Ever wondered why aging occurs and how it happens on a cellular level? Want to know how you can prolong the aging process through cutting edge technology in skincare?

Come join us in this webinar on Wed, 16 Mar at 8pm as we share with you the science behind aging and how you can slow it down so that you remain beautiful and younger, longer.

Register today at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/190339029921911044

I have finally ended my parasite cleanse! I can't believe that it has been a month since I've started on this cleanse and it is amazing how many things have happened to my body since then. Nothing significant has happened since last week but I do realise now that alcohol hits my system a lot faster than before. Chilli also tastes a bit spicier. What is 'worse' is that my body now rejects junk food and makes me pay for it the next day by depositing the junk in the harshest manner. Not diarrhoea. Just whoosh....plus cramps. I can feel my intestines doing it's job.

There was an interesting conversation that I had with someone over Facebook though. I was tagged by a mutual friend on this lady's (let's call her OC) post because he knew that I had gone on this cleanse and OC is quite sure that she has parasites because her boyfriend was diagnosed with it. She and her boyfriend were losing a lot of weight suddenly while feeling fatigued, which led her boyfriend to go see the doctor and he was finally diagnosed with having parasites.

OC was a bit conflicted because although she knew that she had parasites, she wanted to get rid of all of them but the prescribed medication from the doctors only killed a few types. Moreover, the testing required for all the parasites plus the medication would be a very hefty sum. Some of her friends advised her to do natural healing and herbal remedies.

What's my take? I told her that since it's quite obvious to her that she has parasites, she should go to the doctor and get those medication quick. Kill them fast and then use herbal detox to cleanse out all the endotoxins built up by those parasites as well as caused when the parasites die.

Hearing her story made me more convinced that even in our clean society, these little buggers are still around and surviving well. Thus, I will do this parasite cleanse once a year. In the meanwhile, I also happen to receive a free bottle of garlic supplements so I'll eat those from now so as to prevent more parasites from growing before my next cleanse. Yup...those critters hate loads of garlic!

To learn more about the 30-day ClearStart or Paraway Plus, go to: https://shop.passhen.com/collections/unicity.

We've teamed up with Rumi Yoga Wear to give Pásshen members great discounts! We looove Rumi's  eco-friendly shorts, capris and leggings are made 100% of recycled plastic bottles and are super stretchy. They even have a maternity range with an expandable waistband that can be folded down when baby is born!

Comfy and with excellent wicking, you'll remain cool and dry even after an hour's hot yoga session. We should know as we passed a couple over to Amanda Koh, a yoga instructor, and she used them during her pilates AND hot yoga sessions.

To get your hands on a lovely pair of leggings, head onto http://www.rumiyogawear.com/ and don't forget to use the promo code "PASSHEN" to get your 10% off!

Quite loving these colourful capris from Rumi Yoga wear... made from recycled plastic bottles! Meanwhile my cheapo ikea rug makes excellent padding for headstanding hahaha! @rumiyogawear @passhensg #rumilove #sgyoga #singaporeyogis #yogacapris #cny2016 #inversion #headstand #sirsasana #iloveyoga #yogaeverydamnday #practicepracticepractice

A photo posted by Amanda Koh (@amandakohkalariyoga) on Feb 8, 2016 at 5:25am PST

It has now been three weeks since I've embarked on this parasite cleansing journey...which means that I've also gone beyond the half way point! 10 more days! So, what interesting things happened this past week?

That, my dear friends, is not a rash under my armpit. I suddenly spotted it one day after my shower and was wondering what that was. It didn't hurt nor itched. I suspected that it's my lymph nodes flaring up and when I did some online research as to the positions of lymph nodes, I did hit the nail on the head.

My skin on my arms are still itching and I see more rashes coming up, which isn't fun. The most irritating thing that has occurred so far is the mucus production in my sinuses. I've always had sinusitis and now I can feel a lot of drip back to my throat but my nostrils aren't clogged up. Weird. However, this is affecting my sleep. I've started to snore instead of my usual heavy breathing and I'm breathing through my mouth while I sleep, causing a very dry mouth in the mornings.

Again, all these are typical detox features. Flaring up incredibly since it's my first real detox/cleanse.  Good news is that I haven't noticed any more critters in my stool during my trips to the loo. That probably also explains why the symptoms of the cleanse are now mainly on my skin and sinuses, because the herbs are now taking effect and helping to get rid of residual endotoxins.

What I find the most interesting thing now is that my appetite has gone down. I no longer crave for oily, fried foods such as fried chicken and french fries. Both of them used to be my biggest indulgences but during the week, I did buy a fried chicken wing and when I bit into it, it no longer tasted as wonderful as I thought it would. Also, I find that I'm eating less than my usual and that's helping with maintaining my weight loss. I'm half surprised but yet rationally, I was expecting this to happen. Why? Parasites feed on your food and they are known to be the ones sending signals to your brain to eat more sugar and oily foods because that's what they like to eat. And in large quantities. Now that I've finally gotten rid of them from my body, I don't have these aliens telling my brain to feed my body with junk food. Furthermore, the hormones controlling the signals of sugar levels in the body etc can now work properly. Thus, I'm eating the amounts that I really require.

