Flax Oil for Healthy Skin

No matter how many topical treatments we use, great skin starts from the inside. In the last month or so, I have been taking 2 tablespoons of Flaxeed Oil everyday, and it has helped my skin in many ways. 

I have been using Organic Flax Oil by Nature's Bounty (BOGO-Free deal at Walgreens!). When buying flax oil, buy cold-pressed, organic, and a bottle that is opaque, not see-through. 

Even my husband has noticed that I am looking like I have a brighter complexion. Being an Indian, I tend to have an "ashy" undertone, so this has helped me look a little lighter and brighter. 

Besides my vain reasons for looking bright and pretty, flax oil is incredibly good for your health. 

Flax contains omega 3 fatty acids which are important for many things:

1. Flax oil can improve acne, psoriasis, rosacea and eczema. It's moisturizing properties can also improve the look of fine lines. You can also apply it topically to dry patches. It is known to be an anti-inflammatory and aids in wound healing (hence why its great for the acne-prone).

2. Flax oil may protect against UV light damage, which can ultimately help prevent skin cancer.

3. Flax oil also aids in digestion. I've always noticed that I break out big time if I am constipated, so staying regular is my #1 priority for acne-free skin, and overall wellbeing. 

4. Last but not least, flax oil can prevent cardiovascular problems because it can sort of dissolve the sticky fat lining your arteries. It also thins the sebum in your pores, and can prevent blemishes.

All in all, flax oil combats everything from cardiovascular disease, skin cancer, and even acne. I hope you guys think about trying this out. But as always with dietary supplements, please talk to your doctor before doing so!

Veganism: The Exit Interview

As of February 12th, I had completed being a vegan for 43 days. Staying on this wagon was harder than staying on a bull at a Texas rodeo. But it taught me a lot. The benefits I experienced were amazing and unforseen. Within a day of being a vegan, I realized that vegan meals recharge your spirit, but never make you feel lazy. You know how after a big meal you have a "food baby" and want to laze around? That feeling was gone!

The second effect was the boost of self-respect. Since this was such a tough thing for a carnivore like me, I felt like Uma Thurman in Kill Bill. And why wouldn't I? I was being a vegan in a very carnivorous country. Last but best, I looked slimmer. Though I only lost about 5 lbs, I lost my love handles and even fit into a pair of Seven jeans I had given up on.

As I neared the end of being a vegan, I did think about continuing. Ultimately though, I decided against it. For one, most prepared foods in America, like even a can of beans, contain at least a trace amount of dairy or animal products. To get around this, I shopped at my local Indian store and cooked vegan dishes on Sundays, and made these meals last all week. It was time consuming, but I could keep my promise and not go broke at Whole Foods.

Another downside of veganism was that I my restaurant options were severely limited to pretty much South Indian or Thai. If I was in an American restaurant, it was pretty much a chopped salad with some bread. I realized that I was neither full nor getting enough nutrition. It made more sense to me to pick a healthy, albeit non-veg option like a grilled fish, than an unhealthy option like a light salad and too much bread.

The thing that really put the nail in the coffin was my social life. Since none of my friends are vegan, if I went to their house for dinner parties, it was a struggle for them to accomodate my diet. Even then, they'd innocently spread a bit of butter on my bread or put a bit of sour cream in my soup. On those occasions, I was not about to be a d-bag and tell them to re-prepare me my meal.

Overall, veganism helped me lose weight, gain self-control, and more. But I don't think its a realistic practice for life. So for now, I'm living a life of moderation. On weeknights, I am still mostly vegetarian. But on weekends, I enjoy whatever strikes my fancy, and tend to mostly choose healther proteins like fish.

