Female Care

Olive Oil for Beauty

Article Poster — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 11:12:11 +0000

When it comes to beauty, sometimes nature knows best. Olive oil is one of the history’s most-used moisturizers, but just because it’s an ancient solution doesn’t mean it’s out-of-date. Olive oil has so many uses—and according to its fans, it works just as well as (or even better than) expensive products.

For skin, it’s possible to apply olive oil whenever needed for a smooth, dewy complexion. Adding a few drops of lavender essential oil is both aroma-therapeutic and soothing to skin. Also, as a preservative and to improve olive oil’s healthy effects, add Vitamin E: squeeze it from a vitamin capsule to get pure, undiluted Vitamin E benefits (Vitamin E from a bottle is usually not pure, as another oil is used as a carrier for the vitamin).

For a multipurpose overnight solution: Combine 1/2 cup olive oil, ¼ cup vinegar, and ¼ cup water. Wet face and apply solution. The vinegar lightens skin, acts as a disinfectant, and loosens dead cells; the olive oil moisturizes.

For hair, massage olive oil into scalp, wrap in a towel for half an hour, then shampoo as usual. This will leave your hair shiny, repair split ends, and ease dandruff problems.

If you experience dry, cracked nails and ragged cuticles, soak hands in olive oil. Not only does this moisturize the nails, but it will help heal dry, chapped skin on your hands.

Use instead of shaving cream for soft, silky legs!

Other facts about skin care with olive oil:

Japanese scientists believe that using olive oil after being exposed to the sun can protect against skin cancer.

The ancient Greeks used to bathe in olive oil.

Pure and Light olive oil has been processed, so it is best avoided for skin use. Instead, look for extra virgin olive oil—organic if possible!

One of the most basic items in your cupboard can be a practical ingredient to your beauty routine!

Treating Eczema The Natural Way

Article Poster — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 09:46:50 +0000

Eczema, also known as atonic dermatitis, is characterized by an inflammation of the skin, and it is accompanied by redness, swelling, crusting, oozing, scaling and itchiness.

A person’s susceptibility to eczema is thought to be genetic, and it is often associated with a family history of allergies, particularly allergies such as hay fever, and asthma. However, environmental issues and certain food can also trigger eczema. Eliminating those substances, however, does not always cause a remission of eczema.

Symptoms of eczema often appear in the first couple months of life, and they often present as moist red crusted lesions on the scalp, face, arms, legs and diaper area. Older children, teens and adults often have more localized and chronic forms of eczema, most often manifesting as redness around the elbow joint, under the knees, and also on the neck, wrists and eyelids.

Normally, eczema improves by the time the child is three or four, but often worsens again later in life, either during childhood, puberty or adulthood. Eczema causes a constant itching, rubbing and scratching of the skin, and bacterial infections often take hold in the exposed skin.

Some factors commonly thought to worsen the symptoms of eczema include:

Emotional stress
Certain fragrances
Temperature changes
Changes in humidity or high humidity
Dust mites
Upholstered furniture
Carpeting
Certain chemicals
Some fabric softeners
Wool clothing

Natural treatments for eczema include avoiding the environmental factors that trigger it, the use of antihistamines to relieve symptoms, UV radiation, corticosteroid creams, gels and ointments and psoralen. For particularly difficult cases, oral corticosteroids are sometimes used.

Dietary Considerations
Some researchers have seen improvement in patients who avoid foods to which they are sensitive, such as wheat, milk and dairy products, shellfish, citrus fruits, peanuts and corn. In addition, some food preservatives have been shown to worsen symptoms in some patients, and avoiding those preservatives can often lessen the severity of eczema.

In addition, flaxseed oil has been shown to reduce eczema in some people. In addition, flaxseed oil is a good source of essential fats, and this can help to reduce the appearance of inflammation. A normal dose of flaxseed oil is one tablespoon per day.

