Beauty & Style

5 Teas that make you slim!

 

The brew that energises can also help you lose weight. Here’s how…

It’s widely known that just one cup of tea can prevent strokes, arthritis, tooth decay and even keep cancer at bay. While it’s regarded as nature’s tranquiliser for its soothing properties, the brew also has another great benefit – it helps shed weight. Scientists have shown that tea has high levels of compounds that battle the absorption of fat.

5 teas that can result in a slimmer you…

Star anise tea: promotes digestion
Star anise, the fruit of a small evergreen tree (Illicium verum) native to China, can be used in the treatment of digestive troubles such an upset stomach, diarrhea, nausea etc. One may drink a tea made from it by steeping a whole pod in one cup of hot water for 10 minutes. Strain this and sweeten it if required. Sip on this slowly when an upset stomach occurs.

Peppermint tea: controls what you eat
If you like peppermint tea then try and rotate that with a green tea drink as both speed up digestion and thus help you burn more calories. The peppermint leaves can be used to make a light, refreshing tea, which can be drunk either hot or chilled. To prepare the tea, take a tablespoon of fresh or dried leaves and add them to boiling water and let it steep for four to five minutes. Strain and add honey, if needed.

Green tea: builds metabolism
Research says the chemical EGCG found in green tea that speeds up the body’s metabolism, is responsible for helping people lose the kilos – it can burn a whopping 70 calories a day! Green tea also raises the level of antioxidants. It’s believed the antioxidant catechins in green tea boost metabolism and helps burn fat (can burn a whopping 70 calories a day!) Steeping time for the tea: two to three minutes at 85 Degrees Celsius.

Rose tea: prevents constipation
One of the oldest flavouring teas available, rose tea – made by mixing fresh roses and the bud of the tea – has a major therapeutic effect on the human body. Apart from clearing toxins and beautifying the skin, rose tea contains vitamins A, B3, C, D and E and is known to act against infections. It also prevents constipation and helps one lose weight.

Oolong tea: guards against obesity
Research reveals that oolong, a semi-fermented tea may have a stronger effect than even green tea. It promotes fat burning is said to help reduce cholesterol and the concentration of fat in the body. About two cups per day is recommended. Steep oolong tea anywhere from 30 seconds to five minutes, for a more full-bodied cup.

Source: Before it’s news

7 Yoga Poses For Beauty

Almost 5,000 year old philosophy of good health has evolved into todays most talked about way of life… Want to take a guess at what it is??!

It’s Yoga!!!

Yoga is one of the well-known ancient practices for good health, and the oldest philosophies of Ayurveda, whose primary concern is the well being of an individual. Owing to its holistic approach to healing and wellness aspects, Yoga is known to be beneficial in a day to day routine.

Over All Benefits:

Practicing yoga on a regular basis helps improve, regain and retain good health as well as helps relieve stress while relaxing and strengthening the mind and body.

Yoga is known to help keep a check on diabetes, arthritis, back pain, high blood pressure, asthma and depression amongst others.
Believe it or not!!! But yoga helps you lose weight those extra kilos too… It helps you attain and maintain your ideal body weight.
Ladies health issues like menopause, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and other menstrual disorders are also treated through the regular practice of yoga.

This overall natural health care taker also is said to enhance beauty.
Yoga also has various beauty benefits. Using yoga to get glowing skin or yoga for hair growth etc. is not a new practice.
I doubt there is anyone in this world who does not want to look good!!! Wouldn’t you want a silky soft glowing and young looking skin??? Why not try yoga?

Apart from the overall health, the skin is, to benefit too…

Swami Sivananda is quoted by Holistic-Online saying that “By practicing the Asanas regularly, men and women will acquire a figure which will enhance their beauty and that suppleness which gives them charm and elegance in every movement,” and “be endowed with a peculiar glow in his face and eyes and a peculiar charm in his smile”.

