10 Most Common Beauty Mistakes of Eco-friendly Women
By Suzann Kale

Even the smartest among us are still making mistakes. The good news? They're easy fixes. Let's watch out for these eco-beauty errors. 

1. We're still buying makeup and skincare products packaged with non-recyclable materials. As handy as plastic jars are, glass is easier to re-cycle.  

If you must use plastic (glass bottles falling on a tiled bathroom floor are dangerous), become familiar with the recycling number system. Containers which are marked 1 or 2 are easier to recycle than those numbered from 3 to 7. Find the number on the bottom of the jar, next to or inside the triangle recycle logo. Sometimes the information is pressed into the plastic instead of printed, so you might need a bright light and your glasses. 

If you can't find the number on the product or the box it comes in, at least look for the circular arrow logo, which indicates a recyclable material. Still can't find it? Just email the company and ask, by going to the company's website and looking for a "contact us" button. 

2. Let's bring our eco-awareness to work with us. It's not just in the home that we can make a difference. Less waste can also help your company's bottom line. 

3. Before buying a new makeup or body lotion, remember to run questionable ingredients through your search engine to check for toxicity. Everything you put on you or your children's skin, including hair products, can be absorbed into the bloodstream. 

4. Remember to bring a re-usable shopping bag to the store with you. Every time. It doesn't have to be fancy or expensive. It can be as simple as re-using a plastic or paper bag, or dusting off an unused tote. 

5. Make a list and buy all cosmetics, shoes and clothes in one trip, instead of many. 

6. Companies are marketing disposable beauty aids - and we're still buying them. We don't need disposable makeup remover cloths when a washcloth will do just as well. We can even cut back on cotton swabs and facial tissue, using foam makeup wedges instead. 

7. When shopping for new makeup, remember to bring with you a list of green cosmetics companies. You can print out the list at [http://www.mymakeupmirror.com/content/view/50/ ]My Makeup Mirror, or any other source that you trust.
8. Old clothes that are too used for donation can be cut up and used as wash and cleaning cloths. Depending on the size of the fabrics, they can also be used for the kids' crafts projects, re-sewn into table runners, or made into small couch throws. 

9. Even if a box is recyclable, excessive packaging is unacceptable. Something small to protect a product from being opened, or a box that's already made of recycled material, is fine. But boxes within boxes, cardboard shelves within the box to make a small jar appear larger, even tissue paper used to wrap cosmetics at the department store - are all wasteful. 

10. In addition to checking the ingredients for toxicity, too many of us are still buying lotions and potions that require the abuse or death of an animal in their creation or testing. Beauty involves compassion. There's no way we can be truly beautiful if it's at another creature's expense. Check My Makeup Mirror to see what makes a truly animal-friendly company.

None of these eco ideas are difficult or time consuming. We just need to joyfully make them habits; parts of our daily and corporate lives. We have already made a huge dent in the way the world does business. Let's use that as momentum to do even more.

 

Suzann writes for the website My Makeup Mirror - a potpourri of articles, product reviews, and how-to's on hair, cosmetics, and well-being.

Manufacturers of dietary supplements and vitamin pills will need to prove that they describe on the label is actually in the bottle.

The new rule is meant to address concerns that supplements could be contaiminated or lack ingredients. This rule will ensure the quality of dietary supplements so that  consumers can be confident.

Manufacturers will be required to evaluate the identity purity, strength and composition of their supplements.  They will need to check for contamination as well as improper packaging and labels.

Full Story HERE

Forskolin Extract May Help Treat Bladder Infection

The online edition of Nature Medicine reports that an herbal extract promoted as an allergy and fat-loss aid can successfully help treat bladder infections. Tests in mice found that the extract forskolin can kill bacteria hiding in pouches that line the bladder. Forskolin is derived from the Indian coleus plant. Researchers believe that the herbal extract could significantly help eradicate urinary tract infections when combined with antibiotics. 

