BMP Tip 4 | 5 easy ways to look 10 years older

Matchy Matchy Makeup

Matching your makeup to your clothing is too predictable, leave that for the younger folks.

More sophisticated makeup looks work better for us Grown folk.

Work with a palette that incorporates variations of natural hues and opt for sophisticated glam.

Makeup doesn’t have to be fluorescent and glittery to make a statement.

 

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BMP Tip 3 | 5 easy ways to look 10 years older

Wearing foundation in the wrong undertone.

Take the time to figure out what the undertone of your skin is. Typically medium to darker skins have a yellow undertone and fair skins have a pink undertone. However, this may not hold true for everyone as Mediterranean skin can have an olive undertone.

Your skin undertone will establish the colour foundation that you should wear, as well as the hues of coloured cosmetics that will work effortlessly well for you – eyeshadows, cheek colour, as well as lip colour – sticks, glosses or stains as well as other things like clothing and hair colour.

Knowing your skin undertone, and choosing the right hues to compliment it, is a guaranteed way of looking your best self even on your worst day; regardless of whatever else is going on, your skin will always glow and your eyes will always sparkle because of the colour that surrounds them.

This also holds true for wearing too thick a layer of the right colour or wearing too much concealer on dark circles. Holy Concealer Batman!

For all my tanning and bronzing fiends, this also falls in this category. No-one is naturally orange. And as exciting as you’d like everyone to believe your life is, no-one’s gonna believe your fake bronzed look in the middle of the holiday season. There is a huge difference between naturally warming up the skin with cosmetics and artificial tanning. 

Work with the skin colour you were given. Keep it at a hundred and let your true self shine. If you wish to use the tanning creams to give you a hint of colour then do so, but lets not go overboard.

If you use a tanning bed, please stop. It’s not smart, you will only damage your skin.

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Grown Man’s Swag | Denim

 

Denim is the Western society’s go-to casual look, but with the ridiculous amount of variations out there, it is pretty easy to mess this look up. We also grow out of denim looks, so you run the risk of sabotaging yourself if you do not see to updating your denim to match your Grown ‘n Sexy State of Mind. 

We know things are rough money-wise, so no you don’t have to throw out your entire wardrobe. However, when next you decide to purchase a pair, here are some things to keep in mind.

1. Colour

The most flattering colours of denim are medium to dark shades.

 

Full black denim can be harsh 

 

Do: Straight Jeans

You are better off wearing a trouser, if you are going for a dressy look, or black denim with shades of grey, not white, for a worn in look. ‘Light’ black shades can look washed out; In this case a better option would be a dark grey instead.

Just remember, lighter colours make an area look fuller so unless you have a few pounds to spare on your bottom half, stick to darker, more muted colours.

Faded jeans are super casual and are the least slimming.

The fewer distressing details denim has, the more dressy the look is.
That said, denim itself is a casual look and should not be used to replace a trouser, and no matter how dressy you think the look is, denim should be avoided for Casual Friday work wear.

Gentle distressing details give denim a warm, comfortable look and can indicate that you are a man who is approachable and easy going yet put together. 

Strike a happy medium by going with gentle distressed details. Whiskers are for cats, so keep this look minimum – nothing that is more than a couple shades lighter than the bulk of the denim colour, works well. 

Dress dark denim down with short-sleeved, light-weight shirts or button ups, and dress up with a blazer.

2. Cut   

Straight styles/ DO

Denim should be fitted well.

The fabric itself is already bulky so do find your size. Fit. Fit. Fit.
‘Fit’ doesn’t mean tight by the way. By fit I mean, find your correct size. Denim stretches, and so choosing to wear denim even a size bigger than your natural size, can make you look sloppy.

At the same time, don’t choose something so tight that you cut your nature. It looks uncomfortable, and surely it must be. It’s a trendy look that some guys can definitely pull off, I will not lie, but Grown people wouldn’t take you or what you have to say seriously so avoid this look in professional or networking settings.

Straight cut styles are the most flattering.
Bootcut styles are not, unless you are wearing platform heeled shoes, as they would make you look shorter and curvier than you are. Unless these are the looks that you are going for, stay away. 

 

Super Skinny DON'T

Flare, baggy, and wide legged male styles should just be outlawed already, right along with the high-rise, male versions of ‘mom jeans’. They don’t flatter anyone, unless one is trying to make a comedic statement.

Unless you’re in entertainment, super skinny jeans on males is not a good look. And unless you have hips, never wear female jeans. Jeans, like sneakers, are constructed differently for males and females for specific, anatomical reasons. 

