7 Benefits of Pineapples

The pineapple is one of my favorite fruits in the world. I used to not like it because it kind of stings in the mouth and can be very sour. But as I grew up I learned to appreciate its tangy and sour to sweet taste, especially when I think of all its health benefits that the adults keep informing me about.

I’m pleased that these days we always seem to have slices of fresh pineapple in the refrigerator and that I can indulge in a slice or two anytime I want. But I still think my knowledge on the benefits of pineapple is limited, that’s why I thought of researching more about it on the web. Read on to know just seven of the many perks of eating pineapples that I’ve found out.

1. It lessens risk of hypertension. Hypertension occurs when too much force is exerted on the artery walls while the blood circulates. One of the best ways to combat this is to infuse a high amount of potassium plus a small amount of sodium in your diet to lower blood pressure. Pineapples are the perfect for hypertension because a cup of pineapple contains about 1 mg of sodium and 195 mg of potassium.

2. It helps you lose weight! Eating pineapple can highly cut down your sweet cravings because of its natural sweetness, saving you from a lot of sugar-induced calories. Incorporating a lot of pineapple in your meals will also help a lot in weight loss because pineapples can make you feel full without giving you an ounce of fat.

3. It maintains good eye health. Time and again, studies have found that pineapples protect against age-related eye problems because it is rich in antioxidants.

4. It fights a lot of diseases, being rich in Vitamin C. Pineapples are known to be a very good source of vitamin C, which protects our bodies from free radicals that attack our healthy cells. Lots of free radicals in the body can lead to major diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and various cancers. Vitamin C is considered the most important water-soluble anti-oxidant that fights against disease-inducing substances within the body. It is also an excellent fighter against flu and a great enhancer of the immune system.

5. It prevents plaque and keeps teeth healthy. Another benefit of the high amount of vitamin C in pineapples is that it prevents formation of plaque and gum diseases.

6. It cures constipation and irregular bowel movement. Pineapple is rich in fiber, making it effective in curing constipation and irregular bowel movement.

7. It keeps your skin beautiful! Pineapple contains enzymes that make skin elastic, improve skin hydration, and remove damaged and dead cells. Thus, it helps us achieve a clear and glowing complexion. The enzymes in pineapples also fight free-radical damage and can reduce age spots and fine lines.

Do you know more benefits of eating pineapples?

Source : skinbeautifulblog.wordpress.com

Reduce Wrinkles

As we age, we start to worry more and more about wrinkles and aging. The worry about the wrinkles can often cause wrinkles itself. Many wrinkles come along with age, but some we often help out.

Squinting can cause repetitive facial movements that will form a ridge beneath the skin by overworking your muscles. This eventually leaves a wrinkle. If you have to squint, look into getting glasses. Glasses are far better a fashion statement than wrinkles.

Who would have thought that you can be enabling wrinkling while you sleep?! It’s a sad truth that those face lines you see when you awake, don’t all fade through the day. Side and face down lead to increased face wrinkles, it is best to sleep on back. For those of us just getting this crucial information, too late, try a wrinkle cream to help fill those lines.

Don’t over wash your face. Washing your face with tap water strips the skin of nutrients. When you do wash, don’t use normal soap. Wash your face with a cleanser or soap containing a moisturizer.

Things that you eat can also affect your skin. It was found that cocoa will actually lead to healthier feeling and looking skin. Soy, so popular these days, can help protect and firm the skin. Salmon assists in maintaining great skin. It contains omega-3, a fatty acid, that nourishes skin. Eating Salmon will keep skin plump and youthful.

You will also want to remember the old rituals of no smoking, moisturizing and sunscreen. Mother Nature is already gearing up to give you wrinkles, don’t help her out. Take care of your skin, you only get one shot at it.

Healthy Snacks for Anti-Aging

Loaded with antioxidants and healthy fats, nuts are a healthy tasty snack. Known for longevity promoting qualities in Chinese medicine, walnuts and walnut oil are another item to add to your anti-aging shopping list.

Peanuts also benefit you with their ability to lower cholesterol. Almonds

are good to add to your shopping list because they contain healthy monounsaturated fats and are a good source of calcium. Monounsaturated fats are known to lower the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. Mind you, limit your portion of nuts each day to about a couple of tablespoons or you could gain unwanted weight.

Like nuts, seeds are also excellent anti-aging snacks. Eat about a handful a day, use them as a snack or add to wholegrain cereals, yogurt or salads. Pumpkin, flaxseeds, sesame or sunflower are excellent choices for you to munch on when you get that afternoon slump or feel like nibbling on a snack. Source : pureageless.com

In Beauty MedSpa – Anti-aging and Stress Relief

An appointment was booked for me to experience and review the services at In Beauty MedSpa. I was booked for their Zen Hydrating Relaxation Facial which is accompanied by the Alpha LED Oxylight Spa Body treatment. This session lasted 35 minutes, good for relaxation, stress relief and a very refreshing, soothing facial.

