Turns out, to my relief, I only have a sinus infection. According to the doctor, I have a post-nasal drip, and fluid in my ears – so I have a slight ear infection. I can feel the pressure and the dull aching from the back of my throat, to my jaws, to my temples and to my eyeballs. It doesn’t help that I get tension headaches from my TMJ. So I’ve been prescribed antibiotics and some pain relief medicine for my ears and throat area.

I suggested to my doctor that he swab me for H1N1 anyway, because I work with kids. But since he thinks it isn’t, he doesn’t feel that I need to know the results right away, so I will receive that information in three days time. Hopefully, this doesn’t evolve to that.

So here I am, loaded up on vitamin C. I’m waiting for lunch so I can start taking my medicine.

I just received an invitation in the mail from my good friend Jeff. He’s getting married on June 19 of next year! I’m so excited! It’ll be the first wedding I’ve been to in a long time, third wedding ever!

P.S. Is it weird that my kitty likes to play fetch with a twisty-tie?

Picture of the day:

♥Miss Kitty♥ She looked so adorable, I had to take a picture! ♥11.27.09♥

Thanksgiving dinner will not be complete without the beloved cranberry sauce.

The peak season for cranberries is in the fall when the fruit takes on its distinctive deep red color.  They are cultivated mainly in Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Washington, and Oregon.

Most cranberries are processed into products such as juice, sauce, and sweetened dried cranberries.  The berry is also used in baking muffins and scones but, unlike many other berries, is normally considered too tart to be eaten by itself.

Cranberries are a good source of vitamins A and C as well as dietary fiber.  They contain antioxidants that may help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and stroke.

Packed in plastic bags cranberries will keep in the refrigerator for up to two months. These berries can also be frozen and they’ll stay fresh for a year.

Classic Cranberry Sauce Made from Scratch

3/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 (12-ounce) package of fresh or frozen cranberries

Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan.  Bring the sugar mixture to a boil and add the fresh or frozen cranberries. Return to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover and cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate until serving time.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1⁄4 cup)

Allowances: 1/2 allowance of fruits and 1 allowance of sugar

Calories 93 (0% from fat); Fat 0g (sat 0g); Protein 0.2g; Carb 24g; Fiber 2g; Chol 0mg; Sodium 1.7mg

Normally I don’t get sick. In fact, the last time I got sick was about a year. Under similar circumstances. It was my birthday recently and I partied really hard – two non-stop days, 4 hours of sleep per night, lots of drinking and other stuff. So yesterday around 10am I started feeling it. A gentle cough, but not a normal one. This one felt like a baby was punching my chest from the inside. As the day progressed, it got worse. I had to take emergency action.

Before bed, I resolved that I was not going to work today.

I slept non-stop for 10 hours and then woke naturally. I didn’t eat breakfast because I wanted my body to not have to deal with processing food, just fighting the flu. I did drink water non-stop though. I also have taken roughly 5000mg of vitamin C today.

For lunch I had a delicious plate of sizzling pork chops, fried egg, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, and rice. It came with a bowl of soup which I gladly guzzled. Afterwards, I walked to a juicer shop and had them juice me up a cup of freshly squeezed green grape juice.

On coming home, I took a nap and then upon waking, I’m sitting down to write this blog.

Aside from giving my body rest, lots of water, and amping it up with vitamin C, I believe in staying in a cheery mood. Though it’s hard to stay happy when you’re sick, I’m convinced mood plays an important role in recovery.

I think I’m winning the fight against my flu. I think by this time tomorrow night, I’ll feel all better.

Want to stay trim? Just eat lots of tomatoes, says a new study. Previous studies have shown tomatoes, rich in vitamin C, can help heart health, with regular helpings of ketchup and tomato juice sending cholesterol levels plummeting in a matter of weeks.

Now, a team at Reading University has found that eating the fruit leaves one feel satisfied, suppressing the urge to snack, and also help one shed the excess weight, the ‘Daily Mail’ reported. According to researchers, it could be because tomatoes are rich in compounds that alter levels of appetite hormones, making them an easy — and cheap — way to keep hunger pangs at bay. In fact, the study is based on findings from research into the benefits of enriching white bread with fruit as well as vegetables.

A small group of normal weight women aged between 18 and 35 were offered cream cheese sandwiches that had been made with either white bread or bread enriched with carrots or tomatoes. It was thought that the extra fibre provided by the carrot would make the carrot-bread lunches the most filling. Instead, the tomato bread was the most satisfying.

According to the researchers, further research will focus on whether eating tomatoes alters levels of appetite- regulating hormones, including ghrelin. A lower level of ghrelin makes people feel full. However, it is not known which part of the tomato dulls the appetite, but it may be lycopene, the pigment that gives tomatoes their red colour.

Lycopene is already credited with a host of health benefits, from warding off cancer to boosting fertility. It is thought to be particularly effective at combating prostate cancer, protecting against the disease and slowing its progress when it does develop

Dieses einfache Mürbeteig-Gebäck besteht aus nur 5 Zutaten, liefert aber den optimalen Vitamin-C-Kick für den kalten, nassen deutschen Winter.

Angesia-Plätzchen
Quelle: Grundrezept für Shortbread, aus dem Gedächtnis
250g Butter, und 125g Zucker (feinster Backzucker) schaumig rühren, dann 350g Mehl sehr zügig einarbeiten. Dabei nicht zuviel kneten, es soll gerade so ein Teigball entstehen. Den Teig in Frischhaltefolie wickeln und mindestens eine Stunde oder besser über Nacht in den Kühlschrank legen.
Den Teig in kleineren Portionen ausrollen. Je weniger hier vorher geknetet wird um so mürber werden die Plätzchen später.
Kleine Kreise ausstechen und bei 175°C goldgelb backen (dauert nur 5-8 min). Kurz abkühlen lassen und noch lauwarm mit Hagebuttenmark bestreichen, zusammensetzen und in Zimtzucker wälzen.

