Green Tea?
Posted by: Blue fox on: July 9, 2008
- In: Health| beauty
- 3 Comments
The beauty benefits of Green Tea
Traditionally, many types of make-up, lotions, creams and beauty preparations have used chemical antioxidants, or vitamins A, C and E as preservatives for their products. Now, with research indicating that green tea has even more antioxidant properties than these powerful vitamins, there is a surge in products capitalising on its natural benefits.
Green Tea most active ingredients are known as flavanols, polyphenols and epigallocatechin gallate (or EGCG for short). EGCG is so potent, because it contains between 25 to 100 times the antioxidant power of vitamins C and A.
You don’t need to rush to the chemist to stock up on goodies. Concentrated green tea extract is simple to make at home and is a flexible addition to both your daily beauty routine and your medicine cabinet.
Skincare Benefits
Green tea extract is 20 times more antioxidant powerful than vitamin C and provides superior protection from free radical damage. This defense against free radicals is especially important for sun protection. Studies have shown that a product containing at least 5 percent green tea extract may help prevent skin cancer when applied before sun exposure along with sunscreen.
Applying green tea before your sunscreen, or combining it with zinc oxide-based sunscreens should prove beneficial. If you already have sunburn, try an at-home green tea concoction to soothe the skin: Brew a pot of green tea, using the leaves if possible. Then strain the brew, chill the tea and soak the tea into a soft cloth to create a green tea compress.
Green tea may be valuable as an acne treatment. Research suggests that green tea extract cream is just as effective as benzoyl peroxide cream, minus the irritating side effects. Benzoyl peroxide present acts as both a drying and a peeling agent: it allows the outer layers of skin to renew themselves and clear pores, reducing much of the bacteria responsible for acne breakouts. But for those with sensitive skin, benzoyl peroxide can cause skin irritations like redness, burning and swelling. Green tea doesn’t appear to have these side effects.
Green tea might also help to heal rosacea. In one study, women who used a topical green tea treatment experienced a 70 percent improvement in their skin. You can always talk to your dermatologist about possibly adding a green tea formula to your treatment.
Green tea can even help prevent tooth decay! Just as its bacteria-destroying abilities can help prevent food poisoning, it can also kill the bacteria that causes dental plaque.
Meanwhile, skin preparations containing green tea – from deodorants to creams – are starting to appear on the market.
Try Refreshing facemask
This gentle facemask will help remove toxins from your skin, as well as leaving it silky smooth.
Mix three tablespoons of mayonnaise with one heaped teaspoon of organic Himalayan green tea leaves. Apply evenly to the face, avoiding the delicate eye area, and leave for 20 minutes. Rinse the mask off, then dry and moisturize your face.
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10 tips to enhance your calcium reserves
Posted by: Blue fox on: June 25, 2008
- In: Health
- 3 Comments
Like any other tissue in the body, the bone is diet and lifestyle dependent. The bone is our calcium bank, the more you deposit and the fewer withdrawals you make while you are young, the more you save for later life. Remember the old adage, ‘Save for a rainy day’? Well that’s what women have to do. Eat calcium-rich foods and avoid the calcium leaching ones. Besides, calcium is a fussy mineral and better calcium absorption depends on a number of factors.
Check out the following tips to enhance your calcium reserve:
1.
Certain food fibers bind calcium and thwart its absorption. This doesn’t mean that high-fiber foods are bad for you. What it means is, avoid taking calcium supplements along with high-fiber foods.
(like whole-wheat, bran cereal, spinach, fenugreek, etc.) Even stimulants like tea, coffee, alcohol, tobacco and minerals like zinc and antacids hinder calcium absorption. Try not to take your calcium supplements along with them.
2.
Take your calcium supplement in a divided dose rather than all at one time. In this way, your body will be able to absorb calcium better. Calcium citrate and calcium glycinate get more readily absorbed than any other supplement form you choose.
3.
