Chocolate YOUR WORLD

 

I fell in love with chocolate when I was a kid.  My love was only limited to milk chocolate.  Toblerone and big Swiss bars of chocolate made me feel like heaven.  My face was covered with chocolate as early as 7 yrs old.   I remember my mom sending me packages full of chocolate.   I grew up in a Communist country and chocolate was sparse if non existent.  It was a LUXURY.  When my mom defected and settled abroad she would send me packages full of goodies every few months.  It was then that I discovered what millions of kids knew already, you can never have too much chocolate.

As I grew older my milk chocolate taste got tamer, but it amplified for the dark chocolate.  At some point in my young adulthood, I made the switch from milk to dark cocoa.  It was an evolution of taste and I don’t remember the transition, but it became a permanent staple of my palette.  

Then somewhere in my-late 20’s a dear friend introduced me to a spectacular NYC event,…THE CHOCOLATE SHOW.  It is a traveling show and it features the best local and international chocolatiers.  It takes place every year the 1^st week of Nov and in the last 7 yrs I haven’t missed a show.  It is the equivalent of DEATH BY CHOCOLATE, a favorite expression of another college friend.   If you are ever in the NYC area around that time it is worth going to.

 I had another transforming  CHOCOLATE experience in Madrid.  The Spaniards love their CHOCOLATE but more specifically they DRINK it.  My husband wanted to surprise me on our 2^nd night in Madrid and he took me to this Medieval Chocolate Café. As we approached the place our anticipations transformed from mere excitement to exhilaration when we realized it was THE CHOCOLATE PLACE to BE in MADRID.  It was packed.  That got us a little discouraged at first but when we soon realized how fast the service was, we decided to give it a try.  When we saw the ritual of how CHOCOLATE poured over CHURROS, we realized we would not have left even if someone yelled FIRE.  The chocolate was served in small expresso cups with a plate of CHURROS, which are long fried dough “fingers”.  As we looked around to see how to proceed with our serving we could not believe what we were about to do next.  Yes DIP the CHURROS in the HOT CHOCOLATE.  The Spanish HOT CHOCOLATE is as THICK AS HONEY, not even close to what we drink in the States.

So if you love chocolate as much as I do, read on.  You not only experience an elevated sense of happiness but you are also doing your body a HUGE HEALTH FAVOR.

Top 10 reasons to eat your DARK CHOCOLATE (recommended daily dose 1-2 oz., the equivalent of 1-2 inch squares)

1)      It is good for your HEART:

“"Studies have shown heart benefits from increased blood flow, less platelet stickiness and clotting, and improved bad cholesterol," says Mary B. Engler, Ph.D., a chocolate researcher and director of the Cardiovascular and Genomics Graduate Program at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Nursing. These benefits are the result of cocoa's antioxidant chemicals known as flavonoids, which seem to prevent both cell damage and inflammation.” (From Health.com, article by Marjorie Ingall)

2)      It reduces BLOOD PRESSURE:

“If yours is high, chocolate may help. Jeffrey Blumberg, Ph.D., director of the Antioxidants Research Laboratory at Tufts University, recently found that hypertensive people who ate 3.5 ounces of dark chocolate per day for two weeks saw their blood pressure drop significantly, according to an article in the journal Hypertension. Their bad cholesterol dropped, too.
People who ate the same amount of white chocolate? Nothing. (It doesn't have any cocoa -- or flavonoids.) Word to the wise: 3.5 ounces is roughly equal to a big bar of baking chocolate, so the participants had to cut about 400 calories out of their daily diets to make room. But you probably don't have to go to those lengths. Just a bite may do you good, Blumberg says.” (From Health.com, article by Marjorie Ingall)

3)      The FLOVONOIDS= ANTIOXIDANTS  from COCOA (Antioxidants can also be found in green tea, red wine and in all fruits and vegetables)

a)      Prevent Heart disease

b)      Prevent Cancer by stopping abnormal changes in the DNA, which can stop cancer cells from forming

       c) One study that compared the total antioxidant activity in single servings of cocoa, green tea, black tea and red wine scored cocoa markedly higher than the rest.

4)      It improves you memory

5)      It is reduces stress

6)      CONTRARY TO COMMON BELIEF: IT IMPROVES your SKIN because of the antioxidants The researchers think the flavonoids, (antioxidants ) which absorb UV light, help protect and increase blood flow to the skin, improving its appearance.

7)      It makes you HAPPY by stimulating the feel good hormones, serotonin, oxytocin, in your brain.

8)      Gives you the right energy for your body

9)      It tastes FANTASTIC

10)   It is a good snack: It raises your blood sugar just enough to carry you over to your next healthy meal

Tanya Burr :Great Make-up Artist Tutorial on YouTube

I just discovered this new GEM,...she is a young make-up artist, cosmetics sales-girl by day and as a hobby she just decided to post her celebrity inspired looks on YouTube.
Her name is Tanya Burr and her YouTube name is pixi2woo

Check out her Leighton Meister inspired make-up: Great for an everyday look and easy to do.