Mein Hagebuttenmark kaufe ich auf dem Markt in Sachsenhausen. Alternativ kann man natürlich auch Hagebuttenmarmelade verwenden, die enthält allerdings nur noch Spuren von Vitaminen.

Hagebutten enthalten übrigens 1000 – 1500mg Vitamin C pro 100g. Im Vergleich dazu hat die Zitrone bei 100g des essbaren Anteils nur 51mg Vitamin C.
Dieses Hagebuttenmark besteht zu 51% aus Hagebutten, das ergibt einen Vitamingehalt von mindestens 500mg Vitamin pro 100g Mark.
Mit einem Teelöffel (10g) Mark enhält ein Plätzchen 50mg Vitamin C, 2 Stück decken also den Tagesbedarf eines Erwachsenen!
Zusätzlich enthält die Hagebutte unter anderem Flavonoide, die auch noch eine antivirale Wirkung haben.

Mit Keksen gegen Erkältungen UND die Schweinegrippe! Oder wie die Hessen sagen: “Wutzeschnubbe”.

Woooow, diese Farbe! Sowas kann nur gesund sein!

If you have dark circles or shadows under your eyes, you’re not suffering from a deficiency of makeup. You’re in need, instead, of natural remedies and a healthier lifestyle. Rather than subject yourself to chemical peels, laser therapy or the other dermatological treatments prescribed for under eye circles, why not try natural remedies that can have optimum results with no side effects?

Natural Therapies…and Causative Factors
People who have used chamomile and Vitamin E have discovered that these natural therapies can decrease the severity of dark under-eye circles. In addition, a good rotation diet under the supervision of a physician will work wonders.

What sort of doctor should you choose? Homeopaths are familiar with a whole mind-body, or holistic, approach to symptoms such as under eye circles, but an allopath will also do. Find one that is open to the idea of identifying and eliminating causative foods.

To begin with, examine your diet. Chances are that you are allergic to a food or a drink – even to an airborne element. Common allergens include dairy and excessive sugar. Dark circles under the eyes are a sign that your liver or kidneys are carrying a toxic load.

You’ve heard of eyes being referred to as “windows to your soul”? Well, think of your dark under eye circles as “windows to your filtration system”. Dark circles can also indicate something as simple as a lack of sleep, so be sure to get enough so that you feel refreshed upon awakening.

Stress is another cause. Too much sun can also cause under eye circles. One additional cause is bone structure: persons with deep set eyes sometimes appear to have shadows under their eyes. An overproduction of melanin can also cause dark shadows under the eyes. In most cases, proper lifestyle changes will dramatically diminish under eye circles. Here are a few suggestions for improving your lifestyle:

Eating a diet rich in Vitamin K and iron, in addition to doing away with processed or greasy foods, will go a long way towards eliminating under eye circles. If you follow a regimen recommended for the prevention of oily breakouts or acne, you will benefit the skin on the face overall – including the under eye area. Here is a holistic protocol for facial care:

1. Consume plenty of fiber, to allow for regular bowel movements. (Complex carbohydrates will do the trick.)

2. Eat plenty of fresh fruits.

3. Either eat your vegetables raw (when they can be thus consumed, and digested easily) or sauté or lightly cook your vegetables. Make sure you get plenty of greens, as they are known to clean out the toxins in the bloodstream.

4. Invest in a juicer, and juice raw fruits and vegetables. (You should blanch broccoli. You may juice all other produce in their raw state.)

5. Avoid fried foods, butter, cheeses, whole milk, ice cream, rich salad dressings, chocolate, fatty meats, coffee, sweets and processed nut products.

Cosmetic Use
Do not leave under-eye creams or oils (or any moisturizer) on the skin underneath your eyes for any length of time. The skin in that area is thin and might sag with the added weight. If you do use any under eye concealers, try to get products that are enriched with Vitamins C or E.

Vitamin C, especially, is involved in collagen production. Collagen protein accounts for up to 75% of the weight of the dermis and is responsible for the elasticity and elasticity of the skin.

After washing your face at night, apply a light moisturizer to help keep our skin hydrated. Safflower or olive oil work wonderfully; just don’t forget to blot the excess oil with a tissue (or allow the oil to be absorbed) before slipping on your pajamas, so as not to stain the material.

Under-eye Exercises
Try palpating the area around your eyes lightly. Using the tips of your fingers, make fluttering motions with your fingers and lightly graze the area. This will rev up circulation and “smooth out” little creases.

Internal Hydration
You will want to drink at least eight (8) glasses of quality water per day. This will help eliminate dehydration, one of the main causes of dark under eye circles – as well as puffiness under the eyes.

Stay Active
Be sure to get some exercise each and every day. This will improve your overall health and vigor. A balanced homeostasis – the ability to maintain internal equilibrium – will be visible on your face.

In a Rush? Apply Cucumber Juice
Finally, applying cucumber juice on a cotton pad will help you with its mild bleaching properties. It is also soothing and cooling. However, this is only a temporary solution and should be followed up with a good lifestyle, as described above.

We were interested to read about an antioxidant therapy for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN). It includes alpha lipoic acid, which has been studied quite extensively for diabetes, as well as evening primrose oil (gamma linolenic acid being the active component) and Vitamin C:

…a recommendation for treatment of DPN by use of anti-oxidants, and is based on the research of Stan Angilley. It has been used successfully by many diabetics to reduce or even eliminate DPN. Before starting on this regimen, you should discuss it with your doctor, as you may have other medical issues which would contraindicate its use. It is likely that your doctor will have heard little or nothing about this approach, so we have provided citations to applicable literature below.

The DPN cocktail has three components: Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA), Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA) as contained in Evening Primrose Oil (EPO), and Vitamin C.

Read more at:

http://www.diabetes-support.org.uk/joomla/neuropathy-treatment

See www.newyorkbuyersclub.org for more on these supplements.

