What To Eat For Healthy Hair, Skin And Nails
As the weather turns the corner, many of us will be left with lifeless hair, dry skin and brittle nails brought on by cold weather, central heating and lack of exercise.
Instead of resorting to cutting inches off your hair or trying to drink your way through litres of mineral water every day, there are some simple changes you can make to your diet to improve your appearance.
Nutritionists say eating certain foods that contain the right vitamins and minerals, means you are also feeding your skin, hair and nails.
Missing out on just a few nutrients every day can have a dramatic impact on your appearance.
Vitamin A - found in dried apricots and dairy products - is essential for replenishing your skin cells. Essential fatty acids - found in oily fish and nuts - are vital for healthy hair, and a lack of zinc - found in red meat - can mean weak nails and dry skin.
So what do you need to eat for a model complexion and catwalk hair? Just follow the femail.co.uk guide and find out why your diet could help you beat split ends, flaky nails and lacklustre skin.
Skin
Just by upping your daily intake of fresh fruit and vegetables, you can combat a range of skin complaints.
Dry skin - Maryon Stewart, founder of the Women's Nutritional Advisory Service, says, 'Dry skin is probably due to a lack of vitamins A and E, and a deficiency of essential fatty acids in your diet.'
She recommends eating vegetables that contain a large amount of beta carotene, which is turned into vitamin A by the liver. Beta carotene is an important antioxidant which is vital for skin health.
Antioxidants track down and destroy free radicals in the body - harmful chemicals you pick up from the atmosphere and are produced naturally in the body, that can cause damage to your cells.
Beta carotene-rich vegetables include green leafy varieties like broccoli, or carrots and {3}dried apricots. You also need to include oily fish such as sardines or mackerel into your diet to get enough fatty acids.
Fatty acids help reduce the redness and inflammation associated with eczema and dermatitis, but are also useful for moisturising your skin. If you are a vegetarian, or don't eat fish, Maryon suggests taking evening primrose oil or fish oil supplements.
Spots or acne - the old wives' tale that eating too much chocolate can lead to acne is untrue. Femail.co.uk nutritionist Angela Dowden says, 'A preliminary study has found that people who thought that certain foods triggered their acne were actually consistently wrong. But eating a good diet will help improve your skin.'
Evidence is now emerging of the importance of eating zinc to help fight adult acne. Zinc helps your body repair itself and is vital for skin renewal, giving you a fresher complexion. Foods rich in zinc include red meat, oysters and nuts. Alternatively, you can take a zinc supplement every day. Experts recommend a dose of no more than 30mg per day.
Lines or wrinkles - 'Wrinkles are caused by a possible lack of vitamins A, C and E and also selenium and zinc,' says Maryon Stewart.
Vitamin C helps your body build collagen - a protein that is the main connective tissue in skin. Less collagen means more sagging. Vitamin C is also an essential antioxidant that fights damage already done to your skin. You can find the most vitamin C in citrus fruits, kiwi fruit, blackcurrants and red peppers.
Vitamin E is another antioxidant and is used to help the body heal and prevent scarring - vital for eliminating wrinkles and removing acne scars. It also keeps the red blood cells healthy so more oxygen and nutrients can be carried to the skin's surface. Vitamin E can be found in sunflower seeds, olive oil and green leafy vegetables like spinach or watercress.
Selenium works with vitamin E as an antioxidant and also helps regulate your metabolism. It helps your body process food properly so the right amount of nutrients can find their way to your skin. Foods containing selenium include eggs, Brazil nuts and wholegrain bread.
If you eat the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables every day, you will also be absorbing a range of other beneficial vitamins.
Vitamins A and B5 help maintain healthy skin, vitamin B2 is essential for promoting cell growth and other nutrients including sulphur and biotin are all vital for skin health.
All of these can be found in many different fruits and vegetables.
follow us on twiiter @femisblog
www.phemizblog.blogspot.com
As the weather turns the corner, many of us will be left with lifeless hair, dry skin and brittle nails brought on by cold weather, central heating and lack of exercise.
Instead of resorting to cutting inches off your hair or trying to drink your way through litres of mineral water every day, there are some simple changes you can make to your diet to improve your appearance.
Nutritionists say eating certain foods that contain the right vitamins and minerals, means you are also feeding your skin, hair and nails.
Missing out on just a few nutrients every day can have a dramatic impact on your appearance.
Vitamin A - found in dried apricots and dairy products - is essential for replenishing your skin cells. Essential fatty acids - found in oily fish and nuts - are vital for healthy hair, and a lack of zinc - found in red meat - can mean weak nails and dry skin.
So what do you need to eat for a model complexion and catwalk hair? Just follow the femail.co.uk guide and find out why your diet could help you beat split ends, flaky nails and lacklustre skin.Skin
Just by upping your daily intake of fresh fruit and vegetables, you can combat a range of skin complaints.
Dry skin - Maryon Stewart, founder of the Women's Nutritional Advisory Service, says, 'Dry skin is probably due to a lack of vitamins A and E, and a deficiency of essential fatty acids in your diet.'
