Health and Beauty: 11/24/17

Friday, 24 November 2017

Forbes highest paid models: Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid & Ashley Graham

Forbes No. 1 - Kendall Jenner

Bagging $22 million a year, Kendall Jenner is the highest paid model of 2017 for the first time in 15 years.

Besides walking the ramp for some of the top brands and being an ambassador for Estée Lauder and La Perla, she is also best known for her reality show 'Keeping Up With The Kardashians'.

Jenner had breakout seasons in 2014 and 2015, walking the runways for high fashion designers during the New York, Milan, and Paris Fashion Weeks (Twitter)

Forbes No. 10 - Ashley Graham

Ashley Graham became the first plus-size woman to make the annual Forbes list of top-earning models, ranked in 10th place with an estimated income of $5.5 million.

Graham has spoken at high schools about body image and body acceptance. She has participated in humanitarian missions in South Africa with the Themba Foundation. Graham is a proponent of the Health at Every Size movement.

She has appeared on the cover of fashion magazines such as Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Glamour, and Elle. (Twitter)

Forbes No. 2 - Gisele Bundchen

Earning $17.7 million a year, the Brazilian model has been on the front cover of more than 1,200 magazines and was the highest paid actress from 2002 to 2016.

Bundchen has also been successful in her acting career, playing a supporting role in Taxi (2004), for which she was nominated at the Teen Choice Awards for Choice Movie Breakout Performance, and for Choice Movie Bad Guy.

Bundchen had a supporting role in The Devil Wears Prada (2006), and from 2010 to 2011, she was the executive producer of an educational environmental cartoon, Gisele & the Green Team.

Bundchen is married to New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. (Others)

Forbes No. 3 - Chrissy Teigen

The famous author and host Chrissy Teigen bags $13.3 million, all thanks to her cookbook and campaigns for the hair care company Tresemme and cosmetic brand BECCA.

She made her debut in the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 2010 and, alongside Nina Agdal and Lily Aldridge, appeared on the cover in 2014.

Teigen is married to singer John Legend and are now expecting their second child. (Twitter)

Forbes No. 5 - Gigi Hadid

Hadid made $9.5m this year thanks to several catwalk appearances at New York, Milan and Paris fashion weeks for Missoni, Balmain, Isabel Marant and Moschino.

The 22-year-old also launched her own make-up collection with Maybelline and collaborated with Tommy Hilfiger and Stuart Weitzman on fashion and shoe lines.

She was signed to IMG Models in 2013. In November 2014, Hadid made her debut in the Top 50 Models ranking at Models.com. In 2016, she was named International Model of the Year by the British Fashion Council. (AFP)

Why Sleeping On Your Left Side Is Good For Your Health

There's no disputing the importance of adequate sleep and aside from workaholics, who regard sleep more as an interruption to productivity, everyone loves the comforting feeling of curling up beneath the sheets.

However, experts suggest that it's not just how much sleep you get that makes a difference to your health, but also your sleeping position.

Apparently, sleeping on your left side is great for your health and it also ensures better quality sleep.

Sleeping On Your Left Side Has Positive Effects On Your Health

Here are 6 reasons why you should sleep on your left side:

Better Bowel Movements

This benefit can be explained by gravity, as it allows for the easy passage of food through the digestive tract. The stomach and pancreas also hang naturally, as the stomach is situated towards the left side of the body.

Needless to say, if you sleep on your left side, you are more likely to have good bowel movements when you wake up. Of course, this does not mean that you can overeat or go to bed soon after eating your dinner!

2. Improved Cardiac Health

Women are often advised to sleep on the left side during pregnancy, as this is believed to improve cardiovascular circulation. This benefit is accessible to anyone, not just pregnant women, as the sleeping posture is also said to relieve pressure on the heart.

3. Pregnancy Symptom Relief

Sleeping on your left side during pregnancy also relieves various uncomfortable pregnancy symptoms, such as backaches and muscle pains.

This is because the posture reduces pressure on your back and liver, while enhancing blood flow to the kidneys and fetus.

4. Heartburn Relief

Individuals who suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or heartburn can benefit from sleeping on the left side, as it reduces the likelihood of regurgitation and food escaping up the esophageal tract.

This benefit can again be attributed to the location of the stomach towards the left side of the body. The relief is almost immediate, so make sure to try it out for at least ten minutes, the next time you feel heartburn coming on.

