Anti Aging Blog

I’m always excited when I am planning the next issue of Aesthetics & Beauty Guide. Apart from the deluge of pampering treatments to look forward to, it is also extremely gratifying to conjure a rocking editorial list that will give my readers insight into the latest treatments and products available that can make them feel and look better.

After scouring the Internet, online beauty forums and blogs, and speaking to people, here’s a sneak peek into what you can expect from ABG 2012:

- Sexy treatments to add some sizzle back into your schizzle

- The latest anti-aging treatments at top spas

- Age Management aka how to age younger feature

- Everything you wanted to know about breast augmentation

- The truth about cosmetic surgery abroad

- The most powerful treatment for pigmentation

- And, last but not least, we have a secret celebrity gracing our cover and sharing her beauty tips

All you need to start 2012 looking your best and more!

However, if you can’t wait, you can still grab a copy of our July’s issue at news-stands…

If you’ve already blown out 60 birthday candles (or spend too much time online, like me!), it’s time to get extra serious about protecting your eyes from age-related macular degeneration (AMD) – by hitting the salad bar. AMD is a progressive disease in the retina affecting people mostly over age 60. It gradually destroys sharp, central vision. But new research suggests that the nutrients you need to prevent it are all front and center at your local salad buffet.

So here are three eat-for-your-eyes salad bar tips you can use today to reduce your risk of AMD:

1. Load up on the carotenoids. At the salad bar, that means lots of carrots and leafy greens for lutein/zeaxanthin and beta carotene – nutrients associated with less AMD.
2. Lay on the omegas. Get your omega-3 fatty acids by sprinkling crunchy nuts on top of your salads. And add a little tuna on top, too. Diets high in fish oils and nuts have been shown to reduce the risk of AMD. Plus, coldwater fish like tuna, salmon, and sardines also contain appreciable amounts of vitamin D3 – another AMD stopper.
3. Look into a supplement. Many AMD studies have used zinc supplements to reduce risk of the disease, but check with your doctor before taking zinc. If you’d like to get more zinc through diet, add sunflower seeds and kidney beans to your green salads. A supplement with B vitamins (folic acid, B6, and B12) may be beneficial as well.

Time to hit the supermarket to load up on these vision-saving foods!

If you have lots of moolah (we’re talking six-figures here!), indulge in this anti-aging programme which utilises Swiss cell therapy.

The Total Swiss Anti-Ageing Programme of Rejuvenation, Revitalization & Youth Restoration is an exclusive cell therapy focused specifically on the renewal of the body, mind and soul. Designed as a 6days 5nights Medical Wellness program at the world renowned luxury resort area of Ascona, Switzerland, the royal vacation includes a series of holistic and integrative medical therapies prescribed according to your personal medical needs.

Offered by MFIII of Switzerland, the programme provides a full comprehensive range of principle diagnostics, modulation, balancing, restoration and detoxification processes. The main therapy in this medical programme is MFIII Fresh Frozen Live Cells (FFC) or Fetal Precursor Stem Cells, and some of the additional quality medical services include:

1. Comprehensive Executive Medical Check-up Program, Diagnostic Methods and Profiling
2. Colonic hydrotherapy for Enhanced Detoxification Process
3. Orthomolecular/Ozone Therapy through Infusion Program
4. Holistic Detoxification and Oxygenation Program
5. Pituitary Gland Hormonal Modulation Program
6. Intravenous Laser Therapy Program
7. Magnetic Field Therapy
8. Professional advice on Proper Nutrition and supplementation
9. Professional advice on Exercise and Lifestyle Changes

The MFIII Anti-ageing Programme also includes the following services:

1. Limousine Service (Return trip between Ascona and airport of Zurich or Milan)
2. Food and Accommodation pre-arranged
3. Boat Cruise on Lake Maggiore
4. A Shopping Excursion nearby Ascona (if weather permits)
5. An optional Facial Therapy according to your facial condition without any charge

Might be something worth breaking your trust fund for! For more information, go to http://www.mf3-antiaging.com/

Find out the latest anti aging and aesthetic treatments that will make you beautiful here. See you there!

I’ve just come back from The Farm – an amazing detox retreat where I did my first colon cleansing, and I must say, I am hooked! This is definitely on my annual to-do list, joining the ranks of famous celebrities like the late Princess Diana, Jennifer Aniston, Madonna, Mae West, and many others who credit colonic cleansing for their radiance.

Colon cleansing involves involves repeatedly flushing the colon out with pure water or organic coffee, removing layers of accumulated toxic debris, taking physical pressure off the abdominal organs. Parasites, candida yeast and other fungal forms are cleansed out as well. This gets rid of belly fat which so often is mainly comprised of the bulk of built-up wastes rather than adipose (fat) tissue. These methods also tone and condition the bowel, getting rid of constipation. Constipation is your complexion’s worst enemy.  When your colon is clogged with waste material, your body tries to eliminate toxins through the skin.  Even if your skin is functioning properly, these waste materials end up deposited in the pores and tissues creating a sallow and mottled complexion. Besides clear skin, each session also leaves you refreshed and energised. In fact, I’ve been as buzzed as a 2-year-old since I got back – and all this without coffee (which I’ve kicked too after the detox)!

Keen to try it?

The Farm is having a special promo “7 Day RAIN CLEANSE Organic Weight Loss Retreat” reflecting 30% discount off the entire programme. This is a time limited offer valid until September 30, 2011 only! Book your spot now

For the last 2 weeks, I’ve been starting my Sundays with 108 sun salutations. The first time I did it, I nearly left the yoga studio halfway and felt wobbly and weak after (could also be due to a particularly tough yoga class the day before). Surprisingly, I sailed through the poses the second time, feeling strong and enjoying every minute of it. My yoga teacher informs (or tried to motivate) us that 70-year-old yogis in India do 108 sun salutations every day. In India, it is a method of self-improvement used to harness the full potential of the mind, body and breath for a variety of benefits, including reversing the effects of aging.

