Skin Care Tips for Summer

With the summer blues hitting you very often, you might be dwelling in the seasonal changes that keep you rejuvenated every now and then. It’s okay if you forget to take care of your health and body for quite some time. But you dare to forget the whole season?
The answer is a perfect NO, as you know you need to take extra care of your skin, hair and health. As you can find noticeable changes in weather, taking formidable steps would decrease your efforts as the season continues.

The resistance of the body is naturally reduced because of the infections one commonly faces in Summer. These include , flu, indigestion problems, jaundice, cough, dysentery, typhoid etc., So, it is important that you need to take care of the food you eat and the water you drink. You also get affected with skin diseases like prickly heat, eczema etc.,

Besides, it is important to take care of your pretty good hair especially in the rainy season. Your hair remains moist for longer time and even after a shower you still find it difficult to dry and it remains moist because of humid climate. Wet hair may lead to bad odour. So here are some tips to take care of your skin, hair and body to maintain healthy and good look all through the Summer.
Skin Care Tips:

There is a lot more to take care of your skin this Summer as dust particles easily settle on your skin which eventually damages the regular soft and toned look your skin possess. Here are some tips to maintain your skin healthy:

An alcohol free toner is suggested as the high humidity could open up your pores (Toning is usually followed after cleansing).

Most of them stop using sunscreen once the climate turns cool, but you must continue it even if it is cloudy.

Heavy makeup is a huge turn off in rains, better if one opts for a water- proof makeup.

Opt for a lotion- based serum, which keeps your skin rehydrate and brightens it up.

Avoid bleaching and facials in this season, as bleaching could do more harm for your face and facial makes your skin rough.

Wash your lips at night and apply some milk cream. Avoid lipsticks especially the dark shaded ones. Apply coconut oil if they are slightly cracked.

Waxing, pedicure, and manicure are always recommended to give your skin and body a toned look all the time.

Always wash your face, hands and feet as soon as you reach your home with lukewarm water. This makes you feel refreshed and stay healthy.

However there are different other methods based on whether the skin is oily or dry. These are the general tips that you must follow as the season begins

5 Home Made Face Packs especially

With ageing or exposure to ultraviolet rays, wrinkles occur commonly on our face. Though there are many beauty products being sold in the market, many of them have a negative effect on the skin in the long run. So it is best to go for natural remedies for skin to keep it healthy, youthful and glowing.
So it is best to go for natural remedies for skin to keep it healthy, youthful and glowing.

Egg white and lemon juice face pack

The protein in egg whites help tighten the skin to improve its elasticity and reduce wrinkles.

Take an egg and remove the yolk from it and beat it. Now add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to the egg white and mix well. Apply the mixture onto your face for 15-20 minutes. Wash it off from your face with the help of a warm washcloth.

Cucumber face pack

Cucumber can provide you with antioxidants you need to combat wrinkles. The vitamin C present in lemons is a strong antioxidant.

Take a half peel cucumber and grate it well. Add one egg white and one teaspoon lemon juice to the grated cucumber and mix them well. Now, apply the mixture on your face and leave it for 15-20 minutes. Wash it off with warm water.

Papaya and honey pack

Ripe papaya is rich in vitamins A, C and E and mixing it with honey helps in reducing the signs of skin aging - such as freckles and age spots.

Mash the ripe papaya to form a paste and add honey to it. Mix the ingredients well and apply it on face. Let it stay for 20 minutes and wash off with water.

Apple face pack

The antioxidants found in apples such as vitamins, A, C & E help to promote younger looking skin. The antioxidants can also prevent the premature onset of wrinkles.

First, boil an apple in water and when cools down, remove the seeds and mash it properly to form a paste and add honey and milk powder to it. Apply the paste on your face and leave it on for 15 minutes. Wash it off with cool water.

Honey and lemon pack

Honey is good for skin as it increases skin’s capacity to conserve moisture. Lemon juice nourishes dry skin and gives it a natural, healthy glow.

