Diet Secret to Make Your Skin Glow

According to new research, people who eat larger portions of fruit and veggies a day have a more golden hue to their skin tone due to consuming more carotenoids. Responsible for the red coloring in fruits and vegetables like carrots and tomatoes, carotenoids are antioxidants that assist in soaking up damaging compounds produced by everyday stress, especially while the body is fighting disease.Interestingly enough, the study also found that given the choice between skin color caused by sun tan and skin color caused by carotenoids, people preferred the carotenoid skin color. So it looks like if you want a healthier and more attractive skin color, you are better off turning to fruits and veggies than UV rays.


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The Number Three Cause of Unhealthy Skin

For the next three weeks I am going to count down the top three things that makes our skin look and feel unhealthy. So today, number three: LACK OF SLEEP!

Lack of sleep can really open your skin up to all types of problems, including rashes, acne, worsening rosacea, and just plain old slackened, discolored and tired looking, sallow skin. As we age especially, a good sleep regimen is necessary to maintain a good skin tone and healthy, clear and luminous skin that “glows”. Sleep does a couple of things for our bodies. It allows our hormones to regulate, it rejuvenates our skin because our skin is at a resting metabolic rate with the rest of the body, which gives it time to rest from the environmental pollutants and assaults that come it’s way all day long. This also allows the skin time to repair.

A lot of research has examined how chronic sleep deprivation compromises the immune system. One study found that sleep deprivation disrupted women's skin barrier function (how the stratum corneum prevents water loss and blocks the entry to foreign substances), and this could trigger or exacerbate inflammatory disorders such as psoriasis, eczema, and atopic dermatitis. All are reasons enough to get the seven to eight hours of recommended shut-eye you need per night.

Next week the Number Two Cause of Unhealthy Skin- it might really surprise you...

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What Ages You the Most?

What ages you most? Surprisingly, it might not be wrinkles or gray hair, but dark circles under your eyes. Dark circles under eyes usually aren't a sign of exhaustion or serious illness, but they can make you look and feel old, unhealthy and tired.

Causes of Dark Circles Under Eyes

Thinning skin
The skin under the eyes is thin and delicate to begin with. As we age, skin and the fat pad under the eyes becomes thinner, causing blood vessels to become noticeable. This gives the appearance of dark circles. Sun damage can make it worse because it weakens skin. 

Allergies and Hay fever
Dark circles under the eyes can be the result of allergies to airborne substances, such as pollen, dust, and pet dander, because people rub their itchy eyes.

Genetics
Dark circles under the eyes runs in families. They tend to be more noticeable in people with fair skin or deep-set eyes

Fluid Retention
Blood vessels under the eyes can become dilated and engorged, which can contribute to dark circles. Excess dietary salt and smoking are common causes.

Lack of sleep
A lack of sleep can make skin appear more pale, which allows blood vessels to be more visible through the skin, giving the appearance of bluish or dark circles.

Dehydration
Dark circles under the eyes can be a sign of dehydration

Remedies for Dark Circles Under Eyes

Drink lots of water

Wear Sunscreen

Get plenty of rest

Apply tea bags and/ or cucumber slices over closed eyes for 15 minutes daily

Be careful not to consume too much salt

Take vitamin C, eat blueberries/ cranberries

Use a proven corrective eye cream that supports collagen maintenance
Don't smoke


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Cheesecake Factory "Factory Appetizer Favorites" 3339 Calories!!!

Just a quick blog today- traveling in Australia! I just downloaded the best app for my iPhone- the Eat This, Not That app. Really cool and handy way to monitor what I eat at restaurants. You just browse the menus of your favorite restaurant and find a much lower alternative to what you usually order using the app.

I really love the food at the Cheesecake Factory and usually share a plate with my husband, however, even sharing my favorite "Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta" is 1950 calories! That's nearly 1000 calories for each of us and that doesn't even include the bread basket! Add in a shared piece of cheesecake , this is the Cheesecake Factory after all, and you see the problem.

With this really cool app I now can still go out with my husband and order something like the Grilled Salmon (551c) or the Grilled Mahi Mahi (358c) and cut back on the bread to one piece. And adios to the cheesecake. Works for me.

Now if they only had a Cheesecake Factory in Australia...

Have a healthy day!

