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Here are some of the key points she shares with you inside:
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Today, we spoke with Phil Wiley about a very popular topic that you see in the news and in advertisements very often – Varicose Veins. The best way to avoid developing Varicose Veins. I hope this helps!
Q: Varicose veins – they can hurt and, well, let’s face it. They’re not exactly pretty, are they? So how can we prevent varicose veins?
A: While certain factors including age, genetics and whether or not you’re pregnant can play a huge role in whether or not you’ll get varicose veins, there are certain lifestyle changes that can help prevent varicose veins. Varicose veins are twisted, enlarged veins, especially in the lower legs caused by over-pressured veins.
The best cure is prevention. So start standing up straight! Good posture can help prevent varicose veins.
Maintaining an ideal body weight will also help you to prevent varicose veins. When we are overweight more pressure is placed on our entire circulatory system, including the veins in the legs.
Something very popular that can contribute to the development of varicose veins is crossing your legs. Next time you sit down remember not to cross your legs, and if your legs are crossed right now un-cross them! You’ll be helping yourself prevent varicose veins.
If you want to prevent varicose veins take it upon yourself to take part in some light exercise each week. Activities such as walking, cycling and swimming help to boost circulation without adding unnecessary pressure to the veins.
Okay, so I know they’re fashionable, but high heels are really bad for you! If you want to prevent varicose veins kick the high heel habit now! Wearing high heels adds a lot of undue stress to your lower legs, which can, in turn, contribute to the cause of varicose veins.
In order to prevent varicose veins you should also avoid wearing clothes that are tight on the crotch, waist and legs, stretch your legs when sitting for long periods of time and wear mild compression pantyhose if you are required to stand for long periods of time.
About the expert:
Kate and Phil Wiley run the popular health sites http://www.healthy-shopper.com Health in 1 http://www.health-in-1.com and Advice on Health http://www.advice-on-health.com
By: Perriann Rodriguez
From the beginning of time, women have cared for their hair. As far back as 4000-300 B.C. Egyptian women and even men are shown with various wigs and elaborate hair styles. Hair is a contributing factor to ones confidence and serenity. Our culture strongly identifies femininity with a thick, lustrous head of hair. Images of full bodied, shining hair are synonymous with female attributes, sexuality, desirability and vigor. Thinning, dry, lusterless hair is identified with illness, old age, and poverty.
Every generation goes thru more and more transformations and capitalizes on current trends of Hair Styles. The big Hair Style trend these days is in full swing in Europe and is just starting to spread in the United States. It is the trend of Hair Extensions. Hair extensions involve the attachment of human or synthetic hair to your existing hair to create a more full or long look immediately. Hair extensions can add instant body, length to your look and can also help with hair thinning and hair loss situations.
There are many different methods of hair extensions on the market today, some good, some not so good. Mark Sharp, co-founder and creative director of Mark Glenn Hair Enhancement of London, England and Glenn Kinsey, co-founder and managing director have taken revolutionary steps in developing a fiber hair extension method that not only doesn’t damage the existing hair but can even improve the condition of the hair. They have transformed the lives of women who suffer from varying degrees of hair loss caused by conditions such as alopecia, trichotillomania, genetic factors, stress and post-operative trauma.
The Mark Glenn extensions, commonly known as MG extensions, use no glues, bonding solutions, threads, weaves, injections, and nothing is stuck on the head. They are attached using a very fine braid. A small section of existing hair is split into two. The fiber hair is also split into two to make the braid and is finally wrapped around the base of the hair, protecting it. The fiber is then “sealed on itself” using a heat tool (which is no hotter than a typical pair of curling tongs or crimpers). This creates a tiny plastic seal. It’s important to point out that during this process, your own hair is safely “cocooned” inside the fiber so it doesn’t come into direct contact with any heat. Therefore, your own hair stays in perfect condition. For hair loss or thinning problems, the extensions are applied with non-allergic mesh and the fiber hair is woven thru the mesh to create the look.
