Tanning Creams All Have One Thing In Common
Creams, Bronzers, Sprays All Use DHA
Diane Kockler, Staff writer
The coming of fall and winter may mean less time outside, but it doesn't have to mean giving up that golden glow, because sunless tanners have come a long way, baby. The risk of turning orange overnight from a self-tanning lotion has greatly diminished in the last 30 years. Some products will gradually turn your skin a few shades darker over several days, while bronzers can give an immediate golden glow, and there is a surplus of other options.
In recent years, hundreds of new tanning lotions and sprays have been introduced, and the products keep coming. Dr. Audrey Kunin, a dermatologist who writes a health and beauty advice column at DERMAdoctor.com, said companies constantly tweak the scent and the darkness of the tan you get from product.
But one thing all sunless tanners have in common is dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which has been used since the Food and Drug Administration approved it for cosmetics in 1973.
"They're the same active ingredients, so what's going to vary by product is its concentration of DHA, which (gives) a darker or lighter tan. You just pick the vehicle you prefer," Kunin said.
After a product with DHA is applied, a chemical reaction occurs between the self-tanner and the uppermost layer of dead skin cells, Kunin said. After several hours, a color change occurs as the skin cells become stained brown. The color will stick around only about four days.
Kunin said the color will fade more quickly for those who use skin-care products that speed up exfoliation such as microdermabrasion creams, skin scrubs and products that contain alpha hydroxy acid, beta hydroxy acid or a retinoid.
No Protection
Kunin said self-tanners aren't harmful, but what dermatologists are concerned about is the myth that using a self-tanner will protect you from the sun.
"A self-tan is like a skin stain -- it doesn't provide any protection against the sun or from ultraviolet damage," Kunin said.
She said it's best to apply a separate sunscreen daily, even if you're using a sunless tanner that claims to have some sun protection.
Kunin advises to always pick a sunless tanner, rather than using a tanning bed or lounging outside. She said tanning beds can cause skin cancer and should always be avoided.
"Spending 20 minutes in a tanning bed is equal to spending an entire day on a tropical beach without sunscreen," Kunin said. "I understand why people like a little color, but don't get in a tanning bed. It's a carcinogen."
Self-Tanning Not Effortless
But if you really want some color, you may need to show a little effort with a self-tanner.
"It's best to approach self-tanner use as ongoing maintenance. Plan to reapply it every few days, regardless of whatever else you may include in your beauty routine," Kunin wrote in a recent column.
In addition to the potentially quick fade, the other main complaints consumers have about self-tanners are that they can stain hands and clothes, and it can be challenging to apply the product evenly across your body.
Kunin advises people to never apply a self-tanner with their hands. She suggests wearing disposable gloves and immediately washing hands after applying the tanner. All sunless tanners can stain clothing, so be sure to give ample drying time before dressing.
For those who are worried about uneven coloring, they might prefer using a tanning spray at a salon, which gives all-over color in one application. One of the most popular professional sprays is called Mystic Tan, which is delivered by a series of jets in a booth and dries in several minutes.
"That's the beauty of the Mystic Tan as a brand name -- you go in a booth and they spray the DHA at you," Kunin said.
Potential Dangers
Some doctors are concerned about the potential danger of inhaling the chemicals.
"It is not recommended that sprays be inhaled or used on mucous membranes," said Dr. Sherry Pagoto, a researcher at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
To avoid potential health problems, experts recommend wearing noseplugs and holding your breath when the Mystic Tan is sprayed, which is about 30 seconds.
Also, Kunin recommended not getting caught up in the hype about facial self-tanners, which cost more than body tanners and often come in smaller sizes.
"There's often no reason to purchases two or three products. Purchase the one you like best and use it wherever you fancy," Kunin wrote.
Regardless of which sunless tanner you choose, Kunin said it's best to exfoliate the body with a skin scrub before applying the product.
"This makes for a more even application, reduces streaking and odd-looking dark elbows, knees and ankles," Kunin wrote.
Try, Tan Again
It make take several tries before you find a self-tanner you like.
"If you are unhappy with your first attempt at using a self-tanner, all you need to do is wait a few days and the color will be gone. Then you can try it all over again," Kunin wrote.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE articles about self-help, self improvement, wellness, holistic health, and fitness. To see our full line of e-Books visit: www.ebooks4selfhelp.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AmbrosiaServices.comGet a Free Yoga e-Book & Free Report
Do-it-yourself health and beauty
What's in your kitchen cabinet or desk drawer can put the spa treatment to shame.
Sunday, September 24, 2006
By TONY NAUROTH AND MARCIA WHITEThe Express-Times
Pardon us while we retire to the rest and relaxation suite of The Express-Times where we'll exfoliate with yogurt, shave our legs with peanut butter and give ourselves a cat litter mud pack.
Don't laugh; these are all remedies and solutions tested by author Joey Green in his book "Supermarket Spa."
Well, maybe you can laugh a little.
We certainly did.
In the blurb on the back of the book, Joey Green is praised as "the guru of weird uses for brand-name products." He's the author of more than 30 books including "Joey Green's Gardening Magic," "Joey Green's Incredible Country Store," "Joey Green's Amazing Kitchen Cures" and "Joey Green's Magic Brands."
We believe what he's really selling is Joey Green.
Still, it's a fun little book; 150 pages of stuff you can buy at the grocery store for peanuts that will do the same work as the Hollywood-priced signature beauty products nobody except those in Hollywood can afford.
We tried to check with local cosmetology experts to see how they might feel about cat litter mud packs, butter massages, and the many strange and distressing uses for vodka -- besides its primary purpose of massaging our INSIDES. Unfortunately, those we contacted either referred us to some corporate spokesperson in a distant city or diverted us anywhere except toward them.
But at Frey's Better Foods in Hellertown, Bruce and Diane Haas were very helpful.
Besides shelves of vitamins and other natural products, Frey's offers all kinds of health-related books, such as "A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients" by Dr. Ruth Winter, with "complete information about more than 6,000 of the harmful and desirable ingredients found in toiletries and cosmetics."
Then there's "The Cure is in the Cupboard" by Dr. Cass Ingram -- part of a series. This one explains "How to Use Oregano for Better Health."
Frey's sports a whole line of "Kiss My Face" lotions packaged in pastel pump bottles featuring lavender, olive, shea butter and other natural ingredients.
Diane Haas says many customers come in with lists of ingredients their doctors tell them to steer clear of.
"One of the big ones is parabens," Diane Haas says.
In it ethyl paraben is described as a chemical "used to extend the shelf life of products, but which might be linked to chronic fatigue syndrome and other immune suppressing disorders.
Then there's imidazolidinyl urea.
"I look at it this way," says Bruce Haas, "If I don't know what it means or how to pronounce it, it can't be good."
And that's about the way Joey Green thinks in "Supermarket Spa," although his interest is aimed more toward saving money. Preserving health just happens to be a positive side effect.
Please note that Green recommends specific name brands for his health aids. We won't do that, other than to mention Crayola Crayons because they're so naturally attached to our local communities. And who hasn't felt relaxed after inhaling the sweet childhood scent of a freshly opened box of Crayolas?
Heck, you can even sniff the crayons even as you spritz your doo with the aromatic hair-holding power of flat beer.
Read on. Smell good. And feel good, too.
Cheap!
aromatherapy
Crayola Crayons
"Keep a box of Crayola Crayons on hand and whenever you feel down-and-out, anxious, or tense, simply open the box and smell the crayons. The scent of Crayola Crayons is among the twenty most recognizable to American adults, and the nostalgic aroma instantly triggers a calming sense of peace and security, reminiscent of all the joys of childhood."
It just so happens those crayons are made right here by Binney & Smith Inc. in Forks Township. Twenty-seven-year employee Susan Tucker, public relations specialist for the company, naturally agrees crayons have aromatic benefits. She says every time she takes someone on a plant tour, "as soon as you open the door of the plant, people say, 'Oh, that smell!' "
And, just about everyone at the company has a box of crayons stashed in his or her desk to take out and sniff for a pick-me-up, Tucker admits.
BATH SECRETS
Coffee grounds
Get into an empty bathtub and rub warm, freshly used coffee grounds all over your body, from the neck down. Wait 10 minutes, fill the tub with warm water and soak in this invigorating coffee bath.
CLEANING and TONING
Blueberry yogurt
Mix the yogurt well and apply to your face. Wait 10 minutes then wash clean with warm water. The lactic acid in the yogurt and blueberries helps exfoliate dead skin cells, leaving skin smooth and soft.
conditioner
Mayonnaise
Massage mayo into dry hair, let sit for 30 minutes, then rinse several times before shampooing thoroughly. The oil and eggs in mayonnaise revitalize dry hair and give it a great shine.
FOR EYES
Banana baby food
To reduce circles under your eyes, spread the contents of one (six-ounce) jar of banana baby food over your clean, dry face. Wait 10 minutes. Rinse with cool water. The bananas leave your skin soft and the potassium helps eliminate under-eye circles.
FACIALS
Kitty litter
Mix two handfuls unused, regular, clay cat litter with enough water to make a thick, muddy paste. Smear the mud over your face to create a deep-cleansing mud mask. Let set for 20 minutes. Rinse with water. The clay from the litter detoxifies your skin by absorbing dirt and excess oil from the pores.
