5 Ways that Exercise Can Keep You Young!
Tata’s approach to antiaging is a good one: start young, and be holistic about it. That is, start taking your health seriously as soon as you’re old enough to make those decisions for yourself, and treat wellness and antiaging as a system that includes most elements in your life. Exercise is one of those central health tenets: the benefits, generally speaking, can really not be overstated.
Here, we thought we’d focus on how exercise can help keep us young. Don’t have a regular exercise routine, or not sure how to start incorporating it into daily life? There are so many helpful resources out there for learning what approach to exercise is right for you – but in the mean time, check out this post we did earlier this year about how Yoga is beneficial for our skin’s health (and therefore longevity), plus 4 poses that are especially good for promoting glowing skin.
So, how can exercise keep us looking and feeling young? Read on:
1. According to a study published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, “exercise reduced or eliminated almost every detrimental effect of aging in mice that had been genetically programmed to grow old at an accelerated pace.” Well, that’s mice of course – but the results of this study were fascinating, because regular vigorous exercise (the mice ran a lot) prevented them from going gray, losing hair, losing muscle volume, and even kept their heart from becoming enlarged and their brains from shrinking. The mice that exercised still had healthy hair volume, strong muscles, healthy hearts and brains that were robust and . The study’s conclusion: “Exercise alters the course of aging.“ From the New York Times.
2. Stress is one of the leading causes of premature aging, so use exercise’s powerful stress-reducing effects to your benefit! Exercise pumps up up with endorphins, our brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters that flood us with the feeling of a happy high. Deep into a workout and immediately after, you’ll realize your stresses and cares feel miles away. Focusing on the task at hand is an excellent strategy for helping your mind move past its sources of stress and activate new areas of the brain. Lastly, regular exercise helps reduce depression and anxiety, while helping promote healthy sleep – all essential for controlling stress.
3. Having healthy circulation is key for healthy skin- our dermis looks most radiant and when it is replenished regularly with fresh blood and oxygen. A good workout gets your blood pumping fast through your body, which helps speed up it’s natural detoxifying process and improves the efficiency of distribution of nutrients, minerals and oxygen throughout your skin, which in turn reduces degeneration and loss of collagen structure.
4. Bodies with a higher muscle to fat ratio burn more calories at rest. As we age, weight gain can become more and more difficult to control; start out on the right foot by keeping your body strong. Plus, maintaining healthy toned muscle throughout your body can help reduce the sagging effects of the skin.
5. Energy! Burning energy by exercising regularly actually helps boost your long-term energy stores, and those that exercise regularly, compared to inactive people, are less likely to get tired throughout the day or winded by a brief workout. A solid dose of exercise during a day can reinvigorate your mind, body and spirit thanks to the rush of oxygen, increased blood flow, boost of happiness endorphins and burst of self-confidence and pride.
What’s your approach to finding time to fit in regular exercise? Have you seen any benefits from creating a healthy workout routine for yourself?
Finding Eco-Fashion at the 2013 Oscars
The OSCARS! A night of stunning fashion, hilarious roasts (who else thought Seth McFarlane wasn’t half bad?), towering high-heels and some epic musical numbers. True Hollywood at its best. As usual, the Red Carpet was my personal favorite part of the night, and seeing the diversity of dresses and tuxedos is always a thrill. But as soon as it was over, I headed to Google to find out if any of those gorgeous stars rocked ecologically or socially-conscious dresses that night.
Turns out, the beautiful Naomie Harris of Skyfall wore a dress that was the definition of green glamour. It was “made from organic silk crepe de chine” with “recycled zippers” and was “hand-embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework with vintage glass beads and chocolate candy wrappers. The color is thanks to a dying process that used goldenrod and chamomile, the byproducts of which, since they contained no chemical pollutants, went straight to the compost heap.” (For more info, read the LA Times coverage here.)
The dress was designed by Michael Badger, a Ghanian fashion design student studying at Savannah College of Art and Design.
There’s a story behind each gown, and we love that this gown, while it didn’t make the red carpet coverage on television, has a hidden history of sustainability. Green fashion is a trend to watch, especially since the innovation behind the material, color and embellishments on the gowns is truly stunning. Chocolate candy wrappers?! Oscar-nominated Helen Hunt also wore an eco-friendly dress last night, one designed by H&M. She looked stunning in the rich navy blue dress. To read more about her choice to go green, check out this Telegraph article.
To find out more about Red Carpet Green Dress, which is an eco-fashion contest started by Suzie Amis Cameron, wife of James Cameron, visit their website here!
Whose dress did you love most last night??
