Long overlooked or given a bad press, coconut oil is coming into its own at last. Packed with good qualities, it’s becoming an essential ingredient for both sweet and savoury recipes, but also, and more importantly, for your beauty regime. Here are some of its advantages… The benefits of coconut oil Coconut oil extracted from the kernel or meat of the coconut by cold pressing is slightly cloudy; solid below…
Oftentimes, you might hear someone offering a compliment that depicts someone is just ‘glowing.’ While of course, this can be an exaggeration, there are certainly times when our skin can appear to have a real, healthy glow, and it’s noticeable by others. This healthy glow is not only desirable, but it’s completely attainable. And the best part? It doesn’t have to come from chemically-enhanced products, or by utilizing an expensive…
A symbol of fertility since ancient times, the pomegranate has always been part of man’s therapeutic arsenal. Now science is taking an interest and its antioxidant properties are being studied. Let’s take a quick look at what antioxidants are. They’re molecules that are found in a lot of foods, which have the ability to capture the free radicals responsible for ageing. Antioxidants also help to reduce cholesterol levels, and to…
or Be grateful and it’ll make you patient! A study by an American psychologist looking for a link between patience and the level of gratitude that people feel towards others has prompted me to do some serious thinking. Here are the main points of the study, and its astonishing conclusion. David DeSteno, a researcher at Northeastern University, asked 105 volunteers to carry out a task using a computer – which…
The avocado, or alligator pear, is an attractive green fruit with a number of benefits. Don’t miss out. You like avocados? Us too. Do you feel guilty when you eat them? Us too … well, a bit. They have a high fat content, being the source of avocado oil with its widely-recognised anti-aging properties, so they’re something to leave out of your diet if you’re watching your weight, and of…
You might think that “salad cake” (or cake salad) comes from the USA, but no, it’s the work of Japanese food stylist Mitsuki Moriyasu. She has put her talents to work for epicures who don’t want to put on weight, by making vegetables and fruits the basis for a cake. And you can believe it. This patisserie with its candy colours really does look like gateaux or cakes. A bit…
In 2009, Swedish dancer and celebrity trainer Viveca Jensen launched Piloxing, a cardio-fusion of boxing, Pilates and dance. Today, Piloxing has spread across the globe, with the Piloxing Academy reaching 83 countries and 1.5 million participants each day. After suffering a knee injury that ended Viveca’s burgeoning dance career, she created Piloxing by fusing three of her favourite exercises: Pilates, dancing and boxing. While undergoing rehabilitation, Viveca had become a…
Anne-France Huret, a psychologist who specialises in family and couple therapy, has some words of advice on making the transition from emotional dependence on the object of your affections (the intense “us” experienced at the start) to emotional independence; the “me / myself / I” which is more fulfilling in the long term. It’s a process with several stages, but working on your self-esteem is the most important of these….
Smoothies are a great way to pack a nutritional punch, especially on the go – it’s the ultimate ‘healthy fast food!’ Whether you need a hearty, healthy breakfast, or an energy-packed snack, a smoothie is a quick, easy way to stay healthy and happy, no matter where you are. Typically, a smoothie is made from fruits and/or vegetables, and blended together with water, ice, some type of dairy, etc. This…
Our consumer society is a major supplier of stress. We shouldn’t misjudge its effects. Is it pathological (a disease or medical condition) or not? There are conflicting opinions, but the effects of stress are well known. At what point does stress become pathological? It’s difficult to say, but it can be considered pathological when it becomes chronic. Don’t get the wrong idea – we’ve all felt physical effects during a…