Sodastream

I received 13 flavors of soda concentrate and one Sodastream machine from Sodastream's public relations department recently. Getting this machine was truly like Christmas in July.   The way this machine works is very simple.  You add filtered or tap water (if you trust your city’s water supply) to the bottle they provide and then use the unit to inject CO2 gas bubbles into it.  Then the instructions say to add your choice of flavoring to the bottle to make the soda flavor of your choice.  The first time I tried it, I didn’t push down the CO2 injector button down long enough to produce the desired bubbles in the soda for me.  So, I prematurely judged this to be a gimmick because the soda tasted very flat.

The second time I tried the machine, I produced a fresh tasting fizzy tropical soda with their Mango Orange flavor concentrate.  It was just the right amount of sweet and tart for my taste. My next favorite in the array that Sodastream offers was the energy drink concentrate. This is Sodastream’s nod to the Red Bull lovers out there.  I was not always a Red Bull lover, but cramming for medical school exams made me into one!  I would say this is where the practical aspect of the Sodastream system kicks in. It would save me a ton of money if I were to just make my own energy drinks as opposed to buying my token four Red Bulls before every exam. 

The other good thing about the flavors offered by the company is that they are lower in sugar than the leading full sugar soft drinks. Meaning they replace half the sugar with Splenda brand sweetner.  This is good news for diabetes or low glycemic index dieters that want to watch their sugar intake.  However, I am not promoting this quite yet as any type of health product.  I would love to see Sodastream execs add options of sweetners like Agave nectar and Stevia to their products.  This would satisfy the granola munching yuppie in me!

The tree hugger in me loves that by using this product, I do not have to recycle aluminum cans and two liter plastic bottles.  This is quite a great “green” angle that the company markets on.  The other side of this story is that the flavor bottles are infact heavy to ship.  When considering freight charges and fuel cost to ship this product intitially, it kind of starts making me feel a little guilty.  The CO2 unit can be refilled at various locations that you can look up on their website. 

All in all, this is a great new concept that many will find useful especially in families that consume a lot of soda.  They provide a wide variety of flavors that ensures that there will be something for everyone’s tastes!

Getting Beach Sexy Mermaid Hair

You know that free flowing wavy look your hair has after drying from the salt water on the beach?  That's Beach Sexy Mermaid Hair!

I am definitely not one of those women who spend hours on their hair. My mop would consider itself lucky if I took the time to style it.  This is why I love to take advantage of the slight wave in my hair by using light sprays on it and then I pray that it behaves.

One such product that fits the bill is David Babaii's Bohemian Beach Spray.  This product helps to add texture and volume to my locks without drying it out.  The spray is microfine and evenly coats all strands and adds just the right amount of texture without dryness.

Inspired by the remarkable beauty in nature, these innovative products are exclusive blends of exotic natural ingredients, from rich Volcanic Ash to Mango and Kiwi fruit Extract. They support the beauty in nature by donating 10% percent of profits to WildAid, the global wildlife conservation organization.  David Babaii for WildAid is free of Sulfates, Parabens, Petrochemicals, animal products and animal testing.


Yet of course, I cannot rest there dear readers.  I had an idea to see if I could make my own Beach Sexy Mermaid Hair spray.  After all, how could salt water and some additions be hard to recreate? I used Green tea as a base because it has been shown to decrease hair shedding post shampoo. I am happy to tell you I was successful and I can also say that my beach spray is free of Sulfates, Parabens, Petrochemicals, animal products and animal testing(tested on one mammal, me).  My hair was manageable and shiny with the right amount of hold!

 Ingredients

4 Green tea bags

6 ounces of water

4 drops of Eucalyptus essential oil

4 drops of Rosemary essential oil

Small squirt of your favorite Conditioner 

1 heaping tablespoon of sea salt

1 four fl. ounce spray bottle with fine spray nozzle (I used an old empty product bottle)

 Directions

Bring water to a boil, add Green tea bags

Add salt and turn off heat

When tea is lukewarm, dissolve your conditioner in it and stir around

Leave tea bags soaking in solution overnight

Next day, pour into spray bottle and add essential oils

Shake well before application

Styling Advice

Spray a liberal amount onto hair after shampooing and conditioning

I waited until my hair was about 50 percent dry

Then I clipped my hair half up and just dried my roots with the blow dryer on the cool setting

Scrunch hair in your hands to help curls form, or section them and twist around fingers into large spirals

Let hair air dry naturally

Do not brush through—finger comb only if you need to.

