Eat Your Way to Beautiful Skin

A balanced diet is an essential prescription for healthy and vibrant skin. The good news is that the foods that happen to be good for your skin are also good for your overall health.

Many people find that the appearance of aging skin — wrinkles, thickening, discoloration, and decreased elasticity — is one of their biggest beauty concerns. While genetics largely determines when your skin starts to show these signs of aging, and the extent to which it shows them, environmental damage to your skin, as well as damage you cause yourself through lifestyle choices, can greatly accelerate this process.
 
Skin damage occurs as a result of oxidation, a chemical process in which unstable molecules called free radicals steal electrons from healthy cells. The most damaging oxidative stressors that we expose ourselves to are smoking and sunlight.
Aside from staying away from cigarettes and using sunscreen when you go out, the next best thing you can do for your skin's health is to eat a diet rich in antioxidants. These are nutrients that work to defend your body's cells — including skin cells — against the damage of oxidative stress. You're probably familiar with some antioxidants, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene).  Others, which you may be less familiar with, are collectively known as phytochemicals (there are hundreds of them), and they are found in foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and beans.

To keep your skin well-protected and nourished, and to extend its youthful appearance, focus on the foods that are good sources of the following nutrients:
 

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is involved in the production of collagen (which keeps skin firm) and protects cells from damage caused by free radicals. Scientific studies have found that when lab animals eat vitamin C — fortified food, their skin is better able to fight oxidative damage. It's important, then, to replenish your skin's vitamin C stores every day by eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. Good sources include bell peppers (red, green, and yellow), broccoli, cantaloupe, mangoes, oranges, pineapple, snow peas, strawberries, tomatoes, and watermelon.
 

Vitamin E

Vitamin E helps protect cell membranes and guards your skin against damage from the sun's UV radiation. Some research has suggested that vitamin E may work in combination with vitamin C to provide an extra degree of anti-aging skin protection. However, because recent studies have raised some questions about the safety of vitamin E supplements, this nutrient should come from your diet, not from high-dose pills. It's best to stick with food sources like wheat germ, fortified whole-grain cereals, nuts and seeds, olive oil, Swiss chard, and spinach, as well as the small amount of vitamin E found in a multivitamin.

Beta-carotene

Beta-carotene, another antioxidant that's critical for skin health, is converted to vitamin A in the body and is involved in the growth and repair of body tissues. It may also protect your skin against sun damage. In extremely high doses, however, pure vitamin A from supplements can be toxic, so be sure to avoid them unless a doctor has recommended them and is closely supervising you. Beta-carotene from foods like apricots, cantaloupe, carrots, red bell peppers, mangoes, pumpkin, and sweet potato is sufficient and entirely safe for your skin.

Selenium

Selenium is an antioxidant mineral that helps protect the skin from sun damage; it also helps the skin maintain firmness and elasticity. Selenium obtained from food has been shown to reduce sun damage and even prevent some skin cancers in animals. Be sure to avoid selenium supplements, however. The Nutritional Prevention of Cancer Trial found that people with a high risk of nonmelanoma skin cancers who took selenium supplements actually had a 25 percent increased risk of squamous cell carcinomas. The best food sources for selenium are Brazil nuts (no more than 1 or 2 nuts a day because the selenium is so concentrated), tuna (canned, light), crab, oysters, whole-wheat pasta, lean beef, shrimp, whole-wheat bread, turkey, wheat germ, chicken breast, mushrooms, and eggs.

 Omega–3 Fatty Acids
Although not classified as antioxidants, omega–3 fatty acids help maintain cell membranes so that they are effective barriers — allowing water and nutrients in but keeping toxins out. These healthy fats also reduce inflammation throughout the body, which may translate into fewer skin breakouts. Omega-3s also seem to offer the skin protection against sun damage. In a study of skin cancer, people who ate diets rich in fish oils and other omega-3 fats had a 29 percent lower risk of squamous cell skin cancer than those who got very little omega-3 fats from food. Good food sources include wild salmon, herring, mackerel (but not king), sardines, anchovies, flaxseed, walnuts, and soybeans. 