5. Relieves Chronic Back Pain

It is believed that sleeping on the left side reduces pressure on the spine and this can help reduce back pain, while it also ensures better sleep because of the reduced discomfort.

6. Enhances Lymphatic Function

According to ancient Ayurveda, the left side of the body is the dominant lymphatic side. This is why Ayurvedic practitioners believe that sleeping on the left side improves filtration of lymphatic fluid and wastes, while sleeping on the right side impedes this process.

Keep in mind that not all of these health benefits are backed by scientific studies. While you should certainly try sleeping on your left side, listen to your body and find a posture in which you are comfortable. If you have trouble getting quality sleep, you should also consider using other natural methods to improve sleep.

Should You Have Curd During Winters?

HIGHLIGHTS

Winters are here and we can't be more excited
Introducing seasonal foods into your daily meal plans is important
Curd often makes to the list of 'to-avoid' foods in winter season

Winters are here and we can't be more excited. As we leave behind sweltering temperatures, it is crucial to adapt to the dipping temperature and safeguard yourselves with appropriate foods, this is easily done by tweaking your eating habits and introducing seasonal fruits and veggies into your daily meal plans. A summer favourite that we find hard to give up in winters is Curd. It is commonly believed that curd should be avoided during winters as it can lead to a sore throat. Is that true? We know that curd is super-nutritious; it's packed with a staggering amount of good bacteria and is a storehouse of vitamins, potassium, calcium, magnesium and protein. Then how does it make it to the list of 'to-avoid' foods come winter season? We set out to find the truth behind the myth and here's what we got.

Ayurveda Suggests You Should Avoid Curd

Ayurvedic expert Ashutosh Gautam says, "Curd should be avoided in winters as it increases secretions from the glands, thereby increasing the mucus secretion too which would impact the overall health of the body. Curd is Kapha-Kar in nature, the excess mucus building can make it difficult for people who are already suffering from respiratory infections, asthma, cold and cough (in winters), by causing swelling. Hence it is advised to avoid curds in winters and especially during the night."

Science has a different approach

Macrobiotic Nutritionist and Health Practitioner Shilpa Arora says, "Curd is fermented and is a great immunity booster. It is also rich in vitamin B12, calcium and phosphorous. It is great for boosting gut bacteria that is linked to healing the body from the very root. Having curd during the day in winters is ideal to boost health. Curd could be avoided after 5:00 p.m. in the evening as it creates mucus or ama especially in people prone to asthma and allergies. "

Bangalore based Nutritionist Dr. Anju Sood had a slightly different view and said it is only the outside temperature of the food that makes the difference, "It is absolutely fine to have curd in winters. It is fermented and is loaded with Vitamin C which is excellent for treatment of cold and cough. Only advice I give to my clients is that you consume the curd as soon as it is set and don't refrigerate it."

So should you ditch your favourite bowl of curd completely ? Perhaps not entirely. If you happen to be dealing with respiratory ailments like cough and cold it would be advisable to limit your curd intake. Curd enjoyed during lunchtime is a safer bet as opposed to when consumed later in the day.

Why you should never drink coffee on an empty stomach

Coffee is the first thing a lot of us have in the morning. After, some toast, maybe bacon and eggs.

A hot cup of java is a great thing. Enlivening, remedial and delicious, why wouldn't you start the day with the beverage?

There are issues, however, with drinking coffee on an empty stomach. It can have a negative impact on the digestive system, prompting the production of acid, sometimes excessively so, which can damage the stomach lining. It can also lead to heartburn and indigestion.

Drinking coffee on an empty stomach can have other adverse effects. It can, according Dr Adam Simon, "give you jitters, shakes, and other withdrawal effects, including mood changes".

It can also increase symptoms of anxiety, as well as boost your heart rate, irritability, and inability to focus.

Oh, and apparently sipping on a steaming cup of coffee also sabotages your circadian rhythm. In simple terms, your internal clock releases a hormone called cortisol when you wake up; cortisol is the thing that makes you feel alert and energised. So yes, there's the beginnings of 'addiction' – or reliance.

Research suggests that coffee decreases your cortisol levels, reports. For some, the drink may even make youfeel sleepier.

All this doesn't apply to everyone. Lots of people drink coffee first thing and feel fine. But there are a lot of people who suffer, even only moderately.

Dietitian Leslie Langevin, MS, RD, CD, recommends pairing your caffeine fix with food, even if it's just a light bite.

Benefits of Sleeping with Socks On!

