Fruity Beauty

Check out these natural ingredients.

* Mashed bananas make a nourishing facial mask

* Boiled mango leaves are great antiseptic

* A cup of apple juice in your bath promotes soft and clean skin

* Cucumber helps soothe and treat pimples

Source by: Shape Malaysia magazine

How Much do you know about fats?

I find this article very interesting and knowledgeable and thought of sharing it to everyone.

1)What is the purpose of fats?

• To release hormones that control metabolism
• Correct Answer: To release hormones that control metabolism

Fat is known to have two main purposes:
-Fat stores excess calories in a safe way so you can use them when you're hungry, and
-Fat releases hormones that control metabolism.

• 9 calories
• Correct Answer: 9 calories

2) How many calories are in a gram of fat?

The number of calories you need each day varies depending on your body size and activity levels. Someone who needs about 2,000 calories a day should eat no more than 65 grams of fat a day on average. To determine your ideal daily dietary fat intake:

1. Take the number of calories you eat each day and multiply it by 30 percent (.30). For example: 2,000 calories x .30 = 600 calories from fat.

2. Divide your answer by 9 because there are 9 calories in each gram of fat. This will give you the number of grams of fat per day that should be your upper limit goal. Here, it's: 600 / 9 = 65 grams.

A person who gets 2,000 calories per day ideally should not consume more than 65 grams of fat. Some researchers suggest that even 65 grams of fat in a 2,000 calorie diet is still too much fat.

3) Belly fat is worse than hip/thigh fats

Abdominal, or belly, fat is viewed as a bigger health risk than hip or thigh fat. It has a worse effect on insulin resistance, boosting the risk of diabetes, and a worse effect on the level of fats in the blood, boosting heart and stroke risks. Belly fat, or an apple-shaped body, is also most associated with heart disease and other diseases, such as metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. The bigger your waist, the higher your risk of developing heart failure, a condition where the heart isn’t pumping enough blood out and fluid begins to back up into the lungs and/or pool in the feet and legs

4) What is Brown fat?

-Brown fat = Baby fat

Brown adipose tissue (or brown fat) is a rapid source of energy for infants and forms about 5% of their body weight. It is brown because the cells in it are packed full of small cellular organs called mitochondria, which are energy factories, and it has a rich supply of blood vessels. Brown fat is virtually gone by adulthood.

5) The normal percentage of body fat for a women is: 25%-30%

the normal amount of body fat (expressed as a percentage of body weight) is between 25%-30% in women and 18%-23% in men. Women with over 30% body fat and men with over 23% body fat are considered obese.

6) One pound of fat = 3,500 calories

There are 3,500 calories in a pound of fat. You need to burn off 3,500 calories more than you take in to lose 1 pound. This translates into 500 calories per day to lose 1 pound in a week, or 1,000 calories per day to lose 2 pounds in a week. (1-2 pounds per week is generally considered to be a safe rate of weight loss). This can be achieved by eating fewer calories or using up more through physical activity. A combination of both is best.

7) Fats maintain healthy hair and skin

Believe it or not, healthy skin and hair are maintained by fat. Fat helps the body absorb and move the vitamins A, D, E, and K through the bloodstream.

8) What is hyperlipidemia?

-High fat in the blood

Hyperlipidemia describes high fat content in the blood. High blood cholesterol that runs in families, called familial hypercholesterolemia, is the most common inherited type of hyperlipidemia. It predisposes those who have it to premature hardening of the arteries including coronary artery disease with heart attacks at an unusually young age. About half of men and a third of women with these conditions suffer a heart attack by age 60.

9) When a product contains partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, what does the term "hydrogenated" mean?

Hydrogen was added to the oil
During this process called hydrogenation, hydrogen is added to vegetable oil. Hydrogenation turns a liquid fat such as vegetable oil into a semi-solid (harder), more shelf-stable fat, such as margarine. Most oils are only partially hydrogenated, which creates harmful trans fats that can raise cholesterol.

10) Why would food manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil?

