Living a Healthy Happy Life

HEALTH:

1. Drink plenty of water.

2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.

3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants..

4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy

5. Make time to pray.

6. Play more games

7. Read more books than you did in 2009 .

8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day

9. Sleep for 7 hours.

10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

PERSONALITY:

11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

13. Don't over do. Keep your limits.

14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.

16. Dream more while you are awake

17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need..

18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.

19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.

20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Challenges are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

23. Smile and laugh more.

24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree...

SOCIETY:

25. Call your family often.

26. Each day give something good to others.

27. Forgive everyone for everything..

28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.

29. Do the best to make at least three people smile each day.

30. What other people think of you is none of your business.

31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

LIFE:

32. Do the right thing!

33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

34. GOD heals everything.

35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change..

36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

37. The best is yet to come..

38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.

39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

Factors Affecting Your Skin

Although your skin type is basically constant throughout your life, some lifestyle choices and environmental factors can affect how your skin behaves.

1. Sleep- Get 7-8 hours a night.
Benefit: Your skin renews itself by building new cells while you sleep.

2. Vitamin C- Eat vitamin C-rich foods and take a supplement for extra insurance.
Benefit: Vitamin C is a potent free-radical scavenger that's known for its corrective and preventative benefits for sun- and environmentally-damaged skin.

3. Water- Drink 6-8 glasses of filtered water per day.
Benefit: improved circulation and accelerated cell growth.

4. Exercise regularly
Benefit: moving around helps revive circulation and speeds blood flow to the surface of your skin. Added benefit: Exercise can help alleviate stress.

5. Stress- Relax your mind by exercising your body. Especially unclench your facial muscles. Benefit: Relieving stress can mean avoiding blemishes, hives, colour loss and under-eye circles. One more thing -- your mother was right: Habitually tense facial expressions can create permanent lines.

6. The "no-no's." Avoid them. Your skin hates alcohol, tobacco and caffeine, and will show you by losing moisture or forming wrinkles that make you look older sooner. Avoid the no-no's and get this benefit: You'll look younger longer. (Be aware that some medications can make skin more sensitive.)

7. Natural aging- As we age our skin becomes drier and loses elasticity, which can cause wrinkles and fine lines.
How to manage: Use a specially formulated age-defying moisturizer at night to nourish and renew your skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

8. Sun is the most damaging of all environmental factors. Continued exposure damages and wrinkles your skin. Sun exposure is also a major cause of skin cancer.
How to manage: Avoid long exposure and use a facial moisturizer with sunscreen -- every day. At night use a renewal moisturizer to repair damage.

9. Low/high humidity- Low humidity robs your skin of essential moisture, while high humidity can make skin feel oily.
How to manage: Nourish your skin with a good moisturizer to fight low humidity. In high humidity, that oily feeling isn't moisture -- you still need a moisturizer that will help protect skin from dryness.

10. Extreme temperatures- Both cold and hot temperatures with low humidity deplete moisture from your skin and leave it tight and dry.
How to manage: Nourish skin with a good moisturizer. Another hint: Use lukewarm, not hot or cold water to rinse your face.

11. Wind- Strong wind, especially with extreme temperatures and low humidity, can cause dry, flaky skin.
How to manage: Re-hydrate with a good moisturizer.

12. Air pollution- Windborne dust, dirt, and smog can clog pores and choke your skin.
How to manage: Protect your skin with a good moisturizer that forms a "barrier" between you and that nasty stuff floating around you. Carefully cleanse and condition every night.

Changing Faces

Address your skin's needs as u age.......

In your 20's, since cell turnover is at its best, your complexion should be in optimum condition after undergoing major changes in the teenage years. If your skin is functioning properly, a basic skincare regime is sufficient. Avod soaps as they have a dehydrating effect. Toner and moisturise after cleasing. Don't use moisturiser on eye areas, use proper eye cream if/as needed. It's never too early to start using eye cream...

In your 30's, cell turnover and sebum production decrease and lines and wrinkles become more obvious. Exfoliate your skin at least twice a week and use a hydrating mask once a week. Use eye-cream at night and in the morning as part of your skincare regime.Pigmentation problems are common during these years as the skin become less efficient at manufacturing melanin. Brown patches known as melasma or chloasma can appear around the eyes, lips, cheeks and forehead during pregnancy, or as a result of hormonal changes, exposure to sun or taking contraceptive pills.

