Halloween Make-Up 2008

I promise this is the LAST Halloween post I'm going to do this year. In case any of you still have not thought of what you want to be , I thought I'd give you one last idea- just go with the crazy make-up. People would be so busy admiring your eyes that they won't have time to care about the rest of your outfit!
Besides Galliano, my two other favourite crazy make-up looks are from Dior (left) and the Lacroix haute couture (right) show. Both redefines the upper and lower part of the eyes making their eyes look HUGE. They are in essence however, the opposite of each other. While Dior uses a sharp white base, Lacroix uses a smokey black base. Either way, I'm loving both of them. Go for the Dior look if you want to look feline and the Lacroix look for something a bit darker. A bit more subtly, we have the smokey eyes of the Chanel haute couture (left) and the Balenciaga (right) show. Just go heavy with the eye liner and the smudging. If you do have a costume, these would be more subtle looks for you. You don't want to take away too much from the outfit now do you?

And as for some simple DIY ideas: You can be forks/knives/spoon with alumninium, a piece of steak and ketchup/mustard to go with that. You can be Tetris pieces. Pacman and the ghost. Or a Twister board- just wear white and stick colored dots on yourself and carry the spinning thing!

Happy Halloween everyone!

Image Source: Style.com

Halloween- The Galliano Way

On the topic of Halloween, we must not forget our favourite showman of all, John Galliano. When it comes to putting on a great statement, there is no one quite like him. Going through his FW08 runway, I've pegged the drama down to two elements: crazy hatwear/hair and crazy make-up.
So maybe there is no rationale behind most of these, but hey, it's time to be creative!
This could be the dead sea captain perhaps?
The show girl. And check out the amazing, vibrant make-up! Talk about drama. Not sure about the lump on her head (looks a bit like a tumor), but am loving the gold spikes!

Image Source: Style.com

Halloween on the Streets 2008

Runway inspiration is all good and well, but besides the Prada lace-y vamp look, the rest are not exactly easily achievable. So I did a more generic brainstorm and came up with this:

Has anyone seen that movie recently, "How to Lose Friends and Alienate People"? In it, Kirstin Dunst goes to a costume party and dresses up as a 20s flapper girl (though I think she had a specific flapper girl in mind since the theme was "Favourite Dead People"), looking awesome in a black bob, long cigarette, red lipsticks and slinky black dress. That was when it clicked! I want to be a flapper girl this Halloween! It won't even be that hard. All I need to get is a black bob wig, a long cigarette holder and a black slinky dress and then put on pale foundation, smokey eyes and hot red lipsticks- viola, flapper girl!

I even know exactly which dress I'd buy too. This FCUK fringe dress is perfect. I can even wear it again for a night out (even though it is not exactly my usual style...)! But still, I love the idea that I won't be wasting too much money on a cheap looking costume I'd only get to wear once. I actually went into a real costume store my first time today and I must say, I was not impressed. The costume outfits for women typically look cheap and skanky. And I'm not about to fork out $50USD to look cheap and skanky.

I also looked at the fangs. I thought, worse case scenario, I can just dress in all black, wear pale foundation and red lipsticks and with the fangs, I can be a vampire. A nice easy Halloween costume. But then I looked at the packaging and got slightly weirded out. "Molding" plastic stuff into my mouth and in between my teeth- that is NOT prescribed by my orthodontist- just goes against my natural instincts. What if it screws up all the good work my orth spent many years achieving? I thought fangs were just stuck on... I guess not.

So in the end, I walked out with a black bob wig and a reaper rake. The bob because I've always wanted one and it'll go with the flapper look (though this one is not exactly my ideal one cause it has random silver streaks in it...but whatever) and grim reaper's rake, just because it's fun to wave around a reaper rake at people. I know, completely random. I'm not exactly sure what I am going to do with them....but I guess I'll figure it out in the next three days!

Image Source: Flapper Costumes and ASOS

Halloween on the Runway 2008

It's that time of the year again where we get to dress up in whatever crazy outfit we desire. And what better place than the runway to look for fun, creative, refreshing and fashionable ideas?

On the Marc by Marc Jacobs runway (left) there is punk rock, with retro pink plaids and pleated minis. This would be an especially fun outfit if you are usually not punker chic. And if you are, then maybe the cyber look for the Balenciaga runway (right) would be interesting. After all, Halloween is our chance to try out different looks and have fun!
Another look I am loving is the royal military look found on the MacQueen (left) and the Lacroix haute couture runway (right). The structured uniform jackets and all the details are just so pretty!
Even more regally, there is the royalty look also found on the MacQueen runway. There is just something so regal and colonial about it. I'm not sure how one would achieve this look for Halloween, but an idea is a start right?
And lastly, there is the classic vamp look. There is the elaborate version from the Lacroix haute couture show (left), or for something simpler and easier, the black lace version from the Prada runway (right). In fact, with all the "lace" around, you can very easily achieve this look. All you need are fangs!

Image Source: Style.com

For All Those with Thick Hair

image credit massugu.be

Thinning shears(or thinning scissors as I like to call them) should be used to thin out your hair. I suggest Massugu thinning scissors as these scissors have been designed specifically with the beginning hairdresser in mind. These are simply gap-toothed scissors that cut only half the hair. These also come with various gap sizes, depending on what you need cut away.

I've seen how many people struggle with thick hair and I can just imagine the pain it is to manage it, hope this helps.

Ctrl BG: A Shortcut to Financial News 10/24

Is it just me, or is it not even news anymore that there was a huge drop/rally in the market on a given day? Now that we've broken all the records in the last century, it's hard to be fazed by big swings in the market. I think my next threshold is if (or is it when?) the Dow hits the 7000s.

But anyway, the global market went on another roller coaster ride this week, ending with a big drop on Friday. Asia in particular took a big hit. On the Hong Kong stock exchange, HSBC, the darling of all stocks there, fell by 10% to $88, a 4 year low. I personally could not remember HSBC being below $100.... ever. People are shocked and heartbroken. I don't blame them. The HSBC stock to HK investors is like how Louis Vuittons is to Japanese women- everyone owns at least one or aspires to own one. To see the value of such an entrenched brand go down must be a very traumatizing experience indeed. Who knew that Morgan Stanley slashing the price by 25%, would have such a profound effect?

