Simple Tips To Keep Your Skin Healthy

Here are some nice tips to keep your skin healthy and beautiful.....

1.Protect your skin
Changes induced by sunlight are the major factor in causing alterations in the skin that contributes to the appearance of aging. Sunscreens and sun blocking agents can prevent or retard these changes. Efforts to protect the skin from harsh chemicals and physical agents (cold, wind, extreme dryness...) that may damage the skin are also sensible and desirable.

2.Clean and clear
Start by cleansing dry or sensitive skin with a gentle, non-stripping gel cleanser. If you have oily, acne-prone skin, find a gentle gel formula that's made specifically for your skin type, and follow with a non-alcoholic toner. Those containing alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) work especially well to help smooth the skin’s texture.
On days when you really need to exfoliate, use a gentle, grainy scrub (skip this step if you've got sensitive skin). If you've got oily skin, you'll want to exfoliate twice weekly, concentrating on blackhead-prone areas like the nose and chin.

3.Nutrition
The normal epidermis, hair follicles, and nail matrices receive their nutrition from the cutaneous vasculature, and there is no evidence that any topically applied "nutrient" can enhance their performance.

4.Hydration
Using a rich moisturizer is the next step. If you have an oily skin, it's better to use an oil-free cream. Hydration is especially important in winters.
Avoid taking long, hot baths in wintertime. If you don't want to give up hot baths, use bath oil.
Drink plenty of fluids. You won't have supple skin if you are dehydrated.
If your lips start to feel dry, resist the temptation to lick them. Saliva is not a moisturizer. It removes oil and makes your lips even drier. Instead, you should use lip balm or petroleum jelly. Smoking makes lips dry, too.

5. Skin care in winter
You need to adjust your skin care and moisturizing routine to protect your skin from becoming dry and itchy during the winter. This isn't just a cosmetic or comfort issue. Severely dry skin become less effective as a barrier against infection. Cold, dry winter air, low humidity caused by indoor heating, and hot showers and baths are all factors that rob your skin of moisture during the winter.
Don't overuse products that contain alpha-hydroxy acids. They exfoliate the top layer of skin, which is good for dry skin, but they also leave a new layer of skin that has no protection against bitter winter weather.
Use a sunscreen with at least SPF 15 during the winter to protect yourself from snow-reflected ultraviolet light. Don't forget to use lip balm with sunscreen to protect your lips.
Limit showers to 10 to 15 minutes. Use bath oils if you do take a hot bath. Use mild soaps. Deodorant soaps are more likely to dry your skin.
Put moisturizer on your skin immediately after a bath or shower, while your skin is still wet. It helps trap moisture in your upper skin layers.
After you wash your hands, use hand cream to seal in moisture.
Use a humidifier in your home to keep humidity levels higher during winter.

Finally something quick tips that you should always remeber...

1. Get enough sleep. Eat healthy.
2. Veggies are your friends so keep consuming them.
3. Limit your caffeine consumption. drink lotsa WATER....
4. Use sunscreen every day during summer and moisturizer to enrich your skin.
5. Oil bath once a week will keep your skin glowing, for all you people who have oily skin dont worry just was your face at least 5 times a day.

kNoW yEr VeGgIeS - - - iTs PoTaToS

So how many of you are drooling rite now?? yea yea its evvery ones favourites POTATO :)

POTATO

Potato, raw, with peelNutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 80 kcal 320 kJ
Carbohydrates 19 g
- Starch 15 g
- Dietary fiber 2.2 g
Fat 0.1 g
Protein 2 g
Water 75 g
Thiamine (Vit. B1) 0.08 mg 6%
Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.03 mg 2%
Niacin (Vit. B3) 1.1 mg 7%
Vitamin B6 0.25 mg 19%
Vitamin C 20 mg 33%
Calcium 12 mg 1%
Iron 1.8 mg 14%
Magnesium 23 mg 6%
Phosphorus 57 mg 8%
Potassium 421 mg 9%
Sodium 6 mg 0%
ok as you these the usual facts you might get online....

like you all know this vegetable grows under ground and is rich in starch.this is the most like vegetable by all age groups :)..(you can deny the fact apart from its rich starchy nature this also has the magnetic power get all our attentions :):)).potatoes makes a great side dish for all main course :)

well this time again i am going to let all of with my special dishes... but to be frank i am not a great fan of potato :( i am telling you all the truth :) .