A lot of doctors and nutritionists poo-poo detox programmes saying that the body will naturally detox itself. Which is true. However, the body doesn't naturally get rid of parasites and that is why after  starting this parasite cleanse, I've been recommending people to do it. Another problem with the modern diet is that we eat too much processed foods and then there's also external pollution that's messing with our skin. There's just a lot for the body to process and it's natural for the body to just detox as much as it can without overloading itself. What a herbal detox does is that it helps the body deal with the daily detoxification process. Best to think of it as banging down the previously small doors of the detox centres to become floodgates. Whoosh! Suddenly the body is processing a lot more toxins a day than it normally does and when it comes to a parasite cleanse, the body has to deal with extra endotoxins released from these dying parasites.

What I'm trying to say is that all these cleanses and detox programmes are a bit of a misnomer. The herbs or juices aren't really the ones cleaning out the waste from your bodies. Your body itself is. What is going on is that these herbs and teas are supporting your body's natural detoxification and allowing more toxins to be processed. Should you then go on a detox programme or parasite cleanse? It's really up to you and what you're comfortable with. If you do choose to go on one, do note that you'll need to stick to it for at least 3 days to see any effects. It may not be easy the first time you do it but if you press on and carry on, the results are worth it. 1.5kg and counting!!

To learn more about the 30-day ClearStart or Paraway Plus, go to:  https://shop.passhen.com/collections/unicity.

As you know, I was quite ill 2 weeks ago with sore throat and what not. It was only later that I realised that I was having a healing crisis from my parasite cleansing but it was still important to tackle the symptoms of my illness.

I got my box of Jeunesse Reserve gel packs a month ago and have been taking it faithfully everyday.  What I like about it is that it's super delicious and you can taste the fruits used in this blend - cherries, blueberries and grape seed. As we know, antioxidants help repair our bodies on the cellular level. There are many different types of antioxidants but they basically help to combat free radicals and prevent aging while boosting immunity and energy levels.

On normal days, I drink one gel pack in the morning and I do find that it had similar effects on me as caffeine in terms of energy levels. I felt more alert but unlike caffeine, there wasn't a crash or heart palpitations. After one week, I was convinced that the ingredients used were good stuff. So when I started having that bad sore throat, all the more I needed to combat it and support my body's natural defence by boosting it with Vitamin C and antioxidants.

My usual 'cure' for sore throats is apple cider vinegar with honey. This time round, I added in my Jeunesse Reserve to the mix. As the gel drink itself is very sweet, you may be able to add in more vinegar. I used warm water as it was more soothing but you can add in ice if you want it cold.

The eventual concoction is this dark purple drink. It still tasted like cherries, vinegar and honey. It was quite delicious and it did help with the energy levels despite me being so sick.

To purchase your month's supply of gel packs, visit http://shop.passhen.com/collections/jeunesse/products/reserve or http://passhen.jeunesseglobal.com.

To request for a sample, send an email to marketing@passhen.com with your name and mailing address.

I don't feel fat until people tell it to me in my face and that's when I'd usually feel bad about myself. There was a period of time where I'd even get depressed. As in clinically depressed, bawling my eyes out and feeling crappy kind of depressed. It has been many years since then and thankfully, I managed to crawl myself out of that hole but I do know that a lot of people are still suffering similar situations.

A friend of mine posted once about how she knows that she has put on weight but she's frustrated at how some people are asking her whether she's pregnant again or offering her all sorts of solutions to lose weight. Another friend of mine had accidentally brushed against an old auntie on CNY eve in the supermarket and was rudely scolded with a "Fat slob! Too greedy and rushing to eat like a pig ah?", thus ruining said friend's mood and made her go back to her own hole of self doubt.

It's not just the fat people who get it. The skinny ones often will get people wanting to feed them (myself included) and people joking about how a wind would blow the skinny people off their feet. Oh my favourite one is probably "you're so skinny that you use a Cheerio as a hula hoop".

Why do women do this to ourselves and to fellow females? Sure, we are all blaming the media for giving us an ideal body weight to conform to. However, the media does not tell us to insult each other. This, unfortunately, is a societal thing. How many times have we been told that fat=lazy? And then of course we see images of starving people who are stick thin and that's where we feel that skinny but healthy people are that size because they're not eating enough.

I watched an episode of "Extreme Makeover" and for the first time, it was a skinny man who was undergoing the makeover. His issue wasn't that he wasn't eating enough. It was that he wasn't building muscles as he didn't go to the gym.

As for lazy, I know a lot of people who are fat but are the most hardworking people. There are many other reasons why the weight is piling on and most of the time, it is some emotional reason and not because they don't have the willpower. Sure, they may say that out loud but if you've watched enough makeover shows or read sufficient articles on inspirational weight loss stories, the actual reason a lot of obese people pile on the weight is because they turn to food for comfort and they went on a spiral where they couldn't get themselves out.

When I look at my old photos, sure, I was much slimmer then but right now, at this moment, the heavier me actually feels happier and more assured about myself. Sure, some of it came due to age but it is also because of an epiphany that I had - my weight does not determine how I feel about myself.

As I said to my friend, we choose how we react and feel. Although insults may make me angry and feel bad for a bit, I tell myself that whatever the insult was isn't me. I determine who I am and I'm growing stronger and healthier with time and on my own terms. I'm not encouraging obese people to remain obese or underweight people to remain stick thin. What I'm saying is, don't judge. If you're judging others, what makes you think that others aren't judging you? Instead of judging, just work on yourself and help others feel better about themselves. Remember, the over eating is often a symptom of emotional problems.

