The Mighty Mango

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almonds, avocados, balanced diet, beta-carotene, big, blemishes, blend, blueberries, breast, carotenoids, central, chopping board, colon, complexion, copper, cream, cubes, cup, cut, digestion, dry eyes, easy to manage, elimination, enzymes, exposed flesh, face mask, fibre, glow, halves, healthy and strong, heath promoting qualities, horizontal, hormone production, ice, Immune System Booster, leukaemia, lower cholesterol levels, natural beauties, night blindness, pattern, pectin, potassium, production, prostate cancer, protein, RDA, recharge, recipe, red blood cells, salsa, salt intake, seed, skin loving Vitamin E, sliced mango, spinach, spots, vertical, vitamin A, Vitamin B6, waste

The term ‘super-food’ is banded around the place like no one’s business at the moment. From avocados and spinach to almonds and blueberries, these natural beauties are all over the place, but no one ever really seems to put the mighty mango in this group?

Well, we think they should be and are here to put them on the healthy map.

Mangos grow in tropical climates and are a nutritionally rich fruit with a unique flavor, fragrance, taste, and it has so many heath promoting qualities we don’t know where to start.

Cancer Prevention
Some research has shown that the antioxidant properties in mango fruit can help protect against breast, colon and prostate cancers as well as leukaemia.

Eye Sight
A cup of sliced mango contains around 25% of the RDA of Vitamin A which is key to good eyesight and can prevent night blindness and dry eyes.

Cholesterol Count
Due to the high levels of fibre, pectin and Vitamin C in mangos they can help lower cholesterol levels.

Glowing Skin
Mangos help clear clogged pores and eliminate acne, and because they are rich in skin loving Vitamin E, your complexion will glow if you eat them as part of a balanced diet.

Digestion
Mangos are packed with clever enzymes that break down protein and come with fibre both of which help with digestion and elimination.

Immune System Booster
Due to the generous amounts of Vitamin A and Vitamin C, plus 25 different carotenoids, fresh mango is the perfect way to keep your immune system healthy and strong.

The Other Bits
Mangos also come with Vitamin B6 and other B vitamins that help with hormone production and prevent heart disease. They have plenty of potassium that balances out salt intake as well as copper that helps with the production of red blood cells.

So you have got your mango, but how do you prepare it so none goes to waste?

Hold the mango on its side and cut down either side of the large, central seed so you have two big halves.

Place each half on a chopping board, peel face down, and cut the exposed flesh in a horizontal and vertical pattern, taking care not to cut too deep through the skin or into your fingers. Then invert the whole half and push out easy to manage cubes.

You can use this cubes to make a super effective face mask. Simply blend the mango and apply to the face and let your skin soak up the beta-carotene and Vitamin C help which will repair spots and blemishes and recharge your complexion.

Otherwise eat the mango solo, on cereal, in smoothies, add it to salads, pop on the top of ice cream, mix into a salsa, blend into yogurt, make a pie. The ideas are endless, the taste is incredible.

Got a mango recipe you like, send it over, we would love to give it a try.

Team Pure Beauty

Life is easier with happy hacks

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#embracehappy, anti-fungal, bacteria, bed, bottom, brush your teeth, buffet, bus, busy, cleanses, clothes, cold tap, Commuting, crisps, damage, detoxification, digestion, easy, end of the month, eye strain, gummy sweets, hard earned cash, head, health hacks, hot, immune boosting, irritation, jeans, kettle, love, lukewarm, M&Ms, meditate, party, Pinterest, read, spinning, stomach, teeth whitening products, train, water, yoga

In a world that is super-busy, never has it been so important to take care of ourselves been so important, but this isn’t always easy.

You might think that not removing your make-up or skipping that dentist appointment might not matter, but overtime these little blips add up and could actually be more damaging that you thought.

We have put together some really easy health and wellbeing hacks that won’t eat into your day but will make a big difference to your life in the long run.

While many of us reach for the caffeine first thing, a mug of lukewarm water with lemon and cayenne pepper (we know) is way better. This creative combo wakes up your organs and both lemon juice and cayenne pepper have anti-fungal, immune boosting, detoxification properties that you will love more than the taste. Lemon juice also naturally helps with digestion and drives away bacteria and cleanses the system. What are you waiting for, put the kettle on.

We know that snacks like crisps, M&Ms and gummy sweets aren’t good for us but it is better to have a few rather than the whole lot. Why not put small portion into plastic bags and keep ONE in your desk drawer to curb that 4 p.m. craving?

The 5/7 diet is pretty popular and can be effective, but do you know about the 20/20/20 rule? If you stare at a computer all day and want to reduce eye strain and irritation, take 20 seconds to look at something 20 feet away every 20 minutes. Go on, we dare you.

The buffet at a party can be a real draw, especially after a drink or two. To stop the damage to your waistline before it starts, eat a plate of raw veggies before you leave the house to give your stomach a head start and allow yourself to feel fuller for longer.

If you are an habitual class dodger, book your yoga or spinning session in advance. The thought of being charged and wasting your hard-earned cash could be enough to make you get up and go.

Looking for inspiration for changing your home? Don’t splurge on magazines which will be out of date by the end of the month, instead make Pinterest your friend…you won’t regret it.

Commuting by bus or train needn’t be a headache. Use this time to meditate, do an online shop, read or catch up on emails.

If you want a few extra minutes in bed, layout your clothes the night before. From pants and socks to jeans and glasses, get your look sorted before you go to sleep and life becomes instantly easier.