Thanksgiving foods good for the face

Yannique Benitez, beat blogger

Cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie are essentials at most Thanksgiving dinner tables. But, cranberry and pumpkin are also good for your skin. Many skin care products include these two ingredients because of their vitamin rich and skin-soothing capabilities.

Cranberry provides a high source of anti-oxidants that are anti-cancer and anti-aging agents. The berry is also rich in vitamins A, B and C, folic acid, and fiber that can improve overall health and help rid skin of blemishes and irritation. You can take advantage of these benefits by eating cranberries, drinking cranberry juice, or using cranberry skin care products. The Body Shop’s Merry Cranberry line has an assortment of lotions, lip balms, and body soaps to choose from. For only $5, you can try the Merry Cranberry 3.5 oz. bar soap.

Pumpkin is rich in a multitude of vitamins including A and C and is good for all skin types, including sensitive skin. This natural cleanser has alpha hydoxy acids that moisturize and purify the skin. Check out Philosophy’s 3-in-1 Pumpkin Spice Muffin Shampoo, Shower Gel and Bubble Bath for $16.  Another option is to make a mask using about 2 teaspoons of canned or cooked pumpkin, about one-half teaspoon of honey, and one-quarter teaspoon of milk. After you mix the ingredients together, place the mixture on your face and allow the mask to set for about 15 minutes. Finish by rinsing your face clean for a radiant complexion. Happy Thanksgiving!

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Yannique Benitez is a senior magazine journalism major with a minor in history. She has written for on-campus publications like Equal Time and has interned at HBO and ThisOldHouse.com. Benitez is interested in investigating new products and procedures for beauty and skin car

I LOVE bananas!  Whether making tasty strawberry-banana smoothies or eating a fresh peeled banana when I’m in a hurry.  Bananas are a great source of potassium, vitamins a, b, c, e  and  have great health benefits for your body.  But this Southeast Asia native fruit also has benefits for your skin too!

Acne skin gets easily irritated and bananas have no known ingredients that cause irritation, so it is ideal for sensitive skin.  So here’s what you can do: Mash up a banana and apply it to your face as a mask for 20 minutes, then rinse it off with lukewarm water.  Potassium in bananas help kill bacteria in acne blemishes and aids in healing them at a faster rate.  Vitamin B from bananas can calm irritation and even skin tone.

Aging skin may become dry with signs of wrinkles and age spots, which can benefit from this super-fruit as well.  Vitamin A in bananas will help restore natural oil for the dry areas while Vitamin E can repair damaged skin and fade age spots.  Vitamin C restores cell function and prevents oxidation which will prevent future fine lines and wrinkles.  For an anti-aging mask, mash up a banana and mix in some honey with it.  The honey will help firm the skin while the banana will make skin functional, soft and smooth.

While I have early memories of devouring cherry tomatoes straight from the vine of my next door neighbor’s garden, sun dried tomatoes mark a more recent acquisition to my vegetable repertoire.

A great tidbit, not only does sun drying make it possible to enjoy tomatoes year round, but the sun drying process (which originated in tile roofs in Italy) does NOT deplete tomatoes of their nutritional value. So your favorite accompaniment for crostini, pasta, pizza or flatbread is still full of lycopene and Vitamin C.

Why not branch out and whip up some easy smoked mozzarella and sun-dried tomato cigars, pesto topped warm potato salad primavera, or a sun-dried tomato and goat cheese frittata (breakfast is the new dinner!)

The Rainbow Sisters urge you to stay healthy this season by getting a daily dose of vitamin C

These little oranges are actually called “Cuties” lol how fitting!

Of course there can be a downside of having to much Vitamin C…

Do we look okay?

I rarely have enough fruits(not to mention veggies) but i love it when we get these delicious little oranges. Are you getting your daily dose?

In the September Estates blog post, You Say Tomato, I Say…, I discussed how to start tomato plants.  Already, the tomatoes are sprouting and are big enough to leave the greenhouse flats.  They are now in 4” pots and available for purchase.

Many people don’t realize, but the tomato is actually a fruit.  They are low in fat and packed with fiber, Lycopene, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Potassium, Iron, Calcium, and Folate. 

When you plant the varieties of tomatoes I have chosen for our Florida climate (Bella Rosa, Floralina, Homestead, Florida Basket, Snow White, and Cherokee Purple) there are some techniques you should employ to increase your chance of success:

• Plant in raised beds, mounds, containers, or buckets with holes drilled for drainage
• Use the best good draining soil possible
• Place in full sun
• Water when the soil is dry
• Incorporate organic fertilizers
• Insert a tomato cage

Tomatoes are what you call “heavy feeders,” needing a balanced fertilizer throughout the growing season (September through April). The Estates uses worm castings, sea kelp, fish emulsion, bone meal, and Espoma brand fertilizer on ours.  We spray a soap solution once a week to keep insects at bay, and hand- pick the caterpillars off the leaves. Tom’s Plant Soap is available in the Estates Museum Store.  Other insecticides include neem oil, hot pepper spray, and pyrethroids.  As always read the label directions.  Beware of blossom end rot (caused by a calcium deficiency) and fungal diseases, such as early blight and light blight (soil borne fungi). Copper fungicide is labeled for tomatoes and can help control fungal diseases.

Cultural practices highly affect the outcome of tomatoes.  Hand watering at the root zone or using drip irrigation in the morning hours can help prevent withering.  Wetting the soil roots rather than the foliage decreases the chances of fungal diseases. Put dead leaves and rotting fruit in your regular garbage (you don’t want to risk contaminating your compost). High nitrogen fertilizer should be avoided as well. 

You can purchase Estates sprouted tomato plants, fertilizers, insecticides, and fungicides at the Estates Garden Shoppe, open daily from 9AM-5PM, or at the Downtown Farmers Market on Thursdays from 7AM-2PM.  We will keep you posted on the progress of our tomato plants.