Take a tablespoon of honey and lemon juice each and mix well. Now, apply the mixture on your face and leave it for 20 minutes. Wash it off with cold water.

Rid of Dry Risk - Dry Skin Remedies

Dry skin is the most problematic out of the numerous skin types and needs constant and regular
moisturizing. The moisturizers also needs to be oily enough for the dry skin otherwise it will dry up really soon.

Though there are many products available in the market but they are harmful to our skin. So, one should try homemade remedies to treat dry skin as they are readily available, extremely efficient and reusable.

Here are some easy homemade remedies for dry skin:

Honey Pack

Honey is great for dry skin as it smoothens out the skin’s wrinkles and leaves it silky and soft.

Take some honey and orange juice and mix it. Now apply the pack onto the skin and leave it 10 minutes and then washed off.

Besan Pack

Besan are good for skin as it hydrates dry skin and removes fine lines and wrinkles.
Take some besan with one teaspoon of turmeric, honey , littl e milk and mixed thoroughly. Now, add few drops of lime and apply the pack to the face, leave it for some time and then rinse it off with warm water.

Egg Pack

Eggs are an excellent source of protein and they are good for healthy skin. It is one of the best homemade beauty tips for dry skin.
Take the egg yolk and mix it thoroughly with orange juice, castor oil, olive oil, some rose water, honey and a few drops of freshly squeezed lime juice. Apply this mixture in the morning before taking a bath and then washed off with water.

Chocolate Pack

Chocolates not only taste good, they are also good for skin. It makes the skin soft and supple and gives it the glow that dry skin lacks.
Take some cocoa powder and mixed thoroughly with honey, maize flour and some mashed avocado. Now apple the pack for half an hour and washed off with Luke warm water.

Good Grades with Healthy Diets

There may be more links between our eating habits and our performance in school than we originally thought. As children, most of us had it drilled into our heads
at school that beginning the day with a balanced breakfast, and eating healthy throughout the day, was essential for excelling in our studies. Whether or not we believed it as children, it holds true even as we grow older, and go on to pursue higher education.

What Does the Data Say?

Studies have confirmed the link between healthy diets and better academic performance. Unfortunately, only about 5% of US college students adhere to the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables.

Throughout the years, researchers have studied children to research the link between dietary choices, physical fitness, and academic performance. The findings have been fairly conclusive: students who maintained healthier eating habits tended to perform better in just about every measurable way: from reading to mathematics, the fitter students outperformed the less fit ones.

What Foods Are Best?

For some of us, “healthy” is a subjective term – so how can we choose what foods to eat? The Food Guide Pyramid is a great tool, but knowing the “why” behind it will help to better inform our choices. Here are the highlights:

– Fish is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for maintaining focus and mental clarity.

– Vegetables, particularly “cruciferous” vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage, aid in memory retention.

– Berries can help to reduce the toxins in your bloodstreams and improve blood flow to the brain.

– Whole grains, unlike the refined carbs in pasta and white bread, can provide long-lasting energy and support neurological functioning.

Iron Rich Food Combs

If you've been considering cutting out or cutting back on red meat, you may be wondering if you'll wind up depriving your body of iron. Sure, plant-based foods also contain this mineral, but it isn't as readily absorbed. Only 2% to 20% of the iron in plants (called non-heme) makes its way from your digestive system to your blood, compared to 15% to 35% of the iron in animal foods (called heme). But fortunately, there's a simple solution: Just add some vitamin C to your meal. It boosts the amount of non-heme iron your body absorbs by as much as six fold. Below are six iron-rich plant foods, each paired with a fruit or veggie loaded with vitamin C. But there's no need to stick with these specific pairs—feel free to mix and match. You can create tons of combos with these 12 staples, to help your body get all the iron it needs.
Spinach (iron) + red bell peppers (C)

There are plenty of ways to pair these two. Raw, minced peppers in a spinach salad works, as does spinach cooked into a stuffed bell pepper. Or try sliced peppers sautéed with spinach. I love this combo with olive oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper.
Broccoli (iron) + tomatoes (C)

