The juicy tonic combo that could cause ‘serious heart issues’ - potentially ‘deadly’

 By inhibiting the metabolism of enzymes in the body, some fruits may increase the risk of side effects from supplements and drinks.

Grapefruit juice has long been enjoyed for its sensory properties and low-calorie profile. Its popularity, however, was dented after scientists discovered it could have deleterious interactions with an extensive list of drugs. Some studies have suggested the fruit may also interact dangerously with tonic water when consumed by certain people.

The main problem with grapefruit is that it inhibits the enzyme CYP3A4, which metabolises more than 65 percent of all drugs.

“A considerable number of drugs are affected, but the most important causes of concern are probably some of the statins, extensively prescribed as cholesterol reducers,” explains Science Direct.

According to various bodies of research, mixing grapefruit with tonic water containing quinine - a naturally occurring substance - may spur similar effects.

“People who have a heart rhythm disorder should avoid taking grapefruit juice and tonic water together. That combination might worsen some heart conditions,” cautions Medline Plus.

“Also, don’t drink red wine and grapefruit juice together if you take any medications. This combination can make grapefruit juice interact with medications even more.”

Science Direct explains that the tonic and grapefruit combination is dangerous because the juice may inhibit enzymes responsible for the metabolism of quinine.

Thus, the concomitant use of grapefruit juice with quinine may increase concentrations of the nutrient in the blood, and increase the risk of quinine side effects.

In 2003, the American Journal of Medicine highlighted the risk in a report titled "Grapefruit and tonic: a deadly combination in a patient with the long QT syndrome".

5 superfood for glowing skin

So, the skincare industry is one of the wealthiest industries, with billions pumped in every second.

And while there are many products that can boost your skin and make it glow and radiant, one cannot deny the magic of natural food products. Although a balanced lifestyle, healthy food choices, proper exercises can help you to achieve that much needed body-mind-soul balance, adding these superfoods in your daily diet can help you achieve a glowing radiant skin.

1. Berries: Deep coloured berries such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries are loaded with antioxidants and can help you to fight off blemishes. The antioxidants can help your skin to fight premature skin ageing and acnes. So the next time you are making that salad add these berries and see the result.

2. Spinach: While Popeye bulked up eating a can of spinach, how about getting a radiant glowing skin by consuming some spinach? Loaded with antioxidants, spinach can help reduce the onset of wrinkles along with strengthening the skin tissues, spinach also possesses anti-inflammatory properties which flush out toxins, giving clear, glowing skin.

3. Tomatoes: Be it tomatoes or tomato based items, it can help you to clear up your acne problems. Tomato is rich in an antioxidant called lycopene which has anti-ageing properties and also acts a sunscreen from within. These antioxidants from tomatoes can also help in combating free radicals that is produced due to excessive sun exposure. Your skin needs a boost from within to look fresh and glowing.. Since tomato is acidic in nature, its pulp helps tighten pores and prevent pimples.

4. Sea food: Diet that is inclusive of sea food and fish leads to decrease in skin wrinkling. The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and seafood slow down the wrinkling process. . It also increases levels of acetylcholine, a neutrotransmitter that makes your muscles contract and tighten under the skin, keeping your face looking toned and firm. Furthermore, omega-3 fatty acids which is found in fish and sea food have mood-regulating benefits, which can help with the stress component of having acne.

5. Walnuts: One of the many benefits of having walnuts apart from having a healthy heart is smoother skin, healthy hair, strong bones and healthy hair. It has omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin E, which ultimately makes way for a glowing and supple skin.

An Esthetician’s Best Anti-Aging Secret for Racegoers

After spending my life in the saddle but not looking like it, and also working as a professional in skin care, people constantly ask me for the secret to youthful, healthy skin. The answer is simple – wear SPF daily!

No matter which side of the fence that you enjoy racing from, be it as a professional horseman or a fan, it is of vital importance to wear sunblock every day, year-round. Yes, year-round! This is your No. 1 anti-aging secret that will not only save your face, but it can also save your life.

