Today it seems we have
some special topical
potion for every
beauty concern—
from weak and splitting
nails to dandruff,
rough hands and feet,
damaged hair, dry knees and elbows, blemishes,
wrinkles and even cellulite.
But despite the abundance of superficial
lotions and potions, the real secret to
bringing out your best looks—your own
brand of unique and timeless beauty—starts from the inside out with ultra nourishing
and beautifying oils that can do it all and
give you clear skin, lustrous hair and more.
Dewy skin, silky hair, strong beautiful nails,
a serene spirit, nourished soul and overall
health; timeless beauty is here for each of us
no matter what our age or stage of life.
And this is why The Woman’s Oil was
created. The Woman’s Oil is a unique formula
that I developed with Health From
The Sun, with the most current female
beauty and health concerns in mind. The
Woman’s Oil contains the most balanced
combination of essential fatty acids (EFAs)
and plant nutrients to bring out your best
looks, health and hormonal balance. The
Woman’s Oil contains a special blend of EFAs
from organic flax oil and black currant oil
plus rosemary and vitamin E to nourish a
woman’s body and mind at any age.
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Did you ever wonder how some women can
maintain a healthy and beautiful appearance
without the benefit of cosmetic surgery or
pricey skin care treatments? |
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Unfortunately in the past, due to the fatfree
mentality of the previous two decades,
many women undermined their physical
beauty, inner vitality and overall health by
avoiding the very nutrient, essential fatty
acids, so critical to good looks. For years fat
was regarded as the “evil nutrient.” Wellintentioned
but misguided women (and
men) began to fill up on carbohydrates
instead of the right kinds of fats.
And what happened? Skyrocketing obesity
(now 62 percent of the population), a
Type II diabetes epidemic and women spending over $20 billion annually on superficial
beauty treatments to overcome the
outward symptoms of essential fatty acids
deficiency (dehydrated skin, poor hair and
brittle nails) that inevitably occur when certain
fats are banished from the diet.
Thankfully, in July 2002, the fat-free
movement was buried once and for all. A
groundbreaking New York Times Magazine
article entitled “What if Fat Doesn’t Make
You Fat?” ushered in a new era of nutrition.
The idea that fat may not really make us fat
gained momentum, suggesting that perhaps
not all fats are to be avoided. Healthy fats,
such as EFAs, can actually be an effective tool
for maintaining a healthy weight as well as
an overall healthy system. One important
reason is that most healthy fats easily create a
feeling of satiety, in other words they curb
hunger, thus allowing us to consume a lower
total number of calories while giving our
bodies something they really need to function
at their best.
In reality EFAs are the building blocks for
many of the body’s most vital tasks, proper cell
functioning, hormonal balance and the lubrication
of tissues. Since our bodies cannot produce
them on their own, they must come from
the diet. EFAs are present in many foods but
most of our diets don’t provide nearly enough
of them. Without these healthy fats in our
system, our bodies quickly begin to show
external signs of deficiency. Therefore, supplementation
with EFAs is crucial for overall
health as well as a means to keep our skin and
hair healthy and naturally lubricated and to
balance the hormones as we go through life’s
changes. Oils rich in alpha linolenic acid (ALA)
and gamma linolenic acid (GLA) are ideal.
These beauty oils aid in the absorption of vitamins
A, D, E and K and help to transport oxygen
throughout the body.
HERE ARE THE COMPLETE BEAUTY
AND BALANCING INGREDIENTS IN
THE WOMAN’S OIL:
Organic Flax Oil
Nature’s richest source of omega-3 fatty acids,
flax oil is an important “internal moisturizer,”
helping to lubricate the fatty layer just beneath
the skin and for maintaining a healthy cardiovascular
system as well as helping in the body’s
metabolism of fats.
Flax oil is also a remarkably good source of
alpha linolenic acid, containing 50 to 60 percent.
ALA is an essential fatty acid and is one of
the essential nutrients that is necessary for life.
ALA must be obtained from the diet—the
human body is not able to manufacture it.
