Calendula -- More Than Just A Pretty Flower

Hi Everyone...

When I was a child, my mother always had beautiful potted marigolds in the house during the spring and summer months. But I'm sure my mom didn't know that there was more to this plant than simply it's beauty. There is!!!

Calendula (Marigolds) are a member of the daisy family Asteraceae, native to the area from Macaronesia east through the Mediterranean region to Iran. They are "Pot Marigolds", not to be confused with Marsh Marigolds or Corn Marigolds. I'm talking about the ones that you buy each spring at the Home Depot or Lowes...

Anyway, besides being a pretty plant, the petals are used to make an extract which is fabulous for our skin! It's anti-inflammatory properties suggest that it is ideal for acne and eczema as it soothes irritated skin. More and more this tincture is being introduced by the cosmetics industry in their skin care products. It's even being used in stretch mark creams because of the soothing effects on a mommy's tender belly..

Calendula is also considered edible. It is often sprinkled on salads to add color and unique flavor.

So next spring when you see the marigolds for sale, I hope you'll remember that they're not only great to the eye, but great for your skin!

Protect your skin, Protect your body.

With Sweet Goodness,

Shermaine

Shea Butter - Did you know???

Hey Everyone....

Most of you should have already heard of (or used) Shea Butter. However, for those who haven't, let's go through a quick overview...

Shea butter or Shea nut butter is a slightly yellowish or ivory-colored natural fat extracted from fruit of the shea tree by crushing and boiling. Shea butter is widely used in cosmetics as a moisturizer and an emollient. The shea or karite tree, formerly Butyrospermum paradoxum, is now called Vitellaria paradoxa. It produces its first fruit (which resemble large plums) when it is about 20 years old and reaches its full production when the tree is about 45 years old. It produces nuts for up to 200 years after reaching maturity. The shea tree grows naturally in the wild in the dry savannah belt of West Africa from Senegal in the west to Sudan in the east, and onto the foothills of the Ethiopian highlands.

Shea butter is marketed as being effective at treating the following conditions: fading scars, severely dry skin, blemishes, dark spots, skin discolorations, chapped lips, and stretchmarks. I chose Shea Butter as one of the ingredients for The Body Patisserie's Body Butter Souffle because it was gentle for my eczema ridden skin. Shea butter provides natural ultraviolet sun protection, although the level of protection is extremely variable, ranging from nothing to approximately SPF 6

But there are a few things you may not have known about this wonderful ingredient.

Did you know that pure Shea Butter is edible? In West Africa, the ingredient is used as a cooking oil and also as a substitute for cocoa butter in the Chocolate industry.

Did you know that toilet paper manufacturer Andrex released a Shea Butter enriched toilet roll to the UK market in Summer 2009? (talk about gentle to the touch)

Did you know that in Nigeria, it is believed to be very effective in the management of sinusitis and relief of nasal congestion? This is due to its emollient properties which helps in relaxing the tension in the face skin thus easing respiration. All one needs do, if one has sinus problems or congestion, is rub a considerable amount of the butter in and around the nostrils.

Did you know Shea butter is used in some indigenous ceremonies? Followers of the Holy Spirit Movement rebel group of Uganda smeared their bodies with shea butter in the belief that it would stop bullets! (ok... this is where the disclaimer comes in! Please do not attempt to use shea butter as a means of repelling bullets -- there is no scientific evidence that supports this practice and is deemed fatal if attempted)... I just thought it was an interesting tidbit, but I have to protect myself, you know???

Anyway, Shea Butter is a great emollient and moisturizer to be used in soaps and skin care! Give it a try... You may like it too... Protect your body. Protect your skin.

With Sweet Goodness...

The Blueberry... Superfood???

Hey Everyone,

Ok.. You all know about my increasing search for those foods which will assist me in my quest for optimum health. So, here we go!

The blueberry... Ahhh... We are all familiar with this wonderful berry atop pancakes and in jams and jellies, but there's so much more to these spheres of sweetness!

Because we all know what a blueberry looks like, I'll save that part of the research portion of this. However, lowbush blueberries (better known as wild) are grown predominately in North America, specifically Quebec, Canada and the northeastern region of the United States. "Wild" has been adopted as a marketing term for harvests of managed native stands of low-bush blueberries. The bushes are not planted or genetically manipulated, but they are pruned or burned over every two years, and pests are "managed". Maine produces 25% of the supply of wild blueberries in the United States, while Quebec produces 40% of Canada's supply.