In your 40's, the protective film on the skin's surface become less effective at retaining moisture. This causes a much higher percentage of water loss, which leads to dryness. Use treatment products as part of daily skincare regime.Fine lines, wrinkles, broken veins and dull skin can be made less apparent with regular facials. Increase your intake of antioxidants by eating fresh fruits and vegetables and taking proper supplements to ensure good nutrients to you skin and body.

Sun or age spots on the face can be treated using treatment products such as spot treatment, intensive repair serum, vitamin c and wild yam.

In your 50's, cell turnover decreases by almost 50%, the production of sebum for natural hydration slows down and the skin's outer layer become less resilient. After menopause, oestrogen (the skin's youth hormone) production slows down and the skin become much drier. Oestrogen diminishes collagen (the skin's sctructural support system), making the skin thinner. Using products containing AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) is believed to boost the production of collagen. Look for moisture rich products. Ensure that you drink sufficient amounts of clean treated water daily.

Skin

Skin should be a prized asset. A healthy diet, sufficient sleep, regular exercise and a comprehensive beauty regime are all essential to maintain flawless skin.

Skincare
The skin's need change from season to season and with age, hormonal fluctuations, diet & lifestyle. Finding products to suit these requirement is essential. To make skincare simple, first identify your skin type and then addressed its needs.

Normal skin- even tone, smooth texture, no visible pores or blemishes, no greasy patches or flaky areas. But do not neglect your skin, a great complexion won't last forever without proper caring.

Sensitive skin- commonly dry, delicate and prone to allergic reactions. Red skin and blotchy skin.

Oily skin- over production of sebum which results in spots and blemishes.

Dry skin- has low level of sebum and can be prone to sensitivity. Dryness is caused by wind, extreme temperature and airconditioning, causes skin to flake and feel tight.Combination skin- usually oily in the T-zone.

Skin solutions
A healthy diet is essential for healthy skin. Vitamin c with bioflavanoid is required for collagen production, vitamin e is vital for skin condition and vit b repair the skin.Evening primrose oil are beneficial for the skin. They contain GLA, an essential fatty acid reputed to strengthen skin cells and boost their moisture content. Get sufficient sleep as the skin's cellular repair activity is at its optimum during this resting period. Exercise benefits skin as it boosts circulation and encourages blood flow. Regular exercise will nourish and cleanse your skin from within. Cleanse, tone and moisturise is a MUST... Plus other treatment products..

All About Skin

The latest research shows that the key to attaining an awesome complexion may be linked to your ethnic background.

You know that many factors can affect your skin: the weather, your menstrual cycle, your cleansing routine, the Pill and yes, your diet. But there's one factor you don't hear much about: your ethnic background.

At the latest American Academy of Dermatology annual meeting, several research dermatologists spoke about the role ethnicity plays in the overall condition of your skin. Here, top skin docs offer insights that'll help you score and maintain a gorgeous complexion based on those revelations.


FAIR
If you have a pale skin tone that's between porcelain and bisque, this is your group. Most fair-skinned people are Caucasian, but they can also be light-skinned Asians and Latinas.

Basic Characteristics
Fair skin can range from being extremely dry to very greasy, but the most common denominator is a susceptibility to irritation, sensitivity and damage caused by UV exposure. The good news is that your relative lack of pigmentation means you have the easiest time scoring a uniform complexion. Even when your coloration is slightly off in places (from sun exposure, a breakout, a scratch or whatever), getting back to normal usually doesn't take the amount of time and effort often required of people with deeper skin tones.

Basic Care
Start your routine off with a gentle cleanser suited for your skin type (dry, oily or combo), but dermatologists emphasize that selecting moisturizers that'll help protect your fair skin from UV damage is key. During the day, use a broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen laced with antioxidants. At night, opt for a cream that contains alpha-hydroxy acids or retinol to help speed up cell turnover. Another must: Get an annual total-body check from a derm. In between, look for moles and bumps that change shape or color or that hurt.

Common Problems
Hate to break it to you, but you're the first to show signs of sun damage (wrinkles, dark splotches, roughness). To speed up the sloughing off of damaged surface skin and reveal the fresher, sexier layer underneath, check out one of the new at-home acid peels or microdermabrasion kits. A good buy: L'Oréal ReFinish Micro-Dermabrasion Kit, $25.