Details HERE

According to the results of a small trial published in the May issue of the Archives of Dermatology, topical vitamin A (retinol) reduces fine lines and wrinkles associated with aging.

Dr. Reza Kafi of the University of Michigan notes, “Retinol has the potential to delivery retinoic acid-like effects to human skin with improved tolerability.” Retinoic acid, available only by prescription, can be expensive and is known to be irritating to the skin.

Elderly patients received 0.4% retinol (vitamin A) lotion on one arm and a placebo “carrier” on the other, up to 3 times per week for 24 weeks, at which point treated skin was compared, evaluated and biopsied. Third party dermatologists evaluated skin quality and assessed for roughness and wrinkling at intervals.

Biopsies showed that the retinol was active within the skin layers and that treated skin showed marked increases of glycosaminoglycan and procollagen I.

Benefits of topical Vitamin A treatment became evident at 4 weeks and were seen up to 12 weeks after the end of treatment.

As skin ages, the number of keratinocytes and fibroblasts are reduced and collagen production is decreased, causing thinning of the skin and subsequent wrinkling and other signs of aging. Topically applied Vitamin A
(retinol) increases the production of collagen in the skin.

Vitamin A is an inexpensive and readily available. Vitamin A oil can be applied directly on the skin or incorporated into commercial or home made skin preparations. We recommend direct application to the skin several
times a week to help prevent wrinkles and skin aging.

To purchase vitamin A capsules and skin care products, visit our website HERE

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There are currently three prescription drugs available for erectile dysfunction of physical origin, but little information has been provided to the general public concerning their differences in performance and duration of effectiveness for these medications. Many couples are forced to rely on the recommendations of their doctors without understanding why the recommendation is made.

A new device called "Accent" smooths out cellulite without liposuction.

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A recent study in the May issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that fish oil supplements and regular aerobic exercise reduced bodyfat and improve health in overweight patients.

Both fish oil capsules and aerobic exercise reduced bodyfat alone, but were particularly effective when combined.

Seventy-five overweight volunteers participated in the study and were randomly assigned to groups using 6 grams of fish oil per day alone, fish oil plus exercise, 6 grams of sunflower oil alone (the control group) or sunflower oil plus exercise.  The exercise consisted of three walks of 45 minutes at 75% max heart rate per week.  

Body composition was evaluated at the beginning of the study and at 12 weeks.

The groups receiving fish oil had improved blood lipid profiles and improved arterial blood flow than those receiving sunflower oil.

Both fish oil and exercise were independently associated with reduced body fat.

For other Health Benefits of Fish Oil visit HERE
To purchase Fish Oil supplements go HERE

For More Natural Health and Beauty Articles visit us HERE

 

 

Alpha Lipoic Acid is known for it's anti-oxidant and anticancer mechanism, but has been studied in the last few years as a weight loss agent, and a treatment for obesity.  It has shown effective use against metabolic syndrome and Type II diabetes, both conditions of which are associated with obesity.

Alpha Lipoic Acid seems to fight insulin resistance and obesity in three ways.  First, it works in the hypothalus by lowering levels of AMP-activated protein kinase, and decreasing the desire for food intake and increasing the body's energy expenditure.

It also works on the pancreatic level by directly reducing insulin secretion in beta cells and . 

In sketetal muscle tissue. Alpha2-AMPK activity was decreased in obese rats compared to control rats after consuming ALA and increased fatty acid oxidation from muscle tissue was measured. 

Alpha lipoic acid works to reduce body fat and reverse insulin resistance by normalizing appetite, energy expenditure, pancreatic function, and fat oxidation in muscle cells.  Looks like a winner of a dietary supplement.