My best suggestion is to wear a chemical-free SPF of 25 or higher. Sunblock and physical block are the same thing. These are chemical-free formulas that protect your skin without the addition of potentially harmful chemicals such as oxybenzone and octinoxate, the main ingredients in sunscreen.

Oxybenzone acts like an estrogen in the body, alters sperm in test animals and is associated with endometriosis in women. Octinoxate consistently shows hormone-like activity under testing. The FDA is currently taking another look at these ingredients, but in the meantime it is best to stick to a natural sunblock. For day-to-day wear, apply just enough to cover your face and neck.

Ladies, here’s a tip: a chemical-free sunblock is the perfect primer for foundation! Bonus for all sexes – the zinc will help to calm sensitive skin and helps to keep skin blemish-free. For water and high exposure activities, it’s best to reapply every two to three hours and just after swimming.

Why the worry? Skin cancer is consistently listed in the top five cancer KILLERS. Melanomas on the scalp and neck only annually make up 6% of all melanomas, but they cause 10% of all melanoma deaths! Cancer causing rays from the sun do penetrate windows. Light bulbs (yes, even the energy saving ones) emit UVA and UVC! That means, if you only go back and forth to your office, you should apply just enough SPF to cover your face prior to heading out. There are UVA/UVB/UVC rays even on cloudy days; up to 80 percent of the sun’s rays penetrate clouds! Remember, if it only takes approximately 15 minutes of sun exposure to absorb and synthesize enough Vitamin D for the day, skin cancer can also be activated within that short amount of time. If you think “this won’t happen to me,” remember that in the U.S. alone more than two million new skin cancer cases are reported each year.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO APPLY SUNSCREEN, EVEN ON  CLOUDY DAYS

For those who enjoy winter sports, UV radiation exposure increases four to five percent with every 1,000 feet above sea level. Even when walking around town, snow reflects and intensifies sunlight! So you see, you don’t have to be up on the slopes to be at risk. Daily activities yield plenty of exposure. Great ways to protect yourself include not only wearing SPF on your face and neck but also wearing hats with brims, gloves and long sleeves.

Everyone should go for an annual professional mole check, because skin cancers can grow anywhere on your body including on your scalp and your feet. If anyone in your family has ever had any form of skin cancer, you should actually go once every three to six months. Your physician will advise you on the necessary frequency due to your family health history.

I always suggest seeing a dermatologist who specializes in moles to avoid having unnecessary mole removal procedures. Also, any time you are having a mole removed on your face, it is best to ask your mole specialist for a plastic surgeon referral to avoid unsightly scarring. 

Cancer isn’t the only issue; unprotected skin will develop premature wrinkles and brown spots that just make you look old! In some, unprotected sun exposure also seems to accelerate the growth of skin tags. YIKES! Darker-skinned people need to protect their skin just as much as anyone else, especially to avoid skin tag accumulation over time.

We all hate wrinkles, so how cool is this? Wearing sunblock can help to slow your aging process by up to 24 percent! (Woohoo!) Those that suffer from rosacea and flushing can also reap the benefit of the calming properties of zinc through their sunblock. As mentioned, chemical-free sunblock is the perfect makeup primer.


With all of the health and beauty benefits, no bad side effects and the fact that it only takes seconds to apply, you’re out of excuses. Please pick up a bottle of chemical-free SPF, rated 25 or higher, today and be as vibrant on the outside as you feel on the inside.

