Most of us have seen these food labels “all natural”, “organic” and “whole wheat.” It’s so important to be able to read and know what the labels really mean. Firstly the labels are provided to help you keep tap of the grams of fat, protein and carbohydrates, or calories it contained in a serving plus how many servings are in one pack of food.

Let’s start with the  “all natural” word. Means nothing much really except that you can skip them. Fruits juice are natural, so are cane sugar and sucrose. But are they nutritious or any nutrients left in these all natural food.

Organic is a good thing because at least it can mean that the ingredients are derived and grown away from the usage of pesticides and herbicides. But the problem is that it’s not hundred per cent pesticide-free, as some ingredients may become contaminated with pesticides or the toxic environments during handling or processing.

Whole Wheat are wholegrains that come with bran and the germ from which most nutrients are derived from. Many manufacturers put a pinch of whole-wheat flour into a mix of mostly white flour, to earn the “whole grain label” and a consumer may think she’s getting something healthy. Unless it reads as 100% whole grain, it isn’t so as a good percentage consists of white flour.

What ‘s this wheat flour just in case you thought it’s whole wheat.  Wheat flour is flour derived from wheat.  You can’t find white flour on a label. Instead, it says “wheat flour” or “enriched wheat flour.” This is a highly processed, empty nutrients food that leads to many health problems in this modern generation. Some wheat crackers have white flour as the main ingredient. Even the good organic cookies or organic cereals are made mostly from white flour and white sugar. Another is brown bread that looks like wholegrain or whole wheat but their glycemic index is just as high as white bread. Brown bread can’t be whole wheat bread.

The next time you go shopping when you reach out for the all-natural wholegrain organic processed food, pay attention to the labels and read between the lines.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Most of us get it one-way or the other. That’s pigmentation. It’s just those darker spots and patches on the face and body.  What causes the pigmentation in the first place? Is it natural? Is it a sign of ill health?

The pigment cells under the epidermis layer starts producing melanin, a pigment that makes your skin appears as skin discoloration. There are many reasons for the skin discoloration. Some called it an aging process that’s always happening in the body. As age catches up, our hormones can malfunction too partly due to hereditary reasons or due to our very own lifestyle habits. Frequent exposure to the sun can also accelerate the production of melanin in our skin. Which is why experts never fail to recommend a good natural sunblock especially for the face.

Beneficial nutrients that can help in preventing pigmentation include the important vitamins A, B (B2, B5,B6, B9, B12), C, E and minerals such as  iron, zinc, selenium. Alpha-Lipoic acid is also helpful. Of course, there are many skin care products that claim to lighten the skin and reduce further production of the dark spots. Such topical application contain bleaching substances that can lighten the skin but if you are constantly expose to the UV rays, pigmentation will return, creating a darker appearance than before. One can also find whitening tablets that work within the body to inhibit the activity of melanocytes that produce the melanin in the epidermis layer. Just know what their real natural ingredients are before using them.

Before we look at natural remedies, let’s get into the facts of using bleaching substances first.  A report that appears on CNN (November 26, 2007) mentioned that a banned substance called hydroquinone is easily found in whitening creams, soaps and solutions sold in the United Kingdom. Experiments carried out on animals, did not rule out the hazards of hydroquinone as a potential cancer risk in humans though still legal in other countries.

This leads us to try some safer home remedies from your own kitchen to get rid of the pigmentation? Here are some suggestions that may be helpful.

Use of natural bleaching substances from organic fruits and vegetables makes good substitutes to reducing dark spots and pigmentation. Blend a ripe tomato with some lemon juice and apply on the affected areas is one simple remedy. Lemon juice has been shown beneficial in skin exfoliation to give you a lighter complexion. Cucumber, potato, parsley, and grapefruit juices are also means of harmless bleaching to improve and lighten skin. One caution though is not to overdo the application process and leave them on the skin for too long as it can result in dryness of the skin. 10 to 15 minutes each time is sufficient for it work to well on the skin. 

On last note to remember is that skin pigmentation is a natural process of the skin to protect itself against the UV rays that we are exposed to. One can’t eliminate this natural process but we should not forget the basics to stay healthy and well - eat right and live right.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Mineral oil is a common ingredient in our skin care products and cosmetics. It’s also found in our household products though widely used in the automotive industries.  What is mineral oil? Is it natural and safe?

Mineral oil is actually a refined transparent colorless substance processed from petroleum. We know that petroleum is indeed natural since it comes from the earth.

