleep recovery.

I’m an early (very early) morning person, I love having time for myself when it’s silent outside, therefore when the clock hits 9, max 9.30pm I look like a Wall-e  with an empty battery, my eyes barely stay open and that’s my cue to wave the world good-night.

Eating an early dinner is part of the ritual, to give the body time to digest and never lie down with a full stomach.

I love my hot cup of herbal teas in the evening too. This is like an after dinner  embrace that says: “Time to relax, to let go of any tension accumulated during the busy day”.

 

 

Ingredient 5:  Do a job that gets you excited every day

Life is too short to do something we don’t like.

In my life I had parents that supported my creativity, they pushed me to be the best version of myself and taught me to work hard to achieve my most desired dreams. No we weren’t rich, yes I took a chance every time an opportunity presented to me.

I love my job, I love what I do now as a business owner, I love getting up every morning full of excitement to find ways to make my adult dancers and business clients succeed in their journey. Their wins are their wins.

Every job in this world is worth the effort, it doesn’t matter how simple or undervalued someone may think it is.

If we didn’t have genitors hospitals would be crawling with diseases, if we didn’t have urban cleaners our streets would be dirty,if we didn’t have mechanics we wouldn’t know how to fix engines,  if we didn’t have people washing dishes in restaurants we wouldn’t have clean cuttley, if we didn’t have teachers we wouldn't have an educated community. Whatever you do in life, it’s important. Whatever you do deserves respect. Whatever you do make sure you love it. It can change yours and someone's life.

Remember that out there there are people like Auri Katariina  that cleans homes. Even for free.
Her job is everything for her. She finds satisfaction in seeing something dirty turn into sparkly clean.
Most importantly  she loves what she does because it helps people recover in their mental health journey. 

 

The Simple Formula: Embracing the 5 Ingredients Elixir

As you can see there is nothing special about this 5 Ingredients Elixir of youth and beauty. There are only a few rules of thumb that can change the alchemy in your mind and body.

Let me know  in a comment what good habit you'll implement starting today, or if you are already doing any of the above.

Love 
Alessia

Photos copyright ©Iacopo Di Luigi & Alessia Lugoboni


 

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