Bloom Magazine Qatar Issue 3

A BRIGHT LIFE STYLE

Distributed with

July-August 2015

Hanna Touma Couture s/s 2015 Crafted with inside-out perfection

Graff Halo collection

Featuring Spheres of Gemstones

DOLCE & GABBANA Blue Majolica

The Right Hairstyles for Your Face Shape

Published by

A BRIGHT LIFE STYLE

July-August 2015

Distributed with

inside

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n this blessed month, I’d like to wish our readers a Ramadan Mubarak and a happy Eid. Summer is around the corner, and what better time than summer to take time off and reconnect with family and friends? Ditch the social media and encourage face-to-face interactions! Why? Check out the impact of social media on relationships in this issue. Get the best of your free time to boost your health and improve your nutrition. If you’re pregnant, we have some diet tips that’ll ensure better health for you and your baby. And if you’re nervous about having your first child? Well, we have some new-mom myths for you! And Dads, summer is a great time to reconnect with your children. If you have a rocky relationship with your son, go through our relationship section for advice on how to improve that father-son bond. And in this travel-filled season, If you’d like to tips on a destination for your family, our Travel section will have a brief overview about Beautiful Barcelona and the fun activities you and your family could do to have a memorable vacation. Enjoy your summer! And stay tuned for our next issue!

Hanna Touma Couture s/s 2015

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Crafted with inside-out perfection

Cat Walk

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• Hanna Touma Couture s/s 2015

Graff Halo collection

Featuring Spheres of Gemstones

Jewellery

• The Carissa Collection from Graff DOLCE & GABBANA Blue Majolica

The Right Hairstyles for Your Face Shape

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Fashion

• Yanina Couture cruise collection 2015/16

Editorial:

Hanan Ghazwani , Dima Aljogol

Accessories

DOLCE & GABBANA Blue Majolica Accessories

Design:

Samer El Masri Ravindranath Koonath Maria Carbungco Sales & Marketing

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Product

It’s time to revamp your beauty routine for summer.

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For contributions and advertisements please contact:

Tel: 4000 2156 (Editorial) / 4000 2155 (Sales) Email: bloom@qimqatar.com

Office address:

P.O. Box: 22345, Barwa Commercial Avenue, Safwa Block, Landmark 6, Abu Hamour, Doha, Qatar

Hair

• Why is my hair falling out?

29 Fitness

• Extreme Exercise May Trigger Blood Poisoning

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Little Style

• Dolce & Gabanna S/S 2015 Kids Collection

CAT WALK

Crafted with inside-out perfection

Hanna Touma Couture s/s 2015

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ebanese designer Hanna Touma unveiled his spring-summer 2015 collection. With its vivid colors, and bourgeon and baby flowers embroidery, the refined collection reflected the freshness of the spring season.

Touma played his winning card: seamless and elegant femininity. Touma, who has been in the couture field for the past 40 years, is a master of skillfully made combinations of muslin, organza and lace, delicately worked to fit women’s bodies with range and elegance.

The designs of the springsummer 2015 collection combine art and architecture

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in contemporary and stylish cuts, thanks to his daughter Shirine Touma’s background in architecture. She is also head of artistic department in Hanna Touma house of fashion.

The latest collection is made up of 30 dresses each having a unique identity and done in extreme finesse and glamour, with flower motifs embroidered or even encrusted using 3-D techniques.

Great attention has been paid to details and the manual work put in each and every garment. This fine attention to detail and finishing results in exquisitely striking, intricately yet elegantly decorated pieces.

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FASHION

Enjoy the finest materials This Eid With Yanina Couture cruise collection

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ussian couturier Yulia Yanina presents her new Cruise couture collection for 2015 in the fancy Savoy hotel in Moscow.

Yanina presented a collection of 58 looks, all inspired by the summer of the always gorgeous French Riviera, the Cote d’Azur from Monaco to Saint-Tropez.

Yanina’s cruise collection 2015 is all about the almost weightless and sometimes very sheer luxurious summer dresses, tunics and caftans. As always Yanina’s collection is made from the finest materials, decorated with hand embroidery and unique decorative elements.

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INNOVATION

Smart Bracelet Has Infinite Changeable Designs

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e have seen bracelets that can charge user’s smartphones and bracelets that can raise the alarm if the wearer feels endangered, and now a new smart bracelet called Tago Arc uses NFC and E Ink technology to enhance the original purpose of jewellery – to decorate and glamorize the wearer.

Tago Arc, from Hungarian tech company Liber8, has recently completed an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign, raising more than twice its USD 40,000 goal. Tago Arc is a cuff bracelet with an E ink surface, which syncs with the user’s smartphone to display any black and white design the wearer desires. Decorative designs can be purchased and downloaded from the tago arc app and creative sorts can even

create their own patterns, which they can use themselves and sell to other customers, earning 40 % of their retail price. Users simply select their desired design, place their smartphone on their bracelet and tap the transfer button on the app. The image will appear almost immediately.

Then, the wearer can flaunt the design for as long or short as they like, changing to suit their mood, outfit or occasion.

Monolithic glasses are 3D printed in 27 sizes for a perfect fit

Smartphone app can easily identify billions of pill types

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here is a seemingly endless range of eye-wear available to consumers. But this range of colors and styles doesn’t necessarily translate into real choice for the wearer. That’s because glasses are mass-produced, so very few pairs will fit any one face perfectly. To tackle that problem, a Hong Kong based architect called Edmond Wong has designed a line of 3D printed nylon spectacles — called Mono — that can be adapted to perfectly fit every wearer.

The glasses come in three frame sizes — small, medium and large — but crucially also have two further adaptable elements: the nose pad and the length of temple, also in small, medium and large. By offering these three options

as variables, Mono should theoretically fit any head and face shape. The frames are printed as a single piece, which reduces the chance of parts breaking or detaching, and lenses are made to order according to prescription.

Mono 3D printed eye-wear recently completed a successful Indiegogo campaign and the first frames are expected to reach backers in September. The spectacles come in five different styles and various frame colors. Could other eye-wear designs be 3D printed for a better fit?

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JEWELLERY

The Carissa Collection from Graff AN EXOTIC FLORAL COLLECTION INCORPORATING MAGNIFICENT GEMSTONES Throughout history, flowers have resonated with emotion and sentiment, acting as a source of great inspiration for some of the world’s most prolific artists.

Now, nature’s beauty in its most beguiling form is interpreted in Graff Diamond’s exquisite Carissa collection.

The Greek name for ‘beloved’, the Carissa is an exotic and distinctly delicate flower with five defined willowy petals bursting open with purpose. A delicate bloom that thrives in warm, sunny climates, the Carissa is inspired by the awardwinning gardens at Delaire Graff Estate in Stellenbosch, South Africa.

The Carissa collection incorporates the blossoming flora into a range of necklace, earring and bracelet designs, including a breathtaking necklace showcasing the motif cascading fluidly to a pear shape drop.

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HALO WATCH COLLECTION A VIBRANT WATCH COLLECTION FEATURING THE FINEST GEMSTONES

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n elegant complement to the jewellery collection of the same name, the Halo watch collection showcases beautiful clusters of the finest gemstones within a selection of innovative new designs.

Vivid domes of diamonds, sapphires, rubies or emeralds form opulent spheres of scintillation, creating a powerful impact and celebration of diamond and gemstone design.

The creation of a secret jewellery watch requires careful consideration to ensure a flawless ease of transformation from jewelled bracelet to watch with discrete settings and mechanisms. The gemstone set dome playfully and seamlessly slides to reveal the mother of pearl dial beneath.

Vibrant Collection Featuring Spheres Of Gemstones

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raff has unveiled the Halo collection showcasing a playful celebration of diamonds.

Graff has unveiled the Halo collection showcasing a playful celebration of diamonds. Drawing on the inherent beauty of a diamond the name of the collection references the central stone within each design being crowned and intensified by clusters of gemstones.

