The Full Nutrition Beauty

Flawless skin, glossy hair and neat nails are three features that are conducive to our impression of ‘beauty.' We spend hundreds if not thousands of pounds every year on keeping our manes thick and shiny and our nails shaped and polished. Simply keeping our skin cleansed, exfoliated, toned and moisturised as well as anti-aged is becoming an expensive full time job!

When you dash to your local beauty counter and reach for the latest miracle serum, stop for a moment and consider what you are putting inside your body... After all, our skin, hair and nails are the windows of our wellbeing. They reflect how happy our body is inside. If skin is dull, blemished or ageing prematurely, if hair is lifeless and if nails are brittle - perhaps it is your local food market that should receive an emergency visit, not the beauty department!

Our skin, hair and nails reflect how well we are nourished and common deficiencies can lead to blemishes, thinning hair and broken nails – no matter how much you spend on your manicure!

Despite the commonly held view that those white flecks on your nails are due to a calcium deficiency, it is in fact a lack of zinc which sprinkles unsightly white spots on your talons! Zinc is a significant beauty mineral. Not only is it important for strong nails but also for skin repair and maintenance. Foods rich in zinc include oysters, liver, eggs, pumpkin seeds and mushrooms.


Thinning hair is a common beauty complaint, especially given the current ‘big' hair trends! Protein is an essential hair nutrient, as it contains amino acids - important components of keratin which helps make up the hair's matrix. Keratin is also an important feature of the skin and nail structure. Good beauty-boosting proteins include eggs, lean poultry, fish, legumes and seeds.

Blemishes on the skin are an expression of inflammation. Whether this is due to hormonal imbalance, nutritional deficiencies or stress – the anti-inflammatory pathways in the body require support. Reducing red meat and dairy intake is advisable as these are pro-inflammatory foods. Support your body's anti-inflammatory pathways with plenty of omega-3 rich foods like oily fish, nuts and seeds, as well as fresh garlic, ginger and turmeric. Omega 3 is also a nutrient celebrated for its anti-ageing properties.

A poorly functioning liver often chooses to express its struggle on your face. Drinking plenty of fluids is the first step to supporting your detoxification organ. 2-3 litres of fluid a day is recommended. The trick here is variety, who wants to be sipping plain water all day long?! Get your liquid from fruits and vegetables, (especially watermelon, pineapple and other juicy delights) dilute fresh fruit juices and choose from delicious herbal teas like rooibos, green and ginger varieties. Staying well hydrated is shown to help keep hair naturally shiny and complexion lines less visible.

A high level of toxicity in the body puts strain on the skin as it is an organ of detoxification. Getting plenty of high fibre foods in your diet is important for the removal of toxins from the system.  Include beans, lentils, pulses, oat bran and prunes in your diet as well as plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit. Always wash your fresh produce thoroughly and go for organic choices where possible.

A wide range of factors influence the appearance of our skin, hair and nails. Poor digestion, constipation, sun exposure, weakened immunity and hormonal imbalance are just some examples of why you may not be looking your best. A nutritional consultation could help to identify the underlying reasons as to why your external features are exhibiting weakness. A nutritional programme would then be designed to meet your unique requirements and help develop an inner harmony that makes your nails strong, your hair shine and your skin glow.



By: Food Fairy Nutrition Ltd
Posted: Nutrition

The Right way to Have Proper Nutrition

Humans are complex organisms that need nutrients to sustain the bodily requirements in order to have health and function properly and food is the most essential requirement for human survival as it is a substance that is either eaten or drunk to supply nourishment to the body or for pleasure purposes. The required nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins or minerals found in food that comes from other living organisms such as plants and animals or products, produce energy, replenish old cells, stimulate growth and keep homeostatic life.

To comprehend better we should know the difference of macronutrients from micronutrients and Macronutrients are nutrients that are consumed by humans in large quantities and categorised into smaller substances through digestion and provide bulk energy and are consisting of carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

Carbohydrate - are made of units of sugar and they are the main supply of energy for building power for human body.
Fats - are generally triesters of glycerol and fats which store energy, give insulation to the body and assist in the transmission of nerve impulses.
Proteins - are chains of amino acids which provide the building material for the growth and repair of tissue and they also act as enzymatic catalyst. Amino acids are classified into two groups; essential and non- essential amino acid. Essential amino acid - are the ones we must obtain in our diet, because our body can't make them. Non essential amino acid - are the ones our body can produce and manufacture.
Vitamins and minerals on the other hand are examples of micronutrients which are required by humans and other living things throughout life in small quantities.


Vitamins - are nutrients needed in small amounts by an organism which has diverse biochemical purposes that are essential to our health.
Minerals - are important nutrients for growth and maintenance of structures of our body

Now, here are a few tips to obtain proper Nutrition:

Note: Eat smart; opt for healthy and nutritious food.

• Eat at regular intervals to keep sugar levels stable, skipping meals won't do any good.
• Drink adequate amount of water, aim for 6-8 glass of water, this will keep you hydrated.
• Eat a lot of fish like tuna and mackerel as they contain omega 3 oil.
• It is not necessary to avoid meat in our diet, instead eat only the leaner part.
• Eat lots of vegetables and fruits as this will aid digestion and nourish the body.
• Buy probiotics as this will help in restoring good bacteria in our body that aids in digestion.
• Buy low fat versions of dairy products such as milk and cheese as dairy products are high source of fat and cholesterol contents, but provide nutritional benefits.
• Avoid alcohol and nicotine from cigarette smoking.
• Avoid as much as possible processed foods, especially junk food.
• Exercise regularly; exercise helps and enhances physical fitness and over all health and wellness.
• Get plenty of sleep and relaxation to minimize fatigue and stress.
• Practice Good hygiene as regular Bathing and Hand washing reduces the risk of getting sick.
• Take food and vitamin supplements because this will aid in maintaining good functioning of the body.
• Health is wealth so if you wish to be rich, eat the right kind of food to have Proper Nutrition.