Researchers say that the best option for calcium absorption is to take a major part of your supplement after dinner rather than in the morning. Probably the body performs a better job of storing calcium while at rest.
4.
Think twice before you pop an antacid. Antacids contain aluminum, a mineral that reduces the amount of calcium in the body. Also, remember that calcium is best absorbed in a slightly acidic environment in the stomach. While antacids may relieve you from heartburn they would hinder calcium absorption. Try and change your diet instead to avoid heartburn.
5.
Vitamin C supplements, around 500mg, are recommended to aid better absorption of this mineral.
6.
Foods rich in mineral boron also improve calcium absorption. Boron can be found in soyabean, raisins, almonds, peanuts, apples and pears. Besides, vitamin D and K, magnesium, phosphorus and silicon have to exist in a delicate balance along with calcium to aid its absorption.
7.
Keep on the move or fritter your precious calcium away. Physical inactivity pulls calcium out of your bones. If you are laid up in bed for too long or are immobilized in a cast or have a sedentary job, you are fast losing vast amounts of calcium, phosphorus and other minerals. Women who exercise regularly have better bone mass than women who don’t.
8.
Eat calcium rich foods like sesame seeds, cheese, milk, curd, tofu, soyabean, leafy vegetables, kelp (a sea weed), brewer’s yeast, whole pulses like rajma, channa, chowli, etc. and whole grains like wheat, jowar, bajra, millet and wheatgerm. Although some of you would want to take it in the natural form, it would be wise to consume foods rich in calcium as well as take a calcium supplement daily to ensure healthy bones. Consult your physician regarding the dosage for your specific requirement.
9.
Limiting excess sodium and avoiding junk foods is a good rule for prevention of almost any disease, and the same is true with osteoporosis. A recent study showed that women who ate mainly junk food had low bone mass versus women who followed a healthy diet had higher bone mass.
10.
Soda and other drinks with carbonation have high amounts of phosphorus, therefore it’s wise to reduce or eliminate your intake to help reduce your risks of osteoporosis.
The most effective treatment for osteoporosis is prevention. Knowing your risk factors and making the necessary lifestyle changes now will help to prevent osteoporosis in your future.
sourse: click here
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Al Safa Park in Dubai, UAE
Posted by: Blue fox on: May 19, 2008
- In: At college
- 9 Comments
I was on a lovely feild trip to this wonderful park in Dubai. It was in the afternoon and It was pretty much hot (phew) but we managed to do something.
What I really liked most was the tinnes match I had with my friends there. Although I was’nt that easy because we didn’t know how to hit the ball but it was fun after all.
We spent woderful times there and lots of funny stories like the huge tree and the ball. (hehe) 
I wish to go there again someday with all of my friends and teachers too…
you can see some of the pictures taken by me below. Enjoy and don’t forget to click on the picture twice it you want a full view.
note: Don’t mind the comments ( the names ) on the pictures, It is just related to me, so don’t mind it.
Rooibos tea
Posted by: Blue fox on: April 18, 2008
- In: Health
- 3 Comments
The Health Benefits of Rooibos...Rooibos Tea – Red Tea ..
With its many positive attributes, Rooibos tea is a great choice of drink for health conscious people.
Rooibos tea contains no colors, additives or preservatives, making it a natural beverage. It contains no caffeine. According to studies conducted in South Africa and Japan Rooibos has been shown to aid in health problems such as insomnia, irritability, headaches, nervous tension, and hypertension.
Studies also show that this tea contains anti – spasmodic agents, which can relieve stomach cramping and colic in infants.
In South Africa Rooibos has been used to treat allergies such as hay fever, asthma and eczema very effectively .
It is also used to treat irritated skin. Rooibos is brewed and placed directly on infected areas. Rooibos contains anti – oxidants which can help slow the aging process and boost the immune system.
Rooibos is a great thirst quencher and is an excellent beverage for active people, including children. Most kids will drink Rooibos without added sugar or sweeteners.