Back to the rest of the world, developed and emerging markets alike are hit due to slumping currencies and higher financing cost. ING is is latest "big gun" to be bailed out with a $13.5 billion Dutch government injection. And countries such as Iceland, Pakistan and Turkey are in talks with the IMF for help.

In the US, experts have placed the blame on hedge fund of funds. Since investors can pull money out of hedge fund of funds anytime they want i.e. now, this has in turn put pressure on hedge funds to pull out of the market and thus the crazy selling and shorting to cover losses. The mounting layoffs *yikes!* (Goldman announced they were cutting back 10% of their workforce-less than I expected!), speculations about whether we're in a recession or not (do we really need anymore proof?), Greenspan admitting to be "partially wrong" and bad company earnings report coming out didn't help. Oh and PNC just announced that they were taking over National City for $5.2 billion (backed by tax payers). This is the next big bank takeover since Wachovia two weeks ago. Investors are now waiting to see if the Fed will further lower interest rates next Wednesday and whether the US economy is indeed in a recession with the GDP data coming out next Thursday.

It's not a completely gloomy outlook though. Asian countries, following Europe, are starting to form their own $80 billion emergency fund- better safe than sorry. The US are working on another stimulating package and a plan to bailout individual home owners, so then they can get better termed loans. Call me a selfish hypocrite, but while I'm all for bailing out banks because it affects me, I'm not sure how I feel about bailing out individuals. Makes me think, "if I knew the government was going to bail them out, maybe I should've gone and bought a house I clearly cannot afford too!" Logically though, I know helping them would help the economy as a whole, since foreclosure is one of the biggest issues. Guess I'll get around to the idea.

On a side note, did you know that the $250 billion capital injection into banks last week is not part of the $700 billion package? I wasn't sure myself until this week. How come they need approval for $700 billion and not $250 billion? $250 billion is still a LOT of money.

Vitamin D: It's Not Just Another Vitamin

If I described a substance with the following properties, what would you guess it was?

-It's synthesized by the body from cholesterol
-It crosses cell membranes freely
-It has its own nuclear receptor
-It causes broad changes in gene transcription
-It acts in nearly every tissue
-It's essential for health

There's no way for you to know, because those statements all apply to activated vitamin D, estrogen, testosterone and a number of other hormones. Vitamin D, as opposed to all other vitamins, is a steroid hormone precursor (technically it's a secosteroid but it's close enough for our purposes). The main difference between vitamin D and other steroid hormones is that it requires a photon of UVB light for its synthesis in the skin. If it didn't require UVB, it would be called a hormone rather than a vitamin. Just like estrogen and testosterone, it's involved in many processes, and it's important to have the right amount.

The type of vitamin D that comes from sunlight and the diet is actually not a hormone itself, but a hormone precursor. Vitamin D is converted to 25(OH)D3 in the liver. This is the major storage form of vitamin D, and thus it best reflects vitamin D status. The kidney converts 25(OH)D3 to 1,25(OH)D3 as needed. This is the major hormone form of vitamin D. 1,25(OH)D3 has profound effects on a number of tissues.

Vitamin D was originally identified as necessary for proper mineral absorption and metabolism. Deficiency causes rickets, which results in the demineralization and weakening of bones and teeth. A modest intake of vitamin D is enough to prevent rickets. However, there is a mountain of data accumulating that shows that even a mild form of deficiency is problematic. Low vitamin D levels associate with nearly every common non-communicable disorder, including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disease, osteoporosis and cancer. Clinical trials using vitamin D supplements have suggested that it may protect against cancer, hypertension, type 1 diabetes, bone fracture and enhance athletic performance. However, the evidence is pretty thin for most of these effects and requires more research.

It all makes sense if you think about how humans evolved: in a tropical environment with bright sun year-round. Even in many Northern climates, a loss of skin pigmentation and plenty of time outdoors allowed year-round vitamin D synthesis for most groups. Vitamin D synthesis becomes impossible during the winter above latitude 40 or so, due to a lack of UVB. Traditional cultures beyond this latitude, such as the Inuit, consumed large amounts of vitamin D from nutrient-rich animal foods like fatty fish.

The body has several mechanisms for regulating the amount of vitamin D produced from sunlight exposure, so overdose from this source appears to be impossible. Sunlight is also the most effective natural way to obtain vitamin D. How much vitamin D is optimal? 30 ng/mL 25(OH)D3 is required to normalize parathyroid hormone levels, and 35 ng/mL is required to optimize calcium absorption.  It's probably best to maintain at least 35 ng/mL 25(OH)D3.

Here's how to become vitamin D deficient: stay inside all day, wear sunscreen anytime you go out, and eat a low-fat diet. Make sure to avoid animal fats in particular. Rickets, once thought of as an antique disease, is making a comeback in developed countries despite fortification of milk (note- it doesn't need to be fortified with fat-soluble vitamins if you don't skim the fat off in the first place!). The resurgence of rickets is not surprising considering our current lifestyle and diet trends. In a recent study, 40% of infants and toddlers in Boston were vitamin D deficient using 30 ng/mL as the cutoff point. 7.5% of the total had rickets and 32.5% showed demineralization of bone tissue! Part of the problem is that mothers' milk is a poor source of vitamin D when the mother herself is deficient. Bring the mothers' vitamin D level up, and breast milk becomes an excellent source.

Here's how to optimize your vitamin D status: get plenty of sunlight without using sunscreen, and eat nutrient-rich animal foods, particularly in the winter. The richest food source of vitamin D is high-vitamin cod liver oil. Blood from pasture-raised pigs or cows slaughtered in summer or fall, and fatty fish such as herring and sardines are also good sources. Vitamin D is one of the few nutrients I can recommend in supplement form. Make sure it's D3 rather than D2; 2,000 IU per day hould be sufficient to maintain blood levels in wintertime unless you are obese (in which case you may need more and should be tested).  Vitamin D3 supplements are typically naturally sourced, coming from sheep lanolin or fish livers. A good regimen would be to supplement every day you get less than 10 minutes of sunlight.

