I have reached a point in my life where I’ve learned a lot of personal truths, and one of them is this- skinny just does NOT feel as good as chocolate tastes. I’m a fan of The Biggest Loser on TV and I love seeing people change their lives, but what I’d really love is to see the contestants sit down with doctors and trainers after the contest portion is over and develop a goal weight that will fit into their real lives while requiring no more than 2 workouts per week and permitting the occasional pizza. By the end of the season, the contestants are so focused on losing weight that they are living at the gym and eating half the calories their healthy bodily functions require. To no one’s surprise, they put on a fair bit of weight immediately after the show, and some of them get so depressed about it that they gain it ALL back and then some. The contestants who manage to maintain their ultra-skinny weight are the ones who go professionally into training, motivational speaking, or spokesmanship, where they are in effect being paid to stay skinny.

If your major life goals include wanting to work in media or entertainment, you want to lose weight. Media is brutal. Unless you’re Kathy Bates, you can’t work in television and eat pie. On the other hand, you’ll likely be well compensated in money and prestige. Is that what you want?

Do you want your signficant other to be a smokin’ hot hardbody? Then you’d better be the same, if for no other reason than that people who look like that spend a lot of time in the gym. If you’re not there as well, you’ll never see your honey, and other hardbodies will. Is that what you want?

Ask yourself if there is something you want to have or do that you can’t, solely because of your weight. It’s not about whether you love yourself. Self-esteem is incredibly complex, and whatever the weight-loss industry would like you to think, it’s almost totally unrelated to your weight. I know skinny people who feel worthless, and fat people who think they are the greatest thing since sliced bread, both equally without objective basis. Changing the number on the scale will not change the voices in your head.

Everything in life is a trade-off. I love good food, good wine, and relaxation, and that means either I’m going to have to be brutal with the rest of my time and calories, or it means I’m going to carry a few extra pounds. So I do. My husband doesn’t mind (and as long as his BMI exceeds mine, he’d better not). My blood chemistry is normal. I’m fit enough to walk where I want, run up and down stairs, and go swing dancing. I’m in no shape to run a marathon, but then, I don’t want to run a marathon.

Unless your butt is too big for the airline seat, your weight is probably not what’s keeping you from traveling. Unless you are so large that you are styling fashions by Omar the Tentmaker in an office where tailored suits are the standard dress, your weight is probably not keeping you from professional development. And it’s definitely not keeping you from finding love. If you want to walk the runway, lose weight. If your knees hurt when you walk, lose weight. If your glucose numbers are off, lose weight. But know why you want to lose weight, and be realistic about how much you want to lose versus how you want to live.

For many people, the greatest goal in their life is to become a mother or father. Creating and raising a child with someone you love is probably the most amazing experience a human being can have. In some circumstances, however, it can be difficult for a couple to get pregnant. How do you know when it is time to make an appointment at an infertility clinic? The following information may help you decide if the help of a professional is needed to conceive a baby of your own.

A mistake many couples make is thinking getting pregnant is as easy as having sex. Some couples do have the blessing of conceiving quickly. If you do not, this does not mean you are infertile. There could be a genuine medical reason you have not got pregnant yet. Were you on birth control recently? If so, this could be the reason you have not had the baby you so desire. Despite commonly held beliefs, stopping your regular birth control regiment does not mean your body is automatically ready to hold a child. For some women, it takes It takes the average woman’s system two to three months to completely flush all the hormones and start the ovulation cycle on its own.

Another common reason behind not getting pregnant as quickly as a couple wants is irregular periods. This medical obstacle is not uncommon. In fact, it affects an estimated 30 percent of all women during their reproductive years. While a woman is supposed to ovulate once a month, universally thought to occur around the middle of the month, some women may not go through this cycle for two of three months at a time, sometimes longer. After stopping birth control, most women go back to their normal menstrual cycles so if you have irregular periods in the past, your trouble getting pregnant may lie in the fact that your ovulation is difficult to track.

Some couples experience conception difficulties because of the potential mother’s weight. Many people fail to recognize that falling above the recommended weight class for someone of your height and age greatly affects your body. It can cause irregular periods and reduces your libido, as well as increases your risk of developing a wide assortment of health issues such as heart disease and diabetes. Studies have shown women with a body mass index, or BMI, of over 29 have a four percent lower chance of conceiving; those with a BMI of 35 to 40 experience a 23 to 43 percent reduction in their odds.