SUNSCREEN CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE AND 

KEEP SKIN HEALTHY AND BEAUTIFUL

Le Visage remodels Worth Avenue boutique

By Aleese Kopf
Daily News Staff Writer
The staff at Le Visage Swiss Heritage skin-care salon promise they can make their clients look younger within minutes.
Don’t believe them? They’ll prove it.
“People don’t believe that they’re going to see instant results,” said Ben Pinto, co-owner of the boutique. “So they come in and we show them, and they’re shocked.”
Added Idan Gal, co-owner: “We show them the difference on the spot. So, we do one side compared to the other so they actually see a difference. We’re not just talking and promising.”
Pinto, Gal and third owner Jacob Ninio recently remodeled their Swiss-inspired salon in the Esplanade at 150 Worth Ave. and re-opened last month. It’s their second year on Worth Avenue. According to the owners, they use non-invasive treatments with collagen, amino acids, oxygen, vitamin C and other natural nutrients to revitalize skin and reverse aging signs.
Spray vitamins
New products this year include a oxygen machine and bee venom syringes. During an oxygen-infusion treatment, oxygen infused with vitamins and essential nutrients is sprayed directly into pores, boosting skin firmness and radiance.
“It’s better for the skin than any cream, because the oxygen pushes the good ingredients we have into the skin,” Gal said.
“The results will be instant with the machine,” Ninio said. “That’s why we’re using it.”
Ninio said the most popular product at the salon is a syringe of bee venom.
For $695, customers can apply the yellowish serum to wrinkles on the forehead or around the mouth and watch their skin change within a minute. Staff will demonstrate how it works for skeptics.
“It’s purified bee venom that plumps up the skin without irritation,” Pinto said. “Basically it manipulates your skin to make you think you got stung.”
The venom lasts for six to 10 hours.
Clients want instant changes
Ninio said the product is part of an industry trend of clients wanting results faster.
“What’s happened is everybody wants instant results,” he said. “They want to see a change now.”
Gal said the bee venom is popular among woman who have a gala or charity event the same day and need a “quick fix.”
The staff at Le Visage focus on customer experience, too. They offer clients champagne, coffee and chocolate as they walk through the doors. French Bulldog Lola also is first in line to greet customers.
Pinto said Le Visage is unique because of the product education and personal touch. He said beauty advisers and estheticians teach clients how to enhance their skin naturally without a needle or knife.
The team is willing to close the doors for a few hours for clients who want a private treatment.
“We try to keep it very exclusive and very personal,” he said. “I love the one-on-one interaction with the customers … learning about them and who they are.”
Pinto said they’re also beginning to host private events at the salon. And, soon they’ll be partnering with a doctor to start offering once weekly BOTOX parties.
“We listen to the ladies and what they want and try to bring it,” he said.
Ninio said make-up re-touches is another new service in the works.
“No one wants to walk down the street without makeup after a facial,” he said. “We’ll do makeup touch ups here to prepare them. They can come by for a facial for an event that night, we’ll do the makeup after, and then they can go out.”

Ettenio - Your Answer To Fabulous Skin And Hair

After being on the market for three years, Ettenio has rebranded to make women love their mane again.

In October 2012, Ettenio launched nine hair-care products. Antoinette Palmer-Davis told Flair that this was after she decided to grow out her pixie cut to prove to her sons that it could actually grow. After doing her research, she made her own products and then decided to share them with other women after they worked so well for her.

She tells Flair that Ettenio started in her kitchen.

Since then, Palmer-Davis has expanded to over 20 products in her line and has also developed a skin-care line. This was no easy feat, but she was determined to let women feel as beautiful as they should.

"Nothing is better than hearing a woman say that she tried Ettenio and it worked - how it gave them back their confidence because it assisted in their hair growth," she told Flair.

This is why she listens to her customers, who tell her what they want. She has used their input to improve on the products that she has and to acquire the new ones in her line.

But she admits that it is time for her to open the market, especially with her recently launched skin-care products just finding their way on to the market. These were first launched in Cuba and then locally in November 2015.

Palmer-Davis explained that while she liked the old look, it had a more Afrocentric Caribbean feel to it. Though she uses natural ingredients in her product,s she does not want the misconception that the line is a natural hai- care line because she has processed hair. So to appeal to a wider market, she wanted to go for a sleeker global look that would appeal to everyone - women of colour with both natural and processed hair, Hispanics, and Caucasian etc - all hair types.

The skin-care lines also have something for all skin types. They are broken down into two categories: normal to dry skin, and combination (oily and dry) to oily skin. These lines include scrubs, body butters, and oils, daily cleansers, and toners, among other products. Collectively there are over 14 products in the skin-care line.