Yoga will help you improve flexibility as well as correct posture preserving your younger looks. It will help detoxify your skin and body of the possible toxins, while helping with provide proper nutrition at cellular level. Beauty through yoga will only take place with the right balance of diet and exercise.

It is known to clear the skin of acne, blemishes and scars too!! There are a number of yoga positions that you can possibly do to reverse the signs of aging including wrinkles, saggy skin, crow’s feet and fine lines amongst others.

Yoga for Beauty: Poses

Suryanamaskar, Trikonasana, Yoga mudra, Pawanmuktasana, Bhujangasana, Ushtrasana, Sarvanghasana, and Halasana are few of the poses that you can regularly do to beautify your skin. These postures are said to stimulate blood circulation in the body, while reducing stress and tension. A perfect solution in yoga for face beauty.

1. Surya Namaskar

surya namaskar

2. Trikonasana

Trikonasana for yoga

3. Bhujangasana

bhujangasana

4. Halasana

Halasana

5.  Yoga for Beauty Poses: Pranayam

Yoga Pranayam practice helps provide oxygen to the cells across the body through the blood. Thirty minutes of pranayam can be a secret to your beauty that will be a cause envy. Rhythmic deep breathing, Alom Vilom , Kapalbhati , Bhastrika and Bhramri are few of the poses you can try for good health.

6. Kapalbhati

Kapalbhati for yoga

7.  Anulom Vilom

Anulom Vilom

 

Source: style craze

Tips for Healthy Eyes

Fortify your vision – Be sure you are getting enough antioxidants like vitamin A, C, and E. Lutein and omega-3 fatty acids are now in studies to determine the effects they have in slowing age-related macular degeneration. And studies show, the average diet includes only a fraction of the nutrients recommended for healthy vision.

Get exercise – It improves blood circulation, which improves oxygen levels to the eyes and the removal of toxins.

Eat healthy – High-fat diets can cause deposits that constrict blood flow in the arteries. The eyes are especially sensitive to this, given the small size of the blood vessels that feed them.

Stop smoking – Smoking limits the blood flow to the eyes and increases oxidative stress.
Protect your eyes – Always wear eye protection that filters out as much UV light as possible. Also, wearing a hat with a brim will greatly reduce the amount of UV radiation slipping around the side of your sunglasses.

See your eye care professional regularly — Changes in your vision can occur without you noticing, and the earlier these changes are detected the better your treatment options.

Source: Bausch

Winter care guide from tip to toe

With winter, comes a hoard of various skin problems. Not only does the skin of your body become dry and rough, your scalp and hair also suffer from problems like dandruff, dryness, hair fall and itchiness.

It is also a difficult season for the ones who face the problem of corns, calluses and cracked feet. Rubbing lotions and creams is just not enough. You need to follow a routine winter care regime religiously to keep your skin flawless and your hair healthy and lusturous. TOI gives you a tip to toe winter care guide to follow to get all that and more.

Oils for your face
Sounds tricky, eh? Contrary to popular belief, oils are essential for every skin type and more so during winters. Their anti-aging properties help tighten the skin and they moisturize more effectively than any other cream. People with oily skin can try tea-tree, sweet almond and grape seed oil in winter to moisturize their skin before going to bed instead of a night cream. And for people with dry skin, olive oil does the magic. Take a few drops and dab!

Bath salts to scrub your body
During winters, it is always advisable to use bath salts instead of your regular scrubs. Not only do they exfoliate dead cells, they provide the skin with a glow and make it smooth and healthy. Sprinkle a handful in your bath tub and enjoy the relaxing effects. It cures your sore feet, tired body and even relieves you from a back pain. Pick aromatic bath salts to extract the maximum benefits as the enigmatic smell will also ease your senses and mind. The best thing about bath salts is that they don’t steal moisture from the skin. Instead, the oil content in it moisturizes and hydrates the skin and improves it’s quality. So, the next time a winter chill makes you tired, you know what to rely on.

