Christinchen's Soapbox

When it comes to beauty products I use with caution. I've tried most of the leading beauty products in the local market from papaya soaps, hydroquinone, pearl paste, whitening lotion to bleaching powder. After regular use of these products I find no improvement so I just stop using them.

Then six months ago I used a papaya soap (too local) that left my face red and stinging. Since then I have not applied any product on my skin. Yes, despite my skin developing unsightly fine lines and my eyes developing dark circles due to stress and lack of sleep, I have never used any product since then. But these past ten days I've tried to catch up in caring for my health... I went on a detox diet, started taking anti-oxidant multivitamin (HavitAll) and learning to handle stress. Within those ten days a friend offered me a Glutathione-based soap from UNO

I was glad to get hold of this well-known product, but I hoped this wasn't one of those labeled "fake" in the news. Skeptical, I said I'll just try it for 2 days and if it won't work or if it will harm my skin - I'll just stop. Eight days later, to my amazement, my skin's texture improved, the fine lines diminished and even my freckles are fading! And it did not sting at all.

Now I'm using it, not really to whiten my skin but to detoxify it. My 30-something niece kidded me once, "Sa lagay na yan, may lakas ng loob ka pang gumamit ng glutathione?" She meant I'm already fair-skinned and yet I still see the need to use the soap. Well, I said, yes I see my need for it - health-wise =)

So here's what I found about Glutathione...

GLUTATHIONE- small protein composed of 3 amino acids called cysteine, glutamic acid and glycine, produced normally by the body in response to today’s environment such as pollution in the air we breath, water we drink, chemicals & pesticides in the food we eat that cause damages in our cells & system.

Glutathione is often referred to as Master Anti-oxidant in the body.“small molecule made up of linked amino acids and anti-oxidant naturally produced in the body. It has been widely heralded for its importance for good health and long life.

Glutathione in increased dose posts a remarkable good 'side effect' such as SKIN WHITENING".“the greater the exposure to toxins, the faster the body uses up its supply glutathione. Without the protection of Glutathione, cells die at a faster rate, making people age quicker & putting them at risk for toxin induced diseases including cancer.”


GLUTATHIONE (GSH) (Anti-oxidant, Anti-aging and for Fairer Skin)
CLINICAL NAME: Glutathione
SYNONYM: Reduced L- glutathione
CHEMICAL NAME: Gamma-L-glutamyl – L – cysteninylglycine or L-7-glutanyl – cysteinylglycine

FOUND WHERE?- present in virtually in all mammalian tissue- mostly in liver where it detoxifies many harmful compounds to be excreted through the bile- red and white blood cells- lungs- intestinal tract

PRIMARY BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS:
- to act as a non-enzymatic reducing agent to help keep cysteine thiol side chains in a reduce state onthe surface of proteins
- involved in the synthesis & repair of DNA
- helps to recycle Vit. C and Vit. E
- blocks free radical damage
- enhances the anti-oxidant activity of Vit. C
- facilitates the transport of amino acids
- plays a critical role in the detoxification of harmful compounds
- is the base material for several other key antioxidant enzyme systems such as, glutathione-peroxidase, glutathione-reductase and glutathione-transferase
- Body (AID) A - ntioxidant I - mmune booster D - etoxifier

THEREFORE, declines in glutathione concentrations in intracellular fluids correlate directly withindicators of aging.

WHAT CAN GLUTATHIONE DO FOR YOU:
· Whitens the skin
· Dark spot remover
· Prevent/remove pimples and pimple marks
· Anti-aging and anti-wrinkle
· Makes your skin smooth, fresh and radiant
· Enhance healing of wounds
· Nourishes skin

GLUTATHIONE AS THE MASTER OXIDANT:
· Improves immune system
· Helps in preventing cancer especially Liver Cancer.
· Protects our body free radicals & reactive oxygen molecules.
· Is required in detoxifying nicotine.
· Helps our Liver in detoxifying our body.
· Plays important role in cancer prevention & treatment.
· Appears to protect against the dangers of heart diseases, premature aging and chronic illness.
· Increases sperm count for men with low sperm counts.
· Low glutathione levels are found in immune compromised individuals, Neuro-degenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis, ALS, Alzheimer, and Parkinson's disease, arteriosclerosis, male infertility, pregnancy complications, cataracts, damage from many pharmaceutical drugs, cancer and poor survival rate for patients with AIDS.


