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Vitamin C for glowy skin and beautiful hair
You may already know about all the amazing things vitamin C can do for your system. It helps to promote healthy bones and teeth, it boosts overall immunity, and it has even been shown to help lower blood pressure. But did you know how many amazing things it can do for the way you look?
Here are 10 ways that vitamin C helps benefit your skin and hair health.
Collagen Boost
Collagen is the main structural protein found in your skin and connective tissue. In fact, 70% of all protein found in your skin is collagen. It's responsible for the elasticity of your skin, and keeps everything looking young and fresh.
How do we get collagen? By taking in Vitamin C! Your body needs vitamin C to produce collagen, and you need collagen for healthy skin.
Increased Sun Protection
Vitamin C is an antioxidant , which your body uses to fight off harmful free radicals. Many of these are produced when ultraviolet radiation from the sun comes into contact with your body, and a lack of vitamin C can leave you with a reduced ability to fight them off naturally.
Now, don't go skipping your sunscreen, but studies do show that people who get enough vitamin C have less overall sun damage to their skin.
Improved Texture
As well as being integral to skin structure, collagen is also important for the structure of your blood vessels-and it all comes down to vitamin C. Efficient blood flow to your skin's surface can prevent a rough texture and appearance. In fact, creams containing vitamin C are marketed specifically to help smooth out rough skin.
Less Discoloration
Vitamin C can help prevent the DNA in your skin from reacting with sunlight and causing discoloration or even precancerous cells.
Faster Wound Healing
Your body uses vitamin C to help heal injuries to your skin. Collagen helps not only to close wounds, but also to create scar tissue that helps protect the site. Slow wound healing can be a sign of vitamin c deficiency.
Faster Hair Growth
Free radicals can damage your hair making it brittle and more prone to split ends. As mentioned above, the antioxidant properties of vitamin c help to reduce free radicals, and will protect your hair as well as your skin. Your hair will be stronger and grow quicker.
Fewer Grays
Vitamin C has been shown to help hair retain its natural color for longer, meaning fewer grays.
Prevents Hair Loss
An underperforming adrenal gland can lead to hair loss, and one of the main ways to help fight adrenal gland fatigue is by supplementing with vitamin c. This can help reverse the hormonal processes that cause hair loss.
Protects Against Dandruff
You may have germs living on your scalp that encourage the skin problems that lead to dandruff. Vitamin c helps to fight these germs off.
Thicker, Healthier Hair
Taken altogether, the increased blood flow, the decrease in bacteria, and the antioxidants all work in combination to help you grow thicker, healthier hair.
So be sure to eat your citrus and your dark greens. The best way to get vitamin C is through a healthy diet.
The Benefits Of Soaking Nuts Before Eating Them
Nuts are rich in unsaturated fats, heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids, fiber and a slew of vitamins and minerals. Which is why they come highly recommended as an addition to a balanced diet. Turns out, soaking nuts can enhance their benefits for you. The phytic acid and tannins in the skin make nuts harder to digest and inhibit the absorption of nutrients in your food. Soaking and removing the peel can do away with these. Plus, they're less likely to irritate a sensitive stomach and are cleaner as well this way!
They are a nutrient -dense snack and perfect for when the munchies strike! Satisfying but not sinful, they come highly recommended by the American Heart Association as part of a healthy diet. Although it's easiest to have these crunchy nuggets straight from the bag, have you wondered if you should be soaking or peeling certain nuts first? In some parts of the world like Asia, almonds, for instance, are soaked overnight and peeled the next morning before consuming. So is there some science behind this ritual and should you consider soaking nuts before having them?
What Happens When You Soak Nuts
When you soak nuts, it becomes easier to peel off their skin. That's not all, though. There are also certain changes to the nut itself when you soak it. While some nutrients are lost along with the skin, you may find that positive effects of soaking more than make up on other fronts.
Washes away dust and other contamination
Removes tannins and inhibit digestion
Lowers physic acid content
Break down and soften to digest easily
Easy to peel away the skin
Bottom line, if you are looking to improve overall gut health, give soaking a try!
PAPAYA FOR GOOD DIGESTION
by minx life
While eating fruit with a meal is never recommended as it can have a negative effect on your digestion, papaya is one of the few exceptions.