• To increase the shelf life of processed food products
• To stabilize the flavor of processed food products
• Because hydrogenated oils are very inexpensive to produce

11) What is metabolism?

• Hormones and enzymes that convert food into fuel
• Biochemical processes of any living organism
• The buildup and breakdown of substances in the body

12) The more weight you carry, the faster your metabolism is likely running.
Surprised? It's true; the more weight you carry, the faster your metabolism is likely running. "The simple fact is that the extra weight causes your body to work harder just to sustain itself at rest, so in most instances, the metabolism is always running a bit faster," says Molly Kimball, RD, sports and lifestyle nutritionist at the Oscher's Clinic's Elmwood Fitness Center.

That's one reason it's almost always easier to lose weight at the start of a diet and harder later on. Kimball says: "When you are very overweight, your metabolism is already running so high that any small cut in calories will result in an immediate loss."

Source by: http://www.webmd.com/diet/

Dangerous ingredients that can harm your skin and health.

Ladies, you must read this! Do check on your skin care products label and ingredients to make sure it is safe. I read this on newspaper today and decided post it in my blog to share with others.

Findings:
- USA Environment Working group (EWG) had 7,500 beauty products tested and only 28 with safety stamp!!
- nearly 1/3 of the products contained ingredients classified as possible carcinogens (tend to cause cancer)
- those dangerous ingredients can expose to carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, neurotoxins, allergens, irritations, headache, nausea and even depression!

*The 'beware' list
1) Sodium Lauryl Sulfate & Sodium Laureth Sulfate
- used in almost 90% of all shampoo tested positive for eye damage, depression, laboured breathing and severe skin irritation when tested on animals.
2) Mineral Oil
-typically found in lipsticks, lotions, makeup removers & liquid foundations. It is actually crude oil derived from petroleum that coats the skin like a film, preventing pores from breathing.
3) Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA)
-Yes AHA is organic, hydrating and natural exfoliant but high percentage of this only removes dead skin cells and also natural protective layer. long term use can leave skin more susceptible to harmful UV rays.
4) Formalin
- found in nail polish, shampoos and skin creams. It is linked to asthma and cancer.
- also used in labs to preserve the dead bodies!!
5) Talc
- found in loose and pressed powders, blushes and baby powder. Talc is potentially hamrful ingredient when inhaled.
6) Collagen (the wonderful pumping effects)
- found in cosmetic creams and moisturisers and are actually extracted from animal skins
- it canot penetrate the pores and only clogs the pores and keep skin from functioning properly.
7) Lanolin
- a fat derived from wool which can cause irritations and rashes on the skin.
8) DEA, MEA and TEA
- found in shampoos, soaps and facial cleanser. The three are hormone-disrupting chemicals known to form cancer.
9) Fragrance
- many are carcinogenic or toxic and synthenic. Clinical observations shown that exposure to fragrance can affect the central nervous system causing depression, hyperactivity, irritability, inability to cope and even behaviourial changes.
10) Paraben
- used to prolong shelf life of products. regular use can result in allergic reactions
11) Benzaldehyde
- regular use can cause irritation to the mouth, throat, eyes, skin lungs, nausea and pain. Long term use can result in kidney damage.
12) Synthetic colours
- used many in lipstick, believed to be carcinogenic especially Blue 1, Green 3, Yellow 5,6 and Red 33. Many contain coal tar and even arsenic and lead.
13) Propylene Glycol
- found in beauty creams, cosmetics and cleansers
- can cause skin rashes, contact dermatitis, damage to kidney and liver.

What is BB cream?

What BB cream is actually?

BB cream is the hottest beauty products in the world right now.

Yesterday I just bought a Korean BB cream from a beauty center and tried on it. It gives a very smooth and natural looking and long lasting. I like it but after 2 hours I find it quite oily, so I did some research on BB cream online. I thought can share my research for those who are new or wish to try on BB cream but no ideas on which to choose.

Let me brief you on BB cream history:
Blemish balm cream known as BB cream was first created by German dermatologists, and is a treatment foundation cream for those who have undergone skin-peeling treatments (such as laser treatment). It was made popular by Korean celebrities.