Herbs, Vitamins And Nutritional Supplements

Gamma linolenic acid, or GLA, is an omega-6 essential fatty acid typically found in evening primrose oil. GLA has been shown to lessen the symptoms of eczema, and it is widely used throughout Europe as an eczema treatment. A typical dose of GLA is 2 to 4 grams per day, and it is normally taken along with food. It can take up to six months to see results with GLA treatment.

In addition, zinc supplements are thought to be effective in treating eczema. It is important not to exceed 30 mg per day when supplementing with zinc, since too much zinc can cause a copper deficiency.

Herbs thought to cleanse the skin and clear skin rashes include yellow dock, burdock, cleavers, nettle and red clover. These herbs are often good at healing the skin and lessening the appearance of eczema. Yellow dock is particularly effective at treating common skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

Topical Applications For Eczema

Application of zinc oxide directly to the skin can help relieve itchiness and therefore prevent secondary bacterial infections resulting from scratched and broken skin. Evening primrose oil applied directly to cracked and sore skin can help promote healing.

Other herbs, such as chickweed, chamomile, calendula, St. John’s Wort and goldenseal can all be applied directly to the skin to help speed healing of dry, cracked or painful skin. In addition, many preparations containing these herbs are available to treat eczema. You can find them at your local health food store and on the Internet as well.

Amazing Avocadoes

Article Poster — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 08:54:57 +0000

Tired skin? Hair that’s lost its shine? Then reach for an avocado!

The humble avocado pear is not only great to eat but can also be a valuable addition to your beauty regime. Rich in protein and polyunsaturated fat, and packed with 14 minerals and 11 vitamins, avocados really are the ideal natural ingredient for skin and hair rejuvenation.

If your hair or skin is in need of attention, and you don’t want to spend pounds on professional beauty treatments, making your own magic mix can be just as effective. So, reach for an avocado and try out these quick and easy recipes.

Cleansing avocado face mask

Remove the flesh of one avocado, place in a bowl and mash with a fork.
For dry skin add one teaspoon of honey, or for normal to oily skin add one teaspoon of lemon juice, and stir in well.
Apply to the face, taking care to avoid the eye area.
Leave on the face for 15 minutes then rinse off.

Night-time avocado moisturiser

Mash the flesh of one avocado and mix with one cup of warmed almond or olive oil.
Put the mixture in a container, cover it and place in a refrigerator.
Apply to skin at night, rubbing in thoroughly.
Leave on skin for 20 minutes, then wipe clean with a tissue or damp cloth.

Avocado hair conditioner

Mash the flesh of one avocado with two egg yolks.
Apply the mixture to wet hair and leave for 20 minutes.
Rinse off with warm water.

Bag of Tricks: Beauty and Style Tips for Women

Article Poster — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 08:44:23 +0000

Often, a few simple tricks are all it takes to walk out the front door looking and feeling great. From the right skin cleanse to the best way to accessorize, there are many ways to develop a look that is in keeping with your lifestyle. The following article discusses a myriad of tips and tricks regarding beauty and style.

Limp hair can be revived with a can of beer. Drench the hair with beer and then wash as usual for happier, fluffed-up tresses.

Using a wide-tooth comb to comb hair daily can help prevent split ends between haircuts.

Don’t worry about the size of the clothing when making a purchase. The key is that the garment is flattering and not too tight. It might boost the ego to squeeze into that size six, but if it shows any tell-tale problems than it is not the most fashionable route to take.

When bikini shopping, choose horizontal striped suits if you want a more curvy appearance. Low-rise bottoms can also achieve a more curved look.

When it comes to bras, the lacy or frilly examples may seem sexier than others, but seamless bras in a neutral color work best under clothes. Also, be sure to be fitted for a bra at least once a year in order to wear the right size.

Using lip liner and color sealer are the best ways to keep from wearing lipstick on your teeth. Recently a celebrity showed up on a prime-time talk show with red-tinged teeth. The lip liner and sealer are simple tricks that work for this dilemma.

Seaweed is great for skin. It helps reduce acne and blemishes. It also helps to tone the body.