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ACCESSORIES

DOLCE & GABBANA Blue Majolica

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nspired by unique and intriguing traditional motif of the Mediterranean majolica ceramics, the newest arrivals of the luxury Italian fashion house come up with various lines of iconic essentials for the cold season.

A combination between fresh and luxury accent in blue & white, the Blue Majolica of Dolce & Gabbana Fall/Winter 2016 PreCollection brings several lines of designer accessories including elegant chic iconic Sicily handbags, classic shoppers, dauphine shoulder bags, enchanting purse and

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Iphone case to fabulous sling-back shoes, wedge sandals and silk foulard and other appealing leather goods as perfect companion to the fabulous tops, leggings, flared skirts, poplin or sheath dress and many other compelling pieces defined by refined chic yet cuttingedge design and signature details, a craftsmanship of the house mixed with the fascinating prints of exotic majolica ornaments.

DSQUARED2 CAPSULE Collection Purple & Black

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esigned with a new ease and sophistication, the Dsquared2 Purple & Black capsule collection of dresses swathe the body in feminine fits. The retro inspired silhouettes radiate old school glamor.

Dsquared2’s Purple & Black’s collection is teamed with a red satin stiletto sandal that seductively wraps up the foot and ankle. Petite bags crafted from precious skin and jumbo jeweled necklaces are opulent accents to the looks.

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Get Rid of Yellow Nails with These Simple Home Remedies

W About Your Makeup

Shocking Facts

BEAUTY

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hile yellowing nails aren’t the most attractive look, you’ll be happy to know there is an easy fix.

As any manicure maven could probably guess, the most common cause for yellowing nails is nail polish—dark colours especially. If a penchant for vampy shades has left your tips tainted and discoloured, dermatologist and nail specialist Dr. Dana Stern recommends a simple home remedy: “Combine three to four tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide and one-half cup of water and mix them well,” she tells InStyle. “Soak your nails in the solution for two minutes. Using a soft toothbrush, gently scrub your nails and then rinse them with water. Repeat two to three times a week as needed.”

Don’t have hydrogen peroxide on hand? Use whitening toothpaste that’s formulated with the ingredient instead. Apply a small coat to your nails and leave it on for 10 minutes, Stern suggests. After some mild scrubbing, wash the toothpaste off and follow up with soothing cuticle oil.

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e learn something new about cosmetics every day, be it makeup tips or new innovations that can cut down the time we take to get ready. But here are a few facts about makeup that you might not know—and could possibly make your hair stand on end.

scales may be found in your 1Fish makeup products Love the shimmery finish of your eyeshadow or blusher? Those pigments might have been made from fish scales.

Some brands use the scales of rainbowfish to create those shimmery pigments in your makeup, including lipstick.

beetles may be on your 2Crushed nails right now If you’re a fan of iridescent and metallic nail colours, you might have a part of female beetles on you.

PETA released a list, stating that a few brands use a pigment produced from crushed female beetles to create the shine on the nail polish.

Lipstick was 3witchcraft associated with In 1770, the British government imposed a law banning lipsticks as it was looked upon to be a seductive tool to lure men into marriages, a crime which was punishable as witchcraft.

was made popular by Coco 4Tanning Chanel Before the 1920s, porcelain skin was favoured—some women even went to the extent of allowing a leech to suck their blood to drain colour from their face. However, after Coco Chanel accidentally got sunburnt on a cruise (#truestory), the look sprung into popularity, kicking off a sunbathing trend as well.

hairless wasn’t always 5Being attractive Shaven, hairless pits weren’t always viewed as attractive or hygienic until 1915, when Harper’s Bazaar featured a model with hairless underarms in a sleeveless evening gown in one of the advertisements.

It sparked off a trend for shaving which in turn, lead to the popularity of waxing and laser removal in recent years.

6Leeches were used to colour hair

Before hair dyes were created, the women in ancient Rome had to resort to using those creepy crawlies (soaked in vinegar for two months) to colour their hair black.

Bless the person who created hair dye.

DECOR

Decorate With Antiques Without Turning Your Home Into A Museum

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any designers live by the principle of layering. But when it comes to adding antiques into the mix, it takes some skill. According to Rebecca Robertson, an interior designer and co-author of “Collected: Living with the Things You Love,” the secret to creating a design that feels collected and curated (rather than something that belongs in a museum) lies in these four styling tricks.

Group Objects by Color “This is one of my favorite tricks,” Robertson says. “Antiques instantly become unified and, unlike a museum, you don’t have to organize by geography or time period -- you make the rules.”

Stay Focused Museums have collections scattered throughout the entire space. In your home, concentrate your collections in a few areas so they feel like a special focal point.

Keep Them Close Why keep a collection out of reach on a pedestal? Instead, Robertson suggests putting your favorite collection on display on your coffee table. “That way it is always in view and makes for great conversation over cocktails.”

Mix Old And New Collections don’t need to be all antique, according to Robertson. Mixing old and new allows you to see the evolution of design within a specific world. For example, “An 18th century floral painting can look striking next to a contemporary Etsy artist’s creation,” she says.

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PRODUCT

It’s time to revamp your beauty routine for summer!

Yves Saint Laurent

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SL Fall 2015 Makeup Collection launches a new 5 colour eyeshadow palette which comes in a beautiful metallic white gold case dressed up in studs.

Another newness will be YSL Couture Brow Mascara and Couture Kajal

Clarins Pretty Day & Night Collection

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larins Pretty Day & Night Collection, is a time where the focus is more on the nudes and the bronze, the golden shimmers and the earthly tones, pieces that we undoubtedly already have or newly tossed because of the change in seasons.

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aybelline New York is, with the new Summer Collection!

Lancome Tresor Midnight Rose Elixir D’Orient 2015

MAC x Giambattista Valli Collection

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ashion designer Giambattista Valli brings his d effortless elegance an on ati ebr cel s ou uri lux a of the female form to stunning collection of timeless lipsticks.

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f the previous edition of Lancome Tresor Midnight Rose wrapped you in its magic then you’ll definitely have to check the new floral scent of Lancome Tresor Midnight Rose Elixir D’Orient. Tresor Midnight Rose Elixir D’Orient, inspired by Arabic perfumery. If the previous edition of Lancome Tresor Midnight Rose wrapped you in its magic then you’ll definitely have to check the new floral scent of Lancome Tresor Midnight Rose Elixir D’Orient.

Chanel Les Automnales Fall 2015 Makeup Collection Chanel Levres Scintillantes

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weet, beautiful Coco Chanel would have loved the look of the new makeup collection to be made available soon. The Chanel Les Automnales fall 2015 makeup collection seems to receive its inspiration from the blinding beauty of the sun’s rays, so bright and magical with the power to cast shadows as it transitions between the seasons, particularly summer and winter.

Chanel Le Vernis

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he collection brings three highly saturated nail lacquer hues for you to turn your fingertips into the jewels complementing your fall looks!

Chanel Illusion D’Ombre Velvet

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ore shadows appear with the Ombres, coming in 4 distinct colors.

Chanel Entrelacs Palette (Limited Edition)

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he Entrelacs palette includes golden white, light brown, chestnut, dark brown and beige with a creamy pearl texture, all pulled together in a pretty compact to make it easy to carry about.

Le Volume de Chanel Mascara

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Chanel Joues Contraste Blush

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new blush color is available within this line, a soft pink tint with a golden brown undertone that is so timelessly chic. Definitely a musthave color!

Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof Eyeliner

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here are intriguingly 4 different liner colors this time around, not something brands normally release all at once.

nstead of the traditional black mascara tint, go for the universally flattering brown color that will perfectly suit with your earth-toned makeup, also looking so natural and trendy.

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HAIR

Why is my hair falling out?

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t’s true that men are more likely to lose their hair than women, mostly due to male pattern baldness.

But thinning hair and hair loss are also common in women, and no less demoralizing.