    If you go into your backyard, or go to your local park, I bet you’ll find a lot of pine trees. There are so many different kinds of pine trees, such as the Monterey, Bishop, and the Grey pine. Not only do pine trees bear needles, but they also bear pine cones, and each pine cone carries a certain amount of pine seeds, also known as pine nuts. Bearing pine cones make them a coniferous tree for little critters like the Douglas squirrel nibble on. But the Douglas squirrel is not the only thing that likes to nibble on the seeds, we eat them too!

    Not only are these trees big and majestic, but the needles carry very important minerals and vitamins such as calcium and Vitamin C. Back in the old days, vitamin C was used to help people from getting scurvy, but because scurvy in not seen a lot anymore, vitamin C helps us through the common cold. 

    There are a lot of things you can make out of pine needles. Some of the many things are honey, tea, baskets, caulking, decorations, cough drops, and vinegar. Now, not all things listed are made from the actual needles. The honey, caulking, and cough drops are made from the pine sap, but everything else is made from the actual needles of the pine trees. It doesn’t matter what kind of pine you have. They all have a different taste but they can all be used for any of these projects. We have Monterey pines. When you look at the list of all the uses, you’re probably wondering about the vinegar. And it IS the oddest thing on the list, so of course that is what we are making. Another reason we have decided to make pine needle vinegar is because my mom has been reading some articles about there being lead in balsamic vinegar, so she was thinking that if we liked the pine needle vinegar, which is known as a balsamic substitute, then we could use it instead.

    When you are planning to make vinegar, or anything that you are going to eat, you want to make sure that you have to best tasting needles. So that is what we did. My mom and I went outside and we tasted a needle from each of our pine trees to see which one would make the best tasting vinegar. And the one we chose had the acidity and taste of French sorrel. So we went outside and picked a whole bunch of needles off that one tree. Then we stripped all the needles off the one branch, being very careful to make sure they were very clean, and then took them inside to be dealt with. My mom has looked at a bunch of different recipes for pine needle vinegar and some recipes say to pasteurize the vinegar and other say not to. So we made two jars, one pasteurized and one not. We took half of the needles and shoved them into a sterilized jar with the pasteurized cider vinegar and one with cider vinegar straight from the jar (we used Braggs Cider Vinegar which is raw, unfiltered and contains the “mother”. To pasteurize, we boiled and then let it return to room temperature). Now we need to wait for 6 weeks for it to age. We will report back on how it turned out.

From the Blog on Lets Play Make Up

Ever wondered what all those really long words mean listed on the label of your skin care products? It’s important to understand what you are putting on your skin so that you are sure the products you use are targeting your skin care needs and not making them worse. The list below is not a complete list of everything contained in skin care ingredients, but it is a good start and certainly includes many of the ingredients used in todays anti-aging products.

Allantoin – A botanical extract from comfrey root. Medical grade allantoin, is a proven cell-healing agent that stimulates healthy tissue formation. It also helps promote the repair of photo damage and reduces UV induced inflammation. 


Antioxidants – Ingredients which help the body resist free radicals that damage the body and prematurely age the skin. Different antioxidants target different areas of the skin to accomplish different tasks. It is believed that some antioxidants may hold the key to stimulating fibroblast activity to repair the dermis. 

 


Avobenzone – This synthetic sunscreen ingredient (also known as Parsol 1789 and Butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane) can protect against the entire range of the sun’s UVA rays. 
 


Bambusa Vulgaris Extract (Bamboo Extract) – A highly effective antioxidant complex that helps minimize and control wrinkles, with natural anti-inflammatory properties. 


Bisabolol – A botanical extract derived from Chamomile or Yarrow known for its anti-inflammatory and soothing benefits. 


Caffeine – Topical application results in mild constriction of blood vessels and subsequent decreases in blood flow, which aids in diminishing dark circles under the eye area.

Carrot Polypeptides (Daucus Carota Sativa Root) – A naturally derived form of Vitamin A. Promotes rapid utilization and absorption of Vitamin A. Supports Matrix Metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibition to protect against collagen destruction. Potent antioxidant.

Cucumber Fruit Extract (Cucumis Sativus) – Cools and refreshes the skin and has anti-inflammatory and skin tightening properties. 


Crosslinked Sodium Hyaluronate – Purified, highly potent form of Hyaluronic Acid, a naturally occurring substance found in the fluids surrounding cells and tissues. Hyaluronic Acid is found in abundance in young skin, and becomes depleted with age. Loss of Hyaluronic Acid contributes to loss of elasticity, sagging and wrinkling of the dermis and epidermis. Crosslinked Sodium Hyaluronate is topical version of one of the most widely acclaimed wrinkle fillers. It delivers 4-5 times more hydration than Hyaluronic Acid, and represents a true breakthrough in technology. Combined with other actives, it is unparalleled in both attracting and binding humectants and moisture to the skin. It ´s extremely potent in adding volume lost by the aging process – temporarily smoothing out facial lines and wrinkles. The inclusion of this ingredient will have an immediate and visible effect on the skin. 
 


Dimethicone – OTC ingredient with a breathable barrier bolsters skin´s natural defenses. Creates a two-way “zone of inhibition” that prevents the entry of harmful external irritants and potential environmental skin-agers and prevents the exit of vital moisture. Due to its ability to remain present, active and effective for extended periods of time, Dimethicone puts skin in heightened state of preparedness against unexpected factors that can compromise skin´s health and well-being. It also smoothes and heals.

Emu Oil (Dromiceius Oil) – ALSO POTENT SOURCE OF EFA´S – This highly moisturizing, natural skin softener has rejuvenating properties and has been shown to help reduce the depth and length of fine lines and wrinkles. It is non-greasy and highly penetrating. It is also non-comedogenic (does not clog pores), non-irritating and gentle for all skin types. It is also an effective anti-inflammatory.

