FitSugar

One Splurge Is Worse Than You Think

FitSugar — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:30:00 PST

If you're standing in line at McDonald's telling yourself, "One splurge is not going to do anything," then you may want to think again. According to a review of new dietary research, just one high-fat, high-sugar meal can trigger a biochemical cascade, causing inflammation of blood vessels and immediate, detrimental changes to the nervous system (i.e. free radicals are generated). Yikes. This could explain why we feel so crummy after splurging on a high-fat meal.

The good news? One healthy meal can help return your body to its optimal state. So think about what two, ten, or even a lifetime of healthy meals will do for you. If you continue to eat healthy, you'll continue to feel good and hopefully never want to eat junk food again.

Source

The Skinny on: Antioxidants

FitSugar — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 08:45:00 PDT

Over a delightful dinner of corned beef and cabbage this Saturday night, a dinner guest (with a PhD in science) asked me what was all the hype around antioxidants. So we all know that they are good for us, but why?

Antioxidants help clean up our bodies on a molecular level. According to the National Cancer Institute:

Antioxidants are substances that may protect cells from the damage caused by unstable molecules known as free radicals. Free radical damage may lead to cancer. Antioxidants interact with and stabilize free radicals and may prevent some of the damage free radicals otherwise might cause. Examples of antioxidants include beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamins C, E, and A, and other substances.

Essentially, free radicals can disrupt cell production and lead to mutation. Antioxidants are molecules that slow or prevent the oxidation of other chemicals by free radicals; antioxidants deactivate the free radicals. Although oxidation is essential for life, the process can create some serious damage or be considered carcinogenic.

The jury is still out on a definitive answer as to whether antioxidants can prevent cancer. Although early studies were all optimistic, more recent studies have not been conclusive. Recent studies suggest that dietary supplements of antioxidants do not seem to increase life span and ingesting these vitamins and minerals from food is the best bet.

Why You'll Go Cuckoo For Coconuts

Jaime Richards — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 04:01:47 PST

Every day we're scouring the web for the top beauty tips, and Twitter is just brimming with them. Take a recent tidbit from celebrity nutritionist Kimberly Snyder, who is known to her holistic approach to beauty. When asked by a follower her recommendation for a natural body lotion choice, Snyder replied, "Try coconut oil! Use a bit at a time to let it absorb." Great advice; not only does coconut oil hydrate the skin, but it contains antioxidants to block out free radicals, and it also has lauric acid, a natural antimicrobial. There's nothing nuts about that.

Superfood Diva Julie Morris Defines Key Nutritional Terms

Anna Monette Roberts — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:01:52 PDT

Julie Morris, writer and healthy food chef, has developed recipes for vegan athlete Brendan Brazier and released her own cookbook, Superfood Cuisine: Cooking With Nature's Most Amazing Foods ($30). With 10 years of experience in the natural food industry and 12 years as a vegan, Julie has accumulated a lot of information on nutrient-rich foods and how to deliciously prepare them. Here are key concepts that Julie uses to help measure the nutritional content of foods, which she says everyone should know.

Nutrient density: Nutrient density refers to the ratio of the "amount of nutrients per calorie," and Julie believes this is the "key philosophy behind understanding what superfoods are. Using this definition, superfoods give the most nutrients possible for the least amount of calories. Nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals are all included in this calculation. Put simply, nutrient density is the opposite of an empty calorie, and the fresher and more whole a food is, the more nutrient dense.

See more key nutrient terms after the break!

What We're Sweet On: A Just-the-Right-Thickness Moisturizer

Jaime Richards — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 03:07:10 PDT

Some facial moisturizers are so thick that they're heavy to the touch, making them practically impossible to spread. Such is not the case with Swiss-based brand Alchimie Forever's Intensely Nourishing Cream ($77). Somewhat like a cross between a serum and rich, moisturizing cream, this hydrator feels amazing on the skin. It luxuriously soaks right in, making the complexion feel smooth, almost "plumped" up. It includes antioxidants to fight those free radicals and red clover to help promote collagen production, so there's also a does-a-body-good thing going on.

Study Shows Purple Potatoes Combat High Blood Pressure

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 09:43:42 PDT

I'm a huge fan of those adorable little purple potatoes, and now I have a reason to eat them. A small recent study shows that eating these plum-colored root veggies can lower your blood pressure. When participants added six to eight small purple potatoes (golf-ball size) twice a day to their regular diet, after four weeks their diastolic (the bottom number) blood pressure lowered by an average of 4.3 percent and their systolic (the top number) by 3.5 percent. The scientists said purple potatoes have almost the same blood pressure lowering abilities as oatmeal.

Of course, fried and smothered in butter doesn't count - the taters in this study were microwaved and enjoyed plain (with the skins). Potatoes are naturally high in antioxidants, which protect your body from damaging free radicals, but frying destroys those healthy substances. If eaten sans butter, margarine, or sour cream, a half-cup serving of purple potatoes is only 70 calories, so they're not fattening when enjoyed just as nature intended.

