Your Dose of "D"

"Whats the Recommended Allowance for Vitamin D, I take 1000 IU, but why not 10, 000!?"

2 things freaked me out about this text I got, 1) its a text from my mom, so I guess moms are texting now? and 2) 10, 000 IU for Vitamin D, anything that high freaks me out (almost as much as parents texting or facebooking!).  So with that I knew that I need to shed some light on the powerful Vitamin!

Here are your Vitamin D Facts:

-Its the only vitamin our body can make on its own with the help of sunlight

-The recommended daily allowance: 400 IU (international units).  If you ar over the age of 50, you need to be taking a Vitamin D supplement that contains at least that much.  Going higher than 1000 IU can cause adverse effects

-the two forms of Vitamin D that are important for humans are D2 (made by plants) & D3 (made by humans when skin is exposed to UVB rays from sunlight)

-Many foods such as milk are fortified so you can get your source this way too

-It maintains healthy blood levels of calcium &phosphorus, which are essential to bone health, you will often see Vitamin D paired with Calcium in supplements as it aids in calcium's absorption

-It is also beneficial in preventing arthritis, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and the flu (all things that make us feel less than beautiful)

-It is also said to be a powerful antioxidant and can prevent certain cancers

So How do you get your Dose of D?

Option 1:

Sunlight is your first natural source, but since Vancouver is a city known more for its torrential rains, Vitamin D can be hard to come by if you think you can get it from the sun alone (you would actually need to stand outside naked for a full day to try to reach/exceed the recommended intake. Although this may fly in Vancouver, they might just think you're protesting the loss of the penny, its not something I recommend)

 Say hello to Option 2:

Food! Fortified foods such as milk, soy products (read the labels), orange juice, Salmon, tuna, egg yolks and if you can stomach it, cod liver oil. 

Interesting food facts:

-4 cups of fortified milk = 100% daily requirement of D

-3.5 oz salmon = 90%

-3 oz can tuna in oil = 50%

-your friend and mine, 1 tbsp cod liver oil = 350% of your daily does of D

So its your choice, but make sure you're getting your dose, sometimes our beauty comes from knowing we are doing right by our bodies, and that's my Beauty Recipe!

Dare to go Bare

While I have always wanted to be one of those ladies with a perfect French manicure all the time, my job at the hospital prohibits me from doing so. Instead, my precious tips encounter almost hourly hand washing with skin drying soap or endure the alcoholic sting of hand sanitizer. So alas, I have decided that I can be the girl with perfectly healthy nails au natural!
Going nude with your nails may help you to uncover many unknown things about what’s going on with your body. Just like our skin, nails are our body’s natural barometer of deficiencies we may have.
Deliciously healthy nails are somewhat smooth (slight vertical ridges are normal) and have a pinkish nail bed (this is indicative of healthy blood flow and a healthy heart!). But if you decide to swipe off that $35+ manicure to go bare and notice some abnormalities, your diet may be to blame.

Some examples of nail abnormalities are: 

-Spoon shaped nails (indicative or Iron deficiency)
-White Spots (vitamin and mineral deficiency ex. Zinc)
-Thin Nails (vitamin B12 deficiency)
-Horizontal Ridges (physical or mental stress)
-Discoloration (well, give your nails a rest from those crazy colors for at least a week, then see if the color came from you “Fire Engine Red” polish. Otherwise speak to your doctore, as discoloration can be from other health problems)
Nails are made up of the protein Keratin, so foods high in protein such as legumes, nuts, meats and fish may help you whip your tips into shape! Also, foods high in calcium like dairy products and green leafy vegetables might be just the ticket to strong, healthy nails! And while I don’t like to endorse supplement use, a good multivitamin, especially if your 50+years of age may be a good option for you!
So I dare you to go bare with your nails and become in tune with your bodies nutritional needs! That’s my Beauty Recipe!

Diet, Detox..umm.. Lets just eat cake!

A topic I encounter a lot and a word that is in style lately is “detox” and “cleanse”. And while lately my body has been feeling a little “ick” on the inside, I don’t know if I could forgo my normal food (normal in this case means actually being able to chew my food) for an all juice diet. After a bit of research and speaking to fellow colleagues, the detox path is one that is not very pleasant and in fact quite difficult to maintain. A common thread with all these diets is to blenderize all the recommended foods into a slurry and chug it back in lieu of a regular diet for 3-10 days. Most of the ingredients in a detoxes are green leafy veggies, berries, apples or any fruit of vegetable you can jam into your blender.
Reading about these detox diets just made me crave a slab of frosted chocolate cake even more, so I know that I would not last past the first 3 hours let alone days of a detox! But this is not to say that the idea of a detox is all too terrible. Take away the blender, and you basically have what a healthy diet consists of on a regular basis. Fruits, veggies, water…so we are blending them up because….?we are to lazy to chew? I think not!
So my conclusion is to consciously make an effort to consume fibre rich foods such as whole grains, legumes, “leafies” as I like to call them, and maybe I will blend my fruits add some probiotic yogurt and make a delicious smoothie, and that’s as close as I will get to a detox. I will try to avoid processed and refined carbs, but who are we kidding, I have a love affair with them that cant be broken! So there you have it, “Alyssa Elle’s not so much Detox”, and that’s my Beauty Recipe!
Tell me, have you ever tried a cleanse or detox, what are your thoughts?