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What Causes Underarm Oder

To understand the causes of underarm odor, first you have to understand how your body sweats. In your underarms Apocrine glands open into your hair follicles, secreting a sweat. Because the areas of your body that contain apocrine glands also tend to be places that are warm and confined, the moistness can cause them to become a breeding ground for the bacteria that causes body odor.

Eating certain foods such as garlic, onions, fish, curry, hot peppers and other spicy foods, and even alcohol can make your underarm odor smell worse. Research has also shown that eating red meat can also worsen underarm odor, whereas a diet without it might improve the smell.

Getting Rid of Underarm Oder

Start with practicing good hygiene to reduce underarm bacteria:

1- Bathe daily using soap or a soapless cleanser

2- Always shower after working out

3- Shave your underarms so the bacteria have fewer places to hide

4- Choose clothing made from natural fibers, and work out in clothes designed to wick moisture away from your body to keep your skin dry, which helps deter bacteria growth. Remember to keep your clothes clean, and always avoid re-wearing clothes between washings, particularly those that you use for exercising.

There are also foods that researchers believe might help get rid of underarm odor. Drinking plenty of water and eating fruits, vegetables and whole grains should improve your overall health and metabolic function, which helps your body to work more efficiently.

Deodorants

Most people think that antiperspirants and deodorants are the same thing, but they aren’t. Antiperspirants work by clogging, closing, or blocking the pores with powerful astringents such as aluminum salts so that they can’t release sweat. (Note that aluminum can accumulate in the brain.) Deodorants work by neutralizing the smell of the sweat and by antiseptic action against bacteria. Deodorants are preferable because they don’t interfere with sweating, a natural cooling process.
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Enzymes, Prebiotics, Probiotics and Skin Health

Ok- today we are going to get a bit scientific… I keep hearing all about enzymes, prebiotics and probiotics. Is there is a connection between digestive health, overall heath and your skin health?

For those of you who want to take an additional step towards complete skin care, there are a lot of nutritional supplements designed to assist you. Primary players in any supplementing program should be digestive enzymes and minerals.
 

Digestive enzymes (prebiotic and probiotic) facilitate the breakdown of food in our digestive tract. They are also responsible for transporting the raw nutrients that we get from food throughout our body in a form that our bodies can use.

Digestive enzymes are present in all raw foods that we eat. However heating food over 120 degrees Fahrenheit destroys them, so most of what we eat has been robbed of any naturally occurring enzymes because it has been either cooked or processed. Thus the need for digestive enzyme supplements.

 

Enzymes and minerals are essential for skin health because skin needs to be able to hold water in order to maintain that plump, healthy look. Water binds to minerals in our body, in fact, our body needs 6-12 different minerals or "body salts" to maintain a healthy glow. If we`re deficient in minerals, water does nothing more than flush out our system, taking with it valuable nutrients and minerals that we need. A general mineral supplement is great support for our skin.  

 

As always, check with your doctor before taking any dietary or herbal supplements.

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You Have the Right to Know What is in Your Cosmetics!

What do you do if you really want only pure and safe skin care and cosmetics? It doesn’t take a lot of time to get a basic knowledge of what to avoid and what ingredients are safe. 

Here are my suggestions. Buy products that are NEVER tested on animals and that do not contain animal- derived ingredients or animal by- products- No brainer! I prefer products that are vegan certified and as “natural” as possible. 

Avoid products containing:

Formaldehyde/ DMDM/diazolidinyl urea/ quaternium-15

Petroleum

Benzene

Mineral Oil

Petrolatum

Phthalates/ diethyl phthalate/ DEP/ dinbutyl phthalate 

Toluene

PABA

Artificial Colors

Artificial Fragrances 

SAFETY TESTING

The important thing to remember here is that cosmetic products are not approved by the FDA with the exception of color additives. Cosmetic companies are responsible for the safety of their products before marketing. Find a company that extensively reviews their products for safety including tests for irritancy and allergy. If I am buying cosmetics and skin care I will make sure that the products have been dermatologist tested, not just dermatologist approved. 

