Five Memory-Boosting Foods

Are you sick of forgetting birthdays, meetings, special events, and names? Being a space cadet doesn't just happen from lack of sleep or stress, it can also be a result of foods that are missing from your diet. We spoke with Nicholas Perricone, M.D., founder of Perricone MD and Super by Dr. Perricone to find out which foods can help improve your memory.

1. Anchovies

 Anchovies are more than Caeser salad toppings. They help you to think more clearly, improve your memory, and assist with problem-solving skills. They can also help your appearance! “DMAE—dimethylaminoethanol—is a nutritional substance found in anchovies that helps to maintain muscle tone in the face and body as we age, and prevents both sagging and drooping of the muscles under the skin,” says Dr. Perricone. What a superfood!

2. Blueberries

 We’re always telling you about the benefits of blueberries (they improve memory, keep your skin youthful, and are one of the best sources of antioxidants), but did you know that they can prevent your brain from aging too? “Blueberries contain important phytochemicals that have been found to prevent the loss of dopamine cells, which normally occurs with aging,” says Dr. Perricone. “This means that they increase brain energy production and maintain youthful brain function.”

3. Cinnamon

 As well as smelling delicious (try some sprinkled on hot cocoa!), cinnamon fights infections, prevents wrinkle formation, and blocks age-accelerating diseases, some of which can cause memory loss. But that’s not all. “Cinnamon’s strong and fragrant aroma boosts cognitive processing in the brain, improving memory and attention span,” says Dr. Perricone.

 4. Salmon

Salmon is a great source of healthy fats such as omega-3 fatty acids, which new studies show is essential for learning and a healthy memory. “Wild salmon and other cold-water fish—sardines, herring, trout, anchovies—contain omega-3, which is critical to the brain and nervous system,” says Dr. Perricone. “They also improve your mood, increase sense of well-being, fight depression, give you glowing radiant skin, and improve memory and brainpower.”

 5. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

 We’ve already told you about the importance of oils for your skin and body, but they’re also important for a healthy brain. “Fats function as carriers for fat-soluble vitamins including vitamins A, D, E, and K and are also crucial to brain health,” says Dr. Perricone. “Choose organic extra virgin first pressing olive oil and enjoy its anti-inflammatory, blood-sugar-stabilizing, brain-boosting benefits.”

www.beautylish.com

Beauty Detox tips

Do you look down at your food sometimes and feel uninspired? Eating bland, dull-looking food not only looks and tastes boring, but it's also not that good for you. Colorful fruits and vegetables (and dishes that contain lots of them) look delicious and are actually better for you. Eating jewel-toned food means you're putting a wide range of nutrients and antioxidants into your body—so you get brighter, more vibrant skin. Peppers are great examples of bright vegetables, and this week celebrity nutritionist Kimberly Snyder uses them in her recipe for rainbow stuffed peppers. “This recipe makes for one colorful dish that will help your skin look more radiant and beautiful," says Kim. “The various vegetables—peppers, broccoli, kale, and carrots—are packed with minerals and loads of other phytonutrients. The beauty grain quinoa, full of amino acids to build muscle and repair tissue, is also a great addition to the dish. This is good for dinner or lunch, eaten along with a salad."

Rainbow Stuffed Peppers

 1.

¾ cup dry quinoa

 2.

6 red, yellow, orange, or green peppers

 3.

1½ cups water

 4.

6 garlic cloves

 5.

2 to 3 Tbsp raw coconut oil

 6.

1 medium white onion, chopped

 7.

2 cups broccoli florets

 8.

4 cups finely chopped kale

 9.

2 medium carrots, diced

 10.

1 cup minced basil, plus extra for garnish

 11.

2 tsp Celtic or Himalayan sea salt

 Directions:

 Soak the quinoa in water overnight, and rinse well before using. Make an incision at the rounded top of each pepper, about 1 to 1½ inches from the stem. Cut all around the stem in an even circle. Pull out the stem and the seeds. Discard the stem and seeds, and save the rest of the pepper top to chop and add to the filling. If necessary, clean out any remaining seeds from inside the pepper and discard.