This Smoothie makes a perfect breakfast!

 
Joy's Beauty Blend
 
Try this smoothie for a big blast of complexion-friendly nutrients — vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, and omega-3 fats.
 
Serves 2

Ingredients
2 cold oranges, peeled and cut into sections
1/2  chopped mango, chilled
1/2 cup sliced frozen (unsweetened) strawberries
1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded
1/2 cup plain, nonfat yogurt, chilled
2 tablespoons wheat germ
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
 
Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
 
Yields 2 1/4  cups

 Nutrient Analysis (one serving)
Calories: 250   
Protein: 9 g
Carbohydrates: 48 g
Total fat: 4 g
Saturated fat: 0 g
Cholesterol:  0 mg
Sodium: 72 mg
Fiber:  9 g
Vitamin C:  126 mg (209% DV)
Vitamin A (all from beta-carotene): 5,839 IU (117% DV)
Vitamin E: 3.9 IU (13% DV)
+ Omega-3 fats

WE

04 & 05/03/2012

Curious why I put WE as tittle ? HAHA !
Just continue reading..
That night we chilling around at Starbucks till midnight. 

4 of us. =)

Green tea & dark mocha.


Are you ready ?
I going to introduce my dear to you guys...

ll

ll

ll

ll

ll

ll

ll

ll

V

Wendy & Eurace = WE.  lol.

Seriously , Some of my fren told us that we look alike. 

We tell them we are twins and they really believe it.HAHA !
OKAY , I know ... we not really looks alike because she is much prettier than me. :(

Next time I should put my bangs down so that we can snap a picha with same hairstyle.
Btw , she is really pretty ain't ?

So scare my gf Charice (the girl put in a relationship with me)jealous bcuz I curi makan.

*Guilty pleasure*  =/

Then the next day we went to same place too.
But that night is 5 peoples.
So sad Ah ru ru din join us because she busy. :(

Hot caramel chocolate & dark mocha.

 

Nah... this is what we did when we are chilling around.
Everyone plays their iPhone or ipad.
Macam I-world. LOL.
I even chat with my friend (just sit beside me) through whatapps. Oops..

We not really have a deep talk but we do enjoy till max.

And we laughed like crazy.HAHA !
So miss you guys ma , Wendy & Zoo Joo & Bebe. :)

12 Reasons You're Not Losing Weight

You're Not Exercising Enough

“Many people overestimate how much they are burning when exercising. Many factors determine calories burned, including duration and intensity of exercise, whether the intensity is varied, and the type of exercise. Weight-bearing exercise, like running, walking, and aerobics, leads to burning more calories since gravity requires the body to work harder. With non-weight-bearing exercise, like cycling and swimming, there isn’t as much gravitational stress on the muscles, which means fewer calories are expended,” explains Kraus. “The best way to truly monitor your exercise would be via a journal and heart monitor to see the actual duration and intensity, and how they could be increased.”

You're Not Getting Enough Sleep

“There are many regulatory hormones secreted at night and during periods of sleep,” says Kraus. “The lack of sleep could possibly affect the proper sequence of hormone release.” Staying up late may lead to extra calories if you snack when you watch late-night TV or party with friends.

You're Too Stressed

A study done at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and the University of Pittsburgh found that stress can lead to weight gain in women, particularly in middle-aged women. “There seems to be a link between having altered sleep patterns and fat conservation — both possibly hormonally related — but also many women simply manage their feelings with food, eating mindlessly, because food is a very accessible and quick soothing resource,” says Kraus. And unfortunately, an easy way for the calories to add up.

You're Skipping Meals

Skipping meals can lead to food cravings and overeating later in the day — reaching for whatever food is available and making up for the missed calories by eating more. Research at Vanderbilt University found that after approximately 72 hours of not eating consistently, the body shuts down its calorie-burning abilities and begins to store fat, warns Kraus. In clinical studies, after one week, healthy women were seen to lose 16 percent of their resting energy expenditure, which led to increased fat storage and a decrease in metabolism.