Essential Fatty Acids – EFAs – Natural components of skin which help to make up the outer layer. They help protect the body against oxidative damage. EFA´s form basic building blocks of body fats and cellular membranes. Topical EFA´s improve skin´s water retention and help “water-proof” the skin. If your skin is dry, prone to inflammation, and frequently dotted with white heads and black heads, you may be lacking essential fatty acids, nutrients that are crucial to the production of skin´s natural oil barrier. Without an adequate supply of EFA´s, the skin produces a more irritating form of sebum, or oil, which can result in skin problems.

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) – The ultimate cell regenerators. These marine-derived complex proteins help support collagen structure and increase skin´s elasticity. 
 


Green Tea Leaf Extract (Camellia Sinensis) – A super antioxidant with many health and healing benefits. 


Homosalate – A recognized sunscreen that filters out UVB rays, which do their damage at the cellular level. 


Licorice Extract (Glycyrrhiza Glabra) – Extracted from the roots of the Licorice plant, it is used topically as a natural skin lightener and anti-inflammatory.

Evening Primrose Root Extract – One of the family of essential fatty acids, which form the basic building blocks of cell membranes. When used as a topical ingredient, Evening Primrose Oil has moisturizing and softening effects.

Octinoxate and Octisalate – Sunscreens used to protect skin primarily from the sun´s UVB rays: the longer wavelength “burning” rays. 


Peptides – Proteins are long chains of amino acids. Peptides are short chains of amino acids which serve as “messengers” that regulate various functions in the body and on the skin. Different peptides have different functions: some activate hormonal activity, others antibiotic activity, still others activate wound healing and skin repair.

Palmitoyl Oligopeptide (Ceramide-2) – Independent studies have shown that Ceramide-2 enhances the production of collagen and GAGs and supports the growth of matrix and connective tissues. 


Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide 7 – A powerful anti-inflammatory that helps promote tissue regeneration resulting in normalization of damaged skin. Skin looks and “acts” younger renewing its strength against photo aging and environmental damage.

Pisum Sativum (Pea) Extract – Contains vital amino acids and proteins necessary for the production of collagen and elastin. It also fights free radicals, thus helping to prevent new wrinkles from forming. 


Punica Granatum Extract (Pomegranate) – An excellent external astringent for oily complexions. In addition, recent studies cite it as a potent antioxidant. Pomegranate Extract contains several polyphenols and anthocyanidins (pigment that gives certain fruits their dark red colors) that are said to have a higher antioxidant activity than that of red wine and green tea.

Resveratrol – A plant extract from the stalks and stems of the vine. It provides a natural defense mechanism and is a leading anti-oxidant. 100% of the benefits are released into the skin helping to defend against UVA/UVB exposure. It also reduces irritation and puffiness. 


Retinol – This is a derivative of vitamin A and is the active ingredient in found in several important prescription skincare products such as Retin-A and Renova. Retinol is proven to improve mottled skin pigmentation, skin texture, tone and color, enhance skin hydration and help decrease fine lines and wrinkles.

Saccharomyces Lysate Extract – A derivative of yeast, this ingredient helps foster cell respiration.

Salicylic Acid – Often referred as beta hydroxy acid (BHA) – A multifunctional ingredient with a multitude of properties – including anti-microbial — that address many systemic causes of blemishes. It also improves collagen production.

Sodium Dehydroacetate – Made from organic salt. It is used to fight bacteria and fungi on the skin. 


Sorbitol – A humectant found in berries, grapes, plums, and pears. Often used in place of glycerin as a moisturizing agent in topical skincare. 


Tricontanyl PVP – A film-forming agent used to improve water resistance properties and enhance SPF properties. 


Vitamin B (Panthenyl and Panthenyl Ethyl Ether) – A moisturizing agent for skin care. Also aids in tissue repair. 


Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Ascorbate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate and Sodium Ascrobyl Phosphate) – Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin. Unlike most mammals, humans do not have the ability to make their own vitamin C. Therefore, we must obtain vitamin C through our diet. Vitamin C is required for the synthesis of collagen, an important structural component of skin. Vitamin C is also a highly effective antioxidant. Even in small amounts vitamin C can protect indispensable molecules in the body. Vitamin C also helps promote healing and minimizes hyperpigmentation by reducing melanin production. Researchers attribute Vitamin C to helping reverse existing damage deep within the skin and may also give the skin a boost in natural resistance to UVA/UVB damage. In addition, Vitamin C helps regenerate Vitamin E in the skin, enabling it to sustain its antioxidant protection.

Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate – Stable form of super potent Vitamin C. Shown to increase collagen by 50% in vitro studies. Promotes whitening/lightening of dark circles and counteracts hyperpigmentation. Offers extremely potent antioxidant protection.

Vitamin E (Tocopheryl Acetate) – Considered an antioxidant superstar. Vitamin E is a lipid-soluble vitamin (meaning it likes fat better than water) that when applied topically to skin provides significant antioxidant protection against ultraviolet rays. It combats free radical damage and protects from the adverse effects of oxidative stress including photo aging. Vitamin E also enhances moisturization and minimizes cell damage caused by inflammation.

Vitamin F (Linoleic Acid) – An essential fatty acid (EFA) which has emollient, water binding, and antioxidant properties for skin.

Yeast Extract – Comprised of a complex mixture of proteins, sugars and amino acids, it is an excellent humectant which may enhance the rate of cell turnover. It also helps reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation by working to block melanin synthesis, revitalizes skin with moisture while it fights dryness and restores elasticity to skin.

Codex Alimentarius Update: Vitamins and Herbs Becoming Illegal

One should know that the mineralstoffe is a natural occurring solid who’s formation occurs through geological processes which has a characteristic chemical composition with large atomic structure and specific physical properties.To understand mineral users can see rock which don not need any specific chemical composition.Minerals range in composition from the pure elements to the simple salts to the extent of very complex silicates along with many known forms. So the readers of minerals is also called as mineralogy.