FEET
Meat tenderizer
Add enough water to unseasoned meat tenderizer to make a paste. Rub the mixture onto your feet to relax them. The enzymes in meat tenderizer numb the skin.
TEETH
Food coloring
To spot plaque on your teeth, put 10 drops red food coloring in a glass, add one teaspoon water and swirl well. Put solution into your mouth, swish it around well, then spit out. Fill the glass with clean water and rinse your mouth well. The remaining red stains on your teeth are plaque. Brush these areas well.
Pedicures
Marshmallows
If you don't have toenail separators, place a marshmallow between each toe before painting your toenails with polish.
MOUSSE
Shaving cream
A small dab of shaving cream combed through your hair will keep it in place. If you use a blow dryer after putting shaving cream in your hair, you can make your hair stand up on end.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE articles about self-help, self improvement, wellness, holistic health, and fitness. To see our full line of e-Books visit: www.ebooks4selfhelp.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AmbrosiaServices.comGet a Free Yoga e-Book & Free Report
Knockout! : What’s your beauty arsenal?
By Ria Francisco PrietoInquirer
Posted date: September 21, 2006
MAKEUP IS ALL ABOUT COLOR.
And adding color to your face is all about getting noticed. That may be an overstatement, but getting noticed may also be as simple as knowing what you need and addressing it.
I know I am one person who cannot live without blush. I have to brush on some blush just so I wont look so pale. Nothing fussy: just some tint on my cheek, and my world seems better and brighter.
Come to think of it, makeup assures me that I can face the world with more confidence. I really do need it or else I will look like I haven’t gone under the sun in years.
We girls all have our own beauty “must-do’s” and “beauty arsenal.” There’s a difference between the two. I consider it a must-do to put on some blush; it is something that must be done since I know what I need in order to look good. But if it is actually something more urgent, like a problem that needs to be addressed, then I have recourse to my beauty arsenal.
A beauty arsenal is something extra; it is a thing that you resort to in order to boost your looks and make you extra-beautiful. It is actually discovering that one thing that enhances your total looks.
For Lindsay Lohan, for example, the extra-boost comes in the form of fake lashes. I read somewhere that false eyelashes make her feel sexy, so that in pictorials, no matter how much makeup she has, she will still insist on fake lashes. Her look wouldn’t seem complete without the lashes.
It is easy to find your beauty “must-do,” but determining your “beauty arsenal” can be a little bit more tricky.
The easiest way to find it is by knowing your asset and giving it that extra oomph. If you have beautiful eyes, then your beauty arsenal may be as simple as lining your eyes.
Great cheekbones? Then add an extra boost of color… your cheeks deserve that.
Celebrate those luscious lips by coloring them with heavy shades of crimson.
Treat yourself
Expanding your “kikay kit” doesn’t always have to mean having to sacrifice your savings. It doesn’t have to be that painful.
Among my fave brands for blush are Fashion 21 and San-San. Both brands are inexpensive and have a wide range of products and colors to choose from.
Sometimes when I have to get something at Glorietta I find myself walking toward Landmark to buy something from Fashion 21. I love its Single Blush-On because of its wonderful selection of colors, which stay on and last long. I don’t have to reapply those colors which I don’t find enjoyable.
I was also pleasantly surprised that Fashion 21’s Perfect Stick foundation, concealer, and U/V White protection provide great coverage and are very easy to use.
San-San, which is found at HBC outlets, also has a very good range. At the moment I am enjoying its Body Bronzers that come in a fat stick with a brush on the tip. Their eye-shadow duo also comes in exciting colors that would be great to have if you are the type who uses different colors or if you simply want to change your look.
E-mail me at rbeauty@inquirer.com.ph
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE articles about self-help, self improvement, wellness, holistic health, and fitness. To see our full line of e-Books visit: www.ebooks4selfhelp.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AmbrosiaServices.comGet a Free Yoga e-Book & Free Report
Beauty Lies in the Cell of the Beholder
Tuesday, September 19, 2006 / Dr. Andrea McCreery
Beauty is more than a new wardrobe, coiffure or makeover (although shopping does have its benefits). It isn't celebrity status or money. Beauty is more than skin deep...it's molecular! Every cell in your body must be doing its individual job of keeping you healthy and radiant from the inside out. It's a combination of physical, spiritual and emotional health...and all about balance. You can't look good if you aren't feeling good!
At Life Sources’ Wellness Center we call it Targeted Nutritional Intervention. To manage our health properly we have to understand the process of aging which is actually a disease in and of itself. Simple recommendations are all that’s necessary to adjust your internal environment that can increase your energy, maintain a healthy weight, keep you healthier and slow and stop aging. You read it right! Stop the process of aging, but, it must begin from the cellular level.
Let's start with a simple basic tenant of health. You've heard of pH balanced skin care most of your adult life but, how does your internal pH affect your health? Microscopic observations going back nearly a hundred years has proved what Dr. Robert Young of Utah has recently stated; "over-acidification of the body through an inverted way of eating and living ...causes a proliferation of the 'fungus among us' which debilitates the body and, if not corrected, will ultimately cause our demise. He continues to assert that all illness is but one "constitutional disease" which results in an internal toxicity caused by mycotic infection." In other words, the great decomposers of living and dead tissue, yeast, parasites and fungal forms, consume our bodies. And this is not just a female situation...this is all humanity! What that simply means is that the same process that nature uses to decompose dead and useless matter is the same process in an acidic body. Conversely, these "death factors" and most deadly illnesses cannot exist in a pH neutral or alkaline environment. Ask any competent cosmetologist about pH and they'll tell you that your acid/alkaline balance should be closely monitored and fitted to your skin type. How much more important is your internal environment to the overall condition of your external health?
Most of us are eating foods with little if any nutritional value, drinking beverages which increase our acidity and take precious little time out to "smell the roses." You have to be as committed to your own health as you are to your loved ones who depend upon you. Most chronic conditions like most cancers (yes, even yeast infections) cannot exist in an alkaline environment.
So where to start? Well, find out what your pH is! Simply go to your local drug store or veterinarian, and purchase some litmus paper. First thing in the morning before you eat or drink anything, put a teaspoon of lemon juice in your mouth (well, it's better than your toothpaste anyway). Wait a few minutes and place a litmus strip on your tongue.
Compare the color with the color on the pH chart that came with the strips. The higher the pH, the more alkaline your body is. The lower the pH, the higher the acid! Now, the difference between neutral pH (7 or 7.2 pH) is doubled for every point...a human Richter scale for health. O.K! Now what to do if you determine you're too acidic?
There are supplements you can take to increase your pH, but the most productive and long lived will be lifestyle changes. Stop eating fried foods, white flour and white sugar; drink plenty of good healthy water (more on this later) and, above all...no more fast foods! This alone will make a major change in your health. Additionally, you can follow a diet rich in alkaline producing foods while avoiding as much of the acid producing foods as possible. You'll even find that almost effortlessly, your body will begin to assume its own correct metabolic level and those who need to will lose weight.
Life Sources’ president Andrea McCreery, Ph.D., is a nutritionist and an expert in the field of vital hematology, the microscopic, real-time observation of living blood cells. Dr. McCreery has a long list of private and contract clients from around the world, and back even handled the vital hematology cases for the former Atkins Center for Complementary Medicine in New York City.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE articles about self-help, self improvement, wellness, holistic health, and fitness. To see our full line of e-Books visit: www.ebooks4selfhelp.com---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AmbrosiaServices.comGet a Free Yoga e-Book & Free Report
Poor Sleep Contributes to Health Problems
TUESDAY, Sept. 19 (HealthDay News) -- New studies are discovering just how vital sleep is to overall health.
So, sleep habits should become a standard part of a complete check-up, researchers say.
"There is increasing evidence that there is a very strong relationship between sleep quality and physical and mental health," said Dr. Phyllis C. Zee, a professor of neurology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine.
"If you have poor health, that is associated with poor sleep. Also, if you have poor sleep, there is an association between that and poor health," Zee said. "What we don't have yet is the research to categorically say that if you improve sleep, you will improve conditions, such as diabetes or hypertension, or other medical conditions."
Still, physicians should be asking their patients about the quality and quantity of their sleep, Zee said. "Sleep should be another vital sign," she said.
Zee wrote an editorial in the Sept. 18 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, a special, themed issue on sleep and its relationship to overall health.
In one study, led by Richard L. Nahin, a senior advisor for scientific coordination and outreach at the U.S. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, looked at why people had trouble sleeping and how many were using alternative drugs to help them sleep.
Insomnia and trouble sleeping are most often associated with high blood pressure, heart failure, anxiety and depression, according to a national survey of 31,044 adults. "That's unusual. It had been most often thought that insomnia was quite prevalent on its own, but only 4 percent of the people who said they had insomnia said they had it without any of those conditions," Nahin said.
The researchers also found that 1.6 million Americans are using alternative therapies, such as melatonin to treat their insomnia. "That's quite high when you consider that there is very little reliable data on the efficacy and safety of using the products people are using," Nahin said.
These findings have implications for treating sleep problems, Nahin said.
"Instead of treating the insomnia itself, a health-care provider might be better off treating one of these comorbidities," he said. "In addition, a physician seeing a patient for insomnia should ask if the patient is using any alternative and complementary treatments, because they might upset the treatments the health-care provider wants to apply."