You're Eating Too Many Calories

You might think you’re cutting back on portions, but may not realize the real number of calories you’re eating. Kraus makes these suggestions: Use measuring utensils and a food scale; learn visual cues to estimate portion sizes. For instance, three ounces of protein is the size of a deck of cards or a checkbook, one cup of rice or pasta resembles a baseball, and one ounce of cheese looks like two playing dice. Keep a food journal of everything you eat and drink to be truly aware of the total amount consumed over the course of the day.

You're Drinking Too Many Calories

“Very often people lose sight that beverages can contribute a significant number of calories,” says Kraus. Consider the calories in these 12-ounce servings: regular soda, between 150 and 200; no-sugar-added fruit juice, up to 180; sweet tea, about 150; and many sports drinks, 100 or more. Drinking three servings daily over a week can add up to 3,500 calories, or the one pound of weight you could have lost. “Switch to good, plain water, and you will save lots of calories and start to see the weight come down,” says Kraus.

You're Too Lax About Diet and Exercise

You go to the salad bar and load up on veggies, but then add hundreds of calories with rich dressing and toppings like grated cheese, bacon bits, and croutons. You burn 300 calories by walking for three miles, but then eat a muffin with the same number of calories, erasing the effect of the workout. “You need a healthy, calorie-controlled meal plan with exercise to help maximize calorie burning and encourage the calorie deficit needed for weight control,” says Kraus. Resist becoming lax about calories because you exercise, and resist becoming lax about exercise just because you’re cutting calories.

You're Slipping on Weekends

“Weekend indulgences add up very quickly,” says Kraus. Having an appetizer before dinner, eating extra snacks, and splurging on dessert and alcoholic drinks will increase your daily intake by several hundred calories. “The problem is that whatever is eaten over the weekend will have an impact over the entire week. Rather than taking in 1,300 calories a day that could lead to weight loss, your average might end up being closer to 1,600, wiping out any weight loss,” explains Kraus. One solution, says Kraus, is to eat specific indulgence foods over the weekend within your diet calorie limit.

You're Diet-Impatient

“Weight loss needs time for us to see results, for the body to change its shape, access its fat stores and use them for energy, and re-contour itself by building lean body tissue,” says Kraus. “Remember, one pound of weight is equivalent to 3,500 calories. If you need 2,500 calories just to maintain your weight, you would need to consistently eat only 2,000 calories daily and exercise about 30 minutes daily (to burn another 250 calories) in order to see a true 1.5-pound weight loss in one week.” It sounds like a lot of effort — and it is. “Diet plans that make hard-to-believe promises are exactly that — hard to believe,” says Kraus.

You Might Have a Medical Condition

Any condition leading to decreased mobility and less activity will make the ordeal of trying to lose weight even more of a challenge because exercise is limited and you might end up eating more if you’re home with more free time to snack. Some medications could lead to difficulty managing weight or even to weight gain, including steroids, some psychiatric medications, insulin, and certain beta blockers. Talk to your physician about alternatives, such as receiving some rehabilitation activity, adjusting meds, or working with a registered dietitian to embark on a specific meal plan, recommends Kraus.

You've Reached a Plateau

Hitting a plateau is a common occurrence, but you need to realize that it isn’t “all about the weight,” says Kraus. You might be experiencing positive physiologic changes that may not be evident just by looking at a scale: As you’re losing fat tissue, you could also be gaining more lean body tissue and getting leaner. In time you’ll resume your weight loss, as your metabolic rate starts to increase. What appears to be a plateau could also be due to other factors including irregularity or fluid retention.

You Don't Need to Lose More Weight

Your body could be trying to tell you that you are at an appropriate weight for your size and your height. Any further attempts at weight loss might lead to muscle loss and a slowing of your metabolism because it could take an extremely restrictive meal plan to attain and maintain a lower weight. Ask yourself why you want to continue to lose weight, if you could still manage a healthful lifestyle in doing so, what is inspiring you to want to lose more, and how healthy or appropriate that inspiration really is, says Kraus.

