Easy ways to boost the heart you love

Tags

additional calories, arteries, bake, balanced diet t, banana, beer, beneficial, binge watching boxsets, boil, boost your heart health, booze, bowl, breathe more easily, cancers, cheese, consumption of alcohol, cream, dance class, dat, decrease inflammation, desk jobs, exercise, extra-large hot chocolate with cream, fat, fill you up, fizzy drink, food, friends, fruit and veg, frying, fun, garlic, Give up smoking, goodness, GP, grill, handful, happiness and connections, healthy, heart, heart attack, heart happier zone, heart harming, herbs, high blood pressure, ideas, lemon juice, live well, liver, Loneliness and isolation, lower your cholesterol levels, moderation, nuts, Online abnormal heart rhythms, or poach, overload your plate, portion sizes, prepare your food, protein, quitting, Red wine, rich source of the omega-3 fatty acids, risk, sad, salt, save money, smell better, smoke free, Snack on nuts, social media scrolling, spices, sport, steam, stokes, stress hormones, sugar, take-aways, taste good, teeth, treats, Valentine’s Day, vodka, waistline, walnuts, water, well, wholegrains

Valentine’s Day may have been and gone, but you still need to look after your heart and keep it healthy and strong if you want to live well.

On the go food, desk jobs and social media scrolling can all lead to a life that isn’t so great for your heart.

We aren’t here to spoil the fun or lay down the law, but we have some easy to implement ideas that could help you to boost your heart health and lead a better, fitter, happier life in 2020.

Look at portion sizes
The extra-large hot chocolate with cream, the super-size fizzy drink at the cinema and just one more slice of cake might taste good, but the additional calories, sugar and fat could play havoc with your heart as well as your waistline and your teeth. When it comes to portion sizes, you don’t have to overload your plate at every meal or fill your bowl to the top when it comes to cereal. Go easy on meat, stack up the veggies and be sure to drink plenty of water.

Snack on nuts
Yes, we know they come with fats, but eating nuts can help lower your cholesterol levels and half a handful with a banana will help to fill you up. You might want to try walnuts because they are a rich source of the omega-3 fatty acids that can help decrease inflammation in the arteries and protect your heart.

You generally want to eat a balanced diet that is rich in fruit and veg as well as wholegrains, protein and water. Yes, have treats but don’t make take-aways your daily supper staple or you may end up in trouble.

Think about how you cook
As well as what you eat, when it comes to your heart, you need to think about how you prepare your food. To boost your heart and overall health, we suggest you avoid frying or cooking foods in fat and this includes meat, fish and vegetables. If you bake, boil, grill, steam, or poach you will get all the goodness without the nasty heart harming extras. If you are worried about losing flavour, add in spices, herbs, garlic and lemon juice but ease up on salt, cheese and artery clogging cream.

See your friends
Loneliness and isolation aren’t good for any of us. As well as leaving us sad and prone to eating junk food and binge watching boxsets, it can raise the levels of stress hormones which can interfere with circulation and this makes your heart work harder, but not better. So, why not get out and see your friends, make new ones at a club or start a hobby and fill your heart with happiness and connections? Even better, play some sport or join a dance class and get some of the exercise your heart craves and loves.

Give up smoking
We know quitting is hard, but if you do smoke now is the time to stop. Smoking is one of the main causes of heart disease and as soon as you stop, your risk of a heart attack begins to fall. Quitting will also mean you smell better, breathe more easily, save money and generally live life in a smoke free, heart happier zone. There are many free resources out there to make this easier, and you can speak to your GP for help with this.

Ease up on booze
We always say everything in moderation, and that includes drinking. Some research says drinking red wine could be beneficial for your heart, but this is a ‘may’ so if you want to boost your heart health, limiting your consumption of alcohol will be a step in the right direction. Too much wine, beer or vodka won’t be good for you and can lead to abnormal heart rhythms, high blood pressure as well as strokes, liver issues and some cancers.

The thing is, you only have one heart, so love it and look after it and it will serve you well.

Team Pure Beauty

Nuts about nuts

Tags

almonds, antioxidant-rich, avocado, baking, bone building calcium, Brazil nuts, calcium, calorie, cancer fighting, cereal, Chestnuts, deficient thyroid, eart-healthy fats, energy giving, ground chestnut flour, healthy fat, high fat content, hormones balanced, immune system, lower cholesterol levels, Macadamias, magnesium, minerals, mono-unsaturated, nature, nuts, oleic acid, olives, omega-3 rich, potassium, powerhouses, protein, salty toppings, selenium, skin, small packages, snacking, starchy carbs and fibre, strong, sugary, tip-top condition, Vitamin B3, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, vitamins, walnuts

Nuts are most certainly nature’s way of proving that good things come in small packages.