Your relative paleness also makes redness look more pronounced. If irritation is causing your skin to appear ruddy, try a "calming cream" containing chamomile or other soothing botanicals. Color-corrective concealers, foundations and powders, often tinted a light green, can cancel out the red of pimples and broken blood vessels (your lack of natural UV protection makes you especially prone to these).


MEDIUM
This spectrum spans skin tones from light beige to olive or deep tan. More likely than not, you're in this category if you're of East Asian, Latin, Mediterranean or Middle Eastern descent.

Basic Characteristics
Having more melanin-rich skin gives you some natural UV protection ‑- not enough that you can ditch the SPF, but premature aging shouldn't be a huge concern. Also, your skin tends to be relatively thick, which often means fewer lines and wrinkles. But because it can also contain more oil glands, your skin may have enlarged pores and be prone to breakouts.

Basic Care
A salicylic-acid wash can help keep both oil and breakouts at bay. We like Benefit Wooosh!, $18. Also ‑- unlike powder, which can sit in and exaggerate pores ‑- blotting papers are a great temporary fix. Try Clean and Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets, $5. Another trick: Use a mattifyer under your sunscreen and makeup. One cult favorite: Peter Thomas Roth Max Anti-Shine Mattifying Gel, $35.

Common Problems
Skin with a decent amount of melanin is predisposed to produce even more melanin at the slightest provocation. Derms report that hyperpigmentation, such as marks that outlive whatever caused them in the first place (like a bug bite or scratch) and melasma (masklike facial blotchiness), are the biggest concerns. Hydroquinone-spiked fading creams reduce the production of new melanin and help to whisk away existing spots. Try DDF Fade Gel 4, $42. Newer fading formulas use botanicals purported to help disperse existing pigment clusters into less noticeable particles.

Because thick skin tends to have high concentrations of hair follicles, you may also have to wrestle with extra facial and body hair. Consider adding a hair-inhibiting lotion, such as Aveeno Positively Smooth Facial Moisturizer, $14, to your routine. Also, be aware that hyperpigmentation can be triggered by waxing burns, so if you let it rip at home, don't overheat the wax. If you go to a pro waxer, be up-front about your skin's sensitivity. For facial hair, try threading, a safe, time-tested alternative technique that tugs on skin less than waxing or tweezing.


DARK
Skin tones in this category can range from café au lait to ebony and usually include African-Americans, Afro-Caribbeans and women from India, Sri Lanka and other areas of South Asia.

Basic Characteristics
The lucky news: Your skin is the best-protected against UV damage ‑- not so much so that you can forget sunscreen (ever!) ‑- but enough that you're likely to look a few years younger than your lighter-skinned contemporaries. Your pigmentation also provides camouflage against redness and even cellulite. On the other hand, hyperpigmentation can be a big issue ‑- the skin pros point out that acne scars are a particular bummer.

Basic Care
Wage a war against pimple scars by making your cleansing routine about acne avoidance: Use a pore-cleansing salicylic-acid wash once or twice a day. We like Bioré Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser, $6. But because you can't ensure against breakouts one hundred percent of the time, consider applying a cream that contains both salicylic acid as well as a brown spot-fighting ingredient. Try Neutrogena Advanced Solutions Acne Mark Fading Peel, $15.

Common Problems
Keeping your b-day suit free of any ashy patches of dry skin is challenging because the contrast between dead, grayish cells and your rich dark skin tone can be obvious. Go for rich lotions and creams, and moisturize as often and as thoroughly as possible, especially when your skin is still damp after a shower. And stick with gentle cleansers versus drying soaps. Try Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash, $4.50. For stubborn ashiness, keep a humidifier on while you sleep.

You may also be plagued with ingrowns. The culprit: a combo of coarse hair and curved follicles. Simply put, the hair has a hard time breaking through the surface of your skin. And as tempting as picking and excavating may be, just say no. At best, you'll invite hyperpigmentation...at worst, infection. Instead, opt for exfoliating and/or antiinflammatory products that coax trapped hairs out. Try Completely Bare Bikini Bump Blaster, $35, or Tend Skin, $20.


HOW BIRTH CONTROL AFFECTS SKIN TONE
The hormones in the Pill and the patch trick your body into thinking it's pregnant, which can produce the mask of pregnancy, or melasma. Sometimes this condition can be harder to treat than the pregnancy-induced version. Still, fading creams, Retin-A and peels generally help.



This article was edited by the author.
Original article, courtesy of ivillage.com