Everlasting Flowers for your Beauty Regimen

Herbal Healer: What is everlasting?

August 15, 2012 8:00 pm  •  By Ted PanDeva Zagar Times Correspondent

(1) Comments

 

Think of the tiny, delicate, roundish paws of kittens and you have an image of everlasting’s dainty golden yellow flowers. Perhaps its common name issues from the fact that this vibrant shade of sunshine is not lost to seasonal aging or even drying. For this reason everlasting’s spicy, aromatic flowers are frequently added to other herbal blends to enhance eye appeal as well as to bolster flavor and widen the spectrum of healing potential.

WHAT DOES IT DO?
One of everlasting’s premier strengths is its ability to address skin conditions. It stimulates the growth and regeneration of new skin cells, and it works its magic on acne, dermatitis, sagging skin, stretch marks and even scars. Aromatherapists address phobias, depression and cases of shock by relying upon the essential oil distilled from everlasting. This botanical revealed an ability to significantly lower cholesterol levels when placed under the critical eye of scientific scrutiny. A tea made from the flowers has been used to relieve an ailing gall bladder, and its diuretic properties give welcomed relief to those suffering from rheumatism and cystitis. As an anti-inflammatory, everlasting beckons us from its shelf to address pain, and its antibacterial properties help in cases of infection.

ABOUT THE HERB
Because this perennial shrub attains a height of only one foot, it is also known as dwarf everlasting. It hails from temperate areas in Europe and Asia, being commonly found between eastern France and Denmark as well as on the mountains of Uzbekistan. Interestingly, everlasting’s tiny, sun-like blooms appear during August, the month that hosts the astrological sign of Leo and its solar system associate, the Sun.

RECOMMENDED DOSAGE
Add new life to your skin by applying a blend of a few drops of everlasting essential oil with a carrier oil such as sweet almond. This plant still basks in an ages-old reputation for making your smiling face look younger!

The opinions expressed are solely the writer’s. NOTE: Visit herbalastrology.com to read Ted PanDeva Zagar’s other articles and columns that discuss the benefits of herbs and natural foods. DISCLAIMER: The author’s comments are not intended to serve as medical advice, and he urges his readers to seek qualified wellness professionals to resolve matters of health.

My Thoughts

This is news to me.  A trip to Baguio, or wherever they grow those everlasting flowers, may not be a bad idea.  Who doesn't want to look younger?  On second thought, the trip will probably add several years to the way I look.  Maybe it's best to hunt for the everlasting oil. 

 

A Bikini Body?

Want that Bikini Body?

YOUR DAILY FIT TIP

By Carly Young, Special to Lifescript

Published May 11, 2012

 

Do you want a slimmer waist, muscular backside or defined triceps? Do you want all-over body toning to look great in that beachside bikini? Or do you just want to feel great, have more energy and be healthy?

Write it down. Making a list of all the benefits that will come with working out and focusing on your overall health as well as your appearance will help keep you motivated. You can also add potential rewards to your list as a reminder of what you’re working so hard for. Do you want to treat yourself to a manicure or would you rather work toward buying that teeny bikini? Take a business card from your favorite nail salon or print out a picture of the bikini you want and tape it to the list. Then keep your list in plain view.

The next time you hear the TV calling your name, take a good look at your list. Is watching “American Idol” really more important than burning fat, gaining muscle and improving your cardiovascular health? No way! So hang the list in a prominent place to remind you why you want to exercise – it’s a great motivational weight-loss tool! If you exercise right when you wake up, tape the list to your alarm clock so you have to remove it in order to press the snooze button. If you exercise right after work, hang up the list so it’s the first thing you see when you walk through the door.

By keeping your goals in mind and sight, you’ll be much more motivated to lace up your shoes and break a sweat. And your workout will go much faster if you keep the image of a tight, toned booty in your mind at all times!

Check out Health Bistro for more healthy food for thought. See what Lifescript editors are talking about and get the skinny on latest news. Share it with your friends (it’s free to sign up!), and bookmark it so you don’t miss a single juicy post!

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MY THOUGHTS

 

If you're way past the vanity stage, then I know what your answer would be.  It's not how you would look in a bikini.  It's how less you would go and see a doctor and visit a drugstore.  Once again, an issue of meaningful beauty.

I don't need someone to tell me how good exercise is for me.  It's the road that leads to meaningful beauty.  The sad part, I am unable to put theory into practice.  I wish I have the time for American Idol.  At least, I can hop on a stepper or a treadmill while watching something.

But then, I will never be able to "find" time.  I need to "make" time.  Meaningful beauty is not hard to come by.  You just need to want it first.

 

EVER HEARD OF MENSTRUAL CUPS?

