Foods for Beautiful Skin

Ageless Beauty Issue # 4

Friday, January 14, 2011




Top Anti-Aging Foods for Beautiful Skin

Nature's Best Recovery Drink Ever

Tips to Tame Your Wild Mane

Top Anti-Aging Foods for Beautiful Skin

By Dr. Al Sears, MD


Today, I’ll share three of my favorite anti-aging foods with you that are also great for your skin.
Adding these foods to your diet is a helpful first step to getting the anti-aging nutrients you need to look good, feel good and keep moving into your 80s, 90s and beyond.

Anti-Aging Food #1: Blueberries. These little berries are best known as an antioxidant powerhouse. In fact, they have more antioxidants than almost any other food. And that’s important to your skin, because your body uses antioxidants to fight the free-radical damage that makes you look older, faster.

The antioxidants in blueberries also help your body manufacture collagen and keep your skin supple and smooth. Blueberries also are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin E, riboflavin and fiber.

But blueberries can help you in other ways, too, by:


• Reducing blood pressure and cholesterol. I just read a study that showed how subjects given a blueberry drink saw oxidized LDL cholesterol (the form that clogs arteries) in their blood drop by 28 percent. Their blood pressure went down by 6 percent, too.

• Sharpening your vision. Recent studies show that chemicals in blueberries – called anthocyanins – have a positive effect on your vision (visual pigments) and the overall health of your eyes. The researchers also found that other chemicals in blueberries help your body combat free-radical damage to retinal cells.2

• Keeping your mental edge. After just 12 weeks of drinking blueberry juice, people in one study with mild memory problems showed improved memory and thinking skills. Even their moods got better.3

That’s quite an anti-aging boost from a tiny berry. But my next selection gets down to the very roots of aging.

Anti-Aging Food #2: Wild-caught salmon. It’s not only delicious but an incredible anti-aging superfood. I’ve been recommending three or four servings weekly of this cold-water, fatty fish to my patients and readers for years.
Here’s why …


The lifespan of your cells is regulated by telomeres – protective “caps” on the end of your chromosomes. Each time a cell divides, its telomeres get a little shorter. Eventually, these protective caps become too short, the cell can’t safely reproduce … and it dies.

Magnify this process by millions upon millions of cells and you’ve got the aging process.
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that the omega-3 fatty acids in fatty fish like wild-caught salmon promote longer telomeres. In this study, the people who got the most omega-3s from marine sources had the longest telomeres.4
In other words, their cells could go on dividing longer … and defy the aging process.



But that’s not all omega-3s do.



French scientists found omega-3s also support better memory and cognitive function – perception, thinking and reasoning. Over a seven-year period, test subjects with the highest levels of two omega-3s – EPA and DHA – scored higher on memory and reasoning tests.5



A lack of omega-3s can dry your skin out. And studies show they help reduce your skin’s sensitivity to the sun’s damaging rays.6



Wild-caught salmon is loaded with high-quality protein, too. And you need plenty of protein to maintain lean muscle as you get older.



And speaking of muscles, this leads me to my favorite anti-aging food of all …



Anti-Aging Food #3: Grass-fed beef. It’s another muscle-booster. But that’s not the main reason it’s one of my favorites.



Grass-fed beef is a terrific source of CoQ10 – much richer than feedlot beef. And CoQ10 helps keep your cells running smoothly – even aging cells. CoQ10 improves the function of mitochondria – the tiny “engines” that power your cells.



CoQ10 also can have a direct effect on your appearance. As you get older, you produce more of an enzyme called arNOX that promotes skin aging. CoQ10 inhibits arNOX activity. In one study, CoQ10 cut arNOX production by almost a third.7



And the other benefits of eating grass-fed beef: It contains high levels of omega-3s and vitamins A, D and E.



To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011

Friday, December 31, 2010




Dear Martin,

Happy New Year, my fitness friend!

New Year’s Day is right around the corner and you know what that means … time to make your resolutions to get a fit body, mind and spirit! And I’m here to help you keep them this year.
New Year’s resolutions fail for various reasons. Sometimes they’re too broad, sometimes they’re unrealistic, or sometimes you just don’t know what to do to achieve your goal.
So here are four ways to help keep your New Year’s resolution on improving your fitness this year:
1. Put yourself first. You make time for other people every day, but you might not give yourself the attention you need (and deserve!). Give yourself a portion of your day all to yourself … even if it’s only 20 minutes. Devote that time to improving your mind, body and spirit by doing one of my great fat-burning workouts or taking some time to meditate.
2. Make it mandatory. You brush your teeth every day without exception … well, hopefully ;) … you shower … you walk the dog … Why? Because you have to, and it’s part of your daily routine. This year, switch exercising and eating right from “optional” to “mandatory” and see how quickly your body, confidence and overall health improves. No excuses!

