Believe it or not, what you eat actually influences how you feel on the inside and look on the outside.  I’m not just talking about your weight here – I’m talking about your skin.  Feeding your body tons of nutritious foods leads to happy skin and in turn, a happier you.  So what should you eat?  Check out the list below for some of the top recommended “skin foods” from the specialists at WebMD.

Water – Water is probably the most important thing you ever put in your body throughout a given day.  Having enough water in your system helps everything run smoothly, including your digestion, thought processes, and alertness.  Plus, it helps flush (read: pee pee) out all of the toxic byproducts of your normal body processes.  This is the part that makes your skin glow, look fresh, and appear more rested.  While how much water you drink is constantly in dispute, my general rule of thumb is to drink enough water to keep your pee light yellow.

Omega-3 Rich Foods – This includes foods like salmon, flax seeds, walnuts, and certain types of beans.  Eating these foods on a normal basis increases your intake of essential fatty acids, which help your skin remain plump and fresh by holding water into your skin cells.  Omega-3s also act was an anti-inflammatory agent, which can improve the blood flow to your face, making you glow.

Selenium-Rich Foods – Studies have shown the power of this mineral in preventing damage to the skin cells.  Foods high in selenium include whole grains, turkey, and tuna.  Selenium can help prevent oxidative damage, which can age and roughen skin cells.  Pour yourself a bowl of whole wheat cereal in the morning to get closer to your daily selenium needs. Read More »

We all love to talk about metabolism. A lot.

Some of us love it (like that girl who never goes to the gym and eats french fries for every meal and somehow still wears a size 00) and some of us hate it (when we eat an apple and our thighs starts rubbing together). But does anyone really know what metabolism is or how it works?

Your (my, our) metabolism is really just your metabolic rate, or BMR, which is roughly the amount of calories that you burn when at rest. Like right now as you sit on your couch, feet up, laptop on your lap and a bowl of cereal in your hand. This is the energy that your body uses to keep organs, cells, and digestion all going. It is influenced by your age, sex, height, weight, and the amount of muscle mass that you have.

There are lots of myths around about things that will “speed up” your metabolism, causing you to burn more calories. There are also many surprising truths. I’m going to separation the fact from the fiction and give you all the tools to control your metabolic destiny. Here we go!

Myths

If your mom has a “slow” metabolism, you will too: This is one is half-true. Heredity does play a role in metabolism, but just because mama passed on that snail’s-pace metabolism doesn’t mean it has to stay that way. There are many ways to speed things up: build muscle mass, eat a balanced breakfast and overall diet, snack throughout the day on low-calorie foods, include protein in your diet, and keep moving!

Grapefruit increases your metabolic rate: Its fiber and water will fill you up, and the Thermogenic Effect of the fruit means that your body will use extra calories to digest it, but it won’t speed your metabolism up more than any other food. Read More »

Good to the last...gallon.

[Life isn’t black and white. As much as we wish we simply loved or hated things, there is often that whole annoying gray area in the middle. Like how we love American Apparel basics, but aren't so sure about the gold lame... Or how we love staying on campus all summer, but just aren't so sure we wanna be in the classroom. Damn you, gray area; you make decision-making that much more complicated!]

“One venti double chocolate chip skinny white mocha frappuccino with a single shot of espresso, half whip, skim milk, sugar-free caramel syrup, shaken not stirred.”

Does that sound like you? I, like so many people I know, can’t function without a big mug of Joe in the morning (and one in the afternoon). My eyes won’t even open until the heavenly scent of coffee hits my olfactory glands. Yes, I even grab one on the way to the gym. It’s not my fault – I’ve been conditioned by our go, go, go and caffeine-obsessed culture. But I wonder: is that (extra large) cup of energy-charged caffeine really good for me?