Which is why, when I went through a workshop and we were forced to really think about WHY we're setting up our businesses and WHAT we actually are selling, it reminded me that I want to help everyone be body confident. That is why my company's motto is "Be The Best Of You". Now that I've been reminded of this fact, you'll see a lot of changes with Pásshen soon where it'll be more in that direction and become a platform for holistic plans, advice and solutions to enable you to be more confident about yourselves.

When it comes to business, should it be "customers are always right" or "let customers think that they're always right"?

Jokes aside, it is important to have a relationship with your clients because the best form of marketing is still word-of-mouth. So how do you keep current clients happy in order to win more clients? You build RAPPORT with them!

Review
This is the first step to coming up with not just a business model but also strategies and an accompanying marketing campaign plus possibly a change in company culture. I like to think that this is where you look at your business from a broad perspective before you funnel down into the nitty gritty details.

If you don't already have, you should implement a feedback system for both staff and customers. This feedback system is important for you to understand pain points for both customers and your staff so that you can review and improve upon them.

Act
It’s now the constructive strategising portion. If you have listened to your customers’ and staff’s feedback, you would have a list of issues to tackle. Now, how then do you act on them? An action plan should read a bit like a laundry list but with a timeline and priority. I normally like to put it all into a table and even add in a column named "person-in-charge" so that you know who to look for when it's time to Review the situation again.

Prove
Now you’ve got your theories and your action plan, it is time to prove them. Go forth and roll out your surveys, forums and do the research plus interviews. Remember to stick to the timeline that you put in your action plan. There may be a chance that the results end up giving you a slightly different conclusion or result, which means that you will have to Review and then come up with another Action plan before you can Prove it again and then Promote.

Promote
Now that you’ve got an action plan on how to carry out these changes, you will also need to know about both the industry trends and marketing trends in order to promote your business’ services. If you only know one and not the other, your promotions will fall rather flat.

Marketing trendsIt is important to keep ourselves abreast of the latest trends when it comes to marketing because it also gives you a glimpse into consumer psychology and how you package or repackage your current suite of products and services. Every year, I would attend various conferences (e.g. Marketing Magazine and Adobe’s) to both keep myself on track as well as to network. Reading up on forums and articles are also very important.

Collaborations or PartnershipsIt is important nowadays to collaborate and do partnerships with other companies so that you can leverage off each other. The simplest method would be to hold joint promotions with another company. Alternatively, there are quite a few loyalty programmes out there were businesses can list themselves and it'll be the loyalty programme who will be helping you promote your business and promotions. Thus, you can get real clients into the door to test out your action plan.

Observe
After rolling out a new promotion or memo, remember to keep that line of feedback from staff open as they will definitely start telling you whether it works or not. Look to see whether there is a pattern in the feedback that clients give and which manner do they prefer to give their feedback.

Make sure that you pick up on both the verbal and non-verbal feedback from both staff and clients. I’ve often noticed (and I’m also guilty of doing this) that clients often tell you that everything was “fine” or “good” but if you observed them, perhaps they look like they’re ready to bolt out of the door or they say it in the most non-committal manner simply because they don’t want to commit to your sale. 

If you see positive feedback but then there’s no conversion, do note that down for review later. If there’s positive feedback that translates to positive returns, take note of what exactly worked and how to better improve on it and make it such that it becomes a habit or company culture.

Reflect
Make it a regular occurrence to take what has been promoted and observed, and reflect upon them. When I was in marketing, my team and I would normally look at how our campaigns are running at a monthly as well as on a quarterly basis because our campaigns normally last for 3 months and we plan for the next one a quarter ahead of time. There was a period of time where we would even meet once a week to catch up on what each of us was doing and the different observations we saw over the week. It’s easy to forget things after a month has passed, which was why a weekly review helped.

After a month, that’s when the financial figures will show. Have sales increased or dropped? If so, why? Do not forget that there may be several factors that come into play. If sales decrease, do also look at the economic climate because people will first eliminate what is deemed as ‘luxury’ or ‘pampering’ if they’re tightening up their purse strings. If there is no drastic change, maybe the ‘solutions’ in your action plan are not obvious enough. If there is a spike in the first month but not the next, is it because the advertisements ended too soon? 

Train
As Richard Branson once said, “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to. If you look after your staff, they’ll look after your customers. It’s that simple.” Just like how we’ve often heard how we should do unto others how we would like to be treated, the same goes for customer service. They way you treat your employees will be how they treat the clients. 

Building a relationship with anyone takes time and it is also a process. But it's worth it in the end when you see clients coming back to you and staying loyal with you because they know you.

If you're interested to have a free marketing consultation on how the RAPPORT model can work for your business, please email me at melissa@passhen.com

I've been down with the flu for the past 2 weeks and it has been quite miserable with the blocked nose and sore throat. This flu is my healing crisis from my parasite cleansing and when one is sick, one reaches for comfort and for me, one of that is tea.

 

Since Hi-Tea has a special blend of teas called "Health Series" I thought that it would be perfect to drink it while I'm under the weather. I love how each bag is individually wrapped so as to maintain its freshness. This is important because Hi-Tea teas are all natural and made with dried flowers and fruit with no preservatives.