If you and your partner believe one of the above issues is affecting your ability to get pregnant or if you have been trying for over six months, you may benefit from visiting a fertility clinic. The physicians there can create a detailed plan to help you conceive. With their help, many women get pregnant within a year. Every couple is different, however, and the only way you can know what adjustments you need to make is by visiting a professional yourself.

YOU WILL NEED:

Slanted tweezers

Curved cuticle scissors

Eyebrow brush

1. PREPARE:

Try and pluck your brows after a bath or shower. The pores of your skin will be open, making it easier for you to pluck the hairs out. Alternatively, put a warm flannel over your face before starting.

Using an eyeliner, mark out where you want to pluck. The most accurate way of doing this is by making three marks on your face to define where you want your brows to start, arch, and end. Look at this picture of Marilyn Monroe (below). Line A= Where your brows should start. Line B= Where the arch should be. Line C= Where they should end.

To mark this out accurately, find an object with a straight edge – A ruler, an eyebrow brush, your mascara – pretty much anything that is straight will do the trick. Put it against the side of your nose and follow it straight up past the inner corner of your eye. Where the line leads to, at the top near your brow, make a mark with your eyeliner.

Keep the straight edge at the corner of your nose (you will see a pattern emerging here) and slant it so that it goes across the pupil of your eye. Make another mark here. This is where your arch should be.

Finally, keep the edge of your straight line next to your nose (told you) and slant it so that it goes across the outer corner of your eye. Make a mark to show where your brow will end. Repeat on the other brow.

2. PLUCK OFF!

Connect the dots and you have your eyebrow template. Pluck everything in between LINE A of each brow (No one wants a mono-brow).

Tradition tells us that we should not pluck above the brow. The rules are made to be broken. If you have rogue hairs above your brows, pluck them into shape using your template.

Do the same to the bottom. Obviously vary how far you pluck into your eyebrow, depending on how thick or thin you want it to be. The template is there as a guide.

Tip: Pull your skin really taught to make it less painful. If it’s unbearable, use ice cubes. Your skin should get used to it the more you pluck.

3. FINAL STEP (OPTIONAL, BUT EFFECTIVE)

Take your eyebrow brush and brush your brows up. Trim down any hairs that stray over your template.

Brush your brow hairs downwards and again, anything that strays over the template, trim it down to size.

Now your brows should be neat and not get easily ruffled.

The famous Harvard Nurses Health study observed women over a 16-year span and noted that lack of sleep lead to weight gain. Women who reported sleeping fewer than 5 hours per night were 32% more likely to gain more than 15 kilograms or 2 stone 3 pounds over that span of years. That’s on average 1 kilogram or 2 pounds per year more than those who slept longer each night.

These results surprised researchers and their initial thoughts were that women who slept less eat more but when the results were analyzed the opposite was found to be true and the women sleeping less were actually eating less.

Research appears to suggest that this sleep less weight gain phenomenon may in part be due to the hormone melatonin or rather lack of it. Melatonin is the hormone of sleep, which is produced when daylight starts to fade.

Melatonin is not only responsible for helping us to sleep but is also a powerful anti-oxidant. It also regulates the release of another hormone leptin, which is an important regulator of appetite and therefore weight gain.

As we age so does the production of our hormones and melatonin is no exception. Blood levels of melatonin in the elderly are about half those of a younger person. As our daylight starts to fade around dusk our brains begin to produce melatonin and its levels continue to rise until it peaks at about 2am or 3am for older people and then starts to decline as the sun rises.

Light of any type but especially blue wavelengths will stop the production of melatonin and lack of it will stimulate fat storage. It is therefore important for us to maximize the production of melatonin.

1. Aim to get at least 7 hours of quality sleep each night.
2. Block out all light and sleep in a dark room. If you are unable to block all the light from your room with black out blinds a sleep mask is a good quick cheap alternative.
3. Have a bath before bedtime, ideally your body should start the night slightly warmer and cool down as you fall sleep. Your cooling body triggers the production of melatonin.
4. You may need to supplement your body’s production of melatonin. Melatonin supplements are widely available for sale on the Internet and health food stores. There are no studies or research available to date to suggest that supplementing with melatonin, in the short-term, poses any risks to health. Never take more than 3 mg of melatonin per evening.
5. Research has found that lavender oil can help you unwind and send you off to sleep. Invest in some quality organic lavender essential oil. Sprinkle a couple of drops over your pillow at night before bedtime.
6. Avoid alcohol, as it is a big sleep disruptor. As little as one glass of wine is enough to disrupt your REM sleep, which is your most restorative sleep phase.
7. A cup of Valerian tea an hour before bedtime I find really helps you unwind. Try Clipper teas ‘Sleep Easy’ which contains Valerian. Valerian is believed to have a sedative and anxiolytic or anti-anxiety effect on the body.
8. Here’s a fun way to wind down of an evening. Half an hour before bedtime or earlier if you wish turn all your electric lights out and replace with candles as candles do not emit blue light. Play some relaxing, soothing classical music and let your mind drift away.