Problem Skin: Mild to Severe Acne

Problem Skin, Mild to Severe Acne.

Key Ingredients to look for when treating Problem Skin

1) Salicylic Acid: Sensitive Problem Skin – Mild Acne

2) Benzoyl Peroxide: For Moderate Acne and Less Sensitive Skin

WARNING:

1) Both can cause the skin to irritate, dry and peal.  

2) Always consult a dermatologist to determine the best regimen for your skin.

3) Sometimes the skin gets 'used' to salicylic acid, and becomes 'resistant' to it after a while, whereas that might not happen with benzoyl peroxide. Most 'over the counter' acne products have salicylic acid. Proactiv has no salicylic acid, but both the repairing lotion and (unusually) the face wash have benzoyl peroxide.

Salicylic Acid: Sensitive Problem Skin – Mild Acne

Benefits: exfoliation and cleansing

It works as a bacteriocide (bacteria killer) agent by causing the cells of the outer skin layer to shed more readily, opening clogged pores and neutralizing bacteria within, preventing pores from clogging up again by constricting pore diameter, and allowing room for new cell growth.

Salicylic acid (Beta hydroxy acid) works by exfoliating the pore from within and getting out all the debris and reducing blackheads and whiteheads, which are the beginning of a zit if it gets infected with bacteria.

Salicylic acid is used to shed the top layer of skin cells faster, preventing them from clogging pores

Products (Oxy pad, Aveeno Bar, Neutrogena anti-acne wash, Neutrogena Rapid Clear Acne Moisturizer)

Benzoyl Peroxide: For Moderate Acne and Less Sensitive Skin

Benefits: bacteria killing and cleansing

Is the stronger of the two, usually very good at reducing inflammation and a good short term (sometimes long-term) solution to acne. However, everything that is stronger is always more irritating to sensitive skin. This is usually used in Proactiv.

Benzoyl Peroxide is a topical antibiotic that kills the bacteria that is causing the infected pore to be red and inflamed. Benzoyl peroxide is used to kill the bacteria that causes acne.

Products (Proactiv, Clearacil Acne Bar)

Recommended read

“The Acne Cure”, By Dr. Dubrow

Explains in detail what to do and how to use these products, it teaches the different stages of acne and how to treat them separately.

WARNING: As with any new products, it is best to consult a dermatologist and his/her recommendations for your skin type

1) One “prescription”/suggestion from the book

Cleanse with Neutrogena anti-acne wash (with 2% salicyclic acid) in the evenings and then after run an ice-cube over your face.   Apply the BP to pimples if you have any and if not, still put a little bit on the areas that you used to get pimples. It took about 6 weeks to get major improvement using the acne cure system and also a big part of it for one user was using glycolic acid products. Some believe that the glycolic acid products have given the most improvement, in terms of maintenance.

2) Another suggestion from the book

Using BP and SA both, they separately treat a different stage of acne. Never use more than 2% SA or 2.5% BP, higher % will just irritate your skin.  At night wash with a gentle SA product, then use glycolic acid (can get online or at Rite Aid $16 AHA Alphy Hydroxy Acid 13%) leave on a minute then rinse off, this will unclog your pores to let the BP in. Next apply 2.5% BP, cool the skin with ice first which will make your pores open to the medication, leave skin cool & wet and apply a thin layer of BP, then put an ice pack on your face where your broke out for 10 minutes before you go to sleep - leave the BP on. The ice calms the inflammation, and the glycolic acid also has anti-inflammatory benefits. Make sure you use an oil free moisturizer try Purpose by Johnson & Johnson w/15SPF to keep you skin calm and protected. Good luck.

3) BP is STROGER than SA, but they best WORK together.... use BP at bedtime, and SA (ie Neutrogena Rapid Clear Acne Moisturizer) in the morning.

