Archive for July, 2007
July 30th, 2007 -- Posted in Portraits To Art |
Eliminate Acne With New Skin Treatment Products
Among all the skin problems, acne is one that affect all ages. How many times you wished for that radiant, clear skin without the fear of nasty rashes?
One of the most common skin diseases that can affect any age group is acne. If you do not receive proper treatment, acne can get out of hand especially if you neglect it initially. Severe spread of acne may result on parts of the body as a result of neglecting it over a period of time. Thus getting a skin treatment and using quality skin treatment products related to acne is effective in suppressing an outbreak.
Another question that might crop up in your mind would be which acne skin treatment product to use from the innumerable products that are on the shelves in the market?
Certain acne skin treatment products contain antibiotic medicines which may suppress the growth of acne. They are prescribed by the dermatologists and doctors keeping the severity of acne in mind. These specific treatment products are used to reduce acne in sever cases and contain tetracycline, erythromycin, minocycline and various other generic salts and can be taken as oral treatment products.
Many other natural based treatment products can also be used for effective skin treatment. There are many other gels, creams and face washes available that have herbal, natural ingredients which also help reduce signs of acne and are available at health and drug stores. Some natural skin products may contain turmeric (curcumin), sandalwood and neem.
However, before purchasing any skin treatment products, keep in mind a few things that will help you get a proper treatment:
•Always use skin treatment product which get absorbed in the skin quickly for effective treatment.
•Natural skin care or treatment products that have a herbal base can aid your acne treatment faster and not cause scarring also.
•Check all ingredients before you put it in your cart or buy. Go in for products which are mild enough to suit all ages and are safe on pregnant women also.
•Ingredients should be natural and chemical free while the acne cream should have a balanced formulation to get maximum benefit and hypoallergenic.
•Use skin treatment products that lessen the acne problems and see if there are any reactions, if there are any negative side effects then immediately stop the treatment or application of the cream.
So, get the best health benefit through the use of correct skin treatment products and you can also get that radiant skin.
The Skin Care Business is John Mendes area of expertise. He provides quality skin treatment products for many years.
By John Mendes
July 30th, 2007 -- Posted in Portraits To Art |
I Love French Wine and Food - A Midi Merlot
If you are in the mood for fine French wine and food, you should consider the Languedoc-Roussillon region of south central France. Who knows you may find a bargain, and I hope that you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local red Merlot. Languedoc-Roussillon is the largest of France’s eleven wine-growing regions and ranks number fourth in the vineyard acreage. This area, which includes the Midi, had been known for generating immense amounts of rather dubious table wine called vin ordinaire. Recently, thanks in part to flying Australian wine makers, the region has started to produce a lot of fine wine.
Like Alsace, and unlike most other regions of France, many Languedoc-Roussillon wines, such as the one reviewed below, are identified by their constituent grape variety on the label.
This lovely region has a varied terrain. For example, Languedoc is mostly flat; in contrast Roussillon is hilly. Several areas take advantage of their unique combination of microclimate and soil (terroir) to produce one or more local AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controle) wines. You can expect to pay more for these wines than for their generic cousins. Sooner or later we will review at least one of these wines in our series. Languedoc-Roussillon has almost 50 AOC wine appellations; red, white, ros?, sparkling, and sweet. This diversity is not surprising given that the region grows over 30 grape varieties including Merlot, the single most important grape variety in Bordeaux.
Perpignan, settled first in Roman times, was founded over a millennium ago. It was the capital of Roussillon. Unlike most of the other cities and towns mentioned in this series, Perpignan rose up against French rule. Even though it lost the battle, France ceded it to Spain for several decades. You won’t have to look far to see Spanish influence. Salvador Dali, arguably one of Spain’s greatest modern artists, called its train station the center of the universe and said that he got his best ideas sitting in its waiting room. So it’s no surprise that a monument honoring Dali hangs above the station.
Other sites to see include the historic downtown near the docks of the Basse River, the fortified Palais des Rois de Majorca (Palace of the Kings of Majorca), Le Castillet a former prison, and the Cathedrale St-Jean (Cathedral of St. John the Baptist). Sad to say you can no longer visit the city walls; they were torn down more than a century ago to let a growing city expand.