PROVEN THERAPEUTIC USES:
- antioxidant action
- cancer
- cataracts
- liver diseases
- muscular degeneration

SIDE-EFFECTS: Generally considered to be free of side-effects. No untoward side-effects nor interactions with oral administration reported even in prolonged use. It is SAFE. Classified as Food Supplement not a herbal. Made from genetically synthesize molecules.The only reported side- effect is SKIN WHITENING when taken in increased doses.


WHO NEEDS GLUTATHIONE:
- smokers
- alcoholic drinkers
- with low immune system
- with liver problems
- with thyroid problems
- has cataracts
- with low sperm counts
- with cancer
- those who wants to possess fairer and whiter skin


LOW GLUTATHIONE LEVELS ARE FOUND IN:
- Aging population
- Immunocompromised individuals
- With atherosclerosis
- Male infertility
- Pregnancy complications
- Hyperthyrodism
- Liver problems
- Cataracts
- Cancer
- Alzheimers

Do you often get to listen to your thoughts? Do share, what thoughts fill your head? Would you label them as positive, or negative?

Now let's say you are walking down the street with these thoughts. Do you think anyone who would meet you would be able to tell you what’s on your mind?

The answer to number one is up to you. But, the answer number two can be pretty generic. Although people will not be able to tell you exactly what you think, they will more or less have an idea of how you are feeling.

Here's another question. When you enter a party filled with friends, do they all fall silent as if something terrible had happened? Or does everybody there perk up as if waiting for something exciting to happen?

You know what? The answer to all these depends on your frame of mind.

Thoughts are very powerful. They affect your general attitude. The attitude you carry reflects on your appearance, too – unless, of course, you are a great actor.

And it doesn't end there. Your attitude can also affect people around you.

The type of attitude you carry depends on you. It can be either positive or negative.

Positive thoughts have a filling effect. They are admittedly invigorating. Plus, the people around the person carrying positive thoughts are usually energized by this type of attitude.

Negative thoughts on the other hand have a sapping effect on other people. Aside from making you look gloomy and sad, negative thoughts can turn a festive gathering into a funeral wake.

A positive attitude attracts people, while a negative attitude repels them. People tend to shy away from those who carry a negative attitude.

We can also define attitude as the way of looking at the world. If you choose to focus on the negative things in the world, more or less you have a negative attitude brewing up. However, if you choose to focus on the positive things, you are more likely carry a positive attitude.

You have much to gain from a very positive attitude. For one, studies have shown that a positive attitude promotes better health. Those with this kind of attitude also have more friends. projecting a positive attitude also helps one to handle stress and problems better than those who have a negative attitude.

A positive attitude begins with a healthy self-image. If you will love the way you are and are satisfied, confident, and self-assured, you also make others are around feel the same way.

A negative attitude, on the other hand, has, of course, an opposite effect. So, carrying a negative attitude has a twofold drawback. You feel bad about yourself, and you make others feel the same way.

If you want to have a positive attitude, you have to feature healthy thoughts. This is probably very hard to do nowadays since, all around us, the media feeds us nothing but negative thoughts. A study shows that for every 14 things a parent says to his or her child, only one is positive. This is truly a saddening thought.

If you want a healthier outlook in life, you need to think happy thoughts, and you have to hear positive things as well. So, what can you do? Well, for starters, you could see a funny movie, you could play with children, spend some time telling jokes with friends. All these activities fill you with positive stimuli, which in turn promotes positive attitude.

Although it is impossible to keep ourselves from the negative things around us, you can still carry a positive attitude by focusing on the good things, the positive things in life.

And this positive attitude you now carry can be of benefit to other people. Sometimes when other people feel down, the thing people mostly do is try to give them advice. But sometimes, all they need is somebody to sit by them, and listen to them. If you have a positive attitude you may be able to cheer them up without even having to say anything.

If positive attitude is really great, why do people choose to adopt a negative attitude instead? One who carries a negative attitude may be actually sending a signal for attention. Before you get me wrong, feeling sad, angry, or gloomy is not wrong itself. But dwelling on these thoughts for far too long is not healthy either. There is a time to mourn.

As always, if you are beset by troubles, even in your darkest hour, focus on the good things in life, you will always have hope. Problems become something you can overcome.