People with dark skin and the elderly make less vitamin D upon sun exposure, so they should plan on getting more sunlight or consuming more vitamin D. Sunscreen essentially eliminates vitamin D synthesis, and glass blocks UVB so indoor sunlight is useless. Vitamin D toxicity from supplements is possible, but exceptionally rare. It only occurs in cases where people have accidentally taken grotesque doses of the vitamin. As Chris Masterjohn has pointed out, vitamin D toxicity is extremely similar to vitamin A deficiency. This is because vitamin A and D work together, and each protects against toxicity from the other. Excess vitamin D depletes vitamin A, thus vitamin D toxicity is probably a relative deficiency of vitamin A.

I know this won't be a problem for you because like all healthy traditional people, you are getting plenty of vitamin A from nutrient-dense animal foods like liver and butter. Vitamin K2 is the third, and most overlooked, leg of the stool. D, A and K2 form a trio that act together to optimize mineral absorption and use, aid in the development of a number of body structures, beneficially alter gene expression, and affect many aspects of health.

Thanks to horizontal.integration for the CC photo.

Stop the Fall

I was getting excited about Fall, making a visit to New York and Vermont I started second guessing my move to the West Coast (oh, but wait San Francisco is sort of cold all they time, I can layer up in June if I wanted to.) The layers, the coats, scarves, leg warmers, stockings, I love it all. When I first arrived to start my college years on the East Coast, and after spending my life in the subtropics, I detested the winter. However, with thickened blood, by the end of my four years I actually looked forward to the cold weather - and not to mention Fall fashion...

But HOLD ON a second, back up, back up.



Really.

Looking at Celine's Spring/Summer 2009 line made me want Summer again. After going through their entire runway show I don't really care for autumn leaves right now. Give me the Summer - I want to wear all of this! I would happily replace all the dresses in my closet with any of the above. I love the wrapping idea with such a free flowing dress.



Probably not practical for the office unless you worked at Vogue, but if I could go to work wearing this, I definitely would.



I thought the draping of these dresses were beautiful. Perfect for a summery night out on the town? I think so.

I never really paid attention to Celine and now I'm asking myself why. And those shoes! I love those shoes, but let's wait for me to fully express my craze for shoes, that could take up another two...three posts.

Image source: Style.com

Tired of wearing mascara? Get Eyelash Extensions

The latest trend is to get eyelash extensions. More and more companies are developing an eyelash extension system to accommodate the demand for this service.

The goal with extensions is to create a look that doesn't require the use of mascara. So, if you are tired of wearing mascara every day, why not look into this service.

Eyelash extensions do cost more than mascara of course and will last for several weeks, if not months before they need to be replaced or adjusted. Sometimes lashes will fall out and you will need to get fill-ins.

It certainly is appealing to not wear mascara every day. As a contact lens wearer, I am constantly annoyed with mascara. I wonder if eyelash extensions would interfere with contacts?
For the full interview, visit http://www.hrhairstyles.com/eyelash_extensions.htm

The Leather Puffer

As you might have read, lately, I've been craving a leather jacket. They are the perfect item to edge up a girly outfit. But since I'm the more easily chilled kind, warmth against the bitter cold is always one of my primary concerns. And so following the puffer trench, I discovered the leather puffer. I wasn't even deliberately looking. I was just randomly browsing at the Intermix store and lo' and behold, I find the leather puffer below: I thought the concept was awesome, a cool, edgy and WARM leather jacket. The soft gray color also caught my eye. Probably because it has all the qualities of black but is not (although of course they have it in black). But then I tried it on- just for fun. It fits on very snugly (so if you're buying them online, go one size bigger!) but also very stiffly. I know it is probably because of the stuffing, but for a whooping $875, I expected a bit more. The ability to move to begin with. And secondly, better quality leather. I've come across my fair share of leather, and that was not good leather. It was stiff and felt (and looked now that I think about it) plasticky, making it look a bit cheap, which is ridiculous considering the price tag.

I walked out of the store disappointed. Maybe if they cut down the price tag by at least a 1/3. Then maybe it'll be worth considering. Image Source: Intermix Online

DART: Many Lessons Learned

The Diet and Reinfarction Trial (DART), published in 1989, is one of the most interesting clinical trials I've had the pleasure to read about recently. It included 2,033 British men who had already suffered from an acute myocardial infarction (MI; heart attack), and tested three different strategies to prevent further MIs. Subjects were divided into six groups:

• One group was instructed to reduce total fat to 30% of calories (from about 35%) and replace saturated fat (SFA) with polyunsaturated fat (PUFA).


• The second group was told to double grain fiber intake.


• The third group was instructed to eat more fatty fish or take fish oil if they didn't like fish.


• The remaining three were control groups that were not advised to change diet; one for each of the first three.
  

Researchers followed the six groups for two years, recording deaths and MIs. The fat group reduced their total fat intake from 35.0 to 32.3% of calories, while doubling the ratio of PUFA to SFA (to 0.78). After two years, there was no change in all-cause or cardiac mortality. This is totally consistent with the numerous other controlled trials that have been done on the subject. Here's the mortality curve:

Here's what the authors have to say about it:

Five randomised trials have been published in which a diet low in fat or with a high P/S [polyunsaturated/saturated fat] ratio was given to subjects who had recovered from MI. All these trials contained less than 500 subjects and none showed any reduction in deaths; indeed, one showed an increase in total mortality in the subjects who took the diet.

So... why do we keep banging our heads against the wall if clinical trials have already shown repeatedly that total fat and saturated fat consumption are irrelevant to heart disease and overall risk of dying? Are we going to keep doing these trials until we get a statistical fluke that confirms our favorite theory? This DART paper was published in 1989, and we have not stopped banging our heads against the wall since. The fact is, there has never been a properly controlled clinical trial that has shown an all-cause mortality benefit for reducing total or saturated fat in the diet (without changing other variables at the same time). More than a dozen have been conducted to date.

On to fish. The fish group tripled their omega-3 intake, going from 0.6 grams per week of EPA to 2.4 g (EPA was their proxy for fish intake). This group saw a significant reduction in MI and all-cause deaths, 9.3% vs 12.8% total deaths over two years (a 27% relative risk reduction). Here's the survival chart:

Balancing omega-6 intake with omega-3 has consistently improved cardiac risk in clinical trials. I've discussed that here.