Glenn Kinsey of Mark Glenn Hair Enhancement has joined us today for a brief question and answer session on their fiber hair extensions.
Welcome Glenn and thank you for joining us today! We have a few questions for you about your wonderful hair extensions.
Q: I understand that you and Mark have previously worked with human hair extensions. Why did you switch to synthetic fiber extensions?
A: Several reasons:
1. Weight – human hair is twice the weight of fiber and therefore feels “heavy” on the head – at its worst, this increased weight and stress on the hair can cause “traction alopecia”. In addition, human hair is porous – it soaks up water – which can significantly increase the weight when wet.
2. Tangle – human hair tends to “matt” and “tangle” – this is because the surface of human hair has little “spines” on it, that look like roof tiles under a microscope. Because this “alien” hair isn’t being conditioned by the natural oils that condition your own hair, these “spines” tend to “stick out” and tangle up with the other hairs on your head. Consequently, you do need to use quite intensive conditioners to keep the hair in good condition. Fiber, however, has a smooth surface and therefore is less likely to tangle.
3. Glue – human hair extensions are typically applied with glue and removed with acetone – a recipe for damage, the results of which we regularly see in our studio. Our method doesn’t use any chemicals.
4. Colour match – a stylist using human hair would typically take a swatch of the client’s hair and send it to a human hair supplier who would then pick the closest colour from a specific range. We actually colour-blend our hair with the client in front of us – taking into account all the different subtle shade shifts that may exist in their hair – to get an absolutely perfect match
5. Ethics – there’s a great deal of mystery surrounding the origins of human hair used in extensions and it’s very difficult to track the exact source. A common source for top quality hair is from female Russian prisoners, for example
6. Look and feel – fiber looks and feels just like real hair but is much kinder to the hair and is much easier to style and take care of.
Q: What percentage of your clients gets hair extensions for hair loss issues versus fashion?
A: The split is approximately 50/50
Q: You have developed your own branded method (MG extensions) for applying fiber extensions. What is unique about your method in comparison to other methods available? Do you plan to patent your application method?
A: We have a proprietary technique for working with female hair loss, for which clients visit us from all over the world. For fashion purposes, we’ve amalgamated several different methods and added our own unique adaptations to create a technique that creates a beautiful look
Q: Why do you feel that fiber extensions are superior to human hair extensions? Could you apply human hair extensions using your method if a client really preferred human hair?
A: See above. Apart from using pliers and a metal clip (which is great fun through airport metal detectors and very uncomfortable when you lay your head on a pillow!) the only way to apply human hair is with glue.
Q: What training and education is involved for stylists doing MG extensions?
A: We work in teams of two people – a “lead” and an “assist”. Team members start out as an “assist” and then, after about 12 to 24 months, progress up to a “lead”. “Leads” are the ones that direct the work. Our training is very intensive and “on the job” to allow team members to experience the bewildering array of both styles and techniques, as well as the differing types of hair loss they may encounter.
Q: What are the legal requirements in England for doing hair extensions?
A: Sadly, there are no specific legal requirements for hair extensions over and above those for a normal hair salon.
Q: What are the minimum requirements for someone wanting hair extensions? Length of hair? Stable hair loss? Have you turned down clients for hair extensions and why?
A: We regularly turn away clients no matter how much they want hair extensions, if we don’t think it’s going to look sensational! For fashion work, the main reason is length of existing hair – for the best results, the clients hair needs to be at least 4 to 6 inches long. This is because you need existing hair to conceal where the extensions are attached. For our clients with hair loss, there can be a whole range of reasons, from too little existing hair to hair loss that hasn’t “stabilized”.
Q: There are some hair extensionists that don’t recommend getting fiber extensions because of esthetic reasons. Can you describe the quality of the fiber hair, where it is made and why these recommendations are not valid?
