YzFit

Kiwi is an amazing source of Vitamin C with nearly two and a half times the recommended daily allowance by government standards (granted their standards are pathetic!).  It is a great source of potassium having more than a banana.  Kiwi is also a low glycemic index fruit making it a great fruit for those concerned with blood sugars. And with it being a good source of zinc it helps promote healthy skin, hair, teeth and nails.

SpaFinder is an advocate of skin cancer awareness. They have an industry-wide campaign that focuses on understanding sun damage, self-examination, sunscreen use, and yearly full-body check-ups at the dermatologist. Over 65,000 people every year are diagnosed with melanoma, and 11,000 of those die. It is important to know when your skin is being damaged by the sun. SpaFinder is selling “I Will Reflect” bracelets to help raise awareness of skin cancer. The bracelet is white, but turns lavender when you have had enough harmful ultraviolet rays. It’s an easy and fashionable way to be reminded to go into the shade or reapply sunscreen. You can find the melanoma bracelet for $4.95 at
www.spafinder.com

If you think you’re beating the bad effects of cigarettes because you don’t smoke regularly, but still bum one now and then on a night out—you’re kidding yourself! Every puff you take increases your potential for arterial damage. A University of Georgia study found that sporadic smokers who smoked two cigarettes after two days of not smoking were 36 percent less responsive to blood flow changes than nonsmokers. After four cigarettes the arterial response was even worse. Impaired arterial response is the first step to heart disease. Cigarette smokers also have more build up of fatty deposits in their arteries. In fact, the Surgeon General has declared smoking “the leading preventable cause of disease and deaths in the United States.” Secondhand smoke will cause these same effects, so try to avoid it if possible. Smoking also decreases you HDL (good) cholesterol. And don’t forget—it’s bad for your lungs, too!

photo credit: vramak

Most people shed a few flakes of dandruff, particularly during the winter(myself included, oh the joys).   In the winter months the scalp and skin are morelikely to be dry.  There are individuals who have a hereditary tendancy to develop skin problems that can be triggered by certain foods.  These foods will vary from person to person but there are a few more common offenders: hot liquids, heavily spiced foods, and alcohol.  To control mild dandruff doctors usually recomend shampooing daily until the dandruff is under control and then go to twice a week for maintenance.  Dandruff shampoos contain zinc and/or selenium which work as an exfoliant to speed up the sheeding of the dead cell layers from the scalp.

Sweating is a normal function that helps the body maintain a normal temperature and excrete impurities out of the body.  There are two types of glands apocrine: which are located in the armpits, face, scalp, and parts of the trunk.  Then there are eccrine glands which are distributed throughout the body and give off a quart or more of perspiration through out the day (all the more reason to make sure you are getting plenty of fluids even if you are not exercising that day).

Typically the the eccrine excretion has no smell in contrast to the apocrine excretion which has a distinctive odor when broken down by the bacteria that live on the skin.

External factors that can effect body odor include: alcohol, garlic, onions.  Some people develop a defect in their ability to properly use a substance called trimethylamine which is found in foods high choline such as eggs, fish, liver and legumes.  When this takes place the skin will have a fishy odor after such foods are eaten.  Eliminating them from the diet will solve the smelly problem.

Some studies indicate that an increase in the intake of zinc and magnesium can help eliminate unpleasant odors. Good food sources for magnesium include: brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, seseme seeds, pine nuts, cashews, soybeans, hazelnuts, walnuts, and shreaded wheat.  Good sources of zinc include: wheat germ, poppy seeds, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, cashews, seseme seeds, pecans, nori seaweed, and all bran. 
photo credit: dominikgolenia

Olive oil is one of the best oil you can use internally, but what about external use? Did you know that you can use olive oil to revive damaged hair? Saturate hair with extra-virgin olive oil, then wrap with a warm towel for 20 minutes.

photo credit:horaceko

This is the way how I was taught to cut a mango, it is by far the best way to enjoy one. Mangoes are loaded with beta-carotene - which helps the maintenance of healthy skin, good vision, and a robust immune system. It is also a powerful antioxidant, and has been shown to help guard against cancer and heart disease.