HAVE YOUR HEARD OF MENSTRUAL CUPS?
From the article 'Alternatively Speaking: Stopping the sores'
By NATALIE MARX
08/08/2011 09:46

Alternative medicine enthusiast Natalie Marx answers your questions: Are there any alternative remedies for travel sickness?
Talkbacks (5)


Question: Can you tell me more about menstrual cups? Are they safe? Is insertion much more difficult than tampons? What are the benefits? I'd like an educated opinion.

Answer: A menstrual cup is a type of cup or barrier worn inside the vagina during menstruation to collect menstrual fluid. Unlike tampons and pads, the cup collects menstrual fluid rather than absorbing it. While insertion and removal may take some time to get used to, many women consider menstrual cups to be an innovative and safe alternative to tampons. Menstrual cups are safe for women of all ages. Here are some of the benefits that menstrual cups provide:

No risk of toxic shock syndrome or irritation, which may be caused by the bleaching of the absorbent fibers in tampons or the synthetic fibers themselves.

Can be worn for up to 12 hours on light flow days. This is almost twice as long as a tampon, so it is useful for overnight use or when a woman knows she won't have access to a bathroom.

Can be worn during vigorous physical activity, such as swimming and aerobics.
You might save money — consider how much money you spend each year on tampons and pads compared to the one-time cost of a menstrual cup.

More environmentally friendly.

There are a few different varieties of menstrual cups on the market. If you choose to try one out, make sure to read the manufacturer's directions and recommendations, as each product differs. Most are washable and reusable, but there are disposable menstrual cups, too. The cups look similar to a cervical cap with small flexible rods connected to the base to aid in their removal (kind of like a tiny plunger). With proper care, some menstrual cups can be used for up to ten years! The cups are made from a few different types of materials such as medical grade silicone (non-latex) or natural gum rubber.

Insertion and removal of menstrual cups takes practice, just as tampons and diaphragms do. The more knowledgeable and comfortable a woman is about and with her body, and the more she practices insertion, the easier it will be. With practice, privacy, and persistence, a woman can learn to avoid and/or minimize spills.

If you use tampons, then you'll probably be able to use menstrual cups, too. Now that you are informed, feel free to give this method a try!

MY THOUGHTS

Would you?  Give it a try, I mean?  The author is very convincing.  But it will take a change in mindset, especially if you have not even tried tampons.

CAN YOUR HAIRSTYLE AFFECT YOUR BEAUTY?

HOW MUCH OF YOUR HAIRSTYLE CAN AFFECT YOUR BEAUTY?

Can your hairstyle make you sexy?  Enhance your beauty?  We've heard it often enough.  Our hair is our crowning glory.  We tend to believe this don't we?  Otherwise, the issue of a 'bad hair day' won't be an issue at all.

Just think about it.  How often have you come late to work (or school) because your hair won't cooperate?  How often have you deleted pictures where you look like you haven't shampooed for days?  How often have you refused to go out because your hairstylist made a mess of your crowning glory?  How much money have you spent just so you can have beautiful hair?

If you care about your hair that much and you feel that those strands crowning your head can impact your beauty, check this article on sexy hairstyles from ivillage.com. http://www.ivillage.com/hair-inspiration-gallery-sexy-hairstyles/5-b-318337?nlcid=in|07-30-2011|

You can have bangs, ponytails, wavy hairstyles, party hairstyles, curly hairstyles. The picture gallery showcases around 30 different hairstyles.  Try out one or two.  Or you can try them all. See if you'd feel better.  If you do, good for you.  If you don't, congratulations!  You're probably moving into that stage where you pay attention to how you look but won't commit suicide if you don't.

Some people say that if you want to feel good you must look good.  I'd say, if you want to look good, you must feel good.  No hairstyle can hide the sadness in your eyes.  And people, whose opinion matter to you, will notice the glow in your eyes and hear the laughter in your voice.  Not that you just came out of a beauty parlor.

What Your Nail Polish Say About You: HOT PINK

What Your Nail Polish Say About You: HOT PINK

From the article 'What Does Your Nail Polish Say About You?'
Kristin Larson on Jun 14, 2011 at 1:57PM

Experts discuss how the color of your manicure can reveal your personality traits, style preferences -- even details about your job

Hot Pink: Calling All Bombshells

The woman who wears hot-pink nail polish is chic, sexy and bold, says Catherine Baek, education manager at Orly. “To wear this feminine color, you have to be confident because it’s eye-catching and people will notice,” she says.

How to wear it: Rock the sizzling hue on your nails with a neutral or natural shade on your toes to balance the brightness, Baek says.

MY THOUGHTS

I'm not for bright colors but they really look hot.  Especially on someone who is "chic, sexy, bold".  I can be bold but definitely not chic and sexy.  So, this color is not for me.

