Posts Tagged anti aging

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/

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.”

The phrase, “age is but a number”, really applies to these women, who although over 50-years-old, are still looking as beautiful as ever:

1. Kelly Lynch

2. Jerry Hall

3. Cheryl Tiegs

4.  Julianne Moore

5. Jane Seymour

6.  Bo Derek

7.  Jaclyn Smith

8. Christie Brinkley

9. Michelle Pfeiffer

10.  Sharon Stone

I’ll have whatever they’re having!

For the full list of 50 most beautiful celebrities over 50, go here: http://www.stylebistro.com/The+50+Most+Beautiful+Women+Over+50/articles

Apparently so, says Lily Kew, founder of GLOW Aesthetics. And, if you look at this 40-year-old’s taut and glowing skin, it must work! She shares more skin secrets here:

The clichéd answer would be to eat more fruits and veggies, drink more water and consume less salt in foods. However, I am going to share a secret my grandmother has passed down to me. 

Believe it or not, you need to eat pigs’ skin and make sure you shave off the layer of excess fat; just eat the skin itself. You can find this commonly as a key ingredient in kway chap at your local hawker centre. You can also find pigs’ skin at some yong tau foo shops.

Apart from this, another food that contributes to good skin is chicken feet, which you will normally find served as one of many dim sum dishes. Alternatively, if you were to cook chicken feet with red dates, wolfberries and peanuts, I promise this will give you skin that everyone will be envious of.

Another food that will give you good skin is white fungus. I suggest these foods because they are high in collagen and fats. Once consumed; they provide your skin with natural moisture which prevents the formation of wrinkles, and creates a barrier prohibiting UV rays from damaging your skin and thus prevents pigmentation. The collagen gives your skin added firmness.

To read her full article, get a copy of Aesthetics & Beauty Guide December issue, in newstands and petrol kiosks now!

If you suffer from hyperpigmentation (melasma), here are the recommended prescription and over-the-counter treatments:

Treatment:

Hydroquinone (a benzene derivative that fades dark spots)

How it helps:

Bleaches darkened areas by preventing formation of pigment.

How to use it:

Apply twice a day and only to hyperpigmented areas. May be combined with products with AHA or salicylic acids.

Inside scoop:

- Be patient: improvements may take 4 to 8 weeks to become apparent.

- Stop immediately if area becomes darkened.

- Diligent sun prevention is a must to prevent reversal of benefit.

- Give non-prescription forms 2 months to work, if they’re not effective, switch to prescription strength.

Products recommended:

- Over the counter: La-Roche Posay Biomedic Conditioning Gel (2%)

- By prescription: Generic hydroquinone (4%), Tri-Luma, EpiQuin Micro, Lustra or Lustra Ultra

For more information, check out Dr Amy Wechsler’s book, The Mind-Body Connection.

Gold – this glittering metal has been used since ancient times to heal the sick and save lives.  The use of gold in modern medicine began around 1890, when the German bacteriologist Robert Koch discovered that compounds made with gold inhibited growth of the bacillus that caused tuberculosis. Since then, medical uses of gold have expanded greatly. It is used in surgery to patch damaged blood vessels, nerves, bones and membranes. And it is used in the treatment of several forms of cancer. Injection of microscopic gold pellets helps to retard prostate cancer in men. Women with ovarian cancer are treated with colloidal gold. And gold vapor lasers seek out and destroy cancerous cells without harming their healthy neighbors.

The anti-aging benefits of gold can be traced back 5,000 years to Cleopatra, who was said to sleep in a gold face mask every night to enhance the suppleness of her complexion and preserve its natural luminosity. In addition to antioxidant and antimicrobial powers, gold is praised for its purported ability to ward off UV damage, tighten lax skin and reduce the appearance of discoloration. Some believe it can slow the breakdown of elastin, keeping skin firm and taut; other proponents believe gold increases circulation, eliminating toxins from the body and speeding up tissue repair.

Which brings me to the reason why I was up early on a Saturday morning, popping gold-leafed canapes in my mouth…I was invited by La Prairie for the launch of their new Cellular Radiance Emulsion. At the workshop, group training manager of Starasia, Michelle, educated us on the benefits of gold and how their new product, containing this magic ingredient, will help bring radiance and suppleness to dull skin.