The thing that makes the DART trial really unique is it's the only controlled trial I'm aware of that examined the effect of grain fiber on mortality (without simultaneously changing other factors). The fiber group doubled their grain fiber intake, going from 9 to 17 grams by eating more whole grains. This group saw a non-significant trend toward increased mortality and MI compared to its control group. Deaths went up from 9.9% to 12.1%, a relative risk increase of 18%. I suspect this result was right on the cusp of statistical significance, judging by the numbers and the look of the survival curve:

You can see that the effect is consistent and increases over time. At this rate, it probably would have been statistically significant at 2.5 years.

I think the problem with whole grains is that the bran and germ contain a disproportionate amount of toxins, such as the mineral-binding phytic acid.  The bran and germ also contain a disproportionate amount of nutrients. To have your cake and eat it too, soak, sprout or ferment grains. This reduces the toxin load but preserves or enhances nutritional value. Wheat may be a problem whether it's treated this way or not.

Subjects in the studies above were eating grain fiber that was not treated properly, and so they were increasing their intake of some pretty nasty toxins while decreasing their nutrient absorption. Healthy non-industrial cultures would never have made this mistake. Grains must be treated with respect, and whole grains in particular.

Short Hairstyles, Bobs

Celebrities set the hairstyles trends and we follow them. As soon as you see a new hairstyles showing up in magazines or at fashion shows, you will soon be seeing them in your neighborhood.

Check out all of the latest trends in our short hairstyles gallery The latest trends are long layers combined with various shapes and sizes of bobs. Victoria Beckham is setting new short hair trends by snipping her ever so cute bob hairstyle into a very short and choppy pixie hairstyle. Talk about daring.

Follow the gallery links as many celebrities opt for a shorter, easier to take care of, version of hair.

Tell me more, more, more

Generally, I never wear makeup because I have sensitive skin (and I'm a lazy bum!). But when I do manage to get around to putting it on, I use all of the above.

Yes, I sort of look like a walking advertisement for Bare Escentuals. I actually just started using the brand a couple of days ago and I'm hooked. Their powder foundation is incredible. It's light, feels and looks as if I've got nothing on, except, all of a sudden I have immaculate skin. Comparable to an airbrush - I swear, it covers everything. If you need more coverage, just press some extra powder on that particular area before you apply it to your entire face. Walah! Instant concealer!

One thing that I am very particular about is mascara. I have really long eye lashes, and I don't want bother with an eyelash curler, clumping, or something that's too heavy. Lancome's L'EXTREME mascara is just right for me because it makes my lashes even longer! It's clean, curls my lashes, doesn't flake, and goes on ever so smoothly.

I got my M.A.C pigment as a gift from a friend. "Naked" is a great colour as it has just the right shimmer, it looks great on the inner corners of the eyes and on the bottom lid along with some liner. For some more drama, you can brush a touch on top of your cheekbones for a night out.

While I pretty much only wear what I just told you, the amount of makeup that I own would make you think otherwise. I own a lot of makeup, most of which I use once every 2 years (I don't think you're even supposed to keep it for that long). Before, I kept it all in multiple makeup bags - very unorganized. Now I keep it one big pouch,thanks to my friend A who has started to make these adorable pouches that she sells on Etsy. Awesome prints, really great quality, and the perfect carrier for all my stuff.

That's what I've got in my bag, what are your essentials?

Image source: Alliebeans, Bare Escentuals, Lancome, M.A.C, The Body Shop, Sephora

Hey Beauty Queen, you're a Rockstar

Combine floral with steel, and chiffon with leather; people will tell you it's been done before and it will be done again. In my opinion, keep it going.



My own style doesn’t exactly incorporate the idea of “girly," however, I do develop the occasional crave to buy everything in powder pink. I love glitter and glam, but it's even better when you mix in some grunge, a little gaudyness (think Sonia Rykiel jewel studded bags), and a lot of black . Once you do that, you'll arrive at the whereabouts of what I'm drawn to.



I find that Balmain creates this fascinating balance between something macho but ever so complimenting to the female figure. Oh! Those studded heels!



And after seeing this magazine spread in Numéro, shot by Camilla Akrans, I want to dress like this everyday. So bring on the sparkles and the studs. I'd love to hear all about your style, so let me know!

Image source: Style.com, Numéro 97 - Night Fever

HG Takes a Break

So some of you may have noticed that I haven't blogged in the past two weeks. The truth is, we just graduated from University this July and the demands of the real world is taking its toll on us.

Moving forward, BG has decided to continue blogging while I have decided to take a break. Obviously I love I am Fashion (since I have blogged for almost 4 years,) but there comes a point where I feel that I should focus on other aspects of my life. Hence, I will be taking a break from the blog. It has been fun to share my thoughts on girly stuff with you all and hear what you've got to say about it as well. Hopefully I will be back soon!

In the mean time, BG will be blogging as usual and will be temporarily joint by E, who we've known since high school and is now based in San Francisco.

Enjoy!

Lots of Love,

HG

Paris S/S 09: Chloe

I am like 2 weeks too late, but it would be a great shame for me to skip over the Chloe collection, a brand which I'll always have a soft spot for. It would also be a shame to miss this collection, because this is Hannah MacGibbon's first collection at the helm of Chloe. Mr.Toledo finally gave the boot to Paulo Melim Andersson, who's aesthetics was clearly at odds with the classic Chloe girl. I shudder thinking about the last collection. Fortunately for us, MacGibbons seems to have a much better grasp of what Chloe is supposed to be about- and she should, having spent five years working at Chloe under Phoebe! A few things that stood out, that MacGibbon brought to the table. First, there is this very interestingly structured top design (left). I'm not sure how practical it is, but it is definitely cute, girly and innovative.

