The Clear Skin Diet

On my seemingly never ending quest for natural ways to flawless skin, I found this helpful article by Self magazine about the best foods for clear skin.

Pile these on your plate. All pack nutrients essential for healthy skin.

Strawberries, citrus fruits, red peppers, broccoli

Beauty benefit: a smooth texture
Eat-right evidence: Vitamin C, plentiful in this produce, is vital for the production and formation of collagen, skin's support structure, says Toby Amidor, R.D., director of nutrition for DietTV.com in New York City. And a strong support layer helps smooth what's on top and prevent wrinkles, she says. Aim for: two 1-cup servings of fruit and 1 cup of red peppers and/or broccoli a day

Sunflower seeds and almonds

Beauty benefit: sun protection
Eat-right evidence: These seeds and nuts are loaded with vitamin E. Collectively, antioxidants act like an army, protecting skin from UV-spawned free radicals. But E is on the front lines; skin's top layers contain high levels that guard cells' outer membrane so cells stay healthy. Plus, strong membranes hold water in, keeping skin hydrated. Aim for: 2 tablespoons hulled seeds or 23 almonds daily

Dark orange, leafy green and red veggies

Beauty benefit: a fresh complexion
Eat-right evidence: Squash, sweet potatoes and spinach are full of the antioxidant beta-carotene. Your body converts it to vitamin A, which regulates cell production and turnover so skin's surface is smooth, says Valori Treloar, M.D., coauthor of The Clear Skin Diet(Cumberland House Publishing). Carotenoids may also decrease skin's sensitivity to sun. Aim for: three 1-cup servings a day

Fortified cereal, lean meat, poultry, oysters

Beauty benefit: a youthful glow
Eat-right evidence: You'll get zinc and iron, minerals key to skin functioning. Zinc contributes to cell production, plus natural cell sloughing, which keeps dullness at bay. Red blood cells need iron to carry oxygen to skin, helping give you a glow, says David Bank, M.D., a derm in Mount Kisco, New York. Aim for:1 serving of cereal (a cup), 1 palm-sized serving of meat or poultry or 3 oysters per day

Water

Beauty benefit: dewy skin
Eat-right evidence: Skin cells contain mostly water, and if you're dehydrated, skin will look and feel parched, too. But you needn't chug 8 cups a day; University of Pennsylvania researchers found no studies to back up the recommendation. Simply ward off dehydration—and dryness—by drinking when you're thirsty. Aim for: 6 cups a day. It's a good starting point.

Ways to Reduce body fat|Fat Removal|Weightloss

Here we are discussing some tips for reducing body fats. Our aim is to reduce 1 pound of body fat per week. For this what you do? . I recommend the following tips to decrease fat.  Avoid the food which contain the non saturated fatty acids such as oils ,ghee etc. always follow a low fat diet .eliminate diary products from your food .by doing this you can reduce great amount of fat  eat less amount of meat. decrease the food intake .which doesn’t means give up your favorite food.  If your are crazy with certain food , you should decrease the amount of consumption of that. Take fluid food every day which help you to reduce 10 pounds of fat in 4 weeks. include plenty of fruits and vegetables in your food. The food materials such as wheat bread, brown rice ,pasta etc are having low fat content. Do regular exercise. Before starting your body fat reduction plant first up all measure your body weight. Some weeks you do not feels a lose weight but  your body fat amount will reduce. Monitoring the fat content at your thighs and upper arms

Did Mona Lisa Suffer from High Cholesterol?

The beauty of Mona Lisa comes as much from what the subject is hiding as what she reveals. Who is she looking at? What triggered that famous smile? Is she even smiling at all?

Art historians have deduced in that singularly mysterious visage everything from a cross-dressing self-portrait of Leonardo da Vinci to the knowing glance of an unfaithful wife to the satisfied pride of a pregnant woman. Bob Dylan once even offered up a very 20th century American conclusion on the matter: "Mona Lisa must've had the highway blues."(See pictures of the Louvre in Paris.)

