Bath Smart
Good grooming and basic beauty care begin in the bathroom. Bathing can be fun, not a chore and can make you feel fresh and glowing. Personal freshness is essential for everyone. The bacteria on the skin attacking the sweat when it reaches the surface of the skin cause body odor. Perspiration odor doesn't start until about the age of 10, when the special apocrine glands develop. These are found mainly under the arms and between the legs.
Once a week, take time to have a lazy bath night, and turn it into a beauty treatment. Make the bath water soft and sweet smelling by adding some bubble bath, bath salts or bath oils. Alternatively, you can soften the water with a large spoonful or borax or powdered water softener.
Your bath won't do you any good if you stay in it so long, as soaking will dry your skin, or if is too hot, as this too is very drying. Twenty minutes is the longest you should linger, and 38o C(100 of) is the highest temperature you should have the water. If you are not washing your hair, protect it with a shower cap, as the steam will make curly hair more frizzy or straight hair lank.
Other things you might need for your beautiful bath are:
• A loofah, friction strap or mitt
• A sponge
• A back brush
• A nail brush
• A pumice stone
• Soap or body shampoo
• Talcum powder
• Body lotion
While you are in a bath, rub yourself briskly with a loofah, friction strap or back brush. This makes your skin tingle, improving your circulation and encouraging blemishes to disappear, but be careful if you have delicate skin.
Scrub your feet thoroughly, and follow the foot care routine. The hot steam of the bath will open the skin pores on your face. If you suffer from blackheads, you should be able to press them out gently with your fingertips and remove with a clean tissue. Or try the new blackhead removal strips that are available in the market.
While you are relaxing in the bath, this is a good time to apply a face mask- something you can do occasionally than every week.
If you are not giving yourself a face mask and have oily skin, wash your face with soap and water. If you have dry skin, spread moisturizer on your face and let your steam help it to sink into the pores. After your bath, rub yourself dry briskly with a fairly rough towel. Now is the time to deal with unwanted body hair. It is a matter of personal choice whether you get rid of on your legs and under your arms.
There are many ways of dealing with unwanted hair: shaving, using a depilatory cream or lotion or waxing. If using a depilatory cream, follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully. They may advise you not to use it immediately after a bath.
Even if you are careful about the time you spend in the bath and the temperature of the water, your skin will still need help, after your bath, to re-establish its correct moisture balance. Use body lotion, and then dust yourself with talc.
After a bath, your nails are softened, and this is a good time to give yourself a manicure and pedicure.
Milk, Oil and Honey Bath
(To soften and moisturize your skin).
Ingredients: warm water, one cup of powdered skimmed milk, one teaspoon oil (baby or vegetable), two teaspoons clear honey dissolved in one cup hot water.
Duration: 20 minutes
Directions: add all ingredients to water, then lie back and relax for 20 minutes. Maintain the temperature by adding hot water as necessary. Don't dry too vigorously afterwards.
Sea salt Bath
(To cleansing bath for oily skin)
Ingredients: Warm water, two cups of sea salt, additional salt.
Duration: Ten minutes in all (five in the water).
Directions: Pour the two cups of salt into bath water to dissolve. Meanwhile, massage the additional salt over your body with the loofah or friction mitt. Get into the bath, rinse away the salt and soak for five minutes. Use plenty of body lotion afterwords.
Mint Bath
(To refresh and revive you)
Ingredients: Tepid water, two tablespoons dried mint leaves steeped in boiling water for one hour then strained so that only water goes into the bath.
Duration: Ten minutes
Directions: Add the mint infusion after running the bath. Don't have the water too deep as this will dilute the benefits. Lie back for the first few minutes. Wash briskly with the loofah or friction strap or mitt for the remaining five minutes.
Body Beautiful
The fact that we enjoyed perfect velvety skin in our teenage years is not reason enough to enjoy it throughout. Sun damage is cumulative and can be seen on our skin a decade or two later. The skin on our body needs the same kind of love and care as our face. Dull, coarse and lifeless skin is a result of a generally toxic lifestyle, and healthy eating, proper exercise and body brushing can make a dramatic difference.
Grab the Veggies
Your diet supplies the nutrients needed by the cells to keep skin, hair and nails looking healthy. Therefore, it is important that you feed your body a well balanced diet. Vegetables are actually ‘longevity' foods; they are clean burning, ‘high octane' fuels that return the cells causing premature aging.
