Swiss O-Par

Swiss O-Par eyelash and brow is a neat kit that enables you to colour your eye brows and eyelashes to your own individual requirements in your own home - at a fraction of the cost of a salon treatment.  Swiss O-Par doesn't contain an oxidizing compound and is safe to use as both a lash tint and a brow dye.  The colour lasts for approximately 4 - 6 weeks and each pack contains 10 applications.


Browse the Swiss O-Par at Natural Figure now 

Available in 2 colours - Black or Brown

Menopause - new product from Promensil

Natural Figure are happy to announce a new product range has arrived, to aid ladies who are going through stages of Menopause.

Novogen Menopause Test by Promensil

The Promensil Menopause Test is simple, quick and easy to use at home: The test is similar to what Doctors will do, and is over 99% accurate.  

By testing your menopausal stage it will give you greater knowledge and certainty; allowing you to plan and adjust your lifestyle if required. 

Browse the Novogen Menopause Test now 




Promensil Menoause Supplement Tablets

Studies show that women going though menopause may help maintain good health and well being by eating a diet high in natural isoflavone phytoestrogens.  However the typical British diet is often short of such isoflavone i.e. legumes - lentils, chickpeas, red clover, soy etc.

Promensil Menopause supplement tablets work to address this imbalance by providing you with a tablet full of isoflavone.  As this is a simple to use one a day tablet, you need only take one a day and know that you are doing your best to maintain your health, the same as you would when taking a vitamin tablet.

Promensil menopause supplement tablets come in a box of 30, 90 or double strength 30 tablets.

Browse Promensil Menopause supplement tablets 

How to slim down to fit into your party dress

Dora Walsh, head nutritionist and founder of www.nutriheal.net, shares her tips for slimming down to get into your slinky party dress at Christmas.

Photo: Getty Images

Christmas is on our doorsteps again and people keep asking me how to beat the bulge to get into their slinky dresses.

So if you're sighing in despair at the thought of back fat and muffin tops, then read on and take my advice.

Avoid the bloat
Cutting out wheat bread and yeast for one month could help you lose up to half a stone because they are common foods many are intolerant to. Food intolerance can cause inflammation, which can make your body swell and retain water (not fat). Intolerances can also make you bloated.

Replace with wheat-free, yeast-free bread, sour dough breads, rye crackers and brown rice or wholegrain rice cakes.

Clean your liver
Your liver helps your body break down fat, so please treat it well and give it the essential nutrients it needs to work properly and your metabolism will become much more efficient and you will be trimmer.
Drink a couple of cups of nettle tea a day, take hot water and lemon when you wake and drink water throughout the day.

Bitter foods such as rocket, chicory and endive will stimulate your bile flow, which helps to break down fat. And sulphur-containing foods such as broccoli and cabbage also help your liver detox further.

Take an Epsom salt bath the night before your big do
Epsom salts can help draw out unwanted toxins from your body through the skin. You will see a difference straight after your bath and your dress will be easier to slide into.

Draw a hot bat, add half a kilo of Epsom salts (ask for them at your chemist), then sit and sweat for 20-30 minutes while drinking plenty of water or herbal teas to help you detox further.
Then go to bed and have a good sleep and drink loads of water in morning.

Support your digestion
Poor digestion can cause bloating and weight gain.

You can support your digestion by avoiding liquids within 20 minutes of meals to avoid diluting your digestive juices, which help digest your food.

And if your digestion is really bad then mix one tablespoon of good quality apple cider vinegar in water 20 minutes before main meals for one month to cleanse your system, stimulate your digestion and hopefully keep your stomach flat so you can get into your dress!

Don't stress
Keep on stressing and it might stop you getting into your party dress because stress can make you fat as your body lays down new fat stores around the middle to protect vital organs from a perceived attack.

So combat stress with deep breathing to oxygenate your body so it can serve you better. Avoid stress where possible and drink camomile tea to calm your mind.

The B complex vitamins are great for stress and you can get these from your health food store and from whole grains like brown rice or rye bread.

Get your sleep
It's much easier to stay slim or lose weight when you get enough sleep.

Lack of sleep plays havoc with you hunger hormones which leads to uncontrollable eating and weight gain.
Research also shows the longer we stay awake the more we eat! Another reason to get to bed on time as it will stop you snacking late into the night.

Try low cal alcohol
Swap Baileys and cocktails with low sugar beer, gin and slim line tonic, white wine spritzers and water chasers in between. This will help reduce your total calories and you'll look and feel so much better in the morning.

Photo: Getty Images

Watch your portions
We overestimate how much we need to eat which can lead to weight gain even when you think you are not overeating.

Your main meal portions should be the size of your two hands because that's the size of your stomach. Only snack if you need to and don't go back for second helpings. Portion control is much easier than calorie counting and it works as long as you eat healthy foods.

Don't give in to temptation
It's holiday time but never take a holiday from your health and your body will thank you for it, especially when you slip into your lovely dress and feel great!

The key is to enjoy yourself without going overboard. Overindulgence isn't worth the time and effort it takes to tone up and detox in Jan. So be strong now, not later, moderate your portions and hide the Christmas choccies and treats or give them away to friends.

Be consistent
Saying no to cakes and biscuits once a week isn't good enough, because you need to say no consistently. What you do most f the time will help you to get results and get into your dress. Daily efforts make lasting changes.

Exercise the easy way
Ok, so you're busy and its party season but you can still take time to exercise - even if it's at home in front of the TV or on the dance floor.

