 |
| Menu
|
 |
Special
Offers
|
A
new religion for hair... |
|
|
|
| CAROL'S
COLUMN | | |
 | OVER
PROCESSED? |  |
Weight
gain isn't a problem in the developing world, where there's restricted food availability,
says Dr Jane Varey a senior lecturer in nutrition. Nor is there an abundance of
processed food.
Not so in the UK, where not only is there no food shortage,
but we grab food that can be eaten on the run. 'Convenience foods tend to have
a lot of hidden fats and sugars' Dr Varey says, which of course can pile on the
weight.
Unfortunately, although your health may pay the price later,
junk food is often the most convenient and cheapest form of 'filling a gap'.
It really takes a conscious effort and determination to switch eating habits but
we reckon that if you try it for a month you'll see the benefits. If you're short
on time then invest in a 'quick-cook-time' recipe book. I found mine invaluable
and actually, I quite enjoyed shelling peas and peeling vegetables more than I
did unwrapping burgers! |
|
| WINTERS
APPROACH |  |
As winter approaches this is the right time to get our immune systems into shape.
Many of us wait until a cough or flu overtakes us before dashing down to the chemist
hoping for a miracle cure! By far the best way to avoid winter ailments is to
boost your resistance now. Although we think of fruit and veg as a 'summer thing'
they are invaluable at this time of year for their vitamin C content. And now
is just the right time to start supplementing your diet with echinacea. Echinacea
has long since been established as a really useful supplement for fighting off
infections and shortening the severity and duration of winter coughs and colds.
It is recommended that it is taken on a non-continuous basis for best effect eg
a week on, week off or even month on, month off rota, so now is the perfect time
to start. Many people finds it helps with skin problems too both taken as a supplement
or topical application via cream (try Liz Earles range) and remember, buying the
most expensive supplements doesn't always mean you're getting the best - look
for strengths as many 'own brands' contain the same strength and quality as the
more recognised names.
|
| Views
& tips from your side of the counter........
Curl
Power! Yes
I know! Hair is smooth, sleek, shiny and very definitely straight at the moment
and anyone who's anyone wouldn't be seen dead or
dying | |
without their trusty ceramic straighteners. Buts it's no use. Girls with curls,
like me, have to fly in the face of fashion every now and then and go 'au natural'.
That means letting the curls run wild and do their own thing for a change. Well,
not necessarily. You see if I let my curls do their own thing they have a tendency
to split up and go their own separate ways. Some take off northwards, adding inches
to my height but generating odd looks from colleagues, and some point blank refuse
to do anything other than stick out at right angles from above my ears. Only a
very few decide to play nice and hang down in ringlet formation down my back.
So from time to time I have to take away their rights to free expression and show
them who's boss. | Naturally
curly hair has a tendency to be dry, coarse and frizzy. Thankfully modern styling
products can define curls and leave hair more sleek and shiny than before. |
It takes time to find products which suit your particular hair and what you want
to achieve. Admittedly with 'difficult' hair, like mine, it's easy to find a product
that suits and stick to it. But advances are being made all the time so it pays
to experiment occasionally. I think the basis of good hair care, whatever your
type is a suitable shampoo and conditioner. Dry curly hair thrives on rich, creamy
products so go for opaque products rather than clear and invest in some 'special
treat' products to help out in a crisis. Whilst its not always true that the best
product is the most expensive product, hair with special needs benefits from using
good quality ingredients - cheap detergent products will only make the hair even
frizzier. Salon formulas are more expensive than high street products, but worth
it if they get the job done.
 | Myself,
I can never get away without using a hair serum after washing. I hardly ever blow-dry
my hair, buts it's baby-fine and incredibly flyaway so without serum, even air-drying
causes frizz.
Air-drying is usually |
considered best for curly hair as it allows the hair to dry more slowly, retaining
valuable moisture as long as possible. I find it does take longer to dry with
a serum added but definitely worth it - curls retain their shape and definition
and the added weight means the curls lie down more uniformly. If you need to dry
in a hurry, always use a diffuser and the lowest heat and power setting.
I also find it useful to have several 'tried and tested' rescue styles. For years
I stressed out every morning trying to force my hair into a style that I wanted
only to find my hair wanted something quite different. These days I've come to
a compromise. On good days hair will do just what you want it to, but on days
when it won't. Revert to your 'tried and tested'. I have an 'updo' style that
I can do in minutes that actually looks like I've sat with the tongs for hours
and for particularly bad days I have a brilliant scrunchie-cum-comb thingy that
saves the day in 30 seconds. So I you don't want to spend all your time straightening,
choose a versatile style that doesn't require everyday styling to look good, invest
in some good products and save any elaborate, time-consuming styles for weekends.
| Copyright
© 2002 ukhairdressers.com. All rights reserved
|
 |
