Sleep Well for Beautiful Skin!


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A good night's sleep can mean good skin health because when you're sleep- deprived, your body makes more of the stress hormone cortisol. Elevated levels of cortisol can lead to increased stress and inflammation in the body, hurting your skin's quality.
 Here are six reasons why not getting enough sleep detracts from skin health and your health in general:
Not Enough Sleep Worsens Existing Skin Conditions
Increased inflammatory response shows up as increased acne breakouts, increased skin sensitivity, increased allergic contact dermatitis reactions and increased irritant dermatitis - and more severe conditions mean more treatment and skin care. 
Not Enough Sleep Detracts From Your Skin's Natural Beauty
Increased inflammatory cells in the body lead to an increase in the breakdown of collagen and hyaluronic acid, the molecules that give the skin its glow, bounce and translucency.
Not Enough Sleep Makes Immune-Related Skin Problems Worse
Increased inflammation in the body throws off the body's ability to regulate the immune system, which leads not only to getting sick more often, but also to flares of immune-related skin diseases such as psoriasis and eczema. Psoriasis is not just a skin disease; it's also an indicator of body inflammation. Many people with severe psoriasis actually have an increased risk for heart attacks, which is even more reason to keep stress low and get good quality sleep.
Not Enough Sleep Results In Less Beauty
While you're sleeping, the body's hydration rebalances. Skin is able to recover moisture, while excess water in general in the body is processed for removal. Not getting enough sleep results in poor water balance, leading to puffy bags under your eyes and under-eye circles, as well as dryness and more visible wrinkles.
Not Enough Sleep Accelerates The Aging Process
During deep sleep, the rise in growth hormones allows damaged cells to become repaired. Without the deeper phases of sleep, this won't occur, allowing daily small breakdowns to accumulate instead of being reversed overnight. This results in more noticeable signs of aging.
Not Enough Sleep Contributes To Weight Gain
Sleep also helps with weight management, which is good for your skin. Sleep makes you feel less hungry. Recent studies have linked sleep deprivation to excess snacking and calorie consumption.
Getting A Good Night's Rest
Here are tips for getting good sleep and better skin health:
  • Don't eat a big meal too late in the day.
  • Drink plenty of water throughout the day, but not late at night.
  • Sleep under a warm blanket in a cool, dark, quiet room.
  • Keep electronics out of the bedroom.
  • Use breathable cotton sheets and wash them regularly, so they don't collect dust mites and bacteria.
  • Use laundry detergents that don't have strong fragrances, which can be irritating to skin.
  • Getting your beauty sleep isn’t an old cliché - it's a must for having skin that glows.
    .

March 2013 Newsletter



Spring is in the air and hopefully the cold and ice are behind us! I ran the Little Rock half marathon last weekend and my toes did not stop tingling until mile 3! If I weren’t running for the Children’s Tumor Foundation I assure I wouldn’t have been up at 5 am getting ready to run in 27 degree weather!

Speaking of my favorite charity, as many of you know I run on the NF Endurance Team. And now my husband, Larry, does, too! And since many of you keep asking when I’m going to do another Groupon or Living Social deal for Botox, I came up with an idea that benefits both! Let me tell you a little about the charity first…. NF stands for neurofibromatosis. Although you may not have heard of it, NF is a genetic disease that affects 1 in 3000 births. NF causes tumors to grow on nerves through out the body….brain, spinal cord, face, arms, legs, anywhere. There is no cure and some of these tumors can become cancerous. These tumors are quite painful and the kids can have some developmental delays as well.  I have church family whose daughter has NF. Our daughter’s best friend had an uncle who died of NF and his daughter is almost deaf because of NF. These are REAL people I know whose lives are affected. My job is to raise money and awareness for the Children’s Tumor Foundation so that we can find a cure. Their research benefits the entire community, not just NF folks.

So here’s the deal……Botox is normally $14/unit…..When you make a $50 donation to the Children’s Tumor Foundation (by cash or check),.you can buy up to 50 units of Botox at $12/unit. When you make a $100 donation to Children’s Tumor Foundation (by cash or check), you can buy up to 50 units of Botox for $10/unit. …..Now for the fine print…..this offer is only good until Mother’s Day, May 12th. The donation, which is tax deductible,  must be made by cash or check. I will send it to CTF and you will get a receipt (and a huge thank you) from them for your tax records. You may pay for the Botox itself by credit card if you choose. This makes for great birthday and Mother’s Day gifts.  We will even fill out a gift certificate for you!