Then there were the scallop-edges everywhere (right). Not too sure how I feel about them though. They're feminine and very clever in that memorable way- next season when I see scallop-edged clothing, I'd definitely think of Chloe. On the other hand though, the scallop-edges around the shoulders and sleeves, kind of makes the model look as if they've been pinned up to an invisible wall.
I much prefer the scallop-edges (or "dinosaur scales") at the Christopher Kane runway. These are refreshing, innovative but still very flattering and pretty at the same time.
Back on the Chloe runway, I am finally seeing the Chloe girl. That relaxed and effortlessly chic girl on the streets.
Personally, I am loving the richly colored, silky evening wear. It is evening but not overly formal- perfect for a fun night out. Very girl and definitely very youthful...maybe even a bit too youthful, what with the fluttering sleeves and poofy skirts (right). Nevertheless, I definitely see many starlets wearing it in the season to come.
Lastly, let's not forget the shoes. I love how it is so simple and wearable-looking- which means I can potentially wear something similar next season! The shoes on other runways are so sky high that I trip even imagining myself in them!

Image Source: Style.com

Something Pretty

Hi Guys & Dolls, I'm the new guest blogger on I AM FASHION. I'm extra excited to be given the opportunity to post on such a lovely blog, because I have been following it forever! Much love to BG & HG, you two are wonderful. My blog is over here, and I hope you enjoy my posts xoxox, E.

I used to not care about my underwear. No one saw it, so what's the big deal? I just didn't get it.

I get it now. All thanks to a trip to Italy, where women take looking good seriously, no matter what clothing article you're talking about. During my time there, I found myself getting hustled into Intimissimi by my mum. It was like Italy's version of Victoria's Secret, except it was beautiful, relaxed, and not eye blindingly pink. It was there where I found myself surrounded by dainty things of lace, satin, and ribbon.

I am now totally obsessed with lingerie in general. Slips, camisoles, etc, you name it, I wish I had it all. And while my wallet doesn't stretch to the lengths of La Perla, no one ever said I couldn't look.

And who cares if no one sees it, it makes me feel glamorous. And to have a drawer filled with pretty little things to pick from each day? I don't have a problem with that.

Image Source: Intimissimi, La Perla

We're Starting to Get It

I just read an interesting post on the Food is Love blog.

According to the USDA (admittedly not always the most reliable source of accurate information, but we’ll go with it for the moment), the number of farmers markets in the US has risen significantly in the last ten years, from 2,746 in 1998 to 4,685 in 2008. If we get another 580 markets, an increase possible in the next year or two if trends continue, we’ll have tripled the number of recorded markets since 1994.

Furthermore,

Plenty of farmers markets don’t get tallied in official lists, of course. Valereee, over at Cincinnati Locavore, points out that the USDA database only lists a quarter of the markets in her hometown. I see a few missing on the Seattle list as well.

People are slowly starting to get it. We're realizing that the processed food industry does not look out for our best interests. We're realizing that the frailty of modern children as well as our own health problems are due to the outsourcing of agriculture and food preparation. We're realizing that local farms and markets build strong communities.

We're realizing that a return to traditional, wholesome food is the only path to whole health and well-being.


Further reading:
My Real Food manifesto.

BCBG 30% off Coat Sale!

I guess one of the silver linings to this credit crunch is that sales and special/private sales are creeping in on us way earlier this year. One of the best bargains in my opinion? The BCBG 30% off select outerwear sales. Quite a bargain at this time of the season, when it's barely cold yet. If you buy it now, you'll still have plenty of time to get your mileage out of them in the next few months!
I personally have my eye on this fabulous white coat. I've been wanting one since Devil's Wear Prada came out, but haven't bought one for fear that it will turn beige/grey all too soon. Made of wool, rayon and cashmere, it will at least be warm enough until Christmas. The double breasted design with the tie on the waist, makes it an instant classic. And isn't the trench coat like design at the back just beautiful?

Alas, even at 30% off, I still find it a bit pricey for my budget. But if you aren't as limited, I think this is quite a bargain (along with a few other of their collection). So don't miss it, because this offer only lasts til October 13th (tomorrow!).

Image Source: BCBG

One Last Thought

In Dr. Lindeberg's paleolithic diet trial, subjects began with ischemic heart disease, and glucose intolerance or type II diabetes. By the end of the 12-week study, on average their glucose control was approaching normal and every subject had normal fasting glucose. Glucose control and fasting glucose in subjects following the "Mediterranean diet" did not change significantly. He didn't report changes in cardiovascular risk factors.

Why was the paleolithic diet so effective at restoring glucose control, while the Mediterranean diet was not? I believe the reason is that the Mediterranean diet did not eliminate the foods that were causing the problem to begin with: processed grains, particularly wheat. The paleolithic diet was lower in carbohydrate than the Mediterranean diet (40% vs 52%), although not exceptionally so. The absolute difference was larger since the paleolithic dieters were eating fewer calories overall (134 g vs 231 g). When they analyzed the data, they found that "the effect of the paleolithic diet on glucose tolerance was independent of carbohydrate intake". In other words, paleolithic dieters saw an improvement in glucose tolerance even if they ate as much carbohydrate as the average for the Mediterranean group.

This study population is not representative of the general public. These are people who suffered from an extreme version of the "disease of civilization". But they are examples of a process that I believe applies to nearly all of us to some extent. This paper adds to the evidence that the modern diet is behind these diseases.

A quick note about grains. Some of you may have noticed a contradiction in how I bash grains and at the same time praise Nutrition and Physical Degeneration. I'm actually not against grains. I think they can be part of a healthy diet, but they have to be prepared correctly and used in moderation. Healthy non-industrial cultures almost invariably soaked, sprouted or sourdough-fermented their grains. These processes make grains much more nutritious and less irritating to the digestive tract, because they allow the seeds to naturally break down their own toxins such as phytic acid, trypsin inhibitors and lectins.

Gluten grains are a special case. 12% of the US public is though to be gluten sensitive, as judged by anti-gliadin antibodies in the bloodstream. Nearly a third have anti-gliadin antibodies in their feces [update- these two markers may or may not indicate gluten sensitivity. SJG 2011]. Roughly 1% have outright celiac disease, in which the gut lining degenerates in response to gluten. All forms of gluten sensitivity increase the risk of a staggering array of health problems. There's preliminary evidence that gluten may activate the innate immune system in many people even in the absence of antibodies. From an anthropological perspective, wherever wheat flour goes, so does the disease of civilization. Rice doesn't have the same effect. It's possible that properly prepared wheat, such as sourdough, might not cause the same problems, but I'm not taking my chances. I certainly don't recommend quick-rise bread, and that includes whole wheat. Whole wheat seemed to be enough to preserve glucose intolerance in Lindeberg's study...