Another study found that people who have sleep-related breathing disorder -- marked by frequent pauses in breathing, labored breathing, or reduced breathing during the night -- were two to 2.6 times more likely to develop depression. Moreover, the odds of depression increased as breathing disorders became more severe, according to researcher Paul E. Peppard and colleagues from the University of Wisconsin.
And a study by French researchers found that people with allergic rhinitis, caused by hay fever and other allergies, have more difficulty sleeping and more sleep disorders than people without allergies. "The results show a significant impact of allergic rhinitis on all dimensions of sleep quality and, consequently, a lower quality of life as reflected by more somnolence [sleepiness]; daytime fatigue and sleepiness; and impaired memory, mood and sexuality, with a significantly increased consumption of alcohol and sedatives in cases compared with the control group," the study authors wrote.
One expert agrees that sleep problems shouldn't be ignored.
"If you think insomnia is an annoyance and merely something you should tough out, that may be a mistake," said Michael L. Perlis, director of the Sleep Research Laboratory at the University of Rochester, in New York. "It may lead you down the path to other morbidities. It would also be a mistake because it's treatable."
Other studies in the same journal issue found that:
Fewer hours of sleep may contribute to poor health in young adults.
Those in rural areas who sleep fewer hours appear to weigh more.
The immune system may play a role in narcolepsy, a disorder characterized by an uncontrollable urge to sleep.
The immune system may be affected by a lack of sleep that contributes to inflammation and a variety of diseases.
More information
The National Sleep Foundation can tell you more about getting a good night's sleep.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE articles about self-help, self improvement, wellness, holistic health, and fitness. To see our full line of e-Books visit: www.ebooks4selfhelp.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AmbrosiaServices.comGet a Free Yoga e-Book & Free Report
New Study Demonstrates Dietary Supplement Lutein Increases Skin Hydration, Elasticity and Lipid Levels
DES MOINES, Iowa, Sept. 12
/PRNewswire/ -- Highlights from a new clinical study presented today at the "Beyond Beauty Paris" conference in France provide compelling evidence that lutein, a dietary nutrient available as a supplement and long-known for its effectiveness in promoting eye health, also provides specific skin health benefits. These include increasing the hydration, elasticity and superficial lipids of the skin, while decreasing the oxidation - a process that causes degradation - of those beneficial skin lipids.
Topline results of the study, presented by Dr. Pierfrancesco Morganti, professor of applied cosmetic dermatology at the University of Naples, on behalf of the research team, indicated that lutein and its associated molecule zeaxanthin, when taken daily as a 10 mg oral lutein supplement, increased skin hydration by 38 percent, skin elasticity by 8 percent and the level of superficial lipids present in the skin by 33 percent after adjustments for placebo. Results also showed that lutein decreased oxidation of those beneficial lipids by 55 percent after adjustment for placebo.
The study further demonstrated that the combination of oral and topical administration of lutein/zeaxanthin provided even more powerful improvements, increasing skin hydration by 60 percent, skin elasticity by 20 percent and the amount of superficial lipids present in the skin by 50 percent after adjustment for placebo, all while decreasing the oxidation of those beneficial lipids by 64 percent.
Lutein, a nutrient naturally found in dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and collard greens, as well as broccoli, corn and egg yolks, is present in tissues in the eye, blood serum, skin, cervix, brain and breast. It is not produced by the human body and thus must be ingested daily through food or taken as a supplement.
The study, entitled "Clinical Evidence for Lutein and Zeaxanthin in Skin Health, Part 1: Comparison of Placebo, Oral, Topical and Combined Oral/Topical Xanthophyll Treatments," was conducted in Italy on female subjects, age 25-50, over a 12-week period. The test product utilized in the study contained FloraGLO® Lutein, manufactured by Kemin Health, L.C., of Des Moines Iowa. It was administered daily at 10 mg (oral supplementation) and 50 ppm (topical formulation) to subjects in the study's different test groups.
"This is the first study to determine the impact of lutein/zeaxanthin alone on the human skin," said Richard L. ("Dick") Roberts, Ph.D., senior manager of scientific affairs for Kemin Health, the leading manufacturer of lutein. "It provides strong new evidence of lutein's positive role in promoting skin health and appearance by increasing hydration, elasticity and lipid content."
"This research underscores the importance of thinking about skin health and beauty from the 'inside out,'" said Bruce Katz, M.D., a dermatologist and director of the JUVA Skin & Laser Center in New York, who is working with Kemin to educate consumers on the role of nutrition as part of a total skin health and beauty regimen. "The benefits of taking lutein daily will be of great interest to people who are looking for new ways to improve the hydration and elasticity of their skin and help reduce the appearance of premature aging."
The new study adds to an existing body of research that suggests lutein, when taken on a daily basis, may help bolster the skin's natural antioxidant defense system, helping to protect skin from potentially damaging effects of sun and artificial light exposure.
About Kemin
A nutritional ingredient manufacturer, Kemin is committed to improving the nutrition of the world with functional products that deliver maximum efficacy through superior chemistry.
FloraGLO® Lutein is the world's leading patented, purified lutein. Products with FloraGLO® Lutein contain the same lutein naturally found in dark green leafy vegetables as well as eggs.
Studies indicate daily lutein intake of 6 mg to 10 mg may be beneficial.
A Kemin-affiliated company, Kemin Health is ISO 9001:2000 certified and headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. Kemin has manufacturing facilities in Iowa, Texas, Belgium, India, Singapore, China and Thailand. To learn more visit www.luteininfo.com or www.kemin.com.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE articles about self-help, self improvement, wellness, holistic health, and fitness. To see our full line of e-Books visit: www.ebooks4selfhelp.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AmbrosiaServices.comGet a Free Yoga e-Book & Free Report
Natural beauty: Go organic
Allison Siminovsky
Posted: 9/18/06
All Natural Products
During a time of constant blossoming health trends, the food we eat is no longer the only beneficial nutrients that come as organic. Beauty products, too, are now being made the organic way-without any chemicals or synthetic ingredients to keep the products all-natural. That's right, it is no longer just about what we put in our bodies, but on them, too.
What's in organic beauty products?
Organic beauty products use essential oils and extracts from plants as opposed to harsh, dangerous chemicals. It has been found that some personal care products contain skin irritants and even cancer-causing carcinogens. For example, that foaming facial cleanser that you can't live without just might be made with petrochemical surfactants-the same stuff that is used to make gasoline.
If you opt to go organic, plant-based foaming agents will be cleansing your skin instead of chemicals. How about that ultra-luxurious body scrub? Sure, it gets your skin soft, but it uses synthetic oils and harsh sugar-like plastics. Instead, try a product such as Organic Fiji's Sugar Polish ($19.99), which uses only sugar and essential oils to get your skin smooth and glowing-plus it smells heavenly.
The Downside
It is true, organic products are slightly more expensive than regular beauty products. However, the advantages such as healthier skin and less exposure to dangerous chemicals certainly outweigh a slightly steeper price tag. DYG Mineral Makeup Mascara ($25) may be more costly than the average pharmacy mascara, but it contains proteins and three types of vitamins that help to strengthen your eyelashes. Colorescience's Sunforgettable Suncreen ($45) comes in funky packaging and a powder form, eliminating the greasy film that traditional formulas leave behind.
Another Unknown Fact About Organic Products
There is one more secret you should know before snatching up every organic goodie you can set your sights on-you need to read the product labels first. Aware of the new boom in the organic market, many companies are placing one or two organic oils in a synthetic product in order to charge more money and call their products "organic." This is not the case, however. Make sure you read product labels first in order to avoid wasting your money on unhealthy products. Believe me, it is worth the time and money to do a little research before shopping.
Organic beauty products are not only healthy but are changing the way we take care of our appearances. Celebrities such as Reese Witherspoon, Mischa Barton and Halle Berry are all hooked on organic beauty products because of their healthy effects and improvements over their synthetic counterparts.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE articles about self-help, self improvement, wellness, holistic health, and fitness. To see our full line of e-Books visit: www.ebooks4selfhelp.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AmbrosiaServices.comGet a Free Yoga e-Book & Free Report
Beauty in a Bottle: The Most Expensive Skincare Revealed
September 15, 2006
Women everywhere long for that red carpet glow every Hollywood celebrity seems to have. But would you really pay $100 a day to achieve the same look?
"Extra's" got your beauty 411 on the world's most expensive skin care secrets.
When Madonna, Naomi Campbell and Drea de Matteo want to revive their tired skin, they turn to Revive, the brainchild of renowned plastic surgeon, Dr. Gregory Brown.
Dr. Brown created Revive with an ingredient originally used to help burn victims. After seeing the astonishing results, he decided to take his new solution worldwide.
But you might need to be revived when you hear the price of the company's newest product. It's called Po-Magnifique, a 28-day enzyme treatment that costs a cool $1,500.
"The reason it's so expensive is just because of the bioengineering behind it, to be able to clone the enzyme that's in it," revealed Revive spokesperson Hilton Lee.
However, this is just one of the pricey products on the celebrity beauty market.
The most expensive skin care product of all is La Mer's The Essence, made from sea algae, narcissus bulbs and rosemary.
It costs $2,100 and is applied to the skin for 21 days.