By: Proper Nutrition

You May Be Fat and Not Even Know It

By CHAI WOODHAM


There's more to fat than meets the eye. Literally. While most of the population obsesses over that which wiggles and jiggles, research suggests it's the fat we can't see that's of greater concern. And it's not just about how much fat you have, but where you tend to store it that worries most doctors.

There are two types of fat: subcutaneous and visceral. Subcutaneous fat is located beneath the skin in places like the abdomen, thighs, hips, and buttocks. You know it, you see it, you hate it. Visceral fat, better known as belly fat, is located deep within the midsection, surrounding the liver, heart, lungs, and digestive tract. And it's invisible to the naked eye. "People are self-conscious about the fat they can see," says Heather Hausenblas, associate professor of exercise and health psychology at the University of Florida's College of Health and Human Performance, but "hidden fat, in people of any size, poses the bigger threat." Why? Visceral fat churns out inflammatory substances called cytokines that can wreak havoc on the body's organs.


Subcutaneous fat—that roll of fat you can pinch between your fingers—patiently sits beneath the outermost layer of skin, and while unsightly, it's not as dangerous as visceral fat. A 2004 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that the removal of subcutaneous fat through liposuction —nearly 23 pounds of it—in obese women had no effect on their blood sugar, blood pressure, or cholesterol levels after three months. Visceral fat, on the other hand, is very active metabolically. It constantly releases substances that travel to the liver and influence the production of blood fats. "[It] supplies a feeding tube to your vital internal organs, messing up the blood that is sent to those organs," says Hausenblas. That's why the subcutaneous fat on your thighs, she explains, doesn't matter as much to your health as the visceral fat in your belly.


Visceral fat makes the body more vulnerable to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, high blood pressure, Alzheimer's disease, and even certain types of cancer. A recent laboratory study, for example, suggests that visceral fat may promote the spread and growth of ovarian cancer. Says Ernst Lengyel, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Chicago who led the research: "Cancer cells can feed from visceral fat and," he adds, "there isn't necessarily a connection to obesity because lean women also get ovarian cancer." Other cancers such as breast, gastric, and colon, research shows, may also be fueled by visceral fat.

So who accumulates visceral fat? "Everyone," says John Morton, associate professor of surgery and director of bariatric surgery at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Men have more visceral fat than women, although after menopause, women tend to gain more visceral fat than subcutaneous fat. Genetics can also play a role. "Some ethnic minorities like Hispanics and Native Americans are more prone to collecting visceral fat," says Morton. If we all have it, how do you know if you should be concerned? To find out, doctors say you need nothing more than a mirror and a tape measure.

The most precise way to gauge visceral fat is through an MRI or CT scan, but these procedures can be costly and inaccessible. MRIs and CT scans have shown that waist circumference is an indicator of abdominal fat. So simply take a good look at the shape of your body. Those with an apple shape have a large percentage of their total body fat concentrated above their waist. They're more likely to have more abdominal fat, and therefore more visceral fat, than those with a pear shape, or larger lower body, where body fat settles primarily below the waist. Also measure your waist. Studies show that women with a waist circumference of 35 inches or more and men with a measure of 40 inches or higher have dangerous levels of visceral fat.


What can we do to keep it from reaching unsafe levels? "One of the most effective treatments for targeting visceral fat is exercise, maybe more so than diet," says Kerry Stewart, a professor of medicine and director of clinical research exercise physiology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. "You will see a reduction in waist size, which includes both a loss in subcutaneous and visceral fat, but the visceral fat will go down even more so than the subcutaneous fat." Cardiovascular activities like running, biking, or rowing count more towards visceral fat loss, says Stewart, since they burn more calories than other types of exercise. Still, most doctors will say, something is better than nothing.

Don't discount your diet though, which can help you lose visceral fat and body weight in general. Melina Jampolis, a physician nutrition specialist with practices in San Francisco and Los Angeles, stresses the importance of cutting back on sugar, "especially sugary beverages and refined white carbohydrates," since they're high in calories and nutritionally empty. Replace them with lean protein like skinless poultry and fish or healthy fats like olives, nuts, seeds, and avocados. Eat more fiber; this includes oats, beans, and barley. High-fiber foods can help you feel full longer so you're less likely to overeat. The Institute of Medicine's daily recommendation of fiber for adults under 50 is 38 grams for men and 25 grams for women. It's suggested that men and women 51 years and older eat 30 grams and 21 grams a day, respectively. To achieve this, increase your consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains—"three servings of whole grains per day have been linked with lower levels of visceral fat," says Jampolis.

Last, but not least, consider your sleep habits. A 2010 study from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine showed that too little sleep—five hours or less—or too much sleep—eight hours or more—was related to increases in visceral fat. And while diet and stress may also have played a part, researchers say sleep itself appeared to be a risk factor.

When all is said and done, shedding fat for those who are overweight, whether it's subcutaneous or visceral, is a win-win situation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines overweight adults as having a body mass index, or BMI, between 25 and 29.9, while those who have a BMI of 30 or higher are considered obese. It should be noted that BMI correlates with body fat but does not measure it directly. To determine your BMI, simply take your weight in pounds, divide by your height in inches squared, and then multiply by 703. For example, if your weight is 200 pounds and your height is 6 feet, the calculation would be: [200 / (72)²] x 703 = 27.

Losing weight—through diet, exercise, and other behavioral changes like meditation to relieve stress—can help stave off a host of problems including heart disease, stroke, cancer, gallbladder disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, infertility, and depression. Now that's something we can all live with.