Feverfew

Migraines are often the result of blood vessel spasms in the brain that block oxygen flow. Feverfew—an herb grown in Europe—reduces these spasms by slowing the production of inflammatory compounds. When German scientists gave migraine sufferers 6 mg feverfew daily for 4 months, the frequency of their headaches was cut in half. Feverfew also helps reduce eczema inflammation and rheumatoid arthritis.  Other supplements that help migraines:  riboflavin (vitamin B-2), butterbur, and Coenzyme Q10.

Conditions: Migrainesk Skin, Bones
Recommendations: 50 to 150 mg daily
Interactions & Side Effects: Coumadin, Heparin, Aspirin or NSAIDs

Source: Men's Health

German Ancestors Suggest Pumpkin for Testosterone

The Amish used pumpkin seed to stimulate testosterone production and rid the intestines of parasites. While available as a dried seed, pill or powder, fresh pumpkin seed is preferred as a remedy. According to Holistic-Online.com, raw, hulled seeds can stimulate the body's generation of testosterone in the body and may prevent impotence. The extract and seeds are rich in zinc, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, calcium and vitamins A and B. Ageless.co.za reports that the seed texture helps kill and expel parasitic worms in the intestine. No published scientific studies exist to prove the folk remedy claims. Consult a doctor before using pumpkin seed for any malady.

Source: Livestrong.com

Coconut Oil Instead of Sunscreen!

by Paul Fassa – NaturalSociety.com

Summer time is beach time, or at least poolside time. But if you want some protection form the sun’s UV rays, don’t always reach for toxic sunscreens. Instead, pack some extra virgin coconut oil along with your beach towel and umbrella.

That’s right, the same extra virgin coconut oil found in your kitchen pantry will do the trick to protect your skin – minus the toxicity from health-compromising ingredients. Coconut oil has been used as an effective sunscreen for thousands of years by indigenous, pacific islanders. Why slather toxic chemicals on your body when you can use non toxic coconut oil instead?

There are two types of UV (ultraviolet) rays from the sun: UVA and UVB. UVA rays are primarily responsible for skin damage from excessive sun exposure that can lead to cancer and skin aging. However, although UVB rays can also cause damage and sunburn, they are necessary for your body to produce its own cancer protective vitamin D via the skin.

Sunlight is by far the optimal way to produce your vitamin D. Blocking UVB rays may inadvertently be increasing your cancer risk by blocking vitamin D absorption. Plus, sunscreen causes cancer through carcinogenic ingredients.

Avoid Toxic Sunscreens

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) approximately 75% of commercial sunscreens contain toxic chemicals that are linked to cancer and disrupt hormones.

Store bought sunscreens typically contain:

– Retinyl palmitate, a known skin cancer hazard.

– Oxybenzone, which disrupts hormones leading to cell damage and cancer.

– Zinc and titanium nanoparticles are in colorless sun screen lotions.

Those and other chemicals rubbed on your skin are readily absorbed into your bloodstream and can be just as unhealthy and toxic as an oral dose.

The Sun Protection Factor (SPF) Hoax 

An excerpt from a 2012 CNN article about sunscreens:

“The EWG said consumers should not purchase sunscreens with SPF greater than 50. SPF (sun protection factor) works by absorbing, reflecting or scattering the sun’s rays on the skin. It is very misleading to put high SPF numbers on labels because it gives consumers a false sense of security and doesn’t offer a lot more protection.”

While SPF 85 may sound like a lot more protection than SPF 30, the higher the number doesn’t always offer a higher return. Studies show that sunscreen with SPF 15 can block about 93% of all incoming UVB rays. SPF 30 blocks 97%. SPF 50 blocks 98%. The protective factors plateau from there.

“A product with SPF 100+ blocks about 99.1 percent of the UVB rays. You don’t really need a high number. They end up being expensive and don’t offer more protection than SPF 50. Keep in mind, SPF protects only against UVB rays.”

Coconut oil has an SPF of 10 which means 90% of beneficial vitamin D creating UBV rays are blocked. How many people know that SPF ratings do not indicate any protection from the highly damaging UVA rays?

Yet, the American Cancer Society advises to apply a generous amount of of toxic commercial sunscreen 30 minutes before sun exposure and minimally every two hours thereafter, reapplying after being in the water, sweating, and towel drying.

Choose Coconut Oil for Sunscreen Instead

Daily exposure to the sun is essential to your overall health; it’s the overexposure that could cause some issues. Sunshine exposure is the best way for your body to create health protecting vitamin D. To protect against sunburn, use a non-toxic sunscreen like coconut oil or opt for a low-risk, safe sunscreen that doesn’t contain health-compromising ingredients.