Reasons can range from the simple and temporary, such as a vitamin deficiency, to the more complex, like an underlying health condition.

In many cases, there are ways to treat both male and female hair loss. It all depends on the cause. Here are some common and not-socommon reasons why you might be seeing less hair on your head.

Stress (Physical or Emotional) Any kind of physical trauma—surgery, a car accident, or a severe illness, even the flu—can cause temporary hair loss. This can trigger a type of hair loss called telogen effluvium.

Hair has a programmed life cycle: a growth phase, rest phase and shedding phase. “When you have a really stressful event, it can shock

the hair cycle, (pushing) more hair into the shedding phase,” explains Marc Glashofer, MD, a dermatologist in New York City. Hair loss often becomes noticeable three-to-six months after the trauma.

Emotional stress is less likely to cause hair loss than physical stress, but it can happen, for instance, in the case of divorce, after the death of a loved one, or while caring for an aging parent. More often, though, emotional stress won’t actually precipitate the hair loss. It will exacerbate a problem that’s already there, says Dr. Glashofer.

What to do: The good news is that hair will start growing back as your body recovers. Take steps to combat stress and anxiety, like getting more exercise, trying talk therapy, or getting more support if you need it.

Lack of protein

Pregnancy

Almost one in 10 women aged 20 through 49 suffers from anaemia due to an iron deficiency (the most common type of anaemia), which is an easily fixable cause of hair loss. You doctor will have to do a blood test to determine for sure if you have this type of anaemia.

What to do: A simple iron supplement should correct the problem. In addition to hair loss, other symptoms of anaemia include fatigue, headache, dizziness, pale skin, and cold hands and feet.

Pregnancy is one example of the type of physical stress that can cause hair loss (that and hormones). Pregnancy-related hair loss is seen more commonly after your baby has been delivered rather than actually during pregnancy. “Giving birth is pretty traumatic,” says Dr. Glashofer.

What to do: If you do experience hair loss, rest assured that your hair will grow back in a couple of months.

“It’s a normal thing and it will work its way out,” Dr. Glashofer says.

Too much vitamin A Overdoing vitamin A-containing supplements or medications can trigger hair loss, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. The Daily Value for vitamin A is 5,000 International Units (IU) per day for adults and kids over age 4; supplements can contain 2,500 to 10,000 IU. What to do: This is a reversible cause of hair loss and once the excess vitamin A is halted, hair should grow normally.

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If you don’t get enough protein in your diet, your body may ration protein by shutting down hair growth, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. This can happen about two to three months after a drop in protein intake, they say. Similarly, vitamin B deficiency may also cause hair loss.

What to do: simple supplementation and dietary changes can help the problem.

Eat healthier food such fish, meat, starchy vegetables, and non-citrus fruits. As always, eating a balanced diet plentiful in fruits and vegetables as well as lean protein and “good” fats such as avocado and nuts will be good for your hair and your overall health.

Anaemia

Dramatic weight loss Sudden weight loss is a form of physical trauma that can result in thinning hair. This could happen even if the weight loss is ultimately good for you. It’s possible that the weight loss itself is stressing your body or that not eating right can result in vitamin or mineral deficiencies. Loss of hair along with noticeable weight loss may also be a sign of an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia.

What to do: “Sudden weight loss seems to shock the system and you’ll have a six-month period of hair loss and then it corrects itself,” says Dr. Hammonds.

Overstyling Vigorous styling and hair treatments over the years can cause your hair to fall out. Examples of extreme styling include tight braids, hair weaves or corn rows as well as chemical relaxers to straighten your hair, hot-oil treatments or any kind of harsh chemical or high heat.

Because these practices can actually affect the hair root, your hair might not grow back.

What to do: In addition to avoiding these styles and treatments, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends using conditioner after every shampoo, letting your hair air dry, limiting the amount of time the curling iron comes in contact with your hair and using heat-driven products no more than once a week.

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Textured short or mid length hair

Why: Texture will balance out the harder jaw lines on a square shape. Short or midlength, both have the same effect, as long as the hair is subtly layered.

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Long, slightly layered hair with waved ends

Why: Long hair draws the attention to the hair’s end and away from any angular jaw lines.

To make the most of this look start waves around the ears so they fall over the jaw and neck area.

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Oval

Side fringe with medium to long hair

Why: The fringe breaks up the face’s length and can be done on both long and short hair styles, just as long as it is blended into the rest of the hair. Hard lines on an oval face can look too severe.

Blunt fringe with long hair

Why: A longer face is perfect for a blunt fringe as you don’t risk cutting the face off with the fringe line and making it appear too short. Instead it will create width and balance out the face.

Side part with layered waves

ce haped Fa

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Why: An oval shape can pull off Victoria’s Secret style waves as the extra bulk won’t make a difference on a longer, thinner face.

Centre-part with layers

Why: Opt for layers if you favour a centre part and have a round shape.

Ask for them to be cut starting around the base of the face. This draws the eye down to the bottom of the hair thus elongating the face. If doing waves, try not to add too much volume to the top of the hair as it will increase the face’s width.

Asymmetrical

Why: Whatever cut you opt for- short or long - get it cut so you can style it asymmetrically. This works to slim a rounder face, so start practicing a deeper side part.

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RELATIONSHIP

Tips to Solve

Father-Son

Relationship Conflict

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he struggles between fathers and sons are legendary. In the minds of some fathers, a son holds such promise, offering them an opportunity to relive an “improved” version of their own childhood.

Conversely, in the minds of some sons, being fathered means carrying the weight of responsibility to satisfy a father’s dreams and destinations. This makes for quite a combustible mixture; especially as the autonomy of middle and late adolescence kicks in, leaving dreams and destinations in the dust.

Generations might divide fathers and sons, but personalities slice through communication and relationships. Similar personality traits, such as tendencies to be selfcentred, judgmental or stubborn, can be the staging ground for verbal wars of attrition, wherein no one wins and the father-son bond is the casualty. To establish a more positive momentum one of the combatants must stop and see the bigger picture of what’s at stake.

The job of taking heed to consider future implications falls upon the adult.

Fathers, here are some ideas to reach one of your most critical destinations: a more positive and nurturing relationship with your child: Soften up the criticism so it sounds more like a suggestion and

feels less like an incision. Fathers shouldn’t be expected to always withhold their opinions but just to be more sensitive about sharing them.

Resist the urge to label behaviour, such as calling it selfish or idiotic, since such words leave a stinging imprint on the relationship. Take context and timing into consideration since the best feedback might be dismissed by the insensitivity displayed in delivery. Make it a habit of prefacing your comments by mentioning the positives before the negatives. And last but not least, take pains to avoid embarrassing your teenager or you will certainly live to regret it.

Balance debating with validating so you don’t always come across as the opinion adversary. Some fathers have a habit of often taking the opposing point of view when their adolescent’s express themselves. The goal may be to help kids consider alternate points of view or learn how to assert themselves but the result can make fathers look like verbal bullies.

Overlooked is the fact that teenagers still require praise and validation from parents. Just because they might be as tall as us doesn’t justify our relating to them as we might our adult friends when a point of contention is debated. Deep down there’s still an ego

GENERATIONS MIGHT DIVIDE FATHERS AND SONS, BUT PERSONALITIES SLICE THROUGH COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIPS.

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under construction, strengthened or weakened by the words that flow from mothers and fathers.

Find common ground topics and activities immune to judgments and criticisms. Positive, bonded relationships require plenty of time for mindless fun without editorial content.

Make sure you spend time together laughing at Adam Sandler movies, reminiscing about a favourite vacation, or doing something completely out of character for you but totally enjoyable for your kid. Turn off your “critical voice” during these times so that your teen can perceive you as a regular person who enjoys them and not someone assigned to critique them.