Here is a great link to a COSMETIC DICTIONARY 

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Crows Feet

Crow's feet, laugh lines, and wrinkles- no matter what you call them- time, nature and our neglect plays a nasty trick on all of us. As we age, fine lines and wrinkles begin to appear around our eyes, radiating outwards. These are commonly known as crow's feet. Besides just getting older, our everyday lifestyle can aggravate the problem and cause premature aging to our skin. The skin on our faces stretches like a rubber band, thanks to something called elasticity. This means that it can return to its original form after being pulled or compressed -- pretty important when you think about how much we move our faces. Unfortunately, as we get older, our skin loses its elasticity. That's why we form wrinkles and certain parts of our body start to droop. One of the main reasons for this is that our bodies' production of collagen and elastin, two proteins responsible for our skin's elasticity, lessens with age.

CAUSES
Sun exposure, poor nutrition, frequent squinting, smoking, failure to use a effective anti-wrinkle cream and even sleeping on your face promote the formation of crows feet. Naturally, people who spend a great deal of time outdoors are at higher risk.

PREVENTION
Applying sunscreen, quitting smoking, consistently using an effective anti-wrinkle cream and wearing LARGE sunglasses and hats are the key ways to avoid crows feet. Even if you're already showing signs, it's never too late to stop them from getting worse.

REMEDIES
Prevention aside, once you have them, you'll need to deal with them head-on to either reduce their appearance or have them professionally treated to get rid of them temporarily.  

Here are some alternatives to treating crows feet:

Proper nutrition and a healthy diet- cheap, smart, lasting effects
Botox- expensive, effective, short term, painful
Face Lift- very expensive, effective, longer term, very painful, risky outcomes
Anti-Wrinkle Creams- effective, can be expensive, some better than others
Facial Exercising- questionable results, cheap
Chemical Peel- fairly expensive, very painful, short term benefits
Laser Procedure- fairly expensive, painful, short term benefits

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How to shape your eyebrows...

Thanks to Nikra (my most awesome daughter- in- law) for her help with this post. If you want to learn more about Nikra visit her blog at:

http://nikrasmakeup.blogspot.com/

Hey everyone! I had some requests on how to shape your eyebrows. If you've lost your shape and just can't get them to look right, let them grow ideally for about a month, then you are ready to get a fresh start :)

We all have different shapes of eyebrows so this is a very general idea of how to shape them, try to follow the instructions on applying the right shape to your own brows.

1. You are going to need tweezers, a razor blade, a little bit of moisturizer, and a ruler. Apply the moisturizer all over your eyebrow area, this will help plucking out the hairs easily and helps with the pain. You can also numb the brow area with ice if it is too painful for you. Let the moisturizer sit for 2-3 min before plucking. Then take it off. Place the ruler in the inner corner of your eye and anything that is outside of the ruler should be... GONE!

2. Draw a line with any eyebrow or eye pencil in the inside of the brow following your natural arch. Pluck any hair on and below the line. Place the ruler at the tip of your nose and make sure it passes through the corner of your eye. Your eyebrow should end where the ruler meets the eyebrow. Your brow shouldn't be any longer or shorter than that.

3. I like doing the upper part of the brow with a razor blade. You know, in order to prevent accidents, like when you pluck a hair or two where you shouldn't had and you get a huge hole in the middle of the brow!! Yeah, that's awful. If you use a razor that won't ever happen!  I do this by shaving the brows in a ^ shape with the blade. Make sure you place the blade completely straight on each side of the Point of Arch. (Look at the picture on the left).

And just like that you are done!  After all this it is really easy to keep up your shape, just pluck your little brow hairs that will come out and make sure to not get any of the long ones or that will change your shape. I usually shape my brows only once or twice a year. I try to keep the shape for as long as I can. You can also apply some color like I did in the last picture, but that is just personal taste. Have fun doing these :)

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Age Spots...

What causes AGE SPOTS? 

The sun does! Age spots are the brownish spots that, over time appear on your face and body as a result of the over exposure to the sun. As we age our skin is subject to more and more sun damage. Our skin has what is called ‘melanin pigment’ which absorbs sunlight and helps naturally protect our skin from UV rays. However as we age, our skin’s natural ability to fend off UV rays from the sun begins to deteriorate, and as a result, we see the development of age spots.
 

Sun Spot is More Accurate

Age Spots actually have nothing to do with how old you are, they have to do with how long you've been in the sun. 
 

Are they Cancerous?

The most important thing if you see any pigmented lesion on your skin is to not assume that it’s benign. If you notice a lesion on your skin, especially if it has any changes in color or shape, you should see a dermatologist to determine if they are cancerous or something to be concerned about.
 