 Place water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the quinoa, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the grains become translucent and soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Strain the water from the quinoa, then set quinoa aside in a bowl.

 Sauté the garlic in the coconut oil until gently cooked, then add the onions, and stir until they become translucent. Add the broccoli, kale, carrot, chopped pepper tops, and basil, and cook gently for a few minutes. Add the sea salt until well combined, then add the cooked quinoa and mix everything together. Adjust the seasonings to your taste. The mixture should taste slightly saltier than you normally prefer, as it will be less concentrated when you stuff the plain bell peppers. Once you are satisfied with your filling, spoon it into each pepper, right to the top.

 Place the peppers tightly together in a glass baking dish so they remain upright. Bake at 350ºF  for 45 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil just before serving.

 www.beautylish.com

DIY skin tips

With the cold, wet weather forcing you indoors, winter is the perfect time to test a new DIY recipe. And we've got a slew of fantastic options! Beautylish chatted with Beverly Hills dermatologist Ava Shamban, M.D., for all-natural skin care recipes from her new book Heal Your Skin: The Breakthrough Plan for Renewal. Check out a few our favorites below.

Oatmeal Foot and Hand Soak

 1.

3 cups milk

2.

2 cups water

 3.

4 cups oats

 4.

2 tbsp honey

Place milk, water, and oats in a saucepan on the stove. Cook until the oats soften. Slowly add cooked oats and warm water simultaneously to your foot-soaking container. Add honey and stir. Soak your feet (or hands) for 15 to 20 minutes.

This recipe cleanses, exfloiates, and soothes. “Oatmeal is a natural exfoliant and an anti-inflammatory agent. It relieves dryness, restores natural moisture, and aids in healing minor irritations,” says Dr. Shamban. “Honey is a natural antioxidant with antimicrobial properties. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants—such as vitamins C and B.” Repeat the soak twice a week.

 Potato Compress

 1.potato (organic, if possible)

 Cool potato in the refrigerator for an hour or two. Cut two ½-inch-thick slices. Place a slice on each eye for 10 minutes. Rinse off eye area with cool water.

 Move over, cucumbers! “Potato slices reduce puffy, irritated eyes and also help with dark circles,” says Dr. Shamban. How? “Raw potato has drying and disinfectant properties. Potato starch acts as an anti-inflammatory agent to ease irritated eyes, while the citric acid and phosphoric acid in potatoes also helps reduce puffiness.”

 Coconut and Rosemary Cream

 1.

½ cup base lotion

 2.

1 Tbsp coconut oil

 3.

1 tsp  avocado oil

4.

10 drops rosehip oil

 “The treatment is ideal for people who have dry to severely dry skin, because the oils in this cream act as moisturizing emollients,” says Dr. Shamban. “Coconut oil contains the beneficial ingredients lauric acid, capric acid, and caprylic acid which enable it to work as an antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial, and soothing agent. The recipe also works well to fight free radicals, because it is unrefined and hasn't been stripped of any of its important nutrients.” Use once daily.

 Yogurt Cleanser

 1.

2 Tbsp yogurt

 2.

1 tsp baking soda

 3.

1 Tbsp applesauce

 Mix all ingredients by hand or in a blender. Using your fingers, gently massage a small amount onto your dampened face. Rinse off with warm water.

 The cleanser is ideal for oily and/or acne-prone skin. “Plain yogurt contains zinc as well as lactic acid—a natural skin smoother,” says Dr. Shamban. “Yogurt also adds enzymes and oils to the skin, working as a natural moisturizer. It can also reduce pore size and help improve overall skin texture. The baking soda (a.k.a sodium bicarbonate) acts as a physical exfoliant to remove dead skin cells without causing excessive irritation." Use once daily.

www.beautylish.com

Confessions of a Cuticle Biter

Beauties, are you guilty of nibbling your nails or cuticles? You are not alone! Beautylish's Cinya used to be a lifelong fingertip biter. She shares her shameful story, plus the quick and easy tricks that helped her stop.