"'The Devil Wears Prada' or the cast from ‘Desperate Housewives,'" revealed La Mer's Tyler Jones. "I think you know who they are."
Now you too know the secret to getting flawless, million-dollar skin!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE articles about self-help, self improvement, wellness, holistic health, and fitness. To see our full line of e-Books visit: www.ebooks4selfhelp.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AmbrosiaServices.comGet a Free Yoga e-Book & Free Report
Shekinah Women of Beauty
"Shekinah meaning the ever presence of God"
Welcome to Shekinah Women of Beauty. You are about to explore an innovative venture opportunity of beauty, ministry and prosperity. You will be introduced to awesome beauty products that will have you looking absolutely glorious!
We are pleased to serve you in three areas:
(1) If you enjoy quality beauty products and clothing. You will certainly want to make a purchase with us. Your purchase will benefit you with exceptional products. A portion of your purchase money goes toward our women's ministry Shekinah Women of Beauty Network. Your purchase allow us to assist Daughters of Shekinah around the world in educational scholarships, counseling and other needs.
(2) If you are in ministry or just enjoy spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, this is an excellent opportunity to network with women from all walks of life. There are women who has a passion about looking good, but are hurting inside from spousal abuse, sexual abues, addictions, etc.
How would you like the opportunity to pamper women with the healing Word of God while at the same time offer her fabulous products. You will find yourself expanding from beyond the walls of the church. Wouldn't it be rewarding to have the opportunity to witness the love of God at the same time earning money for you and your family?
(3) If you are seeking a part or full time opportunity to earn extra income, this is an opportunity you do not want to miss out on. Enjoy doing a "good work" you can be proud of. As women ask you what does "Shekinah" represent, it becomes a door opener for you to sell good products.
Enjoy the privillege of home parties, one on one sales presentations, catalog sales, website sales and more. We provide many marketing methods. I am sure there is one that will work well for you. Imagine giving your spiritual sister a soothing facial or makeover. Enjoy the privilege of leaving her with that classy or glamourous look. Enjoy the feeling of doing a good work as you are a blessing to other women. Allow God to use you and minister words of encouragement and inspiration.
Some may choose just to sell our products because of our good quality and good cause. Others may want to take it to a level of ministry. The choice is yours.We are different from the average cosmetic and clothing line company. We cannot and prefer not to be compared. Our purpose serves three fold. We provide the beauty products to make you look stuningly gorgeous, we provide the Word of God to make you rich in the glory of God and we provide you the opportunity to earn extra money.
We encourage you to try our products and you will absolutely love them. Remember, your purchase goes beyond you receiving and enjoying the products. A portion of your purchase goes toward counseling, food bank and educational scholarships.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE articles about self-help, self improvement, wellness, holistic health, and fitness. To see our full line of e-Books visit: www.ebooks4selfhelp.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AmbrosiaServices.comGet a Free Yoga e-Book & Free Report
J.Lo's beauty sleep
Jennifer Lopez has revealed the secret to her stunning looks - beauty sleep.
The actress-turned-singer, who is married to Latin star Marc Anthony, makes sure she gets at least 8 hours slumber a night to ensure she stays looking great.
She revealed to Top of the Pops magazine: "Sleep is my weapon. I try to get eight hours a night. I think sleep, water and a good cleanser works best."
Despite being considered one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood, J.Lo insists she can't always look fantastic - no matter how hard she tries.
She added: "I'm only human. I can't always look my best."
Meanwhile, Lopez's former fiancée, Ben Affleck, has claimed that breaking up from her improved his career.
The actor - who starred with J.Lo in box office flops 'Jersey Girl' and 'Gigli' - says during his highly publicised relationship with his ex-love he became "cynical" about his career.
He said: "I did popcorn stuff. But I didn't realise that there are good popcorn movies and bad popcorn movies.
"Ultimately, I found myself with the horrible feeling of being trapped inside this tabloid situation where my personal life was all out there.
"I kind of made a decision to just do the kind of movies I want and that I could be proud of being in, and not work for money or work to be famous."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE articles about self-help, self improvement, wellness, holistic health, and fitness. To see our full line of e-Books visit: www.ebooks4selfhelp.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AmbrosiaServices.comGet a Free Yoga e-Book & Free Report
What price beauty?
As nail salons, indoor tanning salons, cosmetic laser spas proliferate, casualties are mounting
By Melissa Dribben
THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
Had a pedicure? Pan-fried yourself in a tanning bed? Been zapped by lasers to remove hair from your nether lands?
Then you, in all likelihood, have put yourself in harm's way.
Before going under the blade for breast implants or a face-lift, patients generally do research to make sure their surgeon is properly qualified and knows what to do if problems arise.
But people are more cavalier about treatments that seem less invasive. So they put themselves in the hands of strangers with iffy training who lance toes with unsterile tools, wield dangerously powerful rays of light and sandblast tender skin.
Fortunately, the vanity gods are merciful. Most of the time, nothing bad happens.
But as the number of nail salons, indoor tanning users and cosmetic laser spas proliferates, casualties are mounting. Those beauty services have led to bacterial and fungal infections, allergic reactions, burns, scars, damaged eyesight and cancer.
The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery reports that in a survey, nearly half of its 2,400 members said they were seeing an increase in injuries caused by nonphysicians doing high-tech beauty treatments — some who have had no more than one day of training.
For the consumer, the trick is in knowing how to identify the trustworthy from the not. And it can be quite a trick.
Even when stringent rules are in place, few states keep up with inspections and enforcement. And many people who have been hurt are reluctant to take formal action.
What makes it worse is that credentials can be misleading. Some technicians without medical degrees may be very well-trained and experienced, while doctors in non-skin-related specialties who have taken up lasers for profit are winging it.
"Everywhere you look, it's laser this, laser that," says Dr. Eric Bernstein, a laser surgeon. "More and more, they're getting into the hands of inexperienced people."
So the onus remains on the consumer — to check credentials, get recommendations from others who have used the service and weigh the potential benefits from any cosmetic treatment against the risks.
Otherwise, things could get ugly.
Nails
No matter how carefully done, a pedicure exposes you to risk because it messes with the skin and cuticle around nails, which serve as a kind of protective seal.
"Cuticles are there for a reason. They're not meant to be touched," says Tracey Vlahovic, a podiatrist on the faculty of Temple University's School of Podiatric Medicine. "By pushing back the cuticle, you compromise the integrity of the tissue."
You may believe that high-priced nail spas with cushy chairs, sultry orchids and complimentary chardonnay are much more sanitary than a neighborhood nail salon where a mani-pedi costs $30 and the staff watches soap operas.
Not necessarily.
Some low-budget salons are extremely conscientious. And conversely, $60 worth of foot pampering doesn't guarantee you'll be fungus-free.
At one elegant day spa in New Jersey, an overzealous nail technician nearly cost Christine Finken her toe.
Finken, a conference organizer, began getting pedicures three years ago after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. "When I was getting chemotherapy and had no hair, I would go to treat myself," says Finken, 54.
But in April, a technician cut her while trimming the cuticles on the big toe of her right foot. That night, her toe ached. A week later it was swollen and infected.
Eventually, she ended up seeing Vlahovic, who cut away alarming chunks of her toe and nail, put her on antibiotics and gave her a lecture, which at this point Finken hardly needed.
"I'm very anti-pedicure," says Vlahovic. Of the 30 or so new patients she treats at her weekly clinic, a half-dozen have fungus. Several times a month, she says, a woman will come in with a yeast or bacterial infection. All because of pedicures.
Laser
The concept couldn't be more seductive.
Instead of turning to medieval depilatory torture devices such as sharp blades, noxious ointments, or hot wax and muslin, you go for a little light treatment. Someone points a wand at your unwanted hair, and poof! Gone. Painlessly. Almost forever.
Or so you would like to believe.
As more people seek cosmetic laser treatments to remove hair, spider veins, tattoos and wrinkles, more are being harmed.
"We're seeing a tremendous increase," says Dr. Roy Geronemus, past president of the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery. "It used to be we'd see a few a month. Now we're seeing a few a week. It's coming from homes, spas, salons, people working out of makeshift offices all pretending to be medically qualified."
Plastic surgeons and dermatologists command premium prices for their expertise in cosmetic lasering, generally charging several hundred dollars for each treatment. And because multiple treatments usually are required, the bills can be stratospheric.
Terry Bowling was thinking more about budget than safety three years ago when she went to the Steliotes Dental Spa near Pittsburgh, which was offering a special discount on laser hair removal.
She was greeted by a woman in a long white coat. "I thought she was the doctor." Bowling asked, she says, if her deep tan was a problem and was told no.
Wrong. The light intensity needs to be adjusted for different tones of skin. As soon as the treatment began, Bowling's skin began to blister. The pain was hideous.
Doctors counted hundreds of burns on Bowling's body. Although the marks have faded, her legs have a permanent checkerboard pattern that becomes more visible when she goes out in the sun.
Tanning
The dangers of indoor tanning continue to be bitterly debated by the medical community and the tanning-salon industry. "The evidence that ultraviolet radiation causes skin cancer is overwhelming and convincing," began a recent paper by the Skin Cancer Foundation. "Despite this information, the use of indoor tanning devices which emit ultraviolet light … has never been more popular."
