25 Pills You Should Run a Mile from

Hello there!

It's that time of year when we all hear about another round of the flu stalking the office or the school or your family or friends have all got it. My first reaction is to avoid them like the plague and run to the local shop and pick up some Beroccas. nothing helps me like they do, even if it's all psychological and a boost can't do any harm, though i do only use them for when I'm feeling run down.

However I read an article the other day in Women's Health about the pills you should and shouldn't be swallowing and I found it really interesting. So interesting in fact that I've decided to pretty much copy it straight into a blog post for you to read and see which pills you really shouldn't waste your money on.

We've all been there in a store reading how the latest vitamin can help shift those last few pounds, how something can rev up your metabolism and draw out toxins and they can be very appealing. But after reading this list i was surprised that most are completely pointless and can do more harm than good.

So let's just be clear, I'm copying this from November's edition of Women's Health and it's not my own research or hard work really, aside from typing it up in my own words, but I thought it was worthy of knowing so you don't waste your money or do yourself some harm:

1) Raspberry Ketones - one I'm sure we've all heard of and al of the weightloss claims it has. Actually, there's no scientific evidence to confirm they promote weightloss in humans at all. Save your money!

2) Korean or Panax Ginseng - I've never heard of these and don't know what they claim to do but they do speed up your heart rate and affect your oestrogen levels....sounds terrifying. Save your health by avoiding this one.

3) Guarana - found in sports drinks and although it does give you energy, it's because it contains caffeine so you might as well save your money by sticking with something more natural and also guarana can leave you feeling jittery and nervous...save your sanity in this case!

4) Bio-identical Hormones - Again no idea what these are supposed to do for you or why you would voluntarily take them but they are prescription only and therefore should only be given to you by your doctor, scary stuff! 

5) Soy Isoflavones - Derives from a plant however they have a serious effect on your hormones that nobody has quite worked out how yet, that should be enough to scare you off too.

6) Chitosan - allegedly a fat binder though it drags all fats out and doesn't discriminate between the ones we need and the ones we don't. Save your health and your money.

7) High doses of Vitamin C - totally pointless and no evidence to show that anything over 1g is helpful at all. Save your cash as these can be quite expensive!

8) Bentonite Clay - another one to allegedly draw out toxins. Don't think there's any evidence to support these claims but regardless, it wouldn't draw out the toxins fast enough if you had a bad diet so it's no excuse. 

9) Acai - totally pointless unless in the original fruit form which you can't get as it would go off by the time it reached the UK....sigh

10) Senna - taking laxatives is never a good way to help you lose weight but even as a helping hand when things get sluggish it can make your own digestive system lazy. My family have always said that orange juice is a much better antidote which I've no idea if it's true but chia seeds most definitely work to get things going again.

11) DMAA - had to look this one up......essentially it has killed people who have taken it and can still be found in some online pills for fat burning. It's really not worth the risk!

12) Garcinia Cambogia - So many people talk about Garcinia  the internet, Facebook adverts are the worse for scams like these sending them to you for a few pounds but still no scientific evidence.

13) Evening Primrose - borage is the key ingredient in this and is found in much higher doses in Starflower Oil so skip buying this one.

14) Vitamin E - famed for helping with skincare issues it can actually give you thrombosis and blood clots when you take too much of it. Save yourself!

15) Vitamin A - if you've ever used My Fitness Pal to log your daily intake of food and checked out the vitamins section it's likely you will have exceeded in your does of Vitamin A as it is in so many fruits and vegetables. you certainly don't need to take extra when it's that easy to find and high levels with damage your liver - again, terrifying.

16) Thermogenic supplements - I've been caught by this one, was so excited to think that they would work whilst eating clean and working out as much as possible. Funnily enough, they never worked and there's no scientific evidence for them either. Waste of cash!

17) St John's Wort - claims the be a mood enhancer but can actually increase the metabolism of any prescribed drugs that you can take and therefore make them less effective which could be extremely dangerous. Get into the gym to get your endorphins going and enhance your mood the natural way!

18) Brindleberry - never heard of this one but the US claims its an appetite suppressant but when compared with a placebo there wasn't any change whatsoever.

19) Beta Carotene - claims to help against cancer, but actually has no effect in supplement form. Stick to eating the real deal from orange foods like carrots and pumpkins.

20) Calcium - it seems you just cannot beat having things in its natural form. Milk is fine, the supplements appear to increase risk of cardiovascular disease.

21) Glucosamine - can alleviate stiffness if you suffer from arthritis but is no help whatsoever in preventing you from getting it like previously thought.