 

 

3. Style

Faded don't

Regardless of colour, distressed denim is the most casual denim look. 
Denim that is both distressed and faded is then both causal and trendy. Although there are situations where this denim combo can work, it should be left for the younger guys, guys who are just a little Grown.

No disrespect at all is meant here, by ‘little Grown’ I’m referring to guys in their their late twenties to early thirties, who can still get away with this look and not appear to be forcing the youth point. The further away you are from this age group, the more you should want to give the impression that you have your affairs in order.

Grown faded do

Try a fully faded look rather than partial fading
When choosing jeans in lighter shades, opt for ones without extra fading, and with no distressing, to bring a casual yet grown look. Pairing these types of jeans with lightweight, short-sleeved shirts or classic button up tees can help you balance the line between casual yet Grown swag. Pair with a sports jacket to achieve a dressier look, but remember that light coloured jeans will always be most casual.

 

4. Length

Male jeans should be long enough to have just about one or two crinkle folds in it when shoes are worn, see any of the above dos. If it falls fully flat by your feet when you stand then it’s too short; any more wrinkles and it’s too long.

Get your jeans tailored if necessary. As denim shrinks when laundered, ensure that you carry it to the tailor after laundering. If they originally came with a hem, you can request that the original hem be used.

Dressy short do

Please, no denim capris. 

It’s a very unflattering look as they cut you off abruptly and make you look shorter than you ought to be. If you wish to wear shorts, opt for Grown male, flat-front khakis instead, that cut at, or just below the knee.  Leave above the knee for boarder shorts. 

The colour is your personal choice, it’s the length, and cut that’s most important. The lighter the colour, or more patterned the fabric, the more casual it is.

Casual short do

Avoid flashy back pockets.

Reserve the bling for understated jewelry like watches, perhaps a statement belt buckle (no rhinestone designs please), and your winning white-toothed smile.

The bulkier your frame. the less voluminous your pockets should be also, i.e. pocket flaps and expanded cargo-like pocket styles and what not. The more distracting details on the shorts the more casual it appears.

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5. No denim shirts. Period.

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It’s amazing how much the sofistication ante ups when you keep it simple. 

Ladies feel free to weigh in on your pet peeves for men’s denim, guys feel free to agree to disagree.

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Champagne Taste and Mauby Pocket.

Hmmm.

As Divas, we sometimes have to deal with more than our fair share of the nasty.

We’ve all met them:

- The Super who is a bit too friendly when he comes to fix the leak in the kitchen

- The Bouncer at the nightclub who thinks that he can get some of your lovely because he mans the door of the hotspot, or

- The Smarmy landlord who “subtly” offers to subsidize your rent for a night out on his town.

We have all been through it, and it sucks big time. Coupled with the feelings of revulsion, you wonder if maybe, just maybe, you somehow, somewhere along the way, managed to show this scumbag that you were able to be bought.

Well, Sweet Honey Chile’, don’t blame yourself; It’s nothing you said or did.  The onus falls on Mr. Little Blue (Pill).

Rest assured that if he offered to give you an extension on your lease in exchange for your lovely presence on his arm in public, (its ok to cringe), and you declined this, oh so generous offer, it is he that should feel like Eau de POOP, not you.

We should feel good about the fact that we were not in the least turned on by the fatness of his wallet, (or his engorged beer belly, for that matter), but rather would choose to be impressed by valour, honour and compassion for one’s fellow man, not to mention the unquestionable ability to get it up without the use of a prescription drug or a magnifying glass.

So what if he thinks that he is worthy to even stand on the platform of your exotic love train, much less buy a ticket and be allowed to board, all because he has a lot of cheddar? Somebody is in total denial and it ain’t you Sister!

Its not your fault that he suddenly got the “Mauby Pocket Syndrome” (a common syndrome among the beta males roaming the planet). We ought to feel flattered that he realized this, and that he tried to sweeten the pot with something that he thought you didn’t have.

And so this paltry token of appreciation has been laid at our feet. What the firetruck do we do now?

Withhold the the urge to slap the teeth out of his lecherous mouth. Instead dig deep to find your most believable ‘Ditzy’ moment and start giggling helplessly. Do this for about 3 minutes, just enough time for Mr. Tiny Blue (Pill)  to start feeling seriously uncomfortable.

Then do something that will throw him off course, and mess with him a bit. Things that come immediately to mind are :

- Search in your bag for a pen, and decline vehemently when he offers one.