The Mediterranean fishing village of Collioure is a major tourist attraction especially during the summer months. To a large extent it was made famous by Henri Matisse and other Fauve painters of times gone by. You’ll be happy to know that the view hasn’t changed much. It’s hardly surprising that this little village, population under three thousand, is a favorite of artists. Make sure to see the old port, the Seventeenth Century Notre-Dame-des-Anges (Our Lady of the Angels) Church and the Thirteenth Century Ch?teau Royal (Royal Castle) once the summer home of the kings of Majorca.
Before reviewing the Languedoc-Roussillon wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Roque Anchois (Anchovies with Tomato, Spices, Vinegar, and Olive Oil). For your second course savor Tagine de Lotte (Monkfish Stew). And as dessert indulge yourself with Cr?me Catalan (Cr?me br?l?e with Orange Flower and Aniseed).
OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.
Wine Reviewed Domaine des Aspes Merlot 2003 13% about $14
Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. An attractive Merlot from the warm 2003 vintage. The aromas suggest ripe plum, blackberry and a hint of tar. It is dry, quite rich and supple with a long, balanced finish. Match barbecued steak.
My first meal was take out. It consisted of chicken breast with the skin on, potato salad, and a somewhat spicy tomato, red pepper, and garlic salad. No, I didn’t buy this last salad in the Midi. My first sip of this wine was excellent: It was quite round and rich with some tobacco and plenty of dark fruit. You know the old story about never getting a second chance to make a first impression. No need. I think that the Merlot’s length and level of complexity kept it from competing in a totally different price range. I wasted a bit by trying it with a quite unorthodox partner, fresh pineapple. No surprise, the two didn’t mesh.
The next meal consisted of a stove-top home cooked chicken breast with a somewhat spicy tomato sauce, accompanied by white rice and green beans. As previously this wine was quite powerful tasting of tobacco and dark fruit.
Of course I did want to try this wine with red meat. I went for hamburgers and the fixings. Once again it was a success. The Merlot was long and round and clearly presented the taste of tobacco. Let me remind you that I am not now and have never really been a smoker. I don’t go looking for a tobacco taste but I do like it in a wine, if not overdone. In all cases I was pleased with its tobacco taste. The wine seemed a bit chewy and very pleasant. The last sips were quite enjoyable after the meal was over.
My first cheese pairing was with a goat’s milk cheese, a Palet de Chevre from the Poitou Charentes region of central-western France. This cheese resembled a Camembert more than a goat’s milk cheese. While this wine was less forward than when accompanying the meals, I’d call it subtle rather than flat. I got the taste of plums. The second cheese was a Swiss Gruyere. The wine was intense; the wine’s fruit and the Gruyere’s nuttiness went well together.
I usually restrict these tastings to imported cheese but I found a real favorite of mine, a local Asiago that I prefer to its Italian cousin and, frankly, to almost any cheese that I have eaten in quite a while. The wine remained powerful and fruity with a good level of acidity. I sort of like black plums, but I don’t think that I ever found them this good before. Final verdict. Can you guess? Will the next bottle be as good? I’ll follow my instincts and the marketing notes and try it with barbecued steak.
——
Over the years Levi Reiss has written ten Internet and computer books, sometimes with a co-author. Between you and me, he would rather drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches computer classes at an Ontario French-language community college. Visit his Italian wine website at www.theitalianwineconnection.com .Visit his Italian travel website at www.travelitalytravel.com .
Author: Levi Reiss
July 30th, 2007 -- Posted in Portraits To Art |
I Love German Wine and Food - A Rheinhessen Dornfelder
If you are in the mood for fine German wine and food, why not consider the Rheinhessen region of southwestern Germany. You may even find a bargain, and I do believe that you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local red Dornfelder. Rheinhessen is a relatively small area, sometimes called the land of the thousand hills, nestled between the Rhine and the Nahe Rivers. It already was known for its wines in the days of Charlemagne.