Sparkling Eyes Part 1

Ever heard “The eyes are the window to the soul”? What if they're red? Its not a nice window then right? How do supermodels have such bright and white eyes? The scientific term for this part of the eye is called the ...“sclera”. There have been studies to show that the whiter your sclera is, the more you are perceived to be healthy and youthful.
Most people can encounter bloodshot eyes, which is inflammation of the tiny blood vessels that will surface on your sclera. Not to be alarmed if this happens as it usually clears on its own, but what are the causes? redness can be accounted for alot of things: fatigue, allergies, a cold, excessive cosmetic use, smoking or improper diet.
So, do you want to know how to get the whites whiter?
Well you can begin by doing just the opposite of the causes of the redness: try to improve your sleep patterns, clear your allergies, remove your makeup before sleeping, try to cut back on the cigarettes...but I will focus on diet choices to make to clear out the red has that has attacked your eyes!

An oldie but a goodie: 8-10 glasses of water a day is the best way to flush out toxins. Boring tip, and often difficult to do but there is a loop hole. If you are able to get your hands on foods with high water content ex) celery, watermelon, cucumbers....this can add to you daily water intake and have the added benefit of the nutrients and fibre from a whole fruit! Being that we live in Canada, I want you to keep in mind that the best thing for you body is to eat fruits and veggies that are in season. Your body responds better when you accommodate the weather and temperature outside. It doesn't like it when you keep feeding it pineapple in the dead of winter!
To combat lack of sleep, delve deeper into your lifestyle habits that are keeping you from getting the recommended hours of sleep so that you can A) Function better and 2) have the clear bright eyes you desire!

Ask yourself:

-What do you eat throughout the day, are they good choices? Are you eating later that 8pm?(your body wont let you sleep until ~4 hours after you eat a big meal FYI) whats the last thing you eat before bed?

-highly processed foods have a high content of sodium, and this can lead to later health problems and can really show in your eyes, high blood pressure --> ruptured blood vessels in the sclera 

-Embarrassing question but umm...how regular are you?(a huge indicator of your diet and how your body is responding (its the first question I ask my patients). Regular means every day/every other day. Not regular? your fibre intake is low (<30 g a day), you are not well on the inside, or you are not consuming enough water and water containing foods

-FIBRE IS YOUR FRIEND: it binds to toxins that need be eliminated, keeps you regular, fills you up for longer periods of time (so you don't snack), lowers blood sugar and pressure

So to wrap up, Sleep, Eat Well, Drink Water, Fibre is your Friend...That's my (easy) Beauty Recipe!

Product Push: Perfect Your Pucker!

While normally I like to give advice on what to eat to make you look and feel beautiful, I thought maybe I would mix it up and give you a break from the food, and get you informed of some beauty products ...I love! 

First up, for lips, it’s that time of year when lips can be dry and cracked, less than lustrous for when you slick on your gloss or attempt a bold red lip. Here are some tips to treat your lips to: 

Tip 1) brush your lips (yes that’s right), after you have brushed your teeth, rinse off the toothpaste and give your lips a good scrub (you can use a wash cloth too if you want) it’s a great way to exfoliate 

Tip 2) when you exfoliate your face, include your lips to. Since the age of 15 I have been using St Ives Apricot Scrub (it is the best and inexpensive too!) circular motions all of your face and lips will remove peeling skin, and buff your lips to perfection 

Tip 3) a good lip balm with SPF (Vaseline is not a good choice, it can actually dry your lips out, hence the name “petroleum jelly”) I love Nivea lip balms, they’re so creamy! 

Tip 4) Dry, white or chapped lips are a telltale sign of dehydration, so drink water, you know the drill! 

Tip 5) Pick a hydrating tint for your lips, some glosses peel your lips more than others…Loreal Color Juice is my pick, for a splurge: Lancome Juicy Tubes are great! Give a rest to the matte lipsticks for a while, some can be dehydrating, and you want a luscious pout right? 

So there you have it my first “Product Push” Beauty Recipe!

Getting into the Beauty Industry

My Experience with the Ash Kumar Academy, And Then Some.....

