Saturday, June 30, 2012

Dr. Oz Promotes New Two-Day Wonder Cleanse


Dr. Oz is promoting a new two-day “Wonder Cleanse,” but it’s not like the popular cleanses you’ve heard of before. Instead of drinking nothing but water, lemon juice and cayenne pepper, you eat foods that naturally rid your body of toxins. That’s where the “cleanse” comes in.
So think of it as more of a hiatus from ice cream and Funyuns and a shift toward pure foods.
And why should we cleanse? According to Dr. Oz, our bodies are constantly being exposed to harmful substances in the environment and in our diet, and it’s important to flush those out so our bodies can get back to operating more efficiently. Think of it as a ‘spring cleaning’ of sorts for the body.
Over the course of a 48-hour period, Dr. Oz encourages participants to eat six meals and eight snacks made from naturally-purifying, delicious ingredients. And the key? Enzymes.
“Enzymes throughout the body are continuously breaking [toxins] down and helping to flush them out,” says Dr. Oz. “My 48-hour detox works by optimizing that system…eating foods that are packed with nutrients believed to boost the activity of the enzymes and nourish the body’s most important detoxifying organs – the liver, the lungs, the kidneys, and the colon – so they can do their jobs better and more efficiently.”
And the benefits, says Dr. Oz, are two-fold: physical and spiritual.
“I believe there is a spiritual aspect [to cleansing] as well. Afterward I felt a sense of peace that I didn’t have before…I promise it will rejuvenate you from the inside out.”
And per usual, Dr. Oz doesn’t leave you guessing what foods you can and can’t eat. He’s devised a specially-designed menu and snack plan that you can use as a guide over the course of your cleanse.
Breakfast is quinoa with prunes: quinoa providing fiber, phosphorous and the ever-important nine essential amino acids. Lunch is a fruit smoothie with blueberries for antioxidants, bananas for vitamin B6, and flax or chia seeds for additional fiber. Dinner is vegetable broth with a side of sauerkraut and sliced apples, which is loaded with fiber, probiotics, and enzymes to support liver function and break down toxins. And a snack is pineapple and kale juice for even more digestive enzymes.
In addition to a menu, Dr. Oz provides pointers to “make the most” of your cleanse, including tips like drinking plenty of water, not eating after 7 p.m., and getting 8 hours of sleep a night.
If there was ever a cleanse to try, this may be it. But do so with caution. And as always, consult a doctor before starting if you have any special medical conditions.
source :www.dietsinreview.com

