Raw Beauty

One of my favorite things about this time of year are the Farmer’s Markets that crop up all over! With the plethora of fresh fruits and vegetables abounding it is the perfect time to clean up my diet and start eating healthier. Eating raw is getting more and more popular. I am seeing green smoothies on Pinterest daily now! Besides whittling away at your waistline, eating raw also has some big benefits for your skin that you may not have known about.

• Orange and Yellow fruits are high in beta-carotene an ingredient in Vitamin A which is good for your skin and your eyes. They are also rich in Vitamin C, zeaxanthin, lycopene and other antioxidants that fight the aging process in our skin. 
• Spinach and other green leafy vegetables are rich sources of iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium as well as vitamins A, C, E, K and many of the B vitamins. The high fiber content helps the body eliminate toxins and carcinogens. Elimination is by in far one of the most important things for clear skin. 
• Red fruits and vegetables are rich in in lycopene which is a carotene that protects from ovarian and prostate cancer as well as heart disease. Lycopene has also been shown to reduce sun-related skin damage. 
• Purple fruits and vegetables are know for their flavanois which is a class of anti-oxidants. These have a postitive effect on the skin structure and protect against UV rays. Flavanois are also known to improve elasticity by increasing collagen production. 
• Kale if you haven’t heard, is the new wonder veggie. Yes, I know it is green but I am giving it it’s own category as it is being hailed the “new super food”.  This super food helps to detoxify enzymes in the liver that play an important part in neutralizing carcinogenic substances. Another key element in kale is isothiocyanates. These have been linked to inhibit carcinogenesis that cause cancer cells to actually shrink. Kale also ranks highest among all vegetables in its concentration of carotenoids, beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin. Want to read more? Here is a fascinating page I found on all the bennies of kale. 

I know without a doubt when I am being good and I fill my plate with 75% fruits and veggies and leave only 25% or less for the meat and carbs... I lose weight. But now upon further examination, the fact that they all benefit your skin so much is just an added bonus!

Here is a link to the best farmer’s markets here in Reno. I am not sure why they are not including the one at the Summit Mall,  I beleive that one is on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 9am to 3pm weekly. I for one, am excited to start eating fresh and enjoying the abundance of my own garden as well as the farmers market. It is nice to see so many joining the gardening movement.  I have a ton to learn but it is a fun process, especially since my kids do most of the work.
haha ;)
And yes we are planting kale!
Please feel free to share any markets that may not be on the list. Or share your favorite, fresh recipe. I will be sharing more recipes this summer as well. So stay tuned!
Thanks for stopping by,
Michon :)

Men and March Madness

March Madness has been all the talk this past month. There is another topic of “madness” I hear from many of the men that sit in my chair.  I bet you can guess what it is...Balding. Men are obsessed with it! Even when I try to convince some of myclients that women are really not that shallow and many of us actually find abald head sexy, they are not biting. So as a stylist, it is my job to try and bring my clients what they want. As we move into the final four, let me expound on the things out there in the market that really work for hair loss and premature balding. 

1. Propecia, Finasteride, Minoxidil and Dutasteride are prescription medicines that are showing promising results. The downside of these medications is that once you stop using them, the hair loss returns. Side effects range from chronic dry eye, possible liver problems, and increase of breast cancer to decreased libido. sources: #1, #2
2. A healthier option:  Sulfur is being reported and has been witnessed by me personally, to help regrow hair. One client astounded me in particular. I saw hair regrowth that was substantial! Sulfur is a naturally occurring chemical that we do not get enough of these days. It enables the transport of oxygen across cell membranes and is necessary for healthy cellular regeneration. NaturoDoc has an in-depth study available online here. They sell the sulfur online, no bad side effects like the prescription drugs, and best of all NaturoDoc is a local company located in Washoe Valley! (It is important to talk to your doctor before taking large amounts of this or any other supplement)
   
3. Thickening shampoo: Depending on the extent of hair loss,you can use thickening shampoos. They could be the thing for you! These shampoos have extracts and chemicals that will “plump” up the hair shaft and create a fuller look for you. 
4. Strategic haircut: Talk to your stylist about doing things to minimize your weak spots. Say you’re receding; growing the front out a little more may hide this area. Or if you are thinning on top, leaving it a little longer can make it look thicker. 
5. Coloring: This is an excellent option if your hair is lighter or turning grey. Tinting or dying the hair creates an optical illusion that will make it look like you have more hair. 
6. Disguise it: There are a number of hair fiber products on the market to look into. Toppik, Organin, Caboki, and DermMatch are just afew. They add fibers that attach to your hair and make it look like you have more hair than you actually do. Here is a link to a demo for one of them.
7. Be proud of it! Wear it like a badge of honor. Think Bruce Willis, Dwayne "The Rock” Johnson,   ’Stone Cold’ Steve Austin, Vin Diesel, Yul Brenner and Michael Jordan, just to name a few. You can’t even imagine these men with hair now. And they are all very sexy and powerful men. 

My wish for you as we wrap up this installment is that your brackets all pay off and that your hair growth will increase (if that is what you wish for) which in turn will require you to come into the salon for more frequent visits! :)

Till next week.

Sincerely, 

Michon :)