Keep an open mind to spousal feedback. Of the people most qualified to comment upon your fathering, your wife may well rank near the top. She sees you at your best and your worst and serves as a sounding board to your teen. This probably means that she has more knowledge of what’s wrong in your father-son relationship than you do, and what contributions are yours alone. She may also have some suggestions for how to build a more positive bond since she has faced the same challenge and probably learned a few things in the process.

Is Social Media

Ruining Relationships?

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uman beings yearn for connection and belonging. Numerous studies have linked social support to positive mental health. Additional studies have cited the negative emotional impact of loneliness. Research has further revealed people with fewer social relationships die earlier on average than those with more social relationships. Yet with the rise of social media, there are concerns many people appear to be substituting virtual, online connections for real-life, social relationships.

There is no question the internet is an enormously popular, convenient and immediately gratifying way to connect with others. Social media sites such as Facebook cite nearly one billion users worldwide. It certainly offers us an instant audience and attention. It allows us the luxury of easily keeping in touch. It can help combat feelings of loneliness. It allows us to keep tangible markers of times and places, archived for us, and available for all to see.

There is no question the internet has offered many a convenient way to locate, reconnect and rekindle relationships that otherwise may have been lost. But what precisely does “friending” individuals on sites such as Facebook offer in the form of emotional connection? Many question the superficiality of such “friendships,” which often leave one frustrated, lonely and struggling to connect on a deeper, more emotionally meaningful level. And there is concern that individuals might forego their real-life interactions in order to maintain online communication.

Many of those we “friend” on Facebook are also real-life friends. Should we be concerned about a trend toward developing online

network connections instead of nurturing face-to-face relationships? How influential are our online “friends” able to be if we do not maintain a real-life relationship with them?

As with anything, balance seems to be the key. Real-life relationships are unmatched for emotional and physical closeness.

Studies and personal experience reveal people tend to put their best foot forward while interacting on social media. Displays of emotional weakness, insecurity, or conflicts generally tend to be concealed or minimized on social networking sites. It is often difficult, if not impossible, on social media to reveal the qualities that define deep, intimate relationships. While our social media friends offer us a great deal, it is not a true substitute or even supplement for real-life interactions with others.

Social support can be a strong predictor of positive mental health. Emotional support has been shown to protect us from a wide array of both psychiatric and physical ailments. But unlike online friendships, reallife relationships take time and effort.

They help us learn about others and ultimately ourselves.

Online friendships, while certainly valuable in many ways, lack the ability to provide us with opportunities for deep and lasting emotional closeness. So accept and seek out your online friends, rekindle lost connections and revisit childhood friendships, as long as it is not at the expense of nurturing and deepening your real-life relationships.

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PARENTING

Expecting a Child?

Here Are Five New-Mom Myths For You

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very lifestyle magazine and hundreds of books perpetuate myths of motherhood that are guaranteed to make new moms feel anxious and inadequate. New moms wonder why they aren’t overjoyed about their newborn every minute of every day. Others worry that the things that have gone wrong will scar their kids for life and ruin any chance for them to be successful adults.

These five cultural new-mom myths are more likely to cause damage to the moms more than the well-intended moms are likely to damage their kids:

AS LONG AS YOU ARE WILLING TO ASK FOR HELP AND ADVICE WHEN CONFUSED, OVERWHELMED OR UNCERTAIN, YOU SHOULD BE FINE.

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Myth 1: You’ll Love Your

Baby Instantly Maybe.

Some mothers instantly fall in love as soon as their newborn is placed on their stomach. But here’s the reality: Every child, whether birthed to you or brought to you as a step, foster or adopted child goes through a process of “adoption.”

Some new moms are just too exhausted, too ill, too anxious or too scared to let themselves fall in love immediately. These mother-child relationships develop over days and weeks of getting to know one another.

As one mom said, “After a difficult birth, I could barely look at my son. I was hurting. He was hurting. I was exhausted. He didn’t look like the pretty babies on the diaper boxes because he had the weird cone-head that some babies have. I remember lapsing into an exhausted sleep, thinking I’d birthed a changeling or something. It wasn’t until we’d both had a few days to recover, that I took a new look and discovered that the changeling had changed into a son I love.”

Myth 2: You’ll Know

What Your Baby’s Cries Mean Good mothers know the difference between a cry for hunger, pain, gas, discomfort, sleepiness or general crankiness, right? Wrong. Some do.

Some don’t. Some babies communicate with different kinds of whimpers and cries. It doesn’t matter. What matters is that the grownups recognize that something is up and respond.

Myth 3: You Can Trust

“Mother Instincts” Not necessarily. Many of today’s moms rely on books, Google, TV, the paediatrician and, often, each other. As long as you are willing to ask for help and advice when confused, overwhelmed or uncertain, you should be fine.

Myth 4: Having a Baby

Will Bring You Closer to Your Partner.

Maybe. Some couples find new meaning and new appreciation for each other and their commitment when they add a child to the emotional mix. But such couples are already strong.

Either before or during the pregnancy, they made the decision to make a family together. They see themselves as a team and are ready to take on the additional challenge and joy of parenting.

Couples who are thrown together because of an unwanted pregnancy or who aren’t already firmly committed to being together are unlikely to get closer. Any issues that weren’t resolved pre-baby probably are still festering. And the stresses of sleep deprivation and scheduling life around a baby’s needs will bring all the problems, resentments, and issues to the surface.

Although there are certainly some very wrong ways to do it, there isn’t a clear right way to parent. Abuse and neglect are never okay and do have farreaching and often negative effects. There’s no excuse for hurting kids. Forget about perfection, because no one can be perfect. It’s enough to give children all the love we can, to try to be even-tempered and fair, and to set appropriate limits to keep them safe.

LITTLE STYLE

Guidline for Fashionable Moms

DOLCE & GABANNA S/S 2015 KIDS COLLECTION

D

olce & Gabanna presented its original collection for children. The brand extended with beautiful Spanish inspired kids collection for Spring Summer 2015.

Dolce & Gabbana for children evokes opulence and playfulness, combining rich, luxurious fabrics with elaborate and colourful prints From mini-me pieces, to casual kid’s fashions, Dolce & Gabbana gives kid’s wardrobes a luxurious makeover, all’Italiana.

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FINE LIVING

Surprising Sources of Indoor Air Pollution COOKING WITH NON-STICK COOKWARE MAY RELEASE TOXIC FUMES AT VERY HIGH TEMPERATURES.

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Kids and Chemicals in Your Home Air pollution may be worse inside your home than out. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), for example, are gases released by many household products. They may cause problems like headaches, nausea, and irritated eyes and throat. Indoor air pollution may be especially harmful to kids, who breathe faster than adults, inhaling more air. It particularly can affect babies, who are near the ground where heavy contaminants hang in the air.

Carpets Can Emit Chemicals Many people complain of headaches, rashes, and eye and throat irritation when carpet is installed. New carpeting, padding, and adhesive give off potentially harmful gases. Choose lowVOC carpet and ask that it be unrolled and aired out several days beforehand. Stay out of your house during installation and keep it well-ventilated for days afterward. For kids with allergies and asthma, consider other flooring options.

Paint and Indoor Air Pollution Paints and paint strippers can emit harmful gases. To minimize health risks, choose low-VOC paint and keep the windows open while painting and for several days while paint dries. Try not to store paint cans because gases can leak, even from sealed containers. If you must store paint, keep it in a well-ventilated area, away from the main living areas of your home.

Chemicals From Craft Supplies When your kids want to get crafty, head outside for better ventilation. Depending upon

the product and the length of exposure, fumes from markers, glues, and other art supplies may cause headaches and eye, nose, and throat irritation. Overcooking polymer clays can release toxic chemicals into the air. Even some “nontoxic� markers may contain solvents that are dangerous when inhaled.

Cleaning Product Health Problems The chemicals found in some household cleaners can be toxic if inhaled or touched, causing rashes and irritating the respiratory tract. This is particularly true for people prone to skin or breathing problems. Some products may aggravate allergies. Those that contain ammonia and chlorine may be especially irritating to children with asthma. Try cleaning with hot water, baking soda, microfiber cloths, and less-toxic cleaning products.