Approximately 10 percent of the ALA we consume
is transformed in our bodies into two
other fatty acids: EPA and DHA (these are the
same beneficial compounds found in fish oil).
Due to the benefits of EPA and DHA produced
from ALA in the diet, flax oil consumption may
be particularly important for vegetarians and
people who prefer not to eat fish.
In the past most research on ALA related to
its role in producing EPA and DHA. Research in
recent years, however, has brought evidence
that ALA has other beneficial functions in the
human body beyond it is conversion to EPA and
DHA. ALA is useful in protecting against heart
disease and improving immune function.
Black Currant Oil
This is quite possibly the finest EFA oil for
women because it naturally contains a unique
balance of omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6
GLA. GLA is especially important for hormonal
balance and for maintaining the healthy condition
of skin and hair, creating more cell
resilience. Black currant oil has also shown to
be an EFA oil that women can tolerate
extremely well.
Without sufficient GLA cellular membranes
cannot retain moisture, leaving the skin with a
dry, rough appearance. GLA increases cell
resilience and moistens the fatty layer beneath
the skin, making it one of the finest “internal
moisturizers” on the market today.
GLA is especially helpful against winter’s
dehydrating and irritating effects on the skin. In
the summer it offers protection against damaging
UVA and UVB rays and can be used to treat
the swelling, pain and redness caused by sunburn.
A Scandinavian study showed that GLA
supplementation significantly reduced sunburn.
GLA shows definite promise in the battle of
the bulge. In the 1980s, scientists found GLA
helped boost metabolism in two ways. First,
GLA stimulates brown adipose tissue (an
underactive fat in overweight people) to burn
calories. Second, GLA stimulates the ATPase
metabolic process, commonly referred to as
the “sodium pump,” to burn up to 50 percent
of the body’s calories. Studies like the one performed
at the Welsh National School of
Medicine reported individuals lost from 9.6 to
11.4 pounds over a six-week period. Now scientists
are researching the possibility that GLA
may elevate levels of serotonin, a brain
chemical which contributes to the feeling of
fullness. Imagine if you could use supplementation
to feel satiated sooner, eat less and not
be tempted to overindulge.
Lignans
Flax is also one of nature’s richest sources of
plant lignans—phytoestrogens that help to
balance hormones, support the immune
system and possess antioxidant properties.
Lignans help reduce hot flashes, cycle
changes and ovarian dysfunction and are proven
beneficial for women suffering from PMS.
The benefits of lignans go far beyond
menopausal and PMS symptoms, however,
numerous studies have shown that flax lignans
can be potent anticancer agents for hormone
sensitive cancers. Extensive studies on both
breast and colon cancer indicate that flax lignans
may play an important role in cancer
treatment and prevention.
Intake of lignans protects against bone loss,
may increase bone density and reduces the risk
of osteoporosis. It also decreases the so-called
“bad” LDL cholesterol, increases the “good” HDL
cholesterol, decreases blood pressure, suppresses
the development of arteriosclerosis and inflammation
and enhances blood vessel tone.
Vitamin E
Well regarded as the “vitamin for skin,”
vitamin E is also an antioxidant and important
for healthy heart functioning. Molecularly
structured like estrogen, vitamin E can also be
helpful as a natural hormone remedy. It is
probably the most challenging vitamin to
obtain through diet alone because even the
richest beauty food sources fall short of the
recommended dosage for optimum health.
Rosemary Extract
The latest research on rosemary suggests that it
is an exceptional substance for women.
Rosemary is known for its ability to resist
infection but recent studies also indicate that it
may be beneficial in preventing breast cancer
and improving digestive health.
Lipase
The Woman’s Oil softgels contain this natural
plant enzyme that aids in the digestion and
absorption of dietary fats. Lipase can further
help you to obtain the benefits of EFAs.
Unlike many other women’s nutritional
supplements, The Woman’s Oil contains no
soy. Although soy is considered to be a vegetarian
source of protein and potent source of
phytoestrogens for many women, there are
still some women who choose not to add soy
to their diet. Therefore, we have decided to
present a soy-free supplement alternative.