In winter season, people often wear socks for whole day to protect their feet. It can be prove beneficial for you. Wearing socks at the sleep helps to remove dirt and bacteria from the feet. It also keeps infection at bay. Check out other benefits of wearing socks for long time in winters:

Check how milk bath is beneficial for you?

Many people faces lot of sweating in the legs.

This condition is called as hyperhidrosis. If you are troubled by the problem of excessive sweating in feet, then you should sleep wearing socks whole night.

Many people witness problem of dryness in their feet. Massage your feet with oil before sleeping and after that wear socks. You will see a change!

Steam Therapy is beneficial for skin, check out how?

There is a problem with people that their legs remain cold and doesn't get warm. So, those people must wear socks while sleeping. It will keep their feet warm. Moreover, the problem of cracked feet will get reduced.

Reasons why orgasms are life savers

If you heard it once, you will hear it for many more years to come—orgasms are good for your health. In fact, they can even save your life. No exaggeration. Science can't be wrong now, can it?

Back off cervical infections
Author Joann Ellison Rodgers describes in her book, Sex: A Natural History, how the process of 'tenting' or opening of the cervix when a woman orgasms helps flush out unfriendly organisms from the vagina—you know, the ones that create chaos and disorders down there. And your vagina is lubricated at the same time too!

Live a long life and prosper!
Need a way to abate those fears you have about dying young? Just masturbate regularly. Studies have reported that regular orgasms make women live up to eight years longer than those who don't have it on a regular basis. Go, get busy!

Protector of your heart
Didn't we tell you that orgasms are lifesavers? Research conducted in Israel found that women who orgasm more often had fewer chances of developing a heart disease than those who didn't. And the lowering of the blood pressure when you go, 'O!' also helps prevent heart attacks. Thank you, orgasm.

Aids fertility
Endometriosis is a uterus tissue lining disorder that causes chronic pelvic pain (especially during menstruation) and could even cause infertility. Work up an orgasm during your periods and you will be 1.5 times less likely to suffer from this painful condition, or so says a recent study. And really, why would you disagree?

Resist pain with pleasure
Throw those painkillers out right now! Okay, don't ditch them in the bin, but the next time you feel a headache creeping up your nerves, slip your hand down, and stimulate your G-spot. According to Dr Beverly Whipple who made this fantastic anatomical discovery, a G-spot stimulated orgasm will increase your pain threshold by 107 per cent. And they are said to drive away migraines too! Do try it out and let us know, will you?

Kills depression
The reduction in life expectancy of a person suffering from depression is between 7 to 11 years. But if you are having plenty of those big Os, you don't need to worry about any of that. When you orgasm, you release happiness hormones like endorphins, serotonin, and prolactin that up your mood, relieve stress and prevent you from slipping into depression.

Makes the immune system stronger
Tired of being laid low by frequent infections? Perhaps you are just not orgasming enough. Studies have found that having sex a couple of times a week ups your levels of Immumnogobulin A or IgA, an antibody that is present in saliva and your nasal linings, thereby protecting you from colds and other nasty diseases.

Staves off breast cancer
Frequent sex has been shown to reduce the incidence of prostate cancer in men, but the good news is that it has an effect on breast cancer as well. A 1989 study of 146 French women found that those who did not have a sexual partner or had sex less than once a month had a higher risk of breast cancer.

Makes you look younger
Hormones like adrenaline, dopamine, and norepinephrine that are released during sex keep you looking youthful and delay ageing. In fact a Scottish study found that sex at least four times a week makes you look a decade younger than soneone who doesn't. Sex also makes you release growth hormones that counteract the effect of free radicals, pollutions and other environmental factors.

Relieves stress
Stress leads to a host of lifestyle diseases like diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure that lower your life expectancy significantly. A good way to beat stress is to orgasm more frequently. According to research, regular sexual release leads to cell growth in the hippocampus—the part of the brain that regulates stress and makes makes your BP less reactive to stress.

Gets you more sleep
If you are not getting enough sleep at night, you could be prone to diseases like obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Deal with your insomnia by indulging on some self love before bed. Masturbating will make you release oxytocin, endorphins, and prolactin that will sedate you and send you off to the land of nod.

Your Lip Colour Says A Lot About Your Health

You know that your eyes can tell a lot about you and so does your lip colour. The lip colour tends to tell how healthy you are.

Ever seen people with brown lips? It is generally due to smoking. The redness fades away gradually when you smoke and many other problems can start occurring later on.