Moisturizer for your lips
Since the skin on the lips are thinner than any other part of the body, they get chapped and dry easily. During winters, it is very important to look after your lips throughout the day to avoid them from looking scaled. Carry a lip butter with you all the time. Prefer a roll on to a jar. Apply the balm every hour to keep your lips moisturised. Scrub them with lemon and sugar every alternate day to get rid of dead cells.

Handcreams
Hands get dry after even a simple wash with water, let alone using soap or a handwash making them look white and dry. Select a handcream that has milk as its content. Apply after every single wash to keep them soft, supple and healthy. At night, massage them with coconut or olive oil mixed with a almond oil. Avoid using a soap on your hands. It is always preferable to go for mild handwash lotions.

Wear gloves
One of the easiest ways to protect your hands from drying and facing the brunt of the weather is to wear gloves. Specially at night, when you are riding a bike or are simply out. Though the ones made of wool are the best when it comes to protection from harsh winds, light cotton gloves are also fine if the former make you palms sweaty. Do not apply any cream or oil before slipping your hands the gloves. Do it once you take them out.

Hot oil hair massage
There is absolutely no substitute for a hot oil massage for your scalp and hair in winters. It is not only a treatment that results in shiny, bouncy hair after a wash, but also gives back your hair its lost moisture. Always go for a mix of oils to get the maximum benefit. Mix oils like castor, almond, olive and coconut and warm it a little before applying it to the scalp. Make it a habit to oil your hair before every wash to keep the moisture locked.

Soak your feet in warm water
Cracked feet we hear? Add a few drops of your favourite body wash or shampoo to a bucket of lukewarm water. You can also add a few drop of lemon or lavender oil to it. Soak your feet in it, pick up your favourite book, plug your ear plugs and relax. Let the water heal your tired feet. This, if used as therapy every day, helps in healing cracked feet. The only addition to the process is using a scrubber to get rid of the dead cells. After you are done soaking, treat your feet to some cream and wear soft woollen socks.

Honey for hair and body
One of the most helpful natural product that rescues you from dryness is none other than honey. Mix it with mashed bananas and olive oil to make a gooey paste. Apply the mixture on your hair. Keep it on for 30-45 minutes before washing off with a mild shampoo. This mask works wonder for your dry hair and scalp, especially during these cold months. For your face, mix honey with a few drops of rose water and lemon juice and rub the mixture to get a glowing and moisturized skin.

Fruit facials
Are you one of those who cannot imagine life without facials? Going for fairness facials strips off moisture from your face leaving it dry and pale. Fruits facials is the reply to that grumpy look on your face now. As a matter of fact, you can do it at home. Mash fruits like avocado, apples, oranges, grapes, papaya, banana together and make thick mask. Leave it on your face for 20 minutes, at least, and wash off with cold water to get a skin your girlfriends will be envious of.

Egg-pack
This small gift of nature is a boon in disguise during winter. Its moisturizing effects on the skin as well as hair is amazing. Separate the egg white from its yolk in a bowl and beat the whites till they become frothy. Now apply on your face and leave it on till dry. Then, wash off with cold water. Smooth and shiny skin is what you will get. Mix egg whites with yogurt and apply the mask to your hair. This mixture works as an excellent conditioner for your hair.

Source: Times of India

How to get long and shiny hair this winter

However it is very difficult to look after the hair in the winter season due to the cold waves and other odds of the season. The complications like lack of humidity and other factors affects badly your hair care but you should not worry about all this things. Here are some tips which can help you in caring your hair without any more expenses for the same as these remedies can help you keeping your hair silky, long and shinning in the winter season.

Massage coconut oil to moisturize and add extra shine to your hair.

Use conditioner or apply mixer of egg white once in a week. You can also use Heena, which is a natural hair conditioner.

Raghu Reddy, a hair loss specialist at the Private Clinic of Harley Street, gives out some hair tips for healthy hair during winter, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Here are some suggestions on How to get long and shiny hair this winter:

Take extra care of your roots: Avoid putting products like conditioner, wax or gel directly onto the roots of your hair. This will clog the pores and hair follicles, making it difficult for hair to grow as it normally would.