Nuts are quite literally bite-size nutritional powerhouses that are packed with heart-healthy fats, minerals, protein and vitamins.

We know nuts are high in fat and calories, but as long as you don’t eat handfuls and avoid the ones coated in sugary, salty toppings, adding nuts to your diet can help your health.

So, let’s get the lowdown on what’s good when it comes to nuts.

Almonds
Almonds are a great choice because that are high in Vitamin E, a nutrient that feeds your skin and keeps it looking plump and healthy. The benefits don’t end there, because they also contain bone building calcium making them perfect for anyone who doesn’t eat dairy products. Add almonds to your cereal and make sure you keep the skin on because it is full of the heart-protecting compounds flavonoids.

Brazil Nuts
Talk to most people and they will know someone with a deficient thyroid. If this is you, you need Brazil nuts in your life. Brazil nuts are a fantastic good source selenium, the mineral that is needed to produce the active thyroid hormone that keeps you in good health. Selenium also helps keep your immune system strong and just three or four nuts a day are all you need for good mineral levels.

Chestnuts
You might not know this, but raw chestnuts are a fabulous source of Vitamin C. They also have the lowest calorie and fat count of all nuts but are still rich in starchy carbs and fibre. While they are lower in protein than other nuts they do still contain B vitamins including B6 which helps keep hormones balanced and healthy. Fresh and roasted chestnuts make a healthy snack and ground chestnut flour is delicious when used for baking.

Macadamias
Macadamias are delicious and found in many dishes, and while they have a high fat content this is the healthy mono-unsaturated variety type. They are a rich source of and contain magnesium, calcium and potassium, so enjoy them but in small amounts.

Pecans
If you want to keep your heart in tip-top condition, the mere pecan can be your friend because they are full of compounds that help lower cholesterol levels. They are also antioxidant-rich and contain oleic acid, the healthy fat you also get in avocado and olives. If you get tired, you’ll benefit from snacking on pecans as they are crammed full of energy giving Vitamin B3, so enjoy.

Walnuts
We love walnuts because they are jam-packed with cancer fighting antioxidants and are a brilliant source of mono-unsaturated, heart-friendly fats. If that wasn’t enough, they omega-3 rich so great for a vegetarian and vegan lifestyle.

So, the next time you are in the supermarket, add some nuts to your basket and snack the healthy way.

Team Pure-Beauty

Hair Removal – What Are Your Options?

Tags

age spots, ageing, ALA, alpha lipoic acid, anchovies, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, apricots, arms, berries, bikini line, blackberries, blemishes, blueberries, body hair, Brazillian, broad spectrum, Broccoli, chia seeds, damage, dark spots, decleor, Decleor Post-Wax Double Action Gel, Decleor Rose D’Orient Soothing Oil Serum, dermalogica, Dermalogica Antioxidant HydraMist, Dermalogica C-12 Pure Bright Serum, Dermalogica Clearing Mattifier, Dermalogica Post Shave Balm, Elemis, Elemis Body Detox Skin Brush, Elemis Energising Skin Scrub, Elemis Liquid Layer SPF30, Elemis Pro-Collagen Super Serum Elixir, epilate, epilator, epliation, exfoliate, eyebrows, fatty acids, fish, free radicals, fullness, hair, high factor, Hollywood, hyperpigmentation, ingrown hair, laser hair removal, liver spots, mackerel, nuts, oils, oily fish, omega-3, orange, plump, plumper, polyphenols, pomegranate, protection, raspberries, salmon, Shaving, SPF, spinach, spots, strawberries, sun, sunscreen, sweet potato, threading, UVA, UVB, vitamin A, walnuts, waxing, wrinkles

Royalty Free Image (source: https://pixabay.com/en/grimace-funny-expression-mask-388987/)

Hair removal – it’s one of those things that most of us do but few of us ever talk about it, but it’s a fact of life and needn’t be taboo. There are various different methods that you can use for hair removal, some more permanent than others and varying in price and effectiveness. Here’s a rundown of a few of them:

Shaving

Probably the most common type of hair removal on the planet, shaving is also one of the cheapest ways to remove hair, with some disposable razors costing a matter of pennies. It’s not a very long-lasting method because it only trims the part of the hair which sits above the skin, but it’s definitely convenient and can be done on any part of the body that you care to use it. If you plan to shave, use Elemis Energising Skin Scrub beforehand to prevent ingrown hairs and soothe the skin, post-shave, with Dermalogica Post Shave Balm.