22) Milk Thistle - doesn't help against binge drinking. I know many people who take this on nights out and have said it works for them but it is possible that maybe it's just because you drink water taking it? Either way, if it does help your hangover it definitely doesn't help your liver recover.

23) Chlorophyll - the chemical that makes plants green has been claimed to help with detoxification. There's no evidence to suggest this is correct so you might as well stick you drinking lots of free water instead, it's the best way to flush out anything from your system.

24) Fat Binders - another one I tried and had no results from. 'Obesity' found that over the course of a day only 10 calories were bound and removed, TEN! Might as well just skip on that extra biscuit or crisps and save yourself 200.

25) Capsaicin - The chemical in chillies that helps you burn fat. You might as well just eat the chilli's for exactly the same effect and probably a cheaper alternative too!

So there we have it, 25 pills you should run a mile from.

What do you think? Have you tried many of these? Were there any that surprised you?

It's scary to think you can buy so many of them on the internet even though they are prescription drugs and can be extremely harmful, some even causing death!

Let's just stick to the real things in life and get them from a healthy diet right??

L xxx

COTW: Vitamins

It's been a while since either of us have written a Chemical of the Week (COTW) post but we decided it was about time we got back into the swing of things so I'm writing about vitamins this week.

Strictly speaking these aren't always in products that you apply to your hair, face, skin etc as you can obviously eat and drink your way into getting your Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of each vitamin too so I'll cover both wherever I can.

But this as we all know can be really hard. I try every day to get my 5 a day and most days I do it, but that doesn't mean it's easy to do and who know if I'm getting them all by eating those particular 5 pieces.

However I still think you can make an effort to add in one extra portion of fruit or veg specific to your current need.

Today my post is about the top 12 vitamins and minerals that your body needs each day, what they're good for and what foods you can eat or whizz into a smoothie for an easy way to stock up.
(Just to let you know this was inspired by an article I recently read in a fitness magazine but I can't remember which one sorry!

Calcium - is clearly good for bones and teeth which lets face it are pretty vital regardless of how much you want your skin and hair to look! It's also pretty darn important for muscle contractions and therefore your heartbeat.
You can apply it topically in the form of yogurt masks, and this will help your skin protect itself from the elements particularly dryness and can help against anti-aging woop!
This one's an excuse to nibble on an extra bit of cheese, grab a glass of milk or snack on soya, butter, yoghurt and leafy green veg.

Iron - another vital element that carries oxygen around your body an therefore needs to be kept in high levels or you'll start feeling pretty tired and weak.
Cosmetically you need iron in your bloodstream to carry oxygen to skin and hair, but a lack of it will not only stop this process but also contribute to hair loss and itchy skin.
Red meat is clearly high in iron, but if you don't fancy meat then you can eat nuts, wholegrains or kale.

Magnesium - this mineral strengthens bones and relaxes muscles as well as helping the body get energy from food we have ingested.
You can apply magnesium oil to your skin directly and it's great for helping to heal wounds. The biggest action it has is to stabilise DNA and RNA which slows aging down dramatically.
Magnesium is in so many foods that it's easy to pick up; dairy products, nuts, leafy green vegetables, brown rice and wholegrain bread.

Zinc - processes nutrients in food, heals wounds and keeps the immune system healthy.
Aesthetically it's great for accelerating skin renewal and is renowned for playing a key part in fighting acne, it also strengthens nails and keeps hair looking shiny and healthy.
Creams can be used for skin conditions such as psoriasis and zinc can often be present in shampoos for dandruff.
Chow down on nuts, lean meat, milk, cheese, shellfish and wholegrains to get your hit of zinc.

Vitamin A - is also known as retinol and is an antioxidant. It is great for your immune system, eyes, gastrointestinal diseases and skin, particularly acne, psoriasis, eczema, sunburn aaaaaaaaaand wrinkles! What a winner. 

It can be applied directly to the skin as a topical treatment for wound healing, prevention of wrinkles and to protect the skin against UV radiation.

You can get your daily RDA from eating foods such as liver, oily fish, carrots, paprika, sweet potatoes and dark leafy greens such as kale and spinach.

Vitamin B1 - also known as thiamin. The group of B vitamins generally help your body to break down food and absorb the nutrients from it, but thiamin is also important for your nervous system, coping with stress and muscles. 

You can get you RDA of thiamin from wholegrain breads, fortified cereals, liver, vegetables, nuts and eggs.

Vitamin B2 - is also known as riboflavin. Another B vitamin it is again helpful in digestion and helps to convert food to energy as well as playing a key role in eye and skin function.