To the $2 billion-plus indoor tanning industry and the 30 million people who put themselves into UV cocoons every year, the benefits of getting Vitamin D, an endorphin rush and a prettier color on cheeks at both ends outweigh any fear of cancer down the road.
"The message is not getting across to minors because minors and people in their 20s feel that they're indestructible," says Leonard Dzubow, former head of Dermatological and Mohs Surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and a member of the Skin Cancer Foundation. "When you're that young, it's hard to project what the consequences will be."
Though dermatologists are nearly unanimous in their belief that any kind of tanning increases the risk of skin cancer, they do not agree on how to address the problem.
"Millions of people are tanning," says Steve Feldman, a professor of dermatology, pathology and public health sciences at Wake Forest School of Medicine. "The dermatologists are seeing the ones who get skin cancer. But a lot of people do it and don't have anything major happen to them."
Feldman says that in the absence of hard evidence, doctors may be overreacting. In tanning, as in nonphysician laser treatment, the majority of people have no problem, he says.
"I'm not saying tanning isn't bad for you. It is. Do I think people should go to tanning beds? No.
Do I think government should ban them? No."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE articles about self-help, self improvement, wellness, holistic health, and fitness. To see our full line of e-Books visit: www.ebooks4selfhelp.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AmbrosiaServices.comGet a Free Yoga e-Book & Free Report
Therapist to offer session on youthful beauty
By Amanda Daniels
UNION-TRIBUNE COMMUNITY NEWS WRITER
September 13, 2006
RANCHO SANTA FE – Licensed marriage and family therapist Wendy Hill has encouraged people for years to develop their inner child.
Last year, she decided to have some fun with her own inner child and entered the San Diego preliminary contest for the Ms. Senior California of America Pageant, an event for women 60 and older.
Hill lives in Rancho Santa Fe and is 62.
She placed as a runner-up, went on to compete in other pageants and, last weekend, was one of 16 finalists for Ms. Senior California.
Hill has a master's degree in psychology and a bachelor's degree in speech with a minor in history and sociology. She wrote a book on her field and developed an interactive DVD personal-growth workshop.
She said competing in the pageant, which includes an interview, short speech, talent portion and runway walk in a gown, was pure fun.
Hill learned to sing later in life and worked long hours to develop her voice.
She has been a therapist for 32 years and often used music in her workshops to help people identify with their feelings.
She took her first voice lesson about 20 years ago and said she was so horrible that her teacher told her give it up.
But she stuck with it.
Now Hill performs in public and has written a number of songs. She won first place last year in the annual Senior Talent Contest in Balboa Park sponsored by the San Diego Park and Recreation Department's Senior Citizen Services.
Hill said people have asked her how she can be smart, responsible and serious in her career and yet participate in a pageant, which many consider superficial.
“It gives me an opportunity to sing,” she said, “and it keeps me mindful of my position as a role model.
“It's OK to have that kind of fun,” she added.
She said her mother reminded her that as a little girl, Hill always wanted to be the Rose Queen in the Rose Parade in Pasadena, where she grew up.
“There's a little girl in all of us who still wants to be the fairy princess,” Hill said, chuckling.
People have also asked her how she stays youthful, which led her to develop a workshop, “10 Secrets for a Lifetime of Youthful Beauty,” that she will lead from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in her office at 4407 Manchester Ave., Suite 103, in Encinitas.
The first “secret” is to maintain self-confidence. A couple of others are also esoteric, such as to pursue personal spirituality and a life purpose.
Some advice relates to more tangible concepts, such as eating healthfully, smiling, exercising and caring for personal hygiene.
For more information on the workshop, call (760) 635-3722 or visit www.wendyhill.com.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE articles about self-help, self improvement, wellness, holistic health, and fitness. To see our full line of e-Books visit: www.ebooks4selfhelp.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AmbrosiaServices.comGet a Free Yoga e-Book & Free Report
A Visit to a Beauty Parlor in Nepal
Small businesses provide women with a social network and an independent income
Women are beautiful in themselves; but a little make-up does help. In the 21st century, beauty and make-up are like the wheels of a cart or the two sides of a coin.
Every woman wants to be pretty whether she's young or old so the beauty parlor is the place to go. Beauty parlors are also a temple; however, the difference is that we go to worship God in the temple and in the beauty parlor we go to be worshipped by the beautician.
In Nepal, beauty parlor culture has been in existence for approximately three decades and is centralized in the urban areas. In the beginning locals dared not go to the parlors but their popularity has become rampant over the last 10 years.
In Nepal, many cosmetics are imported from European countries like France, England and Germany. However, quality products are only available if the customers are able to pay for them.
Among modern housewives in urban areas beauty parlors have made an impact. Now they go there seeking independence and individuality.
Maya, a housewife, likes to go to the beauty parlor to have Wella Hair Color applied to lighten her hair. This practice is not easily acceptable in most Nepali households, but it is slowly spreading through society.
My friend Sangita Thapa has a beauty parlor and I like to go there from time to time. When I asked her why she is more interested in this field than any other she answered:"
As I left school after class 10, I can't get an office job. A beauty parlor can be opened with little investment and formal education, so I am interested."
According to her, this profession is one of the best for people who left education after school level. In addition she said, "Opening this parlor, I don't have to beg for pocket money from my parents." She doesn't feel regret over not having higher level education and she is fully satisfied with her parlor.
She has received training from renowned Nepalese beautician Kamal Shrestha, and has been operating Pogerpine Beauty parlor since 2000. In her beauty parlor, customers vary from the age of 15 to 56. It means that everyone from schoolgirls to women with white hair come into her parlor. She added: "
Mostly schoolgirls come to the beauty parlor for threading and hair-cutting and besides that women come for waxing, coloring their hair, massaging the hair, pedicures and manicures etc. Women over 30 tend to come in for facials."
I asked her about which types of haircut are preferred by girls nowadays. She said that Mongolian girls mostly want razor cut and normally other youngsters want step-cut, and generally parents want their children to have Thai-cut and mushroom cut.
Of course women go to the beauty parlor to be made beautiful but they also come to share news. Some come with mournful tidings and others with happy ones.
A woman named Rita, (we call her "Vauju" which means sister-in-law), comes to Sangita's beauty parlor with hot gossip as she is married. As she enters, the atmosphere in the parlor turns light with laughter.
Another, a widow named Jaya, comes to the parlor full of grief. Sangita, being a beautician, couldn't remain silent seeing Jaya's bushy eyebrows, and she asked if she could thread them. Jaya refused because she was afraid of her cruel mother-in-law and society.
A girl, a student named Upama, comes with gossip from her college. She has a boy there and as soon as she enters the parlor, she begins describing him. Sangita cannot resist adding oil to her fire to make her gossip more interesting.
Sangita charges (US$0.20) NRs 20 for threading, and depending on whether hair is thick or thin and how it is cut, she takes (US$0.40-$1) NRs 30 to 75 for hairdressing. Facials start from (US$2-$6.80) NRs 150 to 500 according to the cost of the cream. The cheaper the price of the cream, the cheaper will be the price of the facial and vice versa.
Not only customers but also three trainees come to her parlor. She gives them training for two hours from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The trainees come because they're interested in the profession and have little formal education. One of the trainees named Shila said, "I have passed only class 8 and for this training no more education is needed, so I am coming."
One proverb says: "Either skill or education is essential to do any thing." So having skill with little education, one can open a beauty parlor with a small investment and a limited amount of space. Running a beauty parlor is a good profession for Nepalese women.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE articles about self-help, self improvement, wellness, holistic health, and fitness. To see our full line of e-Books visit: www.ebooks4selfhelp.com---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AmbrosiaServices.comGet a Free Yoga e-Book & Free Report
Beauty myths and facts
HIGH ON E (TIQUETTE)
By PATTY BETITA
I started taking good care of my skin at a later age—30 to be exact—only after I noticed some brown spots on my cheeks, which I initially thought were freckles (and I even found them cute!). But to my horror, I realized that they were age spots and pigmentation.
I learned from the Facial Care Center, my skin-care clinic, that these brown spots were a result of prolonged sun exposure and bad lifestyle habits over the years. So I decided to really take good care of my skin.
Today, I have a professional skin therapist who I regularly visit for my facials and other treatments but I also have some home-based beauty and skin-care regimen that I’ve been faithfully following for years. In this column, however, I will focus on beauty myths—those age-old beliefs that have been passed on from generation to generation that may have some factual and scientific basis.
Beauty Myth 1: Drinking eight glasses of water hydrates the skin. Yes, drinking water is indeed a beneficial for one’s health and skin but it does not have direct hydrating effects on the skin. Topical treatments such as creams and sunscreen are the only way to hydrate your skin.
Beauty Myth 2: Smoking and caffeine cause dry skin and wrinkles. I am not encouraging people to smoke, but this is what I learned: smoking does not dry out the skin. The wrinkles around the mouth are caused by the repeated "sucking of the cigarette" for years!
Beauty Myth 3: Baby oil or petroleum jelly heals dry, chapped skin better than moisturizers. Yes, baby oil and petroleum jelly are good barriers to help prevent moisture loss. But they don’t bring back the youthful, soft smooth skin you used to have. The best way to soften chapped skin is scrub it with a loofah, pumice stone or any scrubbing agent when you take a bath, apply a moisturizer right after, and then seal it with a thin layer of baby oil or petroleum jelly.