Does Tanning Cause Age Spots?

Tan skin is not healthy skin. A tan is our body’s way of telling us our skin has been damaged, and its attempt to protect itself from further damage. As we undergo UVA and UVB light exposure from the sun’s rays or from tanning beds, we are damaging our skin, which will lead to age spots.
 

Prevention

Preventing age spots requires sun avoidance and sun protection. Sunscreen All Day, Every Day! I recommend wearing a sunscreen ALL THE TIME. Even if you already have sun damaged skin, it’s never too late to start. This will help prevent further damage and age spotting.
 

Treatment Options

Chemical Peels- very painful, expensive, repeated treatments required, somewhat effective

Laser Resurfacing-  very  painful, repeated treatments required, most expensive, effective

Intense Pulsed Light Therapy- somewhat painful, expensive, effective, the newest treatment

Bleaching Creams- effectiveness depends on formulation, no pain, least expensive

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Do Detox Teas Really Work?

Teas have been around for over 5000 years. It is a drink which has been renowned to soothe the body and mind. There are two types of tea: herbal and non-herbal. Detox tea falls under the herbal category. This type of tea is used to cleanse the body of toxins that may have accumulated in the body over years of abuse. The body is exposed to a vast array of different pollutants and toxins. These toxins can be absorbed in the body by what the person eats, drinks, breathes or is exposed to. Toxins can build up, leading to health problems, making the body more vulnerable to a host of diseases and ailments. The human is capable to removing these toxins from the body. However, with the amount of toxins that are stored in the body because of an unhealthy lifestyle, the body is unable to keep up.

DO DETOX TEAS REALLY WORK?
(NO) The detox products that we have now cannot "kill" the molecules of unwanted substances in your blood and other parts of your body. Maybe someday nanorobots will- but detoxes can't. We cannot kill toxins in our bodies with detox products.

(YES) Your body is a perfect self-cleaning system. Your body has a lot of natural cleaning "equipment" (such as immune system, liver, kidneys etc.) that work 24/7 to withdraw all unwanted substances including viruses, bacteriums and toxins from our body. 

BOTTOM LINE: Detox teas help our liver, kidneys etc. speed up the natural process of self cleaning...

HOW OFTEN SHOULD WE DRINK DETOX TEA?
 Detox teas are generally recommended to be taken one to three times a day. With that being said, you can also use 2 tea bags at a time as long as you do not use more than ten in one day. Detox teas should always be used as directed. They are generally not recommended for use by women who are pregnant or nursing. In other instances, they should not be taken for more than 30 consecutive days by anyone.

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Should you paint your nails while pregnant?

Recently a newly pregnant friend of mine took the day off from work to pamper herself. She decided to get a manicure and pedicure to help her relax and look pretty.

Up until recently, I'd always read not to get your nails done when you're pregnant. From what I understood there were toxins in the paint that could seep into the system through the nail. The chemical in question is dibutyl phthalate. 

That said, I also read a report online somewhere (sigh, and I'll never find it again now...) that suggested it was ok to get your nails done. According to the article it was actually all the dust flying around in the salon from the fake nails being buffed, etc. that could cause distress in the way of coughing, etc., but should have no lasting effects. Also, the chance of infection was still the main cause for concern as most nail salons simply aren't as clean as they should be.

The past few months I've been reading about nail polish companies removing certain chemicals from their nail polish because said chemicals were linked in studies to birth defects.

Others would say that there are more important things to worry about during pregnancy and that getting your nails done should be at the bottom of the list.

So what about you? Consider this a random poll. Did you paint your nails while you were pregnant?

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Heal Your Heels!

Dry heels can be both irritating and really ugly! When the skin on the heel of a person’s foot gets too dry, it may become thick and hard as well as cracked and flaky. Often, dry heels are little more than a cause of annoyance and embarrassment, especially when a person must walk around in sandals or bare feet in front of others. In some cases, however, the heels may become so dry, irritated, and cracked that the feet begin to bleed. The skin of the heel becomes very hard and may even develop discoloration.

CAUSE

The primary cause of dry, cracking heels is neglect- simply not taking the time EVERY DAY to take care of your feet! I know I am so guilty of this. Other causes include poor fitting shoes, wearing open heeled shoes, age and certain skin conditions.