Choose products wisely: In winter, go for a gentle shampoo to keep some moisture intact in your hair. Use a deeper conditioner to protect the hair and prevent damage from extreme weather or central heating.

Indulge in protein-rich diet: Embark on a protein high diet that can keep hair shiny and strong. Eat meat, fish and eggs.

Go natural: Several women wish to avoid frizzy hair in the winter months, and they prefer to dry their hair before venturing out in to the cold. Try to keep the use of straighteners and hair driers to a minimum, as intense heat can be bad for hair.

Stay away from straightening and curling as they may make the hair brittle and prone to breakage, contributing to the overall weakening of each individual hair. Also, avoid using hair dyes regularly as well.

No heat please: A hot water bath can bring much relief in the winter, but this can be detrimental to your hair. Always wash your hair with lukewarm or cool water, rather than very hot water.

Be gentle: Avoid brushing your hair rigorously to stay away from unwanted breakage. Try not to scratch the scalp too, as this can cause the scalp to become dry and to flake.

Keep calm: Don’t let the stress of the festive season get to you. Sustained periods of stress can lead to a change in hormonal balances, which can pave the way for hair thinning or patterned baldness.

Source: News track India

10 steps to a perfect do-it-yourself pedicure

Our feet are often the most neglected parts of the body when it comes to our beauty regime. A pedicure would not only improve the appearance of your feet and toenails it can help prevent nail diseases and disorders. You can get a pedicure at a beauty salon or simply learn the right steps to take care of your feet at home.

Step 1

Remove any existing nail polish with a mild remover.

Step 2

Put some bubble bath or Epsom salts in a tub filled with warm water and soak your feet for 10 to 15 minutes. You can also put marbles or smooth pebbles in the tub and run your feet over them for relaxation.

Step 3

Use a foot brush or a scrubber to remove the dirt lodged in between the ridges of your heels or the stains on your nails.

Step 4

Use a pumice stone or callus file and scrub the heels and bottoms of your feet to do away with dead skin cells.

Step 5

Massage and exfoliate with a foot scrub and wrap your feet in hot hand towels to seal in the moisture.

India.com
Step 6

Dry you feet with a towel and cut your nails.

Step 7

File your nails gently and push back the cuticles with orange sticks. You could also use a mild nail buffer to polish the surface of your toenails.

Step 8

Wash your feet and dry them.

Step 9

Massage each foot with a moisturising lotion for 5 minutes.

Step 10

When your feet are dry, remove any oil residue on your toe nails with remover and apply a base coat.

You’ll need: A tub or foot bath, nail polish remover, bubble bath, Epsom salts and/or scented oil, cuticle oil, exfoliating foot scrub, towels, pumice stone, callus file, nail clipper, nail file, nail buffer, moisturizing lotion, base coat and/or nail polish.

Source: inagist

8 Tips for Losing Weight After Pregnancy

Load Up on ‘Super Foods’, Find Time to Exercise, Consider Breastfeeding to Help Shed Excess Pounds

Now that your new baby is here, you have a lot to think about: when to feed her, what to do if she cries — and how to get rid of those extra pounds you packed on during your pregnancy.

If you started out at a normal weight and gained the 25-35 pounds your doctor probably recommended, it shouldn’t take you more than a couple of months to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight if you watch what you eat and exercise.
If, on the other hand, you were overweight before your pregnancy or you put on more weight than your doctor advised, it could take much longer — up to a year — to get the weight off. Any baby weight you don’t take off could stick with you for a long time.

“It’s very critical that you do get the weight off, because if you don’t it has been associated with overweight and obesity 15 to 20 years later in life,” says Debra Krummel, PhD, RD, endowed professor in the University of Cincinnati department of nutrition.
And although every new mom is eager to look like her old self again, one of the most important things to remember is to be patient with yourself. Your favorite celebrity might have gone straight from the delivery room into her size 0 jeans, but she may not have done it in a way that was good for her body.