Beauty Myth 4: Scrub your acne away. There are many coarse, heavy grained exfoliators often recommended for acne prone, oily skin but if used too often, they may aggravate acne by opening the cysts and encouraging skin to produce even more oil. Use a medium-strength exfoliator suspended in a gel or paste and do not overdo the scrubbing.
Let’s start taking good care of our skin and health. Remember the old saying that "health is wealth?" It applies to your skin’s health too, because good skin is an asset to be cherished. Just imagine yourself with radiant skin. You will naturally stand out even without the most expensive clothes and shoes!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE articles about self-help, self improvement, wellness, holistic health, and fitness. To see our full line of e-Books visit: www.ebooks4selfhelp.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AmbrosiaServices.comGet a Free Yoga e-Book & Free Report
Women choose beauty over booty
Study suggests sex doesn't sell to females
Tom Spears
CanWest News Service
Saturday, September 09, 2006
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Ads for cosmetics and clothing bore women silly when they rely on bare skin and lust, says a new Florida study that found sex doesn't sell, but "wholesome" does.
Women want Katie Holmes, not Jennifer Lopez, says the study by three professors at the University of Florida -- and fully clothed, pleased.
"This whole idea that sex sells? The women (in the study) were bored by it," Prof. Robyn Goodman says, "and it's not really all that surprising. We're bombarded with sexy images selling us stuff all the time.
"Why wouldn't we be bored? I can open up any kind of magazine and look at particularly the high fashion ads and they all pretty much look the same. They're all sexual. They're in kind of odd poses. It's not really appealing. I may like the clothes, but the way the model looks is not necessarily what I want to be like."
Goodman studies beauty in advertising and its effect on consumers. She calls her own taste in clothing "classic kinds of cuts and styles," and admires the beauty and style of Audrey Hepburn.
In her study, they showed ads from Vogue, Allure and other women's magazines to 125 college-aged women. They were surprised to find that ads showing skin and lust just made the women yawn. They weren't offended, but they were bored.
The more the models smiled naturally and showed a minimum of skin, the more positive the women's reactions. "Katie Holmes was an example of wholesome beauty," she says. She's sweet, lovely -- and clothed.
"Most people would say: 'But there's the whole Tom Cruise thing!' We did the study before Tom Cruise."
Mandy Moore is another "wholesome" type; at the other end were Victoria's Secret lingerie models and Angelina Jolie (though the Florida team wasn't sure why she's that way: Is it her lips? Eyes? Expression? Daring clothes? More study material for later, they agreed.) So what's wrong with sex?
The young women reading these ads "feel uninterested, they feel listless," Goodman says. "This is just one study and it needs to be replicated," she said, "but it should make advertisers stand up and ask questions about something that they thought was true.
"You know what? Maybe sex doesn't always sell."
She notes that this is the message that slowly gets through to Mel Gibson's character, a boorish, sex-is-everything advertising executive, in the movie What Women Want. "I use that example in my classes all the time," she says. "Even though a sexy model matches up with your brand image, it may not be the best idea for your brand ... What we found is the way that the industry and the way that consumers are looking at beauty are totally different. We want to do the same study, but with a male audience, and see if maybe that's where it's coming from."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE articles about self-help, self improvement, wellness, holistic health, and fitness. To see our full line of e-Books visit: www.ebooks4selfhelp.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AmbrosiaServices.comGet a Free Yoga e-Book & Free Report
Beware! Cosmetic products could damage your health
By IANS
Tuesday September 5, 11:44 AM
London, Sep 5 (IANS) Some of the cosmetic products one uses in every day life contain mind-boggling cocktail of different chemicals that scientists say could cause cancers, hormone problems and skin cancers.
Every day an average woman applies 175 different chemicals to her body in the form of cosmetics and toiletries, reported the online edition of Daily Mail.
Most beauty products contain chemicals linked to various health problems. They include chemicals linked to cancers, hormone problems and skin-irritations, according to Chemical Safe Skincare.co.uk, a campaign group set up by a group of concerned consumers and conscientious manufactures.
The group - set up by the manufacturers of natural products - is especially concerned about three commonly occurring ingredients, which it says can be extremely harmful.
Preserving agents called parabens - often used in moisturisers and body creams - have been linked to breast cancer and also to skin inflammations.
Foaming agents such as sodium lauryl sulphate and sodium laureth sulphate - used in shampoos - are said to be skin irritants.
The disinfectant formaldehyde - in shampoos and hand wash - can make skin flare up and is linked to asthma and headaches, the group said.
Some of the chemicals in these everyday toiletries may also trigger irritant reactions or allergy, spokesman for the British Skin Foundation charity David Gawkrodger said.
Reactions are particularly seen in patients with atopic eczema and those with sensitive skin.
'Most reactions will be to the face or hands, and sometimes on the arms and legs,' Gawkrodger said.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE articles about self-help, self improvement, wellness, holistic health, and fitness. To see our full line of e-Books visit: www.ebooks4selfhelp.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AmbrosiaServices.comGet a Free Yoga e-Book & Free Report
AM - Stem cells used for illegal beauty treatment: Russia
AM - Friday, 8 September , 2006 08:30:00
Reporter: Emma Griffiths
TONY EASTLEY: As Federal politicians in Canberra debate the finer points of stem cell research, Russians are queuing up for stem cell injections to improve their looks.
Dozens of beauty clinics offer what they claim are stem cell treatments to give their customers smooth, youthful skin.
Moscow has been dubbed the global capital of beauty stem-cell therapy.
The ABC's Moscow Correspondent Emma Griffiths reports.
EMMA GRIFFITHS: Katia (phonetic) is 28-years-old and has just had a baby. The pregnancy has left her with stretch marks and cellulite on her thighs.
She's turned to stem cells for a cure.
"I was not scared," she says. "It's worth suffering to be beautiful, so I was psychologically prepared for that."
Katia signed up for stem cell treatment at a beauty salon in Moscow. The cellulite clinic claims to inject its clients with both embryonic and adult stem cells.
The therapy costs thousands of dollars, but plenty of Moscowites are prepared to pay up.
Clinic manager Roman Knyazev:
"A woman here is subjected to huge physical and moral pressure," he says. "She does not want to get old. She wants to feel and look good. Besides, there might be some aesthetic problems. There are people who have been in car accidents and there is a genuine need to get rid of their scars. The cells do that quite well."
These building blocks of the human body have become the latest craze in Moscow, but using stem cells as a beauty treatment is technically illegal here.
The authorities have tried to crack down on the practice. They're worried about side effects and that the so-called stem cells might in fact be different material of uncertain origin.
Several clinics have been closed down, but many continue to operate and advertise their services, courtesy of legal loop holes and little regulation.
Ramil Habriev is the head of Russia's public health agency.
"Beauty clinics turned out to be among the top consumers of stem cells," he says. "This is not good, because we still haven't begun to use the technology widely in clinical practice, and we realise that there is a big risk, although our expectations for the effectiveness of such methods are quite high."
There are high hopes in Russia for the medical use of stem cells.Some health clinics have been licensed for research purposes and have already begun to practice on patients.
They claim progress, but haven't convinced the many skeptics here and abroad.
For Katia, her stem cell beauty treatment was akin to a miracle, and she says she'll be back for more.
This is Emma Griffiths in Moscow for AM.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE articles about self-help, self improvement, wellness, holistic health, and fitness. To see our full line of e-Books visit: www.ebooks4selfhelp.com---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AmbrosiaServices.comGet a Free Yoga e-Book & Free Report
Beauty Product Lookalikes for Less
How easy is it to tell the difference between similar looking beauty products that have very different prices? When Good Housekeeping stopped women in a mall, most of the women could not tell the expensive beauty product from the less expensive version.
"This one’s more expensive? Really?" says one mall shopper.
"There’s a huge variety of prices when it comes to beauty products," says Holly Crawford, Beauty Editor, Good Housekeeping. "You could have something that costs $2 and something that costs $20, and yet they look exactly the same. In fact, we’re amazed at the things that come into our office that literally look like twins."
Good Housekeeping approached women randomly asking them to identify which sweet-smelling soaps costs twice the price of the other? At $6, The Castelbel Tomato Luxury Soap costs half the price of the other.
"So when you think about it in terms of hostess gifts, that’s two for the price of one," says Crawford.
The Shimmer Brick Compact in Apricot is a great eye shadow bronzer by Bobbi Brown and costs $38. But the lookalike by Physicians Formula is only $9.99. How can that be?
"A fashion company like Dior is very on trend," Crawford explains. "They can do something immediately; take something from a runway and spin it out. Then, a more mass-produced company will see this, take a cue from that, and then immediately copy them."
Which works in the consumer’s favor as Crawford explains while gesturing to one of Good Housekeeping's testers. "What kim is using right now is a lip gloss from a company called isadora. It’s something that’s sold exclusively in Walgreens drugstores across the country. The amazing thing is the cost is $9 and it's probably something that took a cue from the Dior gloss that actually cost $19."
