Friday, September 17, 2010

20 Foods That are Great for Your Skin


It doesn’t take much more than common sense to realize that what you put into your body is going to have an impact on how your body looks and feels. If you eat foods that are filled with fat, cooked in grease and high on the sugar then your body is going to reflect that in its shape, size and texture. In contrast, if you consume foods that are healthy for you then your body is going to respond by looking and feeling healthier.

This is true at all levels including the level of your skin. People who want to have skin that looks young and supple and that has that healthy natural glow to it need to start by paying attention to what types of foods they are putting into their bodies. Take a look at the following twenty foods that are good for your skin and think about which ones you can easily add to your diet to get that youthful skin appearance that you desire:

1. Water. The number one thing that you can put into your body if you want great-looking skin is water. The more water you drink, the more you flush all of the other stuff out of your body and the healthier your skin is going to look.

2. Green tea. When you’re not drinking water, you should be drinking green tea. It has many, many different health benefits including benefits for the skin. You can drink it cold or warm. Avoid adding sugar or milk to it if you want the best benefits for your skin.

3. Cantaloupe. This food increases antioxidants in your body which increases your ability to absorb free radicals which in turn reduce skin problems so that you have healthier skin.

4. Tomatoes. This is another food that is rich in anti-oxidants and so will have the same skin-boosting benefits that the cantaloupe will give to you.

5. Berries. Strawberries, blueberries and blackberries are all berries that are also rich in antioxidants. Eat them alone, toss them in cereal or add them to the sides of other dishes to increase the healthiness of your skin all throughout the day.

6. Plums. There really is a long list of fruits that you can eat that are rich in antioxidants and that are therefore good for your skin.

7. Sweet potatoes. This is a vegetable alternative to the cantaloupe and tomato options that you may want to try to get those free radicals flowing healthfully throughout your body and fighting off skin problems.

8. Broccoli. This is a great vegetable that has many different health benefits which is why you’re always hearing that you should “eat your broccoli”. One of the things it contains a whole lot of is Vitamin A, a vitamin that is great at improving the turnover of cells in the skin. This means that when you eat broccoli, your skin gets renewed more quickly and the freshest (nicest looking) skin is on top where everyone you meet can see it.

9. Spinach. This food doesn’t just make you strong like Popeye. It’s also rich in the same Vitamin A properties that broccoli has so it’s good for your skin as well. You never saw Popeye looking like he had dry, aged skin did you?!

10. Carrots. If you want to get your Vitamin A but you aren’t that big of a fan of leafy green vegetables then you may want to turn to carrots to improve your skin with this vitamin.

11. Low Fat Dairy. Diary products are another really great source of Vitamin A so they can be really good for the skin. However, you want to avoid the fat that is in a lot of these foods so make sure that you look for low-fat versions of cheese and milk that are rich in Vitamin A.

12. Omega3 Rich Fish Dishes. Omega3 is that “good fat” that we’re always trying to get even though we try to avoid the “bad fat”. One of the things that the Omega3 fats do is ward off any kind of inflammation. This means they’re good for the skin. You can find these in many different fish dishes including tuna, shellfish, sardines and salmon.

13. Flax seeds. You don’t have to eat fish to get the essential fatty acids that your body needs (and that improve your skin). An alternative option is to eat flax seeds and to cook with flax seed oil.

14. Walnuts. These are yet another option that you can choose in addition to flax seeds or fish dishes if you want to improve your skin with those essential fatty acids.

15. Grapefruit. This food is really rich in Vitamin C. Vitamin C is great for people concerned about skin problems because it delays or reduces wrinkles.

16. Oranges. Just like with grapefruits, these are great for the skin because they are so rich in Vitamin C.

17. Brussel Sprouts. Most people think that you have to eat citrus fruits to get Vitamin C but there are a few vegetables out there that have it as well. Brussel sprouts are a good one for the skin. Peas are another option.

18. Whole wheat. Another ingredient in some foods that is really good for your skin is selenium. This is found in whole wheat cereals, breads and baked goods. This improves the skin at a cellular level and keeps you looking young and beautiful.

19. Lean red meat. Some people have poor skin because they don’t have enough iron in their diets. If you are concerned that you’re too pale or you have dark circles under your eyes then you may need more iron. Red meat is a great source for that but make sure that you’re not eating any red meat that is too high in fat.

20. Eggs. Eggs are a good iron-providing alternative for people who don’t want to eat much red meat.

Adding these foods to your diet should go a long way towards improving the healthfulness of your skin. However, it’s just as important to cut out foods from your diet as it is to add foods if you do want healthy skin. Make sure that you reduce your intake of caffeine, bad fats, salt, sugar, etc. to maximize the healthy benefits that your skin is getting from the intake of these other good foods!


Indian Board of Alternative Medicine
80, Chowringhee Road
Calcutta - 700002
India
http://www.altmedworld.net


17 Unique and Interesting Types of Massage Therapy


1. Amma Therapy. This type of body therapy combines several different types of massage therapy in one session. It goes beyond this, however. It refers to a push-and-pull motion that is used within the massage. The goal of this type of massage therapy is to rejuvenate the energy flow of the body.