Enlarged Pores: When Bigger Isn't Better

Almost all pores are microscopic openings in the skin that allow cooling perspiration and protective oils to reach the skin's surface. Some experts estimate that you have as many as one million pores per square inch of skin.
But sometimes pores become so enlarged that they create unattractive craters. Although it’s usually not a medical concern, enlarged pores can damage your self-confidence and self-esteem, and tempt you to empty your wallet on often-expensive and often-ineffective products that promise "guaranteed" results.
Fortunately, there are proven strategies for minimizing or concealing enlarged pores — and restoring even-looking skin. 
 

The Causes of Enlarged Pores

During puberty, pores often enlarge to handle the increased oil output from sebaceous glands. In women, they often stay enlarged through menopause, when hormonal changes usually cause them to shrink to their original childhood size.
Unfortunately, enlarged pores are most likely to appear right where you don't want them: the T-zone, the area that runs between your forehead, nose, and chin. The nose is especially prone to developing enlarged pores because it contains more sebaceous glands than any other area of skin.
Enlarged pores tend to run in families. But factors other than heredity can foster their development, including:

• Improper skin care, including inadequate cleansing and wearing too much makeup.
• Oily skin and seborrhea, a common skin problem associated with a red, itchy rash and white scales.
• Smoking.
• Sun damage.

Home Treatments for Enlarged Pores

Although most experts recommend seeing a doctor or dermatologist before trying to treat enlarged pores on your own, some home treatments may help you minimize their appearance. These include:

• Topical treatments. Look for over-the-counter creams that contain alpha hydroxy acids, beta hydroxy acids, or benzoyl peroxide, which help remove the excess oil and dead skin that accumulates around pores; or salicylic acid, which prevents pores from clogging and forming pimples and blackheads.
• Acne medications, especially those containing sulfur or resorcinol, or oil-clearing astringents.
• Vitamin A treatments. Products such as Retin-A, Renova, and Avage may help minimize the appearance of enlarged pores, and also unclog pores by speeding cell turnover and loosening blackheads.
• Tightening face masks. Used once or twice a week, such products can cleanse pores and promote smoother skin.
• Steaming. A weekly steaming can cleanse enlarged pores by loosening accumulated debris. For optimal results, apply a tightening face mask immediately after steaming.

Another strategy is to hide enlarged pores with cosmetics. Because foundation can pool in pores, making them more noticeable, it's best to use a primer containing ingredients such as dimethicone, which forms an invisible barrier between skin and makeup. Just be sure to use a water-based, pore-minimizing primer that's labeled "noncomedogenic," because these types of products are less likely to cause acne. 
 

Medical Treatments for Enlarged Pores

Your doctor or dermatologist may be able to save you a lot of time and expense by recommending over-the-counter or prescription medications that are the best fit for your skin. He or she may also recommend cosmetic procedures such as:

• Microdermabrasion, a technique that rejuvenates skin with tiny microcrystal particles that remove excess oil and dead skin that accumulates in enlarged pores. This technique also stimulates the growth of collagen, which promotes healthy-looking skin.
• Laser resurfacing , which uses short, concentrated bursts of laser light to remove dead skin, layer by layer. This promotes the formation of tighter skin and the growth of collagen.
• Chemical peels, which are solutions that remove dead skin and promote "new" skin. They reduce the appearance of enlarged pores, as well as other imperfections such as fine lines, wrinkles, and brown spots.
• Deep pore cleansing treatments, which exfoliate, tone, cleanse, moisturize, and balance the skin's oil production.

Almost everyone has some enlarged pores. But home treatments, medical treatments, or a combination of the two may help you banish these common beauty bummers.

Monday Blue :(

BITCH , is monday again !

Hate monday bcuz monday memang blue.

Just now I get scold from a costumer.. 

I know...I know a stuff WILL get scold from costumer.

This is the truth and reality that you definitely have to accept unless you're the lou sai.
So I must earn now and become lou sai and scold my staff for the revenge.HAHA ! :P

N hor...costumer is always the right.

YES, she got the right to scold me.