3. Set mini goals. Instead of saying I won’t ever eat chocolate again or I’m going to work out every day for the rest of the year, start small. Take it one day at a time. This way, you can be happy you accomplished something and have the motivation to keep going strong. You could start by trying one of my online training courses for simple, easy-to-follow workouts that are broken down into daily segments. So every day you follow the program, it’s like you just reached another goal!

4. Learn how to set goals. To reach your goals, you’ve got to know what to do and how to stay motivated. And I have the perfect video clip for you. It describes a sure-fire way to accomplish your goals. All you need is some guidance and inspiration. Click here to watch it.
Lots of Peace, Love, Energy and Happiness!

Yarixa "Coach Yari" Ferrao



P.S. Keep in mind, change is key when making resolutions. Don’t be afraid to try new things until you find what works for you. Doing the same thing you’ve always done won’t give you the results you’re looking for. Have an amazing 2011!

Top 10 steps Tips to Tighten that Tush

Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Dear Martin,

Whether, you’re a guy or gal, having a great rear end is definitely in style. Big or small, luscious or lean there is nothing wrong with improving on nature.
The first thing to do is to get yourself in the proper mindset … whatever you can use for positive reinforcement. Maybe hang up a picture of someone who has the kind of rear you would like to have one day. Or buy those skinny jeans you just can’t wait to get into. Imagine all the new attention you are about to receive from the opposite sex. Whatever you can find to use for motivation is entirely up to you. You can be successful in having a spectacular rear end. Thousands of people already have.
Some of the best exercises I’ve found come from Dr. Al Sears, MD – the creator of the patented PACE 12-minute fitness program and fitness instructor Yarixa Ferrao (better known as Coach Yari). She’s helped dozens of people tighten and lift their butts with her booty bootcamp.
Their exercises below have helped me get a tighter tush. And if you’re willing to give these exercises a reasonable amount of time and attention, you’ll see the results you want and will take the first step in getting a bodacious booty.
1. Try not to rush through your exercises. Hold each move for at least 30 seconds. Focus exclusively on tightening your behind. Every single move and thought is directed on nothing else. Believe it, and make it happen.
2. If you can do more than 15 reps without muscle fatigue, it’s time to increase your resistance. Add a little extra to your sets whenever you can. Also, it’s very important you rest and recover between each set. Make sure you push yourself a little harder each day. Try to feel the burn, create an oxygen debt with each set and progressively challenge yourself the next time
3. Squats and lunges are the most typical of all the butt-exercise moves. They can also be a little boring, and if not done properly, can be a little painful. Make sure to keep your back straight and knees in line with your feet. Press into the floor as you rise out of the lunge/squat while squeezing your butt. Do it slowly. The good thing about theses exercises is they will also work your quads.
4. The “Bridge” is my all-time favorite. You can even do it while lying in bed. Lie face up with one knee bent and the other extended toward the ceiling. Lift your hips as far up as you can and hold and squeeze for five seconds. Repeat this move 10 times and pulse it for 5 and then rest. Switch legs and repeat. The results will be absolutely beautiful, but with a burn like you wouldn’t believe! Check out Coach Yari’s instructions on The Bridge here.
5. Step Ups are also great exercises. Find a step and climb off and on repeatedly. If the steps are short, you could use the same leg to lead for a set and then switch legs.
6. Skipping is also one of the best entire body workouts ever. It’s excellent for your heart and lungs, too. Jump as high as you can and as fast, for a period of one minute, then rest and recover. Repeat three times.
7. When attempting dead lifts (using dumbbells or barbells), don’t forget to keep your knees straight but not locked. Slowly bend forward at the hips until you feel a nice stretch in your hamstring. Contract your glutes while you rise back up into a standing position.
8. Standing and laying abduction exercises will target the outer part of those cheeks. Any extra fat on those hips will soon disappear. By keeping your legs straight, slowly raise one of your legs as high as possible to the side of your body. Do your desired number of reps and repeat with the other legs
9. Try parking a little further away from your destination and hoof it whenever possible … This works whenever you’re going to the mall, supermarket and even the office. There’s no reason to sit and wait for closer parking when you could get a little extra moving time. You’ll be surprised at how good that feels and how much easier it is to get in a little workout.
10. Another tip from Dr. Sears: After you’re finished with your workout, add some extra protein powder to your recovery drink. This will help reduce muscle damage.
Keep on Stylin’!
Anesta Dawkins
[Ed. Note: Anesta Dawkins is Owner and Founder of Salon Hottie in West Palm Beach, Florida, and is an accomplished hairstylist, platform artist, and instructor. With over 20 years’ experience in the industry and a satisfied network of clients, Anesta is dedicated to keeping you current with the latest and most innovative products in the beauty industry.]