Papaya Benefits

Deliciously sweet with musky undertones and a soft, butter-like consistency, it's no wonder this super fruit was reputably called the "fruit of the angels" by Christopher Columbus.
Once considered quite exotic, they can now be found in markets throughout the year.
Although there is a slight seasonal peak in early summer and fall, papaya trees produce fruit year round.
These tropical super fruits are spherical or pear-shaped fruits that can be as long as 20 inches.
The ones commonly found in the market usually average about 7 inches and weigh about one pound.
Their flesh is a rich orange color with either yellow or pink hues.
Inside the inner cavity of the fruit are black, round seeds encased in a gelatinous-like substance.
The seeds are edible, although their peppery flavor is somewhat bitter.
The fruit, as well as the other parts of the papaya tree, contain papain, an enzyme that helps digest proteins.
This enzyme is especially concentrated in the fruit when it is unripe.
Papain is extracted to make digestive enzyme dietary supplements and is also used as an ingredient in some chewing gums.
Health Benefits
Papayas offer not only the luscious taste and sunlit color of the tropics, but are rich sources of antioxidant nutrients such as carotenes, vitamin-C and flavonoids; the B vitamins, folate and pantothenic acid; and the minerals, potassium, magnesium and fiber.
Together, these nutrients promote the health of the cardiovascular system and also provide protection against colon cancer.
In addition, this super fruit contains the digestive enzyme, papain, which is used like bromelain, a similar enzyme found in pineapple, to treat sports injuries, other causes of trauma, and allergies.
Protection Against Heart Disease
Papayas may be very helpful for the prevention of atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease.
They're an excellent source of vitamin-C as well as a good source of vitamin-E and vitamin-A (through their concentration of pro-vitamin-A carotenoid phytonutrients), three very powerful antioxidants.
These nutrients help prevent the oxidation of cholesterol.
Only when cholesterol becomes oxidized is it able to stick to and build up in blood vessel walls, forming dangerous plaques that can eventually cause heart attacks or strokes.
One way in which dietary vitamin-E and vitamin-C may exert this effect is through their suggested association with a compound called paraoxonase, an enzyme that inhibits LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol oxidation.
These super fruits are also a good source of fiber, which has been shown to lower high cholesterol levels.
The folic acid found in these fruits are needed for the conversion of a substance called homocysteine into benign amino acids such as cysteine or methionine.
When unconverted, homocysteine can directly damage blood vessel walls and, if levels get too high, is considered a significant risk factor for a heart attack or stroke.
Promotes Digestive Health
The nutrients in papaya have also been shown to be helpful in the prevention of colon cancer.
The fiber is able to bind to cancer-causing toxins in the colon and keep them away from the healthy colon cells.
In addition, folate, vitamin-C, beta-carotene, and vitamin-E have each been associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer.
These nutrients provide synergistic protection for colon cells from free radical damage to their DNA.
Increasing your intake of these nutrients is an especially good idea for individuals at risk of colon cancer.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects
Papaya contains several unique protein-digesting enzymes including papain and chymopapain.
These enzymes have been shown to help lower inflammation and to improve healing from burns.
In addition, the antioxidant nutrients found in these super fruits, including vitamin-C, vitamin-E and beta-carotene, are also very good at reducing inflammation.
This may explain why people with diseases that are worsened by inflammation, such as asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis, find that the severity of their condition is reduced when they get more of these nutrients.
Immune Support
Vitamin-C and vitamin-A, which is made in the body from the beta-carotene in this super fruit, are both needed for the proper function of a healthy immune system.
Papaya may therefore be a healthy fruit choice for preventing such illnesses as recurrent ear infections, colds and flu.
Protection against Macular Degeneration
Your mother may have told you carrots would keep your eyes bright when you were a child, but as an adult, it looks like fruit is even more important for keeping your sight.
Data reported in a study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology indicates that eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, by 36%, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.
In this study, which involved over 110,000 women and men, researchers evaluated the effect of study participants' consumption of fruits; vegetables; the antioxidant vitamins-A, C, and E; and carotenoids on the development of early ARMD or neovascular ARMD, a more severe form of the illness associated with vision loss.
While, surprisingly, intakes of vegetables, antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids were not strongly related to incidence of either form of ARMD, fruit intake was definitely protective against the severe form of this vision-destroying disease.
Three servings of fruit may sound like a lot to eat each day, but these tropical fruits can help you reach this goal.
Add fresh slices to your morning cereal, lunch time yogurt or green salads.
Cut one in half and fill with cottage cheese, crab, shrimp or tuna salad.
For an elegant meal, place fresh slices over any broiled fish.
Protection against Rheumatoid Arthritis
While one study suggests that high doses of supplemental vitamin-C makes osteoarthritis, a type of degenerative arthritis that occurs with aging, worse in laboratory animals, another indicates that vitamin-C rich foods, provide humans with protection against inflammatory polyarthritis, a form of rheumatoid arthritis involving two or more joints.
The findings, presented in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases were drawn from a study of more than 20,000 subjects and focused on subjects who developed inflammatory polyarthritis and similar subjects who remained arthritis-free during the follow-up period.
Subjects who consumed the lowest amounts of vitamin-C rich foods were more than three times more likely to develop arthritis than those who consumed the highest amounts.
Promote Lung Health
If you or someone you love is a smoker, or if you are frequently exposed to secondhand smoke, then making vitamin-A rich foods, such as this super fruit, part of your healthy way of eating may save your life.
While studying the relationship between vitamin-A, lung inflammation, and emphysema, Richard Baybutt, associate professor of nutrition at Kansas State, made a surprising discovery: a common carcinogen in cigarette smoke, benzo(a)pyrene, induces vitamin-A deficiency.
Earlier research had shown that laboratory animals fed a vitamin A-deficient diet developed emphysema.
The latest animal studies indicate that not only does the benzo(a)pyrene in cigarette smoke cause vitamin-A deficiency, but that a diet rich in vitamin-A can help counter this effect, thus greatly reducing emphysema.
It's believed that vitamin-A's protective effects may help explain why some smokers do not develop emphysema.
There are a lot of people who live to be 90 years old and are smokers.
The implications are that those who start smoking at an early age are more likely to become vitamin-A deficient and develop complications associated with cancer and emphysema.
And if they have a poor diet, forget it.
If you or someone you love smokes, or if your work necessitates exposure to second hand smoke, protect yourself by making surethat at least one of Natures Super Foods that are rich in vitamin-A, such as this one, is a daily part of your healthy way of eating.
History
These super tropical fruits are native to Central America and have been long revered by the Latin American Indians.
Spanish and Portuguese explorers brought them to many other subtropical lands to which they journeyed including India, the Philippines and parts of Africa.
the 20th century, they were brought to the United States and have been cultivated in Hawaii, the major U.S. producer since the 1920s.
Today, the largest commercial producers include the United States, Mexico and Puerto Rico.
How to Select and Store
If you want to eat them within a day of purchase, choose those that have reddish-orange skin and are slightly soft to the touch.
Those that have patches of yellow color will take a few more days to ripen.
Papayas that are totally green or overly hard should not be purchased, unless you are planning on cooking them, or unless you want to use the green ones in a cold dish like an Asian salad, as their flesh will not develop its characteristic sweet juicy flavor.
While a few black spots on the surface will not affect the taste, avoid those that are bruised or overly soft.
Papayas are more available during the summer and fall; however, you can usually purchase them throughout the year.
Papayas that are partially yellow should be left at room temperature where they will ripen in a few days.
If you want to speed this process, place them in a paper bag with a banana.
Ripe papayas should be stored in the refrigerator and consumed within one or two days, so you can enjoy their maximum flavor.
For the most antioxidants, eat those that are fully ripened:
Research conducted at the University of Innsbruck in Austria suggests that as fruits fully ripen, almost to the point of spoilage, their antioxidant levels actually increase.
Key to the process is the change in color that occurs as fruits ripen, a similar process to that seen in the fall when leaves turn from green to red to yellow to brown, a color change caused by the breakdown and disappearance of chlorophyll, which gives leaves and fruits their green color.
Until now, no one really knew what happened to chlorophyll during this process, but a team of researchers, working together with botanists over the past several years, have identified the first decomposition products in leaves: colorless, polar NCCs (nonfluorescing chlorophyll catabolytes), that contain four pyrrole rings, like chlorophyll and heme.
After examining apples and pears, the scientists discovered that NCCs replace the chlorophyll not only in the leaves of fruit trees, but in their very ripe fruits, especially in the peel and flesh immediately below it.
When chlorophyll is released from its protein complexes in the decomposition process, it has a phototoxic effect.
When irradiated with light, it absorbs energy and can transfer it to other substances.
For example, it can transform oxygen into a highly reactive, destructive form.
However, NCCs have just the opposite effect.
Extremely powerful antioxidants, they play an important protective role for the plant, and when consumed as part of the human diet, NCCs deliver the same potent antioxidant protection within our bodies.
How to Enjoy
Tips for Preparing Papaya:
These super fruits can be used many different ways.
They can be eaten as is, added to a fruit salad or to a host of different recipes.
One of the easiest (and most delightful) ways to eat them is to eat it just like a melon.
After washing, cut it lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and then eat it with a spoon.
For a little extra zest, you can squeeze lemon or lime juice on top.
To cut papaya into smaller pieces for fruit salad or recipes, first peel it with a paring knife and then cut into desire size and shape.
You can also use a melon baller to scoop out the fruit of a halved papaya.
If you are adding it to a fruit salad, you should do so just before serving as it tends to cause the other fruits to become very soft.
While most people discard the big black seeds, they're actually edible and have a slight peppery flavor.
They can be chewed whole or blended into a creamy salad dressing, giving it a peppery flavor.
A Few Quick Serving Ideas:
Mix diced papaya, cilantro, jalapeno peppers and ginger together to make a unique salsa that goes great with shrimp, scallops and halibut.
Sprinkle papaya with fresh lime juice and enjoy as is.
Slice a small papaya lengthwise and fill with fruit salad.
In a blender, combine papaya, strawberries and yogurt for a cold soup treat.
Individual Concerns
Papayas and Latex Allergy
Like avocados and bananas, papayas contain substances called chitinases that are associated with the latex-fruit allergy syndrome.
There is strong evidence of the cross-reaction between latex and these foods.
If you have a latex allergy, you may very likely be allergic to these foods as well.
Processing the fruit with ethylene gas increases these enzymes; organic produce not treated with gas will have fewer allergy-causing compounds.
In addition, cooking the food may deactivate the enzymes.
Nutritional Profile
Papaya is an excellent source of vitamin-C.
It's a very good source of folate and potassium.
In addition, it is a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin-E, vitamin-A and vitamin-K.

