Calendula - 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 (like Desert Sierra Naturals' "Love That Bump!") 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.

Until Next Time,

Shermaine

Jojoba Oil - What makes this oil so amazing?

Hey Everyone!

Jojoba Oil... We've seen it in cosmetic products for years. But all anyone has ever told us is that it's great for the skin.. But why? I think today's the day we shed some light on this fabulous oil...

Jojoba Oil is the liquid wax produced in the seed of the jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) plant, a shrub native to southern Arizona, southern California and northwestern Mexico. The oil makes up approximately 50% of the jojoba seed. One reason is it is favored by the cosmetics industry is its stability. Jojoba Oil is more shelf stable (You can keep it longer before it spoils) than several other commonly used oils including Sweet Almond Oil and Safflower Oil.

Another reason is that Jojoba Oil is a great moisturizer for our skin! This is because Jojoba Oil's chemical composition is similar to Sebum. Sebum is excreted from the sebaceous glands in our body which lubricates our skin; which explains why absorbs so quickly into the skin and is non-irritating (it mimics what our body's already produce -- therefore you are not introducing something completely foreign that your body may reject, thereby causing skin irritation)...

But did you know that Jojoba Oil is eco-friendly as well? Jojoba oil is also used as a replacement for whale oil and its derivatives, such as cetyl alcohol. The ban on importing whale oil to the US in 1971 led to the discovery that it is in many regards superior to sperm oil for applications in the cosmetics and other industries. That's great news for the whales who are very quickly reaching extinction...

Great for your skin and great for the environment... Why would you not include this amazing natural ingredient to your skin care "arsenal"?

 

Until next time,

Shermaine

 

P.S.  Desert Sierra Naturals Body Lotion is based in this fabulous Jojoba Oil!  You should try some (like I said before, a girl's got a business to run - LOL!)

Why should I take Spirulina???

Hey Everyone!

I take Organic Spirulina every day. I do so because I have a tendency to run B Vitamin deficient and anemic (I also run Vitamin D deficient but that's for another post)  So this morning as I took my pill, I thought this would be a perfect topic for my blog as a healthy immune system is the foundation for healthy skin.

So here we go! Spirulina is a cyanobacteria (Blue Green Algae). Cyanobacteria are found in almost every conceivable environment, from oceans to fresh water to bare rock to soil. Aquatic cyanobacteria are probably best known for the extensive and highly visible blooms that can form in both freshwater and the marine environment and can have the appearance of blue-green paint or scum. Scum? Sounds appetizing, right? Keep reading... Spirulina is cultivated around the world, and is used as a human dietary supplement as well as a whole food and is available in tablet, flake, and powder form.

Spirulina contains an unusually high amount of protein, between 55% and 77% by dry weight, depending upon the source. It is a complete protein containing all essential amino acids, when compared to the proteins of meat, eggs, and milk. It is, however, superior to typical plant protein, such as that from legumes.

Spirulina provides docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). DHA is the most abundant omega 3 fatty acid (polyunsaturated fatty acids, PUFAs) in the brain and retina. It comprises 40% of the PUFAs in the brain and 60% of the PUFAs in the retina. 50% of the weight of the neuron's plasm membrane is composed of DHA.*

Spirulina contains vitamin B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (nicotinamide), B6 (pyridoxine), B9 (folic acid), vitamin C, vitamin D, and vitamin E. It has also been shown that people who use Spirulina regularly have had their blood pressure and cholesterol levels improved.

So... I know you all have seen the green powder at your health food store and it doesn't look tasty -- but in pill form, you don't even have to taste it (wink!)...

Protect your Body... Protect your skin!

Until Next Time

-Shermaine

Smoke and the Aging Skin

I... am a smoker..  There, I've said it!  I feel like I'm at an AA meeting.  But I'm trying to stop.   Anyone who smokes knows how hard it is to quit when things are good... But throw excessive stress into the mix and it's almost an impossibility.  We know about the damage that smoking does to the lungs (I don't know what color mine are right now), but did you know it affects our skin in a REALLY bad way!  It AGES us! 

Check out this tidbit of information from The Mayo Clinic... 

Smoking can speed up the normal aging process of your skin, contributing to wrinkles. These skin changes may occur after only 10 years of smoking. The more cigarettes you smoke and the longer you smoke, the more skin wrinkling you're likely to have — even though the early skin damage from smoking may be hard for you to see.
And smoking doesn't cause wrinkles only on your face. Smoking also is associated with increased wrinkling and skin damage on other parts of your body, including your inner arms.
While the skin wrinkles may not be reversible, you can prevent worsening of wrinkling by quitting smoking now.
How does smoking lead to wrinkles? The nicotine in cigarettes causes narrowing of the blood vessels in the outermost layers of your skin. This impairs blood flow to your skin. With less blood flow, your skin doesn't get as much oxygen and important nutrients, such as vitamin A. Many of the over 4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke also damage collagen and elastin, which are fibers that give your skin its strength and elasticity. As a result, skin begins to sag and wrinkle prematurely because of smoking.
In addition, repeated exposure to the heat from burning cigarettes and the facial expressions you make when smoking — such as pursing your lips when inhaling and squinting your eyes to keep out smoke — may contribute to wrinkles.

So...  How do you like that?  Not good at all is it?  I'm cringing as I'm writing!  Let's try to quit.  We are going to age regardless...  Let's not speed up the appearance of aging with the smoking.  Maybe we can do it together.  Send me a comment and we'll get on board!

Protect your skin,
Shermaine

Strawberries -- Who Knew?

It's Summertime!  This is the time we enjoy the wide array of fabulous fresh fruits... Especially strawberries!  But did you know that strawberries are great for your skin???  Let me tell you why.

Strawberries have a chock full of Vitamin C and antioxidants which help remove toxins from the body.  Well most skin problems -- specifically acne, come from an excess of toxins and oils in the body.  So.. remove the toxins, help the skin issue.

US Researchers say 1 cup of strawberries a day are a great way to not only help remove toxins, but it's a great boost to the immune system because of the Vitamin C.

Strawberries are in abundance now!  Enjoy their flavor and their benefits for your skin.

Until next time!

Psychodermatology

Hey Everyone,

 

Let me ask you... When you are upset or anxious, do you also itch? I know I do. And because I suffer from eczema, the smallest touch of anxiety and I itch like crazy. Generally, I can use topical cremes from the dermatologist to soothe it, but when I'm upset, nothing helps... And I have always wondered why... Well now the study of just this particular condition has a name... Psychodermatology - You knew someone would give bad nerves and itchy skin a formal name :)

Psychodermatogy is a field that addresses the impact of an individual's emotion as it relates to the skin.

"The mind and skin are connected on many different levels," Mallin tells WebMD. "A lot of nerve endings are connected to the skin, which wraps around the organs, so as emotions are played out neurologically, they can be expressed through the skin just as stress can be expressed through gastrointestinal symptoms, increased anxiety, or hypertension."

So when you begin to itch uncontrollably, take a second to evaluate your emotions. If you find that things are a little chaotic, take a minute to find a quiet area and collect your thoughts. It should make you feel a little better.