Any tai-tai worth her salt will know that La Prairie is known for their anti-aging skincare range made up of luxurious and top of the range ingredients like caviar, platinum and gold. One of their bestsellers is a serum called Cellular Radiance Concentrate Pure Gold under their Radiance Collection, which contains colloidal gold, flecks of gold and liquid crystals to rejuvenate skin. This Cellular Radiance Emulsion SPF30 is the latest add-on to the collection, and a complement to their bestseller.

Testing the products, the gold flecks in the serum were obvious and my hand was instantly “blinged” up when I applied it. Topping it off with the emulsion, there was indeed a radiance to my hand as promised by the products. The texture was a little too rich for my liking upon application but after a while, the slight stickiness went away when the product was fully absorbed.

Besides gold, the emulsion also contains other skin-loving ingredients like a Unique Brightening Complex that contains a patented molecule that brightens the skin and helps prevent age spots from forming, Extract of Silver Vine which blocks almost 100% of carbonylation which is responsible for decreasing light transmission of the skin and Boswellia Extract, a topical anti-irritant to reduce cellular stress, a cause of redness and irritation.

I don’t think that I am going to use the La Prairie products daily as I am quite happy with my current regime. Instead, I am going to save these goodies for special occasions when I need to glow. Or after a particularly rough week. Or perhaps when I am feeling like Cleopatra and soaking in my milk bath…

The Cellular Radiance Concentrate Pure Gold is retailing at $1050, while the Cellular Radiance Emulsion SPF30 is $750. Available at La Prairie counters at Tangs, Metro Paragon, Takashimaya and Robinsons.

Burning our skin, peeling it off, even pricking it with micro-needles – these are just some of the crazy things we do to achieve radiant, youthful skin.

Does Your Skin Need Resurfacing?

Think of your skin as an increasingly well-worn slipcover. Even if you’ve taken really good care of it, life happens – skin texture has gotten rougher here, the color uneven there, and it all looks a little dull and drab. Honestly, it needs replacing.

That’s what resurfacing techniques do. They remove the old, worn, upper layer of skin, and the healing process replaces it with a new layer of fresh, smooth skin. How? With strong lasers, chemicals or needles.

It’s a delicate process, so find an expert  in whatever method suits your needs. Your recovery time from the procedure will depend on the size and depth of the treated area, but the effect can be remarkable. Resurfacing your entire face is not always necessary, and spot treatments can also be very effective. Or you may only need a laser that mainly evens out color irregularities or subtly tightens and refreshes the upper surface.

Look out for my review of my new beauty must-have which involves running needles all over my face (ouch!) but the results are so worth the discomfort! Coming soon on ReviewAntiAging.com

Are you accidentally making yourself older? Check out what these choices are doing to your body:

Choosing organic

We don’t have a problem with choosing organic when it comes to fruit and vegetables. The trouble is when you think “organic” is synonymous with “healthy.” Sorry – organic potato chips are still potato chips and contain aging fat and extra calories.

Just dealing with it

If you tend to treat pain with a stiff upper lip rather than a pill or a doctor visit, it’s like playing catcher without a mitt: It feels lousy. About 75% of pain sufferers do not receive adequate treatment, and if you’re one of them, you’re at risk for depression, irritability, fatigue, and an overall diminished quality of life. Treating pain early – we like to start with RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation of injuries) coupled with an NSAID in pill or patch form – is an important step in regaining your quality of life. Call your doctor right away if it doesn’t get better quickly.

Eating in front of your TV

 If you’re doing TV dinners, chances are high that you’re having fast food or an equally unhealthy hawker equivalent - that’s the most common TV food. And that means you’re getting aging saturated fats in your bloodstream.

Extracted from RealAge.com

As the Chief Guinea Pig of a popular anti aging website – ReviewAntiAging.com, I get several offers from companies overseas to review their products.  From detox supplements to skincare products, I’ve sifted through them all, only testing what I’m comfortable with and what intrigues me.

The latest product that caught my attention is Triactol™, voted the number one breast enlargement serum online by reviewers.  Made from proprietary natural extract of Pueraria mirifica – I’ve seen this ingredient in other breast enhancing serums before, but the one in this product seems to be reconstituted to a unique compound called MiroFirm™, which is only available in Triactol™, it boosts (pun intended!) impressive results that showed significant change in breast enlargement (82.35%) and breast firmness (88.23%). More recently an open label study conducted using Triactol™ Bust Serum also showed significant improvements in terms of lifting, firming and enlargement of the breasts.

Stay tuned for my hopefully uplifting review