Dry-Cleaned Clothes and Health The next time you pick up your clothes from the cleaners, take a whiff. Dry cleaning most often uses perchloroethylene, a chemical that has been found to cause cancer in animals. When you bring freshly dry-cleaned clothes into your home, your family may be inhaling this potentially harmful chemical. Air dry-cleaned clothes in the garage for several days before wearing them or wash clothes by hand or in a washing machine.

Stove Problems and Air Pollution Improperly installed or vented gas stoves can release harmful gases into your home. At low levels, carbon monoxide can cause fatigue. Higher concentrations can cause nausea, headaches, confusion, and even death. Nitrogen dioxide can cause respiratory problems -- especially in children. Make sure burners are adjusted correctly so that flame tips are always blue. Vent the stove with a fan that blows outside.

Health Concerns With Air Fresheners Air fresheners may cause breathing difficulties and headaches for some people. In a study, nearly one-third of people with asthma said they had breathing problems when exposed to air fresheners. Tests by the Natural Resources Defense Council found that some air fresheners contain phthalates, a chemical linked to child developmental and hormonal issues. Instead, use natural herbs like rosemary, basil, or mint and good ventilation to freshen air.

How to Treat 8 Common Injuries at Home 4You burned yourself

Hold the injured skin under tepid water.

Then dab on antibiotic cream and bandage loosely.

Warning: Ice may actually slow healing by reducing blood flow.

Seek help if the burn is larger than 2 centimeters or extends around a joint; the skin is broken or blackened or blisters immediately.

scraped your arm on a rusty 5You bench Clean the cut with soap and warm water.

If you can’t recall when you last had a tetanus shot (or it’s been more than a decade), head to a clinic.

Warning: Skip hydrogen peroxide. It may do more damage to the skin.

Seek help if your arm grows warm or turns red.

6You have heat exhaustion

Q

uick-what’s the best way to treat a burn? Or a sliced finger? Or a bad blow to the head?

The immediate steps you take in an emergency—whether you’re miles deep in the wilderness or just a few blocks from a hospital—can be crucial. “If you’re not prepared, you’ll feel stressed, and stress leads to poor decisions,” says Reggie Bennett, founder of the Mountain Shepherd Wilderness Survival School in Catawba, Va. But that doesn’t mean you need to scour a medical text. Just focus now on learning what’s most important. Here’s our guide to treating 8 common injuries.

1You tripped and rolled your ankle

Wear a compression wrap for the first three days. For a few hours a day, prop your ankle above your heart and ice it for 20 minutes in 40-minute intervals.

Warning: Rest is key. Hobble around and you risk further injuring a ligament.

Seek help if walking is excruciating or your ankle is purple or puffy.

got clobbered in the head by a 2You softball Ice the area and watch for signs of a concussion: headache, blurry vision, irritability, memory issues, sleepiness and sensitivity to light and noise.

Warning: Don’t “shake it off.” You’re not out of the woods for a few hours.

Seek help if you vomit, pass out or just feel too dizzy to walk.

3You sliced your hand open

Grab a clean towel and press hard on the wound for 5 to 10 minutes with your hand elevated. When the bleeding stops, hold your hand under running water. Then apply an antibiotic ointment or cream and a bandage.

Warning: Don’t peek! If you release pressure in the first five minutes, you should restart the clock.

Seek help if the bleeding doesn’t stop, the wound is gaping or it’s more than 1/2 inch long or spans a joint.

Have a headache, dizziness and nausea?

Jump into a cool shower, or get in front of a fan or AC and hydrate.

Warning: Heat exhaustion can escalate to life-threatening heat stroke.

Seek help if you faint, feel too nauseous to drink, stop sweating or develop a fever or rapid pulse.

wiped out and your nose is 7You bleeding Tilt your head forward, pinch your nostrils and hold for 10 to 20 minutes.

Warning: Tipping your head back will get you a throatful of blood. Seek help if it doesn’t stop after 20 minutes.

8You got stung by a bee or wasp

Scrape away the stinger with a credit card and clean the area with soap and water.

Dull the pain with ice and an NSAID. Warning: Wasps can sting more than once, so get out of there!

Seek help if you have trouble breathing or your tongue or throat swells.

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A P Healthy Body Equals a Often Healthy Brain

HEALTH

eople who want to stay sharp as they age often turn to brain teasers, puzzles and games, figuring correctly that they’ll lose it if they don’t use it.

But a healthy body is also key to maintaining a healthy brain, and that’s something many people tend to overlook, experts say.

“We’re just now starting to get people to recognize that eating right and exercising and maintaining your health can play into the graceful aging of your brain,” said Dr. Mary Ann Bauman, an Oklahoma City physician and chair of the American Stroke Association advisory committee.

Healthy living tips make up more than half of the “10 Ways to Love Your Brain” recently released by the Alzheimer’s Association, as part of June’s Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month.

An estimated 47 million people worldwide are living with dementia in 2015, and this number is projected to triple by 2050, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

“There’s no one specific thing that if you do this, you will reduce your risk,” Snyder said. “It’s really a balance of these top 10 ways to love your brain. By doing all these things in balance, you’re going to age as healthfully as you can.”

Maintaining the health of your heart and your circulatory system appears to be a key factor in protecting your mental capabilities, Bauman said.

Researchers now believe that micro-strokes -- tiny decreases in blood flow to the brain -- can add up and, over time, cause a person to suffer a loss of their faculties, she said.

By keeping the brain both healthy and active, a person can preserve what’s called their “brain reserve” -- the ability of the brain to weather various insults, including aging, said Dr. Norman Relkin, a neurologist at Cornell University’s Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City and a board member of the American Federation of Aging Research.

“The more brain reserve a person brings to the table, the older they can get without showing signs and symptoms of memory loss,” Relkin said.

The Alzheimer’s Association tip sheet urges everyone to: • Engage in regular physical activity. A number of studies have linked exercise to reduced risk of brain decline.

• Quit smoking. Smoking increases risk of brain decline, and quitting can reduce a smoker’s risk down to levels comparable to people who have never smoked.

• Treat conditions that can affect heart health. Chronic problems like obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes take a toll on your brain as well as your heart.

• Get enough sleep. Studies have linked sleeplessness with problems in memory and thinking.

• Maintain your mental health. Depression, anxiety and stress can speed a person’s brain aging, if they are left untreated. “We know that stress hormones, when produced in excess, causes the brain to shrink more rapidly,” Relkin said.

• Protect your head. Brain injuries as mild as a concussion can increase risk of brain decline and dementia. Wear a seat belt, use a helmet when on a bike or playing contact sports, and try to avoid falling down.

• Eat a healthy low-fat diet that’s rich in fruits and vegetables. A good diet can help address nearly all chronic illnesses, and therefore will ultimately help your brain, Relkin said. “Diet clearly impacts not only our risk of developing cognitive [brain] disturbances, but also affects our longevity,” he said. “I think we’re going to see more and more in terms of dietary interventions that are going to impact the aging process.”

The remaining tips offered by the Alzheimer’s Association focus on keeping your brain busy and active, which also can help by forcing the brain to preserve and build up its neural connections, Relkin said. These brain-centered tips from the Alzheimer’s Association include: • Keep learning. Continuing education can help reduce risk of brain decline and dementia.

• Remain social. People who have an active social life have been shown to have more active and healthy brains.

• Challenge your brain. Do something that requires thought, whether that is solving a puzzle, creating a piece of art, building something for your home, or playing a game that forces you to think strategically.

“All these pieces of advice seem to bear out in the reduction of the development of dementia,” Relkin said. “We have a lot of knowledge about ways to prevent the deterioration of the brain due to aging, and they all appear to be beneficial in terms of preserving the health of the brain.”

