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

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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

Hormone Fluctuation and Insomnia

Insomnia is defined as a disorder that makes it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. Transient insomnia usually lasts one week or more while acute insomnia can last one month or longer. There are several causes of insomnia such as diet, lack of activity, illness, medication and hormonal fluctuations.

Hormonal induced insomnia affects millions of women especially those who are going through perimenopause and menopause, but can occur at any age past puberty. The two main hormones responsible for insomnia are estrogen and progesterone. When either of the hormones becomes deficient or excessive in the body it can make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep.

Causes of Hormone Induced Insomnia

• Menstruation
• Perimenopause
• Menopause
• Pregnancy
• Poor diet
• Lack of exercise
• Too much exercise
• Stress
• Adrenal fatigue

These causes all result in causing a hormonal imbalance. Insomnia can make the hormonal imbalance worse because the body cannot get the proper rest it needs to regulate hormones properly.

Treatment Options for Hormone Induced Insomnia

Women who have been suffering from insomnia for over a week or who battle frequent bouts of sleeplessness should see their health care provider immediately. Insomnia could be a sign of a serious health problem and should not be ignored.

Treatment options usually start out with an adjustment to diet, exercise and schedule. People should avoid overstimulation at night such as caffeinated beverages, exercise, and watching television. All of these activities can stimulate the mind and body making it difficult to sleep.

Exercise should be done in the morning or the day at least three times per week for 30 minutes or more. A diet consisting of 5-6 small meals with a serving of vegetables, fruit, and lean protein will provide proper nutrition and help the body self-regulate hormone production.

A consistent bedtime ritual and schedule should be established to help set the body’s internal clock. Sleep experts recommend reading a book with the lights dimmed as a way to train the body and de-stress.

Should these non-medicated options fail there is hormonal therapy that has proven to be effective. A doctor can prescribe a low dosage birth control pill or injections of estrogen, progesterone or both.

www.mamashealth.com

Tone your body with these easy exercises.......

It's summer and am sure most of you ladies are loving it....

Yes winter is gone, but are we summer ready??

Flabby chubby body is a no no...

But a trimmed, toned body does it whether in shorts, minis and bikini...

My body is not summer ready yet, but I have tried this exercise before and it works.

It calls for total dedication and I know most us don't like routine..

You will need to do this exercise 3 days a week.....

Lets's go...

A. Get a chair and stand next to it with your heels together and toes pointed out to create a V-shape.

Put your right hand on the chair and your left hand on your hips.

Slowly rise on to the balls of your feet. Hold for two seconds, then slowly return to start..Do 10-15 rep.

B.Hold a pair of dumbbells in front of you, with your palms facing down.

Stand with one foot in front of you (right), bend your knees and lean forward.

Pull the weights to the side of your torso, rotating your palms towards your body, slowly return to start point. do 10-15 rep.

C. With your forearms at the back of a chair, your elbows should be out, then rest your head on your forearms.

Raise your left leg you to hip height, right knee slightly bent.

Slowly bend your left knee, bringing your heel towards your butt. Then slowly return to start. remember to switch sides. 10-15 rep.

D. Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart and hold a pair of dumbbells in front of you, elbows slightly bent with your palms facing each other, lean your torso forward.

Rotate to the right as you raise your right your arm towards the ceiling. Return to start. repeat to the left as well, keep on alternating. 20 rep.

Remember am not an expert, always consult a gym trainer....

Courtesy of WOMEN'SHEALTHwww.sharonswomensbeautytips.blogspot.com MAGAZINE