Going Vegan: 18 days in

It's been several days since my last update on being vegan, so I thought I'd rave and complain about it once again to you all. Honestly, this diet has some major pros and some major cons. On the plus side, I'm fitting into my super skinny jeans again! You know that pair that you have in the back of your closet, that you fear and loathe because you just can't get into it no matter how much you suck it all in? Well, I have two Sevens that fit that description, and as of yesterday, I can comfortably fit into both! I haven't weighed myself yet because I want to only weigh myself once--after this is all said and done, on Feb. 12th. But regardless, I can feel that I've lost some weight, and that is super exciting 18 days in!

I think one of the main reasons I've lost weight is because veganism has practically made me eliminate desserts and junk food from my diet. It seems as though every kind of dessert and snack out there has some kind of dairy product, from cheese, to cream or milk. I'm pretty much eating 3 meals a day and nothing in between.

Now for the downside. My dinners are usually quite filling and satisfying because I make vegan Indian meals, which consist of rotis, vegetables, a small salad, and a bit of chutney. But honestly, my breakfast and lunch are just not that nutritious and wholesome. For breakfast, I have 2 packets of oatmeal with soymilk and black coffee. Not filling or super-nutritious. And for lunch, if I don't have any leftover Indian food to take to work, I'm stuck with buying a vegan burrito with chips and salsa. So I'm basically eating very little for breakfast, and a ton of carbs for lunch. Not good.

The other downside is that veganism requires a lot of preparation. There's no busy-night excuse. I once had a busy night where I didn't have time to prepare any dinner, and I was left with making myself a small strawberry-banana-soymilk smoothie for dinner. I guess it wasn't enough because I ended up with a hunger headache. :(

I definitely think I have the stamina to keep my vegan diet going until Feb. 12th, but after that, I'd like to re-incorporate foods that I think are beneficial, but in small quantities. The main things I want to incorporate are cheese, yogurt, and fish. I'm still on the fence about whether I want to be a pescetarian going forward, or just have no "labels", and be a disciplined eater. Thoughts anyone? Or tips on how to be a vegan and still get wholesome, nutritonal meals?

Going Vegan: Six Days In

       Although I've been a proud omnivore for much of my life, I'm going vegan for six weeks. I started on Jan 1st and will officially end on Feb. 12th. Before I launch into my reasons for doing this, please know that I'm not trying to preach the virtues of going vegan or trying to convert anyone. It's just a journey and a challenge that I want to share with you guys, that's all. :)

            For the last four years, I've observed some kind of a change in my diet from New Year's Day until mid-February. Consider it my own version of Lent. In the past, I have given up things like meat, alcohol, or caffeine. This year, I'm giving up both meat or dairy products. I really like to do this because it starts off the new year with giving up something I really really enjoy, so each time I make the right choice, I feel a little more disciplined and responsible. To me, the smug feeling of superiority is well worth it. Also, once I'm done, I don't jump head-long into my old ways; I just re-incorporate the foods back into my diet, but in smaller portions. So it really helps me form a long-term habit fast.

         I decided to go vegan instead of vegetarian for two main reasons. First of all, I make plenty of vegetarian fare at home, so being a vegetarian wouldn't require a big change. But cutting out butter, cheese, yogurt and milk is a big effing change that'll give me the teeth-gritting challenge I love. Second, I mainly get acne on my cheeks, and I've read that cutting dairy from your diet can improve this (see my post on that topic here).

        I also chose to go vegan because I recently watched Food, Inc., a documentary about how meat and vegetables are produced in the USA today. Even once I'm done with this period of veganism and get back to normal, I'll be sourcing my meat and dairy from local farmers, where I can get to see exactly how these animals are raised. This is one seriously eye-opening movie.

 

I've only been off meat and dairy for 6 days now, but let me tell ya, I'm already seeing some interesting changes in my body:

1. After a vegan meal, no matter how much food I ate, I don't feel lethargic. I just feel full and revitalized and ready to face the next several hours of the day. Not true with meat and dairy foods! This is such an exciting effect, and I felt it from day 1. Loving the boost of energy!