The idea is to wind down not to fall asleep with your candles burning so be mindful of this fact. If you don’t trust yourself to stay awake please don’t burn candles.

If you don’t like the idea of taking melatonin as a supplement then cherries are a natural way of supplementing your melatonin supply. Research into tart or sour cherry juice as a bedtime drink showed that it improved sleep for those who took it, compared with those who were given a substitute drink.

The ready to drink cherry juice Cherrygood contains Montmorency cherries which research has shown are packed with health benefits which may help consumers achieve a good nights sleep. Tart cherries are one of the few known food sources of melatonin, a hormone produced in the brain and released in the body by pineal gland.

US studies conducted at the University of Texas Health Science Center found Montmorency cherries contained 13.5 Nano grams of melatonin per gram, much higher than the amount normally found in our bodies. Research also shows that drinking cherry juice can reduce known markers of inflammation, as the drink is a powerful anti-oxidant, helping to repair heart damage poor sleeping patterns may have caused.

Women often panic when they see a gain of a pound or two apparently overnight but what you must realize is that we are made up of approximately 70% water and our weight will fluctuate, especially around ‘that time of month’ for non-pregnant women. This is why we are always advised to weigh once weekly at the most, never daily! It truly does help stop these mini panic attacks from occurring!

The concern of many mothers-to-be is how much weight gain is necessary and how can you monitor it to avoid piling on excess pounds. Pregnancy is a time when you can all too easily pack on pounds all in the name of baby weight.

Yes, you are supplying vital nutrients for your baby’s healthy growth and nutrition. But, that doesn’t mean you need hundreds of extra calories a day, certainly not in the first two trimesters of your pregnancy.

During the first three months of your pregnancy, often referred to as the first trimester, women on average need to gain about two to four pounds. Thereafter it is expected that you will gain a pound a week for a healthy pregnancy and delivery.

Where does this extra weight go? It is not all baby weight! Nature always ensures the survival of our young by fattening up the mother. Therefore you may notice your stomach (naturally!) hips and thighs become heavier.

This weight gain is generally the problem areas for weight loss after baby is born. Putting on excess weight during your pregnancy will just add more pounds to these areas so you must monitor your food intake and stick to a healthy pregnancy diet plan.

If you already have a good amount of padding in these areas prior to pregnancy then careful monitoring of your daily diet can help ensure you do not gain excess fat.

Carrying extra weight will also make you feel very fatigued, and you will have low levels of energy. While you are pregnant you will put on weight naturally, but having too much extra weight can make it extremely uncomfortable for you to get about as you are carry your extra weight and that of your baby as well.

Eating too much of the wrong foods can also affect your cravings, so if you minimize the type of foods that you eat you can also reduce the amount of cravings that you may experience during your pregnancy.

Your pregnancy diet plan is all about balancing the right amount of food with proper rest and relaxation. Be sure you never under-eat as it could be detrimental to your baby’s overall health and development. Try and eat a whole-food diet, for the health and safety of your baby, as too much fast, processed food can cause high levels of stress and increase your blood pressure.

We don’t. We are now spending a lot of time chasing our tails, trying to keep up with our alter ego, and prove that we are in fact superwomen. But if doing it the way we are doing it is wrong, what is the right way?

Are you enjoying yourself? If every day you feel like you have to climb Mount Everest and then run the marathon. Then it is not fun! There is nothing to say that you cannot be the best, but you have to ensure that you have time for you. And that means not ticking off your things to do list every second of the day, or having your mind racing consistently with what you need to do to stay on top.

