Chocolate - The New Botox:? Antiaging Skin Care 2009

Looking younger is now easier than ever with a bumper crop of new skin care ingredients designed to take years off your appearance without setting foot in a doctor’s office! - Colette Bouchez

If you’re hoping to head into 2009 looking younger and better than ever, you’ll be happy to hear you can do it – without setting a foot into your doctor’s office.

And it’s all thanks to a bumper crop of new skin care ingredients that are more advanced than any of us ever dreamed possible!

In fact, in the not so distant past, the best we could hope for was a temporary improvement in how we looked, with almost no lotions or potions offering a lasting effect. But as we head into 2009, expect to see more and more products that not only help you look younger for the moment, but also have some true staying power. Some may even reverse the signs of aging damage that have already occurred!

Here’s some of the hot new ingredients and skin care technology trends you can look for in 2009:

1. Chocolate: The New Botox? We know that eating it makes us feel good, thanks to natural chemicals that work on receptors in the brain that, once stimulated can increase feelings of well being. Now scientists have found that these same “feel good” receptors are also present in hair follicles and nerve cells in the skin - and when stimulated by natural chemicals found in chocolate not only improve our mood, but have a muscle relaxing effect that may be similar to Botox. In one study a cocoa-based skin cream was applied twice daily for 28 days to the skin around the eye area - with a relaxation of wrinkles observed in 95 % of the test subjects. Expect to see chocolate – or more precisely cocoa – cropping up in everything from skin care to spa-quality body care relaxation products.

2. Nanotech Encapsulated Peptides - Sounds like something out of NASA, I know, but in plain talk this means a new technology that is able to “package” skin care ingredients into such tiny microscopic molecules (called nanosomes) they can reach deeper and penetrate further through layers of skin, allowing ingredients to get to where the damage - and the aging - first occurs. And that means ingredients can actually work to rebuild skin cells that have been destroyed by time and the environment. Among the most promising is nanospheres of collagen, the skin-plumping molecule that diminishes with age. Now, for the first time, collagen can be delivered deeply enough into skin cells to make a significant difference . Another ingredient making use of the nanospehre technology are peptides, molecules that help skin cells regenerate.

3. Peptides For DNA Repair - And speaking of peptides, that popular skin care ingredient of 2007 and 2008 will also be back in the headlines in 2009 in the form of PREVENTHELIA ™ (0.05% Diaminopropionoyl Tripeptide-33). This is a brand new kind of peptide ingredient that not only fights the harmful UV radiation effects of the sun, but also appears to protect and actually repair DNA damage already caused by sun exposure. Indeed, skin ages not only from the passing of years, but from what you do during those years – particularly your exposure to environmental factor such as pollution, cigarette smoke and the sun. These factors not only destroy collagen ( the fibers that keep skin plump and smooth) but also damage your DNA – the inner workings of each cell that can not only increase your risk of skin cancer but also cause skin to wrinkle and crease prematurely. Now this newest generation of peptides can not only fight skin aging that has already occurred, but also dig deep into your DNA and do a little repair work, reversing some of the signs of damage. Expect to see PREVENTHELIA ™ cropping up in a variety of brand name skin care creams and even some make-up.

4. Burdock Root, Turmeric and More Fruits - This past year the idea of using natural products to boost skin youth was the headline maker. In 2009 expect to see “natural” go to a whole new level with fruits, veggies and spices achieving some serious anti-aging effects. On the top of the list will be burdock root – which studies have shown has an enormous capacity to hold moisture in the skin, as well as help protect against chronic tissue inflammation and stimulate the body’s natural production of collagen. Also on the skin care plate for 2009: Blueberries, acai berries, Goji berries and baobag – all of which contain important skin vitamins, antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids - essentials for anti-aging skin care. Among the spices making a big splash in the skin care ingredient category is turmeric. Expect to see it cropping up in hair care, sunscreens and anti-acne makeup and skin care.

5. Green Tea - We’ve seen it in moisturizers and even some make up. But in 2009 expect to see Green Tea emerging as a major sun screen ingredient. Indeed, a cache of new studies have shown that low concentrations of green tea used over a sustained period of time can offer significant protection from the photo-effects of the sun, helping to not only reduce cell damage, but possibly even excite some natural cell repair processes.

In other antioxidant news, researchers from L’Oreal USA working in conjunction with independent scientists from Dallas, Texas, have been studying the protective effects of a brand new natural ingredient known as phloretin . A plant phenol compound it is said to offer excellent protection against UV damage without any side effects. Expect to see it cropping up in sunscreens combined with vitamin C and ferulic acid.

To learn more about these and other new anti-aging skin care tips and tricks for 2009 visit www.RedDressDiary.com

You might also enjoy reading:
Anti Aging Cosmetics: Hope or Hype?
Avoid Anti Aging Skin Care Scams

Copyright by Colette Bouchez 2009 - All Rights Reserved.
In addition to US Copyright, the text of this RedDressDiary article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License. All formatting and style elements of this page are not available under this license, and Colette Bouchez retains all rights in those elements.