A mud pack is one of the world’s oldest beauty treatments. Slather it on and it will cleanse, tone and deeply sooth your skin.

Rubbing problem areas after a shower with sea salt is a great therapy to combat cellulite.

Dry-looking hands can be rejuvenated with a dousing of olive oil. Apply extra virgin olive oil (go organic if possible) at night and wake up with smooth results.

Too sensitive to wax? Try the Middle Eastern technique of sugaring (finally, our bodies can benefit from the sweet stuff). Heat a mixture of sugar and water before applying it to the skin with a wooden spoon. Upon cooling to body temperature, remove quickly with a swatch of cotton gauze. Use on your face, legs, or bikini area.

Wrapping ice cubes in plastic wrap and applying to the skin can reduce the appearance of puffiness. Placing cucumber slices over the eyes for several minutes can also revive tired-looking eyes.

A woman with oily skin can benefit from applying oatmeal scrubs. The oatmeal absorbs oil and so may help prevent breakouts.

Keep a comb in the shower to comb the conditioner through the hair evenly. Be sure to completely rinse conditioners from the hair even if hair is extremely dry or even damaged.

When applying cosmetics, the key for natural-looking beauty is to erase any edges with blending. Blend foundation, blush and even eye-liner. Also, do not line the inner rims of eyes—it blocks tear glands.

Mascara should only be kept for three months. More than other cosmetics, mascara becomes unsanitary after a short period of time.

Kicking the cigarette habit can result in fewer wrinkles not to mention the many other health benefits.

Protect your pores by removing makeup at the end of everyday.

There’s usually no reason to apply foundation to the entire face. Often it can be used most effectively simply to cover a spot or two.

If you can’t afford a new set of makeup brushes, consider using Q-tips which work great to put it on or take it off.

Avoid over-accessorizing. One or two items will stand out better and keep you from appearing cluttered.

Although beauty and style tips abound and can be found in books and increasingly online, these are some tips that may come in handy.

Eating for Two: Tips for Adding More Fruits and Vegetables to Your Diet

Article Poster — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 06:55:16 +0000

Do pickles and ice cream count as a vegetable? If you’re pregnant, you’re likely to justify just about anything in the name of eating for two. You know you need to make more nutritious choices but it’s hard. As if dealing with morning sickness, food cravings and aversions and a list of safe and unsafe foods weren’t enough, old standards calling for five fruits and vegetables a day have recently been increased to between seven and nine servings.

Getting these extra servings in doesn’t need to be difficult. Here are a few tips to get started.

Breakfast – Add fresh fruit slices or a fistful of raisins, dried cranberries or dried blueberries to oatmeal or cereal. Make a smoothie using yogurt, orange juice and fresh or frozen fruit along with pureed carrots or zucchini and a touch of wheat germ. Freeze any leftover smoothie for a refreshing smoothie pop later in the day by pouring it in a cup and sticking a spoon or stick in the middle. In the place of maple syrup, use applesauce on pancakes and waffles. Drink your vegetables by stocking up on vegetable or tomato juice.

Snack – Baby carrots and fat-free ranch dressing make for an easy mid-morning snack. Berry flavored applesauce cups along with a disposable spoon are convenient to keep in your purse or car for a quick fruit serving on the go. Dip a few bananas in chocolate sauce and keep in the freezer for a decadent but potassium rich snack any time.

Lunch – Load up any sandwich with alfalfa sprouts, spinach leaves and tomato. Serve with a dill pickle or sliced cucumbers on the side along with split pea or tomato soup. Or make a bean tostada or burrito loaded with vegetables such as lettuce, onions, tomatoes and olives. Top with homemade salsa.

Appetizer – Supplement cheese and crackers with apple slices. Serve hummus or guacamole with pita wedges. Make a dipping sauce out of plain yogurt, mustard and curry powder and serve with artichoke leaves.