Tips

I used Salada brand Green tea bags

I have globules of conditioner floating in my spray, don't worry-just shake well before use

Any of the essential oils can be substituted

The amount of salt can be increased to add more stiffness or decreased for lighter hold 

Are any of you do it yourself diva's inspired?

Baby Spinach and an Orange meet Macadamias in a Salad

The idea of this refreshing salad came to me since the heat outside is beginning to get pretty heady. This salad also kept me surprisingly full for a long time and that is no small feat as one of my friends once said, ”You can really put it away, girl!” Now, imagine the face I made at my friend.

I’m like a mad scientist in the kitchen so my ingredients are hardly ever exact, play around with the proportions it’s more fun that way!

Serves: 4

Dressing:

½ of a lemon juiced
4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Big pinch of salt

Big pinch of black pepper

Small drizzle of honey

Salad:

Ten ounce bag of baby spinach

Large orange peeled and slivered

4 tablespoons of toasted Macadamia nuts

4 tablespoons of a crumbled soft cheese like Goat or Feta

Directions:

1) Toast Macadamia nuts in a hot pan over medium heat until just light brown. Set aside to cool, then chop

2) Wisk the dressing together, taste to adjust seasonings

3)  Empty the baby spinach into a bowl

4) Peel and slice the orange into thin slices and add to bowl 

5) Finish with sprinkling on toasted macadamia nuts, cheese and dressing

6) Serve chilled

The benefits to name a few:

Spinach is one of the top heavy weights of the Superfoods list. I want it on my plate for hemoglobin and hair benefitting iron.

Oranges have a lot of vitamin C and help the absorption of iron in spinach. Without vitamin C, most plant forms of iron are very hard for our body to absorb.

Macadamia nuts and Olive oil have high amount of monounsaturated fat. Foods containing monounsaturated fats reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, while possibly increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.

Cheese adds a small amount of protein and fat which helps keep me fuller longer.

Alba Botanica Very Emollient Body Lotion with Alpha Hydroxy Acids

Ah, Summer... birds chirping, sunshine warming my soul and booming sneezes from my allergies shattering the peaceful. This is when I know to come out of hibernation.  In addition to getting my wardrobe summer ready, I also have to retire my winter body cream in search for something lighter for the warmer weather.  Enter: Alba botanical body lotion. 

I bought the 12 fl oz  bottle with the pump and it is very convenient to dispense and spread on. The feeling of this lotion is light and it leaves no greasy residue on my skin showing that my skin is indeed drinking it in! The smell is pleasant and not too strong and reminds me of a light Jasmine flower scent.

I was doubtful that a formula this light would last on my skin all day. The sweet almond oil in this does a great job of keeping skin soft and smooth to the touch for the entire day. The skeptic in me found that even at the end of the day my skin stays well hydrated with Alba. 

What's more is that this product is paraben free, mostly organic and has gentle acids (alpha hydroxy acids) that can slowly exfoliate dull skin for a smoother look and feel. Alba's alpha hydroxy acids are polishing my dull skin.  I'm already saying," Later, Alligator!" to my winter skin!

P.S. All things I mention on this blog can be found in the "Burn After Reading Recommended" box on this page.

Koala bears know something we don't.

Koalas consume eucalyptus leaves and bark from 12 different eucalyptus tree species.  According to a study in Japan, applying Eucalyptus extract lotion to the scalp improved hair health. They demonstrated that a long-term topical application of Eucalyptus extract on human scalp has improved physical factors, which determine the appearance, elasticity, luster, bounce and manageability of hair.  Who would have thought!


Since I'm a very curious nerd, I went out and got a bottle of Nature's Alchemy Eucalyptus essential oil and added 15 drops to all of my scalp treatments.  It has a very strong minty/Vicks smell and you have to make sure you dilute it: essential oil should never be put on the skin straight up.


I must say that in 4 weeks, the new hair growing in is much stronger and less peach fuzz looking.   There are some products out there that take advantage of what the cute Koala's already know.  I think the new John Frieda Root Awakening line features Eucalyptus extract and they are offering a 7 day guarantee on their line to "Wake up Tired and Weak Hair."  You can get 3 other free products from the line if the Root Awakening doesn't work for you. 