Love It
I admit it: I’m a caffeine addict. Coffee, tea, diet soda, you name it, I drink it. I have many reasons for my addiction, reasons I use to combat the imaginary little guy on my shoulder that tells me all this caffeine is not all that good for me:

Coffee reduces the risk of disease, improves your performance, and even has a few antioxidants in those heavenly beans. Tea has even more health benefits: it fights cancer, lowers cholesterol, strengthens your immune system, and has an amazing amount of EGCG. Some scientists even believe green tea can speed up weight loss. And when you need a fiz fix, there’s nothing like a can of ice-cold Diet Coke. And what about those late-nighters that seem like a college requirement at times? It’s why I currently have 3 cans of Red Bull in my fridge (originally a pack of 4). I mean, I always drink at least 8 cups of water to keep my body happy, but sometimes water just doesn’t cut it.  It doesn’t wake you up like coffee does, doesn’t provide as many health benefits as tea, and isn’t as fun to drink in a little cafe with your friends while you catch up on the weekend’s happenings. So be quiet, imaginary little anti-caffeine man and let me enjoy my caffeine in peace. Read More »

Ever see something you want but don’t have the money to buy? Ever get sick of studying/watching TV and have the urge to get crafty and make things on your own? We know! Us too! We just don’t know where to start, which is why we got some of CollegeCandy’s craftiest writers to share their favorite DIY projects with everyone. This week we’re doin’ things a little differently. This project isn’t so much a want as a total need. Well, if you want to fit in at your neighborhood Chinese eatery..]

As an Asian, I’m unable to fully understand how many Americans can’t use chopsticks. Especially my friends. I thought I’d rubbed off on them enough to take them to a local Chinese fast-food place this past weekend. Guess not.

“How can people use two little wooden sticks to eat food?!” <Looks at the food. Looks at the chopsticks. Wipes hands then digs in. With hands.>

“Is this why Chinese people are so skinny?” <Does several frantic scooping motions with the chopsticks, ultimately picking up one grain of rice.>

“I’m too hungry for this! I give up.” <Throws one chopstick on the table and proceeds to stab the chicken and veggies with the other. Makes chicken kebab.>

(All of this while the group of Asians a table over looks at us in distaste. And silently condemns me for not teaching them the sacred Chinese tradition.)

Well, this doesn’t have to be you! After you make these awesome rubber-band chopsticks, you’ll never face disgrace at Panda Express again. Read More »

Your skin type makes a huge difference in what products you should use. Skin problems and makeup woes are oftentimes caused by using the wrong products for your type. So I’m making it simple for you. Here are 3 basics for oily and dry skin.

Oily Skin

First you need to confirm that you do, in fact, have oily skin. Most people have oily t-zones (that’s the forehead and nose area) but to have truly oily skin, your cheeks and chin will be oily too. If you have large visible pores, that’s another sign you fall into the oily category. So for you oily chicks – here’s a few things to pick up.

Murad Pomegranate Foaming Facial Cleanser ($25 sephora.com)

This fab cleanser dissolves dirt, makeup and most importantly – oil – in one easy step. Best of all, it won’t over-dry your skin. One pump of this cleanser leaves you feeling fresh and clean.

Clinique Dramtically Different Moisturizing Gel ($11.50 clinique.com)

This ultra light moisturizer is oil-free, so it won’t cause breakouts. It absorbs instantly so you can layer on more to get just the right amount of moisture. Perfect to replenish moisture if you are using acne treatments which can dry you out.

Boscia Green Tea Blotting Linens ($10 sephora.com)

These handy little papers are perfect for absorbing oil throughout the day. The best part is they are oil free. Believe it or not, most brands of blotting papers (i.e. Clean & Clear or Sephora Brand) actually have mineral oil in them! Defeat the purpose much? Stick with Boscia.

Read More »

I’m starting to think that there is some truth to the rule, “You are what you eat.” I think my muffin top would attest to that statement. In general, I stick to a healthy diet (of cupcakes), but when it comes time to crack the books I know that my typical eating habits will affect my scholastic performance. While I usually opt for a bag of M&Ms at the library, I now know that a giant bag of sugar is not the best thing to get me through the hours of cramming.

In contrast, there are foods out there that have been shown to improve memory retention and attention span. Read: The foods I should be eating. I am one who will do anything to pass an exam, even if it means eating my way to better grades. Because what could be better?

Eat? For better grades? Grad school may be for me after all. Read More »

I don’t like beer. Let’s just get that out there.

All summer, everywhere I go, if it’s after 3pm, everyone is drinking beer. And, look, it’s not that I don’t like alcohol. I am a very big fan of wine. But if you drink wine while everyone is drinking beer, you suddenly become the butt of every joke. Which I totally get. But, I digress.

I don’t think the perfect summer drink is beer. I think it’s–wait for it, wait for it–TEA.

That’s right, tea. Don’t you know that drinking hot things cools you off, silly? Plus, tea is great for you and is very refreshing.