Dinner – Keep a baggie of shredded carrots or zucchini handy in the refrigerator and use in casseroles, meatloaf, hamburger patties and spaghetti sauce. Make your own sweet potato French fries. Load up salads with a variety of fresh and colorful produce. For a simple Caprese salad, serve baby spinach leaves with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and fresh basil. Coat vegetables in olive oil, sprinkle with cumin seeds and roast them in the oven instead of steaming or boiling.

Dessert – Enjoy the frozen smoothie pop from breakfast or serve frozen yogurt with fresh or frozen fruit. Make a zucchini or carrot cake. Top pancakes or crepes with strawberries and fat-free whipped cream.

These are just a few ideas to get you started. Head out to a farmers market and treat yourself to the freshest, most beautiful, produce in your area. Arrange your purchases in a lovely bowl on the kitchen table and help yourself to it anytime. You’ll feel good about yourself, start a healthier lifestyle, and, as an added bonus, you’ll fill up on the good stuff and avoid the junk.

Short Scar Facelifts: A Facelift Alternative

Article Poster — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 10:14:34 +0000

Facelifts are major surgery—especially the traditional kind, which give the face a pulled, unnatural look and produce un-concealable scarring. The cost can be prohibitive, the possible infections devastating, and the results can be spotted a mile away. However, there is an alternative, called the short scar facelift, which is less expensive, requires less downtime, results in a more natural look, and is safer.

Also known as s-lifts and minimal-incision facelifts, short scar facelifts are meant to minimize the scarring that occurs with other facelifts. What they do is reposition the soft tissue and the skin that has been affected by the aging process, rather than simply tightening the skin over the muscles. Relocating the layers of the face that have also been affected by gravity, facial expressions, and nature produces a more natural look that fits more closely with today’s ideas about beauty.

The most noticeable scar in a regular facelift is the one behind the ear, which has the tendency to broaden. Patients must wear their hair to disguise this scar. The incision of the short scar facelift follows the hairline and often stops in front of the ear. Scars on the face tend to heal less noticeably than scars behind the ear, allowing patients to style their hair however they want.

Short scar facelift do just what traditional facelifts are supposed to do: reduce the depth of nasal-labial folds, create a tighter jowl, lift the cheeks, and reduce under-eye folds. The face becomes less gaunt-looking, fuller, and the skin appears smoother. Unlike traditional facelifts, short scar facelifts do not produce a “stretched” look. However, as these facelifts do not address loose or sagging skin of the neck, they are usually preferred by or recommended to younger women, from 30-50 years of age.

Some women consider short scar facelifts to be just another part of beauty maintenance. It is not unheard of for patients to take a week off from work to get the surgery done and heal enough to return to the office.

Most short scar facelifts are performed in outpatient facilities under local anesthesia. Swelling and bruising may occur, but most patients are ready to show off their new look in 10-14 days.

Doctors say that the benefits of a short scar facelift continue as the patient ages. The loose skin and soft tissue that was repositioned means that you will still look years younger than you would have without having undergone the procedure. Another advantage to this “mini-lift” is the subtlety of the procedure—patients are often asked if they have changed their hair or gone on vacation; few people actually guess that they have undergone surgery. Perhaps most important, the short scar facelift is also safer, as there are fewer instances of post-operative bleeding and infection.

The short scar facelift may be a viable alternative to anyone considering plastic surgery to look younger. More doctors are prescribing them and performing them—and more patients are requesting them. The short scar facelift has revolutionized the world of plastic surgery!

How Natural Aromatherapy Oils Are Made

Article Poster — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 06:47:29 +0000

The term “essential oil” refers to any volatile fragrant liquid extracted from a botanical source. But the actual extraction methods vary and fall into 1 of these 4 categories:

Distillation
Expression
Enfleurage
Carbon Dioxide Extraction

Distillation of Essential Oils

Distillation of essential oils dates back to at least 3000 BC and today’s essential oils are produced using a distillation method that has remained virtually unchanged for the past 1100 years. Distillation simply involves heating a material until steam is produced then allowing the steam to re-condense in a separate chamber. After the re-condensed steam cools, the essential oils are simply skimmed off and bottled. Essential oils produced by distillation include lavender, mint, rosemary and tea tree.