- Take out your phone and call your grandmother and ask her if she is up for a date with a really swell guy (insert “Face Drop” here), or

- Start calling for your dog, Patches.

By the time you are finished doing something totally insane, sober up suddenly and make Direct Eye Contact (DEC) with the old Smarm. Smile brightly and politely decline his offer.

Don’t give the bastard any help by just standing there. Pack up shop and walk away, shut your car door, roll up your windows and when you get to where you are going, give yourself some time to recoup and collect your self.

A good pat on the on the back for leaving with your dignity in tact, and you’re ready to take on the world.

Remember self love is something we cannot do without. Never lose sight of the bigger picture.

Love yourself. There isn’t enough money to wash away the stink of losing your dignity.

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Forward ever!

P.S.:
Mauby Pocket Syndrome - a term derived from a local Trinidadian saying which states that a person has “Champagne taste and Mauby pocket”.

This means that he or she has very expensive tastes but no way of affording it.

Champagne, as we know, is associated fine (and expensive) drinking, whereas Mauby, although a tremendously delightful drink made of bark, spices and cane sugar, is priced so affordably, at even the least fortunate among us can enjoy it.

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The Goddess Treatment
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The Goddess Treatment

Women often lose sight of their Goddess status on this planet. It’s a cycle that should have been broken hundreds of years ago, but somehow we find ourselves sucked right into the trap, and our daughters are following right behind.

Everyday I hear from women who are told, verbally or other wise, that they will never be good enough. It’s difficult to get this out of your psyche after you believe it long enough. 

We should in fact be our biggest champions, because we cannot expect males to understand something that they’ve never experienced. If some change isn’t made soon, our daughters may never have the kind of relationships that I have been fortunate enough to have with my girlfriends.

Enter the Goddess treatment.
The Oxford dictionary states that a Goddess is a female deity; a woman who has divine status, quality or nature; One who is adored, especially for her beauty.

In some cultures Goddesses are commonly associated with the Earth, motherhood, love, and the household. In other cultures, goddesses may also be associated with functions such as war, death, and destruction as well as healing.

Either way Goddess are powerful and mean business.

In our society, Goddesses are shown everywhere, from art to fashion, yet as girls we are told that we must be seen and not heard.

The Mona Lisa one of the most famous works of Art. The woman shown isn’t the western culture’s definition of what is ‘beautiful’, but her regal and knowing look that holds our attention.

What is she thinking about?

Who is she knowingly smiling at?

What does she know that we don’t?

Yet as women, society almost encourages us to revile and be unnecessarily judgmental about each other, after all, who do you think you are, and what give you the right to be so fly? 

As a Goddess you have all the right in the world to do you.

Thing is, as a woman, being unable to find anything positive to say about another woman, even though you live the same day to day struggles that all women encounter in this life, says a lot more about you and your self esteem than it does about the person who you insist on pulling down.

We have the tendency to freely give of ourselves to others, male and female, even when there is clearly nothing that we can gain from it.

A wise woman once told me that the thing that sets us humans apart from animals is the ability to choose; No one can do us ill unless we let them. Love is a cycle – it cannot exist if it is incomplete; You cannot truly love someone else, if you do not love yourself enough to say it and show it to yourself daily, every second of everyday. 

Let us not try to seek self worth from others, but nurture and reinforce it within ourselves. This way when someone comes along and professes ‘love’ for us, since we already know what love feels like, we can call them on it when it falls dramatically short. 

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Forward ever…

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Dress Your shape | M-m-m-m-melons

For the times when you get tired of killing yourself for your body to look like something it’s not, here are some suggestions to rock what you’ve been blessed with, in whatever shape or size that may be.

It’s all about proportions. Balancing it all out, as ultimately the most flattering shape is the one that gives the essence of an hourglass figure. So if an area is a touch bulky, don’t put a lot of fuss on it and draw more attention there; it can do that on it’s own. If something is a lil lacking, bring on the volume, a little pattern and/ or a little colour.

That said, drowning a bulky area in excess fabric doesn’t make the area invisible, it just looks like you are hiding something, and ultimately makes you look bigger than you really are.

Welcome to the “Dress Your Shape” Series. Today we will focus on the well endowed among us, our busty pally wals.

DO:

- Invest in good underwear. Lift and separate, always.

Consider also wearing camis under shirts to keep the girls from bouncing around. The ones without the inner bra support work well at not having the girls spill out and look like your head is resting on them.

To not look top heavy, here are a few tips and some potholes to stay clear of. 