Another note: Good Housekeeping says that Physicians Formula, the maker of the inexpensive eyeshadow/bronzer, is well-respected for its line of hypoallergenic cosmetics made with ingredients that do not irritate. To learn more, check out the September issue of Good Housekeeping or visit www.goodhousekeeping.com.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE articles about self-help, self improvement, wellness, holistic health, and fitness. To see our full line of e-Books visit: www.ebooks4selfhelp.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AmbrosiaServices.comGet a Free Yoga e-Book & Free Report
HOW I GET MY HANDS ON ANG
(And Bruce Willis isn't bad either) SO.. YOU WANT A JOB IN BEAUTY
By Graeme Lennox
BEAUTY isn't just skin deep...it's a multi-billion pound industry.
When it comes to keeping flawless looks, even stunning stars such as Angelina Jolie and hunks like Bruce Willis need a little help every now and again.
That's where people like Lauren Perroni come in.
She has worked with some of the most beautiful people in the world in her career as a beauty therapist and spa manager.
Lauren, 33, from Glasgow, got her hands on Angelina and Die Hard star Bruce among others during her time as an in-flight beauty therapist for Virgin Atlantic.
She travelled the world working at 40,000ft and in close contact with the rich and famous.
She said: "I remember giving Angelina a face and scalp treatment. She was stunning but a little strange. One time I gave Bruce Willis a back and shoulder massage. He was a real charmer and always quick to crack a joke."
Lauren landed a job with the Hilton hotel chain four months ago as spa manager at their flagship Glasgow hotel and has already overseen a £200,000 refurbishment.
She said: "We have 14 staff and I am involved in all aspects of the dayto- day running of the spa. I am also trying to push membership of the health and beauty side. We deal with a wide range of clients including a number of celebrities but our service is extremely discreet."
Lauren studied for an HND in Beauty Therapy at Glasgow's Central College of Commerce. She so impressed course organisers that she was asked to stay on as a part-time lecturer when she graduated.
She said: "Lecturing was great fun but after a while I needed a change, so I applied for a job at Turnberry. I was taken on as head therapist and duty manager."
After three years she got the chance to indulge her love of travel by taking the job with Virgin Atlantic.
She said: "I was waking up every day in a different country. Virgin put us up in some very nice hotels in places such as Japan, Shanghai, South Africa and the United States so I was having a great time."
The Hilton Spa is looking for experienced reception staff to join their expansion programme.
But what does Lauren look for in her staff? She said: "It is important to have someone who knows what they are doing.
"I look for people with drive and determination. Being a beauty therapist is a bit like being a therapist. When people relax they like to tell you their problems - so it helps to be a good listener."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE articles about self-help, self improvement, wellness, holistic health, and fitness. To see our full line of e-Books visit: www.ebooks4selfhelp.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AmbrosiaServices.comGet a Free Yoga e-Book & Free Report
BEAUTY ON A PLATE
By Maria Casey
Change cellulite cream for goji berries
AS well as fighting orange-peel skin, this super fruit is also thought to prevent wrinkles, boost your sex life and even combat cancer. The small red berries, which taste like a cross between cranberries and cherries are a favourite of Madonna and Kate Moss. They're packed with skin-boosting antioxidants, containing an astonishing amount of vitamin C and five times more iron than a steak. Snack on them, sprinkle over cereal or add to smoothies.
They're available from health stores and some Tesco branches from this week.
OR TRY: Drinking plenty of water to flush out toxins. Add torn up dandelion leaves to your salad because this speeds up water release. Or do a "Cindy Crawford" - she rubs used ground coffee beans into her thighs every morning to help banish the bumps.
Swap skin-brightening cream for salmon
NUTRITIONIST Fiona Hunter advises: "Have grilled salmon a few times a week - it's packed full of skin-plumping Omega-3 oils and restores volume to sagging skin."
Others agree - the anti-ageing Perricone Diet, developed at Yale University in the US, advocates eating regular amounts of oily fish to repair damaged skin cells. Sex And The City's Kim Cattrall swears by it.
OR TRY: Apricots - especially if you've overdone the sunbathing. Dried or fresh, they're packed full of lutein, which helps safeguard skin from the ravages of the sun. Other good sources of lutein include black grapes and kiwi fruit.
Trade in your eye drops for spinach
WHETHER it's due to sitting too long in front of your computer, a late night or too much sun, chances are your eyes sometimes sting and lack their sparkle - and few things age you faster than that
Spinach is loaded with vitamin C and helps to reduce inflammation and under-eye puffiness, so use it in salads and sarnies.
OR TRY: Carrots - your granny was right, they are good for your eyes. They won't help you see in the dark, but they do contain lots of beta-carotene, which your body converts to anti-ageing vitamin A.
Switch anti-wrinkle cream for a sprinkling of sunflower seeds
"THEY'RE full of vitamin E, which reduces ageing free radicals," says Brigid McKevith from the British Nutrition Foundation. Sprinkle sunflower seeds over your breakfast cereal, keep them handy to snack on, or add them to stirfries and salads.
OR TRY: Wholegrain cereals - they have been shown to have wrinkle-busting qualities. For a double anti-ageing whammy, add some sunflower seeds.
Exchange firming body lotion for beef
IF you want to shape up a flabby tummy, tuck into a beef sarnie. According to a study published in the Journal of The American College of Nutrition, filling up on zinc-rich foods such as beef increases the amount of leptin in your body. This is the hormone responsible for increasing your energy expenditure - which means you burn more calories - and decreasing your appetite.
OR TRY: A pot of yoghurt. Nutritionists at the University of Tennessee discovered that women who ate a pot of yoghurt a day lost weight faster than those who didn't. Better still, they lost weight around their middle.
"Dairy often gets a bad press, but as part of a balanced diet it can help you lose weight," says dietitian Juliette Kellow. "Go easy on the high-fat stuff - instead opt for lowfat yoghurts, skimmed milk and reduced-fat cheese."
Forget nail oil and get into sardines
AS well as being good for your skin, eating oily fish will strengthen your nails and boost their growth. So ditch your weekly manicure and top up your intake of tuna, salmon, mackerel and sardines instead - they're all great sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
OR TRY: Zinc-rich foods including shellfish, red meat and pumpkin seeds. White marks on your nails could be a sign that you're lacking in this mineral.
Ditch hair serum for avocados
"THEY'RE a great source of healthy monounsaturated fat," says Ian Marber, author of the Food Doctor books. "As well as reducing the bad types of cholesterol in your body, they're full of vitamin E and can help to maintain healthy skin and hair."
Slice up your avocados and add them to salads or sandwiches. They are also delicious mashed as a topping for toast.
OR TRY: Soya. Upping your intake of protein-rich foods such as peas, beans, nuts and soya will give you strong, glossy locks. Try soya in the form of tofu (great in salads and stir-fries) or switch to soya milk.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE articles about self-help, self improvement, wellness, holistic health, and fitness. To see our full line of e-Books visit: www.ebooks4selfhelp.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AmbrosiaServices.comGet a Free Yoga e-Book & Free Report
Doing wonders in today’s skin care
Sunday, September 3, 2006
In a world where physical comeliness mostly matters, it is only natural for people to find ways to enhance and protect their innate beauties. Since not everyone is endowed with physical beauty based on the standards of the majority, more and more people search endlessly for products and services that would give solution to their physical flaws.
Two of the most common complaints of people when it comes to achieving that desired physical beauty are having different kinds skin disorders and having visible signs of premature aging. But, with the aid of modern science and technology, more and more beauty products and services are being uniquely developed depending on the person’s skin type and needs.
A BREAKTHROUGH IN SKIN CARE TECHNOLOGY
Physical appearance usually becomes the innermost reflection of people, their lifestyles, and their personalities today. In a world where physical beauty is a great deal, it’s not surprising that people look for products that would maintain or even enhance their beauty.
In the beauty industry, the award winning CACI (Computer Aided Cosmetology Instrument) continues to gain the reputation as the finest micro current machine available. Backed by over 20 years of research, CACI is considered as the most advanced treatment system of its kind in the industry. Also known as the "the non-surgical face lift," CACI offers effective treatments by utilizing a unique combination of specific waveforms and frequencies that work in harmony with the body’s own bio-electrical field, thus, transmitting tiny electrical impulses and signals that have been documented to stimulate muscle tone and enhance skin tissue.
CACI offers a serious alternative to surgery in an increasingly appearance conscious world through the Micro-Current, CACI’s Micro Mode which uses a tiny micro current that helps to tone, lift and re-educate the muscles back to their original position. Micro-mode generally runs as a course of treatments that averages between 10 and 15 treatments depending on the client’s skin tissue and muscle tone. Upon the completion of one course, a client is required to return for a booster / maintenance treatment that is usually once a month or between 4 to 6 weeks.
Expected benefits of micro-current include the increase in adenosine tri phosphate levels (a.t.p.), increases fibroblastic activity, protein synthesis, as well as membrane transport or cell permeability. Since it’s virtually sub¬ sensory, it is known to have beneficial healing effects and can be used around the eye area with no visible muscle contraction. Micro-Mode treatments include crows feet and eye bags, wrinkles on forehead, creases around the mouth, sagging chin line while improving the complexion.
Being the most-publicized beauty treatment in the industry, CACI has attracted a unique celebrity following from the world of show business, music, media, and royalty such as Mel Gibson, Kim Basinger, Olivia Newton-J ohn, Paul Newman, Cliff Richards, and even the late Princess of Wales, Princess Diana.