In Beauty MedSpa is located in Yorkville, Toronto at 26 Bellair Avenue on the second floor. It is a clean spa with elegant décor and private rooms for your treatments.

The session began with me undressing, covering myself with a towel and hopping into the Alpha LED Oxylight machine. The machine looks something like a tanning bed. For 15 minutes, Wren, my esthetician cleansed and massaged my face with a cleansing cream made of botanical extracts and then applied a gentle exfoliator made of Quartz Peel from Switzerland. She massaged my face for a few more minutes with a pleasant sweet smelling essential oil and then left the room. I was hoping that the massage would have lasted a bit longer but, alas, I had only been booked for a 35 minute session.

You might be wondering what the Alpha LED Oxylight Spa Body treatment is exactly. Invented by Nasa as a pure oxygen infusion and light therapy treatment, it massages, provides pain relief, rejuvenates the skin, assists with insomnia, gives an emotional lift, energizes and provides stress relief. I can definitely say that it does provide stress relief

After 15 minutes, my esthetician returned to clean up my face and applied some vitamin rich anti-aging eye cream around the eyes and a calming herbal moisturizing cream to the rest of my face. She did not do any analysis of my skin or recommend any products or treatments which were supposed to be a part of the facial. This is not a problem for me

Overall, I found the experience pleasant and relaxing, my face properly cleansed and massage and moisturized and my frazzled nerves a little less frazzled. I will be returning to the In Beauty MedSpa to experience more of what they have to offer in the near future.

In Beauty MedSpa
26 Bellair Ave., 2nd Floor
416.929.3313

Can you drink away the years with tea?

I think most of us by this age have experienced that rare night out where a drink or two brings on a carefree feeling of your current age, minus 15 or 20 years. But I'm not talking about that kind of drinking away the years. I mean literally! Can drinking tea actually de-age your skin's appearance?

I recently ran across Sipping Beauty. It's a tea company. But each tea they sell--and there are only 6 at present, has a side benefit. The one that interests me most is the Forever Young version. Sipping Beauty Forever Young is "infused with an exclusive pick of organic red tea." The flavor is topped off with smooth chocolate and a touch of peppermint. Sounds good to me, but is it any different than other anti-oxidant packed teas?

Sipping Beauty also has a detox clarifying Puritea, a well as a Multi Beautimin tea which is a "fruit mélange tea that contains a good dose of skin renewing vitamin C along with other vital skin nutrients".

Sipping Beauty has great packaging (see above) and clearly a great sense of humor. But what do you think? Have you tried Sipping Beauty tea? Is it really different and...Wiwi: Was it Worth it?

posted by skintoxicated

Five Benefits of Bananas

Bananas are one of the most common fruits in the world, one of the most accessible, and one of the cheapest as well. But did you know that bananas can give you a lot of benefits that you can take advantage of? Read on to know some of the great perks bananas can give.

1. It can make you happy!

Bananas contain a type of protein called tryptophan that is converted into serotonin by our bodies. We all know serotonin is a substance that can induce relaxation, enhance mood, and generally make us happy. So next time you’re feeling down, try reaching for that banana in the table and who knows, you may be feeling better in no time.

2. It gets rid of hangover.

Had too much fun and alcohol at the party last night? Speed up your recovery by eating a few slices of banana or blending a banana shake. Bananas have properties that can calm the stomach to get your tummy in gear in just a bit of time.

3. It fights against stress.

When we’re stressed or freaking out, our metabolic rates rise, reducing our potassium levels. Bananas contain a high amount of potassium that can help normalize potassium levels and at the same time normalize the heartbeat and improve water-oxygen flow.

4. It boosts brain power.

Still connected with potassium, bananas can boost the brain because potassium has been found to help in making one alert and more aware. Better have a few bites before that major exam or presentation.

5. It beautifies!

Time and again, bananas have been used in facial masks because of its believed anti-aging properties. A good recipe for a banana mask would be to mix it with honey and drops of orange before applying the mixture to the face with a warm washcloth.

Know more benefits of bananas?

10 Tips to Look Younger for Longer

Now more than ever, women of all ages are concerned with looking younger. And no wonder, with more information, products, and procedures available to them than ever before. Despite all of the newfound technologies out there, however, an effective anti-aging routine doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are 10 simple ways to look younger for far longer:

1. Relax.

Stress triggers the release of hormones that cause inflammation in the skin, which worsens the effects of, and even causes, free radical production and more rapid aging, according to Dr. Nicholas Perricone, author of The Wrinkle Cure. It seems like common sense, but learning to relax and finding the time to do what makes you happiest in life will make you glow from the inside out. One of my favorite guides is Finding Your Own North Star by Martha Beck - it taught me to relax and enjoy the work-life balance like no other.