For more information on ALA:  http://www.botanicalbeautylab.com/ala-for-weightloss.html 
To purchase ALA:  http://www.botanicalbeautylab.com/ala.html 

For More Natural Health and Beauty Articles visit us HERE

Obesity: the role of hypothalamic AMP-activated protein kinase in body weight regulation.  Lee WJ; Koh EH; Won JC; Kim MS; Park JY; Lee KU  Department of Internal Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Song-Pa P.O. Box 145, Seoul 138-600, Republic of Korea.

alpha-lipoic acid regulates AMP-activated protein kinase and inhibits insulin secretion from beta cells. Targonsky ED; Dai F; Koshkin V; Karaman GT; Gyulkhandanyan AV; Zhang Y; Chan CB; Wheeler MB Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S 1A8.

Alpha-lipoic acid increases insulin sensitivity by activating AMPK in skeletal muscle. Lee WJ; Song KH; Koh EH; Won JC; Kim HS; Park HS; Kim MS; Kim SW; Lee KU; Park JY Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Alpha-lipoic acid inhibits adipocyte differentiation by regulating pro-adipogenic transcription factors via mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. Cho KJ; Moon HE; Moini H; Packer L; Yoon DY; Chung AS Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 305-701, South Korea.

A recent study published in the March 2007 issue of the British Journal of Nutrition* shows that long term use of adequate amounts of conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, reduces body fat.  The six month study showed that results were particularly noticeble for fat reduction in the legs, and for women with BMI (body mass indexes) over 30.

Participants were provided with 3 to 4 grams of CLA per day, and no changes in diet or activity level were required.

This confirms earlier studies with CLA performed by the same core group in Norway in 2000 and 2004.

Similar studies done on overweight people in other parts the world have not been able to reproduce these excellent results.  My hypothesis is that the Norwegian results may be enhanced by the fact that the native Norwegian diet  is rich in omega 3 oils from a diet of health cold water fish.

The two seem to work synergistically to enhance the metabolism of body fat for energy.

Stay tuned for more information as it comes in.

For more information on CLA:  http://www.botanicalbeautylab.com/cla-for-weightloss.html
To purchase CLA:  http://www.botanicalbeautylab.com/cla.html 

For More Natural Health and Beauty Articles visit us HERE

*  Six months supplementation with conjugated linoleic acid induces regional-specific fat mass decreases in overweight and obese.  Gaullier JM, Halse J, Hoivik HO, Hoye K, Syvertsen C, Nurminiemi M, Hassfeld C, Einerhand A, O'Shea M, Gudmundsen O. Link Medical Research AS, Kjeller, Norway

If you're a nobody in your 20's, with two kids and a recent divorce and suddenly you start partying, forgetting to put on your underwear and shaving your head, nobody seems to think twice.

Everyone goes through a little rebellion and sowing of wild oats after a bad divorce.

Poor Britney Spears.

Apparently, world wide media are distraught because she's decided that she's tired of the trappings of glamour and fashion.  She's had her head shaved.  In fact, she's shaved her own damn head, thank you very much!  And went for a couple of tattoos.

Good for you, Britney!

After working and conforming and trying to stay perfect since you were a kid, after putting yourself out there on stage and working like a dog and building a career long before you should have even started worrying about what you want to be when you grow up - FINALLY - you get to act like a real teenager!  

Shave your head, pierce your eyebrows, throw up in the back of a couple of friends' cars.  Eventually you - like the rest of us - will get it out of your system.  You'll realize how stupid you look.  You'll realize that you can't get a job looking like that.  You'll finally figure out that conforming to societal norms, looking and acting like everyone else, doing what's expected of you and BEHAVING YOURSELF is just really easier all the way around. 

So enjoy yourself.  Go crazy!  Shave everything!  Draw on yourself and have them stick a bone through your nose.  You've spent years and years trying to be the way everyone wanted you to be - expected you to be - now it's your turn to just be whoever you want to be.

Because in a year or so, you'll realize that who you want to be is pretty much like everyone else.

In the meantime, have fun kiddo!  You only get to be an obnoxious, rebellious teenager once in your life.  You're a little late, but that's understandable, you were busy trying to be a grown up before you were ready.

Have fun - get it out of your system.

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