“All the magazines ask, ‘How did she do it?’ The more important question is, ‘Why did she do it?'” says Melinda Johnson, MS, RD, registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association (ADA). “They do this with very, very strict diets, and a lot of them do it by getting back into activity before their body is really ready for it.”

Johnson advocates a more gradual approach to weight loss. “The number one thing new mothers have to have is a certain amount of patience with their body,” she says. “It took nine months to get there. It should take at least that long to get back to their fighting weight.”

With that in mind, here are some tips to help you lose weight after pregnancy and fit back into your old jeans — whatever their size.

Don’t diet.

It may sound strange, but going on an official “diet” could derail your post-pregnancy weight loss goals. Feeling deprived of your favorite foods while you’re already stressed out by your new role as mom could actually cause you to gain weight, Johnson says.

“If you go back to eating healthy and eating for your hunger, most women find that the weight comes off pretty naturally,” she says.

Instead of dieting, she recommends eating a well-balanced variety of foods. Keep different snacks in the house to keep you from feeling hungry and give you energy throughout the day. Apple slices, carrot sticks, and wheat crackers are all good for noshing.
Source: Web md

 

Brighten up tired eyes

Tired of being told you look tired? Here’s how to get rid of eye bags, puffiness, dark shadows, and circles.

Morning-After Puffy Eyes

Seasonal allergies, a cold, a sinus infection: These are some of the things that can lead to water building up under the eye.
“We have the thinnest skin around our eyes, so it’s the area that’s most influenced by the in-and-out flow of fluids,” Goldburt says.
A dinner heavy with salty food or a night of crying while watching a tearjerker movie can also cause morning-after puffiness. The reason is osmosis. “Water always travels from areas in the body where there’s low salt concentration to tissues where there’s more salt, Goldburt explains. That principle holds true whether the salt comes from tears or from soy sauce.
Simple Fixes for Under-Eye Bags
Addressing the underlying cause will help treat these temporary eruptions of puffiness.
Here are steps to try:
Treat hay fever, if that’s the problem. There are non-sedating, over-the-counter allergy medications that may help. If you have or suspect hay fever, talk with your doctor about how to treat it (whether or not it’s affecting your eyes’ appearance).
Try a neti pot. Irrigating the nasal cavity with a neti pot — a device that looks like a small teapot — can help relieve fluid buildup caused by allergies, sinus congestion, or a cold.
Switch your sleep position. Your sleep position may be contributing to under-eye bags. Thanks to gravity, sleeping on your side or stomach can encourage fluids to collect under your eyes. If you’re a side sleeper, you may notice a heavier bag on the side you sleep on. Goldburt advises her patients who wake up with puffy eyes to sleep on their back and add an extra pillow under their head.
Changing your sleep position takes some getting used to, says Goldburt, a self-described “former eye-bag sufferer” and stomach-sleeper herself. Still, she says, “The earlier you start changing your sleep position, the better, because after a few years under-eye bags can became permanent.”
Other everyday habits, including rubbing your eyes frequently, going to bed with makeup on, and excessive drinking, can contribute to under-eye bags, too. “Sleeping in eye makeup can irritate your eyes, causing fluids to pool,” Goldburt says. Heavy alcohol drinking causes dehydration . That weakens the delicate skin around the eyes, making it more likely to sink into a pouch.
Eye bags are very common, and are usually not related to your health. But if your bags appear suddenly and you’re not suffering from allergies, a sinus infection, or a cold — and they don’t ease up when you try the lifestyle steps mentioned above — it’s a good idea to see your doctor. Some thyroid or kidney problems can cause under-eye fluid retention, notes New York dermatologist Craig Austin, MD.

Source: health India

 

Home remedies to get rid of tanning

As Indians, we are constantly worried about tanning. Understanding the process of tanning is important to prevent it and treat it in the future. So, instead of opting for the expensive de-tan or fairness facials, you could try using some natural methods to get rid of the tan. Here are three natural ways to do so. But before that, let’s understand a few basics of why does our skin tan.