As they come in bags, it's so easy to pop one into a mug, add hot water and let it steep for 3-5 minutes before sipping the brew. The Health tea is made with jasmine, lemon grass and dried lemon which is why the resulting brew was both refreshing in terms of taste and smell. Love how it was mildly sweet, which I was not expecting since there's lemon inside. It really helped to clear up my sinuses and relieve some of my sore throat. If you want, you can add honey to the tea and it'll be a naturally sweet and healthy drink.

For bulk brew, I used a tea pot and as mine is pretty large, I added 2 tea bags and steeped it for 5 minutes. In this case, I brewed Hi-Tea's Beauty blend. This is a blend of French Rose, jasmine flower and apple flower.

Beauty tea blend

The dried flowers themselves look so pretty so hopefully drinking the tea will help maintain my youthful skin...after all, roses are supposed to contain vitamin C. As with most flower teas, the taste of the Beauty Tea was very light, with the dominant rose flavour and ending with a subtle green apple note.

Left to right: Relaxation series, Health series, Beauty series

What I really like about Hi-Tea is the design of the boxes. I could open up the lid, bend it back and now it's like a having a tea display in my kitchen! Don't you think the teas look so pretty on my kitchen counter top? Now I know exactly what the boxes contain and can easily pick up a sachet whenever I feel like drinking a cuppa. Two thumbs up for brilliant design!

Since it's going to be Chinese New Year, I can't wait to just display the teas on my dining table so that my family and friends who are visiting can just choose whatever tea they'd like. Personally, I can't wait to try out all their flavours because they do have quite a few others to choose from:

• Fruit teas (peach, apple rose & blueberry)
• Anti-aging
• Slimming
• Relaxation
• Stevia
• Lemongrass
• Peppermint
• Flower teas (chamomile, chrysanthemum, ginseng flower, osmanthus, rose hip, rose, lavender and French rose)

To view and purchase any of these delicious and natural teas, head onto  http://shop.passhen.com/collections/hi-tea

I had the honour of meeting Elim Chew, founder of 77th Street and other famous brands in Singapore, where she was our mentor for the day during my workshop. As suggested by her, Pásshen will be undergoing a name change but our core mission remains the same.

Some of you would probably be wondering what Pásshen is all about in the first place. To break it down, it is essentially about enabling everyone to be Body Confident. Does not matter what shape or size you are at, just as long as you are comfortable and take steps to becoming healthier and feeling great.

Thus, we've created a poll and that's where we'll need YOUR help. There have been so many ideas that I can't decide which name to choose. There's also that irritating thing called domain which we had to cross check for availability whenever a nice name popped up.

Please help vote for your favourite name and one of the lucky ones who pick the winning name will also win a bottle of red wine (worth $80)! To vote, please fill in the poll below or visit https://poll.fbapp.io/help-us-choose-our-new-name

Do you cringe on THAT certain day especially when flowers cost 5 times its usual prices and couples are on the streets, shoving their status in your face?

You're not alone.

Join me and other like-minded folks for an evening of fun and games where we take the mickey out of Valentines' Day and do the world some good by donating our exes' stuff to charity. Give your "Worst Date" story and the best one will win a prize!

Programme:
7.00pm     Registration starts
7.30pm    Networking dinner commences
8.00pm    Speed hating game
9.00pm    Cocktail Mixing Demonstration
10.00pm    Worst Date Contest Finals

Entrance fee starts from $40 and includes dinner plus 1 drink.     

Media Partner:

Hi everyone!

If you don't already know me, I'm Melissa and I'm the founder of Pásshen. If you haven't already read my post about why I started Pásshen, in a nutshell, I went on a journey to better my health as well as how I was generally feeling about myself. Pásshen happened because along my journey, I shared my story with more people and found out that a lot of us are feeling really stressed and not in harmony.

In addition, while attempting to destress at the spa or at other salons, I felt MORE stressed out and I wasn't the only one. If you've been following my blog or Pásshen's blog, you would've read some of my more spectacular stories of how some merchants have tried their hard selling tactics on me. I know that I'm not the only one who have had similar experiences from the various reviews online as well as through the conversations that I have had with friends and colleagues.

Essentially, I saw a huge disparity between between what consumers want and what the industry is practising. Is this why spas are not doing well and their current business practices are doing them more harm than good?

When I started my business and with more interaction with spas and salons, I realised that many knew that there was a disparity but old habits die hard and many in the beauty industry are still stuck with practices that worked during the spa boom in the 1990s.

I believe that beauty and health should be hassle-free and I want to shake the industry a little by writing a book on how the beauty industry can create a sustainable model that customers will love. This is where I need YOUR help. I want to write a book that truly reflects what you consumers want. Hence, I have a short survey that would take approximately 5 minutes of your time and you can fill it in here.

If you'd like to read the summary and working contents of the book, you can read my book pitch here. I would really appreciate any help when it comes to linking me up with publishers. If you're interested to be informed about the book once it's published (or close to it), do help me fill up the survey and leave your email in the form so that I can keep you in the loop.

Thank you and I wish you guys safe journey to be the best of yourselves!

You may have heard a lot of buzz surrounding the healthiness of vegetables, especially leafy green vegetables with deep, rich color tones. In many ways, they’re perfect foods and part of the credit is owed to the chlorophyll they contain. Chlorophyll is a green pigment that’s instrumental in photosynthesis. Research also suggests it’s instrumental in promoting good health. The following 10 benefits demonstrate its amazing versatility and power.