There are two new things we now know about chocolate.

Friday, December 24, 2010
Dear Martin
By now, I’m sure you’ve heard about chocolate’s benefits. I’ve seen it reported in magazines and on the evening news. But I have new evidence that makes chocolate even sweeter.
There are two new things we now know about chocolate
First, I have evidence that eating chocolate can cut your risk from dying of stroke nearly in half.
In one study, people who ate one serving of chocolate per week were 22 percent less likely to have a stroke.1

Another study found that people who ate 50 grams of chocolate once a week were 46 percent less likely to die following a stroke than those who didn’t eat chocolate.2

About 80 percent of strokes occur when there isn’t enough blood getting to the brain.3 Your brain is starved of oxygen and nutrients and begins to die immediately.
Chocolate helps to counteract that in two ways. It’s rich in antioxidants and helps to increase circulation.
You may get a rush of pleasure when you bite into a piece of chocolate. But chocolate gives you more than instant gratification. It’s filled with antioxidants called flavonoids. And flavonoids protect the body.
Which leads me to the second new thing about chocolate. These flavonoids found in chocolate fight silent inflammation, which is the leading cause of chronic diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, dementia and stroke as I mentioned above, among many others.4
You can find flavonoids in vegetables, tea and red wine, but cocoa has more flavonoids.5 In fact, dark chocolate contains up to four times the antioxidants found in tea.6

But that’s not all this holiday treat can do.

The flavonol-rich cocoa in chocolate is also a vasodilator meaning it relaxes your blood vessels. It widens blood vessels so circulation is improved. This brings an increased blood flow to the brain. It also helps to lower blood pressure and improve heart function. Vasodilators like the cocoa in chocolate also help to increase circulation to sexual organs so they’re ready to respond when you are.
No wonder the scientific name for cocoa translates to “food of the gods.”
When you’re looking for a good source of chocolate, keep this in mind:

• Look for chocolate that contains 70 percent or more cocoa. This is the ingredient that contains health benefits.
• Check how much sugar is added to the chocolate you choose. Keep it as low as possible. But choose sugar over artificial sweeteners or chocolate labeled “sugar free.”

• Beware of other chemicals in the chocolate. Choose a brand that has pure ingredients and no chemical additives.
• Make chocolate your special treat of choice once a week.
• You can find good quality chocolate at a health-food store but more and more of the “good stuff” is finding its way into grocery and drug stores.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
PS: We want to wish you and your family very happy holidays from me and the Ageless Beauty Secret panelists – Coach Yari, Anesta Dawkins and Tara Smith, ARNP, NP-C. Have a beautiful new year!

All-Aboard Vacation Marketing

All-Aboard Vacation Marketing

Friday, September 10, 2010
Dear Martin,

Stress can really take a toll on your skin. It’s one of the biggest culprits when it comes to acne, wrinkles, hives, and other skin conditions like rosacea.

In fact, there’s a field of science devoted to the connection between stress and skin conditions. It’s called psychodermatology.
This science looks at how your emotions affect your skin. Experts in this field have shown that more and more skin problems are related to your psyche. Things like meditation, relaxation techniques, and exercise are proven to help.1

Yup, exercise does wonders for your skin. It helps you:
Sweat out toxins
Regenerate new cells and optimize collagen production, helping reduce wrinkles
Bring more blood flow and nutrients to the skin, generating a healthy glow
Reduce STRESS, a huge cause of many skin conditions!

Exercising helps relieve stress because it:
Releases endorphins, your brain’s “feel-good” chemicals
Reduces the production of stress hormones like cortisol

Improves your self confidence, so it improves your mood
Allows you to concentrate on the moment and being present. This helps elevate your mood and energy!