Expression of Essential Oils

Essential oils like orange, lemon and lime are delicate oils that would be destroyed by the heat used in other extraction methods. Expression gives manufacturers a way to extract these oils without degradation or mutation. During expression, the cell walls of the fruit rinds are mechanically ruptured then the oil collected and bottled. Expression is used exclusively for citrus oils.

Enfleurage

Enfleurage (and its obsolete cousin, maceration) uses animal fat to collect delicate essential oils that can’t be harvested any other way. In this incredibly time-consuming method, botanicals (usually flowers) are placed in fat and allowed to sit for a period of time. The mixture is strained and the process repeated with fresh botanicals. After the desired level of concentration is achieved, the fragranced fat, now referred to as a pomade, is chemically separated from the essential oils with alcohol. The best known enfleurage is jasmine.

The newest technique for extracting pure essential oils involves carbon dioxide forced into a hypercritical state under pressure. The “naturalness” of this procedure is hotly debated among aromatherapists but it certainly has its advantages—including the fact that the resulting essential oils don’t experience any degradation or mutation. As the cost of this method drops, its usage will increase.

Spoil Mom-to-Be

Article Poster — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 06:52:58 +0000

Okay Mom-to-Be, who said you couldn’t still enjoy a luxurious spa like treatment at home? If you are experiencing any kind of discomfort, this would be the ideal time to relieve some stress. Do you have aching muscles or just feel like you need a little lift? The doctor needs to order a spoil-yourself- treatment. There’s no room for guilt. Who said being a mom meant no more spoiling just for you? Besides the feel good hormones that will run through your body from pampering are perfect to ensure a healthy happy baby. In order to have the benefit of happy hormones, you need to spoil yourself more than just once.

Your body now more than ever needs the perfect skin treatment. Your skin is stretching and it is important to moisturize, moisturize, and moisturize some more. A yummy selection of body butters, scrubs, and foot and hand creams that smell so good you’ll want to eat them, are at your fingertips. But remember this is only for your skin, not your tummy. Hey, have fun with it and have berries, bananas, or other fruits to match the indulgent fragrances.

If you are at the end of the fabulous nine months packing that cute hospital bag, don’t forget to get one of those gift sets. Just between us, tell your husband you’d like a treat and let him surprise you at the hospital after the birth of your child. Get one of those cute bath sets. It would be perfect. It would be an ideal token to get one with a couple of towels so you can have one embroidered with the name of the baby and when it was born.

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Creative Baby Shower Crafts

Article Poster — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 06:31:07 +0000

Baby shower crafts are usually tied somehow to the theme of the party, which can be anything from storks to ducks to stars to teddy bears. Before deciding on what kind of baby shower crafts you would like to ask guests to bring to the party, decide on a theme and a color scheme for the event. If you are on a budget, at the very least decorate the party area with a banner that welcomes the mom. Featuring her picture in a prominent place is also a complimentary and flattering practice that makes her feel loved and appreciated by her friends.

Baby shower crafts are well suited to beading projects. A unique way to identify guests at a party would be to create baby necklaces, similar to the kind that are worn by babies at the hospital. These kinds of beads, which have letters on them, can be purchased at a supply store. The idea is that the necklace boasts the name of the guest and is worn during the party. Baby beads can be purchased at most bead and craft supply stores. Sometimes you can also get beads that are shaped like small toy building blocks. These building block beads suit showers that have an “ABC” or alphabet theme.

Party favors are often home made so they are also considered to be baby shower crafts. The easiest party favors are constructed out of blue or pink tulle or netting that is filled with tiny baby bottles, Hershey’s kisses, safety pins hung with good luck charms or other kinds of candies. Gummy bears tied with a pink or blue net make a nice party favor for guests to take home. Gummy bears can also be used to decorate a cake. A more elaborate baby shower craft that makes a great take home gift is an image of a teddy bear that has been inserted inside a plastic snow-shaker ornament. These empty snow-shaker ornaments can be purchased at craft stores.