Veggies like tomatoes, carrots, broccoli and green leafy vegetables like spinach are packed with vitamin A and C, beta-carotene and fiber. These nutrients not only make your skin glow, but even help in destroying cancerous cells and preventing heart attacks.
They are also loaded with calcium – the mineral your body needs to keep your bones from buckling. Vegetables are rich in healthy carbohydrates and devoid of fat or cholesterol, making them good for the heart.
Poor eating habits can cause temporary hair loss, cracks in the corner of your mouth and brittle nails. Your skin can bruise easily, heal slowly and look dull, drab and ‘ashy'. A good diet, on the other hand will keep your skin looking healthy and toned, and sport a fine texture and colour.
Besides, a healthy diet will keep skin diseases at bay. In fact, if you eat right, you won't need to take vitamin supplements. In short there is no substitute for veggies.
Fitness Goals
Exercise is surprisingly enjoyable, good for the self-esteem and carries significant benefits for the quality of our lives and our health. Be it yoga, aerobics or walking, and no matter how little of it, it is important for both physical and mental health.
Exercise is a panacea for boredom, tension, anxiety and even PMS. Working up a sweat is natural and healthy, a vital requirement for a balanced, fulfilled life.
Exercise improves blood circulation, which helps in the reproduction of new cells, besides getting rid of all impurities to reveal radiant skin. But when you don't exercise enough, the blood circulation is sluggish and the skin receives less oxygen. As a result, your skin may look dull and sallow, one that lacks luster. In fact, it might even aggravate acne
It might take some getting used to, but once you get started, your body and mind will get accustomed to the exertion and actually hunger for it.
Simply Brush it Away
Body brushing is a good way to stimulate blood circulation. Because the skin is an organ of elimination (and the largest one in the body), many toxins can be eliminated if you stimulate the circulation and the lymph system by brushing the skin.
Use a loofah or a body sponge and brush in circular motions to remove the dead skin cells. Pay special attention to the elbows, knees, shoulders, the back and thighs. Do this every day before bathing or showering. Also, keep the temperature of your bath water a little higher that of your skin so as to stimulate sluggish circulation.
Smoother skin is a spin-off of this toxin-eliminating regimen, which leaves you feeling invigorated and truly bright-eyed.
How to get a Perfect Body?
Want to own a Perfect Body? Those curvy calves, Buffy arms, tighter tummy, shapely shoulders and slender legs can be yours with some simple exercises. Add them to your routine three or four times a week to see results in less than a month.
CURVY CALVES
Stand with your feet hip-distance apart and your toes turned out. Bend your knees and lower you body unit your thighs are almost parallel to the floor. Lift both heels off the floor. Then, without allowing your heels to touch the floor, straighten up. Slowly return to the staring position. Do two sets of 10.
BUFFY ARMS
Stand holding on eight-pound weight in each hand, palms facing forward. Keeping your elbows by your sides, lift both weights until your forearms are parallel is the floor. Then, extend your arms straight out in front of you(as though you were serving a platter).Return your arms to the bent position, Slowing return to the starting position. DO two sets to 10.
TIGHTER TUMMY
Lie on your back with your hands behind your head. Use your stomach muscles to raise your neck and shoulders off the floor and lift your legs straight out in front of you until they raise your neck and shoulders off the floor and lift your legs straight out in front you until they are at a 45-degree angle to the floor. Turn your toes out. As quickly as you can. Cross you right leg over your left leg, then your left leg over right leg. Repeat for at least 30 seconds.
SHAPELY SHOULDERS
Stand holding on eight-pound weight in each hand, palms towards your body. Extend both arms straight out in front of you until they're shoulder-height, then return to the staring position. Next, still holding the weights, put your arms behind you and place your knuckles on your butt, keeping your arms slightly bent. With a straight back, lift your arms behind you until you feel a stretch across your chest. Slowly return to the staring position .Try two sets of 10.
SLENDER LEGS
Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, holding an eight-pound weight in each hand. Take a big step back with your right foot and bend your left knee so that you thigh is almost parallel to the floor. Then, lift your right knee in front of you until it's hip-height and your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Return to the starting position. Do 10,and then switch legs
Health Guidelines for Ramadan
This article provides useful advice on how to avoid some common problems encountered in Ramadan. If followed, it would enable one to fast comfortably and enjoy fully the spiritual benefits of Ramadan.
During the holy month of Ramadan, our diet should not differ very much from our normal diet and should be as simple as possible. The diet should be such that we maintain our normal weight, neither losing nor gaining. However, if one is over-weight, Ramadan is an ideal time to normalize one's weight.