Make sure you are the first one up on the dance floor or try half an hour of squats, sit ups, press ups and jogging on the spot during your favourite TV programme. It will really pays off.



Article by Dora Walsh for MSN Life & Style

Herbatint

Glam up for those coming Christmas parties with Herbatint, the hair dye which also conditions.

Herbatint - only

£8.50                

If harmful chemicals have stopped you from dying you hair in the past, this need no longer be an excuse with Herbatint.  Contains

• No Alchohol
• No Ammonia
• No Paraben
• No Perfume
• 100% Grey Cover  

Herbatint is formulated with Aloe Vera which is anti-oxidising and anti-imflammatory; Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam), rich in Vitamins E and F for a longer lasting colour and Witch Hazel (Hamamelis Virginiana) to treat the scalp. 

So what's stopping you now?  Choose the colour you desire at Natural Figure now!

Internal Health

Indigestion, bloating, wind, constipation, irritable bowel symptoms, and the list goes on.  Clearly these are all signs that something is wrong. 

Get all you need to know about your internal health with Ron Gellately's Internal Health book.  In easy readable form, this book is handy as an aid that you can keep simply on your bookshelf for when the need arises. 

Learn how to aid and maintain your internal health now -  
 

Browse the Internal Health by Ron Gellately book now at our Natural Figure store

Co-habiting 'makes women fatter'

Women tend to put on weight and eat more unhealthily when they move in with a boyfriend, a study suggests.
 
But Newcastle University dieticians said, in a review of seven studies, that men seemed to become more healthy after they began co-habiting. 

The study in Complete Nutrition suggested women's diets tended to increase in fat and sugar after they began living with a partner. 

The team said diets change because each partner tries to please the other. 

The study found women adopted their partner's eating habits

They looked at a range of studies focusing on the eating and lifestyle habits of thousands of subjects who were either married or who co-habited and found the same theme. 

Men found themselves eating lighter, healthier meals and more fruit and vegetables, while women moved towards the creamier, heavier dishes like curries and rich pasta meals favoured by their partners. 


One study of 20 US couples found men started to eat less meat, while women began eating more. 

Another study of 9,043 adults in the US found marriage itself led to women putting on weight, and moving out of marriage was linked to weight loss in women. 

The authors suggested this was caused by more structured eating and less time for exercise within marriage. 


'Compromise'
 
A survey of 3,000 Australians suggested men appeared to prefer a higher fat, higher sugar pattern, whereas females leaned towards healthier food choices. 

Study author Amelia Lake, who also carried out her own research on changes in diet of 198 subjects between the ages of 11 and 30, said: "A significant proportion of women said they see their partner's influence on diet as negative - whereas men viewed their partner's influence as positive." 

"You've got two separate food systems coming together and no matter what people say you are not going to like all the same foods. 

"If one partner is always saying 'take away, take away' and the other is always saying 'salad, salad', it could cause problems and there will obviously need to be some compromise." 

But Dr Lake also said that couples should see the lifestyle change as a chance to improve both partners' lifestyles for the better. 

"It's a time in your life when lots of things are changing and you can work together and do it more helpfully.
"That's the overwhelming take-home message of our review," she added.
 
'Simple pleasures'
 
Dr Frankie Phillips of the British Dietetic Association said the study indicated that the eating boundaries change for both partners, with the women losing out as they bring their man more in line with their healthier eating principles. 

She said: "If women are finding themselves struggling with weight after moving in together, portion sizes would be one of the first things to address. 

"On average men require more energy (calories) per day than women, and so having equal portion sizes could mean that women are eating too much." 

She added: "Eating together should be one of the simple pleasures in life, and should not be a battle of wills between partners who have different eating philosophies and preferences. 

"As with everything in a good relationship, the best way is to reach a compromise where both partners stand to make a gain in improving their health." 





Article from BBC News UK

Seasonal Affective Disorder - The Winter Blues

It is now a widely known concept that when the sun disappears, so does our good moods.  And for 40% of us this is a problem as this disppearing good mood is otherwise diagnosed as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), or more commonly known as the Winter Blues.

It's all about Melatonin.  Melatonin levels (within our bodies) is what makes us tired, lethargic and crave more sleep.  Normally Melatonin levels are supressed by the sunlight, therefore with the lack of sunlight Melatonin levels increase thus causing our 'bad moods' and feelings of sleepiness.    

In the past we had to just make do and try get through the Winter Blues as best we could.  But now, as a widely recognised condition, there are now lights available for purchase to combat those SAD symptoms.

How does it work?

Well, these speciality lights work by shining a light that mimics the sunlight in wavelength (brightness) therefore providing your deprived body the sunlight it thirsts for.  By shining a SAD light on yourslf for about 15-30 minutes a day will boost your energy levels and supress that nasty Melatonin level. 

To read What to Eat to beat SAD click here. 


At Natural Figure we have 2 different SAD lights on offer - 

The Lightbook Elite

This light and compact SAD therapy light unit not only helps combat the Winter Blues, but also help you to recover from jet lag, should be planning to travel long haul. 

More more info on The Lightbook Elite click here.  

Browse The Lightbook Elite at our Natural Figure store now

Per 3 SAD Light

The 3 in 1 Light therapy unit, it can simulate dawn, used for light therapy to combat SAD, and as a daylight lamp. 

Browse the Per 3 SAD Light now at Natural Figure