In order to classified as a pure mineral, the substances should be in a solid state carrying crystalline structure.Minerals should reflects as a homogeneous substance carrying a defined chemical composition. As per the International Mineralogical Association the definition of mineral goes just like that defined in 1995 : a mineral is an element or chemical compound appearing crystalline and obtained from the geological processes.The chemical composition differs many end members of the mineral system.Mineral-like substances which do not shows their properties of minerals are defined as mineraloids.Many other natural-occurring substances like non minerals.Minerals do get its name as per the usage in varied fields like industrial minerals used in the market and commercially as mined materials.

Crystal structure shows the ability of influencing the mineral’s physical properties.Diamond and graphite is having the same composition where graphite is found to be highly soft and diamond as the hardest of all famous minerals.As per the reports of the International Mineralogical Association there are 4000 minerals present in the nature.In order to know more about minerals people should read magazines and booklets in order to get benefitted from these minerals source.Classifying the minerals is not an easy work as it ranges from simple to very difficult task.So one should understand that mineral is identified because of many physical properties.In several cases, minerals are shown as more complex chemical and X-ray diffraction analysis.

vitamin c

Vitamins is a organic compound having usage in many organisms in the form of nutrient.The word vitamins is produced from the combination of two words vitamin and mineral.Several compounds could not be synthesized by organisms as required then it is known as vitamins.consumers should know that ascorbic acid does the work of vitamin c in several animals which is not applicable in most animals.Most people will find vitamins different as vitamins d and k act as source of food in human beings.So consumers of vitamins should not follow misconception that vitamins means everything.Vitamins don’t have several important nutrients like dietary minerals,fatty acids, and amino acids.So consumers of vitamins should know that vitamins categorized by biological and chemical activity.Consumers should not find vitamins depending on its structure for operatins.

Many studies shows that vitamins is a inter-converter in the human body.In this way vitamins contains compounds like retinal,retinol,carotenoids and many more.People should know that vitamins have diverse biochemical functions such as hormone functioning(e.g.vitamin D), antioxidants (e.g. vitamin E) etc.Several vitamins operates as precursors for enzyme’s cofactor bio-molecules mediator as a catalyst and substrating in metabolism.Most of the vitamins consider as coenzymes for having chemical groups in many enzymes.

People of vitamins plays an essential role in the development and growth of multicellular organism. Many sources of vitamins are alot along with getting vitamins through the body and through othere\ sources.Vitamins has a role in multicellular life as aids in the processing of proteins, carbohydrate, and fats required for respiration.Consumers should know that vitamins is vitamin d which comes from sunlight.Vitamins are essential for skin especially vitamin d which aids in protecting the skin level.Health conscious people should read many booklets to collect more information about vitamins.

mineral

Oranges are one of the most precious of America’s commodities. Fresh squeezed Florida oranges create the most unique drink in the world. 100% (all Florida) orange juice is one of the best decisions you can make in the supermarket. This juice is so naturally high in Vitamin-C that it not only helps your immune system, but also helps keep the body alert and stimulates the senses. The harmony of tart and sweet make the juice unique among other sugar-coated juices.

Calcium and Vitamin-D fortification? Most of the time I would say yes. However, if your diet already has enough of these additives, then go with the Calcium free for a much better taste. However, it’s not a drawback but it may be a deal breaker. If it will cause you to drink less OJ then just go without it and drink more orange juice.

From concentrate! It’s not real orange juice. Sure it’s 100% juice but it has the taste of imitation oranges. If NFC orange juice is going to break the bank then buying the FC orange juice may not be the end of the world. Hey, it comes in calcium fortified too.

Drink OJ! Be natural and healthy. As for Organic orange juice… I suppose. All natural orange juice is good enough for you but go with whichever tastes the best in the end. I tend to find that that’s usually Florida Natural.

Around a table at THE MASQUERADE in ATLANTA, GA members of THE THERMALS talked with me before their show.

Interviewing requires asking questions, which requires talking. Talking requires breathing, which is hard to do when you’re continually cracking up. Between discussing lethal doses of vitamin C and the world’s longest burritos, I had more laughs than professionally necessary with the three members of The Thermals. And their show rocks.

Did I mention that Hutch gets bonus points for incorporating a Futurama reference into an interview?