A: We only use a beautiful, hand-made fiber that is absolutely undetectable from the real thing in look, feel and behavior. It’s actually more expensive than some human hair! Cheap fiber is truly awful, akin to “Barbie-doll” hair. You only tend to spot bad extensions – we pride ourselves on the fact that, in general, no-one even suspects our clients have extensions and we have a large number of celebrity clients that, in some cases, even the media haven’t spotted that their hair isn’t their own!
Q: You mention on your website, http://www.markglenn.com that the fiber extensions do not damage your hair and can even improve the condition of your hair. Can you explain how they can improve the condition of your hair?
A: First of all, we don’t use any chemicals. Secondly, your own hair is “cocooned” and protected inside the extension and continues to grow as normal. Thirdly, when the extensions are removed, they just slide off your hair leaving no mess or residue. Because your hair has been protected in this way over a few months, the condition of your own hair often improves.
Q: What is the maintenance schedule for fashion and hair loss fiber extensions? What happens if you do not follow the maintenance schedule?
A: For fashion, you’d need to either remove the extensions after three months or have them removed and replaced. Initially, the extensions are attached at the base of your hair. However, your hair will grow at around half an inch a month so the extensions start to grow down your own hair. If you leave it longer than 3 months, there’s a risk that the newly grown hair above the extension may start to matt and tangle and, in the worst-case scenario, dreadlock. For hair loss, the particular technique we use demands that clients visit us every six weeks for similar reasons – the “mesh” can start to feel a little loose if it’s left for much longer than 6 weeks.
Q: If someone has very thick hair and wants only to lengthen it, why wouldn’t you just apply the extensions to the ends of the hair, instead of at the roots?
A: Because you’d see a “bump” where the extension is attached.
Q: Can you treat fiber extensions the same as your own hair? I.E. shampooing, conditioning, curling, brushing, etc
A: Yes – wash it as normal, blow dry, curl, condition, brush – just like the real thing. And because the fiber is actually non-porous, you don’t need to use expensive products on the hair, e.g. conditioners, because they’ll have no effect on the extension hair itself. The only thing you have to avoid is direct, sustained heat e.g. hot-iron straighteners etc. Rollers etc. are fine.
Q: Are there any restrictions? Can you color or perm the fibre extensions?
A: You can’t perm the extensions but you wouldn’t need to – you can achieve the same look using rollers, for instance. Colour has no effect on the extension hair, again, because it’s non-porous. This is great for clients who continue to have their “roots” done, in the knowledge that the colour won’t affect the extension hair.
Q: On an annual basis, what would a typical client pay for Fashion and Hair Loss Fiber extensions including maintenance schedules? Are the majority of the costs associated with cost of the materials or the labor?
A: Costs do vary from head to head and style to style. Since we have two people working on a client’s head at the same time, cost is predominantly based on the amount of time it takes with each particular client. On average, a fashion client would pay around GBP £1,500.00 per year and a hair loss client, around twice as much. And bear in mind that you don’t need to visit a hairdresser since we take care of all this during appointments.
Q: Your Hair Loss fiber extensions qualify for funding from medical plans in England. Did you have to go thru a certification process for this funding? Have any of your clients outside England received payment from medical plans in their country?
A: Because of the way the UK health system works (which is funded by the Government) it very much depends on the attitude of local health authorities rather than a specific “test”. Some health authorities are happy to fund their patients, whereas others are not, preferring the cheaper option of providing wigs. We’ve yet to have someone from outside the UK who’s funded by a health plan etc.
Q: Do you plan to offer training to stylists outside your salon so that other salons in the world can offer MG Extensions?
A: Not at present, although it’s something we may consider in the future.
Q: Are there reputable salons in the US that you would recommend?