And finally, if you are a runner, or want to be, let me know. If you don’t already run for a cause, you can join the NF Endurance Team! We are planning to do Vegas in November! You don’t have to be fast, and you can even walk if you want! Lord knows, I’m the slowest one on the team! If you’re getting Lipo-Ex treatments, it’s a great way to accentuate the benefits of those. Plus, our massage therapist, can help you work out any sore muscles.

Enjoy the blessings of Spring and Easter. Come get some Botox! And as always, let us know what we can do for you!

Anne R Trussell MD                                   www.annetrussellmd.com
owner/physician                                          www.drannetrussell.blogspot.com
                                                                  www.ctf.org (Children’s Tumor Foundation)                                      

Kiwis and Your Complexion


Is it possible to glow with health? If new research is to be believed, the answer is yes.
Eating at least three portions of fruit and vegetables daily – including carrots, cabbages and kiwi fruit – gives skin a ‘healthy’ radiance akin to a tan after just a few weeks, according to the study.
Psychologists from the University of St Andrews analysed the impact fruit and vegetable consumption had on perception of skin color.
Shine again: Eating three portions of fruits, such as kiwi, will improve your skin tone
Shine again: Eating three daily portions of vegetables and fruits, such as kiwi, will improve your skin tone
Pictures were taken of men and women to analyse their skin tone before and after the test period.
Researchers found that increased fruit and vegetable consumption led to a deepening of natural red and yellow skin coloration.








They calculated that 2.9 portions of fruit and vegetables a day over a six-week period are 


























enough to make people 























look more healthy, while 3.3 portions will boost attractiveness.

In a second project, participants were asked to ‘judge’ the pictures to rate how attractive the faces were. Those with the ‘healthy glow’ were deemed most desirable.
Boost: A mere 2.9 portions of fruit and vegetables per day is enough to make you look healthier whilst 3.3 portions will make you more attractive
Boost: A mere 2.9 portions of fruit and vegetables per day is enough to make you look healthier whilst 3.3 portions will make you more attractive
Campaigners struggling to persuade people to eat the recommended five portions of fruit and veg a day could use the findings to promote the idea that such products are not only healthy, but make you more attractive.
Advertising the results of our work could be persuasive in motivating individuals to avoid the dangers of excess ultraviolet exposure in favor of improving diet, which we show to be a more effective way of improving appearance, said Dr Ross Whitehead, who led the study.
‘We found that skin color associated with fruit and vegetable consumption influences apparent health to a greater extent than a tan.’
Carotenoids – the nutrients responsible for the colors in foods, including carrots and sweet potatoes – are thought to be responsible for the effects. Carotenoids are also present in all layers of human skin.
There are several hundred carotenoids, but beta-carotene and lycopene are among the most  studied and are associated with  a number of health benefits. Carotenoids in retinas, for  example, protect the eyes.

February 2013 Newsletter



Happy Valentine’s Day! Hope you have a day filled with romantic surprises! Or……if you are single and lovin’ it, I hope you have a nice quiet evening at home with your favorite box of chocolates……

Are you looking to get your skin back in tip top shape? Are you looking tired when you look in the mirror? Wondering what you can do at home to help your skin look younger? We have several great specials this month……

3 IPL photofacials (on the face) plus a Jan Marini Skin Care System…..$600
    This is a $220 savings off the regular price!
     Included is a Bioglycolic Cleanser, C-ESTA serum, Bioglycolic Bioclear
     Lotion, Transformation hydration cream, and an Antioxidant SPF 30


3 IPL photofacials (face) plus a Jan Marini MD Skin Care System……$655
     This is a $220 savings as well!
      The MD system (which I have) contains the same products as the Skin
     Care Management System plus Age Intervention Enlighten MD Lotion
      which will focus on hyperpigmentation.


3 IPL photofacials (face) plus a Jan Marini Regeneration Booster…….$550
      A $200 savings off the regular price.
       The Booster contains anti-aging telomerase enzymes, growth factors, 
       peptides and Co-Q 10 as an anti-inflammatory and anti oxidant.

3 IPL photofacials on the hands plus an Age Intervention Hand Cream..$400
       A $187 savings.
       This lotion contains glycolic, salicylic, azelaic and kojic acids for
       intensive hydration, brightening, and resurfacing.


