My Crowning Glory

Truth be told.

I’m terrified of aging too!

As my 42^nd birthday draws near, I can’t help but feel a deep despondency and despair that I haven’t been able to make time standstill once more. But then again, who can?

So as it rolls around again, I’m even more determined to delay the ravages of time and reverse aging through eating natural, nutritious foods. And I purpose to use only natural products that nourish the cells in our body.

I mean, let’s face it!

Everyday we’re growing older; we see more lines on our faces. Our hair is thinning out. In fact, in June this year, I was diagnosed with alopecia areata.

I remember it was just after a photoshoot that I noticed a tiny bald patch just after my regular hairline, above my forehead. Even though my husband assured me that it was barely noticeable (I really think he was being kind), I knew and I knew it was there! I mean how can a beauty queen be without her crowning glory?

I was devastated.

My GP explained that alopecia areata is an auto-immune disease. In layman terms, my immune system was attacking my healthy hair follicles and destroying them, for reasons unknown! Even though she guaranteed that it wasn’t a permanent condition and that my hair was gonna grow back in a few months. I was a wreck!

Long story short, my hair did grow back in record time – one and a half months instead of the projected four to six months (see picture at top of page).

And here’s a list of things I did that I think really helped.

1. Nutrition

Everyday after a breakfast of soft boiled eggs, apart from my usual probiotics, fish oil and multi-vitamins, I’d take CanPrev’s Curcumin-Pro and Resvera-Pro to regenerate damaged hair follicles and stimulate healthy hair growth.

On top of that, I also drank regular doses of blended alfafa sprouts, carrots, and lettuce juice – a lethal concoction that promotes hair growth, according to Dr Norman Walker author of Become Younger

2. Massage

I was prescribed a steroid cream and 5% minoxidil to apply to the scalp day and night.

In addition to that, I also mixed my own organic hair growth oil using refined emu oil, and therapeutic grade thyme, lavender, cedarwood atlas, and rosemary essential oils. Then I would lie on my back with my head hanging off the bed and massage my scalp for at least four minutes to promote blood circulation to the scalp.

3. Hair Products

Sometimes I get this sinking suspicion that the hair products I use contain a lot of chemicals and that’s what’s really causing my hair to come off. So during those one and half months that I was hoping, wishing and praying for my hair to grow back, I made my own shampoo using castile soap, distilled water, jojoba oil, vitamin E and essential oils. I also stopped colouring and styling my hair.

Plus, I also did regular hot oil treatments using black castor oil and coconut oil to nourish the hair roots too.

I’m currently trying out other natural hair care products and I hope to share them with you really soon.

Meanwhile, Happy Midweek!

Love,

Lynette Tan

Toxic Facts about Microblading

Shu Uemura Hard 9 pencil for my brows

Microblading seems to be the buzzword of the day.

More commonly known as embroidery or feathering or microstroking, they’re by and large fanciful variations of the same thing – tattooing – the “ancient art” of cutting the skin and inking it afterwards.

Now, just to be clear. I have close friends and family who have tattoos. This article is by no means a condemnation or judgment of their choices.  

However, I did come across a series of recent articles on the dangers and risks associated with inking your body. Many of these risks are long-term.

And I thought to share them with you.

French and German scientists have recently found residual deposits of toxic micro-particles in the bodies of four deceased, tattooed individuals.

More specifically, they found trace elements of titanium dioxide (TiO2), a common additive in white and colored tattoo inks, deeply embedded in their lymph nodes – the body’s natural toxic-filters.

The fact that dangerous TiO2 dust were found lodged in the swollen lymph nodes of the four deceased individuals showed that their bodies were intuitively attempting to trap these harmful substances that found their way into the blood stream through the skin.

While scientific research hasn’t been able to determine if there is a direct, causal relationship between the presence of these elements and cancer, it has hinted at TiO2 having similar properties to formaldehyde, a Category 2 carcinogen.  

In other words, inking may cause cancer.

This is made worse by the fact that there just isn’t much governance when it comes to tattoo inks. And because it is injected directly under the skin, it’s way more dangerous than topical sunscreens and cosmetics, which too have been found to contain TiO2.

That’s why no one has ever claimed that tattoo inks are perfectly safe.

On a more practical note, trends come and go. If you have had your brows tattooed, you can’t change them, ever!

Worse still, what if the aesthetician makes a mistake?

Besides, microblading is in reality a semi-permanent procedure. You’ll have to go back again and again for remedial touch ups.

So why go to all that trouble?

