You probably already know that reasonable amounts of olive oil in your diet can be very beneficial to your health.  Olive oil is an excellent source of mono-unsaturated (“good”) fat, as well as a delicious ingredient in many of your favorite recipes.  What you may not know is that olive oil is also an incredibly affordable and unbelievably effective cosmetic treatment alternative to aid with all sorts of ailments, from dry skin to limp hair to brittle nails.

Olive oil laden beauty products are already widely available from commercial cosmetics retailers, both on-line and at your neighborhood drugstore.  But before you run off to spend your hard earned money on them, you should be aware that these companies charge exorbitant amounts of money for products that you can easily prepare at home yourself for next to nothing.

Read on to discover how you can use an $8 bottle of olive oil, available at any local supermarket, to solve your most common beauty catastrophes for months at a time.  Not only will you save hundreds of dollars that you would otherwise spend on overpriced cosmetics, but you’ll also get results you’ve only dreamed of before.

Common Beauty Problem #1 – “My hair is dry, frizzy, dull and unmanageable!”
Dry hair has many root causes.  Maybe you’re guilty of subjecting your hair to repeated chemical processing like bleaching, straightening or perming.  Maybe you were just cursed with naturally dry hair that seems to defy every conditioning product known to man.  Either way, olive oil can rescue you!

Forget the overpriced packaged hot oil treatments or fancy salon conditioners, which can cost you as much as $30-40 for one treatment.  For less than a dollar’s worth of olive oil, you can the have beautiful, shiny, silky, manageable hair you’ve always wanted.

Pour ¼ to ½ cup of olive oil into a microwave-safe dish.  The thicker and longer your hair, the more olive oil you’ll need.  Heat it in the microwave for about 45-60 seconds, or as long as it takes to heat the olive oil until it is comfortably warm and has a liquid consistency.  Massage warm oil onto dry hair until hair is completely saturated, paying special attention to problem areas.  You may need to re-heat  the oil if you have a lot of hair.  Once hair is completely saturated, leave the olive oil in your hair for 20-60 minutes.  The length of the treatment depends on how dry your hair is.  If you are looking for a little extra shine boost, a 20 minute treatment is sufficient.  If your hair is seriously stripped of moisture because of chemical processing, the treatment will be more effective the longer you leave it on.

Once you’ve completed the treatment time, it is important to rinse thoroughly with warm water.  Once you’ve rinsed, wash your hair twice with a gentle shampoo, then use your regular conditioner.  Air-dry and enjoy your silky, luxurious hair!  If your hair is extremely dry, it may take more than one treatment before you achieve your desired results.

For ongoing maintenance, pour 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil into regular daily conditioner and shake well to mix.

Common Beauty Problem #2 – “My skin is dry, flaky, sallow or scaly!”
Use olive oil in a variety of ways to improve your skin’s tone and texture.  For soft, glowing skin all over, add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil to your bath.  You may find the olive oil’s odor cramps your style, but this is easily remedied with a scoop or two of your favorite bath salts or a drop of essential oil.  Using olive oil in your bathwater will give you comparable results to commercial bath oils for mere pennies a use.

To alleviate thick, scaly skin on the bottoms of your feet, add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil to warm water and soak your feet for 15-30 minutes.  After drying your feet, massage pure olive oil generously into the bottoms of your feet and then place plastic bags (old grocery bags work well) over your feet for 20-30 minutes.  After removing the bags, rinse your feet thoroughly and pat dry gently.  If you have excessively dry skin on your feet, it may require several treatments before you achieve your desired results.

Considering the many products on the market designed to help you avoid oily skin, it seems illogical that intentionally rubbing oil on your face could improve your complexion, but that’s exactly what a little dab of olive oil can do!  Try adding half a teaspoon to a teaspoon of olive oil to your regular daily moisturizer and shaking well to mix.  It won’t take long before you notice your skin has a beautiful natural glow with added softness, elasticity and a more even tone for that “peaches and cream” look – and you can forget spending $40 on moisturizer from a department store cosmetics counter.