1. Take a day out to enjoy…be it nature, your family, your garden. Benefit from your hard work. I recommend you spend a couple hours over the weekend in the garden reading a good book with only birds singing as background music. “Chicken Soup for the Soul” Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hanson is a fantastic feel good book with short stories that remind you about how lovely this life can be.It always seems like we are too busy for everything and the result is that we don’t give our time to others as much as we could. You know the way we say, I can’t go and see Aunt Sally, I have far too much work to do. Or going to see Mary and her new baby will have to wait, I am far too busy with something or the other.
2. Make appointments in your diary to spend time with others. Be it spending an afternoon after work with your mother, or leaving work early to see a friend. Giving to other feels really good and when you actually get around to it you wonder why you didn’t do it earlier.
3. Factor in time for your relationship. By spending alone time with that special someone, you can work on bringing some excitement into the relationship.
   Structure your work/ life balance properly. Know that you are in control at work and plan your days well so that you don’t feel guilty that you haven’t completed a project or presentation. Poor organisation makes you put more hours in at work and less time at home.
4. Write your things to do list the night before. Ensuring you have everything you need to get going as soon as you arrive in the office. Put time for work on priority projects in the diary so you do not overload on meetings. Brian Tracey’s book Eat Your Frog looks at the principles needed to plan your day to get most things done. Tracey argues that if the first thing you do each day is eat a frog, then the remainder of the day becomes pretty easy. What he is actually saying is get that by getting the hardest task out of the way first the rest of the day will be plain sailing.
5. Get yourself a coach of some sort to help you along the way and provide structure in your life. The book LIFE DIET by Allison Blondell is like a having your own personal life coach that supports you in making changes in your life and will be available from Amazon in early 2012.We need a lot of energy being a superwoman and with time constraints we cannot always make it to the gym to keep fit, or eat the food for that healthy lifestyle we so crave.
6. Do your exercise at home. Get up half an hour earlier and do some sit ups, yoga or anything that takes your fancy. There are currently 10 minute solution exercise DVDs that can blast off fat in any of those problem areas (bum, thighs, stomach etc) and if like me, you want to take it easy, they have a beginners pack.

In a world obsessed by beauty, we’ve spent billions of dollars a year on products to enhance our skin, hair and nails. However, what we don’t realize when we buy and use these beauty products is that there are easier and more natural ways to enhance ones beauty. By eating healthy, living a healthy lifestyle, and exercising you can preserve your beauty from the inside out.

When most people think of reasons to exercise it doesn’t include a clear complexion, blemish free skin, less wrinkles and strong, healthy hair. However that’s exactly what exercise can do for your beauty. Exercise benefits beauty by rewarding you with healthier skin and hair. Exercise reduces wrinkles, restores color and glow to dull skin, decreases acne, and revives weak and brittle hair. So next time you need a motivation to exercise think about your beauty. Going for a walk, doing yoga or working up a sweat around the house can all enhance your beauty.

Dull Skin- Dull, pale or sallow skin is a direct reflection of ones health. Poor health causes fewer blood vessels in the skin, reducing the skins rosy color. The skin needs oxygen and nutrients to retain a vibrant color. The easiest way to restore color to your skin is by increasing the circulation of blood to the skin. Aerobic exercise increases the heart rate, which in turn increase the circulation of blood. Blood carries oxygen and nutrients throughout the body and directly to the skin. Blood flow also gives skin its glowing color. Additionally aerobic exercise causes you to sweat, which flushes out the pores. Clogged and backed up pores can reduce blood flow to the skin, leaving you with dull skin color and acne. Sweating also helps to clean out the skin making it easier for cell turnover. When old, dead skin cells slough off you are left with new, fresh, supple and vibrant looking skin cells. Exercise is also a stress reliever. Stress can have a major impact on the body and the skin. Stress reduces the availability of nutrients in the body leaving the skin starving for nutritious elements. By exercising you not only reduce stress, but also you increase the circulation of nutrients to the skin.

Acne- Acne is normally caused by an over production of sebum which clogs the pores. Sebum is released into the pores on a regular basis, however certain hormones cause an over production such as testosterone and the stress hormone cortisol. Any increase in these hormones corresponds to an increase of acne on the skin. By exercising you can correct hormonal imbalances that lead to acne. Exercising relieves stress and lowers cortisol levels in the blood. Therefore eliminating the over production of sebum which can lead to blocked pores. Additionally, exercising creates sweat. Even though most people think sweating actually causes acne it’s quite the opposite. Sweat cleans out pores and removes dead skin cells, oils, and chemicals, which build up over time. By flushing out these toxins you remove existing acne on the skin but also impeding any further inflammation response that the body has to foreign particles on the skin. Exercise also nourishes the skin by increasing circulation of oxygenated and nutrient rich blood. When the skin is healthy there is less chance for the occurrence of acne.