AVOID:

1. Boat-necks, turtlenecks, round necks, square necks, asymmetrical necks…

The V-neck is your friend.

Trying to smother the girls under yards of fabric only makes them stand out more, and makes you look uncomfortable. Free yourself, and don a v-neck. Not too deep so as to let all the goodies out of the bag, but showing enough will elongate your neck, and draw more attention to your face. 

Wrap dresses, work well at streamlining a full bust.
Well really, wrap dresses work well for about 99% of women.

Gotta love statistics; Don’t quote me on it, but yes wrap dresses do work for the majority of women.

2. Spagetti straps and anything otherwise flimsy looking.

They’re uncomfy, tear into your shoulder and don’t provide much support. Besides, exposed underwear only looks good on TV, and even then the bra straps are teeny tiny.

Structure and good tailoring are your bffs. Thick strapped halters or racer back styles are especially flattering, if you’ve been working out and have some shoulders that can do with the attention.

Also avoid any tops that stretch ad infinitum horizontally. A lot of the winter season’s sweaters do that – not a good look. Stretch is necessary to prevent the shirt buttons from holding on for dear life yes, but controlled stretching is the key.

A 2% lycra/ cotton blend will give you a good fit and help keep any bulges in check. Any more lycra in that blend and it’s going to stick to you like a second skin and look unflattering.

3. Cap sleeves

They cut you off at your widest – right in the line with the bust. And unless you have guns of steel, they also cut your arm off at it’s most unflattering point.

Choose either 3/4  or full length sleeves to balance bust, or expose your shoulders by wearing halters or racerback styles as mentioned above.

You can also opt to go with the tube top look, but if you are over a certain age and those girls are naturally yours, finding a well fitting, supportive bra can be an issue so … just skip this tube look altogether if you fall in this category.

4. Billowy, unstructured tops with skinny pants or jeans or leggings. 

The same thing goes with wearing skin fitted mini skirts – Too lollipop-ish. Remember our shapes; hour-glass, not upside down triangle.

No tent tops or tent dresses, no trapeze jackets, you always need to find your waist.

The more you have to balance in the chest area, the more critical this issue is. Pair well fitting (not tight!) tops with straight legged or boot cut styled jeans/ trousers and heels. No flared pants, these only make your legs look shorter. You can also pair with voluminous skirts (volume that’s at the hemline not at the waist) that cut at about the knee, no longer than that please.

5. Shift dresses

But you most likely find that you have a time trying to get the majority to fit properly anyways. 

Accommodate your proportions by choosing separates instead – classic, no fuss, well fitted top pieces and leave the drama to the bottom pieces. Any frills, patterns, loud coloured clothing – all the drama belongs on the bottom. Doing so will help balance your proportions out. 

Waist bands or anything that pulls your midsection together is key to giving yourself some proportion, especially with blouses that do not naturally taper in at your waist line.

Belts can work as well, but like patterns, they need to be sized according to your body size. Smaller belts and tiny, intricately patterned clothing flatter petite or slim frames and larger belts and bigger patterns work well with fuller or taller frames. Proportions, proportions.

6. Long dangly statement necklaces

Because they either get lost in the chest or they hang in all strange sorts of ways when you aren’t looking. 

Opt for necklaces that remain close to the base of your neck area, to draw more of the attention upward.

Also do try to focus the drama on your eyes and use lip-colours in more flattering, natural tones. Unless of course that’s the look you are going for, big, exposed boobs and bold or fire engine red lips does have a ‘Pretty Woman’ look to it.

Bold, elongated earrings can work, so long as they stay close to your face and definitely above your shoulders. This way they will frame your face beautifully and highlight your neck and shoulders. 

Wearing earrings that fall past your shoulders, well it’s just too much competition between the earrings and the boobies. Avoid any large, perfectly round or hoopy earrings (or fabric patterns for that matter). If you’re Boriqua to the bone and love you some hoops, I ain’t mad at ‘ya, try the spherical hoop variety instead.

7. Either show cleavage OR legs.

Help ya’ side and choose one.

If you have any other fashion tips and tricks that you’ve found work for a healthy bust size, be sure to share so that we can all learn something or two!

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BMP Tip 1 | 5 easy ways to look 10 years older

Lest you be found guilty by the Beauty & Makeup Police (BMP) while you try your very best to get your festive sexy on this holiday season, we thought it would be constructive of us to pin-point some of the biggest makeup mistakes to avoid this ‘Holiday Glam’ season.