Here are some summer teas to help you cool off when everyone is making fun of you for shunning beer:

Chai Tea

Chai is the best of all tea worlds, if you ask me. It’s strong black tea with milk and sugar and spices. Delicious. Make it an iced chai and you’re set for the summer.

Thai Iced Tea

Spiced and sweet and, best of all, iced for your summer enjoyment.

Ginseng Green Tea

So high in antioxidants it’s kind of ridiculous. Plus, the ginseng helps keep you energized and alert (green tea naturally has less caffeine than black tea). Steer clear of the bottled Arizona kind, as delish as it is, to avoid excess sugar.

White Darjeeling Tea

White tea has even more antioxidants than green tea, and it’s low in caffeine so you can drink it at night when everyone else is drinking yucko beer around the campfire. Read More »

Whether you are preparing for that last final, gearing up for the LSAT, or just trying to get through a Summer course, the time is here (or surely on its way!) when your brain decides to go on vaca and leave you high and dry in the deep, dark stacks of the library. You can try everything – coffee, candy, that Adderol your friend offered to sell you – but none of it will make much of a difference. You’re tired and over it; your time would be better spent taking a nap or enjoying some Sangria on the porch.

That, of course, is not an option. You are going to have to try something else to get you to the finish line. The good news is that there is another – much healthier – option: these natural and healthy snacks will nourish your noggin and get you to the end without breaking a mental sweat.

Green Tea: Research keeps popping up everywhere celebrating the magical effects of Green Tea. It is chock full of antioxidants and other great stuff that increase alertness, improve learning and relax the brain. Sigh. The stuff doesn’t always taste so great, but there are lots of fun new flavors coming out every day (I prefer blueberry pomegranate), so you can actually enjoy this typically icky green beverage. Read More »

I know lots of people who swear by fasts.

Three day grapefruit fasts, weeklong juice regimes, monthly cleanses, I’ve heard them all, and haven’t wanted to try a single one.

Call me strange, but I’m a fan of food. I’m no holy profit or international peace symbol, and since shrugging off my Roman Catholicism, feel no guilt for eating a sandwich on Good Friday. Basically, I have no need to give up food I work two jobs to pay for.

My friends go on and on about the health benefits of fasting, but I’ve always felt eating a regular healthy diet has it’s own health benefits—with the added incentive of energy.

While I totally respect and appreciate people who abstain from food for religious reasons, I’ve just never been the kind of girl to equate being hungry with being healthy.

That was until I realized a good friend of mine, who is completely normal and well adjusted in every way, regularly fasted on Sundays.

“All I drink is green tea” she told me a few weeks ago when I asked her why she wasn’t joining me for lunch, and explained that flushing out her body and relaxing once a week was one of the best things she’d ever done for herself.

While my friend is on the thin side, she watches her weight very closely, and explained that giving her body one day a week to “get rid of toxins” in a simple, easy way has really helped her maintain her weight. Read More »

Days as a Freshman: 61

Mood: Heavy

“So…” Sasha pulled a chair from an empty table over to the one I was sitting at, holding a paper cup of tea and chewing on a plastic stirring straw. I watched him sit, look down into his cup, chew on the straw, and blink. What was he waiting for?

“Should’ve put honey in this. Green tea sucks without honey.” He looked up and grinned, the straw bending with his smiling lips, his messy brown hair falling into his eyes.

I wanted to freeze everything; take a picture of him just how he was right now with my eyes and keep it in the back of my head. I wanted to find a way to memorize the little dimple on his left cheek. I wanted to come up with an exact recipe for the smell he carried with him; a mixture of fresh deodorant and warm fuzzy dryer sheets. I needed to never forget the way a simple plastic straw could make someone irresistible.

The moment of realization that you’re sitting across from someone who could actually be everything you’ve ever dreamed about is strange. It’s not a big feeling, not a sharp feeling either. It’s mostly just a warm sensation, like someone’s poured bubbly, fizzy water into your limbs and into your chest.

“People make fun of me for drinking tea.” Taking the straw from his mouth, Sasha stirred the liquid in his cup absently, looking up at me and then back down at his hands, smiling in a quieter way. “It’s not cool or something. But I like it.”

And I like you, I thought, holding my own cup between my hands and breathing as carefully as I could. It seemed like a strong exhale could ruin the moment, blowing away the comfortable yet electric energy between us. Read More »