These systems and products are excellent, will last you at least two months,  and designed to maintain results you get from procedures, especially IPL.
Jan Marini has a VERY user friendly website, too at www.janmarini.com
Plus,  you can register from now until Valentine’s Day to win a free Age Intervention Regeneration Mask and an Age Intervention Eye Cream.
Need another reason to start a Jan Marini system besides the price, quality, and results from these products? Well….they compliment the new Jan Marini medical grade peels we plan to introduce….including peels for acne, skin rejuvenation and pigment!!

Mention these specials next time you’re in, or give us a call and preorder yours, because we will only have them for a limited time!

Again, best wishes for a wonderful February!

Blessings,
Anne R Trussell MD
owner/physician
Sei Bella Med Spa
501-228-6237
www.annetrussellmd.com
www.drannetrussell.blogspot.com
Like us on Facebook….. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sei-Bella-Med-Spa/134183283269468?ref=hl


The Science of Junk Food and How to Break the Cycle

   Posted by  

by Isaac Eliaz, MD, LAc, integrative medicine pioneer
Overindulgence usually starts small: a potato chip, a dab of ranch dip. You fill out the plate with raw carrots and cherry tomatoes, but that chip tasted so good. Pretty soon you have another, and then another. Later, you may feel anxious about it, wondering, Where’s my willpower? Why couldn’t I just walk away?
If it’s any consolation, it may not be entirely your fault. New research is illuminating how junk food works on our bodies, creating an addiction comparable to cocaine. We don’t overindulge in processed foods because we’re weak; we do it because our neurological system demands it.
The Cycle of Addiction
Food addictions are nothing new. We sometimes joke about being a “chocoholic” or having a “Big Mac attack.” However, it’s only recently that science has confirmed what we already suspected: Certain foods can create a vicious cycle of dependence.
Part of the problem is the way we metabolize processed foods. These all-too-common grocery items are hardly even foods anymore; they’ve been so “dumbed down” with overprocessing. Our bodies absorb their ingredients much more rapidly than, say, a whole grain. As a result, our blood sugar spikes, only to then plummet rapidly. That quick high, not dissimilar to what happens when people abuse alcohol or drugs, generates a craving for more.
To make matters worse, over time, people become desensitized to these spikes. One study using MRIs to measure brain activity confirmed that too much junk food inhibits the brain’s rewards center. Just as alcoholics need more liquor to get drunk, “junkaholics” constantly need more junk food to achieve their “high.”
Other research, published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, found rats that ate processed snacks ignored healthy foods and became binge eaters. Even more disturbing, their brain patterns resembled those of cocaine abusers.
No wonder we want more chips.
How to End the Cycle
What’s the best way to stop the cycle of addiction? First, don’t get started. Granted, that’s a lot easier said than done. However, thinking strategically about food can put us in a better position to succeed.
For example, shop mindfully. If it’s difficult to resist processed foods, don’t stock your pantry with them. Rather, seek out healthy snacks, such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, and dishes containing lean protein, healthy omega-3 fats, and extra fiber. Consider these healthy food items as part of an intervention to help you break the cycle of addiction.
Research suggests that our willpower can be measured and quantified throughout the day. Studies show that willpower and self-control are strongest in the earlier part of the day and weakest toward the end of the day. Try to fill up on healthy foods early so that it’s easier to stave off late-night cravings.
Natural Supplements that Help Stop Cravings
Another way to protect ourselves is to supplement wisely. There are a number of natural formulas that help reduce cravings and support healthy blood sugar levels. Look for supplements with American ginseng, medicinal mushrooms, alginates, chromium, alpha lipoic acid, or other natural ingredients that are shown to help to balance glucose, reduce inflammation, and control cravings. Also, it’s critical to drink plenty of filtered water throughout the day because dehydration can spike cravings for sugar and junk food dramatically.
The best news is that good food choices—like bad ones—are self-sustaining. When we eat mindfully and healthfully, we get better nutrition, control blood sugar spikes, and reap countless other benefits. As a result, we feel great and start to crave the nutrient-dense foods that will keep us energized throughout the day. With time, healthy foods and the abundance of good feelings they can generate create their own special rewards: vibrancy, long-term health, and vitality on every level.

  

Having Trouble Sleeping?

Sick & Tired? Take this Sleep Quiz

By 

DANIEL TOMASULO, PH.D.