But did you know that researchers have shown that wild (lowbush) blueberries contain anthocyanins & resveratrol (best known for being found in red wine) which inhibit cancer cell prevention* and protect the cardiovascular system? And did you know that chemical isolated from blueberry leaves can block replication of the hepatitis C virus and might help to delay disease spread in infected individuals?** Numerous studies have shown blueberries to improve nighttime visual acuity and promote quicker adjustment to darkness and faster restoration of visual acuity after exposure to glare (Bilberries, a cousin to the blueberry, were ingested in the form of jam by British Pilots in WWII before night missions). And researchers have found that blueberries help protect the brain from oxidative stress and may reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer's disease or dementia.

Plus.. they taste scrumptious!!! So I ask again... The Blueberry... Superfood??? I say indeed.. Protect your body, protect your skin!

With Sweet Goodness,
Shermaine

*Yi W, Fischer J, Krewer G, Akoh CC (September 2005). "Phenolic compounds from blueberries can inhibit colon cancer cell proliferation and induce apoptosis". J Agric Food Chem. 53 (18): 7320–9. doi:10.1021/jf051333o. PMID 16131149.

**The hepatitis healing power of blueberry leaves

Can Salmon Really Save Your Skin?

Hi Everyone!

Ok... A girlfriend of mine was reading Dr. Perricone's book on healthy aging and she was excitedly telling me that I should be eating salmon. Ok.... As I listened with interest, I couldn't exactly match her enthusiasm because I didn't know if I could believe a man who says his $200 per ounce serum is the best because Oprah uses it. Hmmmm..... Oprah has a gazillion dollars to test any product she chooses and this man has about a gazillion dollars from selling $200 serum! Do I jump up and down? Not yet.

So as I always do, I did a little research... Seems as though, some of the good doctor's information is supported by American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. In the Journal's April 2009 issue, researchers followed the eating habits of more than 1,100 Australian adults for approximately five years and found that those who ate a little more than 5 ounces of omega-3-rich fish—such as salmon and tuna—each week decreased the development of precancerous skin lesions by almost 30 percent. These lesions called actinic keratoses and are a common sign of chronic sun damage which could lead to skin cancer if left untreated.

Now... Is the post about Dr. Perricone? Not at all... I have no check coming in the mail for saying this, but he has been quite vocal regarding the amazing skin protecting properties of salmon. Now as far as the expensive serum? Ask Oprah.

Anyway... So the next time you plan that relaxing day in the sun, don't forget to pack your sunscreen and it couldn't hurt to finish the day with a great salmon dinner!

Can't eat salmon? Tuna works well; and if all else fails, you can buy omega 3 oils in pill form... Protect your body... Protect your skin!

With Sweet Goodness,

Shermaine

Vitamin D -- Why are we suddenly deficient?

Hi Everyone,

You hear it all over the news... We have become a society of Vitamin D deficient people! I don't know how old you are, but I can't remember hearing Vitamin D deficiency called an epidemic! What?? I was always told that you drank milk and you got the stuff! But... I'm lactose intolerant. I can't drink milk. And I have never been told I was Vitamin D Deficient... until recently. So, on the console of the very computer I am writing this from sits a bottle of Vitamin D-3! And as I walk around my office -- I'm not alone! WTH??? What happened to us??

Well... you know I always start with an explanation/definition, so here it comes. Vitamin D (Calcitriol) plays the important role of increasing the flow of calcium to the bloodstream and promoting absorption of calcium from food in the intestines. It is important for bone growth and bone remodeling. We get Vitamin D from food sources like milk and some green leafy veggies, but we really get a big dose of it from the SUN.

Ok... now back to the original question... Why are we deficient? When I was a kid, there was no Playstation or X Box... My fun came from going OUTSIDE and playing in the sun. So even if I was lactose intolerant, I was fine because I played outside. That explains the children. What about the adults. Well with 2000 cable channels to entertain us and most of us taking our cars even the shortest distances, we don't get sun either. Long gone are the days of weekends in the park or barbeques at the with the family at the state park loaded with outside activities. We live the lives of MOLES. We only come out when necessary and it's to our detriment! And we won't even talk about our diets!!! How many of us really drink enough milk or eat enough dark green leafy veggies??? I bet not many of us.

We have to take care of ourselves! Eat better, go back to taking that walk after dinner, or even sitting in the park at lunch. All of which will help to satisfy our body's requirement of Vitamin D.