TREATMENT 

Exfoliation is an important part of treatment for dry heels. There are many products on the market that can help a person to get rid of dry, dead skin cells. For example, a person may use a heel smoother, which is small device designed to smooth cracked heels and slough off dead skin. A person may also use a pumice stone or even a rough towel to rub away the dry skin; there are even exfoliating creams that have tiny particles for rubbing off dead skin. Some people recommend soaking the feet in warm water before exfoliating to make the process easier and more effective.

Moisturizing is another important part of caring for dry heels. When you get out of the bath or shower, you should apply a moisturizing lotion. However, moisturizers aren’t just for after bath time; a case of dry heels probably warrants moisturizing at least twice per day. Wearing a moisturizer to bed is also a good idea, as it allows the moisturizer to soak into the foot during the night, without such impediments as shoes rubbing up against the heels.

The trick to remember is this- beautiful and healthy feet are no accident. Moisturizing two times EVERYDAY is the real key!!

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So, what is the right way to wash your hair?

Most of us think we have this all down pat, after all, we have been washing our hair all our lives. How could we go wrong with something like washing our hair? However, we might be washing our hair the wrong way and contribute to its damage without actually knowing it.

What we should remember about our hair is that the individual strands of our hair, no matter how thick or strong it looks, is actually very delicate. So we cannot just tug and pull at it, or else it would break.

So, what is the right way to wash your hair? 
The first thing you should do is to comb the tangles out of the hair before you wet it so the hair would wash easily and the tangles would not worsen. For best results wet your hair with warm water to open the scale-like cuticles of the hair and wash all the oil and dirt off. And then, you can rinse your hair with cold water afterwards to close the cuticles and add to the shine of your hair.

Rinse your hair under the shower to rid it of the leave-on conditioner and styling aids you have used previously, using gentle strokes of your fingertips. Then, pour a dollop of shampoo in the palm of your hand. Rub your hands together, and then apply the shampoo to your scalp. Take note that you should put the shampoo on your scalp and not at the ends of your hair, as the shampoo would dry your hair's ends and cause it to weaken and split. Also, do not mix your hair all over your head as you shampoo because it will get all tangled up. After this, rinse the shampoo off.

More often than not, we need to shampoo our hair for a second time. The purpose of the first shampoo is to clean the oil and dirt off; the second shampoo is supposed to let the shampoo treat our hair. So, repeat the process, but let the shampoo sit on for around a couple of minutes. Rinse the hair completely after this.

To get the excess water off your hair, just squeeze the water out. Do not pull or tug at the hair because the hair is at its most delicate when it is soaked. When the excess water is out, apply a dollop of conditioner  and apply it along the hairline, the nape and the ends of the hair. Pile your hair then inside a shower cap and let the conditioner stay there for around ten minutes. And then, rinse it off completely.

The process described here does seem tedious and time-consuming. But remember, having great hair takes a bit of time and effort. And it is definitely worth it for picture perfect hair.

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The "bottom" line...

I know this is a bit off subject, but today I’m posting about the health of your babies bottom.

When your beautiful baby is born, her skin is often perfect in every way. It is softer and smoother than it will ever be again. You are upset when she wakes up and her bottom is red and irritated when you change her diaper. What happened! What did you do wrong? Absolutely nothing!

ALL BABIES HAVE DIAPER RASH! Having a diaper rash is a normal part of being a baby. There are many ways you can limit the amount of rash, but from time to time it will flare up again.

WHY BABIES GET DIAPER RASH

Start with ultra sensitive skin, add the chemicals and moisture of urine and poop (yep, I used the “poop” word), cover the area with a diaper that rubs back and forth, and you have diaper rash. This damaged skin is susceptible to the invasion of bacteria and yeast, which can make the rash worse.

If you are constantly battling rash, here are some helpful hints to minimize it:

1- Change diapers frequently - at least every two hours in newborns.

2- Try different brands - if using disposables, another brand may fit a little better and cause less friction.

3- Rinse cloth diapers - add a half-cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle. This helps remove alkaline irritants.

4- Wipe well - be sure to wipe all the poop and urine away.

5- Use unscented wipes or just plain water - these are less irritating.

6- Diaper rash cream - More sensitive bottoms need cream with each new diaper.For best results try a water repelling, herbal based cream.

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