2. Sleep at least 7 hours per night.

Sleep is when your skin restores and renews itself. To maximize your sleep efforts, take some advice from Dr. Ben Kaminsky, founder of B. Kamins skin care:

• Wear earplugs if necessary.
• Keep the room as dark as possible.
• Have a light, high-carb snack before bed, which increases serotonin production, which triggers calmness that can result in sounder sleep.
• Cut out caffeine.
• Take a warm bath before bedtime.
• Beware of medications that can disturb sleep (talk to your doctor).
• Spend time outside, especially in the morning, to keep body rhythms in harmony

3. Eat healthfully, and take a multivitamin.

Although multivitamins certainly are not a complete substitute for healthy eating, taking a vitamin has been shown to have skin-beneficial effects, as demonstrated in a 2007 study in Skin Pharmacology and Physiology. In the study, it was shown that either an oral supplement with antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin or the cream with the same ingredients improved skin elasticity, hydration, and protection against sun damage. However, the combination of oral and topical formulations boosted numbers the most — skin hydration by 60 percent and protection against sunburn by 20 percent. Therefore, by taking beneficial ingredients orally and applying them topically, you are getting the greatest effects for your skin.

To keep skin hydrated, Dr. Howard Murad recommends a supplement that contains all of the following elements:

• antioxidants
• fatty acid supplements, like fish oil, to encourage the body to make its own water-holding molecules
• glucosamine supplements, also to encourage the body to make its own water-holding molecules
• lecithin, and its building blocks phosphatidylcholine and choline to maintain cell walls

4. Protect your skin from the sun.

Wear a sunscreen of at least SPF 30 everyday, and try to wear sun-protective clothing, including a hat. The effectiveness of ultraviolet protective clothing is measured by Ultraviolet Protection Factor, or UPF. Unlike SPF, which quantifies only UVB protection, UPF incorporates both UVA and UVB (broad-spectrum) protection. In general, according to Dr. Leslie Baumann, a UPF of 10 equals protection of about SPF 30. Sunscreen pills, such as Murad Pomphenol Sunguard Supplement ($35.00, Amazon.com), have also been found to boost sun protection by as much as 25%.

5. Exfoliate weekly and moisturize daily.

According to Dr. Patricia Wexler in this month’s Real Simple magazine, there are 3 steps to looking 15 years younger: “Exfoliate, moisturize, and apply sunscreen. Each one takes five years off.” Exfoliation, according to Dr. Ben Kamins, “works very effectively in the loosening of the dead cells of the stratum corneum and on acne-prone skin with plugged pores and dry, flaky skin.” It also enables your other skin care products to work more effectively. My personal favorite exfoliator is Peter Thomas Roth UnWrinkle Peel Pads ($45.00, Amazon.com), with the AHAs glycolic acid and lactic acid.

As for moisturization, according to B. Kamins, “For the skin to maintain an optimal barrier function, its hydration level is very important.” According to Dr. Frederic Brandt in this month’s Real Simple magazine, even the most basic moisturizer hydrates, giving the skin a chance to rest. By doing so, you help maintain collagen production over time, keeping your skin looking firmer (and you looking younger) for longer. I like it.

6. Exercise for at least 30 minutes at least 5 days a week.

According to the book Physiology of Exercise and Healthy Aging, exercise not only makes your body stronger, leaner, and more healthy, but also helps you look younger as well. In a recent study, women who did aerobic exercise 30 minutes 5 days a week for a year (or longer) were found to look 4 years younger than their non-exercising peers. Not bad!

7. Visit your dermatologist.

Although there are some incredible over-the-counter skin care treatments, your dermatologist can administer prescription-grade retinoids, more effective chemical peels, laser treatments, and unique therapies customized to your skin and your desires.

8. Use antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, and retinoids.

Some of my favorite formulations include Revalé Skin (with super antioxidant coffee berry), Patricia Wexler MMPi Skin Regeneration Serum (with anti-inflammatory matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors) and Green Cream Level 6 (with 0.6% retinol). For specific product recommendations, I highly recommend Dr. Leslie Baumann’s The Skin Type Solution, which recommends skin care products to each of sixteen different skin types.

9. Drink enough water.

According to Dr. Howard Murad , “Of all the raw materials you need, water is at the top of the list of the forty-odd other ones. ..however, [there is] no evidence to support the commonly known “eight by eight” rule that advises drinking eight eight-ounce glasses of water per day [for the skin]…[although] one study has shown that men who drank more than that had nearly half the risk of bladder cancer as those who drank half as much.” Instead of eight glasses, try to drink water consistently throughout the day, and more after exercising or being in the heat.

10. Don’t smoke.

Smoking has been found to be more responsible for aging the skin than sun damage (Baumann-cited, Daniel et. al., 1971). A recent German study also demonstrated that smoking is linked to acne, as about 40.8% of smokers exhibited acne, compared to 25.2% of non-smokers, amongst a population of 896 citizens. Although “smoker’s mouth” and facial wrinkles are commonly noted, a 2007 study in the Archives of Dermatology found that smokers were more likely than non-smokers to exhibit deep body wrinkles as well. Secondhand smoke puts you at a lesser, although still substantial, risk, so limit your time in smoky rooms as much as possible.

Source : http://futurederm.wordpress.com