A Sicilian professor of pathological anatomy has come up with the latest and what is probably the least poetic explanation imaginable for why the woman looks the way she does: high cholesterol. Vito Franco of the University of Palermo has spent his spare time applying his medical expertise to the study of famous subjects of Renaissance artworks. And in the first formal collection of his findings, Franco has concluded that the woman whom Italians call "La Gioconda" suffered from xanthelasma, the accumulation of cholesterol just under the skin. Franco told the newspaper La Stampa this week that he spotted clear signs of the condition around Mona Lisa's left eye as well as evidence of a lipoma, a fatty-tissue tumor, on her right hand. Hardly a flattering diagnosis for one of history's most enchanting beauties.

But Franco, who presented his findings at a European congress on human pathology in Florence last fall, says his objective is not to bleed the lyricism out of art but rather to render the lives of the subjects more vivid. "Illness is part of the body, not a metaphysic or supernatural dimension," Franco told La Stampa. "And so in revealing their physicality, the people depicted expose their human vulnerability independently from our awareness of the authors of the work."(See the top 10 heists.)

Among the some 100 works he has studied, which include Egyptian sculptures and contemporary paintings, Franco is particularly fond of exploring those that depict ailments during the Renaissance. Among his conclusions: the Spanish child Margarita, in Diego Velázquez's Las Meninas, likely suffered from both a thyroid condition known as goiter and the genetic disorder linked to premature puberty, McCune-Albright syndrome. The unusually long, thin fingers of the young nobleman in Sandro Botticelli's Portrait of a Young Man, which is displayed at the National Gallery in Washington, indicates that the subject suffered from Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder of the connective tissue. The professor even performed a checkup on the master of the masters, Michelangelo, who is depicted in the foreground of Raphael's The School of Athens with swollen knees, which Franco says were likely caused by kidney stones.

Luisa Dolza, a Paris-based historian of science, doesn't see much new ground being broken by Franco, in either the study of art or medicine. Still, she acknowledges that the project is useful for making the public aware of what was happening during the Renaissance, when the great minds threw themselves into different fields in the pursuit of truth and beauty. "Something new was happening then, where if the wife of the emperor was ugly, she was depicted as ugly. This was no Photoshop," says Dolza, an expert in Renaissance-era technology. "These painters, Leonardo and Michelangelo, studied anatomy and illnesses. They loved to represent humans with all their faults."(Read "How a 'New' da Vinci Was Discovered.")

As for Mona Lisa, that enigmatic face will keep prompting new theories from its admirers. Over the past decade, American neurological researchers have suggested that her seemingly disappearing smile is an effect caused by the way the brain processes certain elements of light. There is another possibility that may be hard to disprove: La Gioconda's face is itself a mirror on which the story of our own lives is reflected. Does it make you smile? Sort of.