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NUTRITION

Changes

to Make While

Pregnant Y

ou’re pregnant. Congratulations…and don’t panic! If healthy eating hasn’t been a habit, don’t worry. Now is the perfect time to make a change you (and your family) will benefit from for decades.

And because the first trimester is one of the most important periods of your baby’s development, now really means now.

But it doesn’t have to be hard or overwhelming. Here are some simple diet changes that will help make pregnancy a happy and healthy time for both of you!

Focus on Folic Acid Folic acid is a powerhouse nutrient in pregnancy that has been proven to dramatically reduce the risk of serious birth defects and helps with the normal development of all the cells in the body.

Women who are at greater risk for birth defects, for instance those taking anti-seizure medications, will need a prescription for a prenatal with a higher amount of folic acid, says Carl P. Weiner, MD, professor and chair of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Kansas School for Medicine in Kansas City.

Fortify with Folate The same folic acid that prenatal vitamins are filled with also comes in foods rich in folate.

The B vitamin occurs naturally in many foods including lentils, pinto and black beans, edamame, spinach, asparagus, citrus fruits and juices.

Other foods are fortified with folate to increase the levels women eat and reduce their chance of having a baby with a birth defect. Enriched choices include cereals; bread, pasta, and flour (look for the word “enriched” or “fortified” on the label).

Eat Your Iron If you eat meat, it’s easy. There are 3.5 milligrams in 6 ounces of sirloin steak and 2 milligrams in a 6-ounce chicken breast. Eggs are another terrific source for meat eaters and vegetarians. But there are also plenty of vegetables filled with iron such as spinach, Swiss chard, beans, lentils, and apricots.

The only catch for vegetarians and vegans is that the body does not absorb the iron from vegetables and fruits as easily as that from animal products, so you need to help your body make the most of it.

Keep it colourful Pregnant women should be getting extra antioxidants, because we are always under free radical assault. Antioxidants can be found in many fruits and vegetables, particularly those with bright colours. So work to add as many colours as you can to your diet each day. Your goal should be 5 to 9 daily servings.

Keep up your calcium Calcium is an important nutrient for women throughout their lives, but during pregnancy their babies (who depend on calcium to develop strong

skeleton and healthy teeth buds) take what they need from you. So make sure you are getting 1,000 milligrams daily.

Great choices include skim milk (300 mg per cup), plain yogurt (400mg per cup), cheese (200mg per ounce), fortified orange juice (350 mg per cup), and tofu (200 to 420 mg in 4 ounces).

Steer clear of listeria This diet change is admittedly annoying, because it takes away some folks’ favourite food choices—from soft cheeses to hot dogs.

But, here’s the problem: Unpasteurized foods, soft cheeses, processed meats, and even some fruits and vegetables (if they are not properly washed) can carry a type of bacteria called listeria. In a non-pregnant, healthy individual, the bacteria don’t usually do that much damage.

But in pregnancy the illness they cause— listeriosis—can lead to miscarriage, preterm delivery, low birthweight, and even stillbirth.

If you simply must have that turkey sandwich, heat the deli meat until steaming, which will kill off the bacteria. And it’s important to thoroughly wash all fruits and vegetables before eating them raw.

Drink water “Staying hydrated is huge,” says LargemanRoth. “It prevents constipation and it can prevent preterm contractions.”

The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women drink 10 cups (2.4 liters) of water daily, which Largeman-Roth admits can be a struggle. “And if you find you’re getting really bored with just water, add lemon, cucumber, or herbs such as mint or basil to make it more appetizing. Teas, juices, and even fruits and vegetables can also help you get to your goal.

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FITNESS

Even Light Activitiy Can Boost Seniors’ Health

R

egular light exercise can be as good for seniors as moderate or vigorous exercise, according to a new study.

Moderate-intensity physical activity has been shown to be good for your health. But, this study suggests that seniors should also be encouraged to engage in lower-intensity activity whenever they can, study lead author Paul Loprinzi, an assistant professor of exercise science and health promotion at the University of Mississippi, suggested in a news release from Oregon State University.

Loprinzi was at Oregon State University at the time of the study.

“For example, instead of talking on the phone in a seated position, walking while talking will help increase our overall physical activity level,” he added.

For the study, researchers reviewed information from a U.S. national survey done between 2003 and 2006. They found that high amounts of low-intensity workouts provided significant benefits for people older than 65.

Light activity includes things such as walking, slow dancing, household chores and leisurely sports such as table tennis. Seniors

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who did 300 minutes or more per week of light activity were 18 percent healthier than seniors who didn’t. They also had less body fat and smaller waists than their less active peers.

The researchers also found that the people getting 300 or more minutes of light activity also had better insulin levels, and a lower risk for chronic disease.

The study was published in the American Journal of Health Promotion.

There are 168 hours in a week, the study’s co-author Brad Cardinal, a professor at Oregon State University, pointed out in the university news release. That means 300 minutes is about 3 percent of that time, he noted.

“You get a nice array of health benefits by doing five hours of light physical activity per week,” Cardinal said.

Light exercise tends to be more appealing to seniors and typically does not require a doctor’s approval, Cardinal added.

LIGHT EXERCISE TENDS TO BE MORE APPEALING TO SENIORS AND TYPICALLY DOES NOT REQUIRE A DOCTOR’S APPROVAL, CARDINAL ADDED.

Extreme Exercise May Trigger Blood Poisoning E

xtreme Exercise May Trigger Blood Poisoning

Extreme exercise may trigger blood poisoning in people who haven’t trained properly, a new study suggests.

Researchers in Australia looked at athletes who took part in extreme endurance events.

Examples of such events include 24-hour ultra-marathons and multi-stage ultramarathons run on consecutive days.

The investigators found this type of exertion can cause intestinal bacteria to leak into the bloodstream. This can potentially lead to blood poisoning, they said.

Blood samples were taken before and after the events, and compared with a control group. The researchers said these samples proved that “exercise over a prolonged period of time causes the gut wall to change, allowing the naturally present bacteria, known as endotoxins, in the gut to leak into the bloodstream.”

Once those bacteria are in the bloodstream, the immune system responds, causing inflammation throughout the body. It’s a reaction similar to what happens during a serious infection episode, the researchers explained.

“Nearly all of the participants in our study had blood markers identical to patients admitted to hospital with sepsis. That’s because the bacterial endotoxins that leach into the blood as a result of extreme exercise, triggers the body’s immune cells into action,” research team leader Ricardo Costa, of the department of nutrition

and dietetics at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, said in a university news release.

If not immediately diagnosed and treated, a bloodstream infection can be fatal, the study authors said.

But these findings don’t mean people need to sit out these extreme events. The researchers also found that fit and healthy athletes who follow a steady training program to gradually prepare for extreme endurance events develop immune mechanisms to counter this threat.

“The body has the ability to adapt and put a brake on negative immune responses triggered by extreme endurance events. But if you haven’t done the training and you’re unfit -these are the people who can get into trouble,” Costa said in the news release.

The findings were published recently in two journals. One study was in the International Journal of Sports Medicine. The other was in Exercise Immunology Reviews.

Anything over four hours of exercise, or consecutive days of endurance exercise, is considered extreme, Costa said.

“Exercising in this way is no longer unusual -- waiting lists for marathons, Ironman triathlon events and ultramarathons are the norm and they’re growing in popularity,” he said in the news release.

Costa advised anyone who signs up for such an event to get a health check first. Then, he said, build a slow and steady training program.

DON’T JUST TRY TO RUN A MARATHON A MONTH AFTER SIGNING UP.

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Bursting With Spring Sweetness

CUISINE

There’s no better way to celebrate the return of warm weather than by making a fresh, fruity, seasonal dessert. When it’s your turn to host a cookout or outdoor bash, try one of these delectable cakes .Can’t get enough sweet seasonal fruits?

Neither can we!