You can also try dabbing a tiny amount of olive oil into the palm of your hand and smoothing it directly over your face after cleansing at night.  When you wake up in the morning, your cheeks will feel dewy, fresh and soft as a baby’s bottom.

Common Beauty Problem #3 – “My nails and cuticles are dry, cracked and brittle!”
You could spend a ton of money on fancy nail hardeners, cuticle creams and hand moisturizers, or you could massage half a teaspoon of olive oil into your fingernails and the skin around your nails every other day to achieve much faster and more satisfying results.  The natural compounds in olive oil will help to heal cracked, dry and irritated cuticles.  It will also moisturize your nails to make them stronger, give them more luster, prevent breakage and help them grow long and beautiful.  You can also try adding a teaspoon of olive oil to your favorite regular hand lotion to reap the benefits of olive oil every time you moisturize your hands.

Whatever your beauty woe, the natural beauty potential in olive oil can help you remedy it.  It is cheap, readily available and one bottle will last you for months, maybe years.  Discover what the women of Italy and Greece have known for centuries – nature’s best kept beauty secret!

The Joy of Seeds

Resisting the urge to snack – or at least on something unhealthy – is one of the difficulties many dieters face. Finding alternative, healthy snacks is usually high on the list of priorities. One option that certainly fits the bill, and are becoming increasingly popular, are small and unassuming seeds.

They’re packed with plenty of essential vitamins and minerals, are low in fat and a recommended low GI food. In fact, the GI diet suggests that seeds slowly release energy, which in turn helps to reduce hung pangs. Amongst the many seeds on offer, popular nibbles include sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, linseed and hemp.

All seeds are packed with fibre and low in sugar, but hemp has even more and linseed can have a laxative effect. The tiny sesame seeds, which are easier to eat if mixed in with another seed, have a high calcium content, and tasty green pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds contain valuable vitamin C, iron and zinc.

What I’ve found works well is to have a jar of mixed seeds handy, prominently placed in the kitchen or wherever you’d usually find yourself reaching for a biscuit. You can buy mixed packs of seeds from health food stores, or buy them individually and mix them yourself. Sometimes I throw in a few sultanas or dried fruit, such as papaya or pineapple, or even a few nuts.

Do be aware of some of the seeds available to buy, which have been roasted or fried, making them less-healthier than their unadulterated counterparts.

As well as nibbling on seeds when you feel an urge to snack, you can also use them in cooking. For example, try sprinkling a handful of seeds onto salads, into low-fat yogurt, on your cereal in the morning or even chuck a few into a stir-fry. They may be tiny in size, but seeds really are healthy and very versatile!

By Rachel Newcombe

What Makes A Man Sexy?

In our image obsessed modern culture we are bombarded by ideas of what a sexy man ought to look like. In adverts, film, television, magazines, even music, we are shown the cultural stereotype of a sexy man, and woe betide those of us who fail to measure up to this standard.

Modern western society seems obsessed with the body, with the aesthetics of a person, with looks above all else. One need only open a newspaper or magazine to realise exactly how hysterical the media is for actors, musicians, and celebrities who conform to the Hollywood ideal of a sexy man.

Pecs, muscles, rugged good looks, six packs, a tight bottom, the dazzling smile; all of these ideas of what makes a man sexy are pummelled into our brains every single day through the media and advertising industries. How many of us can truly claim to live up to these impossible expectations? Very few it would seem.

Not only does society dictate exactly how a sexy man must look, but what traits he should have to fulfil the stereotype of masculinity as well. Traditionally men were expected to be tough and hardy, dominant and confident. Nowadays ideals have changed somewhat and men can also be caring, compassionate and emotionally expressive without being labelled effeminate. But do all these physical and characteristic traits equate to what makes a man sexy?

Psychologists and behavioural scientists would argue that there a number of factors that make someone sexually appealing: physical appearances like having a symmetrical face or a muscular body, how a personal smells, the pheromone compatibility or chemistry between two people, even how somebody sounds.