This tea contains almost no oxalic acid, making it a good beverage for people prone to kidney stones. Rooibos contains the following minerals: copper, iron and potassium, calcium, fluoride, zinc, manganese, alpha- hydroxy ( for healthy skin ) and magnesium (for the nervous system) are also components of this tea. In South Africa pregnant women and nursing mothers drink Rooibos because it contains no caffeine.
Rooibos contains no oxalic acid, making it a good beverage for people prone to kidney stones. Rooibos contains the minerals, copper, iron and potassium, calcium, fluoride, zinc, manganese, alpha- hydroxyl ( for healthy skin ) and magnesium ( for the nervous system ) are also components of this tea. In South Africa pregnant women and nursing mothers drink Rooibos because it contains no caffeine.
Rooibos tea contains no colors, additives or preservatives, making it a natural beverage. It contains no caffeine. According to studies conducted in South Africa and Japan Rooibos has been shown to aid in health problems such as insomnia, irritability, headaches, nervous tension, and hypertension
original source: here
Go Nuts
Posted by: Blue fox on: February 26, 2008
Four favorite varieties are packed with healthy reasons to get crackin’.
Nuts add flavor and crunch to any meal and they’re chock-full of vitamins, minerals and healthy unsaturated fats. Need more reasons to love nuts? Read on, then break out that holiday nutcracker and get crackin’.
Almonds
A June 2006 study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry showed an ounce of almonds provides as many flavonoids—compounds that fight free radicals and reduce inflammation—as a 1⁄2-cup serving of broccoli or a cup of green tea.
In 24 almonds (1 oz.): 160 calories; 14 g fat (1 g sat, 9 g mono); 3 g fiber; vitamin E (35% daily value); magnesium (20% dv).
Walnuts
Walnuts contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fat linked with reduced risk of heart disease, improved glucose control and, most recently, stronger bones. In a study of 23 overweight people published earlier this year in Nutrition Journal, increasing intake of ALA via walnuts and flaxseed oil decreased the rate of bone breakdown.
In 14 walnut halves (1 oz.): 190 calories; 18 g fat (1.5 g sat, 2.5 g mono); 2 g fiber; manganese (50% dv); copper (20% dv).
Pecans
Last year in Nutrition Research, researchers from Loma Linda University reported that pecans contribute significant amounts of gamma-tocopherol, the major form of vitamin E in U.S. diets. Pecans also provide notable amounts of zinc, a mineral most often found in animal-based foods.In 20 pecan halves (1 oz.): 200 calories; 20 g fat (2 g sat, 12 g mono); 3 g fiber; manganese (60% dv); copper (15% dv); vitamin E (6% dv).
Pistachios
Research presented earlier this year at an Experimental Biology conference suggests that lutein, an antioxidant in pistachios, helps protect “bad” LDL cholesterol from oxidization by free radicals. Oxidized LDL contributes to the development of plaque in arteries.
In 49 pistachios (1 oz.): 160 calories; 13 g fat (1.5 g sat, 7 g mono); 3 g fiber; copper & vitamin B6 (20% dv); manganese (18% dv); phosphorus & thiamin (15% dv).
Click here for resource.
Herbs for Anemia
Posted by: Blue fox on: February 10, 2008
- In: Health
- 7 Comments
Herbs for Anemia
Anemia is a medical condition in which the blood has a deficiency of red blood cells or of the hemoglobin these cells need to carry oxygen. Nutritionists feel that blood nourishing herbs aid in the absorption of iron as well as providing other benefits to the blood. And with lower doses of iron, the unpleasant side effects can be avoided.
