Get a Hobby!

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Alzheimer’s, blogging, blood pressure, brain, cooking, cuisine, dancing, Elemis Jasmine and Rose Hand and Nail Cream, Elemis Treat Your Feet Foot Cream, feet, food, gardening, hands, hobbies, hobby, kitchen, memory, sewing, soil, youth

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Do you find yourself spending your evenings in front of the TV, mindlessly flicking through the channels and wishing that there was something better to do? Do you sometimes feel a void and wish you could fill it with something just for you? If so then it might be a good time for you to get a new hobby. Having a hobby can be great for keeping the mind sharp, and has been linked to lowering blood pressure, enhancing the immune system and keeping age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s at bay. Here’s a little bit of inspiration if you need some ideas of what to do with your spare time.

Dancing

A few years back, there was a bit of a revolution in the world of dance classes and doing this sort of thing became hugely popular again, which opened up a whole new range of classes. Instead of the usual ballroom or tap you could now choose from hip hop, belly-dancing, salsa and much more beyond. Try a class which is challenging and fun, and use some Elemis Treat Your Feet Foot Cream once you get home!

Cooking

Cooking is a hobby which can be done alone or in groups, either in your own kitchen or in a class. Certain supermarkets have test kitchens which offer adult cooking classes and give you the chance to learn a new skill and mingle with likeminded people at the same time. Try a class in a cuisine you’re less familiar with to maximise your learning potential.

Gardening

It might sound bonkers but you don’t actually need a big garden in order to take up gardening! There are loads of indoor options for growing such as miniature kitchen gardens, as well as balcony or even window box kits that you can use for growing flowers or veg. If you do have a garden, even better, but do remember to take care of your hands with Elemis Jasmine and Rose Hand and Nail Cream after a long day of sifting through soil!

Sewing

Sewing as a hobby can be so rewarding; you spend time and effort doing intricate work and you’ve usually got something beautiful to show for all of it. If you don’t fancy doing it all by hand, there are some reasonably priced sewing machines on the market which allow you to work at a more polished level.

Blogging

A lot of people would see the word ‘blog’ and immediately think “that’s not for me!” but blogging can be anything that you make it. Ultimately, a blog is your own little corner of the internet and can be used as a place to document whatever you want, even if it’s just as a memoir for your kids and grandkids to read in the future. Writing can be hugely cathartic and will help to keep your mind sharp.

Easy food hacks for a happy kitchen

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airtight container, apples, bananas, big shop, blender, bowl of soup, carrots, celery, cereal, chicken crown, chop, crips, cup, double batch, eat, environment, food, food bank, food saving, freeze, freezer, fresh, fridge, friend, fruit, hacks, homemade chicken nuggets, hunger, ice cream, landfill, microwave, nasty taste in the mouth, next week, nutrient packed smoothie, olive oil, pizza, potatoes, prevent, pudding, scoop, snacks, soft, soup, throw away, veg, waste, zip lock bag

By the end of the week, if you are anything like us you’ll have half a loaf of bread going mouldy, apples that are beyond bruised and milk that is well and truly on the turn.

Due to busy lives, eating out and BOGOF offers from the supermarkets, we tend to waste more food than ever which isn’t good for our pockets or the environment and leaves a nasty taste in the mouth – literally.

We have put together some easy to follow food saving hacks that really work.

It is better to get less and waste less and you can do this if you plan your meals for the week. Work out which nights you need to cook and factor in lunch boxes, snacks and guests and you’ll soon notice the difference to your wallet.

Only buy what you need. Many people do a ‘big shop’ and stack their trolley high with goods for the week. You may well find that if you shop little and often, especially for fresh produce, you will waste less and save more.

When you do shop, make a list and stick to it. Even better, shop online and use a template list you know works.

Check your fridge is clean and also set to the right temperature.

Make sure you put crisps, cereal and snacks in an airtight container or zip lock bag. This will prevent them from going soft and losing their flavour which means you can eat them rather than chuck them.

The freezer is your friend. Over ripe bananas can be frozen then used for cakes and smoothies. Freeze past their best herbs with olive oil and you have a ready made stock cube and if you know you aren’t going to eat that chicken crown, freeze it for next week.

When you make a pasta bake or bolognaise, cook a double batch and either for lunch the next day or freeze for next week.

Use up fruit and veg by blasting it all in your blender and making a nutrient packed smoothie.

If you have sad looking carrots, celery, potatoes, peppers and onions, don’t bin them. Simply peel, chop and cook them in a pan and you’ll have a healthy, warming bowl of soup in no time.

Bread doesn’t keep forever so put half a loaf in the freeze and take it out as needed. If it does go stale, toast and use a croutons or blast in the blender and you have breadcrumbs for homemade chicken nuggets.

Don’t waste any ice cream, scoop portions into freezer bags when you buy a tub and you’ll have instant pudding with nothing left over.

Don’t throw away that left over pizza, wrap and put in the fridge, then when hunger strikes put it in the microwave with a cup of water for one minute. This will add moisture to the air and the pizza stop it drying out so when bell goes it’ll be fresh and tasty once again.