2. My skin is feeling better. Yes I still have a couple of break outs here and there, but there hasn't been any new acne. It could be the winter, or my skincare routine, but I do believe cutting the dairy has been good for me.

3. I feel "lighter". I don't mean this in terms of weight, beause I haven't weighed myself. But I'm perceiving myself more positively because I'm so disciplined about my food choices. My self-image is no longer "ugh I look so fat". Due to the simple fact that I'm in charge of my diet, I'm happy with how I look in the mirror. Yes, there can be vast improvements, but I know I'm proactively working towards them, and that makes all the difference in my outlook.


So far so good! I'll keep updating you guys on how this goes. Thanks for reading as always. 


xoxo,
Ashwini

In and Out #2

You know you're addicted to blogging when you start thinking in blog terminology. Now whenever I like or dislike something, I instantly add it to my future in and out post.

In

Avatar: I watched this movie on Christmas day at a 10:30 PM. And believe you me, my eyes were wide open all the way till 1:30 when it ended (its 2 hrs 40 min). Avatar completely lives up to its hype. I really feel like a new ceiling has been broken in movie making. There was no discernible line between animation and traditional filming. The filmmaker's imagination, the technical breakthroughs, the morals of the story, the pure beauty of the world, it was all awesome. MAKE SURE you watch it in 3-D!



The Kid Who Climbed Everest: if you love watching Bear Grylls (from the show Man vs. Wild) you'll love this book. It chronicles Bear's journey to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Never before have I read a book about a 22 year old who earned the wisdom of an 80 year old monk. Climbing this mountain did this to Bear. You must read it; it makes my new year's resolutions look like child's play compared to the discipline he has.


Decorating my house: Let's just say if this blog were about interior design, I'd have many hauls up this week! I recently bought a bookcase from IKEA so I can turn my basement into a library. I organized my books by color, which I highly recommend because it looks chic and scholarly at the same time! I also placed square wicker storage boxes into some of the cubbies to store DVDs. I also picked up this a gorgeous vase from Crate and Barrel. I love how the light catches it, and it looks good on every surface! I want like 3 of them!

Out

Gaining holiday weight: Honestly, I don't even want to jump on the scale. The mirror and my ill-fitting jeans are proof enough that I need to stop eating crap food. Which is why I'm going vegan for the next month. I hope to detox my body of all the crap I've been putting into it. After about a month, I'm going to regroup and probably stop being vegan, but continue to be a very disciplined eater. I don't want to put a label on myself, just want to start eating fresh, smaller portions, filled with food that is in-season and preferably local.

Being glued to the tube: Just because its cold outside, I've been lazily lounging on my sofa for way too long. My hubby and I are considering cutting off cable so that when we turn on the TV, we will have to select something to watch (like a movie), and once its over, we turn it off. No more mindless watching of people with messy homes!


Waking up late: When I wake up late, it feels like my whole day is already wasted. I want to start waking up at 7 AM every day. Which brings me to my 3 resolutions this year:


1. Watch what you eat and exercise. No need to go crazy and get a six pack in 3 months. This resolution is meant to build a lifestyle of activity and health that will be a good foundation for when I start a family. I'm aiming for a mostly vegetarian, seasonal diet, and working out at least 3x a week.
2. Stop watching so much TV. 
3. Wake up at 7 AM. Even if I have nothing to wake up for, just wake up. Its the right thing to do!

I'd love to know your ins and outs, so please feel free to put 'em in the comments, or blog about them and let me know!

In and Out #1

I've never done one of these before, but I've been mulling over what's in and out for me this month, so here goes. I wanted to call this post "tip of the hat, wag of my finger" (from The Colbert Report), but nah, too long.

IN

Two days until Thanksgiving!! I am spending Thanksgiving at my parents' house with my cousins, sister, sister-in-law, and grandmother. My whole family is scattered far from each other with some living in various parts of the US, and others in places as exotic as India and London (yes London is exotic to me!)