Toss steamed broccoli florets in sundried tomato pesto. Or to put together dinner in minutes, sauté broccoli and tomatoes with onions, mushrooms, olive oil, garlic, and Italian herb seasoning. Complete the meal with a lean protein (like chicken breast, salmon, or white beans) and a small serving of a healthy carb (such as quinoa or brown rice pasta). To get an iron boost at breakfast, add broccoli and tomatoes to an omelet or frittata.
Black beans (iron) + cabbage (C)

One of my favorite ways to combine these two is in black bean tacos, each topped with a generous portion of vinegar-based slaw. Black bean-stuffed cabbage rolls are another great option. Or simply add whole, chilled black beans to a slaw.
Kale (iron) + oranges (C)

You can whip both of these into a smoothie, add orange wedges to a kale salad, include them in a stir fry, or enjoy an orange with some crunchy kale chips for a nourishing snack.
Lentils (iron) with Brussels sprouts (C)

Serve grilled or oven-roasted Brussels sprouts over a bed of seasoned lentils, or add both to a fresh garden salad. Shaved Brussels sprouts and lentils also make a great filling for lettuce cups!
Dark chocolate (iron) with strawberries (C)

If you didn’t know that dark chocolate is a good source of iron, I’m thrilled to deliver the good news. Melt and drizzle it over whole strawberries. Or add chopped dark chocolate and sliced strawberries to your morning oatmeal, whip them together in a smoothie, or fold them into protein-packed Greek yogurt. For a fun and healthy dessert, try frozen pops—pour almond milk, chopped dark chocolate, and minced strawberries into molds, along with seasonings like fresh grated ginger, chopped mint, or ground cinnamon.
Bonus tricks

Cook with iron: Using iron cookware transfers some of the iron into your food, boosting your intake. This works especially well with acidic foods that have a higher moisture content, like tomato sauce. One classic study found that the iron content in spaghetti sauce increased nine fold after being cooked in a cast iron pot.

Avoid foods that interfere with iron uptake: Tannins (found in tea and coffee) and calcium both interfere with absorption. So if you’re trying to build your body’s iron stores, try to avoid drinking tea and coffee, and taking calcium supplements before an iron-rich meal.

Manufactures really mean about their natural food

Like many shoppers, I find food labels oddly confusing. You can have words such as “artificial” and natural” in most circumstances, and the implications are pretty clear.
But once the words hit food labels, the meaning starts to get blurry. With the prevalence of food flavoring in our diets today, I often wonder what it means to consume natural versus artificial flavors. Is one type of flavoring necessarily better for you when you’re not eating the actual food anyways? While “artificial” generally sounds fake and bad, there are artificially-flavored products that taste more “real” than their naturally-flavored counterparts. In the world of food flavoring, what do manufacturers really mean by natural and artificial flavors?

But before you peg artificial food flavoring as worse than natural flavors, Emma Boast, Program Director of the Museum of Food and Drink who is currently preparing for the exhibition “Flavor: Making It and Faking It,” offered a different perspective. She noted, “Natural and artificial flavors can be made from exactly the same chemicals that come from edible and inedible sources.” For example, you can have a “natural” lemon flavor made from citral, which is a chemical found in lemon peel. You can also have an “artificial” lemon flavor made from citral, which is processed from petrochemicals. The only difference between these two chemicals is how they were synthesized. Your sensory experience of each will be exactly the same, because they are the same chemical. The most important thing to note, according to Boast, is that “natural” citral does not need to come from lemons; it can come from plants like lemongrass and lemon myrtle, which also contain citral. In short, the word “natural” does not necessarily mean a product is better for you, or more sustainable.

As for health implications, Boast noted, “we don’t have any evidence distinguishing the nutritional benefits of natural and artificial food flavoring at this point.” Although odds are much higher of finding artificial food flavoring in potato chips than in broccoli for instance, the sugar and starch-rich component of the snack can be more easily considered as the culprit of the negative dietary effect before the artificiality of the flavoring comes into play, according to Boast.