Feeling hot? Run your wrists under the cold tap for a minute and you will soon start to cool down.

We are constantly seeing scary stories about teeth whitening products so why not take away the risk and use banana peel instead? You have read right, banana peel can whiten your teeth! Take some peel and rub it around your top and bottom teeth for around a minute, and leave it on your teeth for a further 10 minutes. Then, brush your teeth and after doing this a couple of times a week, you will start to see a shiny difference.

Put a motivational meme on your phone and computer, it will work, #embracehappy

Got a hack you love, let us know so we can put it to the test.

Team Pure-Beauty

Boost your memory with your diet

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absorption, anniversary, B vitamins, birthday, boost, brain, breakfast, cell damage, cereal, diet, digestion, dinner, effectiveness, energy levels, food, free radical damage, healthy fatty acids, immunity, juicy blueberries, learning, lunch, memory, motor skills, olive oil, oxygen, play games, pumpkin, ripe, seeds, short-term memory, skin, smoothies, spatial awareness, spinach, stress-busting magnesium, sunflower, tip-top, tomoatoes, Tryptophan, Vitamin C, water

Ever go upstairs only to come back down empty handed?

Put your keys down and then can’t find them?

Go to dial a number, and forget who you needed to speak to so urgently?

Yes, us too.

With life getting busier by the day and demands stacking up , it is hardly surprising that are brains can’t always keep up.

Whilst we know that a good diet and plenty of water helps our digestion, energy levels, immunity and skin, it also supports our brains and memory too.

Even slight hunger or dehydrated can affect attention levels and play games with our short-term memory.

So, we have had a look at some of the best foods to eat every day that will make your memory tip-top in no time.

Let’s start with seeds. Sunflower seeds are bursting with vitamin E and B, and are a brilliant source of healthy fatty acids. Flaxseeds contain Alpha Linoleic Acid, a healthy fat that helps the brain with motor skills and spatial awareness. Pumpkin seeds supply zinc, which is great for your memory, as well as stress-busting magnesium, B vitamins and tryptophan, the creator of the happy chemical, serotonin. Adding a tablespoon of seeds to smoothies, cereal or stirring into yoghurt is an easy way to get this memory boosting goodness into your body and brain every day.

Berries are also another brilliant option. Tasty, ripe, juicy blueberries are thought to boost learning and memory because of their high flavonoid level. Experts think these protect the brain against free radical damage so popping them in a smoothie or eating on porridge can get your brain sorted for the day.

There is evidence that lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes could help protect against cell damage which occurs in the development of dementia. Cooked tomatoes with a little olive oil are a good bet as you optimise absorption and effectiveness.

Vitamin C is a total mental agility power house. Not many people know this but one of best sources comes from the simple blackcurrants with citrus fruits, red pepper and broccoli coming in a close second!

Spinach is an all round super-food and one that can help with your memory. The green leaves are full of Vitamin C and folic acid, both of which help create neurotransmitters in the brain. It is also a source of chlorophyll, which helps the absorption of iron and promotes the growth of red blood cells which means oxygen can get around the body and to the brain. In short, eat it with breakfast, lunch and dinner and you won’t forget another anniversary or birthday again.

If you eat nuts, your memory should be sharp as they are bursting with Vitamin E which has been shown to help to prevent cognitive decline. Leafy greens, olives, brown rice, eggs and whole grains are also Vitamin E options that will make you remember just what you went upstairs for.

What foods keep your memory in tip-top condition – we would love to know.

Team Pure-Beauty

The Importance of Apples

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acne, apples, beauty, digestion, dryness

Around this time of year, it suddenly seems as though apples are everywhere – from toffee apples and apple bobbing for Halloween to hearty, wintry desserts such as apple crumble and strudel, Autumn harvest period means that the nation’s favourite fruit gets a huge amount of attention from September onward.

But what is it that makes the humble apple so popular? Well, the huge variety of types is probably a part of it, but apples actually offer a huge amount of health and beauty benefits too:

Dietary Fibre

Poor digestion can cause a number of side effects, such as dryness, eczema and acne, as well as bloating and feelings of lethargy. Apples are an excellent source of dietary fibre and, as such, will improve bowel motility and digestion.

Teeth Cleaning

Apples and other crunchy fruits and veg like carrots and celery actually act like mini toothbrushes each time you eat them, rubbing away plaque and other daily dirt which builds up on your teeth. Obviously we aren’t suggesting that you give up brushing altogether (apples still contain sugar which can be damaging if not brushed away from the tooth enamel), but eating an apple a day can actually help to keep the dentist away!

Antioxidants

Apples contain a number of antioxidants which help to remove impurities and toxins from the body when consumed. They are also useful in the fight against cancer, heart disease and other chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, so eating apples can be hugely beneficial to your long-term health.

Lowering Cholesterol

A university in the States conducted a long term study of older women who ate an apple every day and concluded that those who ate the apples had 23% less bad cholesterol and 4% more good cholesterol. If you have a family history of cholesterol or think you may be at risk, eating an apple a day could be a good way to help you stay off of additional medication (although we always recommend that you check with your GP first).

Boosting your Immune System

Apples have been found to contain an antioxidant called quercetin, a vital ingredient in boosting the human immune system and can be particularly effective during times of stress. If you’re under a lot of stress, or are prone to illness during busier times, eating an apple a day could fortify your system and help you to beat seasonal illnesses.