One last tidbit! Did you know that those with darker skin may actually need MORE sunlight than those who are have lighter complexions. The reason is because the melanin in darker skin acts as a sunscreen and therefore doesn't allow as much absorption to the skin in the same amount of time as the person with lighter skin. Melanin is great to fight against skin aging, but not so great because it fights against the absorption of Vitamin D.

I hope this helps! Protect your body! Protect Your Skin!

With Sweet Goodness,

Shermaine

Parabens -- What are they and are they dangerous?

Hey Everyone!

Parabens? What the heck is that? Why is everyone freaking out about them? Well, I am going to let you know what they are, what to look for on your skin care labels and some of the effects. As always, I am going to let you come to your own conclusion at the end.

Ok... Parabens are preservatives used to keep products from spoiling; allowing it to stay on the shelf in your local drug store for what seems like forever. Many of your favorite skin care companies use these in their products. It can be found in everything from Shampoo & Bath Gel (remember... the skin absorbs everything...) to toothpaste. Most common forms of these are methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben or butylparaben. So what does that mean to you??

A study conducted by Dr. Phillipa Darbre and colleagues at the University of Reading, United Kingdom, published in 2004, showed that there was substantial amount of paraben compounds in breast cancer tumors (18 traces of parabens found out of 20 tumor samples). It was suggested that parabens found in underarm deodorants migrated to the breast cells and eventually caused the growth of tumors cells in the breast of both women & MEN (yes... men have breast tissue also!)

Many people were also found to develop allergic reactions due to use of products containing parabens. Parabens may trigger various types of dermatitis (eczema) and other skin conditions. When absorbed by the body, it is suggested that parabens cause estrogenic effects. They mimic and behave like estrogen, leading to various interferences with the endocrine system.

Admittedly, there are no hard scientific studies that categorically point out parabens as bad and harmful to the body. So far, studies, such as the 2004 University of Reading research conducted, only indicate correlation between paraben intake and certain diseases. In other words, there are no very conclusive report that is widely accepted in the scientific community. In fact, the American Cancer Society has concluded that there is no good scientific evidence to support a claim that use of cosmetics such as antiperspirants increase an individual's risk of developing breast cancer.

So... Are parabens bad??? Well, if we listen to the American Cancer Society, there is nothing to support these claims, but I haven't seen anything to completely discredit the claims either (and I've looked!) ... So, I feel, that if you are really serious about your health and well-being, you may want to eliminate placing any product on your body that is linked to studies which suggest it causes cancer. But as always... The choice is yours. Protect your skin... Protect your body...

With Sweet Goodness,

Shermaine

Organic... Does it matter with Skin Care?

Hey Everyone!

Ok... I was recently listening to the news and there was an "expert" who said there was no nutritional differences between fruits and vegetables grown organically and those grown conventionally. But when someone buys organically grown or produced products, it's not for what's in them... It's for what's NOT!..

Before I continue, let's do the quick organic overview - Organic fruits and vegetables mean that they were grown naturally without the use of pesticides, herbicides (for the record, anything ending in "cide" means to kill) and other toxic chemicals which are absorbed into the skin of the fruit or vegetable and therefore ending up a toxic mess inside our bodies. The farm has to have been organically sustained (natural fertilizers instead of chemicals and such) for a period of at least 3 years. Organic Meats come from animals who have been fed an organic diet and have not been injected with growth hormones and things like that which are used to make the animal bigger and fatter or antibiotics which are used to keep sickly animals healthy enough to get them to pass inspection to slaughter. We eat these animals and end up with all of these toxins in our systems. Want to know the result of this? Look at our children... Our girls and boys are developing much faster than ever before. Could it be growth hormones??? Hmmmmm... These toxins have been linked to depression, some forms of cancer, eczema and a host of other ailments.

So... the same holds true for skin care. The more organic ingredients in your skin care, the less of these toxins you will be putting on your skin. Our skin absorbs everything, so if you wouldn't eat pesticides, why would you put it on your skin? Skin care should aid your skin in healing itself, if these toxins are created to kill things, what is that skin product made with these toxins doing to your skin?

The point I'm trying to make is that be just as mindful of what you put on your skin as what you eat or drink... Technically, it's still going INSIDE your body. It may cost a little more, but aren't you worth it?? In the end, the choice is yours. Some people feel that organic living is a lot of hoopla.. All I ask, is that you become more informed and aware. Protect your body... Protect your skin!

With Sweet Goodness,

Shermaine