Health & household secrets

Antioxidants are compounds or substances that prevent damage to cells caused by free radicals. This is the reason they are also called "free-radical scavengers." These free radicals can accumulate and induce oxidative stress, which increases the risk of developing heart disease, cancer, type 2 disease, and other chronic diseases.
Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate is nutritious and is packed with minerals and antioxidants. The antioxidants in cocoa have numerous health benefits and reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
Blueberries
Blueberries are though low in calories but are a rich source of nutrients and antioxidants. Studies suggest that blueberries contain more antioxidants as compared to any other fruits and vegetables. The small berries neutralize harmful free radicals and reduce inflammation.
Strawberries
The red and juicy berries are quite popular among people and are also packed with vitamin C and antioxidants. They contain a type of antioxidant called anthocyanins, which gives strawberries their bright red colour. Anthocyanins reduce the risk of developing heart disease and decrease the level of bad cholesterol.
Beans
Beans are easily available and are quite healthy. Rich in fiber and antioxidants, beans keep you healthy and help in easy bowel movement. Including beans in your diet can suppress the growth of cancerous cells in different parts of the body.
Spinach
This green leafy vegetable is nutrient-dense and are loaded with vitamins, antioxidants and are low in calories. Spinach is a rich source of lutein and zeaxanthin, the two antioxidants that protect your eyes from harmful UV lights.
Beetroot
Beetroot has a mild earthy taste and is packed with fiber, potassium, iron and folate and antioxidants. This root vegetable contains antioxidants called betalains, which gives beetroot its reddish colour. Beetroot is known to suppress inflammation and lower the risk of cancer in the colon and digestive tract.

CHILD’S POSE
One of the best lower back stretches around, child’s pose has a way of instantly leaving you relaxed and feeling good. Start by sitting on your knees. Then, bend forward and stretch your arms in front of you with your palms on the ground. Bow your head and stretch as far as you can! Hold for 10 to 20 seconds (or longer if you wish), then return to sitting.
NECK STRETCH
Bend your head to one side so that it’s fully extended—you can use your arm on the coordinating side to help! Hold for 10 to 20 seconds, then repeat on the other side.
KNEES-TO-CHEST
First, lay down flat on your back. Then, bend and bring one knee toward your chest. Wrap your arms around the knee to pull it close so you’re hugging it. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds, then switch legs.
COBRA
Lay down on your belly with your legs stretched out straight behind you and your arms along your sides. Then, place your hands at your shoulders as if you were going to do a pushup. Lift your upper body off the ground and look toward the ceiling, curving your back in the process. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds, then release.
CAT-COW
First, you’ll want to get on all fours with your knees and palms on the ground. Then, arch your back toward the ceiling, looking down as you do so. This is known as cat pose! After holding for 10 to 20 seconds, curve your back inward and look toward the ceiling, transitioning into cow pose. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds. We bet you’re feeling amazing already!
SHOULDER STRETCH
Reach one arm across your body so that it points toward the opposite side. Gently hold it against your body using your other arm. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds, then repeat on the opposite arm.
MIDRIFF TWIST
Complete your stretching routine by laying on your back and raising one of your knees so that it’s parallel to your body. Roll your legs toward one side, then stretch your arm on the opposite side outward, keeping it flat on the floor. Look in the same direction as your arm. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds, then switch your twist.

Collagen is not just essential for the skin, but a vital component of the entire body. There are at least 28 different types of collagen, but over 90% of the collagen in our bodies is type one.
Your skin makes fresh collagen all the time and then as it gets damaged, it's taken down and new collagen is produced.
But like all good things, the levels we produce don't stay consistent as we get older.
Collagen production diminishes with age, as well as with exposure to UV radiation and environmental stressors such as smoking and pollution.
Daily sun cream
UV exposure plays a major part in the degradation of our collagen levels. If you are really good with your UV protection and wear it daily, whether it's cloudy or not, it’s the single biggest thing you can do to push out the collagen slowdown.
No smoking
Smoke and toxins unleash free radicals that cause oxidative damage to the skin, which limits collagen production.
Sugar
Excessive sugar consumption may lead to glycation, a process that can cause collagen to become weak and brittle and therefore reduce its effect on skin elasticity, leading to signs of premature ageing.
Collagen masks are the skincare trend we can’t get enough of, but collagen molecules are too large to be absorbed into the skin. Instead, it's more likely your mask includes skincare actives to support the skin’s ability to produce collagen.
There's countless capsules, powders and liquid shots featuring hydrolysed collagen peptides on offer, with a multitude of potential beauty benefits, from stronger nails, healthier hair and smoother skin.
These supplements can help to improve collagen production, but they can't guarantee where the collagen will go.
There are studies to show that those taking collagen supplements for a period of time see improvements in skin elasticity, but like food, they are broken down in the gut.
So, there’s no guarantee if or where it will be involved in collagen creation. The body is far too complex for that.
And remember your SPF, no negotiation, otherwise all your other good work will be negated by the UV exposure.

