Health + Latinas = Beauty
Normally we say “health and beauty”, but perhaps we should say, “Health, equals beauty” even though frequently we try our best to destroy our health in the pursuit of the eternal treasure of beauty.
How many surgeries in the sterile effort to reverse the passage of time! How many overpriced creams to counteract our excesses and our bad habits! How much suffering and wasted money! Actually it is fully demonstrated that the best way to improve our physical appearance passes through two essential points, moderate exercise and good nutrition.
For the image of Latinos, both women and men, whom tend to be perceived in this country as the most attractive and desirable models, beyond the stereotypes of the mainstream media, there is a central figure that reinforces that position on the society as a whole: their youth.
With an average of almost 15 years younger than, say, the Caucasian population, Latinos are significantly younger than the rest of society. In fact, today the average age of US-born Latino is almost 18 years old. That is, have skin and figures that virtually everyone advertising disguises most products. From a brand new car (“smooth and sexy”), a hamburger (“hot”) to almost everything.
Obviously Latinos, like other people, face major health risks, therefore detrimental to their physical appearance. Such as obesity and diabetes. Their often-poor eating habits – the famous so called “vitamin T”, from tacos, tostadas, tortas and tamales – compounded with extreme sedentary lifestyle lead us to a very quickly crush of our natural beauty. And of course, physical youth is only a temporary.
It is precisely in this context that the formula, beauty = health is more valuable. It is very clear that if we are healthy we are also more beautiful. Exercise, good nutrition, good habits have a direct impact on our lives than any plastic surgeon, fad diet or cream to bake in the rays of the sun.
In a society with plenty of illusions of fast tracks for almost everything, we should not be surprised when our dearest and closest want to fit and look good in that tiny bikini for our imminent summer vacation. Everybody knows plenty of examples of our so often vain efforts to get a magic transformation that basically will transform us in somebody else.
Of course this happens regardless of the dominant cultural references on topics related to physical appearance (as the stereotype of the platinum blonde with voluptuous figure and blue eyes), which clearly are becoming less and less relevant a planet where the recognition and respect diversity seems to be the clearest trend.
Again, exercise and good eating are the best possible resources to improve our appearances. For Latinos, the youngest and most dynamic segment of this nation population should be easier because they are younger. Nevertheless we all must take care or the many risks related with lack of attention to our basic health condition.
If we do that, our internal beauty will emerge. And of course, our true magnificence come from our soul, we know that. Also, that taking care of the little details is always appreciated.