BB cream serve as a makeup base, foundation, moisturizer and sun protections. Not only do they cover blemishes, they also have soothing, healing properties. Not all BB cream have all these functions,there are many types of BB cream some need to apply after moisturizer, some without the SPF or PA.

Benefits of BB cream:
- helps tighten pores and improve overall skin texture
- effectively controlling sebum production to give you oil shine-free skin.
- anti-aging and whitening effect
- save time as it is a skincare/healing product combined with make-up
- affordable and easy to use
- very light compared to foundation
- long lasting

I prefer natural or organic ingredient, so I recommend...
* Elianto Miracle Multiplex BB cream @RM49
* Skinfood BB cream: Oily skin - Aloe BB cream @ Rm54.90

Search for the ones that suitable for yourself, you might consider ...
1) the properties & ingredients such as moisturizing, sun protector, oil-free
2) the scent, some are fragrance free, some are scented

According to the beauty consultant BB cream is not really a skin care, she advises:
1) apply moisturizer and/or day cream ( sun protector) before BB cream although it comes with moisturizing or SPF
2) apply very light powder for longer lasting

Trust me, you will never regret.
Happy hunting, trying.. whatever.. ^_^

Natural DIY facial mask & makeup remover

Yo yo Yo! Check this out! Yes, I am sure most of you probably have heard of egg mask, cucumber eye mask, etc. Well, have you tried? It is really simple and easy!

If you bored of the simple mask, check the link below for advance DIY mask which requires more ingredients and steps to do. You can search for other DIY beauty tips.

http://www.essortment.com/lifestyle/diybeautyprodu_sict.htm

Check out the videos from the beauty Gurus from Youtube.









Enjoy!

You may post some comment if you tried these and wanna share.

Simple fruit juice

Hi everyone!

I can wait to share with you guys the recipes. Here are some of the simple fruit juice recipes that you can try. You may need to blend it, squeeze it and extract it. These recipes are really easy to prepare and the ingredients are easy to find. So, no excuse for a healthy lifestyle.

Here you go:

- Carrot + Ginger + Apple - Boosts and cleanses the system.

- Apple + Cucumber + Celery - Prevents cancer, reduces cholesterol, and allays upset stomachs and alleviates headaches.

- Tomato + Carrot + Apple - Improves the skin complexion and bad breath.

- Bitter gourd + Apple + Milk - Prevents bad breath and reduces internal body heat.

- Orange + Ginger + Cucumber - Improves Skin texture and moisture and reduces body heat.

- Pineapple + Apple + Watermelon - Dispels excess salt, nourishes the bladder and kidney.

- Apple + Cucumber + Kiwi - Improves skin complexion.

- Pear and Banana - Regulates sugar content.

- Carrot + Apple + Pear + Mango - Clears body heat, counteracts toxicity, decreases blood pressure and fights oxidization.

- Honeydew + Grape + Watermelon + Milk - Due to its rich vitamin C and B2 content, increases cell activity and strengthens body immunity.

- Papaya + Pineapple + Milk - Due to its rich vitamin C, E and Iron content, improves skin complexion and metabolism.

- Banana + Pineapple + Milk - Prevents constipation.

Vegetables and fruit juice (introduction)

Hi everybody!

Recently I am working out on losing weight in a healthy way with no starving, no pills and no crazy diet. I found a very interesting nutrition meal to fit into our diet which promotes healthy body. However, I am still in the midst of doing more research and testing on it. I bought a 'juices & smoothies' recipe book. I will share with you guys the recipes in my later post.

Our bodies need fresh foods. The human body doesn't deal well with the processed food that saturates our supermarkets these days. There is sufficient evidence that shows us that people can beat illness, fight cancers, lose weight, have better skin and hair are generally healthier if they eat a large variety of fruit and vegetables every day. With our busy lifestyles, it can be hard to fill our bodies with what they need.