The foods we eat, the beverages we drink and age itself work against our teeth, causing discoloration over time. Teeth can become yellow due to stains — both deep and surface-level — as well as other causes that aren't always under our control.
What Causes Yellow Teeth?
Coffee, tea, wine, acidic drinks like soda, and certain fruits and vegetables are all major causes of tooth discoloration due to the their dark colors. To***co products, like ci******es, dry mouth and thin enamel can cause yellow teeth. Other causes of yellow teeth include taking antibiotics and other medications.
Professional Teeth Whitening
If you need to go from a yellow smile to a brilliant white one quickly, your best option is to see your dentist for an in-office whitening treatment. Your dentist will use a whitener with a strong concentration of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide, sometimes using a UV or LED light or other device to speed up the whitening process. Your teeth will be noticeably whiter at the end of the treatment, though your dentist may suggest more than one treatment if your teeth have yellowed considerably.
In-Home Teeth Whitening
Your dentist can also provide you with an at-home whitening kit that includes a custom mouthpiece and whitening gel with a lower concentration of hydrogen peroxide. By wearing the mouthpiece filled with whitening gel each day for a number of weeks, you can achieve a whiter smile.
Over-the-Counter Teeth Whitening
There is also an ever-growing array of whitening products you can buy at the store, from whitening strips to mouthwashes, toothpastes and even whitening pens. These contain a lower concentration of whitening agent, and the toothpastes often contain an abrasive component to help remove surface stains from the enamel of your teeth.
Get into the habit of using a straw when drinking dark-colored and acidic beverages to further help prevent yellow teeth. Drink milk or plain tap water after eating or drinking something acidic to help reduce the acid's eroding effect.

If you have natural hair, you’re likely familiar with the term hair porosity. Hair that has high porosity can easily absorb moisture or water but is unable to hold onto this moisture. As a result, your strands often look and feel dry to the touch and can sport a frizzy appearance.
USE A MOISTURIZING HAIR CARE SYSTEM
When it comes to caring for high porosity hair, your first line of defense should always be using a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. Your top priority is to boost your strands with moisture, and you’ll want to start things off on the right note.
LAYER YOUR MANE WITH MOISTURE
One of the easiest ways to provide high porosity hair with long-lasting moisture is the LOC method. LOC stands for liquid (or leave-in conditioner), oil, and cream, and as the name suggests, this natural hair technique consists of combining water or a water-based product, hair oil, and a hair cream to help your strands retain moisture.
DON’T SHY AWAY FROM DEEP CONDITIONERS
Another way to help high porosity hair look and feel it’s very best is to rely on a deep conditioner. A step up from traditional conditioners in the moisturizing department, this offering goes the extra mile to provide your strands with intense moisture, leaving you with the maximum level of hydration.
SEAL IN MOISTURE WITH SERUMS
Last but certainly not least, always make it a point to seal in moisture with a hair serum. Since high porosity hair is known to lose moisture as quickly as it absorbs it, it’s smart to lock your strands with moisture after every wash session.

Skipping Breakfast
Skipping it can result in low blood sugar levels, and that is very damaging to the brain, especially if it happens a lot. Regularly denying your brain enough nourishment causes a deficit in that energy budget, and you’ll find that your brain becomes less responsive to stimuli.
Overeating
Studies reveal a surprising connection between obesity and dementia. The reasons are unclear, but researchers suspect that obesity occurs when the food we eat lacks nutrition, leading to the desire to overeat in order to meet the body’s need for vitamins and minerals. So even if you eat a lot, you could still be starving your brain.
Dehydration
The effect on your brain of dehydration happens really quickly, too, with researchers determining that even just two hours of heavy exercise without water can cause cognitive decline. In studies, it was found that dehydration impacted functions like complex problem-solving, coordination, and attention the most.
Too Much Sugar
Our bodies and our brains need sugar in order to function, but our modern diets include way too much of it. When you eat too much sugar on a regular basis, your cells, including brain cells, are in a state of chronic inflammation. That impacts the ability of your body to absorb important nutrients from food and begins to starve the brain of what it needs for optimal cognition.
Stress
Сhronic stress can have a negative effect all over the body. Situational stress is actually a good thing that prepares the body to fight or flee in the face of danger, but when your lifestyle includes chronic stress, the hormone cortisol builds up in the brain and causes lasting damage.
Smoking
Smoking clearly damages cell membranes and neural viability in the areas of the brain that manage balance, coordination, and both fine and gross motor skill. It also thins the cortex, where processes including language, memory, and perception occur.