Brings more blood flow and oxygen to your brain
Physically allows you to endure everyday tasks easier, therefore relieving some physical stress that you might have to deal with otherwise

Relieves feelings of anger and hostility
Below are my three favorite exercises for reducing stress levels and helping your skin stay bright and healthy!

Click on each exercise to follow along with me
1. Pushups

2. Burpees

3. Diaphragmatic Breathing

Your Health and Fitness Specialist,

Coach Yari

[Ed. Note: Yarixa Ferrao, A.K.A, Coach Yari is a Certified Personal Trainer (NASM) and an expert in functional training, fat loss, sports performance, and cellulite. Coach Yari is the founder of Get Fit in 6, a 6-week life transformation program for both men and women in Delray Beach, Florida. You can visit her at: http://getfitin6.com/index/

THOUSAND YEAR OLD OIL BEATS CANCER

Thursday, August 19, 2010




Dear Martin,
This is exciting news: Tea tree oil could be the natural, simple, and inexpensive answer to non-melanoma skin cancer.
Non-melanoma skin cancer is very common. There are over 100,000 new cases diagnosed every year in the UK.1

Treatment done with tea tree oil has been shown to slow the growth of tumors and lesions already in action. Plus, it helps boost the body’s immune system to help combat the cancer at an even higher level.2

The idea that tea tree oil could beat skin cancer was tested on solid, non-melanoma cancerous tumors in mice. The tumors regressed within one day of treatment. And within three days, the tumors couldn’t be detected.3

Those are some amazing results.

Using tea tree oil to help cure skin cancer could mean the end of painful, disfiguring surgery to remove cancerous tissue. Patients may no longer have to endure months of chemotherapy that makes them feel nauseas and sick.

In fact, the only side effects associated with tea tree oil is mild skin irritation that disappears within days.4

This amazing essential oil is a natural, renewable source found in the Melaluca tree native to South Wales.

Tea tree oil has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years by our ancient ancestors. They used tea tree oil as a natural antibiotic to treat scars and wounds.

This versatile oil is used to treat conditions like psoriasis, herpes, respiratory problems, warts, su burns, in addition to other bacterial and fungal skin ailments. And it helps clear up acne like nothing else I’ve seen.

Here are just 5 of the many ways you can use tea tree oil on your own:

Apply a few drops of diluted oil to small scratches or scrapes. It helps them heal faster and with less scarring.

Put a single drop of oil on a cotton swab and dab on a pimple to help it clear up in no time.

Add a few drops added to a warm bath can help you relax and soothe sore muscles.

Rub diluted oil on your skin to use as an anti-fungal for treating athlete’s foot, eczema, and various yeast infections.

Add a small amount to shampoo to get rid of head lice.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD

Charice gets Botox, skin-tightening procedure before debut on 'Glee'

By: Teresa Cerojano, The Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines - Baby-faced teen singer Charice says she prepared for her debut on the hit Fox TV show "Glee" by getting Botox and an anti-aging procedure "to look fresh on camera," but her publicist said the Botox was for muscle pain, not for cosmetic reasons
The 18-year-old Filipino singer with a booming voice, who recently released her self-titled debut album, saw her career skyrocket after appearing on Ellen DeGeneres' and Oprah Winfrey's talk shows. She underwent a 30-minute Thermage skin-tightening procedure and Botox injections to make her "naturally round face" more narrow, celebrity cosmetic surgeon Vicki Belo told ABS-CBN television.

However, Charice's publicist, Liz Rosenberg, said in an email Monday the Botox was "absolutely not cosmetic," and added said the treatment was for muscle pain in her jaw.
Belo did the Botox procedure in front of the cameras.
"You chew gum and it turns out to be a favourite super-exercise for these muscles, your chewing muscles. So we will show you, this muscle here it's a bit protruding," Belo said as she touched Charice's face. "It's like a ball, so we are going to Botox that in order to get it flat so she will have a cuter face ... we want to give you the apple cheek look because it's cute, right?"

Charice, in the same interview, said last week's face makeover was part of her big preparations for her appearance on the hit show's second season. She starts filming at the end of this month.
"All people will be anticipating how will Charice look? Is she good enough to pit against Rachel Berry? So of course there is tremendous pressure," Charice said. Berry is portrayed by Lea Michele, who is 23.