Which is why we also have loads of recipes for fruity summer treats, like this collection of fruity upsidedown cakes

Irish Apple Cake with Custard Sauce Ingredients 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 Tbsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp of each ground ginger, nutmeg & allspice • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold, diced into small pieces • 1 cup + 2 Tbsp granulated sugar, divided • 1 1/2 lbs granny smith apples (about 5 medium) • 3/4 cup milk • 2 large eggs • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon Custard Sauce • 1 1/2 cups whole milk • 1 pinch salt • 6 large egg yolks • 1/2 cup granulated sugar • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions • For the cake: Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan, set aside.

• • • •

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• In a very large mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, nutmeg and allspice for 20 seconds. Add butter pieces and rub into mixture using fingertips until it resembles fine crumbs. Stir in 1 cup sugar.

• Peel apples, slice in half, core and stem, then laying apples on flat side, slice downward into pieces slightly less than 1/4-inch thick, then dice those pieces into smaller chunks.

Add apples to flour mixture and toss well to evenly coat, while working to separate any apples that may be stuck together.

• In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together milk, eggs and vanilla until well combined.

Pour milk mixture over apple/flour mixture and using clean hands, toss just until combined (batter will be slightly lumpy but that’s fine, just don’t over-mix).

• Pour batter into prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. In a small bowl stir together remaining 2 Tbsp sugar plus 1/2 tsp cinnamon, sprinkle evenly over cake. Bake in preheated oven 45 - 50 minutes until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool about 5 minutes on a wire rack then remove ring from springform pan and allow cake to

cool to desired temperature. Serve warm drizzled with warm custard sauce (or cool with cold custard sauce, however you prefer).

For the custard sauce: • Heat milk with a pinch of salt over medium heat, and bring just to a light boil (keep an eye on it and remove from burner if needed before letting it rapidly boil). Meanwhile, add egg yolks and sugar to a medium mixing bowl and whisk vigorously until pale and fluffy, about 2 - 3 minutes. Reduce burner to medium-low heat, then while whisking egg yolk mixture, slowly pour in 1/2 cup hot milk mixture. Then, while whisking milk in saucepan slowly pour egg yolk mixture into saucepan. Cook mixture, whisking constantly, until thickened and mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 3 - 4 minutes (be careful not to over-heat it, if you cook it too long or don’t whisk well the eggs will curdle). Immediately pour into a glass container, stir in vanilla and whisk about 20 seconds to cool slightly, then cover with plastic wrap pressing against surface to prevent a skin from forming.

Peanut butter cake Cakes 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 cup butter 3 tablespoons peanut butter 2 teaspoons PB2 (powdered peanut butter) (optional) 6 tablespoons milk 1 large egg 1/3 cup buttermilk 1 scant teaspoon vanilla .

Peanut butter filling: 4 cups powdered sugar 1 1/3 cups creamy peanut butter 5 teaspoons butter, melted 1/4 cup heavy cream.

Chocolate icing: 1/2 cups butter, softened 1 cup cocoa powder 4 to 5 cups powdered sugar (based on your preferred sweetness) 1/2 cup whipping cream (or milk) 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder.

Garnish: 3/4 of a bag of mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, roughly chopped into halves and quarters.

Directions For the Chocolate Cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Butter two 8-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla.

With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With the mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Peanut butter cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8-inch round cake pan.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and soda.

In a saucepan, heat the butter, peanut butter and milk until the butter has

melted and mixture is hot. Stir the hot mixture into the flour mixture until blended.

Whisk together the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Slowly beat into the first mixture until smooth and well blended.

Pour into the prepared baking pan.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (Check it at about 25 minutes to avoid over-baking.), or until a cake tester or wooden pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Peanut butter filling layer: Mix together the powdered sugar, peanut butter and melted butter in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. The mixture will be crumbly. Add cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture becomes a consistent, workable dough. It should not be crumbly or stick to your fingers.

The mixture should hold together easily when a small amount is squeezed tight in the palm of your hand.

Divide the dough into two even portions. Spray two 8-inch spring-form pans with cooking spray or line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper.

(See notes above.) Press peanut butter dough into the bottom of the pans evenly, forming the peanut butter layers.

Place in the freezer until frozen, about six hours.

Chocolate frosting: Add cocoa to a large bowl or bowl of stand mixer. Whisk through to remove any lumps.

Cream together butter and cocoa powder until well combined.

Add powdered sugar and milk to the cocoa mixture by adding 1 cup of powdered sugar followed by about a tablespoon of cream. After each addition has been combined, turn the mixer onto a high speed for about a minute. Repeat until all sugar and cream have been added.

Add vanilla extract and espresso powder and combine well.

If frosting appears too dry, add more cream, a tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the right consistency. If it appears too wet and does not hold its form, add more confectioner’s sugar, a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency.

Banana Split Cake Roll Ingredients • 5 egg whites • 3 egg yolks • Nonstick cooking spray • 1/2 cup sifted cake flour • 1 teaspoon baking powder • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 1 teaspoon vanilla-butter-nut flavoring or 2 teaspoons vanilla • 1/2 cup sugar* • 1 1/2 cups fat-free milk • 1 4-serving-size package fat-free sugar-free reduced-calorie vanilla instant pudding mix • 1 cup frozen sugar-free whipped dessert topping, thawed • 2 bananas • 1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries • 2 tablespoons sugar-free chocolate-flavor syrup Directions 1.

For cake, place egg whites in a large bowl and egg yolks in a medium bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, coat a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Coat parchment paper with cooking spray; set aside. In a small bowl stir together cake flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

2.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add flavoring to egg yolks; beat with an electric mixer on high speed about 5 minutes or until thick and lemon colored.

Gradually beat in 1/4 cup of the sugar, beating on high speed until sugar is almost dissolved. Sprinkle flour mixture over egg yolk mixture; gently fold in just until combined. Thoroughly wash beaters. Beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually beat in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Fold 1/2 cup of the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk mixture to lighten. Fold in the remaining egg whites. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.

3.

Bake about 12 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Immediately loosen edges of cake from pan; turn cake out onto a clean dish towel.

Remove parchment paper. Starting from a short side, roll towel and cake into a spiral. Cool on a wire rack.

4.

For filling, in a medium bowl whisk together milk and pudding mix just until thickened. Fold in whipped topping. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

5.

Unroll cooled cake; remove towel. Spread filling to within 1 inch of edges. Thinly slice one of the bananas over the filling. Roll up cake. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours. To serve, thinly slice the remaining banana. Top cake roll with sliced banana and sliced strawberries. Drizzle with chocolate syrup.

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TRAVEL

Magic Fountains

Ready to Pack Your Bags This Summer?

Head to Barcelona for a Memorable Family Trip!

F

inding fun activities for children to do during vacations can be challenging sometimes. Especially they’re dragged with mommy and daddy to museums and adult concerts. If you’re travelling this summer along with your kids for a fun family vacation, Barcelona is the right choice for you! Whilst enjoying the great culture and artistic nature of the city, here are 8 family attractions you could enjoy along with your children:

Magic Fountains The Font Màgica is an unmissable musical show featuring water fountains and coloured lights that make a wonderful after-dark treat for children.

Situated between Plaza Espanya and the Palau Nacional (home to the MNAC gallery), the fountains were created in 1929 for the World Exhibition and are a popular attraction in Barcelona.

The shows run every 30 minutes with 15 minute breaks with times varying according to the time of year. You can watch the show from various points, on the steps of the MNAC gallery or in the various areas around the fountains. If you want a close up view on a windy day, prepare to get a little wet!

ium

Barcelona Aquar

Considered the largest of its kind in Europe and offering an impressive range of marine life, the Barcelona Aquarium is a great choice for a family day out.

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The Aquarium organises workshops for kids that are free with admission and run at different times throughout the day. You need to sign up for these on the day of your visit.

• Meet the Sharks In this activity for ages 6 years and over, discover some fascinating and little-known facts about sharks.

• Penguins in Dinner Jackets Did you know that penguins are birds that have adapted to marine life and that not all penguins live on the ice? Kids of 4 years and over can learn about some of the better-known species of penguins and visit the Humboldt penguins and talk to their keepers.

