It’s that word again – Superfood! We are talking about beauty foods that make us feel and look good too. They are nutrients dense that provides the impetus for your body cells to repair, nourish and renew. Rich in organic minerals and phytochemicals, they offer the best in strengthening the body immune systems against illnesses and ageing. Superfoods are also high in ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity) levels and work like natural medicine against aging and promoting longevity. Here are 8 of my favorites:

1. Goji Berries – a complete protein source and has one of the highest ORAC levels. It is superbly rich in antioxidants and minerals and vitamins. Goji berries helps to promote production of human growth hormone, necessary to keep you immortal looking.

2. Blueberries- great tasting not too sweet nor too sour, these little fruits are bursting with nutrients including Vitamin C and have a high antioxidant capability to destroy free radicals that cause skin ageing. The anthocyanidins found in blueberries helps in maintaining body collagen integrity and keep you looking good.

3. Dark Chocolate –it has a high ORAC of 13,120. Dark chocolate (at least 60-65% cocoa) contains about 8 times more antioxidants than strawberries. Flavonoids called catechins found in dark chocolate help keep your heart and mental faculty in good order. Chocolate is also rich in a beauty mineral, sulphur that is necessary for supple skin and lustrous hair and strong nails. Beware of sugar in dark chocolate though.

4. Walnuts- thought of as a brain food due to high content of omega fatty acids. Melatonin, a hormone substance with antioxidant activity is also available in walnuts, making them the perfect food for a good night’s sleep. Another antioxidant compound called ellagic acid, blocks the metabolic pathways that can lead to cancer.

5. Papaya- Papayas are an excellent source of vitamin C as well as a very good source of vitamin E and beta-carotene, and some very powerful antioxidants. The enzymes contained in papaya are helpful in reducing body inflammation and building a healthy immune function against infections, colds and flu. Papaya’s fibers keep your colon healthy too.

6. Yogurt – a beauty food with its live probiotics that are so essential for a healthy bowel system. Choose organic yogurt for the best calcium content. Eating yogurt prevents candida and other fungal infections. Top your daily cup of yogurt with a handful of walnuts, rich melted dark chocolate and some frozen blueberries or dried goji berries for a quick, highly nutritious snack.

7. Chlorella- truly a perfect food with complete protein and containing all the B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, and other healing nutrients. A natural detoxifier of heavy metals and it will help guard you against most degenerative diseases. Chlorella has one of the highest forms of chlorophyll – the green blood of all plants is also the blood for the human body cells.

8. Broccoli – another of nature’s superfood. Vitamin A found in broccoli helps supports healthy cell growth to prevent dry, tough and scaly skin.  The rich sulforaphane, a phytochemical compound available in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli is anti-cancer and anti-carcinogenic and studies have shown to be effective against breast cancer, so women folks take note!

There you have it. Stay healthy by eating healthier!

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Vitamins and natural skin care goes hand in hand. Our body needs the vital nutrients for many physiological functions so as to keep us alive and well. These days, some vitamins are also used topically as they have found its way commercially in your beauty jar. They are food for your skin and the beneficial vitamins are noted for its anti-aging effects. I shall mention 3 such vitamins that are your ace vitamins for beautiful skin.
Vitamin A in the form of retinoic acid, is the standard very often used in anti-aging skin care. It helps treats fine wrinkles, age spots, and rough skin caused by sun exposure. Researchers from the Skin Research Institute in Korea as appears in the Journal of Dermatological Science, discovered that treatment with retinoic acid restored the elastic fibers that keep skin taut, and prevent wrinkles formation. A caution though, retinoic acid can cause side effects such as redness and peeling, if you over-apply it too much. Start with a little on the back of your palm (test for any redness) before applying a pea little size amount on your face just before you go to bed.
Another friendly vitamin is ascorbic acid or Vitamin C. It’s your natural free radical scavenger to prevent wrinkling and sagging. The nutrient is collagen (protein fibers) building. Thus your skin stays firm and resilient-looking. In another study, women with sun-damaged skin were treated with Vitamin C cream for about 6 months saw their fine lines and skin discolorations improved significantly. Apply a fine layer of the nutrient contained cream before your sunscreen will help to alleviate dryness, and photoaging effects. For papaya lovers, there’s a way to use papaya peels as it contains vitamin C too. Rub the peels gently on your skin before rinsing off can give you a glowing effect on your skin.

Your next friend is Vitamin E that helps to slow the formation of wrinkles by neutralizing free radicals. Often found in sunscreens products, this nutrient is effective against the ultra violet rays that can cause inflammation and damaged skin cells that lead to skin cancer. It goes by the scientific name dl-alpha-tocopherol, vitamin E is your anti-aging aid both used topically and consumed internally.  It works by activating the skin’s natural repair mechanism to inhibit further damage on the skin.
While these vitamins when applied topically are no magic formula to give you instanteous results of 20 or more years younger, you can help your skin by taking the right steps. My emphasis has always to do with protecting your skin from the sun and adopting a healthy dietary lifestyle including all vitamins and minerals in your diet, get sufficient sleep and proper exercise.
The role of vitamins (Vitamin K and B3 included) in skin health whether taken topically or through our diet are well established by experts worldwide for the therapeutic and antioxidant roles. Your skin is a reflection of your lifestyle – what good habits that you have and not have are displayed through the skin.

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When we talk about personal care, we know what’s good for the skin, beauty and health. The billions of money poured into research and development to improve our age, looks or health are indeed mind-boggling. As a result we may at times lose focus of the environment, just to meet our own needs. We need to think green, think nature as the way forward for our future and our children’s future too.