Your lip colour can tell what might be going on inside your body.

If you want to figure out what is going on inside your body, you just need to find out the colour of your lips.

So, to make things easier for you, we have listed what your lip colour says about your health. Read further to find out.

Bright Red:

Red colour is good, but when the red colour is too strong, then it indicates that your liver and spleen are not working well. You might also crave for food a lot and it can also lead to bad breath.

Purple Or Green Tint:

When it is winter, it is common that people get this shade due to excessive cold. But if the shade stays longer post winter, then you must visit a doctor for a check-up. This can also indicate that you might be having a heart problem or respiratory diseases.

Rosy Pink:

If your lips are rosy pink in colour, then it indicates that you're perfectly healthy.

Dark Red To Black:

This is mostly due to smoking. But if you're a non-smoker, then it means your digestive system is overworked and does not function properly. To improve your digestive system, you need to have food items that are rich in fibre and also keep drinking lots of warm water.

Dark Red Or Purple Line:

This might be because your body might not be in the right balance and might sometimes be cold or hot. You can get rid of this colour, if you avoid spicy foods or processed ones and have neutral foods like rice, carrot, almonds, fish, etc.

7 side effects of aloe vera juice that you should be aware of

Quick Bites

Aloe vera juice can cause diarrhoea if taken in large amounts.
It may even inhibit the absorption of some drugs in the body.
Drinking aloe vera juice can imgult in allergic reactions.

Clear gel from the pulp of the meaty leaves of aloe vera has been used topically for thousands of years to treat wounds, skin infections, burns, and numerous other dermatological conditions. Dried latex from the inner lining of the leaf has traditionally been used as an oral laxative.

While aloe vera is a safe plant, it can have some side-effects of drinking if consumed without being adequately processed after being extracted from the latex. These side-effects of aloe vera juice can lead to major health risks.

Diarrhoea

The laxative pimgent in aloe vera can cause diarrhoea if taken in large amounts. Some people drink the juice before having their meals to help the digestive system absorb nutrients and breakdown the foods. While limited amount may help stimulate bowel movements or reduce constipation, an overdose of it can cause diarrhoea and cramping.

Reaction to medicines

If you are undergoing medical treatment for an ailment or taking pimgcription drugs, the side-effects of drinking aloe vera juice can hit you harder. It may react with your medicines and the laxative pimgent in the juice can inhibit absorption of some drugs in the body. Not just medicines, aloe vera juice does not go well with fenugreek or garlic. Low blood sugar and potassium levels in the body are some side-effects of drinking aloe vera juice with these herbs or drugs.

Allergy

If you allergic to plants from the Liliaceae family (like onions, garlic, tulips, lilies etc), you are more likely to develop allergic reactions to aloe vera juice whether it is taken orally or topically. This side-effect of aloe vera juice in the form of allergic reaction can cause skin rash, chest pain, difficult breathing, swollen skin and hives. If you want to ward off such side-effects of drinking aloe vera juice, perform a simple patch test on your skin before directly applying the gel to your skin.

Miscarriage

Women who are pregnant are strongly advised against drinking aloe vera juice for its powerful laxative properties which can lead to miscarriage and birth defects. The side-effects of aloe vera juice affect lactating mothers too because it may get passed on to the child through the milk and cause diarrhoea in the latter. Also, children below 12 years of age are advised against drinking aloe vera juice.

Gastrointestinal issues

Drinking aloe vera juice can aggravate irritable bowel syndrome and gastrointestinal problems in people who have them. Side-effects of drinking aloe vera juice don’t end here. The high amount of laxatives pimgent in unprocessed juice can also cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalance in the body. A change in your urine colour to pink or red can also be a side-effect of aloe vera juice.

Heart diseases

Aloe vera juice can cause your body to produce excessive amounts of adrenaline which can be harmful for people who suffer from heart problems. It lowers the potassium levels in the body, causing irregular heartbeats, weakness and soft muscles. It is therefore, not recommended for children and elderly people.

Blood sugar

Drinking aloe vera juice can lower blood sugar levels in your body. If you are taking any medications to regulate blood sugar or diabetes, you should not consume aloe vera. People who regularly take medications such as insulin may experience blood sugar imbalances as well, so they need to be very cautious about side-effects of drinking aloe vera juice. Prolonged use of aloe vera juice can increase the risk of constipation. An overdose can also cause blood to build-up in the pelvis, leading to kidney damage. It is best not to drink aloe vera juice unless under medical supervision