In an earlier TV interview, Charice said she auditioned for "Glee" in mid-June in Los Angeles and was thankful to have been accepted.
"It's really a blessing," she said, adding she was "very proud to be an Asian, very proud to be Filipino."

On the streets of Manila on Monday, some residents who follow Charice had mixed feelings about what she did with her face.
"I think it's OK for women to have procedures done, but Charice is too young. Does she need it?" said Patricia Carpio, a 21-year-old student.

For Myrna Lumanao, a 23-year-old seller in a doughnut stall, looking natural is better. "I guess she can afford to have those procedures done because she has the money, but I wish she did not change her looks."

Dr. Malcolm Roth, president of New York's Society of Plastic Surgeons and director of plastic surgery at Maimonides Medical Center in New York, said he wasn't sure how someone so young could benefit from Botox. "You would think that the makeup people could take care of (any wrinkles she might have) or that they could take care of it in post-production," he said.

But Roth said there might be some benefits for on-camera teens in Hollywood. "Some people do have hyperactive muscles and muscles are what create the wrinkles in certain types of expressions. ... It may be of some benefit for the camera, but I would be reticent to consider Botox for a normal 18-year-old."
Thermage is a non-surgical procedure that uses radio frequency technology, but Roth said evidence was inconclusive on whether skin can be tightened without surgery.
Born Charmaine Clarice Relucio Pempengco and raised with her brother by a single mother, she sang in local contests and appeared on TV talent shows in the Philippines and South Korea before she got a big break on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" at age 15.

She later appeared several times on the "Oprah Winfrey Show" and credits Winfrey for helping push her career.

Associated Press Medical Writer Maria Cheng in London and Music Writer Nekesa Mumbi Moody contributed to this report

The skinny on prescription-free skin treatments

Share The latest skin fixes aim to make outpatient injectables and chemical peels obsolete. From fine-line fillers to flaky-skin soothers, here’s the skinny on the newest at-home treatments and tonics, no prescription necessary.
Kiehl’s new Midnight Recovery Concentrate uses evening primrose oil to repair and hydrate skin. $42, Kiehl’s in downtown Westfield and Garden State Plaza in Paramus, kiehls.com
Relastin

Relastin Ultra Emollient cream’s zinc firming complex boosts production of the protein elastin and restores youthful-looking skin. $99, relastin.com, skinstore.com
Dermatologist Patricia Wexler’s fastscription line, including her No-Injection Instant Line Filler for Lips & Eyes, is cheaper (and less painful) than the needle. $17.50, Bath and Body Works stores, bathandbodyworks.com.

All skin types will get a boost from Ole Henriksen’s Blue/Black Berry Enzyme Mask, a gel formula that smells great and calms irritated skin. $32, Sephora stores, sephora.com.

Rodial’s Glamtox Eye Light claims to reduce puffiness and dark circles, boost collagen, smooth fine lines and protect against harmful rays — but at this price, you’d think it would whip you up a smoothie as well. $129, rodialskincare.com.

Just out, Origins’ Brighter by Nature brightening peel with fruit extracts and acids delivers fresh skin without the redness or recovery time of glycolic peels. $37.50, Macy’s, origins.com.

The Star-Ledger - NJ.com

On the Call: Avon CEO Jung discusses skin care

By The Associated Press, 07.29.10, 12:32 PM EDT


Avon Products Inc. reported Thursday that second quarter net income rose, as sales of beauty products grew across all categories. Fragrance rose 16 percent, makeup grew 12 percent, skin care grew 4 percent and personal care grew 3 percent.

Avon's skin-care products such as Skin-So-Soft, Solutions and Anew lotions have traditionally be strong sellers. Here an analyst asks why sales growth is less than other categories this quarter.

Yahoo! BuzzQUESTION: My question has to do with the skin-care business which over the last few years has been such a big driver of your growth. Yet for two quarters in a row, it's been really soft and slower growth than either fragrances and color. I'm wondering if that's just timing of new products or what because I assume if that business starts to grow again, given how high margin some of those products are, that would be really good."

RESPONSE: It's primarily weakness in our Solutions brand, which is a mid-tier brand which we are restaging. We still have good srength in Anew, and it's a little bit of timing there. But we feel really good about Anew and its performance in the full year. And so the weakness you saw in the last two quarters is from the mid-tier Solutions brand