15 Health Benefits of Cucumber

After reading this piece, I thought it will be good to share, please read and enjoy........

Cucumber is often regarded as a healthy food because it is low in calories and fat. Cucumber also contains many vitamins and minerals that make them a healthy choice for cooking and snacking. Here are 15 health benefits of cucumber:

1. Keep body hydrated- Cucumber has 96% water content that is more nutritious than regular water, which helps in keeping the body hydrated and regulating body temperature. It also helps in flushing out the toxins from the body.
2. Skin care- The high water content, vitamins A, B & C and the presence of certain minerals like magnesium, potassium, and silica make cucumbers an essential part of skin care. Facial masks containing cucumber juice can be used for skin tightening. Ascorbic acid and caffeic acid present in cucumbers can bring down the water retention rate which in turn diminishes the puffiness and swelling under the eyes. Cucumber skin also can bring relief to the skin caused by sunburn or windburn.
3. Fight cancers - Cucumber are known to contain lariciresinol, pinoresinol, and secoisolariciresinol – three lignans that have a strong history of research in connection with reduced risk of several cancer types, including breast cancer, prostate cancer, uterine cancer, and ovarian cancer.
4. Control Blood Pressure - Cucumber juice contains a lot of potassium, magnesium and fiber that work effectively for regulating blood pressure. This makes cucumber good for treating both low blood pressure and high blood pressure.
5. Beneficial for teeth and gums - Cucumber juice is also beneficial for people with teeth and gums problems, especially in cases of pyorrhea. Cucumber is a good source of dietary fiber and this fiber massage in the teeth and gums.
6. Aid digestion -Digestive disorders like acidity, heartburn, gastritis and even ulcers can be cured by the daily consumption of fresh cucumber juice. The high water content and dietary fiber in cucumber are very effective in driving away the toxins from the digestive system and hence aid digestion. Daily consumption of cucumbers can be regarded as a remedy for chronic constipation.
7. Promotes Joint health - Cucumber is an excellent source of silica, which known to help promotes joint health by strengthening the connective tissues.
8. Treat tapeworms - Cucumber seeds are used as a natural remedy for treating tapeworms. Bruised cucumber seeds mixed with water are also effective in the treatment of swellings of the mucous membranes of the nose and the throat.
9. Nail care - The high silica content of cucumber also helps to prevent splitting and spoiling of nails of the fingers and toes.
10. Relieve gout and arthritis pain - Cucumber is rich in vitamins A, B1, B6, C & D, Folate, Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium, when mixed with carrot juice, they can relieve gout and arthritis pain by lowering the uric acid levels.
11. Cures diabetes - The cucumber juice has been found to be beneficial for the diabetic patients. This vegetable contains a hormone needed by the cells of the pancreas for producing insulin.
12. Reduces cholesterol - Researchers found that some compound called sterols in cholesterol may help reduce cholesterol levels.
13. Stimulate hair growth -Cucumber contains silicon and sulphur and thus a regular intake of cucumber can help promote healthy hair growth. For best results, mix cucumber juice with the juices of carrot, lettuce or spinach.
14. Acts as a diuretic -The water content of Cucumber acts as a diuretic. It encourages the elimination of waste products from the body through urination. Regular intake of cucumber helps to dissolve bladder or kidney stones.
15. Aid in weight loss - Due to its low calorie and high water content, cucumber is an ideal diet for people who looking for weight loss.

When buying cucumbers, choose the ones that are firm to touch and dark green in color. Do not buy overly matured or yellow colored as they are prone to contain more insoluble fiber and mature seeds. Go for organically grown cucumbers to get a rich taste and nutritients content.

 culled from: Health Online

Flawless Skin on Your Wedding Day

By Humberto

Weddings are planned to the very last detail: the dress, flowers, colors, tableware, food, lightning, you name it! Even though this can be a very stressful period, it’s about having the best day of you and your future husband’s life. To make things even better, know what you can do to achieve that bright and youthful complexion for your special day.