Top 12 Best Street Food Cities In The Word



Crêpes, Falafel, Yakitori & More

You don't need to dine in fine restaurants to experience the most authentic local cuisine. Spend small and eat big at street stalls, food carts, and curb-friendly venues in these 12 cities.


Bangkok, Thailand
It's hard to find a square inch of a sidewalk in Bangkok that doesn't have a street stall of some kind. Street food is a way of life here, especially late at night. Pull up a plastic stool and choose from an array of noodles, meat, and vegetarian dishes. Save space for delicious fruits and sweet desserts.

Where to Eat: Chinatown; Nang Loeng Market (Nakhorn Sawan Road); the side streets around the backpackers' haven of Khao San Road; the Saochingcha neighborhood (near Bangkok City Hall); Soi Rambutri across from the Viengtai Hotel (known as Pad Thai Alley); and Aw Taw Kaw, across the Expressway from Chatuchak (or JJ) weekend market.

How Much: For around $3, you can enjoy two or three courses of Bangkok's finest.



Tel Aviv, Israel
Street stalls in Tel Aviv are the best places to try authentic vegetarian delights. Falafel is widely considered to be the unofficial national dish of Israel. Sabich (a pita stuffed with fried eggplant, egg, and pickled cabbage) is originally an Iraqi dish but is fast becoming a local favorite. You'll find that in general, the street food is of good quality and is often kosher, too.
Where to Eat: Along Ibn Gvirol Street, you can find dozens of food stands that serve falafel and shawarmas. Head to Frishman Street or the neighboring town of Ramat Gan for the best sabich. Although it's not technically a food stall, the street-side Abulafia Arab bakery in the port area of Jaffa doles out freshly baked savory pastries and pitas late at night.

How Much: Six falafel balls in a pita (with as many dips and salad that can fit) costs about 15 Israeli new sheqel ($3.85). A chicken shawarma is about 30 Israeli new sheqel ($7.70).


Istanbul, Turkey
Whether it's the giant bagel-style sesame bread (simit), huge baked potatoes (kumpir) covered in a multitude of toppings, a traditional döner kebap served in pita bread, balik ekmek (fish sandwich), or delicious baklava treats, Istanbul's ubiquitous street stalls are a welcome sight -- and smell -- to hungry visitors.
Where to Eat: Karaköy and Ortakoy, two neighborhoods on the European side of Istanbul, have several lanes and markets lined with food stalls. Istiklal Caddesi in the Taksim neighborhood is a pedestrian-only street with plenty of food vendors.

How Much: A fully laden kumpir will set you back about 6 Turkish Lira ($3.80) and a simit around 1 Turkish lira (63¢).


Paris, France
As appealing as it is to indulge in a three-course meal at a Paris bistro, you can also savor many French specialties on the street.
Where to Eat: By day, sidewalks in the Left Bank's Latin Quarter around Saint Michel get crowded with sandwich vendors selling baguettes. In the Marais, you'll want to try the falafel stands on Rue de Rosiers. At night, the air is filled with the aroma of freshly prepared crêpes, especially around Montparnasse, in the Latin Quarter, and near the nightclub areas.