 

1. Runaway Red Lipstick

This has to be the number one pet peeve of the BMP.

If are young and already have fine lines and wrinkles radiating from your lips, and you are a smoker, this alone should make you stop. Purposefully aging yourself prematurely is beyond comprehension and is the definition of insanity. Not only is smoking unhealthy for you, but it makes you look a quicker hot mess. Anyways, another post for anti-smoking rants.

To prevent against bleeding lip colour you can do one of the following:

- Line lips using lip liner

In addition to adding definition to the lip line, this helps prevent lip color from escaping through any fine lines and wrinkes that may be present along your lip line.

Be sure to use a lip liner in a colour that is at most 2 shades darker than your natural skin colour and be sure that it BLENDS WELL with the lip color, Please.

 Opting to wear black lip liner, alone or with nude lip colour is tantamount to stepping on the last nerve of this pet peeve. This not only ages you, but it makes you look like you are from another (unfashionable) planet.

Also, apply lip colour with a lip brush to ensure that you don’t apply lip colour over and beyond the lip liner border, because of course this will defeat the entire purpose of the lip liner.

In this case, you most definitely need to colour within the lines.

- Avoid dark/ bold lip colour altogether

I’d go with this one. Be ahead of the game and focus drama on the eyes instead. Wear nude lip colour or some gloss in a flattering colour and save yourself the stress and embarrassment of either the mystery of the traveling lipstick or that of lipstick-stained teeth. 

Hey, the more makeup you wear, the more high maintenance it is. Keep it simple.

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Makeup | Eyeshadow 101

Of all makeup products, eyeshadows offer the greatest way to add personality to the face.

Eyeshadows can be used to:

- Soften the eye area
- Create light and dark illusions that can make subtle changes to the eye area
- Correct and/ or enhance eye shape.
- Accent the eyes

 

Top 10 tips regarding eyeshadow application:

1.  Never use an eye-shadow that’s the exact shade as your eye colour.

 The same colour family – lighter or darker, sure. But using one that matches your eye colour exactly, over your entire eyelid will make you look like you have one big eye, or well two… if you do that on both eyes.

2. Use natural colours for day, more unique colours for night.

 Shadows in tones like bronzes and metals, golds, coppers, tans, tawnies, chocolates, whichever variations of your natural skin colour, work well for day.
You can snaz it up a bit at night or for special occasions by going for eggplant, navy or smokey greys as your accent colours, for example.

3. Use an eyeshadow base for prepping the eye.

 It can help to even out the eye area, in the event there is any uneven pigmentation or discoloration.
It can also help the eyeshadow to either adhere better or prevent it from creasing, especially in the case where dramatic eye shadow colours are used.

4. Apply a light to medium shadow, from the lash line to under the brow as the first step.

This creates an even canvas on eyelid and helps facilitate colour blending.

5. Use larger, fluffier eyeshadow brushes for blending, and for shadow application in larger areas.

Use smaller, angled brushes for accenting smaller areas.

6. Soften edges of medium to dark eyeshadows by blending with a lighter shade of eyeshadow

7. Avoid letting eye shadow get too far out of the sides of the eye

As far as possible, keep eyeshadow within the boundary of the eye. To establish this boundary, draw an imaginary line from the corner of the eye to the end tip of the natural eyebrow. Keeping eye shadow in this area will help you look like you are awake.

Veering too far under this line can age eyes, or make you look like you’re sleep walking.

8. Use lighter eyeshadow colours to highlight or emphasize unique areas of the eye.

 For example on brow bone areas, or in the inner corners of the eyes to open up the eyes.

9. Use darker colors to create depth and definition

 For example when creating the illusion of a smokey eye

10. Use wet shadows for liners if necessary

For example if you have oily skin, or when you would like to line over false eyelashes.
Wet shadows can also be used as liners to create a variety of liners that match your shadows exactly, without having to spend a fortune. <- My kind of party.

For more on applying wet eyeshadows as an eyeliner see GC post Drama Glamour

 

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Beauty | Flawless Face

 

Ever seen someone, who on second look is obviously wearing makeup, and still be compelled to remark “Wow, her skin is flawless!”?

Fresh-faced makeup looks prompt this response. Not that intricately applied, brightly colored cosmetics aren’t fabulous, but then the response  usually is “Wow, great makeup!”.

There is a difference. In the first look, the individual is wearing the compliment and in the second, the makeup is.

Ever notice advertisements that promote skin care products, where they would like you to believe that the model’s face is ‘naturally’ clean like that after washing?