"For years when I was nervous, stressed, or bored I would subconsciously pick, peel, nibble, and play with my fingertips," says Cinya. "Not just my nails, either, the surrounding skin too. I would nibble to the point that the edges of my nails would bleed! It was really gross. Not to mention, the habit made my fingers look completely ragged. Not the best first impression when you are meeting people, especially as a beauty editor!" This compulsion was not only damaging to the appearance of her hands but also extremely unhealthy. Human hands touch and pick up more bacteria than any other body part (think of how many surfaces your hands touch a day—and a lot of them public!). Because of this fact, the fingertips—specifically under the nail and in the surrounding grooves—are a prime spot for germs to stick. When you nibble on your nails or cuticles, you transfer bacteria to your mouth and vice versa. This can cause you to become sick, and the exposed skin can easily become infected. So how can you stop? Check out three easy solutions that worked for Cinya.

1. Apply cuticle oil.

"I figured out the reason my skin would peel so much around my nails was because the area was extremely dry. So every morning and night I started applying Julip Essential Cuticle Oil as part of my beauty routine," says Cinya. "After about a week my fingers had fewer hangnails and less rough spots to pick at."

2. Keep up your manicure.

"After getting a mani, I wouldn't want to mess up the fresh paint job, so I would stop myself before I nibbled,” says Cinya. “Now I constantly keep polish on my nails for this reason. It helps keep me from chewing away at my nails and cuticle area.”

3. Get a helping hand.

"The sour-tasting serums never worked for me, so I got all of my friends, family, and even co-workers in on my plan to quit," says Cinya. "Whenever I would begin to nibble, a friend would say 'Stop biting!'" Although it can be a bit annoying—prepare yourself for constant nagging—it really works!"

www.beautylish.com

Five ways to distress...

With so many holiday parties, work events, and chores like Christmas shopping looming on the horizon, not to mention the stress of everyday life, we Beauties sometimes need a little time to unwind and relax. Here are five ways to take some time out.

1. Take a bubble bath.        

Turn down the lights, pour in some bath salts or bubble bath, and turn off your phone for 45 minutes. This is your time to enjoy a long hot soak and forget about the day’s troubles.

2. Indulge in a massage.

Never had a massage? Shop around for the best deal, then book an hour-long massage. Getting pampered always makes a girl feel better, and your muscles will thank you for it.

3. Burn some candles.

Lighting a scented candle—even in the daytime—is a great way to relax. Choose a scent such as lavender to calm and soothe you, and light the candle an hour or two before you go to sleep. It will help you have a longer, deeper snooze.

4. Give yourself a foot scrub.

During fall and winter your feet are often in tights or socks and can become dry. Give yourself an exfoliating foot scrub, then rest your feet in a bowl of warm water and rose petals.

5. Snuggle up with a hot chocolate.

Sometimes just taking an hour to enjoy a yummy hot chocolate (with marshmallows!) and read your favorite magazine while the leaves fall outside is absolute bliss.

www.beautylish.com

Urinary Tract Infection

What is a Urinary Tract Infection?

A urinary tract infection is the inflammation of the urinary bladder or urethra. In most cases, it is caused by a bacterial infection. Urinary tract infections are very common.

A urinary tract infection is also called a bladder infection, cystitis or a UTI.

Urinary tract infections usually occur in females because their urethra is shorter and closer to the anus, however, it can occur in males. Males that develop urinary tract infections are often uncircumcised boys.

Symptoms of a Urinary Tract Infection

Symptoms of a urinary tract infection may vary. Young children with urinary tract infections may only have a fever, or may have no symptoms.