2. Ayurvedic Massage. This type of massage is similar to acupressure but it comes from India instead of from China. Like with acupressure, it uses massage on top of specific pressure points to heal the body. In Ayurvedic massage, these healing points are called marmas. There are two goals of this massage. The first is to heal pain. The second is to detoxify the body.

3. Balinese Massage. This is a type of massage that you don’t hear about very often. However, you may be familiar with the other types of massage that are combined together to create this unique massage. They include Swedish massage, Deep Tissue massage, acupressure massage, energy work such as Reiki and even aromatherapy.

4. Belavi. This is the name for a unique type of facial massage. It is an age-defying rejuvenation massage. It reduces wrinkles and increases the healthy glow in your face. It is sometimes called “the facelift massage”. The massage is done on the face, limbs and upper body. A facelift including a mask and exfoliation are also done.

5. Body Electric Massage. This type of massage is a blend of two other types of massage. The first is Thai Massage, which is a type of clothed massage that uses stretching as its core. The second is Swedish massage, which is the more hands-on type of “body rub” that you may be familiar with. However, there’s more to the massage than this. It’s a spiritual based massage that derives from Buddhism and Tantra. The goal of this massage is to heal the body through attention to each chakra of the body. Another goal of this massage is to raise self-awareness of the sensual self.

6. Canadian Deep Tissue Muscle Massage. This type of massage is designed specifically for pain relief. The massage therapist is trained to heal specific muscle problems in the body. It is usually a quick, clothed massage that is done with the patient seated in a chair.

7. Craniosacral Massage Therapy. This is a massage that is focused on the head as well as the spine. It is probably the type of massage that is closest in nature to chiropractic care. Subtle adjustments may be done to the neck and spine during this type of massage. However, this is primarily a light-touch massage that often focuses on head massage.

8. Esalen Massage. This is a light-touch massage that is designed specifically to heal emotions. It is the physical equivalent of going to see a psychologist. Although you may not talk about your psychological, emotional and spiritual issues with your Esalen massage therapist, the goal is to heal them. The underlying belief is that the power of human touch is so strong that it has the power to heal these problems.

9. Five Element Shiatsu. This is a rhythmic motion massage doe to the back or stomach to heal the body. In the beginning stages of this massage, the massage therapist will use all of his or her senses to gain a complete understanding of the patient’s body. The healer will tailor the massage to the specific problems uncovered during these first stages. The goal of this type of massage is to create energy harmony in the body.

10. Lomi Lomi. This Hawaiian form of massage uses an undulating motion when rubbing the body. Think the waves of the ocean or the dance of the hula. As with many other forms of massage, the purpose of this massage is to unblock the body’s trapped energy.

11. Manual Lymphatic Drainage. This type of gentle massage is designed to improve the flow of the body’s lymph fluid. It uses a very specific amount of pressure that is applied in a circular motion to achieve the intended healing results.

12. Pfrimmer Deep Muscle Therapy. This rare type of massage is a deep body massage that is designed for advanced healing. This massage is designed to actually rejuvenate muscles that have been damaged and to give assistance to people suffering from paralysis of the body. It goes far beyond the basics of deep tissue massage and uses highly specialized techniques to heal the body at the cellular level.

13. Raindrop Technique Massage. This Native American massage technique is heavily focused on the use of aromatherapy. Scented massage oils are applied to the hands, feet and spine during this massage. The massage is a back massage that uses heat and motion to realign the spine. The goal of the massage is to release toxins from the spine to heal the whole body.

14. Rolfing. Another type of very deep tissue massage is rolfing. It is essentially chiropractics for the muscles of the body. The goal of this type of massage is to realign the body’s muscles the way that they are supposed to be. This type of massage is not a one-time deal; it is completed in a series of sessions over weeks or months.

15. Russian Massage. This type of massage is a pain-relieving massage. It alternates long deep strokes with short quick strokes to heal the muscles. It is sometimes described as a combination of Swedish massage and sports massage.

16. Thai Herbal Massage. Thai massage, a type of stretching-based massage, is very common. In contrast, Thai herbal massage may not be as easy to find at day spas in your area. Your best bet is to research skin care services because it is sometimes considered to be more of a facial than a true massage. However, it is notable that this type of massage is often done to the whole body and not just the face. It has the hallmarks of a facial in the sense that it uses heat and steam and a body wrap to offer a relaxing, rejuvenating experience. However, it does incorporate hands-on massage with deep muscle manipulation using hot oil and hot compresses.

17. Trigger Point Myotherapy Massage. This type of massage uses pressure-based muscle manipulation. The massage is focused on trigger points. These are areas where the muscle has gotten stuck in a spasm. The massage works out the spasm. This is a deep tissue massage that some people may find to be painful or too intense.

Indian Board of Alternative Medicine
80, Chowringhee Road
Calcutta - 700002
India
http://www.altmedworld.net