The "Magic World" of Walt Disney

Most brides wish to be beautiful and splendid as a princess in their wedding. Now, their dreams will become a reality with Walt Disney's new bridal gowns collection. Walt Disney company and its fashion designer Kirstie Kelly introduce a new collection with 34 beautiful bridal gowns. Especially, this collection is so impressive because Kirstie Kelly creates her ideas from the characters in Walt Disney movies such as Cinderella, Snow White, Jasmine, Ariel and Belle.

Finding balance - Practicing Yoga

Yoga is a valuable fitness activity which gives you many benefits such as improved muscle tone and strength, better balance and, of course, pretzel-like flexibility. This "mind-body exercise" has been the fitness buzzword for at least five years now and, according to recent statistics from the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association, more than 11 million Americans currently are practicing yoga.

Researchers found that a 50- minute session of Hatha yoga burns 144 calories, equivalent to a slow walk, and provides no substantial aerobic benefit . As for Power yoga, it burns about 237 calories in 50 minutes and boosts heart rates to 62 percent of heartrate max (HRmax), providing just a mild aerobic workout.

Yoga is aimed to unite the mind, the body, and the spirit. Yogis view that the mind and the body are one, and that if given the right tools and taken to the right environment, it can find harmony and heal itself. Yoga, therefore, is considered therapeutic. It helps you become more aware of your body's posture, alignment and patterns of movement. It makes the body more flexible and helps you relax even in the midst of a stress stricken environment. This is one of the foremost reasons why people want to start Practicing Yoga - to feel fitter, be more energetic, be happier and peaceful.

Water: The Essence of Life

People who care for the most basic of skin concerns such as aging skin, dryness, and sensitivity to the more severe diseases of acne, rosacea, and skin cancer will face a common thread that runs through them all - WATER LOSS.

Water plays an important role in our body systems. When our cells are not fully hydrated, they cannot function at their optimal level. This leads too much of the tissue damage that we can call aging. For example, dehydrated skin is more likely to weaken and succumb to all sorts of ravages that leads to wrinkles, loss of elasticity, dryness, redness, and many other problems. This dehydration and deterioration of our cells can be due to a simple deficiency in our diets of vital cell-hydrating nutrients.

Many people believe that drinking eight, ten or more glasses of water a day is the answer to hydration, but it is not about drinking water. It's about getting water into the cells and keeping it there so that every cell can function to its full capacity. As we age, our bodies lose the ability to utilize water as they did when we were younger. Over time, our cells and the other areas of our bodies that need hydration break down and become unable to hold onto water, leaving them weakened and less effective. For example, a baby;s body weight is 75% water, with skin that is smooth and resilient. By middle age, the average male can contribute about 60% of his total weight to water, and the average female is 50%. So that, when we get older, we loose water inside our cells and tissue. As a result, skin becomes dry, thin and rough.

Therefore, besides drinking enough water, you need to repair the issues in your body that are loosing water. Eating the appropriate amount of cell hydrating and connective tissue building foods is the ultimate way to feed the skin. Taking a dietary supplement which contains glucosamine, amino acids, phosphatidylcholine and lecithin, antioxidants, fish oil, zinc and aloe vera on a daily basic will maintain the correct levels of nutrients in the body at all time. Moreover, you can also take herbal teas, vegetable broth, fruit juices and fresh fruit and vegetables counting toward your daily water intake.

Vietnamese Tradditional Long Dress ( Ao Dai)

Beauty is an abstract word which have many definitions. People can define beauty in different ways depending on their looks. I think beauty is something that is not only shown by the outside appearance, but also shown by the inside. Therefore, to be considered as a beautiful and attractive lady, you have to combine both elements inside and outside. The outside appearance may reveal through the way you're taking care your skin, the way you're choosing make up, hair styles, and especially clothes. It doesn't mean that expensive clothing will make you look good. If you can choose clothes that are suitable to you, you're still beautiful.

In this post, I would like to introduce to you to Vietnamese Ao Dai. Like Japanese Kimono and Korean Hanbok, Ao Dai is one of several Vietnamese traditional customs. A lasting impression for any visitor to Viet Nam is the beauty of a woman dressed in her ao dai ( also called traditional long dress). The ao dai appears to flatter every figure. Its body-hugging top flows over wide trousers that brush the floor. Splits in the gown extend well above waist height and make it comfortable and easy to move in. Although virtually the whole body is swathed in soft flowing fabric, these splits give the odd glimpse of a bare midriff, making the outfit very sensual. Rapidly becoming the national costume for ladies, its development is actually very short compared to the country's history.