Suitable baby shower crafts for a nursery rhyme themed shower include a paper tablecloth decorated with written out nursery rhymes and paper cutouts of popular nursery rhyme figures decorating the wall. A decorative centerpiece can be made of “silver bells and cockle shells” (lilies of the valley and seashells.)

Star shaped glitter can be sprinkled inside the invitation envelopes and also sprinkled around candles and flower arrangements for a star themed shower. Stars constructed out of aluminum foil can strung from ceiling fixtures and white twinkling Christmas lights can be used to enhance the celestial effect. The color scheme of this shower is usually silver and blue baby shower crafts. A nice idea is to put a portrait of the mother inside a giant hand-made star shaped frame and put in a prominent place. A money tree, which is a tree branch spray-painted gold or silver, can also be set up at this party and guests are encouraged to tape or pin money to the tree

This wonderful idea for a baby shower craft is a group activity. It is not for the shy mom as it involves her lying on the floor, while her friends make a plaster cast of her pregnant tummy. The guests mingle and chow down while the plaster cast dries and before they leave they inscribe their good wishes for the mommy and the baby on the resulting sculpture.

This party baby shower craft not only makes a hilarious video, but also leaves mom with a keepsake she can treasure for decades. One caveat: remember to lay plastic sheeting down on the floor and provide your guests with aprons or shifts to protect their clothing as things can get kind of messy. Also make sure that your bathroom is spotless and that mom has plenty of clean towels, as she may need to take a shower afterwards. This is because Mom’s belly is often prepped for the cast by using copious amounts of Vaseline. No matter how messy it may seem, trust us when we tell you that this is one of the best baby shower crafts you can give an expectant mother, as it is an artifact that she will cherish for years to come.

Benefits of Quercetin

Article Poster — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 17:34:40 +0000

Quercetin is a type of flavanoid, or plant pigment, found in foods such as onions, apples, and black tea. It is also a powerful antioxidant able to protect the body against a variety of cancers. It is also partly responsible for protecting eyes from cataracts and the heart from heart attacks.

Cancer

Quercetin has been associated with reduced risk of breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, stomach cancer, and prostate cancer.

Heart Attacks

Sometimes heart cells can grow unmanageably, and this ups risks of having a heart attack. Fortunately, quercetin has been found to keep this excessive cell growth at bay, acting as a preventative measure for those who may have heart attack risk because of genetics or other factors. In addition, the discovery of quercetin’s abilities to protect against heart attack is especially good news for women. Because it acts as an estrogen, this may be the cause of its heart-protective benefits.

Cataracts

Quercetin is an antioxidant that blocks a type of sugar that leads to the formation of cataracts on the eye. People who smoke, or people whose eyes have been exposed to UV rays without protective glasses might consider supplementing with quercetin to reduce the risk of developing cataracts.

Asthma and Allergies

Because it reduces inflammation in the air passageways, quercetin has been useful in the treatment of asthma. It also reduces allergic reactions to pollen in the air, which can worsen asthmatic symptoms.

Other Benefits of Quercetin Include:

Reduces symptoms of heartburn
May inhibit a bacterium that is responsible for ulcers
Reduces the recurrences of attacks with gout
Reduces inflammation associated with Crohn’s disease
Reduces occurrence of respiratory problems
Aids the lungs to properly function
Lowers cholesterol levels

How to Take Quercetin

Take quercetin alongside your vitamin C supplement—this enhances the benefits of vitamin C. Quercetin can also be used instead of the practice of drinking red wine to protect the heart, as quercetin does the required task without being associated with alcohol.

Because quercetin acts as a phytoestrogen (plant estrogen), talk to your doctor before taking quercetin in conjunction with hormone replacement therapy. Patients on medication for high blood pressure should also beware—quercetin has been associated with higher levels of felodipine than is healthy.