A: Since the majority of our techniques were developed in-house and are therefore unique to us, it’s unlikely you’d find anyone locally who does things in quite the same way. The fact that, currently, we have clients that visit us from 14 different countries, seems to confirm this. I so wish I could recommend others, but we simply haven’t yet come across anyone who provides a similar result to a similar standard
Thank you very much Glenn for your valuable input!! For additional information about Mark Glenn Hair Extensions, visit their website located at http://markglenn.com
About the author:
Perriann Rodriguez is the founder of http://www.hairresources.com/ and has published hundreds of articles in magazines, newspapers and trade journals. She is listed in the US Register of American Writers and the 2004 Who’s Who of Executives and Professionals.
For this week’s Ask the Expert, I had a hard time determining what subject to choose for my readers. I thought and thought about what I want to know more about that will help me every day. Then, Voila! Coffee! What would I do without my coffee?! I reached out to Jen from Daily Coffee Grinder, a new coffee website that offers tips, reviews, and other great information about making the best possible cup of coffee you can make. Although her site is very new, she already has a pretty loyal following! If you have any other questions for Jen, feel free to e-mail her at sales@dailycoffeegrinder.com , and she’ll be sure to answer your questions!
Q. I did all of the right things to make espresso at home. I bought myself a good espresso machine. I learned which espresso beans have the best taste and how to grind them to the correct fineness. I managed to insert the gadget with the grinds, known as a portafilter, into the espresso machine, lock it into place, turn on the machine and let her rip. Great espresso! But I wanted a cappuccino. My friend wanted a latte. How do you properly steam the milk?
A. I found out that low fat and nonfat milk foam really easily. Whole milk takes more practice. Same thing with half and half if you want to be brave.
Some espresso machines have a built in steam nozzle and some don’t. Depending on your machince, you may need to buy a separate steamer. I recommend getting an espresso machine with one built in – this will save time and space.
The first thing to do is to put that stainless steel pitcher and milk into the refrigerator to get cold. Always start with them cold. And then my next learning curve came with remembering to fill the pitcher about a third to a half full. Milk expands really well when it’s steamed. It takes only once for it to foam up, overflow and hit the floor to remember to start with a pitcher no more than half full.
Start by putting the nozzle on the surface of the milk and turning the steam on full. The milk is going to begin to foam, so keep lowering the pitcher so that the nozzle is just under the surface of the milk. About a half inch will do fine. You can turn down the pressure when the foam really begins to rise, or just take the pitcher away. Now the milk is just about at the boiling point.
Now here is something important. Don’t let it boil. This is another way to get the milk to overflow the pitcher. Or even worse, it will taste burnt. Ugh. Nasty.
Your steamed milk should have little bubbles all the way through it, and there should be a light foam on the top. There you are. That’s it. Now you go make whatever espresso drink you want. Next up, you can start learning how to make all those fancy designs on top!
About Daily Coffee Grinder:
Daily Coffee Grinder was founded in December 2009. Jen enjoys finding new ways to make the same old cup of coffee! Mix it up and try something new! Make an espresso or try a latte. The best thing about coffee is that no matter what you do, it [almost] always tastes great! Visit www.DailyCoffeeGrinder.com!
Daily Coffee Grinder is currently looking for a partner to help design a new layout, if you’re interested, please e-mail me at sales@dailycoffeegrinder.com!
When I mentioned having a gluten free expert this week for our Ask the Expert Column, the response was overwhelming! I, myself, must follow a gluten free diet, but I had no idea how many of the Daily Fashionistas readers also either had to follow a gluten free diet or knew a friend who followed a gluten free diet! I contacted a good friend of mine, Denise, the creator of http://www.noglutenhere.com/. When I asked her to contribute some of her gluten free knowledge, she didn’t hesitate to say yes!Q. What is gluten? Or Gluten free?
A. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and sometimes oats. Some people can not eat oats either do to the processing, but that is an ongoing topic. To be gluten free is to avoid eating all wheat, rye, and barley containing products, which in today’s world can be a challenge, especially to newly diagnosed individuals with celiac disease, or gluten intolerances. There is definitely a learning curve when you become gluten free and knowing ahead of time some issues will happen, but it does get much easier in time.