Sometimes I fall asleep in a YOGA pose

I have been struggling with back pain for more than 10 yrs.  So over time I had to learn how to take care of my back.  As it happens I discovered YOGA almost 5 yrs ago after a breakup.  I tried it because I read that it can help you calm your emotional turmoil.  When I walked into my first class I felt nervous and intimidated as I looked around and saw all these svelte bending bodies that looked like modern art in mid-air.  The yoga teacher eased me into the class and she asked me what my problem areas were, which is a very common thing when joining a new class.  I was a little embarrassed to tell her that I was there because of a break-up so I REMEMBERED i struggled with my back.  I told her a mini version of how I originally hurt my back and that over the years it just seemed to come back at shorter intervals.  Before it used to be every 4-5 yrs intervals,...now as I got older it seemed to go to 1-2 yrs intervals.  After learning some basic moves and seeing how much it helped calm my sorrows and my back I became a devotee.  But real life gets in the way, like always. So when I went back to school after my summer break,...I am a teacher,...I tried to continue it at least once a week.  Of course, that did not last long,...before I knew it, it became more like once every 3 months.  I said to myself, well I am there in spirit so if I don't go today I still take comfort in understanding the benefits of it while NOT PRACTICING it.  Now fast forward to 2011, and 7 months after my baby has arrived and I find myself thinking about going back to a regular yoga class.  I am never one to stick to my decision when it comes to ME,....I do what feels easy and what makes me happy,...my mom would never approve of that,...but I have to change that and go back to HELPING MY BODY.  SO before I start my YOGA class,...I promise to myself SOON,....I decided to just STRETCH whenever my baby SLEEPS.  BOY it feels good,..even 5-10 minutes of stretching feel magical for my body.  One pose that a yoga teacher told me helps with everything,...it is the shoulder stand,...I hope that is what is called,...I can never remember the names, unless they have funny animal names,...like cat pose, downward dog, pigeon something, cobra, anyways,...the pose is like this: lift your legs high up in the air as straight as possible as you hold your back and upper body 90 degrees to the floor.  I used to do that as kid,...in bed,...put my legs up on the wall while my head was resting on the bed,...it felt great.  She said that this particular pose helps with every part of your body.  So to leave you with a calming happy thought,...YOGA can be GREAT for healing everything: broken hearts, bad backs, ache muscles, stress, or just help you sleep better....or make you forget your PROBLEMS for just ONE hr.

Ingredients Decoded: What to look for in any FACE CREAM

Hyaluronic Acid= another name: Sodium Hyaluronate
One of the three essential ingredients in any premium eye cream, hyaluronic acid is the key to maintaining water substances in human skin. What occurs is that as a result of aging, natural hyaluronic acid concentration in the skin decreases at an increasing rate over time. As a result, the skins ability to maintain moisture is weakened, and it gives the appearance of being dry and rough. When hyaluronic acid is applied back to the skin, it penetrates the dermis, combines with water, and promotes micro circulation and nutrient absorption. It forms an air permeable layer, to keep the skin moist and smooth. Hyaluronic acid application in a topical cream leads to rapid skin rejuvenation. The results are a fast reduction in wrinkles around the face.

Retinol= Retina= Vitamin A (* variations of the same main ingredient Vitamin A)
Vitamin A
Vitamin A, best known in skin care applications as Retinol, plays an important role in anti-aging skin care. It directly contributes to the resurfacing and rejuvenating of the skin, helping to impart a clearer, more vibrant complexion for all ages. However, while vitamin A is one of the most essential ingredients in a general wrinkle cream.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C is an ascorbic acid who’s primary function is the manufacture of collagen. It is an important water-soluble antioxidant and critical for immune function. It is very susceptible to break down when exposed to air, which is why it is normally included in ester form when added to a skin care product or eye cream, thus allowing it to retain its efficacy much longer.
Glycolic Acid
Due to its excellent capability to penetrate skin, glycolic acid finds applications in skin care products, most often as a chemical peel performed by a dermatologist, plastic surgeon or licensed aesthetician in concentrations of 20 to 70% or at-home kits in lower concentrations between 10 and 20%.
Once applied, glycolic acid reacts with the upper layer of the epidermis, weakening the binding properties of the lipids that hold the dead skin cells together. This allows the 1^st layer of cells to be exfoliated, exposing live skin cells. Highly purified grades of glycolic acid are commercially available for personal care applications.



Even though this ingredient is recommended for acne skin,…all skin types can benefit from it, but in small amounts since it is so potent.  It exfoliates the skin, leaving it ready for new cell build up, which makes your skin look fresh and young: GLOWING…. 

Salicylic acid
Salicyclic acid is an ingredient found in many over the counter acne products. It helps to exfoliate the outer layers of the skin. It is not a recommended ingredient for an eye cream as it can irritate the gentle skin around the eyes.

Our Eyes Don't lie: My favorite Eye Creams

Our eyes don't lie,... they are the windows to our soul,...so we have to keep them fresh and young looking.
 Most important fact about eye creams: THE RICHER THE CREAM,...THE BETTER.

As we age we lose collagen and moisture from our skin. Collagen is a group of proteins that provide elasticity and firmness to our skin.  The eye area is the thinnest skin on our face .  It has the least moisture.  The more moisture we lose and the less collagen is produced, and the more we smile,..which we should all do, the more pronounced the lines around the eyes, hence crows feet.