Ask the Therapist

Sleep

 research has been around for more than 90 years. In the last 15 years, though, researchers have been focusing on partial, or short, sleep rather than total sleep deprivation.

Such research looks at the way sleep affects 

cardiometobolic disease

, the name given to disruption of a variety of physical and cognitive functions. These disruptions can affect basic skills such as appetite regulation and mood. Sleep researchers apparently are issuing the rest of us a wake-up call.

Each of us has an internal clock, a circadian rhythm that regulates our sleep needs. This is synchronized by the amount of sunlight we are exposed to.

But when we are tempted by the demands of our social clock — such as reading that last email, staying up for late-night TV, or going out and staying out late with our friends — we fall out of sync and the effects can take their toll. This circadian disruption often is at the core of numerous problems.

The problems with sleep may not just be limited to this earthly world. David Dinges, a sleep expert at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, recently published a study with his colleagues that looked at the potential effects of a simulated 17-month-long trip to Mars. In this unique experiment conducted in Moscow by Russian and European space agencies, six volunteers — three Russians, a Frenchman, an Italian-Colombian and a Chinese — were confined in a mock spaceship.

All but one of the volunteers had problems with getting enough sleep. In turn they became lethargic, started showing signs of 

depression

, and were also inclined to do less exercise, which likely would have counteracted some of these effects.

In addition to sleep disruption in tight quarters, isolation from family and lack of privacy may also have played a role or had an impact. A report on this simulation and its effect on the volunteers recently was published in the 

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

.

Sleep Quiz

1. What can be affected by too-little sleep?

So whether you are planning a trip to Mars, or just following your social clock, take our quiz on sleep and see our suggestions at the end for making sure you get what you need to function well.

A. Glucose Metabolism

B. Hormone regulation

C. Immune functioning

D. All of the above

Answer? 

D

. Various studies have shown that too little sleep affects each of these functions.

2. What percent of U.S. adults say they do not get enough sleep half the time?

A. 35

B. 25

C. 15

D. 5

Answer? 

B

. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 25 percent of us do not get the sleep we need at least half the time.

3. How many American workers get fewer than 6 hours of sleep a night?

A. Just over 60 million.

B. Just over 50 million

C. Just over 40 million

D. Just over 20 million

Answer: 

C

. According to CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety, about 41 million people get this little sleep.

4. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, driver fatigue results in how many crashes annually?

A. 100,000

B. 75,000

C. 50,000

D. 25,000

Answer: 

A

. Not only are there 100,000 crashes, there are 1,550 deaths and over 70,000 injuries.

5. Significantly less sleep per night has been associated with all but which of the following?

A. Greater total calorie intake

B. Increased fat consumption

C. Burning more energy

D. Eating more snacks

Answer: 

C

. In a 2011 study published in the 

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

 short sleep made people eat more, but they didn’t use more energy to burn up the extra calories. The authors point to this finding as one possible explanation for obesity.

6. Recent studies suggest that how many people lose an hour of sleep a week because of their social demands?

A. 15%

B. 25%

C. 50%

D. Nearly 70%.

Answer: 

D

. In a 2012 study in 

Current Biology

 researchers in Germany and the Netherlands found 69 percent of those surveyed lost an hour a week. They also found that about 33 percent lost more than two hours.

7. Neighborhoods with higher rates of physical and social disorder:

A. Have poorer sleep quality

B. See themselves as having fewer physical problems

C. Experience depression

D. A and C

Answer: 

D

. Where you sleep actually introduces a risk factor, according to a 2012 article published in 

Social Science & Medicine

.

Get Good Sleep Tonight

Suggestions for getting a better and longer good night’s sleep:

  • Try to keep the temperature moderate, the lights out and use a night light when you get up. Remember, our bodies are affected by light. Keep iit low so it lets you see, but doesn’t stir your biochemistry.
  • Just before you go to bed, avoid caffeine, nicotine, chocolate, and over-the-counter medication that may contain stimulants. While alcohol initially may help you fall asleep, the process your body uses to remove it from your system changes your metabolism and can wake you.
  • If you do exercise (which you should if you have medical clearance), don’t do it right before sleep. This often arouses people and can make it difficult to get to sleep.
  • Keep the bed a special space for sleeping and lovemaking. The mind can associate the bed with almost everything else that can detract from falling and staying asleep. Eating, TV, and deep emotional discussions are frequent culprits.Pleasant dreams.