healthy and beautiful

Samurai cooking. Image: program.hiff.org If you noticed, when you vacation in Japan or when you meet Japanese people in your town, you probably never thought: Why do Japanese people in general have a slim body. Do they do a special diet? Similarly, the Japanese women, they not only have a clean skin, and healthy, Japanese women also known for having a slim and healthy body. The Japanese, as well as Japanese women turn out obsessed with food. The Japanese are even referred to as a food utopia. Along the road or in a grocery store there are a variety of food on display in their stores. If the Japanese are so fond of eating, how could they stay slim, healthy, even longevity? Apparently, the secret of healthy and slim tips they have found, which is behind the kitchen of Japanese women. The main tips of Japanese women in order to stay slim: You need to understand, it turns out the Japanese women eat in small portions. Since childhood, the Japanese people have been accustomed to eating in ...

The women in the whole world would want to live happily and well. Women certainly do not want to experience skin irritation, excessive acne, breast cancer, and of course they want to avoid cervical cancer. Signs and symptoms of cervical cancer in a pre-cancerous condition characterized by abnormal cells found in the bottom of the cervix that can be detected through a Pap test, or a recently promoted is by Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid.   A healthy woman.   Image: blackenterprise.com You should know that in the early stages of cervical cancer usually do not show signs and symptoms, so it is important to consultation and examination. Consider whether there are signs and symptoms of cervical cancer in advanced stages, among others: a. Vaginal bleeding during intercourse, while not in the coming month period or after menopause. b. Wet or bleeding in the vagina is thick and smells. c. Pain in the hip or pain during intercourse. d. Feel pain during urination. e. In later stages...

Has the human race has proven to be resilient yet again? Rumors are surfacing that while scientists are struggling to find a cure for swine flu, many are recovering on their own. It is whispered that thousands around the world are being found to recover on their own with just bed rest and isolation. Although they still say that there are those at risk of it being fatal, such as the pregnant and those who have other resistance-weakening diseases.

It sounds simple, but it's really easier said than done. If you find that you're constantly breaking out with blackheads, pimples, boils, etc, try washing your hair every second day to keep oil and dander off of your face. Earlier I'd written on how it's important to change your pillowcases and sheets often to cure dandruff. The same remedy can be applied to treating acne.

Not many people know this, but rose water is an excellent natural make-up remover for both men and women. Not only does rose water act as a perfect tonic for your skin, it is also a natural remedy for making your skin look clear, fresh and alive. Using rose water on your skin at least once a day, leaves your skin looking healthy and glowing. All you need is a cotton ball and a few dabs of rose water. Gently dab - not rub - it onto your skin and let it work its magic. The best way to use it is right before bed. That way it has all night to sink into your skin and leave it looking fresh and pure again. Rose water is also a great skin 'healer' from the everyday wear and tear of dust, pollution, heat, etc.

No, drinking more milk, scientific research has found that taking a more calcium-rich diet does NOT help to prevent the much dreaded old-age symptom of osteoporosis, which is more common among the women species. It is just an old myth. To prepare against the eventualities of this deterioration disease, one must instead build up muscle mass which instead helps strengthen the bone. Calcium rich diets will only help you to build bone mass up until you are fully grown. After this, your body no longer needs to have excess milk (especially cow's milk) pumped into it. It is good as a protein yes, but not as a way of building bone mass. Only resistance training can do that for you. If you are trying to combat osteoporosis now, try seeking consultation from your doctor, or for going for some light aerobics and gradually working your way up to exercising with weights. Take dancing classes if you have to, but do something rigorous that will get your heart pumping and those muscles building.

As much as this may sound like your mother giving you unsolicited advice.. ;) take care of the skin around your eyes. Treat it as gently as you can. The skin around your eyes is the most delicate skin on your body and takes wear and tear less easily than other parts of your body. As it is less elastic than other areas of skin, it wrinkles easier and once wrinkled, only plastic surgery and extreme care can help it to look as untouched as it once was. For you women, use cotton balls and lotion, toner or make-up remover to wipe away the cosmetic products used. For you men, use cotton balls and facial toner to wipe away dirt, dust and any concealer or eye-liner you may be wearing. Using cucumber helps to de-stress the eyes, but it is just a myth that it can help cure wrinkles. Take care of your eyes and the gentle, smooth skin covering around them. They are the only pair you've got.