Full Transcript: (Audio)
Nichole Bennett: I’m Nichole. I’m here at The Masquerade in Atlanta, Georgia, and I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by members of the Thermals.
Hutch Harris: So lucky.
NB: So lucky! Would you guys mind introducing yourselves?
HH: I’m Kathy
Westin Glass: I’m Hutch.
Kathy Foster: I’m Westin.
NB: Thank you. Okay so, Hutch and Kathy have been together almost forever and a half, and then we’ve added Westin lately. So, if you had to write your band’s story would it be a pop-up book or a graphic novel?
HH: It’s pretty graphic.
WG: A pop-up graphic novel.
NB: A very graphic pop-up book.
HH: Definitely an adult pop-up book.
NB: With swords in each other’s sides and pull tabs?
HH: With a centerfold.
NB: A centerfold in this pop-up book?
HH: Yeah.
NB: Nice.
KF: Westin.
WG: Yeah, I would be the centerfold, let me tell you.
HH: This would be like the Burt Reynolds centerfold of the seventies:
WG: There would be quite a bit of “popping up” on that page.
KF: Har har har.
NB: (joking) I don’t get it.
WG: Drumsticks.
NB: They’ve already got me, and it’s the first question. This is terrible. Okay, let’s see we’ve got a new record, a new label, a new drummer. We’re not going to go into the new label because you can read about that anywhere on the internet.
HH: Nice.
KF: Thank you.
NB: I’m sure you guys just take turns telling the story.
KF: Yeah.
NB: But Westin just got added recently. What is it like being with these dudes?
WG: It’s totally amazing.
NB: He has to say that doesn’t he? If this was just a Westin interview, if we get him alone, would he say differently?
WG: They let me off the leash for an hour a day.
NB: Aw, do you have a curfew?
WG: They don’t always make me sleep in the kennel. Sometimes I get to stay in the bed.
NB: They feed you don’t they?
HH: Two square meals a day!
NB: Yeah, these guys are much better than how other people treat their drummers. I’m just saying…oh man I can’t speak words.
WG: They give me treats when I’m good.
HH: Me and Westin share a big bag of bachelor chow every morning.
NB: I really wish this was video because [Westin’s drink] is so pink. That’s all of the vitamin C coming out. 14,000 percent.
HH: Yeah looks like it’s coming out too.
NB: So, the new album—it’s not quite as political/religious as the old one, but it still borrows a lot musically and lyrically from The Body, The Blood, and The Machine.
HH: Yeah.
NB: And you’ve got some recurring images: you’ve got the sea coming in and sight/vision coming in a lot. Was this something you guys intended (with the theme), or was that something that just kind of happened?
HH: We just kind of fell into it. We try not to be too premeditated or whatever…not to plan too much and just to see what comes out. But I think in a lot of our songs, there’s vision and water and death in a lot of the older songs as well.
NB: So that was a theme, that just sort of came out of it. You weren’t like, we’re going to write about death!
HH: Well we knew we weren’t going to be as political and try not to sing about religion. We knew what we weren’t going to do.
NB: Yeah, I think that comes across in this new one.
NB: So, if you could break one world record, what would you break?
WG: Besides the ones we’ve already broken?
NB: Besides all of the many that you have.
HH: Probably the…javelin.
NB: Just having one? Or throwing one?
HH: Yeah, yeah biggest collection of javelins in the world. I have like, 730. If you plucked every hair from your head, one at a time, how long do you think it would take? How many hairs are on a head—does anyone know? A million?
WG: No way. Ten thousand? A hundred thousand?
HH: I’d like to beat the world record for plucking. World record plucker.
WG: How about most ripped abs? That would be a good one.
NB: That one has to have a picture with it in the Guinness book. Like, you get one of the really crappy pictures beside it.
WG: That would actually be a centerfold in Guinness book, as well.
NB: Yeah, you might get a whole page.
HH: We’re going to make the world’s longest burrito when we get home.
NB: Worthy record.
KF: La Bamba, The place where we grew up made the biggest burrito in the Guinness book.
HH: Yeah, it was just a big, stinky burrito overheating in the California sun. Well, once it’s been sitting out and it’s been handled by everyone…you know.
KF: A lot of people.
WG: How big around was it?
HH: It’s like a rectangle. They have all these tables lined up.
WG: Was it just like a long snake? Is it like a bean pipeline?
HH: What record is Kathy going to break?
NB: All of them, one by one.
KF: Well the first thing I thought of was sprinting because I used to run track in high school.
HH: Running fast.
NB: Okay, so we have a few new world records to break. Ah, do you guys prefer stage or studio? You do a lot of both.
KF: Stage.
NB: I saw you guys twice at South By. I think I may have seen your first show and your last show, but I’m not sure. You guys played eight times. Was that tiring and a half or what?
KF: It wasn’t too bad. It was really fun. We played mostly during the day.
HH: Yeah, it wasn’t too exhausting. And they’re short shows, so they’re easy. Like thirty minutes tops.
KF: Yeah, they’re usually about half an hour.
HH: It wasn’t too hard. But if we did any more, it would have been exhausting. Two a day, and we were usually done by six or seven at night.
NB: Yeah, it’s the bands that do three or five in a day that go around saying “I think we’re gonna die.”
NB: I think I caught the Terrorbird one.
HH: Yeah that was the first one.
NB: And then I caught Waterloo…the park.
HH/KF: That was really fun.
HH: It was like a festival…really big.
NB: Yeah, I love going out there because it’s like…ooh here is this band that I forgot I wanted to see. I was like a little kid.
HH: We saw Circle Jerks, and they were really good at that show. And Monotonix were really good.
NB: Oh my god.
HH: (Imitating Monotonix frontman Ami Shalev, complete with Israeli accent) “We get kicked out of every show we play”
HH: Yeah, like no shit because you won’t stop.
NB: I was talking to a friend of mine who books festivals in Florida, and he said they had to be really really careful when they book them because they do all sorts of illegal shit.
KF: Yeah they trash the place.
HH: Their mustaches are just huge…they’re like bigger than their heads.
NB: Everytime I see them, their mustaches have gotten bigger. I think it’s getting out of control.
HH: Yeah, they need a separate green room for their mustaches. Yeah, you like my accent?
NB: The Thermals do Monotonix here live at the Masqerade!
HH: (More Israeli accent) “Don’t be ridiculous, we’re the Monotonix!”
HH: They do the dance of joy…they do do the dance of joy.
NB: Yeah, I was in New York, and my friend and I were having a silly string war in the Music Hall of Williamsburg. And we were getting in trouble from the bouncer, and they were saying “You kids are going to pick that up right?” And then Monotonix start coming on and dumping trash, and I’m like “Nope! Not anymore! They just covered up our mess.”
