Archive for September, 2009
A flurry of jewelry designers are pitching in 25th anniversary Breast Cancer Awareness
The earrings feature pink sapphire and colorless diamonds set in 18-karat white gold.These Mikimoto akoya pearl earrings from the "Everything is Possible with Hope" collection retail for $3,000, and 50 percent off proceeds benefit the Young Survival Coalition, a nonprofit network dedicated to addressing the needs of young women affected by breast cancer
A flurry of jewelry designers are pitching in, too, creating everything from pieces with pink ribbon imagery to more subtle designs crafted simply in rose gold or accented with gemstones in the cause’s pink hue.
In common between the designs is that a portion of proceeds will be donated to fund breast cancer research or efforts to generate awareness and education.
As a breast cancer survivor, the cause is close to jewelry designer Neda Behnam’s heart. In 2008, Behnam launched the Diamonds For A Cure (DFAC) line with the mission of raising funds for cancer research through specially designed jewelry collections. The “Lucky 7″ collection is one such grouping created in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
“I wanted to do something to honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month as well as honor all those, like myself and my family, who have been touched by breast cancer,” Behnam said in a media release. “Seven is a very lucky number and represents a high level of spirituality. It also means new beginnings.”
The seven pieces that make up the collection are available in 18-karat yellow gold, rose gold or sterling silver, and each piece is set with diamonds. Prices range from $399 to $3,000, and a percentage of sales benefit Stand Up To Cancer.
In October 2005, Mikimoto launched “Everything is Possible with Hope,” a collection of cultured-pearl designs inspired by the pink ribbon and set in 18-karat gold. The pieces range in price from $950 to $3,000, and now through Dec. 31, Mikimoto will donate 50 percent of proceeds to the Young Survival Coalition. The collection comprises everything from a simple white strand strung together with pink silk thread to akoya stud earrings accented with pink sapphires.
Designer Jane Basch is well known for her monogrammed pendants and charm-set dog tags that allow consumers to express themselves and show off their personalities. With her “Tribute” collection, fans can dip into Basch’s signature style while also giving back. Each person who buys one of the collection’s dog tag designs emblazoned with a pink ribbon will contribute 5 percent to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, an organization dedicated to breast cancer education and research.
Though October is dedicated to breast cancer awareness, Basch says the pieces can be worn year round.
As she puts it: “Leading a happy and healthy life is just as much mental as physical. Thinking pink all year long reminds us of the women we love and the woman we aspire to be.”
Jewelry brand Dogeared’s signature style is also well recognizable in a diminutive set of charms, including wishbones and ribbons crafted in silver or dipped in gold. The pieces, which range in price from $26 to $54, are available on a pink silk thread or on a gold or silver chain.
Additional designs featuring pink accents are available from Jessica Hicks, who has created a silver and mother-of-pearl charm necklace with pink amethyst, and Kim Gilby, whose “Tiny Heart” necklace features a pink Swarovski crystal. Twenty percent of sales from each will be donated to breast cancer research.
Joy O Designs, meanwhile, is donating the same percentage of proceeds from all rose gold-fill jewelry to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
For consumers who want to contribute to the cause but perhaps don’t want to wear pink throughout the year, a number of designers have selected pieces from their signature collections to benefit breast cancer research and awareness efforts.
Ija Designs is offering its curved clasp bangle, available in silver or gold fill, and donating 20 percent of the proceeds to the Sara Fisher project, while Lana Jewelry is selling its “Upside Down Hoops,” available in 14-karat yellow, white and rose gold, and giving half of the proceeds to the Noreen Fraser Foundation. Prices range from $180 for a small version to $345 for larger, diamond-studded hoops.
Designer Jill Alberts, who lost her mother to breast cancer, is donating 10 percent of total sales of select earrings through the month of October to the Lynn Sage Foundation. Among the selected designs are hammered sterling silver hoop earrings and vermeil options accented with earth-toned gemstones.
Carolina Herrera Spring clothes collection
The new summer suit Carolina Herrera on Monday. Herrera’s collection had an organic sensibility and was free of any strict theme. Working in a palette of ivory, amber, redwood, rose and caramel, she focused instead on workmanship.
An ivory fils coupe, or cut thread, raffia blouse had the coarse look of handmade paper, cinched with a redwood leather rope belt over a pencil skirt in a tile-like Jacquard. And a draped front, rose-colored fils coupe chiffon cocktail dress fell in shiny rivulets. Even a brown and silver brush-stroke Jacquard tea-length dress appeared to have texture.
Stop using anti aging product!
Stop using anti aging product it’s bad for your skin and you no need to worry getting old.
British dermatologists concerned that young people’s use of anti-aging products is actually damaging their skin.
Creams designed for older people are simply too heavy for younger skins, causing pores to clog and preventing sweat from escaping the body, according to experts interviewed by the Daily Mail.
“Eczema patients who use products that are too greasy often suffer from a condition called occlusive folliculitis – sweat cannot escape from behind clogged pores, causing itchy red lumps,” Dr Susan Mayou, consultant dermatologist at London’s Cadogan Clinic, told the Daily Mail. “Teenagers using a heavy product could suffer from the same thing.”
Recent research suggests that a third of women under 25 years old regularly apply anti-aging products meant for the 40-plus crowd.
And it seems that clogged pores are the least of dermatologists’ concerns. Other cosmetic products that boast of maintaining youthful skin contain high concentrations of retinoids and AHAs, which can actually accelerate the aging process for those with vibrant skin, according to the Daily Mail.
