Body Care

Body care Tips
• Mix six-teaspoon petroleum jelly, two-teaspoon glycerin and two-teaspoon lemon juice. Apply this moisturizing lotion at least twice a week if you have dry and flaky, arms and legs

• Peel and grate a cucumber. Squeeze the juice to this, mix half-a-teaspoon glycerin and half-a-teaspoon rose water. Apply this on sunburns, leave it for some time.

• If you have cracked heels, melt paraffin wax; mix it with little mustard oil and apply on the affected area. Leave it overnight. After 10 or 15 days, your heels will become smooth.

• Massage your body with a mixture of coconut oil and any of your favourite scented oils like lavender or rosemary.

• For rough palms, use a mixture of glycerin and limejuice in equal proportion.

• For cracked heals, massage the foot with coconut oil and keep the foot in warm water for some time. Wipe the water off the feet and apply a mixture of hibiscus flower(10), Henna (1 handful) and juice of half a lemon. when dry wash it off.

• Remove scars on your hands and feet by rubbing them with lemon peel. Eye care• Dip wads of cotton in a chilled mixture of cucumber and potato juice. Keep this on your eyelids for 15 to 20 minutes and gently wash it off. Apply a little baby oil.

• For long eyelashes.., apply a thin coat of castor oil every night. It strengthens lashes and cools your eyes.

• Massage a few drops of coconut oil around the eyes to get rid off dark circles. • To reduce puffiness of your eyes, grate a potato; tie in a cloth and place the cloth over your eyes for about 15 minutes.

• Add a small pinch of salt in water and wash for bright and sparkling eyes. • Mix tomato juice and lemon juice in equal quantity and apply around the eyes. After 30 minutes wash it off with cold and hot water alternatively.

• Make a paste of sandal wood and nutmeg. Apply the paste around the eyes before sleeping and wash it off in the morning.

• Crush a cucumber and take the juice. Add a little rose water and apply around the eyes and wash it after 30 minutes.

• Place cotton wool swabs dipped in cold milk on closed eyes for removing dark circles. Lip Care

• You can mix one-tablespoon cranberry sauce juice with two tablespoons Vaseline for a delicious home made lip balm.

• Apply the juice of lemon skin for avoiding black colour of lips • Massage your lips with coriander leaf juice for soft and rosy lips.

Skin that never Ages

If only there was a miracle cure to ageing.

Here are 10 quick fixes to fool mother nature

PROTEIN . The basic component of the skin is protein. But be selective about the source of nourishment. Choosing from pulses, soya milk, tofu, etc is a good option. Low-fat milk also provides you with proteins. You can also include lean meats like fish, chicken besides egg whites in your diet. Fish is amongst the best sources of protein as it also provides you with essential fai adds
BETA CAROTENE German researchers have found that as little as 30 milligrams a day (the equivalent of 1 and 1 /i cups of cooked carrots) can help reduce redness due to sunburn. Also, when combined with vitamin E, other relat­ed carotenoids seem to reduce skin sensitivity. Best sources are carrots, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons, pa­payas, broccoli and spinach.
VITAMIN C When taken internally, this vitamin helps maintain collagen — the underlying supporting structure of skin. But sun exposure (and stress) can drain vitamin C from the skin, leaving it vulnerable to damage from the environ­ment. Best sources are citrus fruits and juices, slow can­taloupes, strawberries, tomato sweet peppers and green peas. Regular intake of Vitamin C helps the skin look fresh

ZINC This trace mineral helps maintain-- lagen and elastin fibres that give skin its firmness, helping to prevent sagging and wrinkles. It also links together amino acids that are needed for the formation of collagen — essential in healing wounds. Best sources are seafood, turkey, pork, soybeans and mushrooms. Firm skin shows youthfulness and helps fight wrinkles.
EXERCISE I t improves blood circulation and keeps your skin firm and healthy. Following a daily exercise schedule of 45 minutes to an hour works wonders for your skin. Brisk walking and yoga along with facial exercises are ben­eficial. Or you could go on the treadmill, breathe or play, whatever makes your skin glow. You could even be clean‑
VITAMIN A Th is fat-soluble vitamin is essential for maintaining –and healing epithelial tissues, which make up most of the skin. The best sources for this are egg yolks and non-fat milk. You can also get vitamin A from foods rich in beta carotene, which the body can convert into vitamins. Eating fruits rich in Vitamin A can also give your skin that inner glow and radiance.
Vitamin B They help convert calories into energy for skin metabolism and enzymes that maintain normal skin functions, like keeping the oil-producing glands going to keep the skin moist and smooth. That's why poor intake of almost any vitamin B can cause dry or scaly skin. Best sources are poultry, red meat, fish, bananas, whole grains, peanut butter and eggs
Vitamin E This antioxidant helps slow the ageing of skin cells by reducing the production of an enzyme called collagenase, which breaks down collagen, causing the skin to sag and wrinkle. Sun exposure can deplete vitamin E from the skin, making it more vulnerable to sun damage. Best sources are salmon, legumes, lean meat, almonds, leafy vegetables, olive and sesame oils.
SELENIUM The damaging effects of ultraviolet light are minimised by this antioxidant mineral, reducing your risk to sunburn. In fact, low blood levels of selenium also increase your risk to skin cancer, say researchers at Texas Tech Uni­versity in Lubbock. Best sources are tuna, wheat germ, sesame seeds and whole grains. Be sure you eat whole grains to remove skin imperfections
WATER Take lots of water to cleanse and detoxify your system. It also helps to keep your skin well hydrated. Ac­cording to the Mayo Clinic, intake of 8 to 10 glasses of wa­ter is recommended. As the water flushes down your tox­ins, your skin will begin to glow. Though there are some contradictory studies which suggest that we should not drink too much water, we recommend at least 8 glasses