How Much: A Nutella or chestnut-puree crêpe will cost about €4; a jambon et fromage baguette is around €6.


Mexico City, Mexico Flautas, tacos, burritos, tamales, blue-corn quesadillas -- so much food, so little time. The streets of Mexico City overflow with food stands. If you're worried about the meat, just go vegetarian. Save some room for Fruteros (fruit vendors) and Jugueros (juice vendors) offering the freshest of Mexico's tropical fruits. In general though, it's still wise to avoid the water.
Where to Eat: Food stalls are found throughout downtown, with several on the south side of Plaza de Insurgentes, on Rio Sena between Reforma and Rio Papaloápan, and near the corner of Ayuntamiento and Aranda in Centro Histórico.

How Much: A burrito from a street stall costs around 25 pesos (about $2); tacos are usually around 10 pesos (80¢) each.


Hong Kong
Street-side food vendors are seemingly everywhere on both Hong Kong island and on the Kowloon side. Noodle dishes, curry fish balls, stinky tofu, and a variety of dim sum are just a few of the things you can taste. The stalls with tables and chairs are usually those that serve noodles; others are more take-out in nature.
Where to Eat: Try the stalls around the various night markets, including Temple Street in Yau Ma Tei and Ladies' Market in Mong Kok on Tung Choi Street. In Tsim Sha Tsui, Hau Fook Street has several food stands. Mei Lun Street in Central and the laneways of Causeway Bay and Wan Chai are also crowded with food stalls.
How Much: 20 Hong Kong dollars (about $2.60) for a bowl of noodles with vegetables and 10 Hong Kong dollars for a serving of four shumai ($1.30) dumplings.

       Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur has more than its share of indoor and outdoor food centers and markets. Choose from Malaysian Indian or Muslim food: roti breads stuffed with kaya (coconut jam), banana leaf rice served with curries, satays, noodle dishes, or a Ramly Burger (the Malaysian variation includes egg and Worcestershire sauce in addition to the usual burger fixings). For dessert, try an ABC or ice kacang (shaved ice topped with nuts, jelly, syrup, and more). Check out local food blog Waisikkai (www.waisikkai.com) for more tips on what to eat in Kuala Lumpur.
Where to Eat: Jalan Alor; Jalan Petaling in Chinatown; around Puduraya Bus Station; Jalan Masjid India for Indian food; Malay food at the Sunday Night Market (Kampung Bahru LRT Station); and Chow Kit Market for all-night food stalls.

How Much: A Ramly Burger is about 2.50 Malaysian ringgit (78¢); a serving of Kway Teow noodles costs about 4 Malaysian ringgit ($1.25).


Mumbai, India
When in Mumbai, you must stop at one of the thousands of street stalls (vada pavwala). Most dishes are sweet or vegetarian. The most popular treats include chaat (round snacks made of hollow dough embellished with spices and vegetables) and pav dishes (breads served with curries or patties). Try the vegetable pav bhaji or the vada pav, a potato fritter in a garlic bun.
Where to Eat: During the day, you'll have plenty of choices in the Fort area and around major landmarks. In the evenings, sample local delicacies at Chowpatty Beach. You can also try Bade Miya on Tulloch Road behind Colaba Causeway in downtown Churchgate.

How Much: You can find a good vada pav for around 7 Indian rupees (about 15¢) and various chaat snacks for around 14 Indian rupees (30¢).


 Tokyo, Japan Eating in Tokyo doesn't have to be an expensive adventure. Though you'll want to have some sushi, the locals are more likely to tuck into a large bowl of ramen or udon noodles served from street carts. Food stalls along busy neon-lit lanes also serve up takoyaki (little dough balls stuffed with octopus) or yakitori BBQ skewers.
Where to Eat: There's a row of street stalls at the Tsukiji Fish Market (skip the touristy sushi stands); in Shinjuku, Yakitori Alley is a lane with stalls on both sides; and in Kabukicho, you'll find several takoyaki stalls.

How Much: A bowl of ramen or udon is about ¥800 ($9). Six pieces of takoyaki is ¥400 ($4.50).


Singapore
Like pretty much everything else in Singapore, the street food is clean and served in an orderly fashion. The main difference is that you won't necessarily find it on the street. Instead, you're more likely to eat delicious morsels of Malay, Indian, and Chinese cuisine in government-regulated food malls and markets, which are often inside apartment buildings, office towers, and shopping centers. Despite the geographic technicality, the food is definitely "street" in style. Bonus: You won't have to worry as much about an upset stomach ruining the rest of your trip.
Where to Eat: The hundred or so stalls at the Chinatown Food Centre; satays and seafood at Newton Circus Hawker Centre; the Hill Street Food Centre for great fried rice noodles; the Muslim market at Geylang Serai; Ellenborough Market for Teochew Chinese food; the old hawker center in Maxwell Road; the Chomp Chomp Food Centre; the Lau Pa Sat Food Centre; and the People's Park Market. Visit the Makansutra blog for updates on the latest eateries.

How Much: You can eat well, including generous portions of noodles and satays, for less than $10 Singapore dollars ($7) per person.