Papaya fruit is a rich source of valuable proteolytic enzymes, such as papain, chymopapain, caricain and glycl endopeptidase, that can greatly aid in the digestive process. This is especially true of of meals that contain meat or other concentrated forms of protein.
But, as this page will show, papaya enzyme can have many other health benefits and may have an even more important role to play when taken on an empty stomach.
Many of us eat large amounts of low quality meat each week that can put great strain on our digestive system and enzyme producing pancreas. Processed meats, with additives such as the potentially carcinogenic sodium nitrite, are particularly worrying from a health perspective.
To make matters worse, rushed meals, extra large serving sizes, low digestive enzymes and stomach acid production, and poorly functioning digestive systems in general all contribute to this meat often ending up only partially digested by the time it reaches the lower intestines.
Here it can putrefy as it is acted upon by masses of flatulence causing bacteria. But smelly gas is the least of the potential health problems caused by undigested protein in the colon.
The place to fix flatulence and other more serious health issues associated with poor digestion, such as constipation, leaky gut syndrome and IBS, is not at the end of the process, but at the beginning.
Proper chewing is important to break up food and can significantly assist carbohydrate digestion, but to get a head start on protein, proteolytic enzymes like the papain enzyme in papaya can really help. It's also a good idea to avoid certain foods for awhile, such as, meat, fried and fatty foods, eggs, refined sugars, dairy, caffeine, alcohol and processed foods.
Papaya Enzyme on an Empty Stomach
While papaya enzymes are most often taken with food, another strategy that is gaining popularity is to take green papaya enzyme powder blended up in a smoothie or with water on an empty stomach.
Under these circumstances little hydrochloric acid would be produced and the papain and other enzymes could pass into the small intestines in larger amounts. From here they can be absorbed into your bloodstream where they exert an anti-inflammatory effect throughout the body .
Proteolytic enyzmes circulating in the blood are known to reduce inflammation in your body, most likely by scavenging damaged and oxidized proteins and breaking them down.
These damaged proteins are implicated in a variety of debilitating autoimmune disorders such as severe allergies, chronic fatigue syndrome and a weakened immune system that is much more vulnerable to infections and disease.
If you are looking for better digestion and an improved immune system give papaya a try!
How to eliminate PMS naturally
by minx life
We've all had the dreaded PMS where we experience bloating, weight gain, anxiety,cramps, insomnia, hot flashes and depression at some point in our lives .
It has essentially become one big societal joke. Isn't it hilarious that ladies can't seem to control their cravings for chocolate? Isn't scary how moody and downright depressed they can seem for several days of the month.
Aside from these assumptions being flippant and dismissive, they're problematic because they reinforce the notion that all of this is normal. The images we see in the media and the statements we hear all around us would have us believe that cravings, cramps, and out of control emotions are inherent, inevitable parts of womanhood.
We are here to tell you: It's just not true.
What do I do about it?
Forget the pills and the potions. They are not effective enough to combat what is going on in your system when your diet has left your hormones off- balance. Further proof that there is no magic bullet: Many Women who take birth control pills still struggle with PMS, even though they are on the supposed cure all of synthetic hormones.
You can only truly take care of your PMS symptoms by adjusting your diet. Changing up some of what you eat and drink during this time will help rebalance your hormones and make the monthly transition smooth, easy, and maybe even symptomless. Most importantly, eating these things not only helps alleviate symptoms in the short term, but over time, these foods can put an end to your PMS permanently!
Best foods to eat
Kale- A powerful hormone balancer which helps to eliminate excess estrogen and prevent estrogen dominance.
Sweet Potatoes- Say goodbye to sugar cravings and get a healthy dose of Vitamin A, an important nutrient that helps your liver break down excess estrogen, balances your mood, and keeps blood sugar stable.
Chickpeas- These delicious, versatile little beans are high in vitamin B6, which is an important player in progesterone production. Not only will low progesterone induce stress and period problems, but low B6 can exacerbate estrogen dominance. Regularly eating chickpeas can remedy those problems.
Bone Broth- Not only is it the hottest trend but bone broth is chock full of magnesium and calcium, two electrolytes that help prevent the headaches and migraines that often accompany PMS.
Coconut Yogurt- Skip the ice cream aisle and try a probiotic-rich coconut alternative that's full of live cultures and healthy fats- it will help stabilize your mood and combat cravings.
Remember: Once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making healthy choices that finally start to work for you. You can do this- the science of your body is on your side!
The 10 best foods for a flat belly
Bathing suit season is right around the corner and most of us are trying to figure out the quickest way to get in shape. Have you ever heard the quote "Abs are made in the Kitchen"? Well, this happens to be true! Here are some healthy foods that will help you attain a flat belly without spending hours in the Gym doing sit ups and planks:-)
Yogurt
Yogurt is great for your Gut: It contains beneficial probiotics, which help balance microflora and prevent bloating. Eating yogurt may also increase feelings of fullness, thanks to the 17 grams of protein per serving(that's almost three times as much as in an egg!). If you're lactose intolerant Goat Kefir may be a better choice.
Try adding it to your morning smoothie, use it in your favorite dip recipe, or enjoy with berries for an afternoon snack.
Lentils
As a member of the super-nutritious pulse family, lentils-along with other seeds that grow within pods like chickpeas, white beans, and dried peas-are packed with protein and fiber, which increase satiety. They're also a good source of iron; this is important because studies have shown that being deficient in the mineral could slow down your metabolism.
Add lentils to salads or use in place of whole grains like brown rice. They also make a great bed for a serving of lean protein, along with a generous portion of veggies.
Bananas
Craving an afternoon snack? A banana may be your best best. In addition to potassium, bananas are packed with resistant starch, a healthy carbohydrate that your body digests slowly, which keeps you full for longer. Resistant starch also encourages your liver to switch to fat-burning mode, giving your metabolism a boost.
Even more good news for your abs: Bananas may help prevent water retention in our bodies by regulating sodium levels, decreasing the risk for bloating.
Asparagus
You already know that asparagus is full of antioxidants and may even act as an aphrodisiac. But did you know it can promote a slim stomach? This super-healthy spring veggie is a good source of both soluble and insoluble fiber, which your body digests slowly-keeping you full for longer in between meals. And as a natural diuretic, asparagus facilitates the removal of water and waste to decrease discomfort and bloat.
It also contains probiotics, which act as fuel for healthy bacteria in your gut.
Dark Chocolate
If you have a sweet tooth, take heart: Not all chocolate is off limits. Good quality dark chocolate (anything above 70% cacao) is actually very good for you. Like avocados, dark chocolate contains healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, which may help speed up metabolism. One study from the University of California, San Diego found that adults who ate chocolate more frequently had lower BMIs than those who didn't eat much chocolate.
Just watch your portions: To indulge while keeping calories in check, we recommend having a piece the size of a dental floss container.
Cucumbers
Thanks to the flavonoid antioxidant quercetin (which reduces swelling) and a high water content of 96%, cucumbers can definitely help prevent bloating. This crunchy veggie is also extremely versatile: eat it in a chopped salad, sprinkle on top of yogurt, or munch on cucumber slices with homemade hummus.
Ginger
If you've ever sipped on a glass of ginger ale while sick, you know the drink can do wonders to calm an upset stomach. Turns out the root is also good for keeping your belly slim. Thanks to compounds that help move food through your GI tract, it has been used for centuries as a natural remedy to treat bloating. Ginger may also help with weight management: In a 2012 study from Columbia University, researchers found that participants who drank a hot ginger beverage felt fuller after meals.
An easy way to include it in your diet is to make a ginger tea with a half teaspoon of ground or freshly grated ginger and one cup of hot water.
Almonds
For a guilt- free snack, reach for a handful of almonds. As with dark chocolate and avocados, the nut contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which may help your body burn fat and fight hunger. One recent study in the International Journal of Obesity found that when people had a serving of almonds as part of a low-calorie diet, they lost more weight than those who ate a similar diet but had a carb-heavy snack instead of almonds.
Avocado
Go ahead, put avocado on your toast, your belly will thank you! The super fruit (yes, it technically is a fruit) contains 2 grams of filling fiber and 4 grams of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, which can help keep the pounds off. In one recent study, researchers found that people who regularly ate avocados had smaller waistlines than those who didn't.
And in addition to keeping your stomach slim, avocados may benefit the gut, too. Healthy fats like avocados are vital to gut health, as they coat the stomach and allow for ease of digestion. They also help the body increase its absorption of other nutrients and antioxidants.
Papaya
There are lots of reasons to love this brightly colored tropical fruit, which is a rich source of vitamins A, C, E, and folate. Papayas also contain an enzyme called papain, which helps your GI system break down difficult-to-digest foods, in turn preventing inflammation and belly bloat.
In addition to eating papaya whole and fresh, it's wonderful in a smoothie, in salads, or thrown on the grill with a drop of olive oil.
These 10 foods will help keep your waistline slim by reducing bloat, boosting metabolism, and giving your body important nutrients that encourage weight loss. In addition to drinking enough water and avoiding notorious belly-busters (think alcohol, soda and sugar), you should be bikini ready!
What are the best antioxidants for your skin?
From red wine, berries, green tea and pomegranates, the variety of antioxidants that can be eaten,drunk or extracted and used in skincare is mind boggling. They are good for health and for skin because they help protect against free radicals, which, in a famous example, do the same thing to us that they do to a sliced apple. They oxidize it, turning it brown, and sending it quickly to..its eventual disintegration, otherwise known as ripe old age.
The sliced apple example has always resonated with people, but for some reason, until now, nobody was like, so what is it that keeps an apple from turning brown? Apple peels! Apple peels not only keep apples from turning brown, they keep them fresh and young looking for longer than practically any other fruit.
The research on whole apple peels' antioxidant power shows it's full of phenolic compounds, potent antioxidants, polyphenols, and more, all of which help to fight free radicals and keep us healthy.
Bottom line.. Eat apples for radiant skin!
The Skin-Care Benefits of Ice-Rolling , Explained. Ready to roll?
You’ve seen the roll-and-go tools all over Instagram, but what exactly do ice rollers do for the skin?
Designed to be chilled to deliver a cooling, tightening effect to the skin, the simple, hand-held tool is the best known for its ability to quickly de-puff a tired complexion. But as skin experts explain, the trending tool offers a host of other legitimate skin-care benefits, too.
What are the benefits of ice-rolling?
Ice rollers stimulate the lymphatic system and massage the face to get rid of puffiness and toxins, stimulate blood flow and reduce muscle tension. Anything ‘Cryo’ is anti-inflammatory, meaning it will slow the effects of aging, speed up healing and can stimulate collagen production.
Even better, the cooling action of the tool also allows for refreshed, brighter-looking appearance. Ice rollers may also help constrict blood vessels, thus decreasing inflammation and reducing the appearance of broken capillaries.
How do you use an ice roller?
Begin from the center of your face and use upward, outward strokes to roll the tool along the skin, making sure to apply just enough pressure to massage the skin, as using too much pressure can cause irritation. To de-puff the under-eyes, gently roll the tool along the area, applying little to no pressure.
When is the best time to use an ice roller?
Barring a couple of exceptions- more on that below- you can ice roll whenever you’d like. Reaching for your ice roller as the last step of your skin-care routine is always a good idea. I recommend using your ice roller to help spread products to all ares of your face. For example, you can apply a moisturizer or serum to your face and then use your ice roller to spread the product to under eyes, forehead, temples, cheeks, etc. Massaging the face with your ice roller can help the topical product absorb into the skin.
Can you use an ice roller after injections?
You should not use an ice roller after injections or filler because the facial roller can allow the products to spread into unwanted areas. Likewise, ice-rolling should be avoided after any surgery that leaves a wound because if healing tissue is moved, scarring could be worsened.
How do you clean an ice roller?
To ensure your roller isn’t harboring any bacteria, be sure to give it a quick wipe down with a cotton pad soaked in rubbing alcohol or with mild soap and water after each use. Before popping it back in the freezer or fridge to chill, place it in a separate bag or container to keep it free from contamination.
What is the best ice roller?