All of these scientific explanations of sexiness hinge around the idea that these features indicate fertility and healthiness to potential partners, yet how does this explain homosexual attraction? How does the fact that some women prefer men who are bald, thin or large, short or tall relate to these? Clearly these factors cannot all indicate healthiness and fertility when they are in opposition to one another. It would seem that humans have evolved, culturally and as a species, beyond such purely biological attractions. We are no longer just looking for a suitable mate. Sexiness must comprise of a wider range of factors, including the emotional and spiritual.

There is clearly no single definition of what makes a man sexy. When science fails us and society seeks to have us conform to an imposed stereotype we must look beyond hard facts and cultural norms. What truly makes a man sexy is different depending on both the man in question and who is being asked. No two individuals are identical and what is sexy in one can be repellent in another. Physical attractiveness may enter into it at some base level but definitions of sexiness are clearly arbitrary and non-universal.

So, what makes a man sexy? The conclusion seems to be that there is no hard and fast answer and that it is down to each and every person to decide for himself or herself what truly makes a man sexy.

By Nicholas Cockayne

Pineapple for the skin!

Avoid over the counter astringents with alcohol content–they’re drying. Some of the best skin care methods are homemade and natural. And, it makes sense! It’s really quite logical to assume that items available in nature, when carefully selected, will yield the most natural results.

Two of the simplest and most effective methods of cleaning and toning the skin involve strawberries and pineapples!

Strawberries

Mash 3 fresh or 3 thawed frozen strawberries in a bowl, and apply to clean face, rubbing in a gentle circular motion. Leave the mask on for approximately 10-15 minutes, and then rinse.

Pineapples

Pineapples contain an enzyme (bromelain) that breaks down dead skin cells. Simply use a chunk of fresh or canned pineapple and lightly rub over your clean face. Leave on for about 10 minutes. You’ll feel your skin tightening and tingling as the pineapple juice works. After this mask treatment, skin is temporarily a little pink. Skin glows–it looks and feels refreshed. The pineapple juice also acts to tighten pores.

For people with dry skin, follow the treatment with a small amount of olive oil applied directly to the skin.

We see it all the time–pictures of celebrities that virtually glow. “Photoshopping” pictures has become a buzz phrase these days, and if you want to get in on the action, PSDTuts.com offers a fabulous tutorial on how to “photoshop” pictures like a pro. Besides the more obvious beauty-enhancing photo techniques, such as whitening teeth and getting rid of red eye, this tutorial offers details such as fuller eyelashes, shining hair, and wrinkle removal. See the tutorials here.

Hemmy.net has a nice selection of “before and after Photoshop” pictures of celebrities here.

Every now and then, it’s good for your hair to get rid of excess build-up of residue. While there are many anti-residue shampoos available, they’re often expensive.

Baking Soda Magic

There’s something in your kitchen that you can use to restore shine and rid your hair and scalp of excess residue: baking soda.

Blending a couple teaspoons of baking soda into your shampoo does the trick–and many will find it does the trick better than expensive specialty shampoos. Shampoo as usual, and enjoy the shine!

Brewed Coffee

Another home remedy for dull hair also comes from your kitchen. After brewing your morning coffee, scoop out about one-quarter cup coffee grounds into a bowl. Add either an egg white or a teaspoon of olive oil (depending on whether your hair is naturally dry or oily) and mix. The egg white or olive oil help adhere the coffee grounds. Over the tub or sink, massage the coffee ground mixture into your scalp and then through your hair. You can use a shower cap to keep the mixture in place for about 15 minutes. Rinse well.

Coffee grounds can be messy, however. There is another coffee recipe for your hair that may not rid your scalp of residue, but certainly will add shine to your locks. Simply pour lukewarm brewed coffee over dry, clean hair, leave in for half an hour, and rinse. The results are also fabulous!

