Eat Carbs to Slim Down?

Imagine you're on a diet. You are on your way shed those pounds away. People told you that you need to stay away from carbs, and you did it. Problem is you will go hungry and eventually lose control and binge. Why? Because your body need fuel and the fuel is carbs. Cut your body away from carbs, and it will start demanding more and more to keep up with the deficiency. 

The key to lose weight and curb hunger is to include carbs in your diet and cut a bit of calories intake, say about 500 kcal. You can also stay full longer by boosting your fiber intake. By keeping your diet well-balanced and filled with good nutrients, you will lose weight and be more healthy.

So what kind of satisfying carbs-packed food you need in your diet? Potatoes, good ole potatoes. You can bake them, you can steam them, top them with corn, beans, salsa, or whatever sauce you like. It tastes good, it's filled with fiber, potassium, and vitamin C without the additional excess fat and calories.

Stubborn Acne All Year Round

Like any other person, I have a little problem with acne. A simple case of make up brand switch can trigger the explosion of pimples. Seriously, my face is like a mine field waiting to be nudged. I usually treat the problem with acne gel or cream, mostly salicylic acid. But a layer of Benzoyl peroxide is needed for severe acne. BP can dry up acne like salt on a slug.

Facial by beautician sometimes helps to remove blackheads and whiteheads. Growing comedones can only result in more acne. I usually use soft scrub for daily facial wash and sugar scrub weekly. The scrubs help reducing comedones and, hopefully, acne.

I'm considering chemical peeling, but I'm not sure whether to choose home peeling or office peeling. Peeling by an expert should yield a better result, but would be expensive. Home peeling is preferable for the less privileged. There are many home peeling product containing low concentration AHA or BHA, which is mild enough to be used by common people like me. One product in particular that I really want to try is from Hada Labo Tamagohada. Girls are raving about it in some forum. 

Another acne problem that I can't solve with acne gel or cream is the monthly acne. Usually appears in a form of large red bumps which are painful to touch. A friend told me that it's a hormonal problem and could only be treated with cortisone injection into the bumps. I'm still waiting for other options, preferably less painful.

The most recommended treatment for acne (scars included) is laser, dermatologist approved. Said to be very, very effective. Said to have really short recovery time. Said to not only treat acne and scars, but also repair skin condition, which means it can be used for anti aging therapy. Awesome stuff, laser be. But I'm not prepared to pay hundreds of dollars per session just to get rid of acne. Maybe after I become a successful business owner. Until then, I'll just do what I can.

Vitamin D: The Essential

Vitamin D is known for its benefit for health and beauty. Our body can produce its own vitamin D with a little help from the sun. You guessed it, UV rays. Meaning, exposing oneself to a known risk factor of skin cancer, not to mention wrinkles and dark spots. We can always use sunblock, but this act will hamper the production of vitamin D as sunblock "blocks" UV rays from penetrating our skin. 

Fortunately, we don't have to risk ourselves to get our vitamin D. A lot of food stuffs contain enough vitamin D to protect our health and beauty. A few examples are salmon, sardines, mackerel, cod liver oil, shiitake mushrooms, and vitamin D-fortified yogurts and cereals.

Why is vitamin D so essential? Because its primary function is to strengthen our bones, teeth, and muscle. Vitamin D helps our body to absorb calcium, an essential mineral that composes bones and teeth, and helps muscles to work. Vitamin D also helps in preventing arthritis, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and seasonal affective disorder, to name a few.

We are all aware that vitamin D is essential for our bones. We also need to be aware of a thing about aging, called the shrinking of the bones and muscles and tissues (Oh, my!), including the facial ones. The result would be wrinkles, hollow looking cheeks, and don't forget the jowls. So, take enough vitamin D for the sake of your everlasting beauty (and health). For those who are undergoing extreme dieting, you might need to take vitamin D supplement. You don't want to look like you age a century after you shed the pounds.

Cheerio!