Paleolithic Diet Clinical Trials Part II

There were a number of remarkable changes in both trials. I'll focus mostly on Dr. Lindeberg's trial because it was longer and better designed. The first thing I noticed is that caloric intake dropped dramatically in both trials, -36% in the first trial and a large but undetermined amount in Dr Lindeberg's. The Mediterranean diet group ended up eating 1,795 calories per day, while the paleolithic dieters ate 1,344. In both studies, participants were allowed to eat as much as they wanted, so those reductions were purely voluntary.

This again agrees with the theory that certain neolithic or industrial foods promote hyperphagia, or excessive eating. It's the same thing you see in low-carbohydrate diet trials, such as this one, which also reduce grain intake. The participants in Lindeberg's study were borderline obese. When you're overweight and your body resets its fat mass set-point due to an improved diet, fatty acids come pouring out of fat tissue and you don't need as many calories to feel satisfied. Your diet is supplemented by generous quantities of lard. Your brain decreases your calorie intake until you approach your new set-point.

That's what I believe happened here. The paleolithic group supplemented their diet with 3.9 kg of their own rump fat over the course of 12 weeks, coming out to 30,000 additional calories, or 357 calories a day. Not quite so spartan when you think about it like that.

The most remarkable thing about Lindeberg's trial was the fact that the 14 people in the paleolithic group, 2 of which had moderately elevated fasting blood glucose and 10 of which had diabetic fasting glucose, all ended up with normal fasting glucose after 12 weeks. That is truly amazing. The mediterranean diet worked also, but only in half as many participants.

If you look at their glucose tolerance by an oral glocose tolerance test (OGTT), the paleolithic diet group improved dramatically. Their rise in blood sugar after the OGTT (fasting BG subtracted out) was 76% less at 2 hours. If you look at the graph, they were basically back to fasting glucose levels at 2 hours, whereas before the trial they had only dropped slightly from the peak at that timepoint. The mediterranean diet group saw no significant improvement in fasting blood glucose or the OGTT. Lindeberg is pretty modest about this finding, but he essentially cured type II diabetes and glucose intolerance in 100% of the paleolithic group.

Fasting insulin, the insulin response to the OGTT and insulin sensitivity improved in the paleolithic diet whereas only insulin sensitivity improved significantly in the Mediterranean diet. Fasting insulin didn't decrease as much as I would have thought, only 16% in the paleolithic group.

Another interesting thing is that the paleolithic group lost more belly fat than the Mediterranean group, as judged by waist circumference. This is the most dangerous type of fat, which is associated with, and contributes to, insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome. Guess what food belly fat was associated with when they analyzed the data? The strongest association was with grain consumption (probably mostly wheat), and the association remained even after adjusting for carbohydrate intake. In other words, the carbohydrate content of grains does not explain their association with belly fat because "paleo carbs" didn't associate with it. The effect of the paleolithic diet on glucose tolerance was also not related to carbohydrate intake.

So in summary, the "Mediterranean diet" may be healthier than a typical Swedish diet, while a diet loosely modeled after a paleolithic diet kicks both of their butts around the block. My opinion is that it's probably due to eliminating wheat, substantially reducing refined vegetable oils and dumping the processed junk in favor of real, whole foods. Here's a zinger from the end of the paper that sums it up nicely (emphasis mine):

The larger improvement of glucose tolerance in the Paleolithic group was independent of energy intake and macronutrient composition, which suggests that avoiding Western foods is more important than counting calories, fat, carbohydrate or protein. The study adds to the notion that healthy diets based on whole-grain cereals and low-fat dairy products are only the second best choice in the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Paris S/S 09: Chanel

I am loving the SS09 Chanel collection. There is something quirky, modern and refreshing about it, that is still very Chanel (of course!).
The reinterpreted plaid pattern is a refreshing twist on the classic Chanel prints. The technique involved in creating some of the structures (i.e. above right), is also modern and chic.
The evening wear were divine. I love the more relaxed silhouette throughout the collection- much more forgiving for all body types. The black dress here (left) is actually one of my favourites. The upper part, with the sheer fabric makes it modest yet subtly provocative at the same time- very classy and elegant. The white dress (right) is admittdely not the most flattering shape on the runway, but there is just something very intriguing about the play on volume and the delicate floral details here.
Then there were beautiful tiered tulle dresses fit for a fairy princess. Ok, the cape (left) is a bit too much with that dress, but the bolero (also a hot item on this runway) is the perfect compliment to the heavily tiered dress on the right.
Onto accessories- see what I mean by quirky, with this vertical classic flap bag (left)? The leather shopping bag (right), is perfect and very clever for the whole "street" theme of the show, but I hope they're not planning to sell it in stores. Otherwise some misguided soul might just buy it and become a walking advertisement- and not even the good kind!
It appears that the peep toe bootie (left) is definitely here to stay for another season or two.... I guess I better get used to it. It doesn't look too weird here. And the feathers here (right) creates just the perfect dramatic effect for the runway, but they're definitely not suitable for rainy/muddy/humid weather. Luckily, the shoes look gorgeous without the feathers as well, and I'm sure Karl will be commercial minded enough to produce them without the feathers for the stores (or maybe they will be attachable!).

One thing I'm unsure about though are the two tone stockings featured throughout the show. It looks a bit like Karl is trying to put a new spin on the much over done legging trend, but I don't know, the spin is not that new and it cuts the model's legs off in an unflattering way, making them look short. The stockings on his F/W 08 runway is way better.
Image Source: Style.com

Paris S/S 09: YSL

Back on the Paris runway, we have the YSL show. I must admit, when the rest of the fashion world applauded Pilati for his first collections, I was still a bit hesitant about them. It just wasn't quite the Tom Ford era YSL style, I associated YSL with (that was the era that motivated me to become a hardcore business woman just so I can wear them!). It's taken a while, but I think I'm finally warming up to Pilati! I am loving his minimalistic, oriental inspired collection. It is simple, wearable but still feminine and elegant.
I am loving the subtle black prints and the more relaxed but still structured silhouette of the collection, which is still very flattering. The whole super cinched, fitted and tailored thing is getting old. This is modern and refreshing.
One of the biggest thing on this runway are these lattice mesh shoes. The fashion world is loving this child of gladiators sandals and boots. Personally, I am not so sure. I didn't like the whole gladiator thing to begin with. And if I think that boots with peep toes are unnatural, these are definitely out of my comfort zome. It kind of reminds me of those jello mesh flats that were popular a while back. I do like the metal lattice heels though. That is really modern and cool looking, just not the rest. Maybe it takes getting used to?