Just when everything seems great in a relationship, something happens to turn things around. While we can’t entirely blame men for a relationship that’s going to pot, we can have fun pointing a finger or two!

The scenario: You’re seeing each other more and more; your heart races when he calls, and he calls often; it’s not just the words he says, you know he can’t wait to see you when you’re apart; he gives you flowers, surprises you with little things that mean a lot, and he’s completely with you in bed–mind, body, and spirit.

But then the day comes when slowly but surely these very things that kept you feeling alive, wanted, and desired begin to drop off one by one. He forgot to call, he missed a date, his mind is often somewhere else, and he doesn’t bother to surprise you anymore. He assures you everything’s the same, but you just don’t feel it is. What happened?

1. He’s become too comfortable.

In his mind, the chase is over.

It’s common knowledge that men love a good chase–the challenge gets them high. What guys should remember is that the reverse is also true–women love to be chased. Why? When a guy is wooing her, he is in top form. He listens to whatever the woman is saying and remembers the tiniest of details. Women love to be heard! He appears to appreciate the woman in every way.

When the chase is over, women get frustrated. Sure, their guy is still around, but he’s getting mighty boring. Getting him interested in a conversation is like pulling teeth. He begins forgetting important days and details, like what you take in your coffee, and, in some cases, more important details, like your cell number!

What men don’t always realize is that it’s NOT a major challenge to get a woman interested. Keeping a woman interested is the true challenge. If only “keeping a woman” was as revered as “getting a woman” in a man’s mind, relationships would be so much more exciting.

Advice to men: Don’t stop the chase. While you can never completely re-enact the excitement of getting to know each other, keeping a woman’s interest truly does reap rewards. She’ll be more sexually responsive, she’ll have that special glow and walk with a bounce in her step because she feels desired, and she won’t be as inclined to feel the need to get attention from other guys.

Advice to women: If being direct simply doesn’t work, then it’s time to subtly give your guy the hint that you are in need of attention. There’s nothing wrong with letting him know that there are other guys out there who are more than willing to give you the attention you’re craving, as long as you don’t go overboard in the “making him jealous” department. If you need to resort to manipulative tactics too often, then it might be time to look for someone who takes the hint; or, better yet, doesn’t need the hint in the first place!

2. His interest in other women is too obvious.

While women know that guys usually continue to look at other women, they don’t need constant reminders. It’s just plain rude to be with a woman and to do the “roving eye” thing at the same time. It’s degrading and a real showstopper.

Going so far as cheating is probably the biggest showstopper around. Maybe it “meant nothing” to the man, but it means a whole lot to the woman. Studies show that women who choose to stay with a man who has cheated get over the actual physical act of sex well before they get over the deception involved, if they ever really do. Cheating probably has its biggest repercussions in the bedroom. It can be hard to enjoy sex with a man when you know, or suspect, that he’s probably said the same intimate things to, and done the same intimate things with, another woman. A woman who has been cheated upon usually feels less than special, and a man needs to rebuild her confidence in him and in herself.

Advice to men: Keep your eye from wandering when you’re with your partner. If you’ve gone so far as cheating and she knows a little about it, come clean. Remember that the issue at hand is more about the deception involved than it is about the actual act of sex with another woman. Avoid the common mistake of adding more lies to the lies, such as telling her the tried-and-untrue “we never had sex”. While we’re not saying that you should give her gory details or tell her that the other woman was a great bang, owning up to your mistake, showing true remorse, and stopping the lies is your only bet if you want a future with her. Telling her that “it meant nothing” isn’t enough. It’s time to prove yourself and to help her to trust you again. Feeding her BS at this point will only work against you.

Advice to women: Let him know that it is completely offensive for him to be checking out other women when he’s with you. Giving him a taste of his own medicine sometimes works, but if you have to do it more than once, he’s really not getting it. If you’ve found out he’s been physically cheating, don’t pretend you are over it when you’re not. It takes a heck of a lot of time to get over something like this, and you have every right to take your time. If you find yourself holding it over his head for too long, then it’s probably time to move on.