HEALTHY AGING

Healthy Aging Quick Tips
http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/healthy_aging/healthy_aging_quick_tips?utm_source=EWHNL

1. Keep an eye on fat.

As you age, your metabolism slows, and so your calorie needs decrease. Fat is relatively high in calories so be sure to eat only moderate amounts of healthy kinds (like monounsaturated fats in olives and avocados and omega-3s in fish). Limit saturated fats by choosing lower-fat versions of milk, yogurt and cheese and opting for fish, lean poultry and legumes in place of fatty red meats. Keep in mind that many low-fat or fat-free products—even healthy ones like yogurt—often contain added sugars, which bump up the calorie content. Read labels.

2. Mix foods and meds mindfully.

Food, alcohol and dietary supplements can interact with prescription drugs, changing the effectiveness of the drug or the way your body absorbs nutrients. For example, vitamin K can make the blood clot faster, so if you're on a blood-thinning medication, your doctor may tell you to avoid large amounts of foods that are high in K. These include leafy greens, such as kale, spinach, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. Keep your doctor and pharmacist informed about any vitamin, mineral or herbal supplements you are using. And ask about interactions between whatever you are taking and food or alcohol.

3. Go fish for healthy vision.

Some research shows that people who have a higher dietary intake of foods containing omega-3 fatty acids from fish have a reduced risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration, a condition characterized by the deterioration of the central retina (a.k.a., macula) that is the leading cause of blindness in people over 50. Each week, aim to eat two servings of fish. Top a vegetable salad with poached salmon for lunch; serve a savory tilapia recipe for dinner.

4. Fill up on fresh fruit.

Unfortunately, constipation often becomes more common as you age—but you filling up on fiber and fluids can help improve digestion. Water and fiber are two main components of fresh fruits (which provide disease-fighting phytonutrients too), so eat a colorful mix: berries, oranges, grapes, pears, watermelon… whatever you like best!

5. Start the calcium count in the morning.

The risk for osteoporosis increases with age, but getting enough calcium (1,200 mg per day is the recommended amount for people over 50) can help reduce your risk. Get halfway to this goal—before lunch—by including a cup of calcium-fortified orange juice at breakfast and having a cup of low-fat yogurt for a midmorning snack.

6. Iron out changes in recommended nutrient intakes.

After menopause, women need only 8 mg of iron each day (same as what men need)—that’s less than half of the recommended intake of the mineral for women of child-bearing age. Too much iron can be harmful, particularly for people who have hemochromatosis, a genetic condition that causes a buildup of iron in the body’s organs. You don’t have to scale back on healthy iron-rich foods like lean meats, beans and leafy greens, but if you’re taking a multivitamin that includes iron, check to see that it doesn’t exceed your recommended 8 mg.

7. Write what you bite.

If middle-aged spread is creeping up on you—literally—try writing down what you eat in a food journal. Studies show that people consistently tend to underestimate what they eat and keeping track can give you a more accurate idea of how many calories you’re consuming and also help you see where you might cut back.

MY THOUGHTS

Why does everything seem to be harder to do when we're older?  Maybe if we were more mindful of our health when we were younger, there won't be much maintenance required.

LOWER EDUCATION AND FASTER AGING????

Study links lower education to faster aging
Published May 12, 2011

LONDON (Reuters Life!) - People who leave education with fewer qualifications are prone to age more quickly, scientists said on Wednesday.

Researchers from Britain and the United States examined the length of sections of DNA known as telomeres from around 450 people taking part in a long-term health study and found that people who did less well at school had shorter telomeres, suggesting they may age faster.

Telomeres are sections of DNA that cap the ends of chromosomes, protecting them from damage and the loss of cell functions associated with aging. Shorter telomeres are thought to be an indicator of faster aging.

"The key implication of this study backs up one of the main messages to have come out of long-term studies..that your experiences early in life can have important influences on your health," said Stephen Holgate, of Britain's Medical Research Council, which part-funded the research.

He said that as with all observational research, it was difficult to establish the root causes of these findings, but said the study provided evidence "that being educated to a higher level can benefit you more than in the job market alone."

The study participants were separated into four education groups: those who had no qualifications at all, those who left formal education after exams at around 16 years of age, those who left after exams at around 18 years, and those who earned a degree from a university or other higher education institution.

The research was published in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity on Wednesday.

The results showed that people with lower educational achievements had shorter telomeres, indicating that they may age faster, and the study also offered strong evidence that this is not affected by people's social and economic status later in life, as was previously thought, the researchers said.

"We already know from previous research that people with poor backgrounds are prone to age more quickly," said study researcher Andrew Steptoe, of University College London.

"Education is a marker of social class that people acquire early in life, and our research suggests that it is long term exposure to the conditions of lower status that promotes accelerated cellular aging."

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/mh6KV2 Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, online April 23, 2011.

MY THOUGHTS

Wow!  I won't go that way.  I've never seen anyone who look older for lack of a diploma.