Bruce Fife, ND, author of Coconut Cures: Preventing and Treating Common Health Problems with Coconut Oil, explains that coconut oil applied on the skin protects against sunburn and cancer. Unlike sunscreen, unprocessed coconut oil doesn’t completely block the UVB rays that are necessary for vitamin D synthesis. It protects the skin and underlying tissues from damage excessive exposure can cause. Instead of burning or turning red, it produces a light tan, depending on the length of time you spend in the sun.

Fife asserts that “Consuming coconut oil also strengthens the skin and makes it more resilient and less prone to sunburn.” He warns against using hydrolyzed or processed oil. Just make sure the coconut oil is pure and not processed.

Fat Blast

 
Slenderizing pasta - Make a tasty pasta with some black olive tapenade—it’s got intense flavor, so you won’t need a lot, and the anthocyanins in dark olives will help slenderize your tummy. Toss with linguine for resistant starch, and throw in a few toasted pine nuts for crunch. (trio top left)


Good-for-you-dip - To create this tasty dip, (Bottom right) purée a can of white beans (loaded with fiber and resistant starch), with jarred artichokes (more fiber) and olive oil (to add some fat-fighting monounsaturated fatty acids, or MUFAs). Serve with crudités.

Source: Health Magazine

The Sun: Friend or Foe?

Why That Golden Globe Hurts So Good

During that brief moment when experts seemed to be suggesting it was perfectly fine to skip the SPF in the name of scoring a healthy amount of vitamin D, many people reveled in the return of their greatest and guiltiest pleasure: a day in the sun. Sure, part of it was about the pure joy of soaking up those rays. But another part of it was about the way a tan makes you feel: younger, slimmer, and sexier.

That sense of well-being isn't your imagination. There are plenty of health benefits to being outdoors. Research suggests the sun have both psychological and physical benefits, improving skin disorders like psoriasis and eczema, combating depression and anxiety, improving sleep quality, boosting immunity, and even enhancing blood circulation. So is it really possible to spend an afternoon at th ebach without feeling like you're committing a crime? As long as you're protected. Wear a sunscreen with an SPF of 30, a protective hat, and try to avoid the sun at midday when rays are at their strongest.

Many of us still aren't serious enough about sun safety. At least that's the finding of a Harris Interactive survey of almost 2,400 adults. Though nearly half reported becoming more vigilant about using sunscreen in the past 5 years, only a paltry 300 respondents said they apply it daily--a dangerously low number, considering we get the bulk of our sun exposure while running errands or driving our cars and not while at the beach. This cumulative exposure has been linked to the development of melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Obviously, there's a lot to know about sun protection. What you don't know can hurt you and your family.

Source: Men's Health

8 Deadly Chemicals In Your Beauty Products

We're far from powdering our faces with lead-based powder and painting our lips with mercuric sulfide like we did in the Victorian Era, but how much safer are today's beauty products? Today, beauty products are more like chemistry experiments. They're loaded with chemicals that have no business being on — or in — our bodies. 

Aside from labeling requirements, regulation over the beauty industry is minimal at best. Currently, there is no federal law that requires companies to test personal care products for safety prior to marketing them to the public. This lack of regard for public safety means that just about anything is ending up in your facial cream. It is up to us, as consumers, to make informed decisions about what goes on our skin, in our hair, and into our bodies. In this article I'll list some of the most problematic toxins found in everyday, conventional beauty products.

1. Parabens

Parabens are synthetic preservatives. They're found in shampoos, conditioners, styling products, soaps, body washes, lotions, shaving creams and gels, makeup, and toothpaste. Whew!

The cosmetic industry strongly believes that parabens are safe. On the contrary, studies have shown that they're linked to many acute and chronic health problems. Some of these health problems are: allergies, skin toxicity, biochemical changes in the body, developmental and reproductive disorders, endocrine disruption, tissue irradiation and organ toxicity, and cancer. Furthermore, parabens can be hazardous to the environment.

Labeled as:

• Paraben
• Butylparaben
• Ethylparaben
• Methylparaben
• Propylparaben

2. Phthalates (Fragrance)

Phthalates are used to soften plastic. They're in adhesives, building materials, films, pesticides and perfumes. Perfumes and colognes, hair care products, hair color, deodorants — virtually all conventional beauty products — contain phthalates. They're typically used as solvents and to make fragrances last longer, and they may be disguised on the label as “fragrance.” Very sneaky! In both humans and animals, phthalates are linked to bioaccumulation, which means they become trapped in the body FOREVER. Other potential health problems include: cancer, developmental and reproductive toxicity, endocrine disruption, organ toxicity, birth defects, neurotoxicity and neurological disorders. Not only are phthalates toxic to the body, they're hazardous to the environment.