3. He clams up so as not to “rock the boat”.

Most men become extremely uncomfortable when their girlfriends or wives are upset with them. In an attempt to avoid future such incidents, guys will often take mental notes of what upset their women, instead of trying to understand why. And, the censoring process begins! Keeping the peace, to a man, often means avoiding certain topics he thinks are volatile, even if he doesn’t know why, instead of learning what exactly made his girlfriend upset. His mental list grows over time, to the point that he is keeping his mouth shut when he probably shouldn’t, and there is a huge loss of intimacy and communication in the relationship.

An example of this is: He is talking about his friends and casually mentions that so-and-so (a female) is “just like you” because she has a similar job. This bothers you–you don’t like to be compared to so-and-so. You react, and he doesn’t quite understand what it is exactly that got you upset. He generalizes, and assumes that he can’t talk about his friends with you, or you’ll get upset. Or, he generalizes and assumes you don’t want to hear about female friends. So, he censors the topic in question instead of figuring out that you don’t like the statement “she’s just like you”.

Advice to women: If you find your guy is communicating with you less, and avoiding topics, you may have completely confused him. It’s best to explain why something he said or did bothered you, in detail, instead of just getting mad and hoping that he will figure it out. Chances are, he won’t figure it out and instead generalize the whole incident or topic as something he should avoid!

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A year-long US study that compared the results of four popular diets with overweight pre-menopausal women revealed a clear “winner”, but didn’t really inspire confidence in terms of actual number of pounds lost.

The women involved in the study had a BMI (body mass index) of 27-40, which ranges from overweight to obese. The diets followed and compared were Atkins, the Zone, Ornish, and LEARN. Statistically speaking, the Zone, Ornish, and LEARN diets yielded virtually the same results, ranging from approximately 3.5 pounds to 5.7 pounds over the course of the year. The Atkins diet, however, yielded the largest weight loss in numbers–10.36 pounds.

Just over 10 pounds over the course of a year, however, falls short of what most overweight and particularly obese women are striving towards. Nevertheless, considering that of the four diet plans, Atkins has the lowest carbohydrate intake, we might conclude that lowering carbohydrates is the most ideal method for losing weight.

Other studies reveal that a person’s particular insulin response, whether they are high secretors or low secretors, can at least partially determine the type of diet that is most effective. The most impressive findings were for high insulin secretors, who were found to lose a significant amount of weight on a low glycemic diet plan. They didn’t fare as well on a low-fat diet.

A blood test will determine whether you are a high or low secretor, but there is a generalized rule of thumb that involves eyeballing body shape type. Generally, pear-shaped people (people who tend to gain weight first on the bottom and hips before they gain weight on the arms and waist) are low secretors; while high secretors generally sport an “apple” shape–they tend to gain weight first on their waist and upper body.

The Atkins diet, like many popular diet plans, has received a mixed bag of kudos and criticisms. While most studies and experts agree that lowering our intake of simple carbohydrates is beneficial, it’s the high fat and high protein elements of the Atkins diet that invites controversy. Some have recommended that this diet plan shouldn’t be followed for more than six months, for example, and in fact doesn’t have as successful results beyond the six-month point.

While it may be comforting to follow a specific diet plan, such as Atkins or the Zone, it may be worthwhile to read up on a number of different diet plans and pull out some of the better ideas from each. Of course, experimenting with different plans makes sense as well, simply because it is growing increasingly clear that there is no miracle diet that works for everyone, in spite of what many marketers will have you believe!

Take this fun quiz to determine how you’re rated in terms of sexual attitudes, sensuality levels, level of permissiveness, selfishness levels, and emotional ties to sex. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, facilisis viverra in habitant ultricies arcu bibendum, enim mauris posuere a, eget lorem at, orci at hendrerit aenean a, imperdiet sed eleifend congue sed phasellus in. Orci amet neque lorem a fusce justo, nullam lacus, pulvinar wisi a, non sagittis quam nascetur.