To some extent it is famous or infamous for Liebfraumilch, to be reviewed in another article in this series. It is the German region with both the largest area planted in wine grapes and the highest wine production. Rheinhessen is responsible for more than one quarter of the German wine acreage and wine production. It is also produces the highest percentage of generally low quality table wine, coming in at almost 12%. More than 60% of Rheinhessen wine is middle quality QbA wine, and a bit more than 25% is higher quality QmP wine. About seven of eight bottles contain white wine, but the percentage of red wine is increasing. The most widely grown varieties are the German hybrid Mueller-Thurgau and Silvaner. The usually higher quality Riesling represents about 10% of the total production. Dornfelder is the most widely planted red grape variety. The marketing materials, quoted below, present one viewpoint of this German-bred grape.
Mainz has a population of about eighty thousand. It is one of the centers of the German wine trade. It is the capital of Rheinland-Pfalz, the only German state government that has a wine minister. The city is built on the site of a two thousand year-old Roman citadel. Here two thousand years is nothing; a local museum contains three hundred thousand year-old artifacts. In season the Marktplatz (Market) and H?fchen (Little Courtyard) buzz with farmers selling their wares on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday. Check the exact dates for the annual Sektfest (Sparkling Wine Festival) held in late May or early June and then Johannisnacht, another wine festival several weeks later.
Other sites to see include the Dom (Cathedral of St. Martin and St. Stephan) which broke ground shortly prior to the turn of the first millennium. Because of seven fires most of the Cathedral is newer, dating from the Eleventh to the Thirteenth Centuries. The cloisters contain a museum of religious artifacts. Right near by is the Gutenberg Museum. Other local museums are devoted to the Middle Ages, Roman warships, art, plants, animals, and fossils. If all this touring makes you thirsty for more than knowledge visit the Kupferberg Sektkellerei (sparkling wine cellars), the deepest on earth. There are several concert halls, theaters, night clubs, and wine bars. Not far from the city are the Mainz Sand Dunes, a tiny area home to plants and animals rarely seen in Western Europe.
Before reviewing the Rheinhessen wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Zweibelkuchen (Onion Pie). For your second course enjoy Haxen und Bratkartoffeln (Pork Hocks and Home Fries). As a dessert indulge yourself with Frankfurter Kranz (Buttercream Cake).
OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.
Wine Reviewed Rappenhof Dornfelder Trocken 2004 13.0% alcohol about $15.50
Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Dornfelder is a cross, bred in 1956 by August Herold. In its genealogy, the grape claims every important red vine grown in Germany. Fortunately, it has inherited most of the positive attributes and very few of the negative. The wines are deeply coloured, velvety in texture with hints of floral. Slightly off-dry, this example gives good aroma replays on the palate. Serve with Wiener schnitzel. Now for the review. (By the way, I found its color more of a dark rose.)
My first pairing was with a barbecued, marinated rib steak with potato patties, potato wedges, and a commercially prepared eggplant and tomato side dish. The wine was very short with moderate fruit when imbibed with the meat and potatoes. It almost seemed to disappear in the presence of the fairly powerful eggplant dish.
The next tasting involved a cheeseless broccoli, mushroom, and zucchini quiche with mashed potatoes. The Dornfelder tasted sour and I sensed some sort of strange fruit in the background. I finished the glass with beer nuts. The wine was fairly flat but its sourness disappeared.
The final meal consisted of meatballs in a tomato sauce with rice and green beans. The wine was somewhat rounder than before but was still ever so short. I thought I was drinking an alcoholic fruit juice.
The initial cheese pairing was with a French goat cheese that really resembled a Camembert. While the wine was a bit flat it did taste lightly of black cherries. Then I went to a Swiss Gruyere. The Dornfelder became somewhat more robust but the fruit was less distinctive. I finished the bottle with a local, fairly sharp Asiago cheese that I prefer to its presumably more authentic Italian cousin. Finally a decent pairing; the wine was pleasant.
Final verdict. I didn’t plan to be reviewing two Dornfelders in such short order. But we don’t get many of them in our neck of the woods so I figured why not give it a try. I am definitely not planning on a third round before the cows come home. I fail to see why such a grape should cost more than many better grapes from German and other countries. Of course, if I had liked the wine…
——
Levi Reiss is the author or co-author of ten Internet and computer books. In his spare time he enjoys drinking fine Italian or other wine, especially when paired with the right foods and good company. He teaches various and sundry computer classes at a French-language community college in Ontario, Canada. His global wine website is www.theworldwidewine.com and his Italian food website is www.fooditalyfood.com .