Marrakech, Morocco In the medina of Marrakech, you'll find plenty of souks (markets). What is a main city square by day is transformed at night into an open-air feast of food stalls, snake charmers, tarot card readers, and performers. If you're feeling adventurous, you can sample the traditional sheep's head. For the more conservative palate, tuck into brochettes or assorted fish, tagines, fried aubergine, and couscous dishes.
Where to Eat: The night market at Jemaa el Fna offers hundreds of stalls serving all kinds of Moroccan dishes at communal tables.

How Much: A bowl of harira soup may cost around 10 Moroccan dirhams ($1.10) and a vegetarian tagine around 30 Moroccan dirhams ($3.30).


Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Throughout Rio -- downtown, in the suburbs, and beachside -- you'll come across vendors selling all kinds of tasty morsels and beverages. The suco de açai (açai juice) and various fruit smoothies can become a little addictive, and you'll no doubt have late-night cravings for tapiocas (crêpes), assorted pastries, and caramel- or chocolate-filled churros. Cariocas (Rio natives) always know where to grab the best bites and delicious fruit drinks, so follow the locals and try traditional Brazilian street fare at rock-bottom prices.
 Where to Eat: Food-and-drink kiosks along the boardwalk of Copacabana and Ipanema beaches generally stay open all night (especially in summer). The Sunday market at Praça General Osório Square has some decent eats. In Old Rio, downtown, and in the suburbs, try the street version of churrasquinhos (BBQ meat on skewers), cachorro quente (hot dogs), and the delicious pão de queijo (cheese bread).

How Much: Pão de queijo is R$2 ($1.20), and juices are R$2-R$4 ($1.20-$2.40). Churros cost R$1 (60¢), and tapiocas range from R$2-R$5 ($1.20-$3), depending if they are sweet or savory. The prices of churrasquinhos vary but usually start at R$2 ($1.20).





Thursday, June 28, 2012

5 Beauty Tips For Your Hands


Many of us spend time and money spent on anti-aging products and treatments for the face.
However, one of the main areas that show age are our hands, and they are constantly exposed to the sun and this is a factor for the aging of our skin.
To make matters worse, the skin on our hands is thinner than the skin covering the face. 
Follow these 5 tips to maintain a youthful appearance and soft in your hands, and keep the rest of the world guessing your age!
Exfoliate your hands
In the same way that exfoliate the skin on your face, you have to remove the top layer of skin on your hands to reveal fresh skin beneath. 
At home microdermabrasion crystals you can use either the classic recipe for a teaspoon of sugar combined with coconut oil. While this does not remove peel brown spots, leave your hands with a more smooth and soft. 
The key is to exfoliate regularly. You can also use a professional chemical peel to exfoliate and eliminate dark spots, but remember that sometimes these procedures are too strong for the skin covering the back of your hands. An alterative is to use homemade fresh lemon juice on your hands for as long as you can tolerate and then rinse. The citric acid of lemon juice is a mild exfoliating agent and also help dispel some stains. But do not forget that while you have lemon juice on your hands should not sun exposure. 
Use moisturizer with SPF at least 15 
If you find a moisturizer with SPF that you love, use it all the time. Thus achieve the desired moisture along with protection. Sun exposure damages the collagen in our skin. Collagen also gives our skin volume, and once the collagen is affected, wrinkles begin to appear and skin becomes thinner. 
Pamper your hands 
Every time you wash the dishes, or expose your hands for a long time to water, be sure to wear gloves. Also try to use a heavy cream or oil as olive oil or coconut oil on the gloves for a moisturizing treatment. 
In addition, if you use any anti-oxidant serum for the face, you can also apply on the hands. Apply these serums at night before moisturizer and during the day before moisturizer with SPF. You can also try the same moisturizing facial masks in their hands. 
Lasers for brown spots and sagging skin 
Age spots or brown are a telltale sign of aging. To remove brown spots, the best treatments are laser. There are also laser treatments to tighten loose skin of the hands, these treatments also help to stimulate collagen production, resulting in healthier skin. 
Vanishes veins and injection sclerotherapy fat 
With the passage of time as the skin becomes thin, the veins in your hands may look like a lump. In sclerotherapy, the injection of a solution that irritates the vein walls which reduces the diameter IV, which ends with the veins that appear to bulge. This treatment may take several weeks to see the full results and stop procedure is best small veins, or superficial. 
However, for larger veins it is recommended that treatment is complete around the veins with fat, thus creating an illusion of volume. 
To fill the medical use your own fat (extraction from the thighs or buttocks).
Follow these tips and manages to younger hands.

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Supplements: Nutrition in a pill?

Supplements aren't for everyone, but older adults and others may benefit from specific supplements. 

The most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans make it very clear that your nutritional needs should be met primarily through your diet. For some people, however, supplements may be a useful way to get nutrients they might otherwise be lacking. But before you go shopping for supplements, get the facts on what they will and won't do for you. 
Supplements vs. whole foods 

Supplements aren't intended to be a food substitute because they can't replicate all of the nutrients and benefits of whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables. So depending on your situation and your eating habits, dietary supplements may not be worth the expense. 