1. Helps Control Hunger and Cravings
A study released in September of 2013 determined that compounds containing chlorophyll might help suppress hunger. Twenty moderately overweight women were given test meals on three separate occasions one week apart — two meals with chlorophyll, one without. They reported reduced hunger following the meals containing the chlorophyll and blood tests showed stable blood sugar levels. ^[1] These results suggest chlorophyll should be considered as an effective way to manage hunger and promote weight loss.

2. Controls Body Odour

Unicity's Super Chlorophyll Powder

Chlorophyll is good for your body from the inside out, literally. This includes body and fecal odours. When tested in a nursing home with 62 patients, one study reported improvements in the odors emanating from the test subjects. In addition to odor reduction, it also alleviated constipation and gas. ^[2]

3. Encourages Healing
The use of chlorophyll to promote the healing process was first reported nearly 100 years ago. One report published by Butler University (in 1950!) discussed its use for improving healing times. ^[3] A more recent study found that, when used as a spray, chlorophyll significantly helped wound therapy. ^[4] The research clearly backs its effectiveness in this area.

4. Promotes Cleansing
Environmental pollutants such as toxic metals can quickly destroy health. Chlorophyll binds with toxic metals to hamper absorption, and research has shown it can do the same with some carcinogens. A crossover study with 4 human volunteers tested chlorophyll’s ability to remove ingested aflatoxin, a known carcinogen. Each volunteer received three servings of the aflatoxin, followed with a meal, the latter two included a tablet of chlorophyll. The results showed rapid elimination with 95% evacuated within 24 hours. ^[5]

5. Protects DNA Against Fried Foods
Fried foods aren’t just bad for your waistline, they also contain chemicals known to damage colon tissue and the DNA of colon cells. In one study, participants who ate fried foods coupled with protective foods, including chlorophyll, were observed to have less DNA damage of colon cells. ^[6] Don’t take that as just cause to go crazy with the fried foods, the best idea is to avoid them altogether.

6. Super Potent Antioxidant Action
Chlorophyll’s status as a superfood is due to its nutritional and potent antioxidant properties. It protects cells from oxidative damage by eliminating free radicals. ^[7] One plant known for its high chlorophyll levels, Conyza triloba, showed very active superoxide scavenging behavior. An in vitro study found it capable of reducing free radicals while reducing cell damage. ^[8]

7. Promising Potential for Cancer Therapy
Although the research doesn’t currently show that chlorophyll is an all out cancer cure, researchers are excited about its potential as a therapy. One study found men with lower levels of dietary chlorophyll had higher risks of colon cancer. ^[9] Another study noted it effective at stimulating liver detoxifying enzymes and may protect against other carcinogens. ^[10]

8. Effective Against Candida albicans
Candida infection is a big problem for many individuals and can lead to fatigue, depression, and digestive problems; just to name a few. Research has shown that isolated chlorophyll solutions stop Candida albicans growth. ^[11]

9. Relieves Systemic Redness and Swelling
Traditional medicine has long used green leaves for infections. With modern approaches that have limited effectiveness and a long list of side effects, natural remedies are getting another look. Animal studies have found that green leaves help to reduce swelling and redness! ^[12]


10. Promotes Healthy Iron Levels
A modified form of chlorophyll known as chlorophyllin may be highly effective for anemia. By swapping iron for magnesium at the center of the molecule, it provides a bioavailable form of iron the body can use. ^[13] While scientists may look for ways to develop patent-able medicines, no one needs to wait to take chlorophyll to gain its benefits.


Chlorophyll: An Excellent Dietary Supplement
Chlorophyll possesses an amazing range of benefits and is readily available to everyone. Chlorophyll rich foods are also healthy in their own right and contain essential vitamins and nutrients needed for cardiovascular, muscular, and neural health. Consume foods containing chlorophyll or take a dietary supplement for best effect. Blue-green algae is one of my favorites. Do you take chlorophyll? What effects have you noticed? 

If you do not consume enough green leafy vegetables in your normal diet, you might want to try Unicity's Chlorophyll powder which can be easily dissolved in drinking water or juices as a simple but effective supplement. 

This article first appeared on http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/10-amazing-benefits-of-chlorophyll/ by Dr Edward Group.

References:

1. Stenblom EL, Montelius C, Östbring K, Håkansson M, Nilsson S, Rehfeld JF, Erlanson-Albertsson C. Supplementation by thylakoids to a high carbohydrate meal decreases feelings of hunger, elevates CCK levels and prevents postprandial hypoglycaemia in overweight women. Appetite. 2013 Sep;68:118-23. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2013.04.022. Epub 2013 Apr 28.
2. Young RW, Beregi JS Jr. Use of chlorophyllin in the care of geriatric patients. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1980 Jan;28(1):46-7.
3. Esten, Mabel M. and Dannin, Albert G. (1950) “Chlorophyll therapy and its relation to pathogenic bacteria.” Butler University Botanical Studies : Vol. 9, Article 21.
4. Weir D, Farley KL. Relative delivery efficiency and convenience of spray and ointment formulations of papain/urea/chlorophyllin enzymatic wound therapies. J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2006 Sep-Oct;33(5):482-90.
5. Jubert C, Mata J, Bench G, Dashwood R, Pereira C, Tracewell W, Turteltaub K, Williams D, Bailey G. Effects of chlorophyll and chlorophyllin on low-dose aflatoxin B(1) pharmacokinetics in human volunteers. Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2009 Dec;2(12):1015-22. doi: 10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-09-0099. Epub 2009 Dec 1.
6. Shaughnessy DT, Gangarosa LM, Schliebe B, Umbach DM, Xu Z, MacIntosh B, Knize MG, Matthews PP, Swank AE, Sandler RS, DeMarini DM, Taylor JA. Inhibition of fried meat-induced colorectal DNA damage and altered systemic genotoxicity in humans by crucifera, chlorophyllin, and yogurt. PLoS One. 2011 Apr 25;6(4):e18707. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0018707.
7. Zhang YL, Guan L, Zhou PH, Mao LJ, Zhao ZM, Li SQ, Xu XX, Cong CC, Zhu MX, Zhao JY. [The protective effect of chlorophyllin against oxidative damage and its mechanism]. Zhonghua Nei Ke Za Zhi. 2012 Jun;51(6):466-70.
8. El-Sayed WM, Hussin WA, Mahmoud AA, AlFredan MA. The Conyza triloba extracts with high chlorophyll content and free radical scavenging activity had anticancer activity in cell lines. Biomed Res Int. 2013;2013:945638. doi: 10.1155/2013/945638. Epub 2013 May 23.
9. Balder HF, Vogel J, Jansen MC, Weijenberg MP, van den Brandt PA, Westenbrink S, van der Meer R, Goldbohm RA. Heme and chlorophyll intake and risk of colorectal cancer in the Netherlands cohort study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2006 Apr;15(4):717-25.
10. Dingley KH, Ubick EA, Chiarappa-Zucca ML, Nowell S, Abel S, Ebeler SE, Mitchell AE, Burns SA, Steinberg FM, Clifford AJ. Effect of dietary constituents with chemopreventive potential on adduct formation of a low dose of the heterocyclic amines PhIP and IQ and phase II hepatic enzymes. Nutr Cancer. 2003;46(2):212-21.
11. Lilian Eiko MAEKAWA, LAMPING Roberta, MARCACCI Sidnei, Marcos Yasunori MAEKAWA, Maria Renata Giazzi NASSRI, Cristiane Yumi Koga-Ito. Antimicrobial activity of chlorophyll-based solution on Candida albicans and Enterococcus faecalis.Revista Sul-brasiliera de Odontologia 01/2007.
12. Subramoniam A, Asha VV, Nair SA, Sasidharan SP, Sureshkumar PK, Rajendran KN, Karunagaran D, Ramalingam K. Chlorophyll revisited: anti-inflammatory activities of chlorophyll a and inhibition of expression of TNF-? gene by the same. Inflammation. 2012 Jun;35(3):959-66. doi: 10.1007/s10753-011-9399-0.
13. Miret S, Tascioglu S, van der Burg M, Frenken L, Klaffke W. In vitro bioavailability of iron from the heme analogue sodium iron chlorophyllin. J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Jan 27;58(2):1327-32. doi: 10.1021/jf903177q.

According to research, only 8% of those who make New Year's Resolutions are successful at achieving them. Pásshen knows that it's difficult, so they would like to give you a helping hand.

Here's how you can stand the chance to win more than $200 worth of wellness coaching, a make over, financial planning or even a fitness regime all planned out for you! It all depends on WHAT your resolution is!

1. 'Like' their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter or Instagram
2. Share our contest post
3. Fill in this form to tell them what your resolution is and why you deserve to win

The most deserving and/or creative wins!

Contest runs from now till 7 Jan 2016. Winner(s) will be announced on 8 Jan 2016.

Terms & Conditions:
1. Multiple entries are not allowed.
2. Contest ends on 7 Jan 2016 at 2359hrs.
3. Pásshen reserves the right to amend or remove any terms and conditions without prior notification.
4. Decisions made by Pásshen are deemed to be final.
5. Prizes are non-transferable nor exchangeable.
6. By taking part in this contest, you are giving Pásshen permission to contact you.
7. By taking part in this contest, you are deemed to have read and are agreeable to all these terms and conditions.

HAACH has invited Master Lam Cheung, founder of Hong Kong Permanent Soft Stitch Make-up Artist Association, to Singapore for an exclusive workshop on your perfect eyebrows for your facial features as well as how it will affect even your luck and fortune!

Topics to be covered are:

• The Perfect Pair - importance of matching Brow trends and shape with your face type
• Learn how your brow shape could affect your luck and personality
• How your eyebrows can improve your looks and overall features
• Shaping the Perfect Brow - for your facial features, eye shape, age and career
• Understand the art of eyebrow embroidery - including picking the right colour and technique
• Live demonstration of eyebrow embroidery

Below is an example of Master Lam's work:

Event details
Dates: 9 & 10th January 2016 (choose 1 day)
Time: 2 - 5pm
Registration fee: $28

To register for FREE, all you have to do is purchase ANY trial treatment from HAACH as listed on Pásshen!

Master Lam at a previous workshop

About Master Lam
Founder of Hong Kong (H.K.) Permanent Soft Stitch Make-up Artist Association, Master Lam Cheung is renowned for his expertise and fortitude - constantly bringing innovation to the world of beauty and make-up. Since founding of HKPA in 1998, apart from conducting several eyebrow embroidery workshops in HK island-wide, Master Lam Cheung has brought the art of Permanent Soft Stitch Make-up to Germany, Korea, Thailand, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and has ventured into the Chinese and European markets too.