And I got the only right to let her scold. ╮(╯_╰)╭
I no care lo...must ask brada to cheer me up.
Or else he gotta get scold by me. Hiak hiak ~

New ME !!!!

Oh HI peoples !
Today is my off day.
But I have to working too.
Just came back from work at 7am till 12pm.
What a tiring sunday?

Ok , back to my topic..
I gotta introduce New ME !  :D

Fren say I looks like my super idol HUANG XIAO MING. =O
HAHAHAHAHAHA , such a big lie, but it make me superb happy.*dream* -,-''

 My charming prince. ♥

 So........COOL !

 D...doe..does he...smile..with ME ??!!! *scream*

♥ - ♥

 Ahhhhhhh...*faints*

 Be my valentines?LOL.

Okay , I should stop posting his picha or else this post will be F long.
Back to my post...

 Not bad huh ?

 Mushroom EU !! xD

 Itu tak boleh lo bang..Looks yucks. =/

 Hehe hoho haha ! -,-''

If I were a boy , which one do you likey huh ? :D

OKAY !! I gotta cut No1 hairstyle .

Nah ,Just kidding,I'm just having fun with the app it called HairChange.Lol.

Let's c girlish cut .Teehee !

 I like this !! 

 And this too !!!

 This too too... :P

This one no likey la ! iiissh ~

 Perhaps this ??

Or this ?

The more I c ,the more I confuse. WHICH ONE MORE NICE??!!

 

 

Okay , I know I talk bullshit on this post. :P

I gotta take a power nap now.
Goodnitez peoples ! ♥

Getting Rid of Puffy Eyes

Dark, droopy bags under your eyes can make you look dramatically older and exhausted — even if you’re not. Fortunately, there are some effective home remedies and successful medical treatments that can help minimize puffy eyes and dark bags. Here’s how to play down that unpleasant puffiness:

Causes of Puffiness and Dark Bags Under Your Eyes

Most people find that there’s more than one cause for their puffy or tired-looking eyes. Here are some of the most common:

Aging. As you get older, the skin and muscles around your eyes begin to weaken, making it easier for the fatty tissue beneath the skin to redistribute and for the skin to sag.
Allergies. Itchy, swollen eyes are a common allergic reaction.
Fluid retention. Hormonal shifts, a lack of sleep, or even just eating salty foods can cause you to retain fluid, leading to puffy eyes.
Heredity. If your parents had puffiness under their eyes, you may be more prone to developing the same condition.   


Home Remedies for Puffy Eyes or Dark Shadows.
Many home treatments can temporarily minimize puffiness and dark areas under your eyes. Here are a few ideas to try:

Use makeup to create an illusion. Use a very small amount of a lighter-colored concealer on the puffy, baggy under-eye area to camouflage the dark shadows and make the puffiness look flatter.
Use cold compresses. A little cold can go a long way toward reducing swelling around your eyes. You can use cold packs or ice packs, cold slices of cucumbers, teaspoons that have been chilled in the freezer, or tea bags that have been soaked in ice water.
Get good rest. Try to get enough sleep (about seven to eight hours), and sleep (about seven to eight hours), and sleep with your head elevated to keep the fluid from collecting under your eyes.
Keep your allergies in check. Avoid allergy triggers and take antihistamines to help prevent your body from reacting to allergens.
Avoid salty food. Stick with foods that won’t cause puffiness.  

Medical Treatments for Worn-Out or Puffy Eyes

A dermatologist or plastic surgeon can provide a more permanent fix to a puffy eye problem. Consult with your doctor if you want to try one of these options:
Dermatological treatments. Laser treatments and chemical peels can help tighten up the skin and make the dark areas under your eyes look lighter.
Wrinkle fillers. A plastic surgeon can inject fillers like artist right under the under-eye hollow to even out the area. The effect usually lasts for about eight months.
An eyelift. A doctor can tighten up the under-eye area by melting away the fat with an electric probe, then pulling the skin tight. It’s an outpatient surgery that can be done relatively quickly — and provides effects that last for decades