Over your lifespan, the physiology of your body begins to change. One effect of aging is decreased elasticity of the lungs, which diminishes your body’s ability to use oxygen, resulting in fatigue and poor immunity. Also, you will lose muscle tone and experience an increase in fatty tissues. Your bones will begin to lose their density, making them more fragile. The activity of your thyroid will decrease, your metabolism will slow down, and the strength of your digestive system will weaken.

Surya namaskara, or sun salutations, is a sequence of yoga poses that are said to be almost universally beneficial, with benefits that counter many of the effects of aging. Use sun salutations to maintain muscle tissue and flexibility throughout your life, to boost your metabolism by stimulating the thyroid, pancreas and pituitary glands, to alleviate indigestion and ailments of the liver and the pancreas, and to strengthen the spinal cord and cells of the nervous system. Practicing sun salutations regularly will give you more energy and more focus throughout the day.

The late Swami Vivekananda, a prominent yogi in India, had once said: “The result of this branch of Yoga is to make men live long; health is the chief idea, the one goal of the Hatha-Yogi. He is determined not to fall sick, and he never does. He lives long; a hundred years is nothing to him.”

Say ahhhh....

I’ve always wanted to go on a detox retreat. Why? I’m not exactly sure as I am already eating well and exercising regularly. Maybe being on a detox retreat kinda fulfills my superstar fantasy where personal chefs prepare healthy, wholesome meals for me daily, and I get 1-on-1 yoga classes with instructors giving me personalised attention and coaxing my limbs into submission. *daydreaming*

Mucky goodness

Anyhoo, I will be headed to The Farm in the Philippines in two weeks where I will be doing my first colonic cleansing! Can’t wait to get my ass there (no pun intended!) and intrigued about what will come out of me. Besides getting my pipes cleaned, I will also be pampering myself with a plethora of healing and beautifying treatments at this gorgeous retreat. The Farm offers Prevention and Recovery Retreat programmes that focus on medically guided detoxification as a way to jump start the body cleansing process. Psycho-emotional detoxification is an integral part of this cleansing programme – as they say, if your tummy is not right, your thoughts will be clouded too. For those with more serious health conditions, The Farm medical staff will design a Recovery Retreat programme with their licensed medical doctors tailored to your individual specific health needs.

Look ma, no food!

Look out for my review when I’m back!

Mitochondria, the cellular power plants that generate virtually all the energy your body requires, play a vital role in keeping organs youthful and healthy, too.

So what can you do to keep those mitochondria powered up? Try reaching for the green — like green pepper, green kiwifruit, and green parsley. Green-pigmented foods like these are rich in pyrroloquinoline quinone — or PQQ for short — a powerful antioxidant that shields mitochondria from oxidative damage in such vital organs as the brain and heart.

More PQQs, Please
Over time, damage to the delicate DNA inside mitochondria can accelerate aging and lead directly to degenerative disease. Dietary PQQ may not only shield these precious mitochondria from damage but also promote the formation of new mitochondria. Studies also suggest that PQQ may protect against neurological damage caused by the common environmental toxin methylmercury, which has been linked to Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.

Where to Get More
Our digestive tracts don’t seem to be able to synthesize PQQ, so it’s best to get this vitamin-like nutrient from foods. In addition to certain greens, a number of items in the native Japanese diet contain PQQ as well, including miso, tofu, and natto (soybean paste). Coldwater fish like salmon, sardines, and tuna also contain appreciable amounts of PQQ. Just choose wild rather than farmed fish — and canned chunk-light tuna over albacore — to avoid high levels of methylmercury.

Article extracted from realage.com

I’m happy and proud to announce that Aesthetics & Beauty Guide is now available in three languages!

I have to give Dr Georgia Lee credit for the Mandarin edition. During my routine check-up with the stylish doctor, she casually mentioned that I should do a Chinese version to cater to the the predominantly Mandarin-speaking population. A light bulb went off and after a quick discussion with my publisher, we set out to do ABG in Mandarin. The inaugural issue came out in May and feedback has been encouraging.

The Bahasa Indonesian version was the result of another chance meeting. When I was a freelance editor of The Republic last year, I interviewed Mr Soetikno Soedarjo of MRA Group, a media and luxury tycoon in Indonesia who not only bestowed me with a free stay at his beautiful Bvlgari Bali, but also asked me to send him a copy of Aesthetics & Beauty Guide, after I mentioned to him about it. He contacted my publisher  who made a trip down to Jakarta and the deal was done. ABG Indonesia will be published in October, together with one of his many publications, Harpers Bazaar!

Lesson learnt: opportunities are all around, you just have to listen, stay open and ACT!

You’ve heard about the Mediterranean diet. Now try the Viking diet. Recent research suggests that it, too, could help you live a much longer life.

So what’s a Viking diet, exactly? It’s one that emphasizes the staples of Nordic cuisine, typically rich in cabbage, rye bread, root vegetables, and other healthful, hearty fare. In a study, diets that emphasized these Scandinavian staples reduced 12-year mortality risk by as much as one-third!

Rye bread contains vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that keep blood sugar and insulin levels in check. Cabbage is rich in isothiocyanate, which helps rid the body of toxins and carcinogens. And carrots win first place among root veggies as a source of beta carotene. Taken together, all of these nutrients can translate into lower rates of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

I’m going grocery shopping nowwwwww!