In view of the long hours of fasting, we should consume slow digesting foods including fiber containing-foods rather than fast-digesting foods. Slow digesting foods last up to 8 hours, while fast-digesting foods last for only 3 to 4 hours.
• , unpolished rice, etc. (called complex carbohydrates).
• F Slow-digesting foods are foods that contain grains and seeds like barley, wheat, oats, millet, semolina, beans, lentils, whole meal flourast-burning foods are foods that contain sugar, white flour, etc. (called refined carbohydrates).
• Fiber-containing foods are bran-containing foods, whole wheat, grains and seeds, vegetables like green beans, peas, sem (papry), marrow, mealies, spinach, and other herbs like methie, the leaves of beetroot (iron-rich), fruit with skin, dried fruit especially dried apricots, figs and prunes, almonds, etc.
The foods eaten should be well-balanced, containing foods from each food group, i.e. fruits, vegetables, meat/chicken/fish, bread/cereals and dairy products. Fried foods are unhealthy and should be limited. They cause indigestion, heart-burn, and weight problems.
AVOID
* Fried and fatty foods.
* Foods containing too much sugar.
* Over-eating especially at sehri.
* Too much tea at sehri. Tea makes you pass more urine taking with it valuable mineral salts that your body would need during the day.
* Smoking cigarettes. If you cannot give up smoking, cut down gradually starting a few weeks before Ramadan. Smoking is unhealthy and one should stop completely.
EAT
* Complex carbohydrates at sehri so that the food lasts longer making you less hungry.
* Haleem is an excellent source of protein and is a slow-burning food.
* Dates are excellent source of sugar, fiber, carbohydrates, potassium and magnesium.
* Almonds are rich in protein and fiber with less fat.
* Bananas are a good source of potassium, magnesium and carbohydrates.
DRINK
* As much water or fruit juices as possible between iftar and bedtime so that your body may adjust fluid levels in time.
CONSTIPATION
Constipation can cause piles (hemorrhoids), fissures (painful cracks in anal canal) and indigestion with a bloated feeling.
Causes: Too much refined foods, too little water and not enough fiber in the diet.
Remedy: Avoid excessive refined foods, increase water intake, use bran in baking, brown flour when making roti.
INDIGESTION AND WIND
Causes: Over-eating. Too much fried and fatty foods, spicy foods, and foods that produce wind e.g. eggs, cabbage, lentils, carbonated drinks like Cola also produce gas.
Remedy: Do not over-eat, drink fruit juices or better still drink water. Avoid fried foods; add ajmor to wind-producing foods.
LETHARGY ('low blood pressure')
Excessive sweating, weakness, tiredness, lack of energy, dizziness, especially on getting up from sitting position, pale appearance and feeling faint are symptoms associated with "low blood pressure". This tends to occur towards the afternoon.
Causes: Too little fluid intake, decreased salt intake.
Remedy: Keep cool, increase fluid and salt intake.
Caution: Low blood pressure should be confirmed by taking a blood pressure reading when symptoms are present. Persons with high blood pressure may need their medication adjusted during Ramadan. They should consult their doctor.
HEADACHE
Causes: Caffeine and tobacco-withdrawal, doing too much in one day, lack of sleep, hunger usually occur as the day goes by and worsens at the end of the day. When associated with "low blood pressure", the headache can be quite severe and can also cause nausea before Iftar.
Remedy: Cut down caffeine and tobacco slowly starting a week or two before Ramadan. Herbal and caffeine-free teas may be substituted. Reorganize your schedule during the Ramadan so as to have adequate sleep.
LOW BLOOD SUGAR
Weakness, dizziness, tiredness, poor concentration, perspiring easily, feeling shaky (tremor), unable to perform physical activities, headache, palpitations are symptoms of low blood sugar.
Causes in non-diabetics: Having too much sugar i.e. refined carbohydrates especially at suhur (sehri). The body produces too much insulin causing the blood glucose to drop.
Remedy: Eat something at sehri and limit sugar-containing foods and drinks.
Caution: Diabetics may need to adjust their medication in Ramadan, consult your doctor.
MUSCLE CRAMPS
Causes: Inadequate intake of calcium, magnesium and potassium foods.
Remedy: Eat foods rich in the above minerals e.g. vegetables, fruit, dairy products, meat and dates.
Caution: Those on high blood pressure medication and with kidney stone problems should consult their doctor.