Ettenio is available in stores across the island with a distributor in Maryland and Cayman Islands. Palmer-Davis is hoping to be fully integrated in the island and the wider Caribbean in 2016 as her focus is to infiltrate the market and reach as many local and international distributors as possible.

But it doesn't end there. Palmer-Davis is currently working on a line of products for men. She is the only female in her household and this gives her a backstage view of what their daily skin-care needs are.

Facial Tips: Is it Really Beneficial & How Often Should You Get Them

Most people, men and women, start paying attention to their skin and hair only when it comes to attending a special occasion such as weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, reunions and other parties. I think women especially go out of their way in their beauty regime to look their best, addressing every little beauty issue to be able to flaunt aflawless skin. But, what happens to our skin for the rest of the year? Most often, due to lack of time, we tend to ignore the basic skin care practises and think it is alright to do so.

When it comes to the basics of skin care, some people are apprehensive in getting a facial done. What are the benefits and what should one look out for? When should one get a facial done? These are some questions which trouble many a mind. But in today’s time, with pollution and stress levels hitting the roof, it often results in lack-lustre skin and itsdegeneration. This is why it is all the more important to pay attention to your skin and take care of it.

Facials should not be treated as something you do once in a while or during special occasions. They should be a regular part of your beauty regime. Yes, it is true that what you need in your twenties is nowhere near what you may need in your forties or fifties; nevertheless a facial is important at both ages.


  

 

What is a Basic Facial?

A basic facial should consist of cleaning, toning and moisturising. This is done with cleansers, gels and face washes. It is followed by moisturising the skin according to your skin and age type, and finishing off with a clarifying mask.

As you get older the skin tends to look tired and sluggish. Therefore, to avoid this, exfoliators and dermabrasive creams are used. High protein and vitamin emusifiers are also used with exfoliates and tightening masks that help improve elasticity and give the skin a youthful appearance.

Most people in their twenties should follow a daily skin care routine and a visit to the skin clinic once every 40days for a cleaning and moisturisng program. If you are in your 30’s or 40’s, once a month visit is a must, provided your skin care discipline at home is carefully worked out.

A good massage is vitally essential to improve blood circulation and nourish the skin. See to it that blackheads and whiteheads are cleaned out. Exfoliation should be done with grains that are suitable to your skin type and scrub very gently. You should ensure that professionals through whom you get your facial done should not use harsh strokes on the skin. When it comes to applying masks, I have very often noticed that professionals who have been trained for years fail to get it right. Firstly, the mask should cover wrinkle prone areas of the skin like the neck, forehead and the eye area. Secondly, the mask should always be removed in upward strokes after wetting it.
  

If you are in your late 40’s or 50’s, the skin therapist’s appointment should be considered as important as a doctor’s appointment. You cannot afford to be laid back on this one especially in a time where toxins and pollutants are daily enemies of the body and skin and do more damage than can be possibly seen by the human eye. Regular facials are a must and remember that if you have an important occasion to attend, the actual impact of the facial will happen atleast two days after you have done it.

For those who are considering the quickies like botox and fillers for that perfect look, my take on this is that they definitely have a tremendous impact on the skin and make you look super. However, as the injectables are used repeatedly the skin tends to age faster and starts giving the skin a haggard look. I have seen many people’s face change and age much sooner than it would have if they had gone for natural treatments.

Few Tips on How to Make the Most of Facials

1. Let your skin breathe after a facial treatment.

2. Never start to apply make-up after a facial. Your pores have just been cleaned and require oxygen, so do not clog them.

3. Try and take a nap after a facial and avoid rushing back to work or taking up stressful activities. The facial tissues have been relaxed so let them be that way for sometime.
  

4. Try and drink some green tea or warm lime water and honey as the pressure points have been activated on the skin. They will help improve metabolism, relax the body as well as detoxify it.

5. Avoid having a bath with too cold or too hot water. Luke warm water bath is recommended after a facial.

6. Never visit a crowded or high pollution area after your skin pampering.

7. Above all be kind to yourself, you deserve it.

Disclaimer:

The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. NDTV is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.