I have been thinking on a nail design for Easter. I do not want to use the traditional spring design, but something more Biblical.

What do you think of sheep? I researched on the Internet and found some cute designs with sheep. I thought that a sheep is a nice, cute symbol, half spring and half religious.

The designs are easy to make using a thin brush. However if you are not used to drawing on the nail bed it can be tricky. Other simpler designs for Easter could be pastel color with dots in another color.

Of course there is always purple, the commemorative color of the season. Purple in a French design or inverted French design with a black or darker purple could be very elegant and edgy, or purple with gold. So many options. Right now I am wearing a gorgeous tone of blue on my nails from the past Chanel collection called Coco Blue.

Photo courtesy:  http://fancyphalanges.blogspot.com/
http://beepolished.blogspot.com/2012/03/mary-had-little.html
http://madmanis.blogspot.com/2012/02/sheep-nails.html
http://www.cosmeticcupcake.com/2011/04/easter-manicure.html

Plants have many healing qualities, some of which help boost metabolism, reduce hormones that contribute to and eliminate toxins. In other words there are plants that can help us to maintain the desired weight or lose weight. Plants can be consumed as it is or taken as supplements as in the case of guarana. But if you consume other drugs you should consult your doctor because these plants are strong and interact with some medicines.  Among the plants that provide energy, maintain insulin levels, and regulate other hormones, and give us a feeling of wellness are:

Guarana:  This plant is rich in caffeine. Increases cell metabolism, produces satiety, helps us feel better, ward off depression, helps to remove fluid and is considered an aphrodisiac.

Glucomannan:  Is believed to slow the absorption of fat and carbohydrate in the body and thus gives a feeling of fullness longer, and therefore, eat less. Is believed to help reduce cholesterol levels and to control blood glucose.

Laminariaa:  It stimulates metabolism and acts as a laxative and diuretic. Like guarana, produces satiety and helps control appetite.

Flax and Chia:  Gives a feeling of fullness that helps curb appetite and provide omega-3. Chia taken with water gives a feeling of fullness. It can be consumed in many ways ways including soaking the seeds in water and taking the next day.

Passionflower:  It is used in cases of insomnia and anxiety because it helps to calm nerves and relax. It helps to have a better metabolism.

Valerian:  Because it is a natural sedative and sleep aid to control depression and thus, as with passionflower, the body stores less fat especially in the abdominal area.

Gymnema sylvestre:  Is believed to act on the metabolism of carbohydrates, helps to control appetite by maintaining levels of stable blood glucose. It is diuretic and helps maintain healthy levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.

Sunscreen is definitely the most effective anti-aging treatment that exists. But sunscreen is not only what we put on the skin, the most effective sunscreen is what we eat. Certain nutrients help protect us from the sun.  Sunscreens that we use on the skin have the function of not letting the sunlight penetrate into the skin, the foods we eat help the radiation that does manage to penetrate not cause us harm. The foods make your body resistant to the sun, but remember that you always need to put sunscreen on the skin to be safer.  Foods that help protect us from the sun are those that provide antioxidants. Nutrients that have been found effective and can be easily consumed are:

Lycopene:  Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that fights inflammation caused by the sun’s rays. Tomatoes (both raw and cooked) have a large amount of lycopene that can be absorbed by the body easily.  To increase the action of lycopene, you can put a bit of turmeric oil to cook the tomatoes.

Vitamin A and beta-carotene: The main function of vitamin A is to protect the skin and eyes. Fruits and vegetables that are yellow, red and orange (carrots, watermelon, strawberries, lemons, papayas, etc.) are the best sources.

Vitamin C: Vitamin C is important for skin health because it is essential for the production of collagen in the body. Can be obtained by eating citrus fruits, papaya, peppers (sweet chile), strawberries, broccoli, etc.

Vitamin E: Vitamin E helps with the regeneration of tissues. This can be found in nuts, seeds, green leafy vegetables like spinach, peppers (sweet chile), cereals, wheat germ and corn, among others.

Lutein:  Lutein and zeaxanthin help the skin and eyes from damage from the sun. You can get it by eating green leafy vegetables, broccoli, and eggs. This nutrient is very sensitive to cooking so we must try to eat raw vegetables or slightly steamed.

What foods to eat to protect skin? Fruits and vegetables, obviously, are the best. The same nutrients that protect plants from sunburn are the ones that protect our body too.