Image Source: Style.com

Paleolithic Diet Clinical Trials

If Dr. Ancel Keys (of diet-heart hypothesis fame) had been a proponent of "paleolithic nutrition", we would have numerous large intervention trials by now either confirming or denying its ability to prevent health problems. In this alternate reality, public health would probably be a lot better than it is today. Sadly, we have to settle for our current reality where the paleolithic diet has only been evaluated in two small trials, and medical research spends its (our) money repeatedly conducting failed attempts to link saturated fat to every ill you can think of. But let's at least take a look at what we have.

Both trials were conducted in Sweden. In the first one, lead by Dr. Per Wändell, 14 healthy participants (5 men, 9 women) completed a 3-week dietary intervention in which they were counseled to eat a "paleolithic diet". Calories were not restricted, only food categories were. Participants were told to eat as much as they wanted of fruit, vegetables, fish, lean meats, nuts, flax and canola oil, coffe and tea (without dairy). They were allowed restricted quantities of dried fruit, potatoes (2 medium/day) salted meat and fish, fat meat and honey. They were told not to eat dairy, grain products, canned food, sugar and salt.

After three weeks, the participants had:

• Decreased their caloric intake from 2,478 to 1,584 kcal
• Increased their percentage protein and fat, while decreasing carbohydrate
• Decreased saturated fat, increased dietary cholesterol, decreased sodium intake, increased potassium
  
• Lost 2.3 kg (5 lb)
• Decreased waist circumference, blood pressure and PAI-1

Not bad for a 3-week intervention on healthy subjects. This study suffered from some serious problems, however. #1 is the lack of a control group as a means for comparison. Ouch. #2 is the small study size and resulting lack of statistical power. I consider this one encouraging but by no means conclusive.

The second study was conducted by the author of the Kitava study, Dr. Staffan Lindeberg. The study design was very interesting. He randomly assigned 29 men with ischemic heart disease, plus type II diabetes or glucose intolerance, to either a "Mediterranean diet" or a "paleolithic diet". Neither diet was calorie-restricted. Here's the beauty of the study design: the Mediterranean diet was the control for the paleo diet. The reason that's so great is it completely eliminates the placebo effect. Both groups were told they were being assigned to a healthy diet to try to improve their health. Each group was educated on the health benefits of their diet but not the other one. It would have been nice to see a regular non-intervention control group as well, but this design was adequate to see some differences.

Participants eating the Mediterranean diet were counseled to focus on whole grains, low-fat dairy, potatoes, legumes, vegetables, fruit, fatty fish and vegetable oils rich in monounsaturated fats and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3). I'm going to go on a little tangent here. This is truly a bizarre concept of what people eat in the Mediterranean region. It's a fantasy invented in the US to justify the mainstream concept of a healthy diet. My father is French and I spent many summers with my family in southern France. They ate white bread, full-fat dairy at every meal, legumes only if they were smothered in fatty pork, sausages and lamb chops. In fact, full-fat dairy wasn't fat enough sometimes. Many of the yogurts and cheeses we ate were made from milk with extra cream added. Want to get a lecture from Grandmere? Try cutting the fat off your pork chop!

The paleolithic group was counseled to eat lean meat, fish, fruit, leafy and cruciferous vegetables, root vegetables (including moderate amounts of potatoes), eggs and nuts. They were told to avoid dairy, grain products, processed food, sugar and beer.

Both groups were bordering on obese at the beginning of the study. All participants had cardiovascular disease and moderate to severe glucose intolerance (i.e. type II diabetes). After 12 weeks, both groups improved on several parameters. That includes fat mass and waist circumference. But the paleolithic diet trumped the Mediterranean diet in many ways:

• Greater fat loss in the the midsection and a trend toward greater weight loss
  
• Greater voluntary reduction in caloric intake (total intake paleo= 1,344 kcal; Med= 1,795)
  
• A remarkable improvement in glucose tolerance that did not occur significantly in the Mediterranean group
• A decrease in fasting glucose
  
• An increase in insulin sensitivity (HOMA-IR)
  

Overall, the paleolithic diet came out looking very good. But I haven't even gotten to the best part yet. At the beginning of the trial, 12 out of the 14 people in the paleo group had elevated fasting glucose. At the end, every single one had normal fasting glucose. In the Mediterranean group, 13 out of 15 began with elevated glucose and 8 out of 15 ended with it. This clearly shows that a paleolithic diet is an excellent way to restore glucose control to a person who still has beta cells in their pancreas.

This post is getting long, so I think I'll save the interpretation for the next post.

Ctrl BG: A Shortcut to Financial News 10/3

I've decided to do my write up early this week- just in case something else happens right after I hit "publish."

After European banks started falling last weekend, everything else started falling apart when everyone realized that this credit crisis was not limited to the US. On Monday, Wachovia made a deal with Citigroup with the help of the FDIC to buy their bank deposit arm for $2.16 billion.

On Tuesday, Bailout plan #1 was rejected by Congress, and the Dow Jones fell over 700 points, hitting a record low since the October Market Crash in 1987. It was actually quite exciting- it is definitely not everyday that we see history in the making! This also served as a good shocker for congress members who voted against the plan. Many of them were worried about the "unpopularity" of Bailout plan #1 with their voters, since many people viewed this plan as a bailout plan for Wall Street (many nay-saying congress members are facing re-election this November). What did they think was going to happen if the bailout plan doesn't go through?