Whole foods offer three main benefits over dietary supplements: 
Greater nutrition. Whole foods are complex, containing a variety of the micronutrients your body needs — not just one. An orange, for example, provides vitamin C plus some beta carotene, calcium and other nutrients. A vitamin C supplement lacks these other micronutrients. 
Essential fiber. Whole foods, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes, provide dietary fiber. Most high-fiber foods are also packed with other essential nutrients. Fiber, as part of a healthy diet, can help prevent certain diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and it can also help manage constipation. 
Protective substances. Whole foods contain other substances important for good health. Fruits and vegetables, for example, contain naturally occurring substances called phytochemicals, which may help protect you against cancer, heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. Many are also good sources of antioxidants — substances that slow down oxidation, a natural process that leads to cell and tissue damage. 
Who needs supplements? 
If you're generally healthy and eat a wide variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, low-fat dairy products, lean meats and fish, you likely don't need supplements. 
However, the dietary guidelines recommend supplements — or fortified foods — in the following situations: 
Women who may become pregnant should get 400 micrograms a day of folic acid from fortified foods or supplements, in addition to eating foods that naturally contain folate. 
Women who are pregnant should take a prenatal vitamin that includes iron or a separate iron supplement. 
Adults age 50 or older should eat foods fortified with vitamin B-12, such as fortified cereals, or take a multivitamin that contains B-12 or a separate B-12 supplement. 
Dietary supplements also may be appropriate if you:
Don't eat well or consume less than 1,600 calories a day 
Are a vegan or a vegetarian who eats a limited variety of foods 
Are a woman who experiences heavy bleeding during your menstrual period 
Have a medical condition that affects how your body absorbs or uses nutrients, such as chronic diarrhea, food allergies, food intolerance or a disease of the liver, gallbladder, intestines or pancreas 
Have had surgery on your digestive tract and are not able to digest and absorb nutrients properly 
 Talk to your doctor or a dietitian about which supplements and what doses might be appropriate for you. Be sure to ask about possible side effects and interactions with any medications you take.

Choosing and using supplements 

If you decide to take a vitamin or mineral supplement, consider these factors: 
Check the label. Read labels carefully. Product labels can tell you what the active ingredient or ingredients are, which nutrients are included, the serving size — for example, capsule, packet or teaspoonful — and the amount of nutrients in each serving. 
Avoid megadoses. In general, choose a multivitamin-mineral supplement that provides about 100 percent of the Daily Value (DV) of all the vitamins and minerals, rather than one which has, for example, 500 percent of the DV for one vitamin and only 20 percent of the DV for another. The exception to this is calcium. You may notice that calcium-containing supplements don't provide 100 percent of the DV. If they did, the tablets would be too large to swallow and wouldn't be absorbed. 
Check expiration dates. Dietary supplements can lose potency over time, especially in hot and humid climates. If a supplement doesn't have an expiration date, don't buy it. If your supplements have expired, discard them. 
Watch what you eat. Vitamins and minerals are being added to a growing number of foods, including breakfast cereals and beverages. If you're also taking supplements, you may be getting more than you realize of certain nutrients. Taking more than you need is expensive and can raise your risk of side effects. For example, too much iron can cause nausea and vomiting and may damage the liver and other organs. 
Keep up with supplement safety alerts 
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) keeps a list of dietary supplements that are under regulatory review or that have been reported to cause adverse effects. If you're taking a supplement, it's a good idea to check the FDA website periodically for updates.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

How to tame your salt habit?

Find out how much sodium you really need, what high-sodium foods to avoid, and ways to prepare and serve foods without adding salt or sodium.
You've been trying to eat less sodium — just a pinch of table salt on your baked potato and a dash on your scrambled eggs. But a pinch here and a dash there can quickly add up to unhealthy levels of sodium. Consider that just one teaspoon of table salt has 2,325 milligrams (mg) of sodium. And it's not just table salt you have to worry about. Many processed and prepared foods already contain lots of sodium — and it's these foods that contribute the most sodium to your diet.
If you're like many people, you're getting far more sodium than is recommended, and that could lead to serious health problems. See how sodium sneaks into your diet and ways you can shake the habit. 


Sodium: Essential in small amounts

Your body needs some sodium to function properly because it: 
Helps maintain the right balance of fluids in your body 
Helps transmit nerve impulses 
Influences the contraction and relaxation of muscles 
Your kidneys naturally balance the amount of sodium stored in your body for optimal health. When your sodium levels are low, your kidneys essentially hold on to the sodium. When sodium levels are high, your kidneys excrete the excess in urine. 
But if for some reason your kidneys can't eliminate enough sodium, the sodium starts to accumulate in your blood. Because sodium attracts and holds water, your blood volume increases. Increased blood volume makes your heart work harder to move more blood through your blood vessels, which increases pressure in your arteries. Such diseases as congestive heart failure, cirrhosis and chronic kidney disease can make it hard for your kidneys to keep sodium levels balanced. 
Some people's bodies are more sensitive to the effects of sodium than are others. If you're sodium sensitive, you retain sodium more easily, leading to fluid retention and increased blood pressure. If this becomes chronic, it can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and congestive heart failure. 
Sodium: How much do you need?
The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting sodium to less than 2,300 mg a day — or 1,500 mg if you're age 51 or older, or if you are black, or if you have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease. 

Keep in mind that these are upper limits, and less is usually best, especially if you're sensitive to the effects of sodium. If you aren't sure how much sodium your diet should include, talk to your doctor. 

Sodium: Main dietary sources
The average American gets about 3,400 mg of sodium a day — much more than recommended. To help keep your sodium consumption in check, you need to know where the sodium comes from. Here are the main sources of sodium in a typical diet: 

Processed and prepared foods. The vast majority of sodium in the typical American diet comes from foods that are processed and prepared. These foods are typically high in salt, which is a combination of sodium and chloride, and in additives that contain sodium. Processed foods include bread, prepared dinners like pasta, meat and egg dishes, pizza, cold cuts and bacon, cheese, soups, and fast foods. 