Author: Levi Reiss
July 30th, 2007 -- Posted in Portraits To Art |
I Love French Wine and Food - An Alsace Pinot Blanc
If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider the Alsace region of northeastern France. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local white Pinot Blanc wine.
Alsace ranks tenth out of the eleven French winemaking regions in terms of vineyard area. Don’t be fooled by the numbers; Alsace is a major producer of quality French wine. Its wine growing area is only about 60 miles (100 kilometers) long, and at the most a mere 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) wide nestled between the Vosges Mountains to the east and the Rhine River and Germany to the west. But this relatively tiny area is known for distinctive wines. Alsatian wine bottles are quite distinctive; tall and slim and their labels feature the grape variety, in contrast to most French wine labels. Chaptalization (adding sugar to the fermenting grape mixture) is allowed for many wine categories.
About 95% of Alsace wine is white. The major white grape varieties are Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Gris, and Riesling. Secondary white grape varieties include Pinot Blanc, reviewed below, Sylvaner, and Muscat. The major red grape variety is Pinot Noir, reviewed in a companion article in this series.
Colmar is an Alsatian town pretty well in the middle of the Alsatian wine villages. Go there if you don’t like rain; given its proximity to the Vosges Mountains, Colmar is the driest town in all of France. This city of about sixty-five thousand was founded in the Ninth Century. despite Colmar’s major destruction in both World Wars, there is a lot to see in its old town (Vieille Ville). Some say that it’s more interesting than Strasbourg. You really should visit both and decide for yourself. Among Colmar’s sights are the St-Martin church constructed from the Thirteenth to the Sixteenth Centuries, the Ancienne Douane (Old Customs House), and the Maison aux Arcades (Arcades House).
Since 1626 Ribeauville has been the home to Trimbach wines. In spite of its size, under five thousand, it has a bit of everything: ancient town walls, Gothic churches, storybook medieval houses, ,a town hall peppered with antiques, and a spring. The ruins of three castles are in the vicinity. And the first Sunday in September, Ribeauville hosts a major Minstrel Show.
Before reviewing the Alsatian wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Foie Gras (Goose or Duck Liver). For your second course savor Baeckeoffe (Meat and Potato Casserole). And as dessert indulge yourself with Gateau Chasseur (Almond Cake with Raspberries and Meringue).
OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.
Wine Reviewed Trimbach Pinot Blanc 2004 12.5% alcohol about $13.50
Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Tasting Note Straw colour; apple, pear fruit aromas with light biscuit and citrus tones; medium- to full-bodied with ripe peachy flavours and a clean, zesty finish. Serving Suggestion Smoked salmon, shellfish or asparagus in hollandaise sauce. Alsatian Pinot Gris is becoming increasingly fashionable, and this example illustrates why.
Honeyed fruit aromas, such as peach and pear, plus a texture of smoke and mineral seduce in this just off-dry white that’s, round, soft and quite rich. The producer recommends this as a good substitute for red wine with meat dishes such as cold cuts, roast beef or game. They also suggest pairing it with smoked chicken, fish or lobster. And now for the review.
My first meal consisted of a commercially prepared chicken breast with the skin on (increased flavor but increased calories), potato salad, and a spicy tomato, red pepper and garlic salad. The wine was refreshingly acidic and somewhat fruity. I finished with fresh pineapple. I liked this combination; the fruit flavors in the pineapple complemented those in the wine and actually seemed to intensify each other.
I then paired the Pinot Blanc with a reheated home-cooked chicken leg in a tomato-based sauce with beets and more of the above potato salad. The wine scored as in the first round, but was more assertively fruity including the taste of pears. I am not used to a Pinot Blanc wine being so present, and I like this change.
My last meal consisted of a cheeseless broccoli, mushroom, and zucchini quiche and mashed potatoes. While the wine was powerful and quite fruity, it did come up short.
The first cheese pairing involved a French goat’s milk cheese that I would have taken for a Camembert. At the first sips the cheese sort of cut off the wine. Later the results were somewhat better; the wine was fruity and moderately acidic. Then I went for a Swiss Gruyere with a lightly sharp, nutty flavor. This combination was even better; the Pinot Blanc came out nice and fruity.