PEPTIC ULCERS, HEART BURN, GASTRITIS AND HIATUS HERNIA
Increased acid levels in the empty stomach in Ramadan aggravate the above conditions. It presents as a burning feeling in the stomach area under the ribs and can extend upto the throat. Spicy foods, coffee, and Cola drinks worsen these conditions.
Medications are available to control acid levels in the stomach. People with proven peptic ulcers and hiatus hernia should consult their doctor well before Ramadan.
KIDNEY STONES
Kidney stones may occur in people who have less liquid to drink. Therefore, it is essential to drink extra liquids so as to prevent stone formation.
JOINT PAINS
Causes: During Ramadan, when extra salah are performed the pressure on the knee joints increases. In the elderly and those with arthritis this may result in pain, stiffness, swelling and discomfort.
Remedy: Lose weight so that the knees do not have to carry any extra load. Exercise the lower limbs before Ramadan so that they can be prepared for the additional strain. Being physically fit allows greater fulfillment, thus enabling one to be able to perform salah with ease
Reduce your weight with Diet
According to a recent report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, ANY DIET that limits calorie intake to 1500 calories per day will result in weight loss. However, this groundbreaking report emphasizes that only a diet that is moderate in fat and high in complex carbohydrates will help you keep weight off permanently. In addition, this moderate fat, high carbohydrate diet -- which is what we serves up in our daily meal plans--is the only proven way to produce long term health benefits such as lowering cholesterol and blood pressure levels and reducing cancer risks.
This U.S. Department of Agriculture report frowns at unorthodox but yet popular weight loss programs such as the high protein Atkins diet and other similar dietary regimes. While high protein diets seem to produce a significant weight loss in a quick amount of time such diets produce a greater loss of body water than of fat. Other evidence against these high protein diets include the fact that there are no controlled, randomized studies which support the loss of body fat even over the long haul. One other strike against them: there is no evidence that such diets help to reduce blood cholesterol or improve blood sugar levels.
Carrying excess body weight is a significant risk factor for heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and other chronic health conditions. In addition to daily eating a moderate fat, high complex carbohydrate diet, regular exercise and social support are critical adjuncts in keeping weight off.
Fighting family fat
1 in 3 adults, and 1 in 5 kids are overweight. Despite widespread efforts to treat this epidemic, these spreads continue to widen at an alarming rate. While there's no doubt some of us are genetically destined to carry around a little extra baggage, many of us tip the scales because we eat too much and move too little. We eat on the go, "super size" our food portions, and spend too much time in front of our televisions and computer screens. If you and your family struggle with weight, don't despair. There are many healthy steps you can take to win your fight against fat.
1. Eat at home more often. Can't remember the last time you and your family sat down together for a meal? Plan to prepare a great tasting and healthy dinner one night each week. Involve your kids by letting them create the menu, shop for ingredients, or make a dish themselves.
2. Prepare for snack attacks. If you and your kids are always hungry for something after school or work, or late at night, have healthy snack options on hand. Fresh fruit, low fat microwave popcorn, low fat cheese and crackers, and low fat ice cream are good choices.
3. Plan indulgences. Going to a birthday party or other special event does not have to end your healthy eating efforts. To prevent overeating, have a snack beforehand. Try to focus more on the company, not on the food. If you overdo it, start fresh the next day or meal.
4. Get fit together. Take a walk, go on a hike, or ride your bikes outside. In bad weather, reorganize a closet, house clean, or play hide and seek. Spending less time on your couch and more time on the move will give you energy and will give you quality time with your family.
5. Think long-term. Weight management is a life-long process, not a quick fix. If you focus on making small, gradual and realistic changes in your food choices and activities, you'll improve your odds for achieving and maintaining a healthier body weight.
