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The Sweet Potato - Perfect Skin Connection

02/11/09 09:16

Did you know that snacking on sweet potatoes can help your skin stay clear, smooth and young-looking? The reason: Crayola-colored orange in sweet potatoes comes from beta-carotene, an antioxidant that converts to vitamin A in your body and switches on DNA that's in charge of producing new skin cells and shedding old ones. A regular influx of new cells keeps the surface of your skin smooth, fresh-looking and resistant to irritants and damage. (It's no coincidence that some of the best topical healthy-skin ingredients in beauty products, retinoic acid and retinol, are derivatives of vitamin A.) Plus, beta-carotene acts like Pac-Man, eating up free radicals that cause DNA mutations that can lead to wrinkles.

Here are five healthy, tasty ways to get a sweet potato on your plate.

Cheesy sweet potato crisps Potato pancakes get a makeover! These appetizers are flavored with cheese and rosemary and have only 5g of fat per 3 crisps.

144 calories per 3 crisps with cream, 5.2 g fat (3.2 g saturated), 17 g carbs, 1.8 g fiber, 6 g protein
Sweet Potato and Avocado Sandwich A scrumptious vegetarian sandwich that beats your worn-out turkey on wheat by a mile. Bonus: Boiling a potato is the only cooking required in this recipe! Serves 2

461 calories per sandwich, 15 g fat (2 g saturated), 67.5 g carbs, 17 g fiber, 14 g protein
Miso soup with sweet potato dumplings This spicy soup from Shawn McClain, chef at Green Zebra in Chicago, is low in fat and loaded with fiber and vitamins - definitely a win-win warm dinner. Serves 4

286 calories per serving, 6 g fat (0.5 g saturated), 47.8 g carbs, 8.3 g fiber, 11.5 g protein
Filet mignon and sweet potato fries Stay in to eat for your next special occasion! This healthy take on a steakhouse fave upgrades any evening. Though this recipe suggests serving with asparagus, use any green that's in season. Serves 4

484 calories per serving (filet, fries and asparagus), 18.4 g fat (5.7 g saturated), 35.5 g carbs, 7.2 g fiber, 38.1 g protein

Sweet Potato Soup Use up a leftover cooked potato with this recipe for soup for one. Eat with a whole wheat pita for a well rounded, fiber-full meal. Serves 1

394 calories per serving, 8.6 g fat (2.3 g saturated), 70.6 g carbs, 10.6 g fiber, 12.4 g protein

What are parabens, and why should they be avoided?

15/09/09 21:44

Parabens are F.D.A. approved synthetic food and cosmetic ingredients used as a preservative to stabilize products that contain water and to inhibit the growth of bacteria. When a product contains water, or has the ability to absorb water, bacteria can easily set up and grow quickly causing the product to become rancid. Parabens are the second most commonly used ingredient in cosmetic products (water being the most commonly used ingredient) The most commonly used parabens are methyparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, and ethylparaben.

The Breast Cancer Connection

In a study conducted at Redding University on 20 breast cancer tissue samples, 18 of the samples were found to have parabens present. The cause for alarm is evident when put into context with the evidence that when paraben has migrated through the skin and into the body, it will bio-accumulate and bio-mutate and is believed to mimic the hormone estrogen leading to hormonal imbalance. One of the most promising developments in the ongoing research of breast cancer was the discovery that estrogen can cause tumors to grow and spread more quickly. Therefore, the evidence of parabens in pathology reports has been taken seriously by many in the medical and personal care industries. The question is, do parabens cause cancer? The answer is we do not know yet. A lot more research has to be done.

It is not our goal to create a mass paraben paranoia. I have to make it clear that it has not yet been proven that parabens cause cancer. In fact we know that genetics play at least a 25% role in the "cause" of cancer. The other 75% is likely environmental.

But I do have a compelling question: How do parabens get inside of the body? If I apply them to the skin, how do they migrate internally? One possible explanation is simple. Women shave under their arms and then apply underarm deodorant containing parabens. Shaving is exfoliation. It removes layers of skin rendering the skin less able to perform its main function as a human organ, to shield the organs that are on the inside from external substances.

As a woman and as an esthetician I carefully regulate everything that goes on and inside my body. Until the issues regarding parabens and cancer are resolved, I want to limit my exposure, and the exposure of my clients to these questionable ingredients.

NOTE: In addition to parabens being a possible carcinogen, they can cause reduced sperm production as well as sperm damage in men, can be a hormone disruptor for women, and can have an adverse affect on the development of male reproductive organs for an embryo or fetus.