5 Supplements for Healthier Skin
People have mixed feelings about supplements: there’s a lot of folks who think that they’re unnecessary because they believe that our bodies get everything they need from a well-balanced diet of real food, and there are others who believe that they can actually really help us achieve our health goals, or alleviate some imbalances in our bodies, or even cure us of some maladies.
One thing is for sure: there are supplements (I’m talking pill form, here, like in the pic above – credit to DailyPerricone) that, when taken consistently in the proper dosages, can work wonders for your skin. There are many different reasons one would take supplements for the skin. To name a few: to alleviate eczema or hyper-dry skin, to chill out acne breakouts, to help protect our cells from UV and environmental damage, to boost collagen production, to provide it with essential vitamins, to help slow down the skin’s cellular aging process – etc.
There are many claims out there, and many, many options, and many many different skin types and skin needs. But below are some basic supplements that can really contribute to beautiful skin, and the reasons they do so. Read on!
(Oh, also – there are lots of skin-health and antiaging supplements out there that have been specially blended, manufactured and bottled, and sold by health brands. While those can be great, the below list doesn’t include them, as I’m looking specifically at natural supplements that are straight-up one ingredient.)
Vitamin B-Complex: This complex is a combo of the B family of vitamins (including Thiamine, Riboflavin and Niacin) and is a common go-to supplement for balanced health in the body, and for strong hair and healthy skin. The vitamins promote healthy circulation, which is key for bringing fresh nutrients and oxygen to skin cells, to keep their regeneration rates high, and it helps maintain moisture so it stays plump. Skin tone is balanced, and amazingly this complex is famous for helping to reduce stress levels – and we all know that stress can cause a pimple or two, not to mention long-term degradation of our skin’s support structure. Lastly, this complex helps the flow of oxygen and nutrients in and out of cells.
Evening Primrose Oil: This oil, extracted from the seeds of the Evening Primrose flower, is widely used for its ability to ease PMS symptoms such as achy cramps and sore breasts. However it also has a great reputation for it’s skin benefits, primarily because of its high concentrations of GLA, or Gammo Linolenic Acid. GLA is an essential fatty acid that’s in the Omega – 6 family and it has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Evening Primrose Oil is adored in the skincare world for its ability to clear up and balance cases of eczema and dry, scaly skin, and because it’s reported to balance sebum production (which is the facial oil that can cause breakouts).
Vitamin C: Vitamin C is awesome for the skin for a few reasons. It’s a powerful antioxidant, which means it can help slow down the detrimental effects of free-radicals, which all contribute to wrinkles, fine lines, skin dryness and generally compromise skin cell integrity and health. Vitamin C is also essential to our skin’s collagen-production process. Collagen is the protein that helps our skin retain its strength and firmness; as we age, our skin produces less and less of it, so supporting its natural maintenance and protection is key for anti-aging!
Here’s an interesting Vitamin C fact: most of us assume fruits like orange, grapefruit or apple have the highest amount of vitamin C out there. But in fact, some of the foods that are richest in Vitamin C include hot chili peppers, guavas, fresh herbs (like parsley and thyme) and dark leafy greens. All have more C than citrus fruits!
Omega 3-6-9: This supplement is one of the basics for healthier skin and hair – and for the rest of your body (think brain, reproductive, cholesterol, artery and immune health. Whoa!). Deficiencies of these essential fatty acids can cause dry skin, rashes, and a compromise immune system – which can lead to dull, breakout-prone skin. These oils are rich in nutrients and fatty acids that help repair damaged cells, essentially healing the skin from the inside, and making it more resilient against stressors and damage – which is a key aspect in a successful antiaging regimen.
(What are some natural plant-based food sources for the above Omegas? Try raw walnuts, leafy green vegetables, flaxseeds or Chia seeds!)
Zinc: This mineral is key for skin in a few ways, one of which being it is a great overall support for our immune systems. Immune health is essential for skin health: a poor immune system can lead to weaker skin that can’t fight the bacteria that causes breakouts. It’s also widely known to help treat acne, as it helps keep sebum production in check. Also, getting lots of zinc helps speed up our skin’s healing process, making it ideal for clearing up residual spots from acne, or wounds like scrapes and cuts.
Supplement Tips:
- Read those ingredient labels – search out organic ingredients wherever possible, for any supplements or multivitamins.
- Pay attention and take supplements when they are suggested: with or without food.
- Learn more about supplements, variations in quality, and which ones have been tested at ConsumerLab. (https://www.consumerlab.com/)
What supplements, if any, do you take for healthy skin? Would you recommend them?