 •Pressure in the lower pelvis

•Painful Urination

•Painful Sexual intercourse

•Frequent need to urinate

•Fever

•Chills

•Vomiting

• Urgent need to urinate

•Cloudy Urine

•Blood in the urine

•Foul or strong urine odor

What Causes a Urinary Tract Infection?

A urinary tract infection is usually caused when bacteria enter the urethra and bladder and cause inflammation and infection.

In normal conditions, the urethra and bladder have no bacteria. When bacteria enters the bladder, it is usually removed during urination.

Some of the most common causes of urinary tract infections are:

1.Instruments inserted into the urinary tract (such as during catheterization or cystoscopy).

 2.Pregnancy

 3.Diabetes

4.A history of analgesic nephropathy or reflux nephropathy.

Risks of Developing a Urinary Tract Infection

Some activities and conditions can increase your risk of developing a urinary tract infections. The most common risks are:

•sexual intercourse

 •benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)

•bowel incontinence

•prostatitis

•urethral strictures

•lack of adequate fluids

Can a Urinary tract infection be Treated?

Urinary tract infections can be treated. Your doctor will prescribe antibiotics to control the infection.

www.mamashealth.com

How Stress, Sleep, and Activity Levels Affect Hair Condition

Many people who want salon perfect, shampoo commercial worthy hair think that the best way to get the most amazing hair possible is to buy expensive hair care products with exotic ingredients and enticing scents, when honestly, if you’re not treating your hair well it doesn’t matter how much your hair products cost. There are a lot of women out there paying thirty to fifty dollars for a bottle of shampoo that claims to have animal placenta as an active ingredient, but don’t take care of the most basic hair care tips at home! If you truly want your hair to be its best, here are the three most important things you could possibly do.

Just Relax

There’s a reason people seem to lose hair when they’re severely stressed out— and it’s not just because they’re cartoonishly pulling out their own hair out of frustration. Even cats and dogs have been known to lose their hair when put into a particularly stressful and traumatic position, and just look at the hair line of any recent president before they took office and once they left. When strain is put on your body by severe stress, your body’s instinctual reaction is to put all of the energy and building blocks for the future into storage or burn them immediately as energy— like the adrenaline-inspired fight or flight response, only on a longer term. Because of this, your body doesn’t have the additional building blocks to spend on frivolous things like hair, and the hair that falls out does not get replaced. If you want to keep your hair thick and full, take some time every day to unwind or meditate.

You Need Your Sleep

In this day and age, getting more than a few hours of sleep can be particularly difficult, but if you want to have great hair, it’s a necessity. The sleeping hours are the time when your body performs routine maintenance— sleep is what helps you look your best, because it gives your body the chance to concentrate on nothing but healing, fixing and resting all of your stressed out systems and jangled nerves.

Get Some Exercise

Also useful for healthy skin, it’s important that you exercise for a minimum of 20 minutes twice a week. Blood flow is the secret to eliminating toxins, allowing oxygen to travel to every part of your body and to keeping everything healthy and alive. By taking the time to exercise, you’re ensuring that your scalp gets all of the nutrients and oxygen it needs to send your hair production in to overdrive!

www.mamashealth.com

Five foods that age you

Did you know that certain sugary, fatty, white-floury goods can actually make you look, and, of course, feel, older than you are?  Joy lays out the five foods we should all steer clear of.  And be sure to check out the blog for Joy's healthy alternatives.

We all know the “you are what you eat” concept, but sometimes it’s still hard to keep that in mind when we just want that giant slab of pizza. By the time we’ve reasoned with ourselves, were holding only the crust. If we focus on what these ingredients are actually doing to our bodies (i.e. aging our insides and our outside), hopefully we'll all be able to make better food choices more often. Joy's latest book, Food Cures, explains how you can use your food— eating more of certain things and avoiding others—to treat a variety of ailments. Powerful stuff. What I love about Joy’s advice is that she’s always got something else you can “treat” yourself with so you don’t feel like you’re missing out. Here are the five foods Joy says we need to cut back on and what we should turn to instead.