A DIFFERENT APPROACH
Age and minor skin disorders don’t make a person less of a person. It only does if that person is not taking care of his/her well-being and when they totally abandon the realms of healthy living.
For those people who are becoming stressed out by visible signs of aging and the worsening skin disorders, it’s never too late to start regaining that youthful look and glow.
Responding to the need of people who are searching for products and services to solve skin problems, DERMATICS, a company that provides consumers with a range of advanced dermatological products that combine the latest skin science research with revolutionary formulations and CACI International, the largest U.K. manufacturer and supplier of specialist electrotherapy beauty equipment to over 5,000 of the world’s leading beauty salons and spas, came together to come up with products and services to treat a wide variety of skin conditions.
Being the exclusive distributor for CACI products and services in the Philippines, Dermatics Skin Health Products Centre continues to bring improved and effective solutions to the marketplace and address consumer and physician needs such as the Non-Surgical Complete Face Regeneration Treatment, which reverses the aging process and makes the client experience younger and healthier skin.
While CACI’s Micro-Mode stimulates and tones the underlying facial muscles, Dermatics Skin Health System works on the dermal and epidermal layers to stimulate, correct, and rejuvenate skin cells. Exclusively available through Dermatics, two-globally renowned brands were combined to offer an all-in-one complete non- surgical face regeneration that refines muscle activity by up to 65 percent, increases adenosine tri-phosphate levels (a.t.p.) by up to 500 percent, fibroblastic activity by up to 60 percent, protein synthesis by up to 73 percent, advanced membrane transport system (cell permeability) by up to 30 to 40 percent, collagen and elastin production while effectively controls the production of melanin, normalizes excessive sebum production for better self¬ hydration ability, increases barrier function and protection levels to achieve that radiance and natural glow.
DERMATICS & CACI also offers a globally proven therapy and precise solutions that work. Combined in tandem, the various skin problems such as freckles, age spots, and other hyper pigmentation marks; acne, pimples, clogged and enlarged pores from hyperactive sebaceous glands; rough and flaking skin from insufficient hydration; sagging skin/loss of elasticity and collagen from age, and environmental damage; wrinkles and fine lines; actinic keratoses and other forms of pre-cancerous skin lesions can be treated.
The DERMATICS Skin Health System & CACI Skin Treatment Programs are available exclusively at DERMATICS Philippines G/F 6750, Ayala Avenue, Makati City or email herathelen.sanao@derrnatics.comorhelensanao@yahoo.com.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE articles about self-help, self improvement, wellness, holistic health, and fitness. To see our full line of e-Books visit: www.ebooks4selfhelp.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AmbrosiaServices.comGet a Free Yoga e-Book & Free Report
Natural Beauty Tips
Not everyone wants a complete makeover as some like to preserve a more natural appearance. Let’s face it, many men are attracted to the low-maintenance, “girl-next-door” look and accomplishing that can be just as challenging as looking model-perfect.So, how do you achieve a desirable look without the heavy use of cosmetics and makeup? Our natural beauty tips and advice will help you do just that, and put you on the path to a beautiful, unaffected, you.
Practise a healthy lifestyle
Natural beauty is akin to an overall healthy appearance. Start with a better lifestyle. Your own attitudes and daily life reflects in how you look to others. Take care of your body and it will take care of you.
Eat a proper, well-balanced diet. Food that’s good for your body helps your internal organs function properly and shows on the outside as well. The trick is to read the labels carefully and eat healthy foods with minimal preservatives. Good nutrition is key to your outward appearance and longevity.
The best skin in the world will not overcome a flabby body. Get in good physical shape if you’ve been slacking off. Set some reasonable fitness goals to get your body fit and trim. Begin with short-term goals and set new ones once they’re achieved.
Skin care tips
Water plays a crucial role. For radiant skin, drink plenty of water to keep it hydrated and supple. Seal in water externally after a shower by applying lotion to damp skin.Look for all-natural, organic and herbal recipes for basic skin problems. Whether it’s dry skin or blemishes, you can target the areas that need it most, foregoing chemicals that can be irritating to your skin.
As you age, you’ll hit some bumps along the way. Care for your skin as you do your most prized possession and you’ll see the benefits quickly, as well as years from now.Don’t want leathery skin? Lessen the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by reducing exposure to the sun’s dangerous rays. When enjoying outdoor activities, apply a sunscreen with SPF of at least 15 and re-applying when necessary.
Wearing makeup, naturally
If you wish to wear makeup, utilize only the best cosmetics brushes and beauty tools to enhance your finest features and cover flaws. This allows you to apply only the amount that is needed while blending in any excess colour.
Apply a tinted moisturizer or sheer foundation with a damp sponge. Either one will allow your natural skin tone to show through while covering minor imperfections.Creme or liquid blush blends more naturally than powder. Apply to the apple of your cheeks, outwards, into your hairline to prevent makeup lines.
Don’t want to overdo your eyes? You can now enhance your own eyelashes without adding clumps or colours. New, clear mascara is available to separate your lashes and give them luster and shine.
Reduce stress
Stress is an unfortunate fact in today’s fast-paced lifestyle and often reflects in your skin and eyes. Make it routine to relax and pamper yourself, daily if possible. This will give you time to slow down and plan the following day.
Become aware of the facial expressions you often make when stressed-out. If you raise your eyebrows often, you could very well end up with permanent wrinkles on your forehead. If you squint because you don’t understand something, lines between your brows may become evident.
Don’t expect to live without facial expressions, they’re part of you. What you can do is be aware of those expressions you make when nobody is looking. Replace those with something else, such as fidgeting and ease up on your face.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE articles about self-help, self improvement, wellness, holistic health, and fitness. To see our full line of e-Books visit: www.ebooks4selfhelp.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AmbrosiaServices.comGet a Free Yoga e-Book & Free Report
‘Medical tourism’ program includes holiday packages
By MAE LORRAINE S. RAFOLS
Asians and other foreigners looking to get that executive check-up or cosmetic procedure in the Philippines will get another incentive after their medical treatment: A holiday of their choice at popular tourist destinations like Palawan, Boracay and Cebu.
Under the Department of Tourism’s (DoT) Medical Tourism Program, foreigners will be offered enticing tourism packages incorporated into quality and affordable medical procedures, ranging from eye and dental procedures to cosmetic surgery and preventive tests.
The packages are divided into four: "Wellness and health holidays," "Beauty holidays," "Vision Plus holidays," and "Smile holidays." These are offered with corresponding vacation features – hotel accommodations, city tours, spa treatments, golfing tours, and the option to visit the country’s island destinations.
According to DoT Assistant Secretary Cynthia Carrion, the Philippines has a big advantage when it comes to medical tourism because of its high quality medical services offered at very competitive prices. Also, there is high demand for "well-being tours," specially since the cost of these medical tours have gone up in other countries.
"Medical tourism combines both health care and travel, something a lot of people would want to consider. It’s a niche market that we should focus on. Our driving force is that Filipinos are service-oriented. The world knows how hospitable and culturally-sensitive the Filipinos are," Carrion said.
The "Wellness and health holiday" package was designed to promote preventive medicine among businessmen and executives. The package offers the "Tee-off to wellness" program which includes a four-day/three-night hotel stay, an executive health check-up, a massage treatment, a half-day day trip, and one round of golf at Club Intramuros.
The executive check-up will include the following tests: laboratory tests (urinalysis, fecalysis, CBC with platelet), blood chem, Hepa B screening, thyroid screening, pap smears (for women), prostate check-up, chest X-ray, and ECG.
The "Beauty holiday" on the other hand is a week-long package created for patients undergoing cosmetic surgery procedures while on vacation. Aside from the hotel accommodation and city tour, they can also choose from a series of treatments such as: Eyelid surgery, Rhinoplasty, breast surgery (augmentation, reduction, lift), Liposuction, tummy tuck and Botox.
"Vision Plus holidays" is for patients seeking eye treatment. Here they can avail of phacoemulsification with IOL (a kind of cataract extraction surgery), LASIK or laser-assisted in Situ Keratomileusis, which can reduce a person’s dependency on using glasses or contact lenses; routine pterygium removal, eye muscle correction, entropion, ectropion, and ptosis correction.
"Smile holidays" is a vacation package involving dental treatments. The package requires longer stays – around two weeks for completion of the dental procedure. Available treatments are: Dental implants, crowns, and veneers.
Patients availing of any of these packages may likewise opt for an additional tour to destinations such as Palawan, Boracay and Cebu.
The Medical Tourism project will also work on various activities wherein the country can further promote local means of achieving well-being, such as local spas. In fact, the Philippines has already been tapped to host the 2007-2008 Spa and Wellness Summit, an international activity which was launched this month in Thailand.
"Here, we can promote our own alternative healthcare modalities such as the hilot, the foot massage using bamboo sticks, and the promotion of herbal medicine," Carrion added.
Carrion also mentioned that under the program, Filipinos who live abroad but wish to retire in the country will be targeted through retirement homes that offer high-quality medical care.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FREE articles about self-help, self improvement, wellness, holistic health, and fitness. To see our full line of e-Books visit: www.ebooks4selfhelp.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AmbrosiaServices.comGet a Free Yoga e-Book & Free Report