I love all things girly, pretty and fashionable, makeup is my vice, but registering with the AK Academy Hair, Makeup, Styling and Henna courses was the first official step I had taken to pursue my passion (buying a copy of Vogue magazine doesn't count). A snap decision that has proven to be a great one!

Cut to day one of the course, I was amongst other aspiring or already established artists, waiting to meet the world renowned Mr. Ash Kumar. After intros he utters the words “I love my job” repeated 3 times. “Gee, I hope I can say this when I'm finished the courses” I think to myself.

Week one was a blur of makeup, brushes, colour, styling, the words “Lakme Fashion Week” is uttered several times (I Googled a lot during the course). “Blend, Blend is your friend” is also a phrase that has been instilled into my very core. My educator B is my makeup mentor!

Week two is a serene setup with the scent of henna and vanilla candles in the air, with the most peaceful music I have ever heard playing in the background. I am taught by Mr. Kumar himself, all the history, tips, techniques and tricks of the trade from one of the best in the art of henna. In between lessons, yes lessons, with notes and a white board and everything, we practice with a henna cone on paper, free flowing designs or techniques we have learned, and I am in love! Breaking up the serene peaceful ambiance, Mr. Kumar offers comedic relief with stories of his quirky clients and his adventures when traveling to different destinations to do henna or teach.

And after an intense two weeks packed with 10 hour days, I had completed all the AK courses and what a rewarding and enriching experience they were, skills that will be with me for life.

Graduated and certified, now what? My one to one business meeting with Mr. Kumar, that's what! And after that, I walked away excited, amazed and prepared with an actual business plan, to launch myself onto this new world of beauty, that incorporates my passions, personality and skills.

The AK team has provided me with many amazing opportunities. Recently I was able to assist with the Hair, Makeup and Styling course in Vancouver, BC. An honor in itself, I feel that in every endeavor I incur in the beauty industry, the AK team is behind me.

It has now been just over 3 months since graduating, and as I look back I am actually quite proud of what I accomplished, the memories I made with the AK team and the fellow students I met. I am in the world of beauty as a business woman, and windows are opening for me. No longer am I on the outside looking in. I am a part of a fun and exciting industry and in addition to this a new attitude has also come along after my experience, and that is: “Say Yes!” To any opportunity that will push you, challenge you, benefit you, (make you money is a big bonus), and get you out there doing something amazing, just say YES!

I said “Yes” and registered with the AK academy and here I am telling you my story, and fingers crossed, amazing opportunities are in my horizon.

Lustrous Locks

Lustrous Locks

“Rupunzel, Rupunzel let down your hair”. While long locks are not for everyone, a healthy shiny mane is a definite must to look and feel beautiful. Dry, damaged, thinning, are all indicators that something is askew inside ...our body. We may all long to look like the models on the shampoo commercial, but this image is probably one that is the most attainable with a proper diet!

Here is what you know:
Hair is protein, and the length of it is dead protein. But the scalp and the root are what will decide weather you have flowing locks like our fairy tale princess Rupunzel, or whether you should throw in the towel and pull a Britney Spears (shave it all off!) But no need to go so drastic, here is your cure!
Top 5 Hair Friendly Foods/vitamins/minerals:
1) Omega-3 fatty acid- Salmon is not only high in this wondrous fatty acid, it is also a great source of protein, vitamin B12 and iron. Certain nuts such as walnuts and ground flax are great vegetarian alternatives packed with omega 3’s. A deficiency in this fatty acid can lead to dry brittle hair and poor scalp health. Sprinkle a pinch of flax onto your cereal, you won’t even taste it!
2) Vitamin A and C: Dark green leafy veggies, such as spinach, bock choy or broccoli, are great sources of these vitamins which are essential in producing sebum, the natural oils for your scalp, a built in conditioner for your hair! These dark veggies are also high in iron and zinc! Take that “Argan Oil”!
3) Zinc: shedding hair is connected to zinc deficiency. Pecans, cashews and almonds are great sources of zinc. Many of our favorite cereals and breads are fortified with zinc, and that’s another reason to eat breakfast! Oysters are also high in zinc, but if you can stomach those buggers, beef and lamb are also adequate sources.
4) Protein: This is a pretty broad food group, but you need to make sure you are getting the right proteins. Certain foods may contain protein, but are not adequate sources. Milk has protein, but a few ounces of red meat will do you better in terms of available protein for your body to use. Protein deficiency leads to dry brittle hair, and loss of your natural hair color. One serving of protein should be 6-8grams, check your labels! Vegetarian? Legumes should be your new best friend for protein!
5) Vitamin A: Carrots are not only good for your eyes and skin; they are also great for healthy shiny hair. Vitamin A promotes a healthy scalp which = healthy hair! Other orange/yellow veggies such as peppers and sweet potatoes have vitamin A too. Your green leafies will provide you with this vitamin along with eggs and fortified cereals, read the labels!