Why do we tan?

It‘s simple, tanning is your body’s way of protecting your internal organs from damage brought on due to exposure to UV rays of the sun. Known to cause serious conditions such as cancer, UV rays are extremely dangerous to our internal organs as well. To help keep them from entering the body, our skin produces a pigment called melanin. On exposure to the sun, the skin automatically sends this pigment to the surface to help fight off the damage – the greater the sun exposure, the darker the melanin turns. This is because the sunlight breaks down the melanin leading to it getting oxidized and darkening the skin.

Why do some people tan more than others?

The amount and degree of darkness of melanin present in one’s body is determined by one’s genes. For example, people who are genetically fair, will have lesser and lighter melanin than darker people for whom the amount and color of melanin will change. What further worsens the situation is the fact that different people have different types of skin (varying in thickness and sensitivity); this again is a deciding factor for the amount of tanning.

How can home remedies help?

Lemon and glycerin face pack: This is a bleaching, blemish removal and skin softening pack. It can be made and stored for about three weeks. All you have to do is take about five tablespoons of glycerin and add the juice of one lemon to it. Make sure the consistency of the solution is not too thin. Now, apply this on your face – avoiding the areas around your eyes – and neck every night after washing your face with your regular face wash. Leave on for about half-an-hour and wash off with cold water. Make sure you gently pat dry. This pack gives best results when left on overnight. It will not dry and stretch your skin and will make your face glow the next morning.  You can even apply this pack on your hands and legs to get rid of tanning on them. Use this pack on a daily basis to see considerable difference in about one week.

Besan bleaching face pack: This is a scrub and facial glow pack all rolled into one. Take about two tablespoons of besan, add a pinch of haldi (the type that is used for application and not for cooking), a few drops of lemon juice and some milk (if you have very dry skin). You can add crushed orange peel to the mix for an added scrub effect. If you don’t have orange peel, use crushed masoor or moong ki daal to the mix. Now, mix all the ingredients and  make it a paste by adding cool rose water. Apply this paste all over your face and neck, carefully avoiding the areas around your eyes. Allow this to remain on the face till it dries up partially. Once dry, wet your hands and pat the areas that have dried out. This will make the area soft. Now, gently scrub your face and then wash away. This pack will give you glowing and supple skin. Continue doing this on a daily basis for a week to notice considerable difference.

Multani mitti and aloe vera face pack: This pack is great to soothe irritated and tanned skin. The aloe vera present helps to heal acne, remove blemishes, and soothe irritated skin. The multani mitti helps unclog pores and makes the skin glow. To make this pack, mix a few spoons of multani mitti with a tablespoon of aloe vera paste or juice. Add a pinch of haldiand make it a smooth paste. Add chilled rose water to dilute the pack. Apply this on your face and neck leave on for about fifteen minutes or till it dries. Pat with a wet hand to loosen the dried portions and scrub the face in gentle circular motions. Wash your face with cool water and pat dry. Use this face pack twice a week for desired results

Finally, while home remedies may seem a bit messy and time consuming, it is the best way to rid you of the tan without the side-effects of chemicals. Plus, it is much lighter on the pocket.

Source: health India

Aloe vera for winters

As the temperature begins to drop, and the skin begins to dry up, it’s vital to drink lots of water and use water-based organic products like aloe vera.  Due to aloe’s high water content (over 99 per cent water) it is a great way to hydrate, moisturize and rejuvenate the skin.

Aloe vera increases the elasticity of the skin making it more flexible through collagen and elastin repair.  It helps supply oxygen to the skin cells, increasing the strength and synthesis of skin tissue and induces improved blood flow. Aloe vera-based moisturisers should be used to keep your skin soft this winter as they prevent it from drying and keeps them fresh, soft and smooth.

Also, do not forget to drink as much water possible. In addition to that herbal teas and clear soups are more creative ways to get your daily H2O intake and flush out toxins.

Source: Deccan Chronicle