Have you ever wondered what is "semi-permanent make up" and "eyebrow embroidery"? Look no further as we break it down for you.

"Semi-permanent make up" tends to refer to "make up" applied onto the eyebrows, eyelashes, eyeliner and even lips that tends to last more than 1 week. As this often involves needles and/or glue, it is highly advisable to go to a reputable therapist or salon such as Highbrow.

Entrance of Highbrow's salon located at Capitol Piazza

Highbrow specialises in hair but not the ones on your head but rather the other parts - eyebrows, eyelashes and hair removal from various body parts (wax on, wax off). For this visit, we shall concentrate on getting the eyebrow embroidery done.

Check out the leopard print blanket in the room! I think Highbrow is one of the few places that I know that can pull off leopard prints without it looking tacky. In fact, the blanket was so plush that I was tempted to bring it home. Very comfortable settings which made you feel at ease right away.

Normal brows before embroidery

The therapist who attended to me was Thai and she was trained by instructors from China as well as Korea so I felt quite safe in her hands. Before anything else can happen, the therapist would draw on the eyebrow shape first so that you'll be happy with it. My problem with my eyebrows were the sparse 'tails' and a couple of spots that were not as full as it should be.

Tada. That's the drawn eyebrows. Looks pretty natural, right? Just a bit fuller. My therapist said that my original shape was already very good (thank you Leticia) but apparently, this thicker eyebrow shape is the current Korean trend and is supposed to make you look younger. Ok...I decided to go with it.

Numbing cream will then be slapped onto your brows for the next 10-20 minutes. Why numbing cream? Now, let's explain the 'embroidery' side of things.

The tip used in eyebrow embroidery is made up of several fine needles. Some therapists use latest nano needles that vibrate like a tattoo machine. In this case, it's done more manually.

Organic ink dye

The therapist then dips into the ink before 'drawing' into your skin where your eyebrows are. I find it quite funny how a lot of people in the beauty industry will vehemently tell you that eyebrow embroidery isn't like tattooing but the needle tips are essentially cutting into your skin such that the ink is able to penetrate the top layer and therefore, last for a year or so. Tattoos just go a further layer under the skin. Same difference.

That's why you really need the numbing cream. Nonetheless, I could feel some of the cuts towards the end of the procedure and because it doesn't go as fast as a tattoo machine, I felt that the pain (when I did feel any) was a bit more shocking to me. Don't be scared. It's really not painful. Especially if you have an experienced therapist who does it in a jiffy.

After my therapist finished, she put some more colour dye onto my brows and left them on for another 10 minutes. This is to ensure that the dye gets into the skin.

This is me just after the procedure. I thought that the brows looked really natural but super dark. I was warned that the colour will lighten within a week. Thus, you wouldn't want to do a light colour at first.

Is this procedure safe? Yes if you go to a reputable salon and make sure that they use a new needle/blade just like what Highbrow does. If you have sensitive skin, you should ask the salon what kind of dyes they use and whether they provide aftercare products.

Highbrow provides 2 types of aftercare products - a Nourishing Essence and a balm that reminded me a little of petroleum jelly. The aftercare is VERY important when you're doing eyebrow embroidery. Your skin has been 'traumatised' so it needs to be soothed so that's where the nourishing essence comes in. Furthermore, it's now going to be a bit more sensitive while it heals. This means no sauna, no swimming, no water and no vigorous perspiring to touch your brows. That's where the balm comes in. It acts both as a soothing agent as well as a barrier to water.

Day 2 after eyebrow embroidery

The day after was the worse because my eyebrows stung but I couldn't scratch it. Plus the whole 'no water' thing? Tough to follow when it came to washing my face.

Day 4 after eyebrow embroidery

Peeling skin with drawn on brow hair

On the 4th day, the peeling started. I was warned that this would happen but I didn't think that it would happen so soon. I don't think the colour has faded by 50% as what the therapist claimed but it is a shade lighter than before (thank goodness!).

1 week after the treatment - perfect looking brows!

I'm overall quite happy with the results and those who happen to notice the difference in my brows have also complimented me on them! I'm also glad that I no longer have to draw on my eyebrows overtime I leave the house. That saves me a lot of trouble for the next year and just in time for CNY too.

If you would like to know more about Highbrow's services or to book an appointment with them, click on this link: http://www.passhen.com/group/highbrow. As usual, Pásshen members get a slight discount for eyebrow embroidery specifically.

As the saying goes, "You are what you eat." Which is why over the years, I've been more aware of what goes into my mouth and even to a certain extent, what comes out (no constipation etc).

I must thank the BBC for being the constant reputable source of my documentary 'addiction' and I just watched this one on food! The title caught me..."The truth about food: How to stay young and beautiful". Now, who wouldn't want that? Moreover, knowing BBC, there will definitely be interesting scientific tests to prove or disprove popular claims about diets etc.

I'll summarise a few key takeaways but I do recommend that you watch the documentary in its entirety.

1. Eat more tomatoes
Tomatoes are rich in lycopene which is an antioxidant that helps your skin from getting burnt so easily! The study done by the University of Manchester over 3 months showed that people who eat tomatoes have an average 30% less damage from UV. Time to load up on that juicy fruit. Oh, it also makes a great facial mask as Su Lee mentioned during our "Beauty Secrets From The Kitchen" workshop at Beauty Week.

