LENA BLOG

What are antioxidants and free radicals? And should I take them for my skin? Anything you swallow (pills included) will get into your bloodstream and affect your entire body. Although antioxidants can help your skin look its best, they are important and beneficial to much more than just your skin. I mention this because the mindset of taking supplements to affect one thing is akin to exercising to spot reduce a certain body part. It just can’t be done. Exercise will affect your whole body; antioxidants will too. Before explaining what antioxidants are, it’s important to understand a bit about their nemesis: free radicals. What is a free radical? Normally functioning molecules have two or three electrons; free radicals are missing one electron, making that molecule unstable. So they hunt for an electron they can take from a neighboring molecule. Free radicals aren’t particular—they attack the nearest stable molecule in order to create stability for itself. Free radical...

Hopefully you’ve read What is causing your breakouts? (link below), which asks important questions to help you understand why you may be breaking out. Here I’ll discuss products that you don’t want to use on your skin and other things that may be contributing to your skin problems.   Products with alcohol. Not all alcohol is bad; it is primarily SD , ethyl , and isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol that are not good to use on your skin. Alcohol merely puts out the fire, so to speak, but does nothing to douse the origination of the flame. It causes dry skin to form in and around the affected pore or pores where it was applied, which can cause problems of its own. Although drying something up seems to be effective, it is simply a temporary fix and is not part of a real solution for ending your breakouts. Witch hazel found in most stores contains roughly 15% ethyl alcohol. So although it is not pure alcohol, it still contains some bad alcohol nonetheless. This ty...

As we all know, the air in an airplane is poor quality at best. Add to that the potential of sitting next to someone who is sick with a cold or flu, and you have all the ingredients for coming down with something yourself. I recommend taking some type of immune system booster before, during, and even after your flight to help your body fight off foreign invaders. There are many herbal supplements that can help boost your immune system. Garlic has well-documented antibiotic properties, and most brands have special coatings on the pills to inhibit giving you garlic breath. Astragalus is another immune system helper that can be taken in capsule or tincture form. (Tinctures are liquid concentrates that are usually taken mixed with a little bit of water.) Echinacea and goldenseal are both excellent immune stimulants, helping to fight off germs that may have infiltrated your body during the flight. Antioxidants are another way to help your body fight off th...

Although this drink looks yummy, I prefer to take the tablets. If you are looking for a great all-around supplement to take, spirulina would be a good choice. Spirulina is sometimes called “the perfect food.” It contains amino acids , vitamins , minerals , and high levels of vitamin A . This vitamin A is in the form of beta carotene from a food source, therefore allowing the high IU content to be safe. The following is taken from a handout I picked up at a natural foods grocery store many years ago. I could not find a source for this piece and hope that its author will be pleased with its inclusion here. Spirulina: Diet and Energy Aid Spirulina is considered by many to be an amazing diet and energy aid and is a source of concentrated nutrients that has been used for centuries. The ancient Aztecs thrived on spirulina from Lake Texcoco in Mexico, and for the people who live around the Lake in Chad, Africa, spirulina has been a mainstay in their diet for generation...

My FAVORITE herb book! The following was reprinted in my book,  Timeless Skin, with permission from the  authors of   The How To Herb Book .   If you’re looking for a great book on herbs and how to use them for better health, get this book! It is out of print, so a bit harder to find, but still work looking for it.   Chlorophyll is the “blood of plant life.” It is the life force of plants and contains life-giving nutrients that are easily assimilated by the human body. Its molecular structure is very similar to the molecular structure of the human red blood cell—hemoglobin. It has the same effect as iron and is a natural blood builder.   Nutrition and Digestion Chlorophyll: helps to control and regulate calcium levels in the blood. Studies show menstrual blood has 40% more calcium in it than normal blood. Chlorophyll helps control this monthly loss of calcium. aids in blood sugar problems. lubricates ileocecal valve to keep it functioning...

I was first introduced to evening primrose oil in my mid-20s when I had very oily skin that was prone to breakout. The reason I started taking this supplement, however, was to help me through the intense pain I used to have with menstrual cramps. Evening primrose oil really helped to ease the tension brought on by PMS and helped alleviate a lot of the discomfort from cramps . At the same time I noticed evening primrose oil seemed to be helping with my breakouts and even the overall oiliness of my skin. I started suggesting it to my clients with problem skin, and they also had similar results. Evening primrose oil contains high levels of essential fatty acids (EFAs). These fatty acids are necessary in the production of prostaglandins, which are hormone-like substances. These substances are vital in regulating different systems in the body, including your oil glands. Therefore, getting an adequate supply of EFAs can actually help to reduce oiliness.  If you de...