Tea Time

Ahhh, tea. Not only is it good but it's good for you. Some teas are packed with antioxidants that help counteract damage from illness and aging.

As a woman who has been in the spa industry for years, I can tell you that tea is the number one drink. After a facial, who wouldn't want to sit down, chill out and have a hot cup of tea to ease their minds and relax their spirit? Yes. Tea is even popular when it's blazing hot outside. Check out the benefits of these tea.:

BLACK TEA

A daily cup of this smoky drink helps keep your heart healthy by improving blood vessel function and decreasing arterial stiffness. It's also good after a long, stressful day. It's also been proven to reduce cortisol levels. Best when milk, sugar or honey are added to enhance the flavor. 

GREEN TEA

This mild tea is known for lowering cholesterol and stimulating the immune system to fight diseases. It may even help repair skin damage! Best when served cold with a slice of lemon or lime.

WHITE TEA

Normally an after-dinner tea, white tea is light and delicate but packs a punch. It's benefits includes lowering high blood pressure, weight lose and fighting cancer. Best when served with a slice of mango.

OOLONG TEA

Spicy and rich, Oolong tea has been shown to reduce the risks of hypertension, as well as, strengthen the immune system. Best served with fresh fruit.

The next time you think about picking up that sugary soda, think about the benefits that a cup of tea has instead. Control the calories by adding your own sweetener, and reap the benefits of their antioxidant properties. 

How do you like your tea and what do you drink it with? 

You Are What You Eat

Want truly fabulous skin? Young, glowing, smooth skin? Well, make sure you're putting foods for healthy skin on your plate. It's no secret. Everything you eat shows up on your skin. So, the healthier the foods are that you consume, the better your skin will look.


The reverse is true as well. The less attention you pay to what goes in our mouth, the more problems you may see cropping up with our skin. A pimple here. A dry patch there. In no time, you could have breakout, dry skin, older-looking skin or a noticeable dull complexion. It's not going to happen overnight, but treat your body bad long enough, and it's going to show on your face.

Here are six things you can add daily to your diet to keep young, healthy, beautiful skin.

Berries:
Eating more vitamin C-rich foods, such as strawberries, blackberries and blueberries may help to ward off wrinkles and age-related dryness. Vitamin C's skin-smoothing effects may be due to its ability to mop up free radicals produced from ultraviolet rays and also its role in collagen synthesis. (Vitamin C is essential for collagen production.)

Tomatoes:
Tomatoes get their red hue from lycopene, a carotenoid that may help to keep your skin smooth. Boost your lycopene intake with fresh summer produce like tomatoes, watermelon and carrots.

Green Tea. You can't beat the effects that green tea has on your skin.
It's anti-inflammatory and it protects the cell membrane which is beneficial to the skin overall. It may even help prevent or reduce the risk of skin cancer. It has also been proven to reduce the risk of damage from ultraviolet light (such as the burning rays of the sun), and thus reduce the risk of skin cancer.

Tofu:
Tofu and other soyfoods, such as edamame and soymilk, may help to preserve skin-firming collagen because they are rich in isoflavones.

Water. While the exact amount you should drink each day varies, no one can deny the fact that hydration plays in keeping skin looking healthy and even young. Water helps to keep the body's cells hydrated, as well as help cells move nutrients in and toxins out, automatically leaving the skin looking better.

Tuna:
Eating tuna — and other omega-3-rich fish, such as salmon, sardines and trout — may help keep your skin looking youthful thanks to the omega-3 fat EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). EPA has been shown to preserve collagen.






Happy and healthy eating, ladies.