Hopefully this research will help make potatoes of all colors popular again and clear them of their unhealthy reputation. Knowing all varieties contain healthy phytochemicals on similar levels to broccoli, spinach, and brussels sprouts definitely inspires me to eat them.

Source: Flickr User g.p.macklin

4 Scary Sunburn Myths Revealed

Allure — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 12:20:39 PDT

We're excited to share this enlightening article from Allure:

The next time you're hanging out at the beach, you might want to watch what you say about sunscreen, or at least speak a little softer-you never know, a beauty editor might be lounging next to you, hanging on your every word. Case in point: I recently got back from vacation in Mexico, and after a week of relaxing at the beach and in the pool, I heard some of the most ridiculous, and potentially dangerous, statements made about wearing (and not wearing) sunscreen. Not one to get involved with strangers, I instead eavesdropped on vacationers' conversations, then turned to my boyfriend and lectured him on sun safety (not entirely necessary, as he was doused from head to toe in SPF 75 due to my incessant nagging). Upon my return, I immediately sent a list of all the things I overheard on my trip to Jeannette Graf, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. Consider this an Allure version of Mythbusters-the skin-care edition. See the sunscreen myths - and get the truth - when you keep reading.

The 10 Next Big Ingredients in Beauty

Miriam Lacey — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 03:05:52 PDT

By now, you may already have heard about argan, quercetin, and maracuja. After all, they're three of the hottest skin care and makeup ingredients around these days. But what about the stuff you'll be hearing about in six months or a year's time? We've gathered 10 of the buzzed-about ingredients that are just making their way into products. So get ahead of the game, and start using them before they get trendy (and expensive). To see the contenders for the next rave-worthy ingredient, just keep reading.

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 PST

The Best Supplements For Your Skin

Prevention — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 04:27:00 PDT

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

Skin Health
By the Editors of Prevention

Your birthday suit is pretty good at taking care of itself, but this process changes over time. Through natural exfoliation, your skin sheds dead cells as younger ones, generated deep in the epidermis (skin's top layer), migrate upward to replace them. In young, healthy skin, cells take about 28 days to reach the surface and flake off 12 days later, but as you age, renewal slows; new cells aren't produced as quickly, and old ones hang on longer.

Your skin also loses its luster over time as free radicals - generated from things like stress, cigarette smoke, and the skin's top enemy, the sun--cause cell damage that leads to discoloration and even cancer. Your body starts producing collagen, a protein that helps keep your skin plump and elastic, more slowly, causing the outer skin to become more prone to creasing and wrinkling. Cells also tend to lose moisture faster, due to hormonal changes, so skin becomes drier and less glowy.

Lifestyle factors, like avoiding excess sun exposure and wearing sunscreen when you head outdoors, getting plenty of sleep, washing and moisturizing your face at night, combating stress, and getting plenty of exercise, can all keep your skin healthy and youthful longer. And certain vitamins and supplements can help fight wrinkles, discoloration, and other signs of aging, too. But a key distinction here is that most of them work best when applied topically, not through pills or diet.

11 Foods That Give You Beautifully Radiant Skin

Best supplements

Omega-3s: These supplements aren't just making headlines for heart health - dermatologists also recommend them to help prevent dry skin and problems like psoriasis and eczema. These fats are a key component of the lubricating layer that keeps skin supple, and they aid in the production of hormones that improve skin texture and help combat the inflammatory damage wrought by free radicals--one of the causes of wrinkles and blotchiness. To get enough omega-3s in your diet, supplements are often recommended in addition to eating fish, walnuts, and other food sources.

Topical nutrients

You can get these from food or multivitamins, but for optimal skin health, use products that contain them too.

Vitamin A: Derivatives of this vitamin are known as retinoids, and you can find them in OTC or prescription products. They're proven--through more than 700 studies! - to reduce wrinkles, fade brown spots, and smooth roughness. The downside to their effectiveness is potential side effects. Retinoids can cause redness, scaling, and flaking that can last for weeks or more; OTC products tend to be milder than Rx ones.

More About Retinoids and Products That Contain Them

Vitamin B3: This B vitamin, commonly known as niacinamide, helps boost production of the compounds that comprise your skin's outer barrier, which helps it lock in moisture better. The ingredient is also shown to help reduce redness in rosacea patients and is especially helpful if you have dry or sensitive skin.

Vitamin C: Proven to mop up the free radicals that trigger wrinkling, sagging, and other aging changes, vitamin C also helps smooth and firm skin and fade brown spots. In one study, women who treated sun-damaged skin with a C cream for 6 months saw significant improvement in fine lines and discoloration. Though the benefits of retinoids and vitamin C sound similar, using both delivers more complexion perfection.

Vitamin E: This powerful vitamin eases dry skin (by helping skin retain its natural moisturizers) and bolsters UV defense. A slew of skin care studies document its superstar status. In one, E significantly reduced the number of skin-damaging free radicals created after exposure to cigarette smoke. Others show that when it's used before UV exposure, skin is less red, swollen, and dry, which is why the ingredient is often included in sunscreens.

See 7 More Doctor-Proven Beauty-Boosting Supplements

The Best Supplements For Your Skin