Beauty Foods: What You Eat Affects How You Look

We've all heard the old adage, "You are what you eat." But what about the connection between your food and your face?



Most articles about nutrition focus on the role of your diet in maintaining optimum internal health and warding off disease. For example, many articles talk about how the antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables can fight free radical damage to your immune cells, your organs and your DNA.



Well guess what? The same phytochemicals, vitamins, nutrients and minerals that keep your insides in the pink are equally essential for clear skin, bright smiles, strong nails and clear eyes. If you want to look your absolute gorgeous best, keep these diet guidelines in mind:



* Antioxidants: Found in abundance in colorful fruits and vegetables, these nutrients help combat signs of aging caused by the oxidation - the rust, if you will, of our cells. Beauty foods that are potent sources of antioxidants include: pomegranates, prunes, concord grape juice, blueberries, blackberries, purple cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts, dried plums, kiwis, raspberries, strawberries, raw spinach, oranges, apples and watercress.



* Essential fatty acids: Certain polyunsaturated oils are called "essential" because they must be included in our diet. EFAs, like omega-3 and omega-6, may reduce inflammation that can clog skin and lead to wrinkles. Sources include seafood - such as salmon, sardines, trout and flounder - as well as almonds, walnuts and flaxseed.



* Avoid simple carbs: Some research suggests the insulin spike caused by simple carbohydrates, such as bread, pasta and sweets, may trigger a series of metabolic reactions that can lead to breakouts.



* Maximize water, moderate alcohol: Water, and lots of it, will help keep your skin hydrated, while alcohol in excess of one 4-ounce drink a day can dry it out. Also, some dermatologists say alcohol's dilation of fragile facial capillaries can cause and exacerbate rosacea.



* Healthy fat: While it's always important to minimize artery-clogging saturated fat, don't shy away from healthy monounsaturated fats, like olive oil and other liquid, plant-based oils that keep skin emulsified.



* Vitamin C: Make sure to also feed your face with vitamin C to help maintain collagen, the most important component of connective tissue contributing to the underlying foundation of your skin. The best sources of vitamin C includes citrus fruits and juices, broccoli, cauliflower, cantaloupe, strawberries, tomatoes, red peppers and green peas.



* Weight-loss bonus: Pound for pound, fruits and vegetables have fewer calories than other food groups. Plus, they have plenty of fiber, so they'll help you feel full. Such a fruit-and-vegetable-rich diet helps ward off cravings by ensuring the body gets the full spectrum of nutrients, minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals it needs to function.



Data from the National Weight Control Registry, which maintains records on more than 3,000 individuals who have had success keeping off a minimum of 30 pounds, suggests that the winning diet for long-term weight loss is a low-fat, complex-carb diet rich in fruits and vegetables.



This data was recently reinforced by an international study, conducted by Northwestern University, assessing the diets of more than 4,000 people in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan and China. The study found that, without exception, a diet high in complex carbohydrates, fiber and vegetable protein was associated with low body-mass index.



The bottom line is that there's nothing more beautiful than vibrant good health, and there's nothing healthier than a regime that includes plenty of exercise, rest, water, lean proteins, and an abundance of fruits and vegetables.



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Black Swan Natalie Portman Weight Loss & Work

Here's a video with Natalie Portman in the Black Swan movie.




Black Swan Natalie Portman Weight Loss & Work

Just exactly what kind of weight loss and workout routine did Natalie do to get as thin to play the ballerina in Black Swan? Natalie already follows a very strict diet in her daily life. However, to play the leading role, she had to lose 20 pounds from her small 5'3" body following a calorie restricted diet and many hours of ballet practice and exercise routines a day. Ballet classes took up five hours of her day for six days a week.

Natalie said of her training, "I started with my ballet teacher a year ahead of time," "We would do two hours a day for the first six months, and that was really just strengthening and getting me ready to do more so that I wouldn’t get injured.

"And then, at about six months, we started doing five hours a day. We added in swimming, so I was swimming a mile a day, toning and then doing three hours of ballet class a day. And then, two months before, we added the choreography, so we were doing probably eight hours a day."

Her ballet training was Mary Helen Bowers previously of the New York City Ballet and now owner of the Ballet Beautiful method of training – more information available at www.balletbeautiful.com

Demi Moore and plastic surgery

It was recently reported in the press in 2004 that Demi Moore, aged 46, spends thousands to the tune of $300,000 on plastic surgery. However, she recently revealed that plastic surgery is not for her.

In an interview with France’s Marie Claire magazine, she said that plastic surgery is not for her. “I don’t like the idea of having an operation to hold up the aging process – it’s a way to combat your neurosis. The scalpel won’t make you happy.”

Not a denier of plastic surgery like some actresses, Demi did admit that, “the day when I start crying when I look at myself in the mirror might be the day when I’m less adamant about not having it done.”

Seems from what I know, Demi is a pretty balanced woman and why would she have had all that surgery back in 2004 when she was only 41? She, after all, like a lot of Hollywood stars and super models are genetically blessed with “Body By God”. They’ve got the height, the bone structure and the skin that lends itself naturally to good looks and looks that last longer than us mere mortals. Besides, when you are getting the kind of salary and budget to buy the clothes they wear, it sort of encourages you to look after yourself and workout like mad. Besides, you are most likely going to have a chef to cook the best low carb foods and do your groceries for you. And, you are going to stay on that diet because that’s what your audience and fans want. You are in the public eye, after all. And nobody would like that nasty, nasty press and the paparazzi taking photographs of you showing and calling you “FAT”.