You do not have much to lose by adopting a healthy, positive attitude. Studies show that such an attitude actually retards aging, makes you healthier, helps you develop a better stress coping mechanism, and has a very positive effect on all the people you meet every day. So, what's not to like about a positive attitude? Adopt one today.

To stretch those unwanted facial wrinkles---

Just spread egg whites on your face and forehead. Let it dry and in 5 mins. Scrape the inner covering of the eggshell and spread it on your most wrinkled area. Leave for 3 mins. Wash with lukewarm water and soap. And finally with cold water.

Some call this a mind movie, others call it the positive affirmations video. Anyway, I just thought of posting this, with the author's permission. There are plenty others on Youtube similar to this. I regularly watch relaxation videos until I came across this video.

Oh... for the nth time, our dog smashed two pots of my measly euphorbia, leaving them in pieces - soil, clay pot and the miserable plant at our front door. Makes me think why do I even care for these when I don't even have the time... hmm...
Ah, yes, for one... they seem to have sentimental value. I got them from my sis-in-law in 2005 ( when it was still the fad, when people still mistake it for euphoria ) and it grew so I pruned them and repotted. It was just an ordinary perennial, just the common one. So I just left it there and watered it when I wanted to. Frequently my kids take them for granted so the pots just get hit by a ball and diminished to smithereens.
Two.... people say it is expensive. Mahal kasi kaya sayang, yun ang sabi ng co-jeepney driver ng asawa ko. I was told that my plants can be sold for Php100.00 already that time at the local market. Oops, no, I won't list it on my ebay account.
Three... it's a status symbol, especially when lined up on your front yard. Euphorbias used to be cultured only by the "can-affords" then as of recent, even ordinary people like us can propagate these perennials and even sell them for cash. So, feeling donya ka na rin when you have them and hey, look, my other sis-in-law takes meticulous care of her euphorbia like it was going to be an entry for a science fair. She takes great care when and where to water the plants; using a mixture of black soil, charcoal and - yep- dried carabao dung for the soil. But, good for her, she bought other varieties and propagated them. Ah, me, I still can't afford buying more of those... kaya talo na naman ako!
There is one small reason, though, why I tend to shy away from gardening now .. I have this tendency to compulsively plant here and there - and neglect people around me. There was a time I cared so much for gardening (Germans are avid gardeners, that's a fact) but when someone suddenly approaches me whilst I am digging soil or pulling weeds example my inquisitive son or the electric bill collector or my asawa - ayayay, iinit ang ulo ko because I don't want to be disturbed. I'm allergic to my own "feel good hormones" that I get during gardening. Ah euphoria! este euphorbia pala!
Oops, sabi ko lang yan. Sooner or later, I will be into it again and care for these blasted plants. They are still a lovely sight to look at in the morning. So...
HERE'S WHAT I FOUND FROM EHOW.COM

These perennials (meaning they grow back year after year) are interesting additions to the garden with their orange, red, chartreuse or yellow flower heads.
Choosing Euphorbia
Step1: Look for plants at nurseries in late spring and through the summer.
Step2: Buy euphorbia in 4-inch to 1-gallon containers.
Step3: Choose healthy-looking plants with signs of new growth in leaf and flower bud.
Planting Euphorbia
Step1: Plant euphorbia in full sun and well-drained soil.
Step2: Add a light application of organic fertilizer to the planting hole.
Step3: Place the plants no deeper than they were growing in the containers.
Step4: Set the plants 1 foot apart.
Step5: Mulch around but not on top of the plants with 3 inches of organic compost.
Step6: Water well until soil is completely moist.
Caring For Euphorbia
Step1: Cut off any remaining stems from the previous year in early spring using bypass pruners.
Step2: Apply a light application of organic fertilizer on top of the soil; follow package directions.
Step3: Mulch around but not on top of the plants with 3 inches of organic compost.
Step4: Water well until soil is completely moist in summers with no rainfall.

So good news, I found more people from Germany with my surname Buelchmann (Bülchmann). 