Simple Potato Curry

(this is also a dish that i learnt from my mother :) in typical south indian family like mine its called the urla kazangu kari :) and this my brothers favourite curry )

1.Rich Potatoes 4nos (serves one)
2.Mustard seeds,tumeric powder,toor dhal,jeera and asofetida
3. some oil, ghee , chilly powder( i usually use the home made rasam powder which makes my currries spicy enough) and salt to taste.
4. Some cilantron ( corriander leaves)

first boil the potatoes and peel off the skin and cut them into small cubes and then keep it aside. then heat the frying pan and add the required portion of oil then after the oil is heated, add mustard seed ,toor dhal and little jeera.. let the mustard splatter and toor dhak change to golden brown colour... now add the potatoes now and mix them well then now add salt, a little bit of turmeric powder..(you know this turmeric powder has the capcity to kill germs and reduces the holestrol) after you have added all of these.. add chilly powder evenly and then mix it well... after some time when the potato turns golden brown remove it from the stove... here is your simple potato curry ready :)

now comes the healthy part , let me tell you what you gain by eating potatoes!

Health Benefits

Our food ranking system qualified potatoes as a very good source of vitamin C, a good source of vitamin B6, copper, potassium, manganese, and dietary fiber. Potatoes also contain a variety of phytonutrients that have antioxidant activity. Among these important health-promoting compounds are carotenoids, flavonoids, and caffeic acid, as well as unique tuber storage proteins, such as patatin, which exhibit activity against free radicals.

ok keep reaading my blog and happy cooking :)... will see you all soon in another post...

kNoW yEr VeGgIeS - - - iTs CaRrOtS

CARROTS

Carrot, rawNutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 40 kcal 170 kJ
Carbohydrates 9 g
- Sugars 5 g
- Dietary fibre 3 g
Fat0.2 g
Protein 1 g
Vitamin A equiv. 835 μg 93%
- β-carotene 8285 μg 77%
Thiamine (Vit. B1) 0.04 mg 3%
Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.05 mg 3%
Niacin (Vit. B3) 1.2 mg 8%
Vitamin B6 0.1 mg 8%
Vitamin C 7 mg 12%
Calcium 33 mg 3%
Iron 0.66 mg 5%
Magnesium 18 mg 5%
Phosphorus 35 mg 5%
Potassium 240 mg 5%
Sodium 2.4 mg 0%

the above listed is all nutritional facts about this vegetable.

like you all know carrot is a root veggie it not commonly loved by every body but makes a great side dish with rice and goes well with noodles when you grate it.:) and for all of you who love salads carrot would be the right vegetable easy to make and also tasty(well yea by now you should know that i am a great fan of this carrot :))

here are some of my creations ;)

Carrot Grated Salad

( actually i learnt this from my MOMMY :) she is the greatest cook not just coz she knows to cook this salad ;))

take some baby carrots(dey are my personal favourite :)), even the big carrots will do great. Wash them clean and grate them into fine thin slices and cut open a lemon and squeeze the lemon juice out on top of the carrots and mix them well and there you go yer simple salad is ready to eat! ( well to add some more ingredients to the same you heat some oil and splatter some mustard and then drop the same on top of the carrot -- this is called kosamalli in southern part of india )mmm... does mouth water already;)??? yea yea i know it does:)

Spicy Carrot Curry

(this is my own creation ;))

Spicy Carrot Curry
1.Big Fresh Carrot 4nos (serves one)

2. Scrapped coconut

3.Mustard seeds,toor dhal,jeera and asofetida

4. some oil, ghee , chilly powder( i usually use the home made rasam powder which makes my carrot spicy enough) and salt to taste.

5. Some cilantron ( corriander leaves)

heat the frying pan and the added required amount of ghee on it let the ghee heat up and the add your coconut scrappings evenly and saute the same till it turn golden brownnow keep this aside.Use another big pan and heat the oil and once that is done add some mustard seeds and toor dhal and add let the mustard splatter and the toor dhal turn golden brown now add some jeera and some asofetida....now add the carrot and salt mix it well and let the same cook for some time, once the carrot is cooked to the desired level add the chilly powder or try the home made rasam powder on top of it and let that mix heat for some 5 minutes and now added your coconut scrappings.. and mix it well and pull it off the stove... yummy spicy carrot curry is ready to be served after garnishing.

now comes the healthy part , let me tell you what you gain by eating carrot!

Health Benefits

Carrots are an excellent source of antioxidant compounds, and the richest vegetable source of the pro-vitamin A carotenes. Carrots' antioxidant compounds help protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer and also promote good vision, especially night vision