having fun with zumba

I remember in my May post that I mentioned wii zumba. Well, hubby gave in and buys me one of that last July. I have to say, it’s indeed a fun way to exercise. Even if I’m alone doing it, I’m still having fun and it doesn’t bore me. I guess it’s because it’s in a video game format where I’m challenged and exercising at the same time. It’s a much better way to spend my time as compared to sitting in front of my computer playing online games. With it, I’m not only mentally stimulated, I’m also doing physical activity.

Basically, Zumba Fitness is the first and only Latin-inspired dance-fitness program that has taken the world by storm. It features nine different dance styles, such as salsa, hip-hop, and mambo and uses the included Zumba Fitness belt to create a real-time gaming experience. The belt wraps around the waist allowing the motion controller to move with the motion of your hips where the movement originates from. Learning the Zumba moves and techniques is simple with the help of Zumba instructors Tanya, Gina, and Zumba’s creator Beto.

Warning to Skin Peeling Products

“We are warning consumers about the use of skin peelers because they can cause serious injuries, particularly when not used under the supervision of a physician,” said Commissioner David A. Kessler, M.D.

The FDA issued the warning after it received reports of several injuries caused by chemical skin peeling products. The products in question contain ingredients that are supposed to remove wrinkles, blemishes, blotches and acne scars, usually claiming that they restore youthful-looking skin. But the FDA says they may penetrate the skin too deeply, causing severe skin damage. In several cases, persons have been hospitalized for severe burns, swelling and pain.

Harsh chemical peeling products contain different ingredients and their strengths vary, as may each person’s reactions to the chemicals used. Peeling products usually contain different acids such as resorcinol, phenol, lactic acid, trichloroacetic acid, salicylic acid, and glycolic acid and other alpha hydroxy acids. These are generally applied to the skin for a brief time each day, for 6 to 12 days. The skin initially reddens, like sunburn, then darkens and finally peels away, revealing what manufacturers claim will be “new skin.” But treatments may be painful and leave permanent scars.

Chemical peels used to be performed only by plastic surgeons and dermatologists. However, they are now administered by a variety of non-medical professionals such as cosmetologists and beauticians, some using newly marketed preparations. Some of the products can even be purchased by mail. Many have inadequate instructions; none have been approved by FDA as being safe and effective. [Read more...]

How environment causes Dry Skin

Environmental exposure is the most common cause of dry skin. For instance, winter is the time when most people experience “winter itch,” which is characterized by flaky dry skin. The temperature and humidity levels drop sharply during winter, and the cold and the wind can leave your skin chapped and sore by sapping its moisture and natural oils. On the other hand, this is also true if you live in the desert climates, where humidity levels plummet as the temperature rises.

Pollution is also an environmental cause of dry skin. A 1997 Berkeley study showed that exposure to ozone concentrations drained the skin’s supply of Vitamin E by 25% in as little as two hours. People are more prone to this risk in cities with high ozone densities, such as Los Angeles and Mexico City. Smoke and dust also absorb the moisture in the skin, leaving it parched.

Even climate-controlled environments can play a part in drying your skin. Modern-day mechanical wonders, such as centralized heating and air-conditioning, can actually cause humidity levels to drop inside the living space and cause dry skin. Forced-air furnaces and fireplaces also contribute to dry skin. Devices such as household humidifiers can help prevent this.

While it’s common knowledge that the sun (like all types of heat) dries the skin, it should also be worth noting that ultraviolet (UV) radiation damages the dermis, deep beneath the top layer of the skin. [Read more...]

Guidelines to Ease Acne Breakouts

One of the main daily routines to help with acne breakouts is washing your face or outbreak areas twice a day. It is vitally important to keep your skin clean. The way and the products you use to wash your face are also important.

Wash your face GENTLY at least twice a day and after any strenuous exercise that has caused perspiration. Do not SCRUB your face or skin. This actually can cause more harm than good and can even inflame your pimples.

Use a very mild soap like Neutrogena. Do not use anything that makes your skin feel overly dry. It is not necessary to use an astringent, yet if you do, only use it where your skin is very oily. If you visit a dermatologist, he/she should be able to recommend the best soap for your particular acne symptoms.

Do not excessively handle your skin. Your hands have bacteria on them and can cause the acne to get even worse. In other words, DO NOT pick at your pimples. I know that it is very hard not to do, yet it is very good advice. Only a doctor, with special instruments can effectively “pick” at pimples in a way that will not cause more inflammation and excessive scarring.