Memory Boosters: 10 Natural Ways to Remember More!

Are you doing more and remembering less? Memory loss is a part of aging ...but you can do something to slow it down! Here are 10 natural ways studies show you can boost your brain power and remember more - by Colette Bouchez

· You come out of the mall and not only don’t remember where you parked
the car, you don’t even remember parking the car.

· You need sticky notes to remember the names of your kids.

· You not only forgot your anniversary, you momentarily forgot…your spouses name.

Sound familiar? If you’re over 45 I can almost guarantee at least one of these things happened to you this month. If you’re over 50, at least one happened today!

The problem is memory loss, and researchers say that, to some degree, it’s a natural part of the aging process. For women, remembering also seems rooted to our hormones – with swings both up and down having an effect.

Indeed, during pregnancy, when hormone levels are soaring, many women become forgetful. In menopause, when these same hormones are plummeting, absentmindedness prevails yet again.

And while some memory loss is clearly age and hormone related, you may be surprised to discover that there are many outside factors that can also impact how well, and how much, we remember.

To help put you on the road to making memories that last, here are 10 ways to boost your brainpower and remember more.

1. Watch Soy Intake – Eating a lot of tofu lately? Or maybe you don’t remember just how much! New research out of Oxford University revealed that eating tofu at least once a day increased the risk of memory loss – particularly in folks over age 60.

2. Eat Less White Bread – While the effect isn’t immediate, Dr. Vincent Fortanasce, author of “The Anti-Alzheimer’s Prescription says that carb-heavy diets – like those containing a lot of white bread and cake - cause insulin to spike, prompting the release of an enzyme necessary to neutralize the effects. The problem: It’s the same enzyme that’s used to clear memory-robbing proteins from the brain. If it’s working on your insulin levels 24/7, it won’t be doing its job for your brain – and over time, memory will suffer.

3. Eat More Fish - According to research published earlier this year in the journal Neurology, eating 3 fishmeals each week significantly reduces your risk of stroke – a major cause of memory loss.

4. Drink Alcohol in Moderation - As the holiday season approaches many of us can look forward to a night of champagne dreams being followed by a morning of no recall. While that once a year hangover isn’t going to have any lasting effect on your memory, drink too much alcohol all year long and studies show your memory will begin to suffer.

5. Sip Some Green Tea – A team of British researchers from Newcastle University found that green tea was able to reduce the activity of brain chemicals associated with memory loss. Reporting in the journal Phytotherapy Research, the researchers suggest that green tea has both long term and immediate effects on memory.

6. Take A Nap - Start logging in a few extra hours of sleep each week and watch your memory improve. Researchers from Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center found that the area of the brain that controls how quickly we access information works more efficiently after a good night’s rest.

7. Quit Smoking – According to a study published earlier this year in the Archives of Internal Medicine, smoking increases the risk of memory loss. The good news: If you quit, there’s a good chance you’ll sharpen back up to speed.

8. Get Your Thyroid Checked – For many women the perimenopause years can bring on more than just hot flashes – it can also cause a decline in thyroid function. Among the most commonly missed symptoms that your thyroid has gone awry: Memory loss. For some gals, this may be the only symptom.

9. Relax More - Stress is a leading memory-thief, and along with depression can make us much more forgetful on a day-to-day basis. Get stress under control via meditation, deep breathing or even yoga, and experts say your memory will benefit.

10. Stop and Smell The Roses – Literally! A group of German researchers found that the scent of roses increased the ability to recall recent events. Spray it your bed sheets and pillow cases so you sniff all night long!

You might also enjoy reading:
Foods That Improve Memory and Reduce Diabetes
New studies confirm super health foods.

Visit RedDressDiary : Beauty, Health and Style for Fabulous Women Over 40!

Studies: Reduce Blood Pressure-Cholesterol Naturally

With the cost of prescription medicines on the rise – and more people losing their health insurance – comes the good news that inexpensive natural treatments may help lower blood pressure and reduce the inflammation linked to heart disease. Here are the latest findings.
--By Colette Bouchez--

If you’re one of millions of Americans fighting high blood pressure and trying to stave off the threat of heart disease, the news this week is very encouraging.

According to two separate studies published this week, both green tea and grapes may offer significant help in reducing not only blood pressure but also cholesterol - as well as controlling some of the inflammation linked to heart attack and even Alzheimer's disease.

In the case of green tea the “medical magic” is being attributed to polyphenols – natural compounds that appear to reduce inflammation in blood vessels which, if left unchecked, can not only raise blood pressure but also cause cholesterol to rise.

While green tea can contain up to 40% polyphenols, black tea usually contains between 3 and 10 percent.

The key compound in the grapes, say researchers, are flavonoids a type of antioxidant that also helps reduce inflammation.