Q. How do I know if I should be gluten free?
A. This is a very loaded question… Going gluten free by any other reason than a personal choice is something you should seek medical advice about with your doctor first. In order for your physician to make an accurate diagnosis of Celiac Disease you must be continuously eating gluten. (However, there are some exceptions, and I of course was one of those.) With celiac disease there are over 300 symptoms that can be present. During my pre-diagnosis I seemed to be having a different symptom everyday which was very confusing to me but also presented a challenge to my doctors as well. You should keep a list of all symptoms that you are having, along with your food choices in a “food diary” and take them with you to your doctor. It may seem like a struggle until you know for sure what is wrong but don’t give up! Persistence can bring about change. For me, the key phrase that led to testing for celiac disease was, “I always feel the best when I first wake-up, then as the day goes on, I become seriously ill and can’t function in daily life”
Q. What do I do at a dinner party when I have a severe food allergy?
A. There are many things you can do when you go to a dinner party with your allergies, first and foremost I say GO to the party, you must keep on living as normal as possible and having fun in life! Chances are the hostess or host is one of your friends, so please feel free to call them and explain that you have food challenges, and you want to attend but need to plan your evening so you can safely enjoy the party. I have found many times the hostess is serving many gluten free morsels without even being aware of it. Another plan of action is to ask if you can bring your own meal to the party, just see if they can plate it up, carefully of course without contamination, on the same plates as everyone else and sometimes many people don’t even notice any difference. Or if you want to take extra precautions, just bring it ready to serve already plated. Still yet a last resort is to eat before you arrive, but you can still bring some gluten free foods to share with everyone. I usually choose a large specialty salad or a seasonal fruit plate to be enjoyed by all…. and everyone in the gluten free world knows gluten free brownies are better than regular brownies anyway! I can doctor up all the new Betty Crocker cake mixes to make them be a stand-out themselves… Iced raspberry bundt cake, or luscious carrot cake w/cream cheese icing, and even cinnamon roll iced cake with pecans – ALL gluten free. FYI, typically cheesecake is gluten free, it’s just the crust that contains gluten, and they make gluten free graham crackers so you never have to feel cheated…. but who needs the crust anyway when you have the top?
Q. How can I be safe when dining out at a restaurant?
A. Dining out or “DYING OUT” as I call it can be another challenge, but there are some very simple things that you should follow to be safe. Many places are now serving a gluten free menu or they have some gluten free choices. When being seated I always tell the hostess that we have food allergies and issues and ask for a gluten free menu. If they don’t have a menu, I always ask to see a food allergy manager to discuss my options. There usually is no such manager’s title, but a manager usually shows up after that request every time! This makes me feel safe ordering with someone who is aware of my issues and can stay abreast of the order with the chef and the server. When your food does arrive, always check it out before you eat it, as someone may accidentally have put bread crumbs in your salad, or serve you the wrong entrée’. It is fine to ask the server when your meal is brought to the table if it’s the gluten free meal, or the specially prepared meal by the chef.
Q. What is your favorite gluten free meal?
A. I laugh at this question, as in the beginning of my gluten free journey I had to learn how to cook and bake ALL over again… now over three years have gone by and it seems like everyday I come up with a new favorite gluten free meal. Last evening I made a gluten free coconut tempura type shrimp meal, and it was absolutely delicious, but I seem to enjoy more healthy food choices now anyway. I love wild salmon, with quinoa, broccoli and a strawberry spinach salad, with ripe watermelon for dessert. Very simple, yet totally gluten free, delicious and healthy!
Please feel free to follow Denise’s new blog for some gluten free recipes, and gluten free product reviews at http://www.noglutenhere.com/. For more information on a gluten free diet or Celiac Disease diagnosis, please contact your medical professional, the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, or the Gluten Intolerance Group.