One of the most widely recommended herbs for anemia is yellow dock root. Yellow dock is a common roadside weed. Yellow Dock’s high iron content makes it beneficial for treating anemia and pregnant women. The properties of this herb are alterative, depurative, laxative, purgative, cholagogue, and astringent. The primary chemical constituents of Yellow Dock Root include anthraquinone glycosides, tannins, resins, oxalates, and iron. It also contains varying amounts of phosphorus, vitamins A and C, and calcium. It helps to free up iron stored in the liver, thus making it more available to the rest of the body
Another herb useful in the treatment of anemia is stinging nettle, also called nettle leaf. Even though this herb contains a stinging irritant to skin, it can be cooked and eaten like spinach. It grows in moist shady places. It can be obtained as the bulk dried herb, tincture, or capsule form at health food stores. While a few sources suggest nettle shouldn’t be used in pregnancy, many midwives use it with their patients and get good results. It is often combined with red raspberry leaf and oat straw herb, and used as a tea. The addition of anise seed seems to improve results.
Dandelion and burdock root are often used in combinations of herbs to treat anemia. These plants are widespread and easy to identify, and could be used in cases where medical help is not available. They may work by increasing the body’s ability to absorb iron from food.
Alfalfa is a plant that is very nourishing when taken in tablet form. It is often included in combinations of herbs designed to build up the blood. Alfalfa tablet doses are usually large, like 18 per day. It is more like a food than a medicine.
Gentian ( Gentiana lutea) is often used in Europe to treat anemia by stimulating the digestive system to more easily absorb iron and other nutrients. Add 1 tsp. powdered dried rhizome to 3 cups of water. Take 1 tbs. about a half hour before eating.
Spirulina, or blue-green algae, may treat both microcytic and macrocytic anemias. Dose is 1 heaping tsp. per day.
Warning: Consult a qualified physician before you start any treatment involving iron supplements.
resource:here
when your hair becomes too dry!
Posted by: Blue fox on: February 9, 2008
- In: beauty
- 4 Comments
When Your Hair Becomes Too Dry
Dry hair is defined as hair whose scales have been damaged and valuable moisture lost in the cuticle. It happens mostly in dry climate. Rough hair indicates the cuticle has lost its natural water content.
When your hair becomes dry:
• Choose a cut which does not demand much hot drying and setting.
• Learn how to dry your hair properly to minimize moisture loss.
• Let your hair dry naturally whenever possible.
• Use a conditioner regularly.
• Use deep conditioners once a week.
• Take special care of color treated, bleached, and permed hair.
• Avoid direct sunlight and wind.
• Use an intensive conditioner, comb hair with a wide-toothed comb, wrap it with a special foil, and take a hot bath. You can also wrap a warm towel around your head. The warm temperature will open cuticle scales. Rinse thoroughly.
• The quick-dry method – wait until your hair is no longer dripping wet but damp (75% dry), then blow dry, strand by strand, to avoid over drying.
• To smooth out any tangles, apply a small amount of smoothing cream to dry hair, and massage it in down strokes.
Resorce:here
High Blood Pressure Increases Diabetes Risk in Women
Posted by: Blue fox on: February 1, 2008
Dubai’s Chillout Restaurant
Posted by: Blue fox on: January 26, 2008
Vikram Singh Barhat, Staff Reporter _ Deep-freeze dining debuts in Dubai.
Temperature at Dubai’s Times Square mall will crash to sub-arctic levels as the Middle East’s first ice lounge, Chillout.
Frost things first
Almost everything at the restaurant is sculpted out of ice. Diners will sit on ice benches or chairs, eat at ice tables, out of ice plates, drink from ice glasses served from a bar made of ice.
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We want Chillout to be part of people’s lifestyle and not just a unique experience that will fade away with time. Spokesman, Sharaf Group |
It even has an ice gallery showcasing Dubai’s landmarks. Complimenting that is an ice portrait of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Freezing at minus 6 degrees Celsius the dining area is, well, biting cold.
A whopping Dh9 million investment, the restaurant is Dubai-based Sharaf Group’s enterprise while technical inputs came from Canada-based Iceculture Inc, who are credited with building ice lounges around the world, informed a spokesperson for Sharaf Group.