These compounds break down the top layer of skin and increase the the cells’ rates of renewal. This process slows aging for older users, but unnecessarily damages younger, more sensitive skin. The short-term damage results in redness, itching and flaking, while in the long term the skin is more susceptible to sun damage.
Ironically, this increased sun sensitivity can lead to many of the problems that young anti-aging cream users are trying to avoid – uneven pigmentation, age spots and even wrinkles, the paper reported.
But old habits are hard to break. For the youth unwilling to give up their anti-aging facial creams, dermatologists recommend applying SPF 15 sunscreen every day.
salt helps maintain the body’s balance of fluids
Salt helps maintain the body’s balance of fluids. Salt also functions in many foods as a preservative, by helping to prevent spoilage and keeping certain foods safe to eat. But nearly all Americans consume more salt than they need, according to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. These guidelines are published every five years by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The natural salt in food accounts for about 10 percent of total intake, on average, according to the guidelines. The salt we add at the table or while cooking adds another 5 to 10 percent. About 75 percent of our total salt intake comes from salt added to processed foods by manufacturers and salt that cooks add to foods at restaurants and other food service establishments.
Q. What are the health effects of too much salt?
A. In many people, salt contributes to high blood pressure. High blood pressure makes the heart work harder and can lead to heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and kidney disease.
Q. What is the daily recommended amount of sodium for adults?
A. The amount of salt in a food is listed as “sodium” on the Nutrition Facts Panel of food labels. The Dietary Guidelines recommend that the general population consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day (about a teaspoon of table salt). Most food labels shorten the word “milligrams” to “mg.”
Some people are more sensitive to the effects of salt than others. The guidelines also recommend that, in general, these populations consume no more than 1,500 milligrams.
These populations include
African Americans
People with high blood pressure, kidney disease, or diabetes
People who are middle-age or older
The exceptions to this are people whose doctors have put them on a diet that requires even less sodium because of a medical condition. Always follow your doctor’s recommendation about how much sodium you can have daily.
Q. What steps can I take to lower my salt intake?
A. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.
Consume foods that are rich in potassium. Potassium can help blunt the effects of sodium on blood pressure. The recommended intake of potassium for adolescents and adults is 4,700 mg/day. Potassium-rich foods include leafy, green vegetables and fruits from vines.
Flavor food with pepper and other herbs and spices instead of salt.
Choose unsalted snacks.
Read food labels and choose foods low in sodium.
Q. How can I tell if a food is low in sodium or high in sodium?
A. The Nutrition Facts Panel that appears on food labels also lists the “% Daily Value” for sodium. Look for the abbreviation “%DV” to find it. Foods listed as 5% or less for sodium are low in sodium. Foods listed as 6% to 20% contain a moderate amount of sodium. Anything above 20% for sodium is considered high. Try to select foods that provide 5% or less for sodium, per serving.
Q. Are salt substitutes safe?
A. Many salt substitutes contain potassium chloride, which could be harmful to people with certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, kidney disease, and heart disease. Check with your doctor before using salt substitutes.
Q. What is FDA’s role in regulating salt?
A. Salt is regulated by FDA as a “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) ingredient. A GRAS substance is one that has a long history of safe, common use in foods, or that is determined to be safe based on proven science. These substances need not be approved by FDA prior to being used.
FDA requires that sodium content be stated on food labels. FDA has implemented several labeling requirements related to sodium content of foods.
FDA sets criteria for nutrient-content claims that manufacturers make about foods. Examples are “low sodium” and “reduced in sodium”.
FDA doesn’t have regulatory authority to require manufacturers to change the amounts of salt in processed foods at this time, but the agency is conducting research in this area. In 2007, the Center for Science in the Public Interest submitted a Citizen’s Petition to FDA requesting that the agency make changes to the regulatory status of salt, including requiring limits on the amount of salt in processed food. In November 2007, FDA held a public hearing in College Park, Md., on the agency’s policies regarding salt in food, and solicited comments from the public about future regulatory approaches.
Q. What was the outcome of FDA’s public hearing on salt?
A. The public comment period ended in August 2008, and the agency is reviewing comments. FDA is also a sponsor of an Institute of Medicine (IOM) report on reducing sodium intake, which is due out in 2010. IOM has convened a committee to review and make recommendations about various ways to reduce salt intake. The strategies under consideration include actions by food manufacturers, by public health professionals and consumer educators, and at the government level, such as special initiatives and regulatory options.
Celebrities shops for New York Fashion Week
Victoria Beckham, Rihanna, Gwen Stefani, Charlize Theron and Sarah Jessica Parker,the celebrities took to the stores of the Big Apple after Vogue magazine editor Anna Wintour called on shoppers to help kickstart New York Fashion Week and spend, spend, spend.
Hundreds of clothing stores extended their opening hours to take part in the fashion extravaganza, which saw Stefani make an appearance at upmarket department store Bloomingdales, Theron at Christian Dior, and Lindsay Lohan at Emanuel Ungaro, the label at which she was this week named style consultant.
Rihanna was seen shopping at Intermix in the SoHo district, while Beckham showed her support at Bergdorf Goodman and Parker joined forces with couturier Oscar de la Renta at his boutique.
Wintour herself teamed up with Hollywood actress Kate Hudson, designers Diane von Furstenberg and Michael Kors, and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to bring a touch of glamour to the borough of Queens with an appearance at Macy’s.