She recommends eating vegetables that contain a large amount of beta carotene, which is turned into vitamin A by the liver. Beta carotene is an important antioxidant which is vital for skin health.
Antioxidants track down and destroy free radicals in the body - harmful chemicals you pick up from the atmosphere and are produced naturally in the body, that can cause damage to your cells.
Beta carotene-rich vegetables include green leafy varieties like broccoli, or carrots and {3}dried apricots. You also need to include oily fish such as sardines or mackerel into your diet to get enough fatty acids.
Fatty acids help reduce the redness and inflammation associated with eczema and dermatitis, but are also useful for moisturising your skin. If you are a vegetarian, or don't eat fish, Maryon suggests taking evening primrose oil or fish oil supplements.
Spots or acne - the old wives' tale that eating too much chocolate can lead to acne is untrue. Femail.co.uk nutritionist Angela Dowden says, 'A preliminary study has found that people who thought that certain foods triggered their acne were actually consistently wrong. But eating a good diet will help improve your skin.'
Evidence is now emerging of the importance of eating zinc to help fight adult acne. Zinc helps your body repair itself and is vital for skin renewal, giving you a fresher complexion. Foods rich in zinc include red meat, oysters and nuts. Alternatively, you can take a zinc supplement every day. Experts recommend a dose of no more than 30mg per day.
Lines or wrinkles - 'Wrinkles are caused by a possible lack of vitamins A, C and E and also selenium and zinc,' says Maryon Stewart.
Vitamin C helps your body build collagen - a protein that is the main connective tissue in skin. Less collagen means more sagging. Vitamin C is also an essential antioxidant that fights damage already done to your skin. You can find the most vitamin C in citrus fruits, kiwi fruit, blackcurrants and red peppers.
Vitamin E is another antioxidant and is used to help the body heal and prevent scarring - vital for eliminating wrinkles and removing acne scars. It also keeps the red blood cells healthy so more oxygen and nutrients can be carried to the skin's surface. Vitamin E can be found in sunflower seeds, olive oil and green leafy vegetables like spinach or watercress.
Selenium works with vitamin E as an antioxidant and also helps regulate your metabolism. It helps your body process food properly so the right amount of nutrients can find their way to your skin. Foods containing selenium include eggs, Brazil nuts and wholegrain bread.
If you eat the recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables every day, you will also be absorbing a range of other beneficial vitamins.
Vitamins A and B5 help maintain healthy skin, vitamin B2 is essential for promoting cell growth and other nutrients including sulphur and biotin are all vital for skin health.
All of these can be found in many different fruits and vegetables.
follow us on twiiter @femisblog
www.phemizblog.blogspot.com
Beware – a big belly will kill you!
A new study has found that a big waist and severe obesity is highly linked to fatality in heart attack survivors. Professor Tabassome Simon said that the impact of obesity on long term mortality and cardiovascular complications in the general population has been the object of recent debate and much emphasis has also been given to the deleterious role of abdominal obesity.
Simon said that at the time of a heart attack, early mortality tends to be lower in obese patients, a phenomenon well known in critical care situations and described as the ‘obesity paradox’.
At 5 years, absolute mortality was highest in the leanest patients (BMI less than 22 kg/m2) and lowest in patients with BMI between 25 and 35 kg/m2 (i.e. overweight and mild obesity). Patients with severe obesity (BMI = 35 kg/m2) had a markedly increased mortality after 3 years. Severe abdominal obesity (waist circumference more than 100 cm in women and more than 115 cm in men) was also associated with increased long-term mortality.
Simon said that as waist circumference is strongly linked to BMI, the researchers determined the upper quartile of waist circumference within each BMI category and used both variables together to determine their respective role in association with long-term mortality.
She added that they found that both lean patients (BMI less than 22 kg/m2) and very obese patients (BMI =35 kg/m2) had an increased risk of death at 5 years: + 41 percent and + 65 percent, respectively. Being in the upper quartile of waist circumference was also an indicator of increased mortality at 5 years (+ 44 percent).
Diseases the obese need to watch out for:
Diabetes
Diabetes is a metabolic disease which is characterised by high blood sugar levels. It can be caused either due to the lack of insulin (type 1 diabetes) or because the body’s cells fail to respond to the insulin produced (type 2 diabetes). Some of the common symptoms of diabetes are hunger, frequent urination and increased thirst. While type 1 diabetes is usually genetic, type 2 diabetes is caused more by lifestyle factors. It is one of the common ‘lifestyle diseases’ which is plaguing people in the developed countries and often has a causal link to heart diseases, hypertension and obesity.
Cardiovascular disease
Heart disease or cardiovascular disease refers to a group of diseases that involve the heart and/ or blood vessels. Some of the more common ones are coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke and peripheral arterial disease. While susceptibility to heart diseases increases with age, gender, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, stress there are many things we can do to improve our cardiovascular health. A low fat, high fibre diet with fruits and veggies, quitting smoking and giving up alcohol coupled with increased physical activity and less stress can go a long way in improving cardiovascular health.