Going green starts within us – we can choose to do it. Here’s 3 simple ways you can start your nature journey:

Use organic skin care

Make sure that you are buying certified organic products which usually come with a label that says so. Using products that are healthy for the environment also means that you don’t have to worry about the toxic ingredients that can do more harm to your body. On the personal care level, use natural toothpaste made of simple herbs free from fluoride and lauryl sulfate, substances that are recognized as toxic chemicals. Be aware of deodorants or skin care products that contain aluminum or parabens that can seep into the body tissues and develop into health complications. Avoid artificial fragrances that contain phthalates, instead use essential plant oils.

Buy organic food

When you buy organics, you are eating the best food. Food that is grown the ecological balance way, free from synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Not forgetting the lands, water and air that are being protected from pollution and the wildlife that are allowed to thrive. The nutritional contents found in organic food far outweigh the higher costs you pay for these organically grown greens. Even meat that comes from grass-fed cows and free-range poultry raised in ways that support healthy people and a healthy planet.

Be on a go

Walk or use the LRT or any form of public transport if it is not too inconvenient to get to the destination you’d want instead of being dependent on your car. This can be good to your overall health whilst saving money. Participate in Go Green or Earth Day events to learn how to help Mother Nature.

Next when you go groceries shopping, give plastics bags the boot. It seemed daunting at first, but it may come surprisingly easy to accept the idea of bringing your own canvas bags.  Better than buying one, you can sew one from some old cotton wear that is no longer in use. Sea animals are dying from the ingestion of plastic trash that you and I used that has ended up in the water instead of a landfill. Always see if there are items that can be recycled, even your beauty package products, before dumping.

In doing your small bit, you are one of those people who care for the environment as well as the people around us.  As the environment improves and that means you’ll reap longer and better overall health.

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Stress is everywhere and anywhere. The deadlines, commitments and demands revolving around our life as a boss, as an employee, student, mother, wife, sister and friend can take a lot out of us. Stress is not completely bad because it helps to keep us in check to reach our goals and direction. In today fast pace lifestyle, stress is always a dreadful feeling. It gets shown in the face, in the eyes, the skin and your health, of course. You can’t eliminate them completely but you can manage it very efficiently.

Here are some simple de-stressed healthy beauty tips that I find works well for me:

Take a nap

Beauty sleep is good to keep your mind off the stress even if it means not focusing on a certain project.

Take a healthy walk

Go out and take a walk with your pet and feel the natural air and beauty around your house or neighborhood. Speak to your pet or find someone to chat.

Wear a beauty smile

Your facial expression counts when you are feeling stressed. SMILE even if it’s hard at times but this may well help to prevent your fine lines from turning to frown lines.

Watch a funny show

Who knows, you may have some good laugh after all. Laughter, along with an active sense of humor, may help protect you against a heart attack, that’s according to a recent study conducted at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore.

Relax, relax

Learn to stop for a while and think about beauty. Something positive that makes you feel good about - your beautiful children or boyfriend or spouse.

Visit a beauty spa

Most beauty salons are well equipped to nurture and pamper your skin and body. Go for some rejuvenated facial or body massage and you’ll never regret.

Remember each time you are feeling stressed, approach each problem in a calm manner or apply any of the above tips. It’s that easy after all.  Enjoy!

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Take a careful look at yourself. See some fine lines. A few strands of white hair. It’s just part of the ageing process. We can’t stop it, right. But look again the amount of anti-ageing products, beauty products, supplements and solutions ever available around you, surely you have a say as to how well you want to be and to look. 

The type and amount of care and attention you gave yourself will soon become clear through the skin, your hair and your health. We can’t stop the toxins from air pollution, water we drink or the genetically modified or pesticides grown food. But we can help ourselves if we care deep enough. Don’t blame your genetic predisposition. The amount of stress that we put on our bodies – no wonder we are stricken with lifestyle diseases much sooner than our ancestors. As we age, our bodies are constantly bombarded with all sorts of prescription drugs and the food we eat doesn’t help either. We love the finest food but we have forgotten if they are indeed the best for our physiological needs. We eat to please our taste buds and our family members, our friends. We love too much to say no. In case you have overlooked, you bear your own life – your health.

Never mind just once. You’d say to yourself. I’ll not do it again. Comforting words you gave yourself. Life is too short. I’d not miss this one. If this is you, think again. A few sensible thoughts and steps to take, will go towards helping yourself to a more healthful you.  Here are some basic steps to get you started in the right direction:

If you smoke, stop it because you’ll age faster than you speak. The free radicals that your body produces will surely make you look haggard, older than your real age.

If you love junk food, know junk food can only make you ill in a matter of weeks, days or even hours. Nutritious food is what your body demands - nothing less. Green leafy vegetables and fruits that come directly from the soil are the best that Nature had provided. They are healing foods because they help in toxins removal.

If you’re highly stressed, it’s time to think ‘relax’ and go easy. Go on a holiday and reflect on the better things in life. Take up exercise yoga or go dancing. Don’t let the cortisol hormone get the hold of you.

If you sleep less than 8 hours per day, you should sit up and listen. Sleep at least 8 hours of uninterrupted beauty sleep in the night. Your skin needs renewal and rejuvenation.

If you’re not drinking enough, make sure that you consume at least 8 glasses of pure clean drinking water. Hydration is a must for clear good skin.

If you need insurance for your nutritional needs, take a natural food supplement for goodness sake. Boost up your intake of antioxidant vitamins from Vitamin A to E and get sufficient essential micro minerals too.

Lastly, always choose a safe, natural skin care product suitable for you skin.

It is the little effort that brings lasting results. The hidden beauty is within you to unravel.

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