Find out if there is a local food bank near you and give them anything you know you won’t use.

Got a hack you love? Drop us a line and let us know.

Team Pure Beauty

Eating for Beauty

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alpha lipoic acid, anti-inflammatory, antioxidants, avocado, beauty, cocoa powder, coconut, coconut oil, collagen, Decleor Lift Wrinkle Filler, Decleor Protective Hydrating Milk SPF30 Body, Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Booster, diet, dry, dryness, eating, fish, flaxseed, food, full, fullness, hyperpigmentation, oily, omega-3, plump, polyphenols, pomegranate, sallow, skin, SPF, sun

Keeping your skin in great condition doesn’t have to be a full-time job, providing you follow a targeted skincare regime for your skin type. There are also things that you can do from within to help your skin to look its best, such as adding certain foods to your diet. Here, we take a look at what you should be eating, based on your specific skin need.

Acne

Acne responds well to increased doses of vitamin A because this is the thing which helps to regulate the life cycles of your skin cells. In acne, dead skin cells combine with sebum to form the comedogenic plugs which look unsightly. Foods such as sweet potatoes, apricots and mangoes contain all the vitamin A you need, which you can combine with using Dermalogica Clear Start Breakout Clearing Kit to keep breakouts under control.

Hyperpigmentation

Hyperpigmentation usually happens to slightly older skin and can give your skin the appearance of being aged before its time. Foods which are green, such as broccoli and kale contain high levels of alpha lipoic acid (ALA) which is a potent fat-and-water-soluble antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, keeping hyper-pigmentation at bay.

Dryness

Using a moisturiser such as Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Booster to combat dryness is a no-brainer, but sometimes dryness has an underlying dietary cause which can be tackled, too. Often, dryness can be caused by a lack of essential fatty acids and omega 3 in the diet, so adding things like nuts, oily fish, coconut oil and avocado will help your skin immensely.

Lacking plumpness

Free radicals in your system can dull your skin reduce collagen production, which will leave your skin looking sallow and lacking fullness. Adding berries to your diet is a good idea to combat this as they contain antioxidants which will ward off any nasties, while a good plumping cream such as Decleor Lift Wrinkle Filler will target any deeper lines which may have formed.

Sun exposure

We all know that too much sun isn’t good for us, but that doesn’t stop us from wanting to get out in the warmth and soak up a few of those rays while they last. Adding more polyphenols to your diet will actually increase your skin’s natural defences against harmful rays, which will help your sunscreen to do an even better job, so adding pomegranate, cocoa powder and flaxseed is good if you plan on a spot of sun-worshipping.

Healthy hair growth

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apply, boucne, bounce, celebrity, circulation, damaged, diet, dry, exercise, extensions, food, friend, GP, grow, growth, hair, hair cycle, hair-dryer, healthy diet, heat damage, mask, meditation, no gain, No pain, normal, oil, oil treatments, results, rinse, scalp, session, shine, sleep, split ends, straighteners, stress, trigger, trim

Ever had your hair chopped to get the latest celebrity style only to step out of the salon and wish you’d had a trim instead?

We have been there too and no how disappointing it can be.

The good news is, it’s only hair which is thought that hair grows about a centimetre a month.

Whilst there are no shortcuts to getting your luscious, long locks back, there are ways you can encourage hair growth and we have a few ideas to get you started.

Dry scalp massages can help stimulate the blood flow to your scalp, which helps nutrients get to your hair follicles quicker so your hair is stronger and longer in no time.

When you wash your hair, take time to massage your scalp with your fingertips, starting at the back of the neck and moving around the hairline. Relaxing and well as growth encouraging.

A decent shampoo will remove dirt and grime but it is your conditioner that replenishes the nutrients your hair needs to grow, so don’t skip this step.

A blast of cold-water can help seal the hair cuticles, and prevent moisture loss and heat damage. No pain, no gain.

Once a week it is a good idea to treat your hair to a deep conditioning session. There are many great hot oil treatments and deep conditioning masks out there that bring the life and bounce back into your hair and leave it looking sleek and shiny, whatever the length. For the best results apply the product to your hair and then rub your fingers on your scalp in a circular motion for three to five minutes. Rinse the oil or mask out of your hair and leave to dry naturally.

Do go to the hairdresser on a regular basis. We know you are trying to grow your hair but a trim keeps those pesky split ends at bay so growth can happen.

Deep down, you know heat damage isn’t good for your hair. Use your hair-dryer and straighteners less and when you do, apply a heat protectant product to locks from getting damaged and breaking off.

It might feel silly, but flip your head upside down if you want to promote faster hair growth. Sitting upside down for two to four minutes a day is believed to improve circulation and in turn hair growth. It’s got be worth a go and it’s way cheaper than extensions!

If it is longer hair you want, cut the stress out of your life. It is believed that stress can disrupt the normal hair cycle and can trigger hair falling-out. We know this is easy to say, but try to manage your stress using meditation, taking exercise and getting enough sleep. If you feel things are getting on top of you, talk to a trusted friend or your GP and get some extra support.

It goes without saying the a healthy diet will also keep hair growing and looking healthy, so next week we will look at what to eat and why.

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