With this record crash in the market, people finally realized that this was a bailout plan for the people. This is not a time to place blame and punish those who did wrong (I mean, if we're really going to place blame, I think the people who borrowed the loans knowing they cannot repay them is equally to blame as the banks who made the loans to begin with). This is a time to take action before the effects of the credit crunch affects the rest of the economy. It would be irresponsible for the government to do nothing. Call me selfish, but right now, as a worker and member of the society, I'm more worried about the adverse effects this will have on my job (the just reported the biggest job lose in 5.5 years!), my 401K, my ability to get a loan (not that I'm planning to buy a car/house any time soon, but IF), and just my way of life in general. Even if you don't invest, have a 401K or have/need a loan right now, businesses you're linked to may close down because they are unable to get a short term loan to fund their business operations or their prices would go up because it will be more expensive for these businesses to get a loan and operate.

Good thing voters and congress members finally realized this on Friday, and voted 263 vs 171 for Bailout plan #2, which was created in record time. It is basically the same as Bailout plan #1, except with an extra $150 billion put aside for random tax packages (way to take the "load" off our future generations). They ramped up the FDIC insurance limit to $250,000, put more oversight on the execution of the $700 billion, gave the SEC authority to suspend the "mark to market" accounting standard (so firms don't have to mark down their assets just because the market is crazy these days) and a gazillion little tax breaks benefiting the environmental friendly, middle class, natural disaster hit states, homeowners,educators and businesses. Basically something for everyone- even people with mental health needs and the makers of "certain wooden arrows designed for use by children" (I don't even know what that is). It sounds like basically the same plan to me, except policy makers decided to take this opportunity for "quick action" to randomly put in policies they've been meaning and wanting to pass, to make it sound like a better plan. Oh well, I guess it works out for everyone in the end.

Unfortunately, now even the bailout plan isn't good enough to restore confidence and the market continued to fall after Bailout plan #2 passed on Friday. It's going to take a while for the bailout to take effect. At least there's hope. I'm thinking it is not a good time for Mr. Schwarzenegger to be asking for a $7 billion short term loan to weather CA out until tax comes in, in spring.

On the other hand, while the current economical situation is being compared to scary sounding things like the economic Pearl Harbor, the Great Depression and at the edge of the abyss, Mr. Buffet went on a shopping spree. After buying some of Constellation Energy for $4.75 billion and Goldman Sachs for $5 billion in September, this week, he also bought 10% in Chinese battery and automotive maker, BYD, for $230 million and more of GE for $3 billion. Even though this may sound shocking in this market, Buffet is actually a very sensible shopper. While fashion trends go in and out, the classics will never go out of style. Goldman Sachs and GE definitely qualify as classics, one being THE top bank on the street and the other being literally the backbone of the American economy, dabbling in a bit of everything. One is Hermes and the other is Bergdorfs. And the best part is that he's buying all these quality investments at a BARGAIN price. Another good shopping philosophy is to invest in emerging talents before they're famous and mainstream. BYD with its rechargeable green batteries and electric cars is definitely part of an emerging market. I'm not sure in which category Constellation Energy fits in, perhaps a bit of both? Either way, Buffet is a very sensible fellow shopper. As he said, "I like spending...The cheaper things get, the better I like it. This is a good period for us..go ahead." I can definitely relate to that. If only I knew the market classics as well as I know the fashion classics and had the capital to act on it. Another Buffet philosophy that I agree with, "there's no way a smart person can go broke except through borrowed money. All borrowed money does is help you get it a little faster, but (it also will) help you get poorer a whole lot faster." Credit card debts are definitely not pretty.

Buffet also made a deal with Wachovia this week, through Wells Fargo (which he owns a lot of). Yes, the same Wachovia that I said earlier in this post, that had just made a deal with Citi on Monday. Wells Fargo upended Citi's offer and offered to buy (the whole of) Wachovia for $15.1 billion without government help. Previous agreements and honor of word aside, this is definitely a better deal for Wachovia and the government since they don't need to help anymore. Wells Fargo is actually one of the few banks that is weathering this market out quite well, having had less exposure to bad debt (they have a much stricter credit requirement- as they should!). Citi, of course, is miffed that their government sponsored bargain deal has been thwarted and are thinking of suing them. Do I see a banking bitch fight coming? Probably not, the government would probably do something. This market doesn't need anymore drama... but it would've been fun to watch :P. It's no wonder that CNBC reputedly has had the best ratings these last two weeks since earlier this decade!

Acne Anecdotes

Thanks for all the interesting comments on the last post. Here are some highlights:

Methuselah:

I had bad acne as a teenager and although the worst of it did clear up for as I got older (this seems to be the pattern, so presumably there are hormones other than insulin involved,) I still had spotty skin into my 20s and 30s. When I went onto a Paleo diet my skin cleared up totally.

Neil:

I am lucky enough to have reasonable skin already, but reducing carbs and vegetable oils has at the least coincided with a notable improvement

Jeff:

I used to get... 2-3 pimples most months. Since I have gone Paleo I have had not a single pimple in 8 months.

Itsthewoo:

I had terrible acne that lasted from 9 yrs right up until 20 years - the same week I started the atkins diet. Then it stopped.

I see the skin as a barometer of health. A truly healthy person's skin is smooth, free of acne and has a gentle blush in the cheeks. Unhealthy skin is pale, puffy, pasty, dry, oily, or excessively red in the cheeks and face. It's no coincidence that what we perceive as attractive also happens to indicate health.

I'll add one more anecdote, from myself. In high school, my friends called me "the ghost" because my skin was so pale. I had mild but persistent acne and difficulty tanning. Over the past few years, as I've improved my diet, my skin has smoothed, I've regained the color in my cheeks, I've regained my ability to tan well and my acne has disappeared.

The Puffer Trench

Every year when fall comes around, I am shocked by how cold it is. Summer and time does a good job of fading away memories of the bitter cold and biting wind. Walking around, people are pulling out their trench coats against the cold. But is that enough to keep us warm? It IS only made out of a layer of cloth (or two, counting layers) after all. I own one and I don't find it very warm at all. Maybe I'm just more easily chilled than others, but I'm thinking that something a bit more substantial is called for. Luckily for me, Burberry knew just what I was thinking.
I am loving Burberry's latest puffer trench coat. Lined lightly with down, it is most definitely warm enough for fall. Unlike other puff jackets however, it still has SHAPE. A very slimming and flattering trench coat shape at that. What more can you want? It will totally last you all the way through fall (plus or minus some layers) and maybe even winter (probably not for snow though, for snow you need the heavy duty stuff)!

Image Source: Burberry