MAC Romancin and To Swoon For: these pale and hot pink lipsticks have been my addiction all month. Both are from last year's holiday collections, but you can check out swatches here. The consistency is creamy and the pigmentation is wonderful. I call it my smile in a tube. :)

Finally getting the hang of where to put blush and contour: I realized that if I made a fish face and then try to smile, I'll know exactly where are my cheek's hollows. Freaking A took me all year to figure that out. I just have flat cheeks so I had no idea what was this 'hollow' thing everyone was talking about. By the way, I've been using Coastal Scents' six piece contour and blush palette to play around with contouring and blush. The highlighters in this pallete are nothing but chalk, so I certainly don't recommend them. But the 2 blush colors are fantastic and the contouring color is a universal brown, but nothing to write home about. I'd love to try out NARS Laguna next.

Going green: I'm getting more and more serious about going green. I've been buying organic fruits, which is not only safer for the environment, but they also taste amazing (I've eaten 3 organic apples in 1 day!). I've also started going to my local farmer's market. The idea there is to look around at what is the season's harvest and then figure out what you can cook from it. I remember as a kid my mom went to the farmers markets in India (there were no grocery stores in the '90s) brought home the seasonal items, and we'd eat whatever the Earth delivered that week. That's the real way to eat, and I really want to get back to it.

OUT

Skipping the gym...for more days than I care to admit. Man I was doing so well in the summer. Why oh why is it that darkness at 5 PM makes me lazy and want to sit on the couch all night and blog while my hubby watches documentaries?!

Getting zits for no apparent reason. It's wierd but as a blogger about skincare, I feel guilty and hypocritical when I break out. It's like here I am giving tips on how to prevent and treat acne and here I am having breakouts. I get so obsessed with why I'm breaking out. It's like I know too many treatments and theories, so its like a murder mystery when I get a zit. Could it be lack of exercise? End of term stress? Something in my diet? Something NOT in my diet? Arrrgh.

My obese laptop: 11 lbs, 17" 2006 Toshiba. Not sexy. There should be a cash for klunker laptops program. I'm giving this one more year, and then moving up to Apple heaven.

That's enough ranting for now. Please link me up to your ins and outs, or write 'em in the comments below!

Pimples: signs of a deeper problem

Did you know that the location where you tend to get break out says a lot about what body part or organ is out of whack? Crazy right?! According to Dr. Gillian McKeith's "You Are What You Eat" (which is also a popular TV show on BBC), its true. Here's how it breaks down, and how you can fix it:

Forehead : Intestinal Area Affected

Get clean and regular with psyllium husk (see my post about it here)

Cheeks: Lungs and Breast Area Affected
Avoid dairy and red meats, take muellin tea, astragalus, evening primrose, echinacaea

Nose: Heart Area Affected
Take hawthorn, CoQ10, barley grass

Jaw: Kidney Area Affected
Take quinoa, dandelion tea, magnesium, and B complex


Shoulder: Digestive Area Affected
Try digestive enzymes, aloe vera juice

Chest: Lung and Heart Areas Affected
See cheeks. Also try to integrate lecithin granules into your meals

Upper Back: Lung Area Affected
Avoid dairy, sugars, peanuts, and have simpler, smaller meals. Try celery juice, muellin tea, astragalus, and germanium

Around the mouth: Reproductive Area Affected
Try the herb agnus castus


I primarily break out on my cheeks, so I am going to cut down on dairy, and I rarely eat red meat (only the occasional burger on weekends). With winter around the corner, I enjoy drinking herbal teas with lemon and honey added to them, so I might go get the herbs they've suggested this weekend.

The fine print: I don't have medical expertise. I am only quoting a page from Dr. Gillian McKeith's book to talk about how dietary changes can help clear up skin. Before trying any of these recommendations, talk to a nutritionist or physician. At the very least, read You Are What You Eat or leave me a comment below to find out the amount of each supplement you should take, and how often (I'll just look it up for you). Please implement these recommendations at your own risk.