NB: You guys seem to have a lot of fun on stage….and I got that a lot from you guys at South By. What are some of your favorite songs to perform or favorite places?
HH: I like playing all the new songs. By the time you’re playing a song for the first time on stage, you’ve already played it like a hundred times practicing and recording it. The newest songs are always the ones I’m most excited about.
NB: Yeah, I was really excited about hearing the new stuff. And you guys just got added to Pitchfork [Music Festival]. Are there any bands that you are really excited to see there while you’re at the festival?
HH: I hope I see Tortoise. I don’t know if we will, but I really want to see Tortoise because I’ve never seen them.
WG: Yeah, that would be really rad.
HH: Flaming Lips will be rad. They’re always good, Grizzly Bear. A lot of the bands, I’ve seen. Grizzly Bear, we saw at ATP. They were really good. Flaming Lips, we saw at Sasquatch, and they were really good.
WG: I want to be a furry for The Flaming Lips.
NB: Yeah, that’s a good goal. That’s noble.
KF: We’ll have to look at the lineup.
WG: I’m sick of only being a furry in the bedroom, you know.
NB: That’s also the centerfold of the novel.
NB: I read a lot of your reviews, and they call you “punk.” How have you guys felt with that label?
HH: I could do without it.
KF: Yeah, I don’t really think it’s so accurate. Maybe the first two records were more punk.
NB: Yeah, the first two records were more lo-fi.
KF: Kind of noisy.
NB: And we’re getting more polished.
HH: We’re indie rockers.
WG: What does that word even mean anymore?
NB: I really like the face that comes along with the word “indie rockers.”
HH: I mean, punk means you’re in prison, and you’re someone’s bitch. You’re a punk.
NB: Definition of punk, by The Thermals.
WG: Everyone knows that indie rock doesn’t really mean anything.
HH: What, what does indie rock mean? I mean, we are indie…and rockers.
KF: How about we just settle on “power pop”?
HH: I like power pop. I like alternative.
WG: Postpower pop
NB: Power pop makes you feel like a super hero. I like it.
HH: Yeah, totally.
WG: I like whatever is not alternative. The alternative to alternative.
NB: Alt-alt.
WG: Unalternative.
HH: Unalternative?
WG: First option…primary option.
HH: I like anti-punk too.
WG: Anti-punk, yeah. That’s a really good one. That’s even better than post.
HH: Yeah, anti is the new post. The cup runneth over of bad fake genres.
NB: Speaking of press, do you guys ever read your own reviews or read press about yourselves?
HH: Yes, I do. I write most of it.
NB: It’s like Wikipedia, you just edit it…put better pictures up.
HH: Yeah…iTunes, Wikipedia…”The Thermals are the best band in the world”!
NB: I saw that today for about five minutes, and then it got edited again.
NB: The internet is playing a weird role in music these days..we’re almost A.D.D. Something comes out, and you’ve got everybody and their mother writing on their blogs about this new record and then it kind of fizzles. Do you find that press helping you?
HH: Yeah, I don’t know.
KF: I feel like there’s a lot of people constantly reading stuff.
HH: But does it help? There’s a fine line between getting good press and then getting over hyped. Because that’s what makes people stop liking you. And that can make people not get into you if they’ve just heard about you too much, you know? People get turned off.
NB: That’s true. I never thought if it that way.
HH: If they feel like your band is over-hyped, that’s when the haters come out. But that’s cool too. The haters add to the hype.
NB: I think the more haters you have, the better.
HH: Yeah, that’s when you’ve arrived.
NB: When you start making enemies, you are a real superhero.
HH: Totally, you need a nemesis.
NB: You guys turned down a Hummer bit. I like to talk about bands that take a stand for their personal politics. I guess talk a little about that. Most people can read on the internet about how you turned down that bit.
HH: That’s a good way to put it because it is personal politics. It just comes down to what we want for this band, what we want people to think about us. It’s less of a stand and more of us just making a very personal choice about just not wanting to be associated with some things.
NB: Yeah, I got stuck behind a limo Hummer on my way here, and I was like “This is so perfect…I’m going to ask them about Hummers.” I’m glaring at this cherry-red Hummer.
NB: But I find it interesting when bands are more than just a musical unit, they actually take their brand and their personal name and use it for bad or for good. Like, if I turn down a Hummer ad, for some reason, then I’m not going to get that. But if you guys do, then you might get it written about.
KF: It’s funny because we turned it down, and someone did a story for the Associated Press like a year and a half later. And that’s when people were talking about it. No one was talking about it right when we did it. It was just that Sub Pop asked us, and we said “no.” And that was the end of it. We didn’t really talk about it.
NB: Yeah I found very little on it. I find that more interesting than reading a million album reviews.
KF: Yeah, and then a year and a half later this guy was doing a story on bands that had turned down Hummer because they had asked a lot of indie bands, a lot of underground bands. Then, that’s when people heard about it, and we actually got a lot of really positive feedback. People wrote us and told us they were going to buy our album even though they had never heard of us just because we had turned down Hummer.
NB: That’s cool! It works almost in a backwards way.
KF: Yeah, it was unexpected.
NB: If The Thermals had a mascot, what would it be?
HH: That little doll? There’s a girl in Chicago who made dolls of all of us, and she also made Mr. Beardsly. She makes this doll that has a little disguise.
KF: He’s like a gnome.
HH: It’s this weird little red, faceless guy. Mr. Beardsly would be it. He’s been in one of the videos. He’d be the mascot, I think.
KF: I think he’d be wearing a little floral thermal.
HH: Hmmm, he’s gay too.
NB: Alright, and we will end on everyone’s favorite dinosaur.
WG: Sexasaurus.
KF: Someone else asked me that question, and I said Dinosaur Jr.
HH: I think the genital-saurus.
NB: We’re all like four now, I love it.
HH: This is the Kathy look.
KF: This is my constant look on tour.
HH: I also like the Pterodactyl. I named my ex-girlfriend Tara-dactyl. Let me describe Kathy’s look to the tape recorder. She has her hand over her…she’s doing the “I have a headache” look.
NB: It’s like a centralized headache. Right between the eyes. That might be where her soul hurts. Sexasaurus?
WG: Well, we were just listening to R. Kelly in the van on the way here, and there’s the song “The Zoo” and he says “it’s like Jurassic Park, and I’m your sexasaurus.” He also says a lot of other great stuff in that song. I highly recommend it.
NB: I’ll look into it.
WG: *monkey noises*
NB: No dinosaur for Kathy?
KF: Dinosaur Jr.
NB: Perfect. Thank you guys so much for taking the time out of your day.