Natural sources. Some foods naturally contain sodium. These include all vegetables and dairy products such as milk, meat and shellfish. While they don't have an abundance of sodium, eating these foods does add to your overall sodium intake. For example, 1 cup (237 milliliters) of low-fat milk has about 107 mg of sodium. 
In the kitchen and at the table. Many recipes call for salt, and many people also salt their food at the table. Condiments may also contain sodium. One tablespoon (15 milliliters) of soy sauce, for example, has about 1,000 mg of sodium. 
Sodium: Be a savvy shopper

Taste alone may not tell you which foods are high in sodium. For example, you may not think a bagel tastes salty, but a typical 4-inch (10-centimeter) oat-bran bagel has about 532 mg of sodium, and even a slice of whole-wheat bread contains 132 mg of sodium. 

So how can you tell which foods are high in sodium? Read food labels. The Nutrition Facts label found on most packaged and processed foods lists the amount of sodium in each serving. It also lists whether the ingredients include salt or sodium-containing compounds, such as: 
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) 
Baking soda 
Baking powder 
Disodium phosphate 
Sodium alginate 
Sodium nitrate or nitrite 
Know your labels
Many food packages include sodium-related terms. Here's what they mean: 

Sodium-free or salt-free. Each serving in this product contains less than 5 mg of sodium. 

Very low sodium. Each serving contains 35 mg of sodium or less. 
Low sodium. Each serving contains 140 mg of sodium or less. 
Reduced or less sodium. The product contains at least 25 percent less sodium than the regular version. You should check the label to see how much sodium is in a serving. 
Lite or light in sodium. The sodium content has been reduced by at least 50 percent from the regular version. You should check the label to see how much sodium is in a serving. 
Unsalted or no salt added. No salt is added during processing of a food that normally contains salt. However, some foods with these labels may still be high in sodium because some of the ingredients may be high in sodium. 
But watch out — foods labeled "reduced sodium" or "light in sodium" may still contain a lot of salt. For example, regular canned chicken noodle soup contains about 1,100 mg of sodium per cup, so a product with 25 percent less sodium still has a whopping 820 mg of sodium per cup. The same holds true for "lite" or "light in sodium" varieties. 
Try to avoid products with more than 200 mg of sodium per serving. And check the Nutrition Facts label closely for the serving size — and consider how many servings you actually eat. 
Sodium: More tips to cut back

Virtually all Americans can benefit from reducing the sodium in their diet. Here are more ways you can cut back on sodium: 

Eat more fresh foods. Most fresh fruits and vegetables are naturally low in sodium. Also, fresh meat is lower in sodium than are luncheon meat, bacon, hot dogs, sausage and ham. Buy fresh and frozen poultry or meat that hasn't been injected with a sodium-containing solution. Look on the label or ask your butcher. Buy plain whole-grain rice and pasta instead of ones that have added seasonings. Make your own soups from scratch. 
Opt for low-sodium products. If you do buy processed foods, choose those that are labeled "low sodium." 
Remove salt from recipes whenever possible. You can leave out the salt in many recipes, including casseroles, stews and other main dishes that you cook. Baked goods are generally an exception since leaving out the salt could affect the quality and taste. Use cookbooks that focus on lowering risks of high blood pressure and heart disease to help guide you to sparing the salt without spoiling taste or quality. 
Limit use of sodium-laden condiments. Soy sauce, salad dressings, sauces, dips, ketchup, mustard and relish all contain sodium. 
Use herbs, spices and other flavorings to enhance foods. Use fresh or dried herbs, spices, zest from citrus fruit, and fruit juices to jazz up your meals. And remember that sea salt has about the same amount of sodium as table salt. 
Use salt substitutes wisely. Some salt substitutes or light salts contain a mixture of table salt and other compounds. To achieve that familiar salty taste, you may use too much of the substitute — and get too much sodium. Also, many salt substitutes contain potassium chloride. Although potassium can lessen some of the problems from excess sodium, too much potassium can be harmful if you have kidney problems or if you're taking medications for congestive heart failure or high blood pressure that cause potassium retention. 
Sodium: Cut back gradually

Your taste for salt is acquired, so you can learn to enjoy less. Decrease your use of salt gradually and your taste buds will adjust. After a few weeks of cutting back on salt, you probably won't miss it, and some foods may even taste too salty. Start by using no more than 1/4 teaspoon of salt daily — at the table and in cooking. Then throw away the salt shaker. As you use less salt, your preference for it diminishes, allowing you to enjoy the taste of the food itself, with heart-healthy benefits.

Which spread is better for my heart — butter or margarine?


Margarine usually tops butter when it comes to heart health.
Margarine is made from vegetable oils, so it contains no cholesterol. Margarine is also higher in "good" fats — polyunsaturated and monounsaturated — than butter is. These types of fats help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad," cholesterol when substituted for saturated fat.
Butter, on the other hand, is made from animal fat, so it contains cholesterol and high levels of saturated fat.


But not all margarines are created equal. Some margarines contain trans fat. In general, the more solid the margarine, the more trans fat it contains. So stick margarines usually have more trans fat than tub margarines do. Trans fat, like saturated fat, increases blood cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease. In addition, trans fat lowers high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good," cholesterol levels. So skip the stick and opt for soft or liquid margarine instead.