1.  Sugary breakfast pastries

Danishes, donuts, toaster cakes—they’re all a combo of white flour, sugar, and fat that skyrocket your blood sugar and set you up for an inevitable crash a few hours later.

A better idea: Make your own version with a toasted whole-wheat pita slathered with nut butter and topped with strawberries, apple slices or bananas.

2.  Big white starchy bagels

`              

When you eat one of these, you’re missing the benefits whole grains have to offer, such as fiber and antioxidants. Plus, one bagel is the caloric equivalent of eating four to five slices of white bread!

A better option: Go for a whole-grain bagel and get rid of some of the inside dough to save calories. Top your bagel with a healthy option like a nut butter or light cream cheese.

3.  Hot dogs

They may look like protein, but they’re actually 80% fat and nutritionally abysmal. According to Joy, many studies have linked fatty meats to diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

A better idea: Eat them only at the ballpark or avoid them entirely. 

4.  Deep-dish pizza

All that crust means a ton of white refined flour (see white bagels above), plus full-fat, artery-clogging cheese and often, fatty meats. When you’re going deep-dish, one slice is actually more like three.

A better idea: Go for a thin-crust option in moderation and pile on fiber-rich veggies.

5.  Movie theatre popcorn

It’s so hard not to indulge when the smell overtakes you as soon as you buy your ticket, but focus on the fact that a medium bucket of the stuff has more calories and fat than three fast-food burgers.

A better idea: Make some popcorn at home without all the butter and fat and sneak it in with you.

COURTESY of Shine from Yahoo

Our ultimate guide to the medical tests every smart, healthy woman needs to stay that way….

                                  8 Medical Tests Every Woman Needs 

Make a mental checklist of all the things you do to keep yourself healthy. It's a good bet you thought of your workouts, your good-for-you diet and maybe even a daily vitamin. Great! But if keeping up with medical tests isn't on your list of healthy behaviours, you're falling into the mistake that many fit women make: thinking regular exercise plus smart nutrition exempts you from getting routine exams. To truly keep your body healthy, here's what you need to know.

TEST: Pap Smear

WHO TO SEE: Gynaecologist

WHY: Collecting cells from the cervix during a pelvic exam is the best way to tell if your cervix is healthy -- cell changes can lead to cervical cancer.

HOW OFTEN: Starting at age 21, most women need to be screened every other year or less, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Once you turn 30 -- and you've had three consecutive negative tests and no abnormal history -- you can get it done once every three years.

TEST: Clinical Breast Exam

WHO TO SEE: Gyno or general practitioner (GP)

WHY: She can feel or see abnormalities in breast tissue, skin and nipples that can indicate cancer.

HOW OFTEN: At least once every three years in your twenties and thirties. But if you want to be checked more frequently, simply ask. After age 40, go yearly.

TEST: Skin Cancer Screening

WHO TO SEE: Dermatologist

WHY: She can ID weirdly shaped moles or other growths that might be cancerous or precancerous.

HOW OFTEN: Get new or changed growths assessed ASAP. If you're a current or recovering tanning-bed or sun lover, are fair or dotted with moles or freckles or have a family history of skin cancer, see the derm twice a year. If not, go annually.

FAST FACT: Dermatologists are better at diagnosing melanomas than primary-care docs, finds a recent study. The result of better screening? Higher survival rates.

TEST: Hearing Test

WHO TO SEE: Audiologist or certified speech-language pathologist

WHY: Peppering conversations with "Say that again?" is a real problem for the more than 12 percent of people in their twenties and thirties who already have some form of hearing loss, according to a recent study.

HOW OFTEN: Once every 10 years until age 50, then every three years.

TEST: Immunization Check

WHO TO SEE: Your GP

WHY: Up-to-date vaccinations protect you from all sorts of diseases, including some you thought went the way of the dinosaur, such as whooping cough.

HOW OFTEN: At your next physical, have your M.D. review your vaccination history. Some inoculations become less effective over time, so you may need a booster. For example, tetanus shots are vital every 10 years, no rusty nails required.

