Your fall makeover does not have to be limited to tall boots, scarves, and skinny jeans—what you put in your body can make you look and feel fabulous too! It’s that time of the year! Papers, midterms, pop quizzes, and reading assignments, OH MY! With so much stress piled up on the inside it is bound to have an effect on your outside appearance, especially when it comes to your skin. Your skin – specifically that on your face – is highly sensitive to internal and external factors; that’s why you tend to experience breakouts during your most stressful times of the school. Don’t worry though, there is hope for you yet. Check out our top homemade recipes that will have feeling good AND looking good, both inside and out!

These four foods can help you:

REDUCE ACNE AND FIGHT ANXIETY AND INSOMNIA

Pumpkin seeds are a super food because they have lots of zinc, which is known to have anti-flammatory and antibacterial properties that can help reduce acne. Plus, it protects your cell membranes, which promotes skin renewal.

The bonus? Pumpkin seeds contain an amino acid called tryptophan, which increases your brain’s serotonin (a.k.a. your happy acids) to help fight anxiety and insomnia!

Check out these recipes for fall, toasted pumpkin seeds. If you decide to eat them raw instead, keep them in an airtight container and make sure they are green in color—browning is a sign of decay!

Simple, Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/michael-chiarello/toasted-pumpkin-seeds-recipe/index.html

Caramelized Pumpkin Seeds

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/caramelized-pumpkin-seeds-recipe/index.html

Pumpkin Bread Sandwich with a Pumpkin Seed and Cream Cheese Filling

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/pumpkin-bread-sandwich-with-a-pumpkin-seed-and-cream-cheese-filling-recipe/index.html

A SLIMMER FIGURE AND STRAIGHT A’s

For your next midterm you might want to study with a chai or pumpkin spice latte because many believe the smell of cinnamon alone can boost your energy and help cognitive function and memory. In addition, cinnamon lowers your blood sugar levels, which may leave you filling fuller, longer.

For an easy way to gain these benefits, sprinkle a little cinnamon over your morning cereal, yogurt, or coffee. If you are feeling more creative you may want to take a stab at these fragrant and cinnamon-spiked recipes.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

http://www.sweethappylife.com/2011/easy-family-recipes/homemade-pumpkin-spice-latte-recipe/

Chai Latte

http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Hot-Chai-Latte-Allrecipes

Warm Cinnamon Apples

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/warm-cinnamon-apples-10000001578347/

MOISTERIZED SKIN AND TIGHT PORES

Full of Antioxidants Avocados are good for tightening pores and moisturizing the skin. An Avocado mask is super easy to make and very cost effective – all you need is an Avocado! Check below for instructions on how to mix/apply:

• Cut Avocado in half, taking out the pit (Check online for beauty tricks you can use the seed for!)
• Mash up Avocado until smooth
• Add a teaspoon of honey (optional)
• Wash face with cold water and apply normal face lotion/moisturizer (optional)

SMOOTH SKIN

Honey is great because it helps smooth the skin and erase redness (from acne or general irritation). See below for the how-to:

• Mix honey with warm milk for a smooth and sweet-smelling application
• Distribute mix (Caution: It WILL drip – so have towels handy) evenly across skin
• Leave on for 5-10 minutes
• Rinse with cold water, dab dry

For more homemade masks check out: http://shine.yahoo.com/6-best-foods-homemade-face-masks-204700532.html