2. Eat more berries
Just like tomatoes, berries such as strawberry and blueberry contain loads of antioxidant. Besides the skin, the antioxidants in berries are shown to greatly help slow down the degeneration of the ocular muscles. As we often are staring at our computer screens, I do suggest eating a cup of berries everyday to prevent any eye problems when we hit our 60s or 70s. If you have trouble getting the actual fruit, try Unicity's Probionic which is a supplement that contains both berries and probiotics to support a healthy gastro-immune system.

3. Detox diets are a myth
Alas, despite how many people say that they feel energised/ lighter/ slimmer etc after going on a detox diet, the controlled experiment clearly showed that our bodies' natural detoxification organs work just fine. No real improvement or efficiency in the detox department after going on a detox diet.

4. Drinking extra 2L of plain water a day is not necessary
I was a bit shocked about this one. Turns out that all we need is to consume 2.5L a day and this comes from our foods and any sort of beverages. This isn't to say that we shouldn't drink water when we're thirsty, just that your coffee/tea/soups do count into your daily intake!

Nonetheless, if your current diet and health regime makes you feel tip top, don't think too much and just carry on! However, if you think that you need help, we have a whole directory of fitness locations for you to choose from or get in touch with our Wellness Coach to get you on track!

Before my recent trip to Kuala Lumpur (KL) for Murfest, my friend declared to me that she "never cuts her hair in Singapore anymore because the hairdressers keep upselling treatments and stuff" while she's having her hair done. "Plus it's so expensive," she added. She kept on reminding me that she was going to get her hair done when we were in KL.

I listened to her rant on with a quiet smile. I seldom get that sort of treatment at the hair salon because unlike her, I only cut my hair twice a year and I try to go to the same salon JUST to avoid such situations. Nonetheless, I have encountered hairdressers upselling and hard selling to me before so it's not unfamiliar. I feel for her and what she goes through at each hair salon in Singapore is definitely not a unique issue.

Photo credits: dailyvanity.sg

Very often, the constant selling that we get when sitting in that barber/hairdressing chair is enough to scare us off. More so, we have to grit our teeth and grin while politely declining because our hair is at the mercy of the hairdresser! Now, we wouldn't want an 'accidental' slip or rough handling, right? My friend is apparently so frustrated that she has to cut her hair in another country!

Anyway, off we went to KL and I decided to get my hair done too because my hair was in a mess and who wouldn't want to take advantage of the wonderful exchange rate and cut on the cheap? We took our chance at the chain salon Number 76 at 2 friends' recommendations.

Before the cut with my flat and shapeless hair

When talking to the hairdresser about my hair cut, I immediately felt the difference between the service that I get in Singapore and Number 76 in KL (I shall refrain from generalising ALL Malaysian hair salons) because I was having a proper conversation with him about what styles and how best to cover my balding!

I admit, I did hold my breath when I mentioned my balding to the hairdresser as I prepared myself to be bombarded with the usual "oh you should do this treatment/ get this tonic for your scalp". Surprisingly, I received none. The smile on my face started growing.

Throughout my hair cut, the conversation between hairdresser and I never faltered as we talked about how best to add volume to my style through layering, how to blow dry my hair properly, the fallacy known as conditioner (use oils before and after a blow dry, he said) and about perming to create illusion of volume.

I now have bangs!

He did use a tonic at the end and when he realised that I didn't feel any tingling sensation, that's when he said that my follicles are probably quite clogged and recommended their Carbon Dioxide scalp treatment that is supposed to increase blood circulation to the follicles and all that. However, because he said it as a solution to my problem, I didn't feel like he was hard selling it to me. Moreover, he wasn't insisting on me doing it immediately nor did he ask me to book another appointment for the treatment. Thus, I actually felt like learning more about the treatment and possibly do it one day!

Same went for my friend. Her hair was really frizzy from her previous dye job and she was going in for a perm. The hairdresser did immediately recommend a treatment to her but again, no hard selling. She was given a choice and there was proper advice given to her. It came as no surprise to me that my friend did make an appointment to do the treatment and a colouring session the next day!

Do you see the connection between NOT selling and ACTUALLY making sales? As I've learnt, it's when you provide good customer service, quality products and hence, solutions to your clients' problems, that's when you'll actually sell. I remember those days when I've done financial education seminars where clients came up to me after and opened accounts with me because they understood that I was talking about how to improve their investments rather than trying to make them open accounts with me (although I really was trying to make them do so).

So why doesn't the beauty industry in Singapore follow this principle?

Simple reason - profits. Hairdressers are turned into sales people and they each have sales targets. In some ways, you can't blame salon owners as the rent and salaries in Singapore are not cheap. However, it is a very short term gain over long term distribution. These salons' inflow of customers may trickle as they get fewer repeat customers, their brand reputation may be affected as customers spread their hard selling tactics by word of mouth and worse, what could've been potential extra profits (from treatments or products) become null as the turned off customer tunes off. That is why when Pásshen reaches out to merchants, we often tie up only with those who agree to our principle of 'no packages' and 'no hard selling'.

Customers know when you're being honest and authentic. So stop the selling (mind you, I didn't say not market your products/services) and sales will naturally come in!