All we know that stores want to sell us lots of stuff, that's their job. Your job is to figure out which things you can't live without and which ones you should leave on the shelf. Here are top things which are actually not necessary:
1) Place settings for 12
Really. Chances are, if you're ever expecting 12 people at once, there will be ample notice to arrange to borrow or rent enough china and silver. And in the (probably long) interim between your epic dinner parties, you won't have to devote storage space to your huge collection of dishware.
2) Top sheet
Are you hip to this trend? Forgoing a top sheet has made zero difference in my sleeping comfort, but a major difference in my laundry load and morning bed-making time.
3) Specialized cleaning products
Every cleaning line wants to convince you that you need to buy many different lotions and potions to get each specific part of your home clean. An extra-strength disposal bomb to get it lemony fresh? Why not just try a lemon or vinegar?
4) All the knives
Why buy a set and let the store choose which knives you get? Just pare down your collection to the ones you know you'll use and love.
5) Matching nightstands or lamps
Of course, retailers will try to convince you to shell out for two instead of one, but don't blindly buy what you might not need. Ask yourself, do both sides of your bed need the same storage? The same lighting situation? Do you even like the look of a matching set? If the answer is NO then you're probably a candidate for an unusual nightstand.

Most women have it on their thighs, bottoms, or bellies. It's normal, but if yours bothers you, there are ways to make it less noticeable.
Get moving
It's one of the best treatments. It won't make your cellulite disappear, but strong muscles under lumpy areas can make your skin look more even. Try a three-part plan: a healthy diet, brisk exercise, and moves that tone your muscles.
Eat more fiber
In whole grains, fruit, and vegetables -- instead of "empty"-calorie foods. The simple or "refined" carbs found in many breads, candy, and soft drinks add calories. This leads to fat, especially in cellulite-prone areas.
Massage the Dimpled Zone
Take a few extra minutes every day to give these spots a firm rubdown.Try it in the shower or when you apply lotion. Massage improves blood flow and gets rid of excess fluid, which may make dimples less noticeable for a while.
Lose a Few Pounds
Skinny or plump, you can have cellulite. But extra weight often makes it more visible. If you're overweight, the best remedy is to shed a few pounds. Try to lose weight slowly, though. Yo-yo dieting can make cellulite look worse.
Kick the Habit
Every puff affects the blood supply to your skin. It gets thinner and more likely to sag. This makes the cellulite on your arms, thighs, and bottom more visible.
Add Retinol Cream to Your Routine
When you scan ads for firming creams, look for the word retinol. It won't cure cellulite - nothing does. But it can improve your skin's look and texture. A product with 0.3% retinol is best. You need to use it for at least 6 months to see effects. It should thicken your skin's outer layer to help cover bumpy areas underneath.
Smooth on a "Bottle Tan"
If you have fair skin, a self-tanner may help. Dimpled areas are less noticeable on darker skin. Start with a gentle body scrub, then apply a self-tanning lotion to cellulite areas only. Next spritz your entire body with a tanning spray. Pass on a real tan. It'll damage your skin and make cellulite look worse.

Sulfates are foaming agents that can be found in many personal care products, from shampoos and body washes to toothpastes and facial cleansers. There are various types of sulfates, but the ones most commonly found in beauty and personal care products are sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), widely considered as the strongest sulfates. Since sulfates are very aggressive, they strip all the protective oils from your hair and scalp and disrupt your biome’s delicate balance.
Sulfates irritate the scalp and skin
Every time sulfates strip natural lipids off the scalp, your body’s protection mechanisms are reduced, making it easier for other chemicals to enter the top layers of the skin. This not only leads to irritation, it can worsen dandruff and eczema by allowing bacteria to get into the underlying layers of your skin and wreak havoc.
Sulfates lift your hairs’ cuticles
The cuticle is the outer cellular layer of a hair, which strengthens and protects the hair shaft. Sulfates have the ability to lift the cuticle, which weakens the entire hair strand and can lead to breakage, frizz and split ends. Lifted cuticle also leads to more moisture being absorbed, meaning that your hair can take up to twice as long to dry. So if you dry your hair with a hair dryer, you’re exposing your already damaged hair to even more heat than necessary.
Sulfates can cause hair loss
Sulfates damage hair follicles, which in turn leads to hair loss - especially if you don’t thoroughly rinse shampoo out of your hair.
Sulfates cause flyaways
Sulfates leave a negative electric charge on your hair that can cause static and flyaways.
Sulfates fade colored hair
If you love spicing up your hair with new dyes, be aware: sulfates will strip your hair of its color and leave you with washed out, brittle locks.

