Great buy: It's a 10 Leave-In Product

Here's a product that has been a great buy: It's a 10 miracle leave- in product. It's an all in one leave in treatment that does the following:

1. Repairs dry damaged hair

2. Adds shine

3. Smoothes & controls frizz

4. Seals & Protects Hair color

5. Flat iron spray & thermal protector

6. Detangles

7. Stops hair breakage

8. Creates silkiness

9. Enhances natural body

10. Prevents split ends

This type of product makes sense - why buy 10 different items, when it can be put all in one bottle? I have been trying to grow my hair out for the past two years. I usually trim it once it gets past a certain point due to split or rough ends, or because of lack of volume. However, with the add of this product rotated with a few others- I have been able to grow it out to pretty long lengths- even while coloring and blow drying. I notice that the It's a 10 brand can be found in grocery stores now also. The one negative I have found is with the packaging. I don't like the idea of spraying a heavy product directly onto my hair. Instead, I stray it 3-4 times on my hands, rub them together, and then glide it through damp hair before blow drying. 

Always check on Ebay for these higher end salon products - as you can find them for a deep discount!

Forks Over Knives

"The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease."
                                                                        -Thomas Edison

My husband, who is a GI doc, is big into watching documentaries. Our latest Netflix delivery was a film titled Forks Over Knives. I may be out of touch, but I have never heard of it before. Surprisingly, the film was very good and brought up some important topics. We all remember the food pyramid from when we were growing up. The food pyramid has now been updated to what is seen below:


But the movie brings up a good idea: maybe this pyramid is full of biases- created by those who have ties with the various food industries. The film is not the most glamorous- which could be why it has mixed reviews, but that is not the point. The point is to inform the public on an important topic. Yes, it is full of stats and studies- but that is how medical decisions are made as well.

The film basically says this: "most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting our present menu of animal-based and processed foods." It is trying to say that we are in control of our own destiny. Just because our parents developed hypertension, diabetes, or high cholesterol - does not mean we have to be on the same track. What medical school fails to teach future physicians is about nutrition. We are taught hundreds of medications and side effects along with hundreds of more procedures. Prescribing drugs is profitable- and so is doing a procedure. Helping patients re-evaluate their food choices seems to cumbersome, which may be why it is not taught or done.

Forks over Knives features Caldwell, Esselstyn., M.D, who treated president Bill Clinton after his cardiac surgery. It also features T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D an American biochemist, and Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University. The film has been hailed by medical celebrities like Dr. Sanjay Gupta from CNN as well as Dr. Oz.

The film suggests making drastic food changes - no meat, no fish, no dairy, no eggs etc. Being realistic, most of us probably won't follow this diet. However I am now encouraged to continue or work on good habits. Some of these include minimizing red meat intake, minimizing sugary foods, maximizing fruit and vegetable intake, avoiding soda, avoiding over eating etc. 

If you are further interested in this topic, you should take a look at this film... 

DIY Egg face peel/mask

Eggs are a great and simple solution to create your own face peel. This is a wonderful treatment for those who have blackheads and clogged pores.

What you will need: 1 egg, 2 bowls, toilet paper, makeup/ foundation brush, and JoJoba Oil 

Step 1:  Rip the toilet paper into halves and even divide double sheets into single ones.You may want to pull your hair back or put it under a shower cap.
Step 2: Crack open an egg - but separate the yellow from the white and place in separate bowls.
Step 3: Stir up the white of the egg. Do the same with the yellow.
Step 4: With a brush- can be a small painting brush as well-  brush on some egg onto your face. With the toilet paper - place 1 thin layer so that it sticks to your face. Continue to do this until your whole face is covered in the mask.
Step 5: Let this mask dry on your face for some time. I would say 30 min - 1 hr.
Step 6: Gently peel off the mask.
Step 7: Wash your face.
Step 8: Use the yellow of the egg as a mosturizer. Rub on and leave there for 5 mintues.
Step 9: Wash face one last time, and put on some JoJoba Oil.

Voila! Your face should feel clean, smooth, and hydrated. No need for expensive salon treatments!

A cup a day, keeps the doctor away!