There are better, more natural ways to enhance your eyebrows and I’ll be happy to share them with you in my future posts.

But, if you do have a genuine problem with severe, permanent hair loss around the brow-area (e.g. a condition called alopecia), and would like to consider microblading, do bear in mind the potential risks. Bottom-line is this – tattoo inks are toxic!

Love,

Lynette Tan 

Reference links:-

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/microblading-eyebrow-warning-dermatologist-tattoo-woman-dermatologist-swell-scab-a8006936.html

http://amp.health.com/skin-conditions/tattoo-nanoparticles-lymph-nodes

https://www.polymersolutions.com/blog/titanium-dioxide-dangerous/

Looking Good, Naturally!

I had an interesting conversation with a girlfriend last Friday. And the only reason why I feel led to share this juicy bit is because I have an inkling that what she hinted at, in all probability, echoes your innermost thoughts too.

I was telling her that I was gonna be the brand ambassador for a certain French cosmetic company that takes an avant-garde approach towards the use of natural ingredients in all of their products. Their sense was that I too, enjoyed wholesome, natural beauty so logically I’d be the best person to speak for them.

Assuming that it was obvious to her that I was an advocate of natural beauty, I went on to elaborate on how they liked what I represented – how I enjoyed all of what nature had to offer, the sun, the sand, the sea…

And it was then that she expressed her utter disbelief that I haven’t done anything to my face – no cosmetic surgical enhancements, no botox treatments nor cell replacement therapies!

Now, I’m not gonna lie.

Apart from losing a massive amount of weight, I have done things to my face, I have!

You must be like – Ah ha! I knew it! She couldn’t possibly look like this and not have done anything to her face!

But believe you me, what I’d done so far is 100% au naturel, and I hope to share my bag of beauty secrets with you over the course of the next few weeks and months.

Point is, you don’t have to break the bank or artificially alter your God-given cell structure just to look good.

With minimal time and effort, you can also be drop dead gorgeous, naturally!

Of course, I’m no beauty expert. I’ve just read tons of books and spoken to lots of people on these topics. Of course, I’ve also tried out most, if not all of what was suggested in those books.

In fact, I have creatively combined these diverse approaches and techniques in a way that works for me. And who knows? These tricks might work for you too! 

So please let me know if you have any burning questions about how I achieve certain looks, do leave me comments and suggestions below if there’s a particular topic you’d like me to yak about and we’ll chat soon!

Love,

Lynette Tan

That Old Groat!

Motivational speaker Joel Osteen would sometimes joke about the “old goat” referring to a long time spouse walking out on a marriage, leaving for someone younger. Without trivalising the pain of abandonment, the old goat – the one leaving – doesn’t deserve your love and affection, at all!

But jokes aside, it’s easy to take the other person for granted especially when you’ve been married for decades. To criticise and point out all of their obvious shortcomings and overlook our own. Perhaps, if they were perfect, they probally wouldn’t have picked us, in the first place?

Point is, nobody’s perfect.

My topic of choice for today is the old groat. The old oat groat to be precise, which is to me, a step up from steel cut oats.

Still on the topic of eating wholesome foods, as is, in their original state, we cannot ignore the fact that steel cut oats come from oat groats – the wholegrain. And what better way to consume it except in its entirety. Usually, only the husks are removed leaving all of its natural nutrients intact.

Now you must be thinking, if steel cut oats take 20 minutes to cook then the oat groat must take forever! Haha! You’re not wrong BUT there is a way out!

This method of enjoying the oat groat porridge that I’m about to share with you is so simple, I wonder why I never thought of it before.

Best part is, you can also use this same method to cook steel cut oats and just about anything because it really saves you time!

Some would call it the thermal magic pot, while others call it the wonder pot.  Regardless, it does magically cook your food to a wonderful perfection without gas or electricity. So you don’t have to worry about it overcooking and destroying all the healthful nutrients.

Again, this recipe Serves 1:-

Remove inner pot from insulation

Bring 1 cup of distilled water to a rapid boil

Add ¼ C of oat groat

Add any other ingredients

Let it simmer for 5 minutes

Turn off the flame.

Stir in seasoning/maple syrup/honey to taste

Remove the inner pot from stove and straight into the insulated outer container and leave it to cook overnight.

It’s that simple!

Come next morning, your pot of oat groat porridge will be slightly warm but light and fluffy and ready to eat!

I’m so gonna try cooking other dishes in like manner and if you have healthful oat groat recipes, pray share!

Love,

Lynette Tan