Demi is known to religiously work out a lot and follow a strict diet, so she’s bound to look good a lot longer than most of us. Besides, her darling Ashton Kutcher is a lot younger than her and so, not having a fat old husband, she’s got extra encouragement and reasons to look after her self. A healthy lifestyle, stress reduction, using a good sunscreen and moisturizer, eating healthily and exercise will keep us all looking good for a lot longer. And, I’ve said it before, if Demi has or will have plastic surgery and can afford it, who cares? It should be her own little celebrity beauty secret.

Celebrity Britney Spears Diet Secrets

Not a girl, Britney Spears is a grown woman.

Recently, Britney Spears has been showing off her lost and found sexy body on the latest issue of OK magazine. She lost 20 pounds in just four weeks. Appearing now around the world with her new fit body. How did she do it?! How do the celebs get their body in top shape for their appearances and concerts tours? The secret is no secret really, just a good diet and lots and lots of exercise with a celebrity trainer.

According to insiders, Britney was determined to lose weight after being motivated by her upcoming tour. A group of experts spent a great deal of brain power in coming up with a low-calorie diet plan she could stick with. Not only the food that Britney eats are tasty, but they do in reasonable portions to make the artist actually feel full. On her new diet, she is allowed to eat three meals a day plus two snacks! On average, she would be eating a caloric intake of 1100 to 1200 calories per day. Besides Britney, Eva Longoria and Marcia Cross are also embracing this diet plan. The result is proven, they don’t have to make the compromise between a thin stomach and an empty stomach.

Of course, dieting along is not enough to make a body looks so fit and healthy. Britney still does a lot a heavy exercise routine and dances for at least 2 hours per day in preparation for her tour. If she is in an energetic mood, she would even spin on the dance floor for over 8 hours. Apparently she is doing very well!

However, there are other habits in life that Britney has decided to keep and that is --- her shopping habit! To compensate for her busy life schedule, Britney still shops like a princess. She once spent $3000 dollars in just 15 minutes by buying diamond rings, clothes and other bling bling accessories a girl’s gotta have. Oh well, maybe she is a woman,, but still has got the girl in her. All this shopping no doubt, encourages her to have her best body in order.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s Diet Secrets

Although in the real world, celebrity Gwyneth Paltrow wouldn’t be thought of as fat but in Hollywood, you have to stay super thin to be a star. There is always a new celebrity beauty secret coming out of Hollywood and these "secrets" usually start trends elsewhere. What are her celebrity diet secrets? She, like many others are following a mostly juice detox diet and after three weeks of this diet, she has lost weight and feels "cleansed." Although she has followed in the past the Master Cleanse diet before, she is now raving about this new juice detox diet.

Called the “Clean program”, this three week diet was created by Dr. Alejandro Junger, a nutritionist and cardiologist. The Clean Program is supposed to discharge the toxins in the body, restore vitality, boost energy levels AND help you lose weight. It’s Gwyneth Paltrow’s detox diet as of late.

The diet consists of three meals a day, where only one meal is “solid”. On this diet, the following items are forbidden: alcohol, caffeine, pop soda, dairy, grains with gluten, meat, shellfish, processed foods, soy products, nuts, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, condiments or sugar. The rest of the diet, if there is anything else you can think of eating, consists of fruit juices, smoothies, soups, herbal teas and a few non fatty nuts.

Gyneth has lost the weight and she was able to exercise during the day without a loss of energy or feeling weak. Gwyneth works out for about three hours a day because she doesn’t have to work a regular 9 – 5 job like the rest of us. She is exhilarated about the way she now feels saying, "I feel pure and happy and much lighter.”

So why do celebrities have better bodies than us mere mortals? It’s no celebrity beauty secret actually – they have chefs to prepare their food, personal trainers, people to go grocery shopping for them, maids to clean up after them and loads of free time and wads of cash. If you didn’t have to work, you would probably workout for three hours a day as well.

If you want to read the exact menu plan, you can go to www.goop.com/newsletter/15/ Try this celebrity diet secret and let me know how it works out for you.

Celebrity Beauty Secrets for Butt Firming

Butt-Firming Secrets

All the rage in Hollywood now for butt firming are running shoes which do the work for you. Celebs are now pounding the pavement using butt firming sneakers by Masai Barefoot Technology (MBT) shoes. These new sneakers promise to tone the core muscles, leg and butt muscles. Jennifer Love Hewitt and Katherine Heigl have been spotted wearing them. These shoes go for about $245.

How do they work? They force the wearer to use more active muscles to walk by way of the squishy soft sole which makes a flat surface feel soft and uneven. This makes walking in these shoes a workout in itself. Hollywood stars are wearing them, believing every little bit helps them to achieve their goals of staying slim, trim and firm.


If you can afford to dish out $245 for these shoes, give them a try. However, a healthy diet and exercise program is the most sensible way to achieve overall fitness and tone. Just wanted to share this beauty tip with you for butt firming that is one of the latest celebrity beauty secrets.