Eating on the go can be daunting if you're watching your weight, especially when the pickings include high calorie/high fat foods such as Danish pastries, croissants, muffins, and donuts. If you keep just a few staple items in your pantry or refrigerator at home or at the office, you can successfully put together a healthy and satisfying breakfast. Below are several foods and beverages grouped by category. To build a healthy, low calorie/low fat and nutritious breakfast, choose 1 item from each category for a total of 300-400 calories. If you want to double a serving of a specific food or choose 2 items from a single category, choose items from only 3 categories (instead of 4). Breads/Starches
· 2 slices toast- best choices: whole wheat, bran, oat or multi grain
· 1-1/2 cups high fiber, low fat, low sugar cereal
Fruit
· 1 medium banana
· 1/2 cup applesauce or 1 apple
· 1 cup (8 ounces) orange juice
· 2 tablespoons of raisins or 3-4 pieces dried fruit
Dairy
· 1 cup (8 ounces) skim or 1% milk
· 1 cup (8 ounces) low fat plain or vanilla yogurt
· 1 slice low fat cheese
Protein/Fat
· 1 slice low fat cheese
· 1 tablespoon peanut butter
· 6-10 nuts
· 1 tablespoon cream cheese (can mix with 1 tablespoon jelly which contains little fat)
· 1 teaspoon butter or margarine
Sugarcoated Diets
Too much sugar (especially the kind added to many processed foods and beverages) can sabotage your family's efforts to eat well and stay trim. Intake of added sugar is on the rise and represents an estimated 12-20 percent of the calories we consume each day. Candy, non-diet sodas, juices, cakes and cookies often come to mind when we think of sugar. But other foods that we think of as healthy, including yogurt and applesauce, are often laced with extra sugar.
While skipping sweets altogether is not realistic, there are several ways you and your family can satisfy your sweet teeth, spare your waistlines, and eat healthier:
1. Become a sugar sleuth. Read the ingredient list on food packages and look for the sugar. Other names for sugar include white sugar, brown sugar, raw sugar, corn syrup, corn syrup solids, high fructose corn syrup, malt syrup, maple syrup, pancake syrup, fructose sweetener, liquid fructose, honey, molasses, anhydrous dextrose, and crystal dextrose. The higher up on the list, the more sugar in the product.
2. Get the facts. While the Nutrition Facts label on food packages lists sugar in grams, it doesn't say how much is natural and how much is added. Nevertheless, use grams of sugar to compare similar items such as cereal -- have your kids compare your family favorites, and opt for those with less sugar more often.
3. Go natural. Many foods that naturally contain sugar, including fruit and milk, are also rich in vitamins, minerals and other key nutrients. On the other hand, many products high in added sugar offer calories and not much else. To get the most bangs for your nutritional buck, choose more foods and beverages with natural sugar or less added sugar. For example, plain skim milk is a better choice than chocolate skim milk, and fresh fruit beats out canned fruit.
4. Stick to your sugar budget. Each teaspoon of sugar has roughly 4 grams. The USDA recommends no more than 10 percent of your daily calories from added sugar. For 1600 calories, that's 6 tsp, or 24 grams a day. To satisfy a sugar craving without caving in, choose fresh fruit in season, a sucking candy, or a small lollipop. Save sugary snacks and non-diet sodas for special occasions.
Dieting? Don't skip breakfast!
Many people skip breakfast because they aren't hungry in the morning or fear that eating breakfast will make them hungry all day. Others cruise through the morning with either a caffeine or sugar buzz, only to experience extreme fatigue mid-morning. Studies show kids perform better in school with breakfast and the same holds true for adults. By eating breakfast, you:
· Give your brain fuel to enhance concentration and performance for problem solving and memory retention
· Jump start your metabolism from the overnight fast
· Increase your overall energy level
· Decrease the incidence of overeating later in the day
Breakfast can be quick, satisfying, and tasty with a preparation time of 10 minutes or less. A general rule of thumb is to eat one or two servings of complex carbohydrates such as fruit with whole grain bread or cereal and then add protein such as egg, egg white, low fat cheese, and peanut or soy butter. Protein will keep you feeling full and satisfied for up to 4 hours. If you eat only carbohydrate foods like fruit or toast you'll be hungry in 2 hours or less and may need a snack by mid morning. Try these easy, quick breakfast choices:
· Half or whole peanut butter sandwich, banana or raisins and with skim milk
· Low-fat yogurt mixed with cereal and fruit
· Low-fat cheese on toast and fruit
· High fiber cereal with fruit, skim milk, and nuts
· Hot cereal and a small handful of nuts
· An egg or egg substitute with whole wheat toast
· Whole grain toaster waffles with peanut butter, and a glass of skim milk.
If you rush out the door headed for work, keep cereal bars, dry cereal, bagels and peanut butter in your desk so you can munch before you get too hungry. Fast food breakfasts are not the best choice but in a pinch, choose a plain biscuit, pancakes or cereal. Even non-traditional breakfasts such as leftovers of beans and rice or meat and salad from the night before can be an easy, quick choice. Limit caffeine to 2 cups and stay hydrated with at least 2 cups of water during the morning hours. If you have trouble eating in the morning, try eating something solid within 2 hours after waking. By starting your day with the proper type and amount of fuel, you will add hours to your energy level and burn calories steadily all morning long.
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