“We want Chillout to be part of people’s lifestyle and not just a unique experience that will fade away with time,” he said.
“It was a special operation which took a year and a half to carry out.”
Chillout specs
The 2,400 sqft restaurant has three areas. The lobby and the lounge areas are separated by what is called the Buffer Zone. Once in the lobby, visitors will be given thermal gear to protect themselves from the chilly conditions. It comprises a hooded parka (a heavy jacket), disposable woollen gloves and a pair of shoes.
Visitors are advised to first spend a few minutes in the Buffer Zone to get acclimatised. The temperature in the buffer zone is set at 5 degrees Celsius which gives the body time to adjust to the sharp drop in temperature in the dining area.
Cold and beautiful
Once inside, the first thing I learnt was that, contrary to my fear, nothing was wet or dripping. I touched the walls, the sculptures, the tables and chairs to see if they were wet. They were all made of ice all right, but wet they were not.
“It is a popular misconception that furniture at an ice restaurant is wet. It is the moisture on the surface of ice that gives it the wet feel. There cannot be any moisture at minus 6 degrees. Every bit of it turns to ice,” explained the spokesperson.
The restaurant, which will serve cold cuts, cheese, juices, ice creams and mocktails, can accommodate 40 guests, including relatively intimate table-for-two arrangements for couples.
Seats are cushioned and acrylic-topped tables are adorned with decorative pieces sculpted from crystal clear ice. Vapour-mouthed visitors can feel secure in the knowledge that there are sheepskin throws for the asking should things get too nippy for their comfort.
A looming chandelier in the middle of the lounge is made out of ice blocks strung together by cables, as are ice-beaded curtains in the couples’ section.
Impressive lights
In addition to the fact that this is a non-alcoholic restaurant, what makes Chillout different is that the lighting here is amazing. “It almost makes the ice a secondary feature,” said Julian Bayley of Iceculture Inc.
And it shows. The diffused lighting is constantly changing colours as it filters through clean blocks of ice, filling them with low-lux hues of varying patterns.
“As far as the ice component is concerned, there are several features that are exclusive to Iceculture Inc. Also, the ability to produce portraits in ice with nothing more than food colouring and snow is something I don’t think has been done before, to my knowledge,” added Julian.
First-timers must be cautioned that the only thing hot in this restaurant is the samples of spices framed with ice blocks and embedded into the wall – of course, made of ice – providing a curious backdrop to the juice bar.
Coming as it does in the hottest part of the year the timing of the coolest place in Dubai couldn’t have been better.
Trivia
- The ideal time to spend inside an ice restaurant is 30-40 minutes. While in other countries people are asked to leave after that period, Chillout will not follow that policy.
- There are no toilets inside the restaurant.
- The workforce comprises people from cold countries such as Romania and Russia to ensure they can withstand sub-zero conditions.
- Workers at the restaurant are instructed to step out to normal temperature at regular intervals.
- Special lights called LEDs have been used. They do not emit heat hence do not cause the ice to melt.
- All the ice work was done by Iceculture Inc in Canada and was shipped to Dubai in temperature-controlled reefer containers.
- The flooring of the restaurant is made of special anti-skid ceramic tiles.
- Chillout is claimed to be the only ice restaurant in the world to serve food round the year.
- Other countries that have ice bars and restaurants include the UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
Cool facts
- Location:Times Square mall, between the 3rd and 4th interchange on Shaikh Zayed Road
- Opens: Thursday, June 21
- Timings: 2pm to 10pm (Saturday to Wednesday and 2pm to midnight on Thursday and Friday)
Tel: 04-341 8121 - Cover charge:Dh60, includes thermal gear and a free mocktail
- Cold cuts: From seating to glassware to cutlery and crockery, everything is cut in ice
Source: http://www.xpress4me.com/life/foodie/restaurants/20001739.html
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