Hypertension
Hypertension or high blood pressure is one of the most common lifestyle diseases. Blood flows through our arteries with pressure. This pressure is determined by the pumping of the heart as well as resistance to the flow of blood by the arteries. Due to genetics, high cholesterol or other reasons, the wall of the blood vessels get thickened leading to increased resistance for the blood to flow. This causes the blood pressure to go up causing hypertension. Elevated blood pressure is linked to a variety of diseases – coronary artery diseases, heart diseases, stroke, kidney diseases, vision loss and erectile dysfunction. High BP can be curtailed by exercising more, eating right, with antihypertensives and by keeping stress at bay.
Arthritis
Arthritis is a joint disorder that causes the inflammation of one or more joints. The pain is caused due to the inflammation around the joints. Some of the types of arthritis include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, etc. Osteoarthritis is the most common form – caused due to overuse or injury – and can affect all joints. The other forms can either be genetic, caused due to skin conditions (psoriatic), immune disorder (rheumatoid) or by deposition of uric acid (gout). Almost 50 million people around the world are affected by one form or another.
Sleep apnoea
Sleep apnoea (apnea in American English) is a sleep disorder characterised by abnormal breathing. They can be classified as obstructive, central or mixed sleep apnoea. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is caused by a blockage in the airway and is usually characterised by snoring. Various studies have linked OSA to heart diseases, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, depression and obesity. On the other hand central sleep apnoea is usually characterised by low breathing which can indicate less blood flow. This leads to a drop in blood oxygen which causes seizures, angina, heart attacks and even death.
Parenting Tips To Keep Your Baby Safe
The arrival of a baby means the parents need to look at their home in a whole new light. Babies and young children are naturally curious and parents will need to assess their home and the outdoors for lurking dangers. Parents should not wait until disaster strikes, instead they should take steps to ensure that their home is safe. Dr Sumana Rao, consultant pediatrician at The Cradle gives us the best tips for baby safety and ways to prevent accidents.
Using a specially designed car seat for the baby
Specially designed car seats are crafted to allow the baby to sleep comfortably with his/her head and back supported. The baby’s car seat will help to keep him/her safe while the parents are on the road. Check that the baby isn’t too hot in his/her car seat, and take a layer of clothing off if needed. Never leave the baby sleeping in his/her car seat in the car. Make sure that one parent, or an adult passenger, can see the baby at all times when travelling.
Making your home safe
Falls are the most common causes of accidents in the home. Once the baby starts crawling, the parents may also need a safety gate to keep her/him out of rooms which are off-limits.
Attach cushioned corner-and-edge protectors to coffee tables and desks. They may not prevent a fall but they can help lessen an injury.
Choose curtains and blinds without cords. If you do have them, tie cords high up and out of your child’s reach.
Place colourful stickers on large areas of glass, such as sliding glass doors, to remind the child that the doors are there.
Parents may choose to use socket covers for electrical sockets to help prevent the child from plugging in appliances that could be dangerous. However, it’s safer to keep appliances out of the reach of the child, instead of relying on socket covers.
Keep pens, scissors, letter openers, staplers, paper clips and other sharp instruments in locked drawers.
General safety
Door slam protectors - clip over the edge of doors to prevent them slamming on little fingers.
Glass safety film - can be stuck onto large sheets of glass to prevent them from shattering into little pieces if broken.
Smoke alarm - widely available and essential for every home.
Corner protectors - designed to cover sharp furniture corners and prevent bumped heads.
Video lock - fits over the slot on your video, to stop chocolate biscuits and other foreign objects from being jammed into it.
Temporary window locks - these cheap plastic locks only allow windows to be opened to an extent.
Tip: Mobile babies can be harmed by pills, pens, and other potentially fatal items that they pull from visitors’ bags. Put guests’ belongings out of reach as soon as they arrive.
Food Allergies
Food allergies can be one of the biggest potential risks to baby safety. When you start a solid food diet for the baby, it is very important to introduce one food item at a time. This would not only help keep an allergic reaction in check but also help the parents identify whether the baby suffers from any food allergies.
The following are the most allergenic foods:
- Milk
- Eggs
- Peanuts
- Tree nuts (such as walnuts or almonds)
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Soy
- Wheat
Babies and pets
Many pets are very open-minded about small children, but it’s still important to be aware of the potential dangers to the baby. There are precautions one can take to keep the baby safe, especially once he/she is crawling and walking.
Dogs always need supervision when babies and children are around. No matter how trustworthy the pet is, if a toddler is pulling its tail, or poking its eye, it may lose patience.
Vaccine Allergies
Some babies with certain food allergies may be at a higher risk for allergic reactions as a result of vaccines containing certain food proteins. Up to 8% of children suffer from food allergies, with egg being one of the most common foods to which children are allergic. Many routine childhood immunisations contain traces of egg protein or other food ingredients. As a result, there is the possibility that a child with food allergies will experience anaphylaxis (a severe allergic reaction) as a result of receiving a vaccination.
source: healthmeup
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