Wiping away that tired look doesn’t have to be that difficult, you only need to start thinking ahead so that you don’t wake up on your wedding day with dry, dull looking skin. Starting a skin care routine that will benefit your skin will not only brighten up that complexion, but it will also prevent the formation of other imperfections, like for example, the signs of premature aging.

Bridal Skin Care Tips
Cleanse: Purchase a cleanser according to your skin type for best results. You should only cleanse your skin twice daily, once in the morning and once before you go to bed to get rid of impurities that have gathered during the day. A cleanser will help to remove dirt and unclog pores to prevent breakouts.

Microdermabrasion: Using a home microdermabrasion cream is a really good way to notice an almost immediate difference. A microdermabrasion cream works by scrubbing off the very top layer of skin to remove dead skin cells. These dead skin cells are what usually makes dry skin look dull and aged. There are several microdermabrasion creams available and the procedure should be done twice a week, but you can do it more often depending on how your skin feels.

Moisturize: There are tons if not millions of moisturizers out there and some are a lot better than others. The good thing about having so many to choose from is that each and everyone can serve as a multipurpose treatment. For example, if you want something do get rid of age spots, you can simply look for products that contain Rumex Extract, Hyaluronic Acid for wrinkles and Rose Hip Oil for dry skin. The key here is to find a product that is meant for your skin type. Moisturize twice a day after cleansing and exfoliating.

Sun Protection: Applying a sun screen is the best way to prevent premature aging because the sun is the skin’s primary enemy. Apply above SPF 15 and keep using the sun screen year around because the sun can be equally damaging during hot weather. Use Sunglasses to protect the eyes.

There you go, the four step system of cleansing, exfoliating, moisturizing and protecting your skin is all you need to have a flawless complexion. Implement this 4 step system as your skin care routine and start looking forward to a brighter and more youthful-looking complexion on your wedding day.

culled: Biocutis Skincare

Genevieve Nnaji Becomes Face Of Range Rover In Nigeria

 

Genevieve Nnaji has done it again. This time she has snagged a multi-million naira Range Rovers deal. The actress was approached by Coscharis to be the brand ambassador  for the car in Nigeria. According to nigeriafilms.com, the company was undecided as to who will be the brand representative and the top on their list was Genevieve Nnaji and Desmond Elliot. Genevieve got the deal as she is steadily growing to become a global brand.

The deal is rumoured to be  about  $100,000 in the first six months of the deal. Subsequent months would make the actress about $250,000 richer.

culled Pulse.com.ng

Miss Rhode Island, Olivia Culpo, is crowned Miss USA 2012

Suddenly band camp got a lot more glamorous! A 20-year-old Cranston, Rhode Island native – who talked about her love of the cello and spending her summers at band camp – was the winner of Sunday's 61st Annual Miss USA Pageant.

Olivia Culpo, a student at Boston College where she's a regular on the Dean's List, beat out 50 other hopefuls in the beauty contest, during which she worked the stage at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas wearing a pink bikini and purple Grecian style evening gown. The brunette talked about the influence music has had in her life – she played the cello for 13 years, noting, "Band camp was my summer every summer." Other information given out about her during the pageant? She was "short and chubby" growing until she hit a growth spurt. She is also passionate about "quoting celebrities" and shared her favorite saying by Audrey Hepburn.

When it time came to answering the final question of the evening, she had the most serious in the bunch: Would it be fair if a transgender woman won the Miss Universe title? She agreed with the organization's recent decision to include transgender contestants. "I do think that would be fair, but I could understand how people could be apprehensive to take that road," she said. However, "there are so many people who have a need to change for a happier life. I do accept that because I believe it's a free country." The crowd liked her response, cheering wildly.

Bravo's Andy Cohen and E!'s Giuliana Rancic hosted the show, which aired on NBC. The judge's panel included Arsenio Hall, Joe Jonas, and Rob Kardashian, who made a dig at the contestants saying they wore too much makeup and their hair was too big. Kelly Osbourne was a roving reporter. Akon and Cobra Starship performed. Of course Donald Trump, who co-owns the Miss Universe Organization with NBC, was front and center as well.

culled from Yahoo TV