Waxing

Waxing lasts longer than shaving and gives a smooth finish, but does have it’s downsides. You need to leave time between waxes to allow the hair to be long enough for the wax to adhere to, and there’s obviously the pain-factor. Also, unless you wax at home, you’ll need regular appointments which can be pricey. If you do wax, treat your skin with Decleor Post-Wax Double Action Gel to soothe and repair.

Laser

Laser is probably the most expensive way to remove hair but it’s also the only way to remove hair permanently. Most people require between 6 and 10 sessions for complete removal and occasional touch-ups if you get a rogue hair or two growing back, but most people have great levels of success with it. Your skin will feel sensitive after a laser session, so treat your skin to some Decleor Rose D’Orient Soothing Oil Serum.

Threading

Threading is an ancient form of hair removal from Asia which involves using pieces of twisted thread to pull the hairs out. Many Asian women use threading to remove facial hair and arm hairs and the method is actually incredibly accurate, allowing you to get a really nice shape when threading eyebrows. There are many tutorials online to allow you to learn how to thread yourself, but we’d recommend going to a professional at least for a while!

Epilating

Epilating is the Marmite of hair removal – most people either love it or really hate it! It’s usually done with a handheld machine which pulls the roots out and it actually lasts quite a long time – if you can deal with the pain! Ingrown hairs are a real issue with epilation, so regularly scrubbing the areas you epilate with Elemis Body Detox Skin Brush will help minimise this.

Eat Your Way to Healthy Hair

Tags

arrots, avocado, beta-carotene, Blackcurrants, blueberries, Broccoli, capillaries, chicken, clean hair, dairy products, damp, diet, dry, eggs, fish, flaky, hair, hair loss, healthy, honey, kiwi, legumes, mackerel, mashed avocado, meal, nuts, oils, oily fish, oranges, pumpkin seeds, pumpkins, ramp up, salmon, sardines, shine, strawberries, strong, sweet potatoes, trout, turkey, Vitamin E, walnuts, whisked egg yolk, zinc

They say you are what you eat and that is so true when it comes to hair that is full of life and shine.

Last week we looked at tips and tricks to speed up hair growth and today it’s all about how diet can help you get the most luscious locks ever.

First things first. Your hair is made from protein and eating this is vital if vital if you want strong, healthy hair. Not eating enough protein could lead to hair that is dry, weak and lacking in shine. It is thought that eating very little protein can actually cause hair loss – something you do not want. Chicken, dairy products, eggs, fish and turkey are all fantastic sources of protein with legumes and nuts being perfect for vegetarians.

Iron is another must-have mineral for hair as too little can cause anemia which can lead to hair loss. Chicken, fish and red meat all provide iron that is readily available to the body. If you are looking for vegetarian sources then opt for leafy green vegetables such as kale and spinach as well as broccoli, lentils and spinach.

Let’s face it, for health you can’t go far wrong with a decent dose of Vitamin C, and this is so the case when it comes to hair. Vitamin C is key to the production of collagen which strengthens the capillaries that supply the hair shafts. It helps the absorption of iron and is also an antioxidant that your body will lap up. Blackcurrants, blueberries, broccoli, kiwi, oranges, strawberries and sweet potatoes are all high in Vitamin C and taste pretty good so eat them with every meal.

Another hair friendly vitamin is A, which we need to create sebum. Sebum is an oily substance created by the sebaceous gland and acts as a natural conditioner for your scalp. Eating orange coloured veg such as carrots, pumpkins and sweet potatoes will help which are high in beta-carotene (which makes Vitamin A) will keep that sebum alive and prevent a dry, itchy scalp.

Omega-3 fatty acids can only obtained through our diet and are vital as they provide the oils that keep your scalp and hair hydrated and supple. Oily fish like salmon, sardines, trout and mackerel are fantastic sources as are avocado, pumpkin seeds and walnuts.

It might be winter, but the sun can still damage your hair, so ramp up your Vitamin E intake to protect it. Nuts are a great source as they not only provide Vitamin E but also zinc, so be sure to add them into your diet mix.

A lack of zinc can lead to hair loss and also make your scalp dry and flaky. Fortified cereals and wholegrains are a good source of zinc along with beef, eggs and oysters, so add them to your next weekly shop.

As well as eating vitamins for healthy hair, you could also whip up a quick mask to give your locks an added boost. Once a week mash together one whisked egg yolk and mix this with half a mashed avocado and a large spoon of honey. Massage the mixture onto damp, clean hair and leave for half an hour before rinsing thoroughly and leaving to dry naturally.

Got a super food you swear by? Drop us a line and let us know.

Team Pure-Beauty