I have not used them but any of you enterprising beauty junkie's up for the challenge?


http://www.johnfrieda.com/products/ra_guarantee.asp

Shikai Henna Gold Highlighting Shampoo and Conditioner

Drugstore.com reviewers I blame you for making me buy this shampoo. All your glowing reviews and swooning over the "gives me highlights this" and "radiant glow that." This bottle now takes up valuable space in my shower without getting much love from moi. 

I have been trying to use things with less chemicals in general in them, so this is why I sprang for this.  The shampoo is clear and sort of light yellow.  To me it smells like Vaseline... (not good).  While it lathers up fine, the problems start after you rinse out.  No shine to speak of. No body. No highlights seen anywhere. 

The conditioner was not it's shampoo's better half.  Used together it made less of a frizzy mess of my hair but it also is just, well: so, so.

Shikai,  I suggest you change this product's logo from "turn on the lights" to "turn off the lights, please."

DHT is the big bad wolf

I thought I would pass this along to you guys, this doctor really gets into the nitty gritty of it.  I have highlighted some of it, enjoy!

How You Can Prevent Hair Loss

August 25, 2009 by Dr. Al Sears,

copied from http://www.mypureradiance.com/how-you-can-prevent-hair-loss/

Most men and women watch their hair slowly thin with age. It is one of the most apparent signals of your age to people you meet. But you may be in the first generation of men that can actually do something about it.
We do not lose our hair because of wear and tear from the environment. New scientific discoveries have led to a very important revelation about why hair thins with age. Your hair falls out on command – commands from hormones. The secret to keeping a naturally thick, lustrous, full head of hair is to change that hormonal command.

We have known for some time that male hormones were involved. They provide a genetically programmed signal for hair thinning to begin and they control how it progresses as you age. Convention made a big mistake, however, in blaming testosterone. As it turns out high testosterone levels throughout life can protect you from hair loss.

The real culprit has turned out to be a different male hormone called dihydrotestosterone or DHT. This hormone also exists in women where it also causes hair loss. In fact, most women I’ve treated with the pattern of receding hair lines and hair thinning over the crown have high DHT levels in their blood.

I have seen high blood levels of DHT induce hair loss in young athletes who abuse anabolic steroids. In some cases, there was not a genetic predisposition to baldness. When we employ strategies to lower DHT, their hair loss stops.

You can use these same strategies to lower your DHT. They have been recently proven to reduce hair loss, preserve your current head of hair or even induce new hair growth.


You may have seen ads for the prescription drug Propecia. It has been a significant balding treatment breakthrough. Propecia has been associated with a number of side effects though. It’s also very expensive, is not covered by most health insurances and has not been approved for women.

There are safer, less expensive natural alternatives that can do the same thing. In fact, they can work by exactly the same mechanism.  Propecia works by blocking the conversion of testosterone to DHT. This is the perfect point of attack. It has the effect of both decreasing DHT and increasing testosterone. Propecia inhibits the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase necessary for this conversion. A number of plant-based nutrients also inhibit this enzyme.


Testosterone: Notice the 4,5 double-bond on the A (leftmost) ring.

Testosterone Changes to DHT: Notice the double bond is missing…

The most powerful nutrient to block the conversion of testosterone to DHT is beta-sitosterol. Beta-sitosterol has been proven to inhibit 5-alpha-reductase from converting testosterone into DHT.

A study published by the Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine examined beta-sitosterol’s effectiveness in blocking the production of DHT. The study analyzed men between the ages of 23 and 64 with hair loss.

The participants either received beta-sitosterol or a placebo. The researchers found that 60% of the men receiving beta-sitosterol had an improvement in hair growth. They also lost less hair than the placebo group.¹ A softgel containing B-sitosterol 50mg and saw palmetto 200mg extract versus placebo in treating hair loss was used.

You can also find beta-sitosterol in a few herbs at health food stores: saw palmetto, pygeum bark extract and in pumpkin seeds.

Another important nutrient is gamma linolenic acid (GLA). It is an essential fatty acid found in natural plant oils. It is difficult to obtain healthy amounts through diet alone.

Gamma linolenic acid is a proven 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor.  


The Journal of Investigative Dermatology published one well-known study, researchers tested GLA’s efficacy on hamsters. GLA successfully inhibited the 5-alpha-reductase  converting testosterone into DHT.²
Like most health issues, good nutrition serves as the foundation. Stress, drugs of abuse, bad health habits and prescription drugs aggravate the problem and can accelerate the loss of hair.