Woman Beauty Trends: Hair Conditioner

Hair Conditioner
There many factors influencing the way our hair looks,vitamins for hair growthamong them regular taking care of our hair and conditioning. Hairs are considered to be skin appendages, as well as nails, sebaceous and sweat glands. A grown up man has got approximately 5 million hairs altogether. There are about 100 000 hairs of the scalp and their thickness goes from 40 to 800 per cm2.vitamins nutrition supplements There are different types of hair, i.e.: lanugo, or downy hair, and the hair of a grown up person.vitamins for skin
How is our hair built?
The hair root of an individual hair forms a tiny but long tunnel (called a follicle) which reaches into the lower layers of the skin. The hair is divided into a shaft: the portion growing above the skin and the hair roots anchored in inside the follicle. At the end of the tiny tunnel, there is a hair papilla.vitamins for weight loss The papilla is the centre of growth for the hair; it is where nutrients are taken up from the blood. Another part of the hair is its hair bulb which contains pigments. The content of the tubular hair determines its colour. The surface of the tubular structure is scale-like, covered with tiny plates. Each hair has got three layers: interior,vitamins and what they do cortical and hair shell.
Melanocyte, a pigment-producing cell in the hair determines their colour. The pigment that melanocytes make is called melanin. The major determinant of colour is not the number but rather the activity of the melanocytes.vitamins nutrition supplements Melanin production takes place in unique organelles (tiny structures within the cell) known as melanosomes. Darkly pigmented skin, hair and eyes have melanosomes that contain more melananin.
The hair is built in a tubular way and consists primarily of a substance called keratin. This is scleroproteid with the variety of amino acids which form polypeptide chains.vitaminshoppe In keratin there are such amino acids as: arginine, cystine, glycine, tyrosine, fenyloalanine, lysine,vitamins for skin and other amino acids.
How does the hair grow?
Hair does not contain nerves or blood, but instead is rooted in living skin, which is how a uniform structure is formed.vitamins for hair
Hair does not grow continuously. There are three phases of hair life. The transitory phase which lasts approximately 2 to 4 weeks, and a hair turns loose from the papilla and moves slowly upward in the hair follicle. During the resting phase,vitamins for hair which lasts from 2 to 4 months, hair has reached the sebaceous gland and is ready to fall out, thus making room for his successor. The growth phase is the phase during which hair sits firmly in the hair papilla and, dependent upon genetic factors, matures during its 2 to 7 years of growth,vitamins nutrition supplements becoming longer and longer. The majority of hair on a healthy grown up person’s scalp is in the growth phase while only 10% of hair is in the resting phase.
On the scalp 85% of hair should be in the growth phase.
The lifespan of hair on a head may vary from four to even twenty five years.vitamins nutrition supplements The hair may be 2 meters long then. This hair is also the quickest growing hair of a human body. The hair grows 0.35mm a day on average. The phase of growth of a man’s beard lasts approximately 40 weeks. The cycle of eyelashes’ growth varies from 3 to 5 months.vitamins nutrition supplements For babies, in their first half a year of life, the resting phase of hair cycle is much longer than for adults. Downy hairs are only a few centimetres long before they start falling out, which is quite normal. The physiological norm for the hair loss of an average person is about 100 hairs per twenty-four hours.vitamins nutrition supplements If we lose more, this may be a sign of some malfunctioning of our body. The state of hair is important in diagnosis of many diseases.
What can influence the condition of our hair?
There are numerous important factors which influence the state of our hair,vitamins nutrition supplements its thickness, the right growth, as well as its physiological composition and biochemical.
Nourishing elements
These are very important.vitamins nutrition supplements The way a person’s hair looks provides strong evidence on his malnutrition or/and under nourishment. It has been proved that after two weeks of following a non-protein diet, there are signs of disappearing of hair bulbs and thinning of the hair follicles.
Amino acids – are necessary to make the proper hair growth possible. While doing some experiments on animals,vitamins nutrition supplements it has been proved that the most dangerous is the deficiency of cystine. In turn, the deficiency of metionin causes dryness and brittleness of hair. The deficiency of tryptophan causes alopecia, while the deficiency of cystein makes the hair lose the gloss.
vitamins nutrition supplements
Carbohydrates – give hair the proper amount of energy which is important for hair metabolism. It is because hair in follicles is one of the fastest growing parts of human body.
Vitamins – Hair is very sensitive to the deficits of all vitamins but in particular to the deficiency of Vitamin A. Avitaminosis / hypovitaminosis A may cause particular ocular and dermal changes. The most important ocular changes are: the night blindness and changes of cornea.vitamins nutrition supplements As for the dermal changes we may find one called hyperkeratosis. The hair of a sick person becomes weak, dry and brittle.
Microelements – The deficiency of microelements has got a great impact on the hair growth. The most important microelements are: zinc,vitamins nutrition supplements iron and copper.
The deficiency of zinc may cause, among many others symptoms, hyperkeratosis of skin and hair loss. The 24-hour requirement for zinc is 2mg.vitamins nutrition supplements This element is very difficult to assimilate. This means that only 1/6 part of zinc brought with food gets assimilated by our body. Zinc also is easily extracted with faeces, urine and sweat. Therefore even if the amount of zinc (10-15mg) in our diet is sufficient in the majority of cases, sometimes there are cases of deficiency of this element in our country.vitamins nutrition supplements
The deficiency of copper may lead to some structural changes and discolouration. Pathological changes in hairs in so-called Menkes complex, which is genetically conditioned defect of transportation of copper in the alimentary tract, are good examples of such changes.
vitamins nutrition supplements
The deficiency of iron may cause the alopecia. The example of such a state is sideropenia, which causes an extensive alopecia of women.
In many cases microelements get inside hair through the blood, firstly into its bulb and then into its root and further.vitamins nutrition supplements Arsenic and selenium are examples of such microelements. Other elements can also get inside hair through the keratin, for example lead. Lead remains mainly on the outer parts of hair, though. Intoxication with lead,vitamins nutrition supplements arsenic and selenium may also cause alopecia.
Hormonal agents
They have very a strong impact on hair growth. The example of such may be the activity of testosterone, one of the androgenic hormones.vitamins nutrition supplements Androgens stimulate the growth of hair but the head whereas on the scalp, androgens remain responsible for the male type of alopecia. Alopecia is genetically conditioned. When a man reaches his sexual maturity, testosterone causes thinning of hair on his head in specific places. Hair bulb starts disappearing.vitamins nutrition supplements
Stress
It has got an enormous effect on the way our hair look. It may cause the extensiveness of hair loss and development of alopecia.
Natural adornment
vitamins nutrition supplements
Hair protects from the destructive thermal factors and UVA/UVB. However, its active role is not very important, which is quite the reverse to the psychosocial importance of hair in human life. It is because hair is the natural adornment of man. Its appearance has got a huge impact not only on our general feeling but also on our relations with other people.vitamins nutrition supplements
We need to remember that taking care of our hair by using chemical preparation, we should also provide our body with appropriate nutrition and balanced diet because this is the best way we can take care of our health.
If our hair tends to fall out, the reasons for this should be traced in the dysfunction of inner organs,vitamins nutrition supplements e.g. any kind of hormonal disorder or food deficiency. In some cases, after consulting a doctor first, we can use special vitamin or microelement preparation as a supplement of our diet.vitamins nutrition supplements
It is very important to notice that examining our hair, in many cases may help us to put the diagnosis about the general health condition of our body.
Examining of hair
Owing to different scientific methods we are able to find out the degree of hair loss,vitamins nutrition supplements as well as to check the hair shaft under the electron or light microscope and to examine the state of a hair root, which enables to calculate the percentage of hair growth, involution and rest phases.
Absorptive spectrophotometry defines the amount of microelements (e.g.vitamins nutrition supplements Mg, Zn, Fe) in human hair which allows to discover the deficiency of metals necessary for the hair growth and defines the level of the body poisoning, for instance by lead. WHO and International Agency for the Protection of Environment have chosen human hair as a distinctive element to evaluate the influence of toxic substances on living organisms.