Look for a spread with the lowest calories that tastes good to you, doesn't have trans fats and has the least amount of saturated fat. When comparing spreads, be sure to read the Nutrition Facts panel and check the grams of saturated fat and trans fat. Also, look for products with a low percent Daily Value for cholesterol.
If you have high cholesterol, check with your doctor about using spreads that are fortified with plant stanols and sterols, such as Benecol and Promise Activ, which may help reduce cholesterol levels.

Perfect Couple – Perfect Health


When we combine this food with one another, they will bring more beneficial effects on health. Let’s find out these below interestingly “perfect couples”. 

Yogurt-honey: good for digestion
These foods have benefits separately, and in combination, the two can work together for health.
Scientists at Michigan University state that high glucose content from honey aids in the development of healthy enzymes in yogurt. Therefore, the combination of yogurt and honey helps to improve the immune system, strengthen digestion health and reduce some diseases like constipation. Moreover, Yogurt and honey as a nutritive snack in moderation can also be a low calorie, nutrient-dense food providing an ideal balance of carbohydrates and protein.
Bean-chili: improve immune system 

Bean is a great source of iron, but your body only can absorb 20% iron if you consume bean separately. Iron has a very different structure, thus you body has difficulty in absorbing this iron. In order to increase its nutrient value, you should combine bean with foods rich in vitamin C like chili. In this case, vitamin C controls iron substances, make it easy for iron substances go directly to blood. It helps to produce more red blood cells and improve immune system as well. Iron is easily found in cereal, beans, meanwhile vitamin C found in orange, mango, tomato, grapes…

Chinese cabbage-bean: good for bone
Chinese cabbage is believed to help in calcium absorption. There is no specific explanation till now, but in combination, Chinese cabbage and bean have beneficial effects on fighting with osteomalacia.
Tomato-cooking oil: heart disease prevention
Carotenoid in tomato contains lots of antioxidants which help protect your heart. Add some drops of olive oils to tomato salad can prevent cancer. The combination of fats and carotenoid improve carotene absorption, thus help other organs function properly. This food combination is also known as a good way to avoid heart disease.
Red wine-vitamin E: cancer prevention
In combination, resveratrol found in red wine and vitamin E enlarger blood vessels for good blood circulation. It’s considered to be good for heart and help in controlling the development of cancer cells. Vitamin E mostly found in soyabean oil, peanut butter, mango and kiwi. Mixture of red wine, mango juice and kiwi is an excellent drink as well.
Tomato-cauliflower: cancer prevention
A latest research of Illinois University (US) reveals that men who consume tomato and cauliflower at least 3 times a week are less likely to suffer from prostate cancer by 30%. The benefit of antioxidants in tomato gains when it mixes with cauliflower.
Peppercorn-green tea: good for heart
According to Rutgers’s research, add some peppercorn to your daily meal and drink tea as dessert promote the resistance and have positive effects on heart health.
Green tea- vitamin C: cancer and stroke prevention
Green tea is a great source of vitamin C, helps your body absorb antioxidants. The interesting thing is that vitamin C protects green tea catechins from degradation. It therefore reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Yogurt- Inulin: good for bone and digestion
Inulin improves the development of healthy enzymes in yogurt and increase the calcium absorption as well. Inulin is found in garlic, onion, banana…Therefore, you should add some banana slices to your yogurt.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Nicole Kidman Plastic Or Cosmetic Surgery

There’s  no doubt that Nicole Kidman has touched up her face quite a bit over the years. As you flip through the pics below, notice how her face seems to tighten up around the year 2000. Maybe she got a facelift after observing her slightly aging face in her 1999 Vogue spread?

And then there’s the occasional baggy spot on her face when everything else is tight enough to bounce a quarter off of. Usually when you see that it means that a lesser amount of Botox was injected into those droopy parts than in the rest of the face and the treatment has worn off
Also, there is also quirky dent in her upper lip if you notice carefully. Well, sometimes it’s there and sometimes it’s not. That probably means she’s been occasionally stuffing her lips with Restylane or another temporary filler.


After acknowledging her Botox use , Nicole Kidman has now told a British magazine a tiny bit more about cosmetic treatments she went through before putting a halt to the wrinkle-smoothing injections
About Botox, she said in the British edition of Marie Claire, “I tried it, I didn’t like it, so I’ve gone back to my own forehead.”
                                                                                                    
She added, “But I’ve never had plastic surgery on my face. People say I have, but I haven’t.”
Notice that? She’s couching her denial carefully by saying that she hasn’t had plastic surgery on her face. That suggests she has had it elsewhere...
In particular, many celebrity watchers believe that she has breast implants!
To be more specific, Nicole Kidman is rumored to have had a rhinoplasty and incessant botox shots to keep her porcelaine skin look intact. In the photos, one can see that her nose is more defined, the tip is retracted and shorter, and the nostrils are smaller.
 
Her forehead has looked like it is permanently paralyzed for years. Many celebrity watches often blame excessive Botox for the frozen faced actress’s appearance, but a new look at Nicole’s face through the years shows that it is once again mobile, possibly an indication that she has toned down the injectable for now.
While Nicole Kidman has never openly admitted to undergoing plastic surgery, although plenty of pictures through the years seem to indicate cosmetic surgery enhanced changes in her appearance, including a recent breast augmentation, a previous rhinoplasty and the Botox injections and facial fillers that have earned her a reputation for having an unmovable forehead.