6 Tips For Keeping Your Hair Youthful

• Eat a healthy, high protein diet
• Avoid too much stress
• Do not use illegal drugs
• Avoid prescription drugs
• Limit hat wearing
• Take a multivitamin

New technologies are rapidly emerging that will change the way older men look.  better hair grafts to hormonal manipulation to new prescription drugs, the options have changed useless, vain and troublesome snake oils to a powerful armamentarium that can have a real effect.

Growing real hair takes time. There are no immediate solutions for a return of natural hair growth. But, if you have patience, you can expect to make a difference by sticking to a well thought out strategy.

  
 Do guys have any questions?
                                      

So you want to grow hair?

If you are nodding your head yes at the computer then keep reading. The first thing I will say is that there are literally 100's of reasons you could be losing your crowning glory and being informed is the first step. There's the "H" word you thought you left behind in high school: Hormones. Let's talk about women first. Our hormones tend to do a more complex dance in our bodies (think reproduction). Yet, the top reasons for female and male hair loss are the same: Testosterone.

Androgen hormones include testosterone, androsteinedione, and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) -- all of which are made in a male body in large amounts, and in a woman's body in small amounts. I'll spare you the nerd soapbox explaining these in detail. But one thing we know for sure testosterone in both sexes breaks down to DHT that attaches to the hair follicle and causing it to shrink and then perhaps die.

The next hormone that significantly influences hair growth is our thyroid hormones (T3+ T4). If you have hair loss, fatigue, cold intolerance and brittle hair you could have a thyroid problem. Studies already led to the belief that hair loss is the result of decreased metabolism in the scale follicles of people with low levels of thyroid hormone, resulting in early release of the hair shaft and root. Hair that is brittle, has split ends and breaks has been observed to correlate with low thyroid levels. Many physicians and dermatologists diagnose low thyroid based solely on early graying of the hair and the loss of hairs from the outer ends of the eyebrows.

Females should also make sure all their other hormones are in balance like Estrogen, Progesterone and DHEAS. The first step is to get tested for all of the above and make sure than even if you given medication that you work up to a level that is effective. You may want to look into seeing an Endocrinologist, they specialize in the study of hormones and metabolism in our bodies.

I spent three years researching all of this so I could be informed about how to help myself. I will be posting my regimen on how I helped myself tackle these things and more. I hope this helped!

Hair loss intervention

About a year ago, I had an epiphany. I was cleaning out my hairbrush and thinking to myself how I could model an entire Siamese cat with the hair in my brush. The panic was slow to set in, but it crept up my spine and to my fast shedding hair. I had been neglecting myself: and this was the way it showed. My hair is fine and I have (had) a lot of it. I staged an intervention by following a comprehensive approach to the problem. We have all heard it is normal to lose 100 hairs a day but honestly who counts each hair to see?


I can't wait to share my results in successive posts, so stay tuned!

Crystal Light Pure Fitness

My new stainless steel water bottle and I are inseparable. And when she begged for something a bit more exciting than H20, I complied with the new Crystal Light "Pure Fitness". I know you are making a face right about now. Yet this 80's classic is now re-formulated! It's sweetened with sugar and stevia, so it actually has 30 calories per package, which is a little more than before; however, these individual packs are much larger than the previous ones and should definitely be mixed with more than the recommended 16 oz. I got the lemonade flavor to start.

So, I poured in the water sloshed it around to mix and took a sip with some trepidation. Nice lemony smell, check. Nice balance of sweet then tart, check. Tart taste followed by no aftertaste, check.


My stainless steel water bottle says, "Thank you Crystal Light!"

Crystal Light On The Go Pure Fitness Lemon Lime, 7-Count Boxes (Pack of 6)

Welcome to Burn After Reading!

 

Welcome Guests,

I am starting my engines. Please join me as I attempt to connect the dots that I call my hobbies. You can say I am in pursuit of improving myself every day, and with that comes a lot of trial and error. I love anything that could get me motivated to cook, test drive beauty products and get healthier.

What do beauty, food and health have in common? Are they not separate you ask? To that I say,"No." The body is great in the way that it is sort of a painting of our health.  What we eat and put on our body in turn influences our health and beauty.

Let's grow together!