However, being natural does not make it safe. There are many plants and herbs that are toxic to the human body. They are undoubtedly pure and natural. Mineral oil has seen some beneficial health claims. For example, mineral oil is considered good for constipation relief. When consumed by the body, mineral oil works as a laxative to improve bowel movements for stools to pass through the intestine. It is also a common ingredient found in some antacids, eye care products, baby care lotion and petroleum jelly.

Let’s get to the facts as to why you should think twice about having mineral oil as part of your skin care products. Look at one study from Material Safety Data Sheet in 2008. The paper describes Mineral oil as hazardous. The potential health effects include irritation to the respiratory tract if inhaled or prolonged contact. If ingested, the material can cause serious diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Symptoms may include coughing, shortness of breath. Inhalation of mist or vapor may produce aspiration pneumonia.

Another MD report highlighted the risk factor if taken as laxative can cause serious lung disease in some people

On the extreme side, untreated and mildly treated mineral oil has been proven to cause cancer, as noted in another research report. There were suggestions that mineral oil interferes with the absorption of various nutrients especially fat-soluble vitamins.

If it is considered unsafe for our skin, why is mineral oil still being readily used in skin care products? First, being a byproduct, mineral oil is cheap and abundantly available. Secondly, mineral oil serves to keep the moisture within your skin to prevent dehydration. Think again, our body is already loaded with many toxins from the food, water and air. It makes sense to choose better alternatives for our skin and body, coconut oil for example.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Green Tea has been promoted as the healthiest tea for thousands of years. Modern science has started to play catch up.

Researches showed that green tea contained compound of polyphenols, called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and catechins. The substance is both an antioxidant (that protect you against free radicals) as well as anti-cancer.

In one clinical study trial that was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (August 2008), researchers gave a standardized form of EGCG to patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, a type of blood cancer that has excess of lymphocytes (a kind of white blood cell) . Ralph W Moss, PhD did a study involving 33 patients who were treated with EGCG with dosages from 400 mg to 2,000 mg, twice a day. The trial proved positive as one third of the patients experienced more than a 20 percent decrease in the number of lymphocytes in their blood. 11 out of 12 patients that previously had visibly swollen lymph nodes experienced a reduction of at least 50 percent in the size of these nodes within one month of treatment.

Green Tea has also been proven to protect against prostrate cancer as in two recent studies in Italy had shown. Out of the 62 men with a pre-cancerous prostate condition, half were given an extract of green tea daily. The other half was given a placebo. In the placebo group, 9 out of 30 men developed cancer. In the green tea group, however, only one out of 32 developed the disease. Another study found that those who consumed the most green tea were two-thirds less likely to develop prostate cancer.  It has the effect of slowing the progression of prostate cancer according to US journal Cancer Prevention Research study.

Green tea has been linked to a positive effect on a wide range of conditions, including heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.

Taking your green tea or an EGCG supplement is a good idea whether you have a health issue or not.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

The concept of beauty and health has always attracted the most interest among everyone. We are referring to vitality and vigor – the enjoyment of life richness. On the other hand, we fear sickness yet sometimes we don’t seem to care what our bodies are subjected to through the environment, water and food. It is not luck to be sick or healthy. The choices we made come with a price; a responsibility so the type of action we pursue to enjoy this freedom of choice will reflect back to us.

The body, mind and spirit are so interconnected that one can’t do without the other.  This is why the wellness concept becomes so important to us. We enjoy perfect health if the body, mind and spirit are in perfect harmony. The Lifeforce is what’s governing us. The universe we live in and our human body is also made of a universe on its own. The moment when any one of this element is out of key or alignment, we experience discomfort and pain and ignoring these signals very often lead to health issues that warrants emergency action. Let’s start with the body.

The body is the physical self that we are born with. It is made up of billions of living cells that requires continuous nourishment of the right kind for it to renew and rebuilds. You’d have heard of the saying, ‘what you eat is what you are’. This is quite true besides the genetic factor. Perhaps to amplify further, you are only as healthy as your weakest organ is.

The powerful mind controls the action that we take. Emotions and attitudes affect the body in turn affects the chemical messenger system to tell how your body internal system should function. Managing your stress levels becomes a top priority to a healthy mind body connection.

The spiritual aspect is fulfilled if we believe in our God – who teaches us to do good and spread the message of love and care for others. We need to keep our souls in tune with God and the world around us. In this festive season of gift and sharing, why not start the bit to spread some cheer for your fellow beings.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites