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Saturday, February 7, 2015

Skin Food

Taken from New Idea Magazine, have no idea which issue this is cause it's a torn-off page.
 
I wonder if the image is clear enough. Due to time constraints, I'll type only the headers and subheadings and little bits of pertinent info:
 
Every second beauty product on the market claims to be natural -- but is it? They may have natural extracts, but it is likely that synthetic substances are making them smell better and last longer. If you have sensitive skin or are concerned about chemicals, with a little time and energy your greengrocer could be your skin savior.
  • Moisturisers:
    Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Cocoa Butter (rich in fatty acids)

  • Masks:
    Avocado (vit b,c,e. mash and leave for 15 min, rinse off with warm water and flannel), cherries and strawberries (mash and smear on face, 10 mins. rich in vit A and C, brightens. remove berry stains with olive oil), potato (puree raw potato and apply as a mask, 15 min. tightening effect.)

  • Toners:
    Lemon (dilute with water before spraying over the face to tone pores. leave on.), Cloves (allowed to steep in mineral water and applied via an atomiser. antiseptic ability)

  • Eye treatments:
    Cucumber (cooled cucumber has a mild astringent effect)

  • Exfoliators:
    Pineapple (smooth it flesh side down over body then rinse off), Salt (mixed with olive oil. eliminates toxins)

  • Body Treatments:
    Milk (smooth a face washer soaked in milk over your body while standing in the bath)

  • Acne Treatments:
    Honey (antiseptic. dab an amount no larger than a five-cent piece, leave overnight), Watercress (cleansing. chop up, wrap in muslin. place in bowl of cool water, apply, let sit for 15 min)

  • Eczema Treatments:
    Oat (calms inflammation. pour into muslin washer and tie corners. immerse in bath then smooth over skin while bathing. avoid hot water.)

 

Nutritional Benefits of Dried Fruit

Taken from Health Magazine, January/February 2005

BY Domenica Marchetti

As the weather gets colder, fewer options are available for getting your daily fruit fix. Enter dried fruit, which is nature's way of getting you through the winter. Gone are the days when it was relegated to the yearly fruitcake or eaten purely for the fiber boost. With choices like dried blueberries and cherries now on store shelves, you can enjoy and cook with your summer favorites year-round.

Dried fruits have benefits that extend far beyond the kitchen. They're tiny, concentrated packages of nutrition, high in fiber, potassium, and other nutrients. A quarter-cup of dried figs, for example, has about 60 milligrams of calcium, nearly twice as much as the same amount of low-fat cottage cheese, which has 35 milligrams. And about five dried apricots give you 36 per cent of the Daily Value for Vitamin A.

Recent studies have shown that dried fruit is also high in antioxidants and may offer many of the same health benefits as fresh. A study conducted by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) found that fresh blueberries had the highest antioxidant levels of 41 fruits and vegetables the researchers tested. Dried blueberries, however, pack an even bigger punch, with four times the antioxidants of their fresh counterparts, according to Charles M. Mainland, PhD, a blueberry researcher.

{This sounds so dubious. How can dried blueberries contain more antioxidants than fresh ones? So I did some research and this is what goaskalice and Dr Weil say: It's fine to substitute dried blueberries for fresh or frozen ones. In all three forms, these berries are packed with nutritional power. The anthocyanins they contain (the pigments that make them blue) are potent antioxidants. BUT Up to 40 or 50 percent of the antioxidants in blueberries are lost in the drying process, meaning fresh and frozen blueberries have more antioxidants than dried ones. Certain drying processes may remove more antioxidants than others — specifically blueberries that are heat dried and processed with an osmotic treatment (soaking the blueberries in a solution that helps them dry faster) lose more than those that don’t get an osmotic treatment. Also, freeze-dried blueberries tend to lose fewer antioxidants than those that are heat dried.
AND... One cup of fresh blueberries contains about 84 calories and 15 grams of sugar, while one cup of dried blueberries has over 500 calories and 100 grams of sugar. So, while you might be able to eat raw blueberries in larger quantities without worry, paying attention to portion size may be important when eating them dried (especially for diabetics!). http://goaskalice.columbia.edu/health-benefits-dried-vs-fresh-blueberries }

Moreover, new research has found that dried plums (prunes) appear to slow the progression of heart disease. "Compounds called chlorogenic and neochlorogenic acids may be involved in this beneficial effect," says Daniel Gallaher, PhD, a professor of food science and nutrition at the University of Minnesota. Plus, figs contain numerous antiocidants and, surprisingly, heart-protective omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

Despite all of these benefits, dieticians still recommend not going overboard on the amount of dried fruit you eat. Because it has less water than fresh fruit, it also has a higher proportion of sugar and calories. What's more, sugar is added to some dried fruits to balance their tartness, and the drying process can deplete vitamin C content.

Another consideration: Fruits such as apples and apricots, which darken when exposed to the air, are often treated with sulphites to keep them from discolouring. Though these chemicals are harmless to most people, they can cause allergic reactions in a few, and in rare cases, even death. Look for untreated fruit at health-food stores and some supermarkets.

........... We swear that you'll never look at those shrivelled skins the same way again.

Dried fruit has NO CHOLESTEROL and a negligible amount of fat. Once you get past its wrinkly appearance, you'll enjoy the intense flavour and chewy, satisfying texture. This handy chart compares six of the most nutrient-packed fruits.

BLUEBERRIES
Benefits: Highest antioxidant content among dried fruits, which helps neutralise free radicals and may reduce cholesterol buildup.
How to use: Stir into oatmeal or muffin or scone batter. Sprinkle over spinach salad, or fold into chicken, turkey, or carrot salad.

PLUMS/ PRUNES
Benefits: Antioxidants and other compounds in dried plums may sloiw the progression of heart disease. One cup contains more iron than a cup of cooked chicken. This fruit also helps keep you downright regular.
How to use: Sautee with diced onions or shallots and Cognac, and use as a stuffing for roast pork loin; add to a cinnamon-spiced Moroccan lamb tagine along with onions, tomatoes, and winter squash.

TART CHERRIES
Benefits: Rich in antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties; high in melatonin, a potent free-radical scavenger and sleep-cycle regulator
How to use: Toss into your morning cereal, or create red slaw by tossing together dried tart cherries, red cabbage, red onions, and red peppers in a dressing of olive oil, red wine vinegar, and
black pepper.

FIGS
Benefits: Contain omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, which may protect against heart disease. Also has phytosterols, which may help lower cholesterol.
How to use: Stuff with walnuts for a quick appetiser; make a winter smoothie by pureeing with bananas, yoghurt, honey, and mint in a blender; dice and add to a mesclun salad.

PAPAYA
Benefits: Good source of papain, an enzyme that aids digestion and is used as a meat tenderizer; heat from the drying process may reduce its effectiveness, however.
How to use: Dice finely and add to rice pilaf, or stir into curry sauce and serve over chicken or fish.
 

Cold Rash = Cold Urticaria

Now I know what those hive-like rashes that appear when I go to wintry countries is called.
By the editors of Health, an excerpt from Health, January/February 2005:

Q: Sometimes when I go walking in the winter, I get an itchy, bumpy rash on my arms. Am I allergic to cold weather, or what?

A: Your skin might just be parched by the drier, seasonal air. But there is something allergists call acquired cold urticaria, where a drop in temperature triggers your immune system, causing itchy hives. Even though the symptoms might seem mild, in rare cases they could progress to anaphylactic shock, says David R. Weldon, MD, a member of the urticarial committee of American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. An allergist can confirm if you're reacting to a drop in the mercury (and not, for example, the lining of your winter coat).
 

Rated Health Magazine's Best Shampoo 2004

While springcleaning, I came across these magazine clippings which I kept from way back. Actually 2004 feels like yesterday to me, but I guess my bigger frame and failing memory tell me otherwise. No, I have not tried this shampoo but I certainly look forward to trying it myself!

Excerpt from November 2004 Health Magazine :

With the presidential election at hand, a thought comes to mind: Freedom of choice is a wonderful thing. Sometimes, though, the more options you have, the more confused you become. Take beauty products, for example. There are a staggering number of them on the market, each offering something amazing -- younger-looking skin, fuller lips, frizz-free hair. But knowing which claims are truthful isn't always easy. So for the sixth straight year, we went in search of products that not only make you look good but leave your skin, hair, and other body parts in healthier shape. First, we asked cosmetics companies to nominate their all-stars; then we enlisted three dermatologists to give them a trial run. The votes are in. The winners are...
Voted BEST SHAMPOO 2004
EO Chamomile & Honey Shampoo ($8.99 *THEN..dry laughter*)

Apparently this is how it looks like now:

Aloe vera, hops, white ginger, wild-cherry bark, nettle, and horsetail: You'd be hard-pressed to find a shampoo with as many natural ingredients. But the one that piqued the interest of judge Grace Pak, M.D., was honey, one of nature's best-kept secrets. "It's a great healer and a humectant that helps hair retain moisture," Pak notes. Just as important, she says, is what's not on the list. "Most shampoos use detergents like sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate to help clear oil from the scalp. Yet these ingredients tend to strip hair of necessary moisture." In their place are amphoteric surfactants (what manufacturers often call a "coconut-oil cleansing complex"), detergents similar to the ones found in baby shampoos. These mild ingredients clean effectively while treating hair with kid gloves. Chamomile oil calms skin irritations, while witch hazel, a natural antiseptic, removes excess oil and product buildup, leaving your scalp clean and refreshed. And sensitive types, take note: There are no synthetic dyes, fragrances, or fillers.