FAST FACT: One in eight U.S. adults surveyed say they are too busy to get a vaccination, reports the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

TEST: Blood Pressure

WHO TO SEE: Your GP

WHY: The higher it is, the greater your chance of having heart disease, a stroke or kidney damage.

HOW OFTEN: Once every two years if it's 120/80 or below. If you've already been diagnosed with hypertension -- or your doc says you're at risk -- measure your BP at home regularly, too. (We like digital cuffs that do all the work for you, like those from omronhealthcare.com.)

FAST FACT: In the U.S., about one in eight women ages 20 to 44 has high blood pressure. Taking the Pill, pregnancy and being overweight can up your risk.

TEST: Cholesterol Panel

WHO TO SEE: Your GP

WHY: High cholesterol means higher risk for heart disease. You want total cholesterol under 200 mg/dL; LDL (bad cholesterol) under 100 mg/dL; HDL (good stuff) 60 mg/dL or more; and triglycerides under 150 mg/dL.

HOW OFTEN: At least once every five years, starting at age 20.

TEST: BMI / Weight

WHO TO SEE: Your GP

WHY: Pick a disease, any disease: Chances are, being overweight puts you at an elevated risk. Your M.D. should weigh you and calculate your body-mass index, the measurement of your weight relative to your height.

HOW OFTEN: Yearly. And if you're looking to shed pounds, weigh yourself once a week at home and visit your physician monthly to help

www.fitnessmagazine.com

MAKE UP FOR EVERY OCCASION

For A Girl’s Brunch

Ferreira suggests a flushed cheek with a stained lip and lots of mascara – think a girly face. "For a dark skin tone use a cream blusher in a chocolatey berry tone," says Ferreira. "For a lighter skin tone, aim for a powdery-pink or rose colour." Match with the same shade of lip colour, applied with your finger directly from the tube so your lips looked stained instead of perfectly painted. Add two coats of mascara to your top lashes only so your eyes look cleaned and defined.

For A Weekend Away

Now's not the time to pack 362 make-up items. The key to a fuss-free weekend getaway is a make-up bag with multi-purpose products. A cream-texture blush can double as a blush and as a lip stain. "The flush your cheeks get when you exercise is the best indicator of what your best cream blush shade should be," says Ferreira. "The other way to think about this is to imagine the colour that develops in your cheeks if you've kissed for too long." The only other item you need is a lash-defining black mascara and you're good to go!

For A Night On The Town

Ferreira's ultimate big-night-out look is a bronze smoky eye that looks a little bit unkempt. The more metallic shades you use, especially on dark and very dark skin tones, the better says Ferreira. You'll need bronze metallic shadow, a black kohl pencil and thick, plumping black mascara. And the application of your eye make up doesn't need to be precise. "Finger application is perfect," says Ferreira. Team with peachy-pink blush or bronzer and a nude lip.

For The Morning Market

Start with applying a rich moisturizer that'll make your skin look dewy. And then you needn't apply heavy-textured foundation but rather a tinted moisturizer to even out your skin tone. Once you've created a creamy-textured face, take a kohl pencil and simply rim your upper lids inside your top lash line. Team with a bit of mascara on your top lash line. Tip: If you need to conceal dark under-eye circles, use a lifting radiance pen. "For the mornings, apply this after your tinted moisturizer to hide any traces of tiredness," says Ferreira.

Make-Up For Work

A strong lip worn with clean eye make-up, looks sophisticated and bright in the grey weather. Also, a lip won't take you as long to perfect as a full-on eye look. "Scarlet red is very high fashion," says make-up pro, Algria Ferreira. "This shade of red makes your teeth look good and also, it works whether you're blonde or brunette." Team this bold shade with neutral eye shadow swept over your lids (use a shade that's the same as your natural skin colour) and lots of black mascara (go for brown mascara if you're very blonde and pale.


Courtesy of www.womenshealth.co.za