Tips On Reducing A Belly Fat

The best way to get rid of a stubborn abdominal fat is by executing exercises that influence the whole body. These are workouts that force a lot more of your body to adjust your abdominal muscles. Examples of these are dead lifts, mountain climbers, running, cycling and many others. By performing these exercises you can reduce the stock of abdominal fat you have for a long period of time. Carefully combining different types of such exercises you can optimize your fat loss plan.

If you really want to know how to burn off belly fat and a heap of extra weight in the process; these four simple steps will explain you exactly what to do to reduce a stubborn belly fat and to loose extra kilograms.

The first step is a wholesome and healthy diet plan in how to burn off this stomach fat, as there is absolutely no good in constantly consuming food that is crammed with extra calories, sugar and fats that actually do not have any real nutritional benefit anywhere to be seen. It is better to choose fruit and vegetables, lean meats as well as low fat crabs, fish and dairy.

Be steadfast with your efforts as there is no any good in eating a proper, low caloric diet one day and then binging out on the next. Similarly, always emphasize your exercise routine and do regular exercises for not less than thirty minutes. In such a way you will get far better results than from not regular bur over intensive training of 90 minutes one day. The training schedule is obligatory to be intensive and regular.

Cardiovascular training is of vital importance if you want to reduce that abdominal fat and turn it into muscles. The main reason why most people fail is because they do not stick to a cardio work out for as long as it necessary for obtaining good results. Turning belly fat into muscles takes some time and of course patience; but it will no doubt happen if you just keep to the plan. That can take more than one or two weeks!

Weight training is one more secret of how to burn off ab fat as it’s the combined effect of all four steps. Crunches, sit ups and squats are both simple weight training routine that will shift stomach fat as long as you stick to the schedule of diet, persistence, cardio and weight training together.

Summing everything up, I advise you to stop wasting your time on exercises as crunches, and throw away all these abdominal exercise equipment you purchased from TV commercials. Exercise your entire body and eat healthy food and you will be able to obtain a six pack abdominals you are dreaming about.

Really want to have flat “abdominals”? Then time has come to learn more about abs workout.

Of course, abs workout are not some sort of silver bullet against all problems, but if you approach abs workout properly – then it will help you for sure.