HOW MUCH AND IN WHAT WAY CAN
YOU INCORPORATE THE WOMAN’S
OIL INTO YOUR EVERYDAY DIET?
The suggested dosage is one tablespoon (or six
softgels) daily. You may swallow a spoonful of
the oil straight, mix it with yogurt or cottage
cheese, use it as a salad dressing or put it in oatmeal,
a protein drink or a blended beverage.
The key is to use it in no-heat recipes. By
the way, I love it on air-popped popcorn. (The following recipe idea is from my new Fat Flush Cookbook.)
Minty Dill Pesto
Serves 4
 In this recipe the fresh dill, mint and basil are much more
flavorful than dried herbs. This is divine on any kind of
white fish (cod, sole, haddock or halibut) and I personally
enjoy spooning this on fresh green vegetables, especially
broccoli and kale.
- 2 tablespoons walnuts, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 4 tablespoons flaxseed oil or The Woman’s Oil
Place all ingredients in a blender or food
processor and blend until pureed.
Welcome healthy fat back into your diet for all
the right reasons. No matter what age or stage
of life you are at, the time to start looking and
feeling your natural best is now. And good
nutrition is your KEY to health and natural
beauty.
From The Fat Flush Cookbook by Ann Louise
Gittleman, McGraw-Hill, 2003.
Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D., C.N.S.
 Ms. Gittleman is internationally recognized as a pioneer in beauty, environmental and women’s health issues. She is the author of the best-selling books The Fat Flush Plan, Eat Fat, Lose Weight, Super Nutrition for Women, Beyond Pritikin, Before the Change, The Living Beauty Detox Program. She is one of the foremost nutritionists in the U.S. She regularly contributes to national media including an ongoing presence on iVillage and wwwfatflush.com
Resources:
- al-Sereiti, M. R., Abu-Amer, K. M., Sen, P. “Pharmacology of Rosemary (Rosemary officinalis Linn.) and Its Therapeutic Potentials,” Indian J Exp Biol (1999). Vol. 37(2) pp. 124–30.
- Aldercruetz, H. Lignans and Phytoestrogens Possible Preventive Role in Cancer, Front Gastrointest Res (1988).Vol. 14 pp. 165–76.
- Andreassi, M., Forleo, P., Di Lorio, A., Masci, S., Abate, G. and Amerio, P. “Efficacy of Gamma Linolenic Acid In The Treatment of Patients With Atopic Dermatitis,” J Int Med Res (1997). Vol. 25 p. 286.
- Brush, M.G., Watson, S.J., Horrobin, D.F. and Mankus, M.S. “Abnormal Essential Fatty Acid Levels In Plasma of Women With Premenstrual Syndrome,” Amer. Journal Obstet. Gynecol. (1984). Vol. 150 pp. 363–6.
- Campbell, K.L. “Fatty Acid Supplementation and Skin Disease,” Adv Clin Derm (1990). Vol. 20(6). pp. 1475–86.
- Christy, C. “Vitamin E in Menopause: Preliminary Report of Experimental and Clinical Study,” Amer. Journal Obstet. Gynecol. (1945). Vol. 50 pp. 84–7.
- Gittleman, A.L. Before the Change: Taking Charge of Your Perimenopause, HarperSanFrancisco (1998).
- Gittleman, A.L. The Living Beauty Detox Program, Harper SanFrancisco (2000).
- Holt, S. “Phytoestrogens for a Healthier Menopause,” Alt and Comp Ther (1997).Vol. 3 pp. 187–93.
- Singletary, K., MacDonald, C., Wallig, M. “Inhibition by Rosemary and Carnosol of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-Induced Rat Mammary Tumorigenesis and In Vitro DMBA-DNA Adduct Formation,” Cancer Lett. (1996). Jun 24; 104(1). pp. 43–8.
- Taubes, G. “What If Fat Doesn’t Make You Fat?” The New York Times Magazine (July 7, 2002). pp. 21–35.
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