Eye Creams basics

Crows feet are wrinkles extending from the outer corner of the eyes. They can be reduced or removed with a good eye cream that contains a proper pharmaceutical-grade blend of argireline and hyaluronic acid. Most eye creams, particularly the cheaper variety, can not properly deal with crows feet due to the low concentration of the necessary ingredients needed to combat the problem.

The 3 or 4 most important ingredients in creating an excellent eye cream are

1)      Argireline

2)      Hyaluronic Acid

3)      GABA

4)      Resveratrol

Ideally it would be to find all of these ingredients in a super eye cream but if not it should have at least one of the above.

Dehydration
Dehydration is the excessive loss of water from the body or an organ or body part. Aloe vera is the most effective topical solution for dealing with dehydration. People who suffer from dry skin, which is a very common symptom of dehydration, must choose an eye cream that contains aloe vera.
Moisturizer
A moisturizer is a cosmetic lotion or cream applied to the skin to help retain moisture and combat dryness. Aloe Vera is considered the best moisturizer and an essential component to any premium eye cream.

Wrinkles
Wrinkles around the corner of the eyes, also known as crow’s feet, are the most visible signs of age. An eye cream with argireline, GABA and hyaluronic acid are fast to remove wrinkles around the eyes by almost instantly smoothing the delicate skin while at the same time permanently reducing wrinkle depth.
Argireline
Argireline is the brand name for Acetyl Hexapeptide-3.  It is manufactured by Center Chem in Conneticut. It has been called by top skin care professionals, as the best needle-free alternative to botox. Argireline has been shown to drastically reduce wrinkle depth, particularly around the forehead and eye area.  It is found in many of the best-rated anti-aging products for this reason. While Argireline can be applied daily in cream form, it is completely discomfort-free.

Hyaluronic Acid
One of the three essential ingredients in any premium eye cream, hyaluronic acid is the key to maintaining water substances in human skin. What occurs is that as a result of aging, natural hyaluronic acid concentration in the skin decreases at an increasing rate over time. As a result, the skins ability to maintain moisture is weakened, and it gives the appearance of being dry and rough. When hyaluronic acid is applied back to the skin, it penetrates the dermis, combines with water, and promotes micro circulation and nutrient absorption. It forms an air permeable layer, to keep the skin moist and smooth. Hyaluronic acid application in a topical eye cream leads to rapid skin rejuvenation. The results are a fast reduction in wrinkles around the eye area, particularly what is known as ‘crows feet’.
GABA
GABA, a relatively new topical skin care supplement, is referred to by experts as the body’s natural tranquilizer.  It works fast to penetrate the sensitive skin around the eyes by relaxing the muscles.  This has the effect of creating less skin tension in order to instantly reduce wrinkling. The instant anti-wrinkle effect of the GABA application makes it a very desirable addition to any eye cream.

Resveratrol
Resveratrol is perhaps the most important anti-aging discovery of the this generation. Well publicized, with benefits documented in thousands of scientific journals, the world’s most powerful anti-oxidant has been recently added to some super-premium eye creams However, as highly-concentrated topical resveratrol is extremely expensive, expect to pay well over $100 for a small bottle of resveratrol infused eye cream. Accordingly, it is worth every penny.


Before you go ahead and spend your money,...TRY, TRY, TRY.

Go to Sephora and ask for a sample of your preferred eye cream and try it out for a few days.  See the results and then purchase it if you like it.

* As with all cosmetic products they don't all work the same for all skin types.  We all have different body chemistry so a cream that might work well for me or your friend or your mom might not work so well for you.  Don't get discouraged.  Go out and try as many as you like and then decide where you will spend your money on.  And do not feel guilty on spending on a good cosmetic product, ...see it as an INVESTMENT for your FACE.  Your face will THANK YOU without the extra wrinkles.

The eye creams bellow do not have all the above ingredients in one.  Some just have one,...while others might have them disguised in other chemical forms.

The one ingredient that I saw in two creams is Hyaluronic Acid= as Sodium Hyaluronate=wrikle reducer 

Another ingredient that I found in one cream is RESVERATROL.


And here are my favorite eye creams, listed by price not the order that I like.  I posted a few so that you can decided based on your body chemistry which works best for you.



One thing I found the higher the price= the richer the cream, the longer the moisture it provides

MOST EXPENSIVE- LEAST EXPENSIVE:
1) La Mer Eye cream $165.00
2) Fresh Eye Cream, $95.00, in a tube Black tea, age delay, $65.00
3) Caudale Eye Cream $95.00
4) Philosophy Eye Hope, $48.00

5) Clinique, All about eyes rich, $47.50
6) Booth's No7 : Protect & Perfect Intense: $19.99

Hope this helps,...Let me know about any eye cream product you have tried and how it works for you,...LOVE to know the results.

PS: FOR BEST RESULTS ON YOUNG BEAUTIFUL EYES : DON'T FORGET TO ADD YOUR CONCEALER