For all you women out there who have yet to find a way around your monthly set of menstrual cramps, these tips should help you find pain relief. Daily aerobics - Exercising daily helps to strengthen your body's muscles and keeps them flexible. Asides from strengthening your body, it helps to reduce the pain of the cramps. Back stretches - This helps guard against the pain of the back muscles contracting during menses. Stomach crunches - Doing tummy exercises helps to toughen you up for those painful cramps you experience when your uterus muscles contract. Eat a high protein/ calcium diet. Avoid taking iron supplements during your period. Try eating chocolate to help ease the cramps. This is no old wives tale. It actually works :). Sleep extra. Drink plenty of water and liquids to help restock your body with fluids. Avoid doing exercise during the first one or two days of your bleeding. The above mentioned exercises should be done throughout the month and on a regular basis, althoug...

Is your hair falling out? Were you one of those who used to wake up in the morning to brush your thick hair and now, thanks to your hair fall, you are reduced to waking up to seeing at least 50 strands of loose hair spread out over your pillow? The time to stop your hair fall is now. It can be a thing of the past. Start by understanding the core root of the problem. Why does your hair fall out? o A common myth is that a severe case of dandruff makes your hair fall out by handfuls. This however, is a myth and not a fact. Dandruff is a condition of the scalp caused by dead skin cells being shed. This does not affect the hair to a point where it falls out in handfuls. o An important thing to remember is that losing or ‘shedding’ upto 100 strands of hair in a day is normal. The body easily replaces the fallen hair and as such, is part of a natural process. o It could be due to a poor intake of vitamins – namely, the vitamin B6 and folic acid which is essential for hair repair and healthy s...

Especially in summer months and dry climates, it can be quite a feat (no puns intended) to keep your feet soft and pleasant-looking. For women who wear open shoes, and men who wear sandals, keeping your feet clean and neat can be difficult when all day the sun and dust are working against the best of your efforts. I read an article that a friend of mine had written in which she said that she found an effective feet softener – easy to use, quick and result-friendly. She said that she applies cocoa butter to her feet at night and wears socks to keep the moisture cream from rubbing off while it works its magic. By morning, you can remove your socks and actually feel the difference in and on your feet. I found my friend’s advice to be spot on. Needless to say, if you need this remedy for any other part on you, just make sure you remember to wear a covering that is not too loose so as not to rub off the cocoa butter moisturizing cream. If you need to cream up your legs, wear tights or stock...

Did you know that Aloe Vera is one of THE best purifiers for your skin? Among other benefits, this wonder plant has provided skin relief since time immemorial. It is also one of the only known natural vegetable sources of the crucial vitamin B12. Other benefits of Aloe Vera include: - Natural support to the immune system - Helps energy levels to rise - Maintains healthy skin and combats effects of aging - Natural way to replenish the body with vital mineral and vitamins - Has natural detoxifying abilities - Improves digestion - Increases protein absorption - Anti-inflammatory agents - Anti-bacterial/ viral - Weight loss - Curing digestive tract irritations such as colitis, ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome - Natural body cleanser - Curing cancer, constipation, diverticular disorders, haemorrhoids, heartburn, heart disease, HIV, immune stimulation, indigestion, insomnia, kidney disease, leg cramps, vaginitis, vaginal douche - Aids in white blood cell production - And is a general heal...

Without a doubt, the answer is a yes. How well you maintain your hands and feet is a sure sign to others of the level your general personal hygiene and the importance you place on it. Sporting unkempt hands or feet is the quickest way to convey to those around you that you are untidy, careless or consider your outward appearance a non-priority. They say that God looks on the heart, but I’m sorry to say that we humans aren’t quite so forgiving. We judge character by the outward appearance and right or not, there isn’t one man or woman alive that doesn’t look at you and in an instant assume you are something or another. Well okay.. maybe there are a few who don't do that. There still are some pure folk left on this earth. But that said, the majority of us aren’t quite so agreeable. For those lot, if you want to come across as 'together' make sure your extremities are well looked after. Maintaining and giving care to your hands and feet doesn’t need to take forever. I do it wh...