FC Barcelona p Museum andurCam Nou To Take a tour of the legendary Barcelona Football Club with the Camp Nou Experience.

The New Camp stadium can hold over 98,000 spectators.

The Camp Nou Experience takes you around all key areas of the stadium, the president’s box, the changing rooms and gives you the opportunity to take an adrenalincharged walk through the player’s tunnel and onto the pitch. Your tour also includes a visit to the multimedia centre and museum exhibiting 100 years of FC Barcelona club history as well as a whole host of memorabilia and sporting material. Tours are taken at your own pace via auto-guide which is available in several languages. You can stop by the offical

FC Botiga shop here for club souvenirs or alternatively head to one of the FC Barcelona official stores in town.

Zoo Barcelona Spend a day at the Barcelona Zoo, home to more than 4,000 animals from 400 different species along with dolphin shows, a petting farm and children’s workshops.

13 Hectares of the main city park - Parc de La Ciutadella - are dedicated to the city’s zoo. The zoo is a great way to spend the day with a selection of picnic areas and a fantastic wooden rope and play park for kids. As well as the petting zoo, pony rides are also on offer.

On Saturdays and during school holidays, children can also take part in one of the many zoo workshops. One way to take advantage of the zoo and its activities throughout the year is family membership to the Zoo Club.

The zoo offers them the chance to learn about the lives of zoo animals, how dolphins are trained and also meet the zoo vet. Families can also take part in a special visit during which you will get to know the sealions and dolphins and find out what goes on behind the scenes at the zoo.

Basilica Sagrada Familia audí

by Antonio G La Sagrada Familia is one of Gaudí’s most famous works in Barcelona. It’s a giant Basilica that has been under construction since 1882 (that’s not a typing error) and it’s not expected

Tibidabo Amusement Park

Montjuïc Castle

Montjuïc Castle to be completed for some time yet. This Basilica is one of the top tourists attractions in Barcelona!

The Sagrada Familia is a Catholic Basilica consecrated by the Pope in 2010. There are magnificent views from the top. At the museum you can see models, photographs and plans as well as model-makers themselves at work, restoring and reproducing from Gaudi’s originals. When the church is finished it will have 18 towers: 12 dedicated to the apostles, 4 to the evangelists, 1 to Jesus and another to Mary. This is a unique and world-famous place which you should not leave Barcelona without taking some time to visit.

Tibidabo Amusement Park The backdrop to Barcelona’s skyline, the hill of Tibidabo is the location of one of the city’s main attractions, the Tibidabo funfair and amusement park.

The amusement park is designed for older and younger children with attractions that include a pirate area, a castle and a variety of old-fashioned and modern rides and plenty to keep them happy. Tibidabo is also home to the Sacred Heart Church which you can see perched on the hill-top from all around the city. It is well worth the uphill journey if you are looking for an unbeatable view of the beautiful city of Barcelona.

Take a cable-car ride for some great views of Barcelona and the chance to explore the city’s castle. Enjoy a barbecue lunch and some woodland playtime.

The castle is an interesting place for kids to explore and also home to the Museum of Comics and Illustration. You can access the Castle via bus or cable car from the Montjuic Funicular station (linked with Metro Parallel).

There is a cafeteria serving hot food in the main patio.

Outdoor cinema is also shown on a large screen in the grassy moat area on warm summer evenings.

There is also a picnic area here, grass and shade. Just down from the castle’s drawbridge entrance is a children’s playground with cafeteria which features 2 super-long slides that will thrill the kids as they sweep down the slope from a unique vantage point over the city.

Sagrada Familia Basilica by Antonio Gaudí

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Bubbleparc in Barcelona Located in the Plaça de l’Odissea of the Maremagnum shopping centre, this attraction has 2,500 square metres of outdoor space dedicated to children’s activities. As well as reverse bungee, kids can float on water in a giant bubble. Open throughout the summer holiday time, the Bubbleparc also features electric Acuaboats which can be navigated by children as young as 1 years of age. You can relax on a deckchair at the artificial beach and enjoy a freshly mixed drink from the juice bar.

Source: kidsinbarcelona.com

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ADVICE

How to Relinquish Unrealistic Expectations

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ccording to Miranda Morris, Ph.D, a clinical psychologist in Bethesda, MD said, “having unrealistic expectations is part of the human experience.” But this doesn’t mean unrealistic expectations are healthy, quite the opposite. They can chip away at our relationships, shut down our goals and even steer our lives in an unhealthy direction.

Examples and Signs of Unrealistic Expectations Snow shared this example: You hold the unrealistic expectation “I should be perfect in school.” Inevitably, since this is impossible, you fail. You conclude that you’re stupid and incompetent. You feel depressed about what this means for your entire life. And you avoid applying to grad school.

Or you hold the unrealistic expectation “If my marriage were good then it would be easy,” or you’re heavy on ‘shoulds’, for instance: “My spouse should know how I’m feeling without my needing to tell him or her (This is actually a common and erroneous assumption.) When you experience problems, you assume your relationship is hopeless and avoid working on your issues or seeking professional help.

As a result, your relationship continues to deteriorate and maybe even ends, when in fact “relationships are actually difficult and require effort, thoughtfulness and compromise even when they are going well,” Snow said.

For starters, we believe it’s helpful to set high standards for ourselves, Snow said.

We think these expectations motivate and inspire us to accomplish our aspirations, she added.

How to Relinquish Unrealistic Expectations

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Catch Your Unrealistic Expectations with Curiosity Morris suggested getting to know your expectations. Keep a list of every unrealistic expectation you have this week.

Don’t beat yourself up when you catch one.

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You might simply observe, “I’m really hard on myself when I make mistakes,” this translates into the unrealistic expectation that you can’t make any mistakes, she said.

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Use the Double-Standard Technique According to Snow, this technique involves imagining what you’d say to a close friend or family member who holds the same idea or belief. She teaches this strategy to her clients. For instance, Snow’s client says she made a mistake at work. She believes this makes her a terrible employee. When asked what she’d say to a loved one, she said: “Everybody makes mistakes sometimes. It is part of being human and not a machine.”

Then she tells herself something similar.

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Reflect on the Effects of Your Expectations Both Snow and Morris stressed the importance of considering whether an expectation is helpful. For instance, you might consider, “Does [the expectation] help me be who I want to be? [Does it help me] go where I want to go?”…etc.

According to Snow, clients often realize that unrealistic expectations don’t motivate them to strive, like they thought they did, she said. They also “realize that these unreasonable rules they have created often lead them to avoid participating in challenges at all, because they believe they have such limited likelihood of success based on repeated perception of failures.”

If the expectation is working against you, see if you can release your grip a little, Morris said.

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Practice Compassion.

When you’re asking yourself to give something up or loosen your hold on unhealthy beliefs, it’s helpful to have a replacement, Morris said. She suggested compassion — both with yourself and others. This includes “patience, openness and gentleness.”

For instance, if your spouse disappoints you, acknowledge the disappointment and sadness you feel. If it’s something that needs

to be addressed, Morris said, then you can communicate that your feelings were hurt.

“When you speak with compassion and understanding, people are much more apt to hear you.”

Instead of telling yourself, “I can’t believe I messed up my presentation,” you can acknowledge your feelings and get curious about what didn’t work, what did and how you’ll improve next time.

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Allow for Flexibility Being flexible “starts with us being sensitive to changing circumstances,” Morris said. For instance, instead of telling your husband, “You said you’d clean the kitchen. We had a deal!” you say, “It looks like you didn’t get to clean the kitchen. Could you work on it? Need my help?” You communicate your needs, and give him the opportunity to listen and make a choice about responding to them.

Unrealistic expectations are unhelpful expectations. Even though it’s hard, work on relinquishing them. And remember that you can create new rules and beliefs that actually inspire, support and serve both you and your relationships.