THIS ENTRY IS CONTINUED FROM my bravejournal If my mother's side of the family is quite complete, my father's side is still to be thoroughly searched. Courtesy of itsourtree.com (http://www.verwandt.de/) and myheritage.com I found a friend who is related to a Bülchmann. She emailed me that her late grandmother had the same surname. I'm raring to work on this now that I'm receiving feedback and I think it's a good start! To further my search I was advised to reach these people thru the online phone directories. And it's working! Found all info I possibly need =) This is where I've stopped for the moment. I still need to review my German language lessons :D And for frugality's sake, I will contact all possible relatives via Skype instead of regular overseas phone call. I think it's a good idea! To be continued....

Source: One of the forwarded emails I'm sharing..


Carrot + Ginger + Apple - Boost and cleanse our system.


Apple + Cucumber + Celery - Prevent cancer, reduce cholesterol, and eliminate stomach upset and headache.


Tomato + Carrot + Apple - Improve skin complexion and eliminate bad breath.


Bitter gourd + Apple + Milk - Avoid bad breath and reduce internal body heat.


Orange + Ginger + Cucumber - Improve Skin texture and moisture and reduce body heat.

Pineapple + Apple + Watermelon - To dispel excess salts, nourishes the bladder and kidney.

Apple + Cucumber + Kiwi - To improve skin complexion.

Pear & Banana - regulates sugar content.

Carrot + Apple + Pear + Mango - Clear body heat, counteracts toxicity, decreased blood pressure and fight oxidization .

Honeydew + Grape + Watermelon + Milk - Rich in vitamin C + Vitamin B2 that increase cell activity and str engthen body immunity.

Papaya + Pineapple + Milk - Rich in vitamin C, E, Iron. Improve skin complexion and metabolism.

Banana + Pineapple + Milk - Rich in vitamin with nutritious and prevent constipation

You can have a complete beauty makeover at home for just a fraction of a buck - everything you need is right in your kitchen!

Expensive face masks, moisturizers and designer shampoos can be replaced by whipping up beauty recipes using simple, inexpensive ingredients like gelatin, eggs, bread crumbs, vinegar and fresh fruits.

"I call my beauty recipes Cosmedibles,"says Riquette, president of Riquette International of Beverly Hills. "You'll look and feel much better knowing you have the equivalent of a 100 dollar wrinkle cream or skin treatment for under a dollar. You'll be a gourmet chef of beauty!"

Sharing to you readers a few beauty recipes from Riquette's International Beauty Secrets..



Wrinkles. Prick three capsules of vitamin E and drain into a small bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of plain yogurt, one-half teaspoon of both honey and lemon juice and apply to your face with a pastry brush. Leave on for ten minutes, then rinse.

Acne or troubled skin. Believe it or not, kitty litter is pure clay so it makes a wonderful face mask. Just make sure you use the litter before your cat gets to it, she jokes. Put one cup in a blender and grind into a powder. Then mix with water and apply to your face for five minutes, before rinsing off. This is excellent for oily skin, enlarged pores or acne.

Instant eye-lift. Blend one carrot into a pulp and add 1/4 cup castor oil. Refrigerate for an hour and apply. Before application, dot plain castor oil under the eyes. Apply, leave in place for 30 minutes, then rinse.

Instant face-lift. Combine a handful of strawberries, grapes, one-half pear, one-half apple and 1 ounce orange juice in a blender. Then, apply a thin layer of honey to your face and apply the fruit mixture over it with a pastry brush. Leave on 30 minutes, then rinse.

Dark circles. Place potato slices under eyes for a few minutes. Rinse.

Oily hair. Beat one egg white until it's foamy and add to 5 tablespoons plain natural yogurt. Apply to hair with a pastry brush in small sections. Leave in for 15 minutes, then rinse.

Damaged hair. Mash a well-ripened avocado and blend in 1 tablespoon avocado oil and one egg yolk. Apply to hair. Cover with a shower cap and leave on for ten minutes. Rinse well and shampoo first with cool then warm water.

Damaged ends. Beat one egg and 2 tablespoons of whiskey, blending thoroughly. Apply only to the ends. Leave on for 15 minutes, then rinse.

Dull hair. Make it shine with 1 cup apple cider vinegar blended with 1 cup distilled water. Use as rinse.

Soften Your Body with Avocado

Take a ripe avocado, remove the pit and skin, and mash it up in a bowl. Slather it all over your body, let it sit for 20 minutes, then rinse off. Your skin will be so soft because avocado is a natural moisturizer.