Juices and smoothies offer a surprisingly varied way of getting our fill. An 250ml glass of juice or smoothie can be a way of getting 4 or 5 of our daily fruit or vegetable portions into out system.

First of all, I would like to give you some introduction on the benefits of fruit juices.
- improve digestion and energy production
- reduce risk of strokes or heart attacks
- improve hair and nail condition
- promotes growth of health normal metabolism and physical well-being
- prevent cancers

Shea Butter

Hey Ladies~~ Here's a thing that I would like to share to all of you. Ever heard of Shea butter? How well do you know about it? Recently, I bought a Shea body butter and I'm going crazy for it. Let me introduce you this nutritious ingredient.

What is Shea butter?
Shea butter is only found in the tropics of Africa and most of it comes from West Africa. However, East Africa produce more soft and smoother variety. It is extracted from the nuts of the Shea-karite tree by crushing and boiling. It contain irremovable fatty acid which its unique healing properties and it is far superior than cocoa butter and other vegetable butters.

Some call Shea butter "women's gold" because it is one of the few economic commodities women control in Sahelian Africa. Exclusive to the sub-Sahara, Shea butter use in cooking, as lamp oil, ointment, moisturizer and soap.

What are the benefits of Shea butter?
It can provide relief from everything from just dry skin to many minor dermatological disease.
Here are some of the benefits of Shea butter for the skin:

Daily skin moisturizer (face and body) Dry skin relief Dry scalp Skin rash- including diaper rash Skin peeling, after tanning Blemishes and wrinkles Itching skin due to dryness Sunburn Shaving cream to reduce razor irritation Small skin wounds Skin cracks Soften tough skin on feet (especially heels)

Stretch mark prevention during pregnancy Minor burns Eczema Sun and wind protection Even skin tone Reduce blemishes and scarring Eliminating scalp irritation from dryness or chemical processing Preventing bumps after shaving Reducing acne Absorbs quickly without leaving a greasy residue Helps restore elasticity to skin Restores luster to hair

Shea butter product
It can be found in body butter, body lotion, body balm, lip balm, face cleanser, etc.

Here are some products that you can get in Malaysia.



Loccitane - http://usa.loccitane.com/FO/Catalog/Catalog.aspx?cat=rg_SheaButter


The Body Shop - http://www.thebodyshop.com/_en/_ww/catalog/list.aspx?CategoryCode=C_BathBody_Shea&ParentCatCode=C_BathBody

Ahimsa

What is Ashima?

Ashima or non-violence has been venerated in Eastern philosophies and thinking through religious like Buddhism and Jainism. It has, in the last century , become a celebrated philosophy worldwide trough the heroic efforts of a man called Gandhi who galvanized the imagination of people worldwide with his singleminded adherence to the principle of non-violence as a principle tool in his struggle to secure India's freedom from British rule.

Applied in thoughts
Ashima can applied to our thoughts, words and deeds, particularly in our dealings with ourselves and the people in our lives. It all begins with our thoughts. If we take time to observe them, we will realize that some of the causes of violent thoughts (sometimes followed by violent action) are anger, greed and impatience. If we are cursing other people all time, thinking only ill of others, or constantly belittling ourselves, our minds will end up full of himsa or violence.
* So, it is only natural that words we speak and the actions that follow are of a similar predisposition.

Applied in attitude
It can also be applied in our attitudes towards our bodies, and in our yoga practice. This can be achieved by being less critical of ourselves and our ability to grasp the finer points of alignment and concept, and being more gentle with our bodies. However, we need to keep in mind our strengths and limitations, and work with them accordingly.

How to apply in our everyday life?
By having a clear understanding of our goals and where we stand, we will then be able to take the necessary steps to achieve them in a calm and focused manner.
By being:
* gentler and more patient with ourselves;
* learning to rein in our desires and work calmly towards our goals;
* harboring less attachment to expectations of others;
* extending kindness and compassion to all those who come our way,
we will be practicing ahsima as well!

Quotes

When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.
Helen Keller

The fact is, that to do anything in the world worth doing, we must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in and scramble through as well as we can.
Robert Cushing