We’ve been Blue Butterflied! Our Newest Eco & Socially – Friendly Certification
Here’s how we feel about third-party certifications: it’s important and meaningful for a company to create high standards for themselves for business practices that stick to their moral guidelines. If you’re going to produce food products without using any chemicals, that’s amazing, and we love that – or, if you’re a handbag company and you use only vegan leather, awesome – if that’s what you believe in. But in this market full of tricky marketing claims, smart and sometimes deceiving packaging, and differing opinons about what good business really means – it’s helpful to have a certification you can stamp on your product. One symbol or label can say a lot, and when it comes to a certification, it means a third-party group has taken a look at your products and practices and decided that indeed, what you say is true.
This is helpful for us because our certifications show that we’ve taken what we believe in to the next level, and we’ve voluntarily certified our products as 100% Natural by EcoCert, Vegetarian by the American Vegetarian Association, and Cruelty-Free by the Leaping Bunny Association. Our Vermont farm has been certified Organic by the Northeast Organic Farming Association.
And now, we’re proud to announce that we’ve been given the Blue Butterfly stamp of approval by Positive Luxury, an award-winning site based in the UK whose mission is to guide consumers through the market’s mixed messages by giving brands and companies that meet their rigorous standards for ecological and social responsibility the Blue Butterfly stamp – to set them apart. What’s so unique about their certification is that it is interactive: the Blue Butterfly, which we will soon be uploading to our Home Page, is a button that a visitor can click or hover their mouse over. What pops up is a breakdown of the company’s efforts to be socially and eco-friendly, in everything from sourcing, to packaging, to selling, so you can have a better idea of whether or not they’re meeting your standards.
We think it’s an awesome idea! And are thrilled that we’ve joined Positive Luxury’s list of incredible brands – including companies like J Crew, Gucci, The Honest Company and Stella McCartney. For a full list of Positive Luxury’s brands that have received the Blue Butterfly certification, click here. It’s a great group to be a part of!
To receive the certification, Positive Luxury put us through a thorough background check where they checked in on the eco-friendly standards we hold our ingredient producers to, our own efforts to reduce waste in our laboratory, and our use of recycled packaging, recycleable bottles – etc. Mainly, we think it’s great that there are groups of people who are making a real effort to increase consumers’ knowledge about what they’re buying – essentially encouraging brands to get real and be transparent – and that’s what honest business is all about.
What standards for ecological or social responsibility do you hold brands to? Is it hard for you to believe in a company that doesn’t seem to be concerned with the repercussions of their actions on communities or the environment?
Meet Chelsea, our new Customer Service Rep!
Life in the office has gotten even cheerier with the arrival of our new customer service representative, Chelsea. A local Vermonter, Chelsea brings some serious skincare knowledge to her position – she’s a licensed Esthetician and fits in beautifully here at Tata Harper, where we all love being in the business of making people look and feel beautiful.
I thought it would be great if Chelsea wrote up a quick bio to introduce herself to everybody, so here it is!
“Hi! My name is Chelsea Lanpher, and I am the new Customer Service Representative here at Tata Harper Skincare. I am very excited and feel privileged to have joined a team full of such creative individuals who share the same passion for skincare as I do!
I grew up in Shoreham, Vermont (which just so happens tobe where Tata Harper is located), which is a very rural town filled with mostly farms and apple orchards. When I was younger I always wanted to live in a city setting, somewhere busy, and close to everything. As I got older that changed, and I started to have a deeper appreciation of where I lived because it is so calm and beautiful. I could not ask for a more peaceful place to work. As a kid I was always a girly girl who loved doing makeup on anybody and everybody! As I got older the feeling of wanting to beautify everyone did not go away, so I looked into some beauty schools around Vermont. I decided to enroll in the Esthetics programat the Salon Professional Academy in Williston, Vermont hoping that I would learn more about makeup and one day become a makeup artist. About one month into the program my idea of going to school to just learn more about makeup changed completely when I learned how fascinating the skin is. All I wanted to do from then on was learn how to help people address their skin’s needs, and of course help my own skin to, look its absolute best! Becoming a licensed Esthetician was a huge milestone in my life, and I am so happy to have found a job where I can put that knowledge to work everyday.
My love for makeup and beauty has definitely not gone anywhere – I’ve taken my experience and knowledge with makeup and the skin and regularly provide makeup services for weddings, which is a really fun addition to my work at Tata Harper. Can’t wait to hopefully meet many of you over the phone and email, be sure to call us if you have any questions about the care and health of your skin (1.877.321.8282), I’d be happy to help!”