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Due to this if you are properly armed with the information in your topic you can rest assured that you will in any case find the way out from any bad situation. So, please make sure to visit this web site on a regular basis or – the easiest way to take care of it – sign up to its RSS. Thus you will have your hand on the pulse of the latest informational updates here. Blogs can be helpful, you just need to know how to use it.

Ban those dark circles!

- Remember that when you dehydrate your body, it shows on your skin. Drink at least eight to 10 glasses of water everyday.

- They don’t call it beauty sleep for nothing. Make sure that you get adequate sleep for a minimum seven to eight hours of sleep daily.

- Follow a diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables — junk and processed foods have artificial colours that are not exactly great for your skin. Fresh fruit juices also cleanse your body and reduce dark circles.

- Excessive smoking and drinking also cause dark circles, cut down on these habits.

- If you’re under a lot of stress, it’ll show on your face. Opt for breathing exercises or meditation.

- Herbal tea bags are great for your eyes as well as remove dark circles.

- A great home remedy to get rid of dark circles is to apply a paste of haldi and pineapple juice under your eyes.

- Massaging almond oil under your eyes is among the best ways to remove dark circles. Do it daily for about 15 to 20 minutes and you’ll get to see quick results.

- Another effective remedy is to make a paste of equal amounts of lemon juice and tomato juice and apply it under your eyes for a few minutes.

- Have some rose water at home? Dab it with cotton to your eyes and bid adieu to dark circles.

- Pudina juice is another effective remedy because it cools your eyes as well as gets rid of dark circles.

Beauty Secrets – Essential Tips For Young Looking Skin

We all want to look our best…who doesn’t want to have young, vibrant skin? So what is the secret to creating a healthy, radiant glow? Skin care is essential, of course, but so is a healthy body. Beauty really does begin within. In addition to proper skin care, attention to your overall health and well-being is crucial.

No matter your age or skin type, your beauty can shine through. Simply follow the skin-enhancing steps below. Begin by protecting your skin with a consistent, daily routine…

Essential Skin Care Tips:

Practice safe sunning. Yes, a few minutes of unprotected sun exposure is a good source of vitamin D… yet too much is aging and damaging to skin. Shield your skin with sunscreen and protective clothing. And avoid the sun’s rays when they are strongest. This is usually between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Nothing spells wrinkles like years in the sun!

* Don’t smoke. Sure, everyone knows that smoking is bad for health. But the fact that it causes wrinkles is not so well publicized. The factors by which smoking damages skin include decreased oxygen, narrowed blood vessels, and damage to the elastic fibers that keep skin tight. The result? Sagging skin and lots of wrinkles!

* Avoid toxic chemicals in skin care products. Choose safe, all natural skin care. Natural products are gentle, promote healthy skin, and are kind to your body.

* Treat your own skin as you would a baby’s. Use a mild, natural cleanser and warm water. Gently massage your face with fingertips and pat dry with a soft towel. Most skin types need daily moisturizing. Follow washing with an application of natural moisturizer on all but oily, acne-prone skin.

Beauty is tied to your overall health. As a visible organ, skin is a mirror of general well-being. Encourage optimum health by taking a holistic approach. Proper care of each facet of health – mind, body, and spirit – will ensure you look and feel your best

Healthy Skin Care

Drink 8-10 glasses of water each day. Adequate hydration Water is critical for the body and skin, helping to create young looking skin.

* Eat a healthy, balanced diet. Enjoy lots of luscious fruits and tasty vegetables. Choose produce in a rainbow of colors. Include a variety of whole grains. Choose low-fat protein sources such as chicken or fish. Two to three servings per week of cold water fish such as salmon, herring, and mackerel will provide skin-healthy Omega3 fatty acids.

* Get 7-8 hours of uninterrupted beauty rest each night. Yes, this is hard with today’s hectic schedules… but a lack of sleep will show on your face.

* Exercise for 30 minutes most days of the week. Choosing an activity you enjoy is the secret to consistent exercise.

* Manage stress by making time for fun and relaxation. Joy and happiness lead to a youthful appearance.

Your skin deserves exceptional care. Make healthy skin care a priority. When you care for your body inside and out, you enhance your beauty as you promote young looking skin. Follow the tips above. Then be prepared for “wow, you look great” compliments!

How did Cleopatra maintain her youthful appearance? Discover this ancient beauty secret at dead sea bath salt. Find more beauty and skin care tips at http://www.naturalskincaresecrets.com.