Mhmm.. Don’t believe the hype.

Apart from costly air-brushing, the look is as a result of expertly applied makeup in hues that match the model’s natural skin colour and tone perfectly. You too can achieve this look. 

Regardless of makeup trends, a ‘flawless face’ is always in style. ‘Less-is-more’ will always work in your favour when it comes to looking fabulously flawless.  Leave overdone statements for accessories and shoes – things that wouldn’t smudge and smear, and instead work makeup that is classically chic.

Find the right foundation

A little goes a long way with foundation. The new lightweight formulations that appear to blend in, work well at creating a naturally flawless canvas. Take your time to find the foundation that works for you, and invest if necessary, especially if you have darker golden skin.

Mineral makeup is all the rage these days, and often these formulations contain either zinc oxide or titanium dioxide (or both), which are natural sunscreen agents. However these minerals are opaque white in colour, and can make darker skin tones appear ashy, especially when exposed to unnatural lights like camera flashes. 

Use natural hues

Stick to makeup hues that flatter your skin tone. For darker skin tones for example use eyeshadow palettes that are goldy for highlighting, bronze, and coppery for midtones, and deep chocolate and smokey blacks for accenting the outer corners of the eyes. As these colours are close to your natural skin tone, if they start to wear during the day or night it is not hardly as detectable as wearing pale, silvery tones on bronzed skin.

Sheer lipsticks, which look like lip glosses but are longer wearing and less goopy, in natural pinky tones for fairer skin tones and coral-ish hues for darker skin tones, work excellently for a flawless look. Looks like your natural lips, just enhanced. 

Use blotting paper rather than powder for touch-ups

Adding too much powder can make face look cakey and unnatural. Those round cosmetic sponges that come with most compact powders can pick up a lot of powder with one swipe. Putting on makeup this way as a ‘quick touch up’, especially when you are in a rush can result in a look that says, “I just applied compact powder”. 

Once you have properly applied loose powder over the foundation the first time around, let the natural, youthful dewy-ness show through the night, while keeping the excess shine at bay with the use of blotting paper/ tissues.

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Health | Best foods

Help your body fight off disease by incorporating these foods into your diet.

Preparing these foods crispy fried, candied, salted or creamed definitely doesn’t count.

Whole grains e.g. Oats

This whole-grain delivers cholesterol-lowering soluble fibre and energy-providing carbohydrates without spiking blood sugar levels. Oats also keeps blood pressure in check.

Prepackaged already sweetened ‘oatmeal’ breakfast cereals contain high amounts of sugar.

Try cooking quick or rolled oats with milk, soy or almond milk and topping with cinnamon, sunflower seeds, sliced almonds, diced dried fruit like apricot, currants or figs to add sweetness, or the good old cranberries (mentioned below) for a tart kick.

Also consider topping with diced fresh fruit like blueberries or strawberries. The possibilities are endless. Use a little agave nectar rather than sugar for added sweetness.

Too much work? Try Original or MultiGrain Cheerios. 

Green and Leafy veges e.g. Spinach

It’s hard to beat spinach as a green and leafy for vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Spinach is also high in calcium and vitamin K, which is great for the lactose intolerant among us.

Eat alone, steamed or sauteed with onions, garlic, green peppers, mushrooms and herbs for flavour. Cooking with cream and excessive salt will reduce it’s overall health benefit.

 

Legumes e.g. Black beans

Beans (legumes not peas!) in general are packed with protein, fibre and yummy nutrients such as magnesium, folate and iron. They keep the heart happy by controlling cholesterol and blood pressure.

Keep salt and sugar levels down when cooking a mean bean stew. Flavour using herbs and spices instead. Consider adding garlic, onions and diced veges like celery for added depth in flavour profile. Also cook with oils like canola, sunflower or olive oil which are free of trans fatty acids.

Antioxidant berries e.g. Cranberries

 

Packed with anthocyanins, bacteria fighting substances, cranberries also help heart health by inhibiting the build-up of the bad LDL cholesterol.

Found in it’s usual preparations  however, cranberries are usually laced with sugar – in juices or in most commercially packaged snacks. These don’t count as ‘healthy’.

Nuts e.g. Walnuts and Almonds

Like salmon, nuts in general especially walnuts and almonds, contain significant amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. They also contain magnesium, folate and the anti-oxidant vitamin E.  

Eat nuts fresh or roasted. As you would imagine that I’d say, eating them sugar coated or candied doesn’t count.

 

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