We wear Ao Dai not only on holidays but also daily. High school students wear white ao dais as their uniforms. In wedding parties, ao dais still are the first choice in traditional ceremonies. Today, ao dais are more concerned in designing and choosing materials. We love to introduce Ao dais to our foreign friends because through Ao dais, they can know more about our traditional cultures and customs.

Here are some pictures of women wearing Ao Dais. How nice they are!

The benefits of fruits

Eating fruits and veggies will provide vitamins and plenty of antioxidants. They also can help you ward off heart disease and stroke, control blood pressure and cholesterol, prevent some types of cancer, avoid a painful intestinal ailment called diverticulitis, and guard against cataract and macular degeneration, which are two common causes of vision loss. Fruits are finding their way into many aspects of the treatment.

Oranges and lemons: Well-known for their high vitamin C content. Oranges and lemons are being used in skin care treatments to tighten and firm the skin, promote cell turnover as well as enhance skin-lightening effects. To be used effectively, fresh orange and lemon halves can be rubbed over the surface of the skin following the removal of a mask and just before the application of sunscreen and moisturizer. On less sensitive skin types, they can also be rubbed onto the skin prior to a modeling mask, and the juice left on the surface will penetrate beneath the firming mask. Both options result in bright, revitalized, firm and taut skin.

Blueberries: The latest range in antioxidant benefits, blueberries have topped the most popular list. Blueberries are most effectively used as a freshly made treatment mask. They can be gently mashed and applied directly to the skin with a brush, or mixed into a gel base. Be sure to protect your hair and clothing in order to prevent any possible staining.

Bananas: This fruit, especially when blended with milk and/or honey, makes a fabulous treatment mask. Bananas themselves provide firmness and moisture. When mixed with honey or milk, you will receive added hydration as well as exfoliation.

Please always remember to check for allergies, especially food allergies, when applying any product to the skin.

Almonds for health

I truly don't like almonds much. Therefore, I do not care about this kind of nut family before. However, I just read an interesting article about the benefits of almonds, and I found some helpful information. A handful of almonds may be a simple way to improve heart health, say Tufts University researchers. The study concluded that almonds are a source of several antioxidants and antioxidant compounds. Almonds have antioxidants levels similar to those found in many fruits and vegetables. " the analysis of almond skin antioxidants sheds more light on all the nutrients in almonds that provide a health benefit," says Jeffery Blumberg Ph.D., study author. In addition, eating almonds may improve blood sugar levels. If you want to find more further information, visit portfolioeatingplan.com. You can also find some healthy recipes using almonds at that website, too.

Maybe, due to its benefits, I now should start eating more almonds to have a healthy system. Here's one of the almond recipes: Honey Roasted Almonds

Foot massage

After a hard working day, our bodies need to be relaxed. Some of my friends like facial or shoulder massages, but I love to massage my feet because it's the fastest and effective way to release my stress. However, I don't have time to go to the spa or salon to enjoy the massage. I always do the foot massage by myself at home, but it doesn't bring much result. Maybe I don't know how to do it professionally. Therefore, I'm looking for a good book or DVD showing me the tips and how to do the foot massage step by step.

This video named "Comprehensive Reflexology and Massage the foot" by Meade Steadman, an expert massage therapist, is what I'm looking for. Just in 1 hr.28 mins, Meade provides detailed instruction, demonstrating the strokes and techniques on both the right and left foot and on different models: young and old, male and female. For the reflexology section, Meade discusses the body’s physiology, contraindications (particularly geriatric concerns), history, and how the anatomy of the foot maps to each part of the body. The comprehensive massage demonstration shows techniques to work the foot and lower leg for flexibility, relaxation, and improved circulation. Meade’s demonstrations show how to warm up the feet, work the “whole body” for balance, and focus on specific areas of concern. This video received 2006 Gold Davey Award, 2006 Telly Award, and was featured in Massage Magazine, Oct. 2006. If you're interested in this video, you can find more information or buy the video at videoshelf.com.

Here's another 5 mins video showing you some very easy but effective foot massage techniques that can help you melt stress away from your family or friends.

Foot Massage Lesson by Health-Choices Holistic MassageSchool