Sources of B2 include eggs, milk, spinach, mushrooms, almonds and fortified breakfast cereals.

(In fact, fortified cereals contain a massive amount of vitamins and minerals and are one of the best ways to kickstart your day with a boost of vitamins and energy!)

Vitamin B12 - otherwise known as cobalamin. This is massively important for brain health, nerve formation and production of red blood cells. Pretty darn important considering I'd never heard of it! Apparently you can get a serious form of anaemia if you don't get enough of this one, eek!

Another point to note, this one can help against depression and keep energy levels up so make sure you get this in daily!

It can be applied to the skin directly with an oil as a treatment for eczema or psoriasis.

I will be passing on marmite for this one which contains B12, so I'll stock up on eggs, milk, cheese, salmon, cod and meat.

Folic Acid - also known as Vitamin B . This functions with B12 to form red blood cells and is very important if you're pregnant as it can help reduce the risk of spina bifida in babies.
Folic acid is very important for hair growth so if you're planning on growing your hair and/or just keeping it healthy you need get this into your diet too.
You can get a dose of Folic Acid from fortified cereals, broccoli, beetroot, brown rice and chickpeas.

Vitamin C - also known as ascorbic acid. This is a massive one that you should definitely make sure you're getting plenty of as not only is it big news for your immune system and fighting off infections but also heals wounds and plays a huge part in collagen production.....i.e. fights sagging and wrinkles!
There are plenty of Vitamin C containing products such as the Body Shop range and lots of radiance inducing masks.
Eat lots of citrus fruits, kiwi fruits, strawberries, broccoli and tomatoes.

Vitamin D - is nicknamed the sunshine vitamin as your body gets it from being out in the sun's rays. It helps to fight SAD (seasonal affective disorder) and is crucial for bone function due to its ability to help the body absorb calcium.
Again, this one is great for hair growth and skin conditions such as psoriasis.
If it's not sunny enough...i.e. generally in the British weather! then you can get your RDA by eating oily fish and eggs. 

Vitamin E - is another antioxidant that helps against heart and eye problems but also for preventing damage to cells. The less damage to cells the less likely they are to malfunction and age prematurely so get some of this vitamin down your neck!
You can apply vitamin E directly to your skin to help with acne and scars, it's also great for dry skin, softening hair and fixing split ends.
Seeds such as sunflower seeds, almonds and spinach contain vitamin E.

In summary if you'd like to get lots of vitamins and minerals in your daily diet, eat a good mix of wholegrains, leafy greens especially spinach, dairy products, lean meats and nuts and you should be just fine!

Did you find this post interesting and helpful? Will you be adding some more vitamins to your diet for better skin and hair?
It was really interesting researching it all, if there's anything else you'd like to see in a Chemical of the Week post let us know.

L xxx

*All pictures are from Pinterest. I used WebMD, NHS and various other food and science websites for the information for this post.

Review: Naked Scrub Up Renewing Salt Scrub

I'm not sure if you've ever used Naked products before but if you HAVEN'T then you SHOULD!

They're 97% natural with minimal chemicals and best of all they're cheap and available at Boots, hurrah!

I've previously reviewed their Naked Detox Shampoo and Conditioner which I absolutely loved, and next up is their Scrub Up Salt Scrub:

This was a massive tub, which I absolutely love as I love to scoop my hand in and grab handfuls of the stuff haha.

This scrub is white in colour and has fairly large grains of salt packed into a scrub that is quite loose in consistency.

Some scrubs of this type can be hard when you touch them but this was quite soft and went on went skin quite easily.

I really liked the consistency of this scrub, at first I was worried the large salt particles would be rough on my skin but actually they worked really well and didn't feel abrasive in any way.

I also liked the fact that it didn't leave any residue on my skin after using it which some scrubs can do, and I hate this as I feel the need to wash it off afterwards.

When I put moisturiser on and this weird oily layer is there, it doesn't sink in properly and tanning over it leaves hideous patches!

I loved using this scrub and the tub didn't last very long at all!

I will have to go and have a look at their products as they've got a lot more out than they did before and I would like to try so much more!

Have you tried any Naked products? Any recommendations?

I love that they're so affordable and fully intend on stocking up soon!

L xxx

COTW - Sodium Lauryl Sulfate - SLS

COTW - Chemical of the week

If you've read our 'About Us' page then you'll know by now that we both have degrees in Forensic Science and I have gone on to do a MSc in the same subject.

Whilst we have learned the usual fingerprinting and crime scene examination techniques, our degrees are heavily based on chemistry, proved by the fact that M now works in a Toxicology lab.