Wrinkles- As we age the collagen which holds our skin in place begins to breakdown causing wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging. However, aging is not the only cause for the breakdown of collagen. Stress, poor health, disease, and environmental pollutants can also cause signs of premature aging. Exercise is a great deterrent of wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging skin. Exercise supports the production of collagen, a protein that is the support structure of our skin. When we exercise we strengthen t and tone the muscles beneath the skin, making the skin look healthier. The stronger that your muscles are the more support the skin will have and the firmer and more elastic the skin will look. Firm skin keeps wrinkles at bay. Exercise increases the circulation of oxygen and nutrients to the skin. It boosts detoxification and encourages cell renewal. Exercise also decreases stress, which has an enormous effect on the skin. When we are stressed our bodies release stress hormones such as cortisol. High levels of cortisol in the body can cause collagen to breakdown, which increases wrinkles and sagging skin. So exercise not only relieves stress and decreases cortisol levels it firms and tightens skin to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Stress relieving exercises such as yoga and tai chi are a great way to reduce fine lines.

Though it may cause apprehension, spotting between periods is not really an unusual occurrence. Typically, the menstrual cycle ranges from 21 to 35 days, with an average of 28 days. Spotting between periods takes place when there is vaginal blood flow in between the period after your last day of menstruation and the beginning of your next menstrual cycle. Women may commonly experience bleeding in between periods at some particular time in their reproductive lives. Vaginal spotting between periods does not generally pose a major cause for concern but still warrants attention from the gynecologist. However, there are some cases of bleeding in between periods that signal a more serious underlying medical condition that would need prompt intervention.

These blood discharges differ in color. Brown spotting in between periods means that blood has dried at a certain degree and has been confined to the cervix for a longer period of time. Bleeding in between periods that produces bright red blood indicates that it is new and fresh. On the other hand, a pink blood discharge that accompanies spotting in between periods denotes dilution. A very dark brown or blackish discharge during spotting in between periods signifies extremely old blood. At times, the color of discharge at the time of spotting in between periods may convey the length of time and pace blood has passed through the cervix. The color of blood does not necessarily pinpoint the exact causes of spotting. To arrive at an accurate diagnosis, further assessment and diagnostic procedures are needed to determine the cause of bleeding in between periods.

Another factor to be considered in the diagnosis of these vaginal discharges is the extent and duration of irregular blood flow. When vaginal blood flow associated with spotting in between periods is light in volume, such as in droplets or minute amounts, there is less cause for worry. In situations when there occurs heavy bleeding in between periods, such as when the sanitary pads get very saturated in a short period of time, you must seek medical attention as soon as possible. Depending upon the rate of blood flow, a prolonged duration of spotting between periods likewise needs critical intervention.

Vaginal Bleeding

Vaginal bleeding between periods may not pose as a major health threat if one of the causes of spotting is related to ovulation. Spotting between periods is brought about by the abrupt and transient rise of the estrogen hormone connected with the release of the egg from the ovary during ovulation. This sudden increase of estrogen may contribute to light bleeding in between periods, especially if it occurs during the 13th to 16th day of the menstrual cycle. Ovulation spotting is characterized by a light blood flow and is either pinkish or brownish in color. Sometimes, the vaginal blood discharges of ovulation related to spotting in between periods are accompanied by a white-colored cervical mucus and mild lower abdominal cramping.

Severe physical, emotional and mental stress may also trigger spotting between periods. This type of light bleeding in between periods usually happens two to five days before or after the period starts. Stressors may elicit the brain to alter the menstrual process which leads to brown-colored discharge during the beginning half of the cycle. In cases when the ovulation does not occur or partially takes place, light spotting in between periods emerges at the last half of the menstrual cycle.

Other causes of spotting are incidences of implantation and bleeding or light spotting between periods associated with pregnancy. This mild spotting generally happens a week after ovulation or a week before the menstrual cycle is expected to start. Brown spotting between periods is evident because of the extended length of time for the blood to be expelled from the woman’s body.