“The things that we think are having an effect against the hypertension may be the flavonoids – either by direct antioxidant effects, by indirect effects on cell function, or both, “said researcher Steven Bolling from the University of Michigan where the grape research was conducted.

Although the study used concentrated grape powder, Bolling says the protective flavonoids can found in the fresh fruit as well, adding it is “ rich in all parts of the grape - skin, flesh and seed.”

Perhaps most interesting was that the grape compounds appeared to be most effective against high blood pressure in those who are salt sensitive.

Although this particular research was conducted on rodents, the researchers say there was clear evidence that a diet rich in the natural compounds found in grapes can reduce blood pressure associated with a high salt intake, helping to not only lower blood pressure, but improve heart health, reduce heart muscle damage and reduce inflammation that leads to hear disease. The research was published in the Journal of Gerontology: Biological Sciences.

Green Tea and Your Health

Similar to the Michigan study, the green tea study- just published in the journal Nutrition, also used a powdered supplement - this one made from natural extracts of green tea (Camellia sinensis). Here, a total of 125 men and women were randomly assigned to take a combination of two green tea supplements, or a placebo, once daily for 3 weeks.

At the end of the study, both total and LDL cholesterol decreased in all subjects by up to 10mg/dL, while blood pressure dropped on average of 5 points – all in just a matter of a few weeks.

Perhaps even more important, researchers documented a reduction in markers for oxidative stress - which some believe may be the early stages of heart disease - as well as a reduction of up to 42% of amyloid-alpha, another marker of chronic inflammation which may not only play a role in high blood pressure, but also brain degeneration including Alzheimer’s disease.

“Camellia sinensis compounds may be an option for people who have mild to moderate high blood pressure, elevated LDL cholesterol, elevated markers of inflammation, or a combination of these three CVD risk factors,” say the researchers who hailed from the University of Florida, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, and the Nutritional Science Research Institute in Boston.

As such, they also suggest that before turning to prescription drugs, a trial of diet and exercise, including drinking green tea or using green tea supplements, may be enough to keep blood pressure and resulting inflammation under control.

What This Means To You:
While drinking green tea or adding grapes to your diet may not be all the help you need in reducing your high blood pressure and protecting your heart, adding them to your daily diet may help give your medication a boost – and help you build an arsenal of protection against the ravages of inflammation that can increase the risk of many diseases associated with advancing age.

If you have just begun to see to first stirrings of high blood pressure or high cholesterol – for example a pressure reading of between 120 and 135 or a slight rise in cholesterol , then don’t fool yourself into believing they won’t get any worse. They can and they probably will – unless you take some kind intervention to halt the process.

In that case, these two small dietary changes might be just what the doctor ordered!

You may also enjoy reading:
Yogurt is The New-Old Wonder Food
New Super Foods Reduce Diabetes - Improve Memory

Visit RedDressDiary.com : The Health and Beauty Destination for Fabulous Women Over 40!

Bon Appétit! Some Really Good Food News!

What could be better than eating something scrumptious – and finding out it's good for you too!

Well, nothing could be better…which is why I'm excited to report on some of the hottest, newest, ground breaking research, all of it linking good food to great health!

Here's what's causing the buzz right now!

• 
  GREEN TEA – AND ANTIBIOTIC - The next time your doctor prescribes an antibiotic you might want to wash it down with some green tea. The reason: New research presented this past weekend at the Society for General Microbiology's 162nd meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland showed how green tea can dramatically boost the effectiveness of many antibiotics. In fact, in certain cases it may even help some drugs combat strains of bacteria that are normally resistant to treatment. The study, conducted by a group of Egyptian doctors is particularly exciting because it may mean that green tea can reduce the amount of antibiotic needed to be effective against various organisms. Fewer drugs mean lower costs and less antibiotic resistance! The 12-month study is expected to be published in an upcoming edition of the European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.
• 
  VITAMIN A & TYPE 1 DIABETES- Do you have a family history of diabetes – or are other health problems increasing your risk? If so you might want to start chowing down on peaches, cantaloupe, spinach and other foods rich in vitamin A. A new study just published in the Journal of Nutrition found high intakes of Vitamin A appears to stymie the onset of type 1 diabetes by helping to keep the body from attacking its own insulin producing beta cells. The study, conducted on mice that were treated to foster the development of diabetes, revealed that just 25% of the rodents fed high levels of vitamin A developed diabetes, compared to 71% who didn't get the vitamin. The researchers believe that dietary intervention may help control or even prevent type 1 diabetes from developing in some people.
• APPLES MAY PREVENT COLON CANCER! – An exciting new study just published in the journal Nutrition has found that the pectin or "rind" of apples, as well as natural chemicals found in apple juice have an anti-carcinogenic effect on the colon. The link is an increase in the production of a natural chemical known as butyrate, a type of fatty acid that has been linked to good colon health. In another recent study a group of California researchers found that low doses of freeze-dried grape powder could also inhibit the development of colon cancer. The link here, a powerful polyphenol known as resveratrol.