I usually don’t go with a non-imported cheese when tasting wines. However, I am making an exception for a Canadian Asiago cheese that our local supermarket almost never carries. I think that this is the best cheese I have tasted in quite a while; in my opinion it clearly surpasses its Italian Asiago cousin. When I like a cheese that good, I really want to try it with wine. The result wasn’t disappointing; this excellent cheese really intensified the wine’s fruit and acidity.
Final verdict. There is no doubt in my mind, this wine is a winner. And the price is reasonable to boot.
——
Over the years Levi Reiss has written ten Internet and computer books, sometimes with a co-author. Between you and me, he would rather drink fine French, Italian, or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and the right people. He teaches various and sundry computer classes at an Ontario French-language community college. His central wine website is www.theworldwidewine.com and his Italian wine website is www.theitalianwineconnection.com.
Author: Levi Reiss
July 30th, 2007 -- Posted in Portraits To Art |
Can Herbal Remedies for Menopause Really Ease Menopausal Symptoms
Signs of menopause start to occur due to the physical changes a woman experiences as she ages. In particular, it is due to the reduction in the levels of hormones - namely estrogen and progesterone - in her body. This decrease causes an irregularity in the menstrual cycle and the eventual end of the menstrual cycle all together.
The Menopause, or “change of life” as it is sometimes referred to (though that tends to be more from old text books) is an experience that most women will experience at some point in there lives. It originates from the Greek words which mean “to cease” or “to end” and “monthly” or “month”. So in literal terms it means the end of the monthly menstrual cycle. On average, most women start to experience the early menopause symptoms during their early 50’s, but it can start any where from early 40’s to late 50’s.
The symptoms and signs of menopause that each woman will encounter will likely be very different from person to person. Most women - about 80% if statistics are to be believed - experience very few menopause symptons other than their menstrual cycle coming to an end.
As your body ages (gracefully of course) it goes through a lot of changes - and at this stage in your life your body’s production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone start to decline. It is this reduction in natural levels of the female hormones that brings about the menopausal symptoms and change of life.
If you think you are starting to go through the menopause, there are usually 3 clear signals or symptoms to watch out for. They are hot flashes, irregular periods and quite likely vaginal dryness. An irregular menstrual cycle is probably the first thing you’ll notice. This could happen several months or even years before you experience the full onset of menopause, but is one of the classical early menopause symptoms.
Hot flashes are also quite likely, although the degree to which they affect you varies from woman to woman. A hot flash starts as a warm or hot feeling rising from your torso through your neck and up to your face. It can also cause your face to redden slightly as though you were blushing.
A hot flash can make you perspire - in some cases profusely - and may bring on headaches, dizziness and an increased heart rate (though it’s nothing to be overly concerned with - it’s usually just your heart trying to cope with the increase in blood flow). An effective method for dealing with hot flashes (or hot flushes depending on what part of the world you live in) is to help control your temperature by wearing several layers of clothing.
When you get hot, you can always take some layers off. A cool shower often works well, but depends if you’re at home or have access to a shower. Drinking cool liquids (not necessarily cold, but nicely cool) usually has a very beneficial effect as well.
Vaginal dryness is another classic sign of menopause, though one less talked about. As your body is producing less female hormones (estrogen and progesterone), the side effect of this is to thin out the urinary tract and vaginal walls, which leaves the skin there even more delicate and susceptible to damage and infection. In some cases, this thinning can make sexual intercourse an uncomfortable and even painful experience.
There are many natural herbs for menopause that you can take to ease the symptoms, but one of the best remedies for the dryness is to use natural creams and/or lubricants like ky jelly, apricot or vitamin E oil. All of these will make having sex a much more pleasurable experience again (but unfortunately can’t account for the performance of a partner!). There are other over the counter or prescription creams that your physician may also recommend, many of which contain extra estrogen.
By Mick Spencer
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mike has his own menopause support website. For self-help tips and advice on herbal remedies for menopause visit his site Early Menopause Symptoms Support Don’t reprint the same version as everyone else. Get your own unique content early menopause symptoms article here.
« Prev - Next »