I am a huge fan of tea--- green, black, and chai just to name a few. This guilt free drink is a great way to start your morning, pick you up in the afternoon, or relax your body at night. Drinking tea is a staple in Indian and British culture, and it is easy to see why. Although the risks and benefits of coffee seem to be debated, tea continuously appears to have new benefits seen in research. Here are a few that I found below searching medically published articles.

* Benefits body composition and improves bone quality
* Reduces blood pressure, inflammatory biomarkers, and oxidative stress and improves parameters   associated with insulin resistance (aka developing diabetes)
* Significant factor in primary cancer prevention
* Preventive effect on recurrence of colorectal adenomas (colon cancer)
* boost the immune system and suppress autoimmune disorders
* potential hepatoprotective activity (good for the liver) which is mainly attributed to the antioxidant potential
* possible link between consumption and reduced risk of cardiovascular events ( heart attacks, strokes etc.)

Remember that just like coffee, tea does contain caffeine. Although, Green tea does usually contains a smaller amount than black. Another suggestion is to skip the sugar and use honey instead. May it is time you consider switching over from coffee to tea!

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deep

This product may hands down be the best value when it comes to hair repair. Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deeeeep works so well and can be purchased for around $3.

What is it? A deep conditioning treatment used after shampoo. It works better the longer you leave it in. 3 minutes should be the minimum - but leaving it for around 10 min will leave better results. Ingredients include
Dimethicone, Australian sea kelp, jojoba oil; and Australian aloe. It has won countless awards and has great reviews all over the internet.

As a general tip... We all love taking a warm shower- but when trying to lock in shine and softness into our hair after conditioning, you should run your hair under the coldest water possible. Doing so will close the cuticle and lock in the benefits of this product.

At home solutions: Aspirin Scrub

Looking for a product that has the effects of an anti-acne product and microdermabrasion? Look no further than your medicine cabinet. Aspirin works by inhibiting inflammation, and the same effect can be seen by rubbing it on your face. 

Creating an aspirin mask is simple. Buy some aspirin that is un-coated and  let it break up in water- how much you use depends on how big the tablets are, but 4-5 should be sufficient. Add honey or lemon juice as desired. Rub the product on to your face and gently scrub away- using caution in sensitive areas such as right under the eyes. The scrub can even be used on your lips and neck. 


What you will be left with is softer, less inflamed skin. Use of an aspirin mask will depend on the condition of your skin. I try to do this about once a month. Always put some type of moisturizer (like Jojoba Oil) on after using this mask/ scrub.

Has anyone else tried this? 

Shampoo dilemma!

How do you decide which shampoo to buy? Add volume, remove frizz, accentuate blonde hair, downplay curly hair, add shine, remove oil, strengthen, soften, elongate, stop breakage.... the list never ends. Whichever shampoo works for you, there is one thing that is unavoidable: buildup. We all love the feeling of trying a new shampoo and the way our hair feels after the first wash, or the way our hair feels after a trip to the salon where they use a shampoo that is out of our budget. When using a new shampoo, the buildup from our old one is cleansed, making the new shampoo seem great. I have tried a number of shampoo brands over the years, and this product below has been a life changer.....

Neutrogena Shampoo, anti-residue formula, is a shampoo that you use once a week or less often, to make your old shampoo start working like new. 1 bottle should last you around a year. We all know that washing your hair everyday is bad for it's health, but the answer to how often we should wash it defers for everyone. I try to wash my hair only every other day, allowing my natural oils to build up, but not get too oily. On weeks where I have not been sweating a lot, I space it out so I am washing my hair every 3rd day. This will be different for everyone depending on your lifestyle, but it is something to keep in mind especially if you are trying to grow out your hair. 


Another myth that I have heard a lot is that you should trim your hair every 6 weeks to make it grow longer. If you want long hair - don't cut it. However, you must take extra steps to take care of your longer locks, or else as the ends age, they will be more prone to split ends and breakage. If you start to notice split ends... the only solution is a trim. Otherwise, just continue to grow your hair out and take good care of it! 

Comments on Six Weeks to OMG: the diet book

A new book out called "Six weeks to OMG" by British actor Paul Khanna (under the pseudonym Venice Fulton) is causing quite a stir. He gives tips such as skipping breakfast, taking cold showers, and making little distinction between a soda and a serving of broccoli as far as carb intake. He states that by following his tips- you can loose a significant amount of weight in six weeks and amaze your friends. 