3. Sulfates

Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) are inexpensive chemicals used to create lather. Sulfates will be found in anything that lathers. That’s right — you're being exposed to a toxin just so you can have bubbles in your soap. Stripping the skin of its natural oils, these chemicals can make it feel as dry as leather that's been left in the sun for far too long. Sulfates also increase penetration of the skin’s surface, thus, allowing even more toxins to easily enter the body. 

4. Ethylenedimine and Tetraacetic Acid (EDTA)

EDTA is used as a stabilizer. That's a nifty trick, but it also means that EDTA is very stable itself and doesn't biodegrade even in water treatment plants. EDTA’s chelating, or binding, effect can cause all kinds of problems in our waterways because it can remobilize heavy metal sediments and have environmental effects. It's linked with skin irritations, allergies, contact dermatitis, reproductive and fetal effects, and kidney damage. YIKES!

5. Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is the carcinogenic chemical present in most embalming fluids — fluids used to temporarily preserve dead bodies. It's also found in most beauty products. Ew. More than likely it won't be found on the product label. There are even some preservatives that are capable of releasing formaldehyde. Preservatives can be exposed to formaldehyde during processing, or they can be part of a chemical reaction that, in turn, produces this nasty substance. 

The most common formaldehyde-releasing preservatives are:

• Diazolidinyl urea
• Imidazolidinyl urea
• Dimethyl-dimethyl hydantoin
• Quaternium-15
• Bronopol

6. Propylene Glycol

Propylene glycol is one efficient multitasker! Not only does it work to maintain moisture in the skin, it's a key ingredient in embalming and brake fluids, and it's used as a solvent in the plastics industry. Propylene glycol is also known as antifreeze, a de-icing solution for roads, planes, cars and boats. Exposure may have a negative effect on cell growth; it's been linked to skin allergies, and it can cause permanent damage to the surface of the skin. It's safe to say that propylene glycol is not the best solution for skin care. Skin creams are supposed to improve the condition of your skin, not damage it! 

7. Toluene

Toluene is an additive used as a solvent in nail polish and some hair coloring products. An unnerving characteristic of toluene is its deceptively sweet smell. This chemical is considered a volatile organic compound (VOC), and it has the potential to cause various health problems. Severe irritation to eyes, lungs, and skin, damage to the central nervous system (CNS), kidney and liver damage, developmental and birth defects are all health problems known to be associated with toluene exposure.

8. Talc

Talc is the primary ingredient in baby powder. It can be found in deodorants, cosmetics and sunscreens. This commonly used substance is seemingly harmless; however, it's often contaminated by asbestos — a known carcinogen. Talc by itself is also believed to be linked to cancer.

Source: mindbodygreen.com 

Lautner Abs: Swiss Ball Pikes

Swiss Ball Pikes
Assume a pushup position with your arms completely straight (your hands should be slightly wider than, and in line with, your shoulders). Rest your shins on a Swiss ball so that your body forms a straight line from your head to your ankles. Without bending your knees, roll the Swiss ball toward your body by raising your hips as high as you can. Pause, then return the ball to the starting position by lowering your hips and rolling the ball backward. Do three to four sets of 8 to 12 reps.

Source: Men's Health

A Fitness Model... and a Diabetic

John Angelesco is a part-time model living with Type 1 Diabetes. Double majoring in Civil Engineering Technology and Construction Management at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, he still has time for mud runs. With nutrition and exercise constantly being a concern for people with unstable insulin levels, I jumped at the opportunity to get his perspective and any advice to others struggling with the same issue.

 "My exercise plan consists of a 5 or 6 day workout routine for about 2-3 hours. Usually comprising of 3 days on and 1 day off. What I do in the gym everyday is a rotation of muscle group training. That is (1) Back & Biceps, (2) Chest & Triceps, (3) Shoulders, and (4) Legs. Along with that, I do shorter abdominal exercises for around 20-30 minutes, then some type of cardio exercise burning 200 calories.