According to the leading dermatologists, the best facial cleansers for acne should have at least one of these key ingredients: salicylic acid, glycolic acid or benzoyl peroxide. Cleansers with these ingredients can pe*****te your pores and eliminate pore-clogging impurities — dead skin cells, makeup, excess oil and bacteria — that irritate skin and make acne worse.
Acne cleansers with these ingredients will gradually unclog pores, reduce the size of existing blackheads and slow or stop the formation of new ones. Benzoyl peroxide is also the best ingredient for treating the acne-causing bacteria called p. acnes. In fact, study after study continues to show that benzoyl peroxide is more effective than prescription topical antibiotics at treating p. acnes.
Meanwhile, salicylic acid, which is derived from willow tree bark, wintergreen oil or sweet birch and occurs naturally in fruits like raspberries, cantaloupe and granny smith apples, works well for most skin types. Aside from being an exfoliant that sloughs away dead skin cells and other pore-clogging impurities, it has anti-inflammatory properties that help to address inflammation, which is thought to be the primary cause of acne.
Glycolic acid is another chemical exfoliant that dissolves the structural lipids that hold dead skin cells and bind them to the surface. But aside from this, studies have also shown that glycolic acid effectively encourages and stimulates the production of collagen and elastin, restoring damaged skin faster and reducing signs of environmental damage with continuous use.
It’s not enough to have a facial cleanser designed for acne-prone skin. Half the battle is properly washing your face. First, wet your face with warm water, then lather your cleanser over all of your facial skin. Depending on your skin type, you can use your fingers, an exfoliating cloth or a sonic skin-cleansing brush system. Rinse well with warm water to remove the lather entirely.

Omega-3 fatty acids are vital for optimal health. Getting them from whole foods — such as fatty fish two times per week — is the best way to ensure robust omega-3 intake.
Omega-3s Can Improve Risk Factors for Heart Disease
Decades ago, researchers observed that fish-eating communities had very low rates of these diseases. This was later linked to omega-3 consumption. Since then, omega-3 fatty acids have been tied to numerous benefits for heart health.
Omega-3s Can Improve Eye Health
Getting enough omega-3 is linked to a reduced risk of macular degeneration, one of the world's leading causes of permanent eye damage and blindness.
Omega-3s Can Fight Depression and Anxiety
Interestingly, studies indicate that people who consume omega-3s regularly are less likely to be depressed. When people with depression or anxiety start taking omega-3 supplements, their symptoms improve. There are three types of omega-3 fatty acids: ALA, EPA and DHA. Of the three, EPA appears to be the best at fighting depression.
Omega-3s Can Fight Inflammation
Inflammation sometimes persists for a long time, even without an infection or injury. This is called chronic — or long-term — inflammation. Notably, omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the production of molecules and substances linked to inflammation, such as inflammatory eicosanoids and cytokines. Studies have consistently observed a connection between higher omega-3 intake and reduced inflammation.
Omega-3s Can Improve Mental Disorders
Low omega-3 levels have been reported in people with psychiatric disorders. Studies suggest that omega-3 supplements can reduce the frequency of mood swings and relapses in people with both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids may also decrease violent behavior.
Omega-3s May Help Prevent Cancer
Studies show that people who consume the most omega-3s have up to a 55% lower risk of colon cancer. Additionally, omega-3 consumption is linked to a reduced risk of prostate cancer in men and breast cancer in women.

Not sure what ingredients to look for in a moisturizer? To make it easier for you, try to take two important factors into consideration: skin type and ingredients that are needed to adequately moisturize your skin type.
Oily skin types
Oily skin types should look for gel-based moisturizes as these formulations feel light on the skin and don’t leave behind an oily film. Water-soluble ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and glycerin generally feel light on the skin while providing adequate hydration. These ingredients are known as humectants which means they attract water molecules from the dermis and atmosphere and hold onto them. This is what keeps your skin well hydrated.
Dry skin types
Dry skin types should look for a cream-based moisturizer. Anything that has a creamy texture usually contains occlusives and emollients. Occlusives seal in moisture while emollients also seal in moisture and help soften skin. Both terms can be used interchangeably. Helpful ingredients to look for in a moisturizer for dry skin include: Dimethicone, oleic acid, urea, and lanolin.
Normal and combination skin types
Normal and combination skin types can usually get away with any type of moisturizer. However, a good mix of both water-soluble and oil-soluble ingredients can be especially beneficial. Examples of common hydrating and water-soluble ingredients include hyaluronic acid and glycerin. Examples of common oil-soluble ingredients include ceramides, jojoba oil and dimethicone.
Sensitive skin types
Sensitive skin types need extra care. When choosing a moisturizer, it’s important to choose one with a short ingredients list. The more ingredients present in a moisturizer, the higher the chance of irritation. Sensitive skin types should look for soothing, hydrating and anti-inflammatory ingredients. These include: Aloe vera, soy, shea butter, allantoin, bisabolol, colloidal oatmeal. Always start with using just a little or doing a patch test under your chin to see how your skin reacts.