Use a special sunscreen that is at least spf15 and is non-comedogenic, non-oily, which means it does not clog pores. A good sunscreen for acne sufferers is Neutrogena SPF 45 Sunblock with Parsol 1789. You should always try to avoid tanning and sunburn because both could cause acne pimples and acne scars to become even more noticeable. [Read more...]

Best Work Out of the Waist

Working out the waist involves multiple motions of the trunk and legs. Doing this will improve your core strength, which is important for spine stability and daily functional movement. The main muscles to zero in on are the rectus abdominis, obliques and erector spinae. The rectus abdominis is in the center of the stomach, the obliques are on the sides and the erector spinae sits in the lower back. Incorporate body-weight and fitness gear into your workouts to obtain your goal.

  • Hang from a pullup bar to do knee raises. Grasp the bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip and let your legs hang straight down. Keep your upper body still as you lift your legs and bend your knees. Stop when your thighs parallel the floor, slowly lower your legs and repeat.
  • Lie face-up on a decline bench to do crunches. Hook your feet under the padded supports, place your hands on the sides of your head and move your shoulders about 4 inches off the bench. Squeeze your abs forcefully for a full second, slowly lower yourself back down and repeat.
  • Grab a set of dumbbells to do Saxon side bends. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the weights above your head with your palms facing forward and elbows slightly bent. Keep your lower body still as you bend laterally to your right side. Rise back up, bend to your left, and continue to alternate back and forth in a steady motion.
  • Hold a medicine ball in front of your chest to do Russian twists. Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat. Rotate your torso to your right side and move the ball by your right hip. Rotate back up and to your left side as you move the ball to your left hip. Continue to move back and forth in a steady motion. [Read more...]

Stay Fashionable on the Beach with your Swimsuit

Essentially, swimsuits are designed to cover at least the genitals and in most conservative culture the breast of a woman. It can be body-hugging or loosely fitting and there are a variety from garments designed to maintain as much modesty as possible to the garments designed to expose as much of the body as possible without the actual nudity. Men’s swim wear styles are swimming trunks such as board shorts, jammers, Speedo style briefs, thongs, briefs, g-strings, or bikini while women’s swim wear are generally either one piece, bikinis, or thongs.

Recently, there is an improvement made for women’s swimsuit, the Burqini is more conservative clothing that were designed for Muslim women. This type of swim wear covers the whole body and head but not the face in a way similar to a diver’s wet suit. The another type of swimsuit that most often takes the shape of a bikini bottom without the corresponding top that leaves the women’s breast uncovered.

This swimsuit commonly used by women in many places throughout South America and Europe, though due to particularly severe culturally and socially forbidden they are almost never seen in the United State except in some places with a strong European culture influence. There are also special kinds of swimsuits for competitive swimming that is designed to reduce skin drag, and can resemble unitards; this called the Dive skins swimwear. This suit is made from spandex and provides little thermal protection but it protects the skin from abrasion and stings. Some of the competitive swimmers also wear special swimsuits that include the partial and full bodysuits and racer backs styles, jammers, and racing briefs to help their glide through the water and gain speed advantages.

[Read more...]

Tips for a Healthy, Beautiful Hair

The secret of a successful haircut and the hair style that ‘compliments’ the face lies in understanding the face shapes and choosing haircuts and styles calculated to hide the low points of your face and highlight your best features. Whether your hair is long or short, thick or fine, blonde, red or brown, styling it is essential to its overall “look”. Your hairstyle can make or break your image, and even if you have the world’s greatest hair, improper styling can make you look bland, boring and even washed out.

You can always look stylish by using your fingers to make your hairs look wavy. Use a bit of styling cream on damp hair to create ripples and let the hair dry naturally. Get an instant corporate look by opting for a deep side parting or keep your hair in a slicked back style by using styling cream and combing them back. If you have stubborn hair you may opt for hairspray to tame them. Here are a few styling tips to help you on the path to great, glorious hair:

  • Don’t stick with the same hairstyle for too long. Changing your hairstyle is at the forefront of changing your entire look. A new look can make you look fresh and funky, so chat with your hair stylist about a style that will suit you. Don’t go too dramatic unless you’re after the “wow factor”.
  • Calming Bang Cowlicks - One of the most effective techniques for dealing with cowlicks at the bang area is to try drying the bangs forward with a vent or round brush so that the cowlick will be weighted down. Another technique is to have a hairstyle that incorporates the cowlick into the style thereby creating lift at the cowlick. Use styling tools to support either styling technique. [Read more...]