The Skinny Confidential Hot Mess Ice Roller($69)
Aceology Ice Globe Facial Massager($64)
Taste Sea Cryo Tool($15)
Esarora Ice Roller($13)
BeautyBio Cryo Icing Dual-Ended Roller($85)
MACA'S EXTRAORDINARY BENEFITS FOR WOMEN
Maca is an exceptionally hardy root plant native to the Andean mountain plateaus of Peru. Traditionally, Maca is best known as an adaptogenic plant, which simply means that it balances the body's response in dealing with all different types of stressors. Adaptogens are among the most useful medicinal herbs, helping individuals to better cope with fatigue, anxiety, stress, depression, and sleep problems. Mac is also amazingly rich in amino acids, phytonutrient, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals.
Maca does not affect human hormones directly. Various studies even show that the herb does not contain plant estrogens or hormones. Rather, it has hormone-normalizing effects, which may be due to the root's unique nutritional profile. The plant provides optimum levels of of nutrients utilized by the body's endocrine system. This action regulates metabolism, energy levels, growth, sexual development and the sense of well-being and attitude.
More specifically, Maca has been known to nourish and calm the nerves with calcium, phosphorus, vitamins B1 and B12, and fatty acids, all of which work beneficially on the nervous system. At the same time it supports the adrenal glands so they don't have to rely on damaging cortisol steroids to fuel the body. The sterols, calcium, and vitamin C found in Maca help build muscle mass and it contains starches that aid in physical endurance.
Of particular importance to menopausal women is Maca research on the production of sex hormones, enhanced sex drive, stimulation of body metabolism, control of body weight, and increased energy, stress reduction, antidepressant activity, and memory improvement.
Recent research shows that Maca has actually stimulated estradiol levels, suppressed follicle stimulating hormone(FSH) and increased HDL. In addition, Maca significantly reduced both the frequency and severity of hot flashes and night sweats. Furthermore, studies on Maca are now showing a significant reduction in psychological symptoms as well, including anxiety, depression, and sexual dysfunction. As such, Maca tends to treat menopausal symptoms as a whole; it doesn't treat any one specific symptom of menopause(such as hot flashes) alone.
In Peru, Maca flour is used in baking as a base and flavoring. The supplement industry uses both the dry roots and Maca flour for different types of processing and concentrated extracts. Gelatinized Maca is stronger than powdered root, and is employed for mainly therapeutic, medicinal and supplement purposes. Theres is also freeze-dried Maca juice, which is a juice squeezed from the macerated fresh root, and subsequently freeze-dried. The recommended dose of Maca extract is 500 mg twice daily. Sounds good to us!
The Best Foods to fight inflammation
Whether it's aches and pains, stiffness, headaches, indigestion, stomachaches, yeast imbalances, low energy, weight gain, or free radical damage, it often goes back to two things, acidity and inflammation.
To understand how acidity plays a role in producing bodily inflammation, you first have to understand pH, or the measure of a solution's acidity or alkalinity from 0 to 14, 0 being the most acidic, and 14 being the most alkaline. Our bodies need a very specific pH balance to function and maintain homeostasis. Even slight changes to the pH balance of our blood, for instance, can be extremely problematic.
Our grocery stores and diets are overrun with highly acidic foods, Caffeine, alcohol, processed foods, sugars, refined flours, pasteurized dairy, animal protein are all highly acidic forming in the body, and if you are eating those on a regular basis, chances are you may experience at least some sort of chronic symptom of inflammation. Even natural processes of the body produce acidic byproducts. Stress also contributes greatly to an acidic environment.
So what can we do? How do we reverse the effects of these highly acidic foods and actions? Just as food plays a role in producing an acidic environment, it can be transformative and healing to the body, reducing inflammation and creating an environment that supports health.
The goal should be to consume 80 percent alkaline foods and 20 percent acidic foods. Not all acidic foods are unhealthy necessarily; however, extremely acidic foods like those stated above should be greatly minimized. Fresh fruits and vegetables that have been seasoned and cooked should be the focus of your diet.
Below is a list of some of the most anti-inflammatory foods you should be adding to your diet daily to restore alkalinity and relieve inflammation. Fight inflammation in the kitchen, not the Pharmacy, with:
Green leafy vegetables
Turmeric
Fish Oils(Salmon and Sardines)
Berries
Walnuts
Bone broth
Coconut oil
Avocados
Olive Oil
Ginger
Dark Chocolate 70 percent and higher
Beets
Broccoli