It’s the next big thing happening in Hollywood, Bollywood and among those in the fashion industry. Our very own Kareena Kapoor was said to have taken this route to her trim and slim size-zero figure! But how does one make the change from eating 3 meals a day to being able to fit in EIGHT? That’s exactly what I asked myself when I began to plan for a healthy way to losing weight. It takes time, and most of all, discipline. Now don’t get me wrong. I am not fat, I am not thin, I am a normal individual. I am 5.6 ft and I weigh a healthy 53-55 kgs on any given day. I do not go on diets to loose weight, but to feel good about myself and to feel confident and convinced that I look good. You may wonder why I’m telling you this. Well, I have to say that it’d be to encourage those of you who are like me – rarely able to find the time/ space for a good workout, but who are still appearance-conscious, that this diet is for you too! Us and the folk like us, look for an easy alternative that can be ...

Yesterday was No Tobacco Day. I missed it by a coupla hours, but I still wanted to encourage those of you who are fighting the urge to light up to kick the habit while you still can! Trust me...it’s NOT easy, but it IS worth it! I should know.. it wasn’t easy for me, but it WAS worth it! Good luck with that! Do let the rest of us know how you’re able to pull out of it. Everyone uses a different route, and it’d be nice to know which one you took.

The most important asset you can make use of when trying to maintain a healthy weight is self-control. You can go through various rigorous diets, multiple eating plans, dieticians, health experts, yoga, therapy, liposuction, etc, but without self-discipline, it will all come to naught.  I came to find this out when I began my diet-conscious outlook on life. I found it was much easier to just skip a meal, rather than to ensure that my meals were healthy, balanced and regular.  In my next post, I'm going to be including a 8 meal a day diet plan that I made for myself a while back. I found it to be extremely helpful, and after just two short weeks, I found I had already lost 5 kgs! But more on that later! If you want your diet to yield good results, remember that regularity and self-discipline is a must. Without this you will find itextremely difficult and possibly even impossible to attain your healthy-you goal.  Stay focued and maintain your self-discipline!

I’ve been getting into this habit of drinking 400 ml of salted lassi every morning before I start my day. (Mother Dairy has these 6 rupee packs of 200ml each.) I know it ends up making me feel refreshed, but I wanted to get the ‘inside scoop’ on what it really does for a person. I ended up using Google to research it and here’s what I found. Wikipedia says: “Traditional mild salted lassi - This form of lassi is more common in villages of Punjab. It is prepared by blending curd with water and adding salt, pepper and other spices as per the requirements. The drink thus produced is known as Salted lassi.” Some health benefits of lassi: o Summer coolant – helps to rehydrate and refresh the body. It is especially helpful during summers where the body needs coolants to guard against excessive heat. o Gastroenteritis cure – Gastroenteritis is an inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. Lassi helps to cure the acute diarrhea caused by this illness. o Helps the digestive process.  Well, that...

Are you one of those women who find using public toilets against the grain of your being? Do you walk into a public restroom and go ‘Ew!’? Is your first reaction to stop drinking liquids on a long trip so that your visits to the less-than-hygienic restroom stops along the way are infrequent? If you are, shake my hand on it. I’m another one of those germ-conscious, I-hate-using-public-restroom people.  Unfortunately though, no matter what precautions we take, there will always be that inevitable ‘I gotta go now!’ situation where your mind simply does not yield to taking control over the matter. In those odd and sometimes freaky situations (local public restrooms and the like) there are ways in which you can keep yourself clean and still do your thing.  Here are some methods I’ve found to be especially clean and helpful. I hope it’s a help to those of you out there who are conscious and find it awkward to deal with such situations.  Take ‘The Stance’ The Stance is something every mother ...

According to those researching in this field, it IS possible. Mayo Clinic researchers have demonstrated that patients were able to tolerate a fairly high doses of the chemical epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) found in green tea.  Apparently, many were even able to see some regression as far as their chronic lymphocytic leukemia went. Some of the recline went as far as a 50% reduction in the lymph node size! Further testing is now on to add stability and exactness to the program.