Will it work? Sure...

Is it healthy? No

This diet sounds a lot like the mentality of a 15 year old girl trying to lose a couple pounds. As someone who attending an all girls private school - I witnessed all to many a times young girls skipping meals, yet drinking a soda or small bag of Cheese-It's as a meal replacement. Will they lose a couple pounds? Sure... but it is not a healthy way of life. Along the way they will be fatigued, their growth and development may suffer,  and mood affected. 


We all have different health goals. Some of us want to lose 5 pounds, some 40, some want to just be healthy overall, and others want to be physically fit and be able to eat anything they want. 


By skipping meals, you will lose weight. However just as a diabetic needs to strictly watch their blood sugars with meals and insulin, the result of skipping meals will directly impact our glucose levels. It has been presented that perhaps when we wake up feeling tired in the morning, it could be the quality of our sleep, or it could be from our blood sugar being out of wack. For those of us trying to lose a quick 5 pounds in a couple days- the best option is probably to reduce food intake significantly and not even bother exercising. Exercising requires calorie intake for the energy to do work. During exercise it is probably unlikely that you will burn off all the calories that you will intake in order to maintain your energy levels. A Time Magazine Health article explains this well:  "Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin."
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1914974-4,00.html


Don't get me wrong - exercise has it's benefits. For those wanting to be physically fit, have a healthy heart, have strong bones, reduce stress levels, prevent future ailments- exercise is a must. Eating healthy has the same effect. So while Khanna states that for your outward appearance a soda vs some broccoli make no difference, on the inside it makes a HUGE difference. 


Fad diets are just that- Fads. We all want to learn ways to loose a couple extra pounds quick. However, to have a better health lifestyle, we need to look beyond these quick fixes.

Say NO to flat irons!!!

The two worst things that someone can do to their hair are flat iron straightening it and bleaching it. Sure, we love the way the CHI makes our strands long, shinny, and pretty darn straight - but the long term consequences are not worth it. 

What's a good alternative? Invest in a decent large round brush and an ionic hair dryer. ALWAYS spray some type of hair protectant before blow drying out your hair. TRESemme Heat Tamer is one product that can do so, and is affordable as well. For straighter, less frizzy hair, you want to start blow drying your hair while it is still pretty damp. Try to reserve this only for special occasions. Otherwise, to minimize breakage and the effects of heat, wait until your hair is around 60- 80% dry. The result may not be as straight and sleek- but you will have more volume. 

The same holds true for curling irons. Put them away! Although it takes more effort - loose curls can be created with round brushes of various sizes. The impact of high heat - sometimes reaching 300-400 degrees is torture for your locks! Ceramic, metal, or whatever else is coated on the iron makes minimal difference! Remember the ends of your hair do not repair themselves. The only way to treat split ends it to get a trim - contrary to what drug store products may try to sell you. 

Must have: JoJoba Oil

Makeup companies spend tons of money marketing anti-aging lotions and creams. If you walk into a drugstore you see an endless assortment of face lotion products. JoJoba Oil is one product that I would recommend to everyone I know. In fact, this may be the only thing you need to put on your face at night after a wash. 


What is it? An oil that is both colorless and odorless. 


What do the studies say? Habashy et al. (2005) and Meier et al. (2012) concluded that Jojoba is effective in combating inflammation. This means that contrary to what you may think, Jojoba can prevent and help with acne. 


You can see numerous praises of this product all over the internet. The oil can be used for dry skin, dry hair, removal of eye makeup, acne treatment, fungal treatment, and burns. Trader Joe's carries the Desert Essence brand seen above. A little bit goes a LONG way.  As this product does not contain SPF, I would not recommend it for day time wear.

Why Doctor Beauty MD?

I decided to make this blog for a number of reasons. First off, I am a huge fan of blogs myself - from petite fashion, to makeup, and celebrity gossip. Blogging is a new way to gain valuable information and to become an informed consumer. Why continue to spend big $$$ on products that fail to do as they claim when instead you can learn from others mistakes. It does not take much to become an "expect" these days as we can see from a new crop of young youtube stars with many followers- young and old. I am here to offer a different perspective - that of a young medical doctor with an interest in not only health but in beauty and fashion as well. Enjoy!