From a diabetic standpoint, before going to the gym I always make sure I eat any type of breakfast. I would eat enough so I wont feel empty stomached, but not too much to feel bloated. I bring a couple Gatorades every time to make sure I have something to drink if/when my blood sugar goes low. Also make sure I have enough strips and lancets in my meter and insulin in my pump to get me through my time at the gym. Next it depends on whether you take any muscle supplements (pre or intra workout) because some contain carbohydrates. For instance, I recently took an intra workout that contained 40g of carbohydrate in each serving, so before my workout I checked my blood and put in 40g to cover for carbohydrates. Same situation goes for your post workout protein if any contain carbohydrates or not.

When working out, I bring my meter with me to my workout area where I do free weight exercises, then to each machine I use. I usually check about 5 times average. Which are (1) at the beginning, (2) mid weight workout, (3) post weight workout, (4) pre cardio, (5) post cardio. Then of course, if I feel like my blood sugar is low or high I check more. When low I would feel shaky, sweating more than usual, and weak. When high, I usually feel more lethargic, sleepy eye feeling, and have to go to the bathroom.

 For my meals/snacks, I eat all foods that are healthy for you. I eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, then other things like peanut butter crackers and granola bars. Vegetables and chicken are popular dinners of mine that I frequently eat. Also some lunches I make are turkey clubs on whole wheat bread for healthy sandwiches. Leading up to bedtime, for snacks its good to eat peanut butter because it’s a good stabilizer for the blood sugar. So I would eat a banana or apple and slab some peanut butter on it for each bite. Then every night I drink my casein protein shake, which helps muscle recovery/growth for the slow acting proteins."

 There you have it. John recently created a modeling page on Facebook. Check him out, LIKE and SHARE!

 https://www.facebook.com/JaModeling

Stay In The Game

Control Inflammation
Supplement: Bromelain
Daily amount: 120 milligrams (mg)

"It's almost like putting a chemical cold pack on a bruise or sprain," says Chris Foley, M.D., a professor at the University of Minnesota college of pharmacy. Extremely safe and inexpensive, bromelain has been shown to reduce swelling, bruising, healing time, and pain following physical injuries. A 2002 British study found that it relieved mild knee pain as well.

Shore Up Weak Tissue
Supplement: Glucosamine sulfate
Daily amount: 1,500 mg

Think of it as adding cement to a creaky foundation, says David Grotto, R.D., director of nutrition at the Block Center for Integrative Cancer Care. Glucosamine creates polymers called glucosaminal glycans (GAG) that build and strengthen the tissues, preventing tears. Try pairing it with chondroitin, which promotes GAG formation and inhibits degradation enzymes in connective tissue.

Source: Men's Health

What Healthy Really Looks Like

White tongue? Blue fingers? Green pee?

Those seemingly random color changes are actually a mirror reflecting what's going on inside of you, and they can warn you that a problem's brewing. "Even with all of the high-tech equipment we have today, color is still a very valuable diagnostic tool," says Marc I. Leavey, M.D., a primary care physician with Mercy Health Services in Baltimore. "Looking at changes in skin and body fluids helps doctors identify many underlying conditions, just like healers did thousands of years ago."

Eyes - Whites should be bright white if you're fair or off-white to beige if you have dark skin. A yellow shade to the whites of your eyes points to jaundice, a sign your blood's overly saturated with bilirubin. This substance is created as old red blood cells are broken down by the liver, which then helps the bilirubin exit your body via stool. Bilirubin might stick around if your liver's having trouble doing its job (because of diseases like hepatitis) or if a blockage is preventing bile from traveling from the liver to the intestines. See your doctor immediately to figure out what's wrong.

If eyes are bright red in the white part of one eye and it doesn't hurt, and your vision is fine, it's a burst blood vessel. It should go away in a day or so. If it doesn't, see an opthalmologist -- you may have an infection or a rare condition such as glaucoma, a disease that affects the optic nerve and impairs your sight.

Tongue - Your tongue should be a rosy pink. White patches inside your tongue and cheeks means you probably have an oral yeast infection called thrush, which is easily remedied with a prescription medication. But since a white patch could be as harmless as a canker sore or as threatening as a cancerous lesion, you should have a doctor take a look at it if it's been in your mouth longer than two weeks. Black tongue? Bismuth-- the active ingredient in peptobismol, can blacken the tongue. Haven't taken any? Bacteria that pools on the tongue due to poor dental hygiene, diabetes or antibiotic use can darken it as well.

Pale pink to white lips - You could be anemic, meaning that you're low on iron, vitamin B12, or folate. There are many causes of anemia, though-- including heavy periods, fibroids, and even taking too much aspirin or ibuprofen. Check with your doctor to ID any underlying problems before trying to treat them yourself with supplements.