Perimenopausal spotting may most likely be expected among women nearing the age of late forties until the early fifties when menopause sets in. The primary causes of spotting during the menopause period are related to hormones in the woman’s body that are undergoing extreme changes. Failure or inability to ovulate as menopause progresses contribute to spotting between periods as well as other symptoms, such as dryness of the external parts of the reproductive organ and lowered sexual desires. Commonly experienced among women in the perimenopausal stages are irregular and shortened length of menstruation, in which spotting between periods just happens a few days before the menstrual cycle starts. However, if perimenopausal spotting between periods is accompanied by any varying degree of abdominal or vaginal pain, immediate medical attention is needed.

Certain types of birth control methods may also cause spotting in between periods. Intrauterine device, or IUD, and birth control injections among the birth control methods are most likely to bring about spotting between periods. Vaginal spotting between periods is also manifested in medical conditions like endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, uterine polyps, malignancies in the reproductive organs, vaginal infections, thyroid disorders and diabetes.

Anorexia Nervosa is a serious and complex eating disorder with three (3) prominent characteristics, namely: phobia for gaining weight, which is linked to the other characteristics of refusal to maintain normal weight and lastly a more or less disfigured body.

The first feature mentioned above becomes an obsession to the point that women are plunged into an internal struggle. There is the situation that they are afraid to indulge during meal times and simultaneously are consumed with thoughts of what they can and cannot eat.

There are two (2) types of anorexia. The Restricting Type involves weight loss achieved by depriving oneself of food through fasting, crash dieting and excessive or rigid exercise routines. The Purging Type involves weight loss achieved by self-induced vomiting or use of laxatives.

People should be cognizant of the various signs and symptoms associated with anorexia nervosa for quicker detection in loved ones. This becomes necessary as it is a known fact that the anorexic are very good at hiding this habit.

Some of the behavioral signs to look out for are:

• Rejecting food despite being skinny
• Obsession with food labels for calories and fat content
• Pretending to eat in an attempt to hide habit
• Drastic weight loss

While is it generally agreed upon that anorexia nervosa is connected to food and weight, these are not the underlying issues that propel women to have this eating disorder. Like most disorders, anorexia is psychological. In essence, it is linked to the emotional well-being, or the lack thereof. It is usually feeling of depression, personal inadequacies, loneliness and pressure to be perfect, especially in the case of celebrities that become so embedded in their psyche, leading women down this destructive path.

The effects of anorexia can be harmful to severe. Essentially, if the body is deprived of significant amounts of calories needed to function properly, it goes into shut down mode and begins to feed on itself. Prolonged deprivation results in devastating effects physically and psychologically such as: lack of energy; poor memory; irregular bowel movements, tooth decay, hair loss, discoloration of the skin (yellow) and brittles nails.

Ayurvedic recipes consisting of 16 Ayurvedic herbs (Kumkumadi) that act synergistically to cleanse, smoothen the appearance of aged skin, and impart overall radiance and luster. These are a combination of several herbal ingredients including rare saffron, turmeric, vetiver, lotus, extracts of Banyan tree, Manjishta- Rubia cordifolia, Daru haridra- Cocinum fenestratum, Jasadbhasma, sandlewood, Usiri, black cherry, blue lotus, Indian madder, milk, and licorice. The key ingredient, saffron, is considered a royal spice in Ayurveda.

The ingredients work synergistically to impart their herbal properties to beautify the skin.
Rare Saffron saturates the skin to give it a natural golden glow. Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus), a species of crocus in the Iridaceae.

Lotus, sandalwood, and vetiver plump the skin, diminishing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, while extracts of Indian Madder and Banyan tree lighten the appearance of brown spots caused by acne scarring, the sun or aging.

Turmeric reduces inflammation of skin and prevents many skin ailments. The golden yellow powder acts as natural antibiotic and is good for acne. Texts of ayurveda praise the scar and blemish diminishing properties of turmeric. Consistent use of turmeric reduces stretch marks on the body.

Licorice, known for its antiseptic and microbial properties helps to protect blemish-prone skin from bacteria and other impurities. Usiri improves the complexion, and Sandlewood is cooling for the skin.

Jasadbhasma acts as a natural sunscreen, protecting the skin from harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun.

Home made beauty products can be made from the above ingredients. Two simple ones to try yourself, using ayurvedic principles:

1. Apply a paste of sandalwood powder, rose water and glycerin on your face and neck regularly. With this you can have a clear skin that looks younger and combats wrinkles.
2. Make a paste by using equal parts of sandalwood powder and turmeric powder in water and apply it over pimples. Wash off after 30 minutes. This mask can diminish acne and the appearance of blemishes. This mask is best for combination and oily skin.