Secret to Clear Skin

After dealing with acne for about 12 years now, I want to share my thoughts on what are the two most common underlying causes of acne. Remember that acne is just a symptom of a deeper problem. Solve the problem, and you'll get rid of acne. In my experience, acne is caused by  1) a hormonal imbalance, and 2) inefficient digestion. If either of these two things is out of whack, I break out. It's as simple as that (for me!). Here are my 2 top tips for good skin:

1) Balance your hormones: the best way for girls to calm down their hormones is to birth control. My hormones were all over the place as a teenager because I always had severely painful periods and I always broke out like crazy around that time. It sucked because it was like a billboard to the world that said "Aunt Flo is visiting me for the week!" So I've conquered the hormonal issue by getting on trisprintec. Obviously, talk to your family, dermatologist and/or OB/GYN before getting on birth control.

2) Have a good digestive system: if you are constipated, chances are, you have acne. When you're constipated, the toxins in your body have nowhere to go, so they get into your bloodstream, which goes everywhere, including your pores! I know that's disgusting, but bear with me, this is VERY important to good skin! There are very simple ways to stay regular. Here are a few all-natural, no-side-effects, results-driven and super-affordable tips:

• Drink 8-10 glasses of water a day. If you do NOTHING else on this list, do this one. Your makeup will stay on longer, you won't have mid-afternoon lulls, and your skin will not only be acne-free, it will glow.
• Take psyllium husk every morning with warm water. Psyllium husk can be found under the brand name Metamucil, but you can also find higher-quality stuff at the Indian store, where its called Sat Isabgol. Take a heaping teaspoon every morning with warm water.
  
• Take 1/2 a tsp of Triphala every morning and night. This is a wonderful Ayurvedic compound that acts as a mild laxative. It works wonders and there are no side-effects.
  

On a last note, I've seen that taking charge of my hormones and my digestion has not only cleared up myskin, it actually makes me feel happier on the inside. Believe me, clear skin starts from here, so I hope you try it!

Exercise as an Acne Cure?

Ever notice how really athletic people never have acne? Not only that, they have radiant skin, a natural blush, and  a nice bod to boot. Here's why:

1. Exercise increases blood flow, which provides your skin cells with more oxygen. Oxygen kills bacteria. This is the main way that Benzoyl Peroxide works on your pimples.
2. When you sweat, your pores excrete dirt, dead skin, and excess sebum. So if you're not sweating everyday, you basically have constipated pores. Eeew.
3. Exercise makes your kidneys and liver remove toxins from your body more effectively.
4. Exercise reduces stress and releases pleasure hormones called endorphins. Stress is a common cause of acne (pre-exam blemishes anyone?)

I've started working out  4-5 days a week in the last 2 months, and I've found a couple of tricks to stick to it:

• Get a gym buddy.
• Go to a luxurious gym.
• Buy hot gym clothes.
• Skip the machines, go for classes.

Hey even if exercise does nothing for your skin, at least no one will pay attention because they will be too busy looking at your rock hard abs, right? Happy gymmin' everyone!

Is constipation linked to acne?

The jury is still out on whether constipation impacts acne, but in my personal experience, the two are definitely linked. They say that when toxins and waste cannot be excreted from your body, it enters your bloodstream. Once that happens, toxins can go everywhere, including your skin, where they can clog up your pores and lead to breakouts.

One of the best things for digestion is psyllium husk. This is PURE FIBER. This stuff is my Holy Grail for staying regular. It works in literally 10 min for me. I take it every morning, but if you're not as constipated, just take it 2 times a week.

In a small teacup, heat up water to the point where you can still gulp it, not sip. Mix in a heaping teaspoon of psyllium husk. Mix it well in the water, and drink right away. Don't drink this too slowly or it will congeal!