Source: Health Magazine

What Healthy Really Looks Like Pt. 2

Skin - If your skin is a yellow-orange color, it may be a condition called carotenemia, a result of overeating foods rich in the pigment beta-carotene, like sweet potatoes and carrots. If your eyes are yellow too, you're probably jaundiced. Black smudges around your neck, knees, armpits, fingers or toes are a sign you should get your blood sugar checked. These discolorations called acanthosis nigricans can be harmless side effects of oral contraceptives or hormone replacements, but they can also be a sign of pre-diabetes.

Brown splotches is probably melasma, which develops when high levels of estrogen turbocharge the color-making cells called malanocytes. Estrogen-based contraceptives can cause this, as well as pregnancy. Darker skin is more susceptible because its color-producing skin cells are more responsive to light than the ones in fairer skin. Your dermatologist may suggest switching to a contraceptive that doesn't contain estrogen and using sunscreen with a mineral block like zinc oxide or titanium oxide -- unlike many chemical sunscreens, these block the entire light spectrum to prevent further darkening. Lightening creams, chemical peels, microdermabrasion, or laser treatments can help lighten any dark patches you've already got.

White patches could be new skin forming after a wound that you've had in those spots. Otherwise, see your dermatologist in case it's vitiligo (autoimmune disorder) or tinea versicolor (overgrowth of a yeast that lives in sebaceous glands). Pinkish-red across the cheeks, nose and chin may be rosacea, a skin condition that dilates blood vessels and especially affects fair-skinned people.

Fingers and Nails - Fingers should be the same color as the rest of the skin on your body. Nails are clear. Brown/black streaks on your nail? If it's a splotch, you probably bruised your finger. But, any mark that starts at the cuticle and runs the length of the nail should be seen by a dermatologist. It could mean melanoma. It's rare for fair-skinned people to get this form of cancer under their nails, but up to 40 percent of melanomas in darker-skinned people can be found there. Bluish-white fingers that later turn red? You may have Raynaud's disease, meaning the blood vessels in your fingers spasm, cutting off circulation in your digits. This usually happens when you're cold or stressed. Once the vessels relax, they turn pink to red as the blood rushes back in. Raynaud's is often connected with injury or autoimmune conditions such as scleroderma and lupus, so see your doc if this is a problem for you.

Source: Health Magazine

Questions Women Ask About Their Body

Q: Are there any exercises to make my A-cup chest bigger?
A: No -- your breasts are fat, not muscle. There is nothing to tone. Try strengthening your back muscles with bent-over dumbbell rows or reverse flies. Working your back will give you amazing posture, so you'll stand up straighter, chest out. Too many push-ups and chest flies can flatten out your breasts.

Russian Cure for Sore Throat

To combat a child's sore throat, Russian mothers bring a cup of milk to a gentle boil and stir in 2 tbsp. honey, then serve the concoction warm. According to The World's Healthiest Foods, honey has proven antimicrobial and antioxidant qualities. Another honey-based folk remedy calls for 3 tsp. of honey with 1 tbsp. each of finely-chopped onion and grated apples. According to Russian Foods, a third Russian folk remedy recommends grating beets and squeezing out the juice until you have 8 oz., then adding 1 tbsp. vinegar. Gargle with the mixture five times a day.


Source: Livestrong.com

Back Facial

Splurge: the Bacial (a.k.a. Back Facial)
Who wants to wear a backless dress if your back is littered with bacne blemishes? Ensure that hard-to-reach area is always flawless and dress-ready by booking a back facial service, which generally includes a deep cleanse, a mask, exfoliation, extractions and a tranquilizing neck-and-shoulder massage.

Source: Glamour

Men: Shaving Routine

Now that you have more choices than Barbasol and a Bic, the products and process can be overwhelming. Here's what you need to know.

1. Exfoliate - For thirty seconds. This removes dead skin cells and lifts stubble.

2. Prepare - For thirty seconds. A few drops of preshave oil are essential if you have more than a day's growth. (Anthony logistics pre-shave oil. anthony.com)

3. Lather - For two minutes. A brush is best for lifting whiskers. If you want to go hands-on, just make sure you've really massaged the foam into your beard.

4. Shave - The best razor is one that lets you use a light stroke so you don't push down too hard and risk causing nicks.

5. Repair - Did you nick yourself? Use a naturally medicated stone that contains healing alum and potassium.

6. Moisturize - Leave your face a little damp and massage in a bit of moisturizer or aftershave to seal in the moisture. It'll keep you from looking old prematurely.

7. Restore - Once a week, use a natural clay mask to calm shaving irritation with minerals and oils.


Source: Men's Health