(Family Features) Taking good care of your skin all year long is essential, but even more so in the summer when the power of the sun is at its strongest. Healthy skin doesn’t require fancy moisturizers or expensive skin care products. You just need to adopt a few healthy habits. For example, keeping your skin healthy and glowing starts from the inside out by eating and drinking healthy foods and beverages that nourish your body’s largest organ and promote healthy skin cells. Additionally, studies show certain foods, such as fresh, juicy grapes, may help protect healthy skin even when exposed to UV light, which is known to damage skin cells. A study published in the journal “Antioxidants,” in which people consumed 2 1/4 cups of grapes every day for two weeks, showed increased resistance to sunburn and reduced markers of UV damage at the cellular level. This study reinforced previous and similar findings published in the “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.” Grapes are also a hydrating food with 82% water content; hydration is essential to healthy skin. Along with snacking on fresh, delicious California grapes, consider these everyday ways you can keep your skin safe from the sun’s rays. Seek Shade Most experts recommend avoiding the sun at the height of the day, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when its rays are at full strength. That doesn’t mean you can’t be outside – just seek shade as often as possible while enjoying the warm summer air. Prioritize Hydration Drinking water and staying hydrated is important year-round, but especially when it’s hot and you’re more likely to lose water content through sweat. Keep your body full of moisture with simple and delicious Grape-Infused Waters. For a zesty kick, try Grape, Ginger and Lime that combines the sweetness of grapes with the zing of ginger and lime, or Grape, Lemon and Mint, offering a bright and invigorating blend of citrus and mint. Enter your Zen state with a mellow, spa-like sip from Grape, Cucumber and Mint. For a cool, hydrating snack, try freezing grapes. Simply rinse, pat dry, remove from the stems and freeze for 2 hours in a single layer on a sheet pan. You can even enjoy them as flavorful ice cube replacements in these easy-to-prepare, flavorful beverages. Layer Up While you’re enjoying the sunshine, layer up with a generous application of 30 SPF or higher sunscreen every 1-2 hours. Wear lightweight, long-sleeve shirts; wide-brimmed hats; sunglasses; and other protective clothing to reduce sun exposure, which can lead to wrinkles, age spots and other health problems, including an increased risk of skin cancer. Visit GrapesFromCalifornia.com for more delicious recipes and information on grapes and health.

A Trio of Grape-Infused Waters

Servings: 4 Grape, Ginger and Lime:

• 1 heaping cup Grapes from California, muddled, plus additional for serving (optional)
• 5 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger, muddled
• 4 lime slices
• 4 cups water
• ice

Grape, Lemon and Mint:

• 1 heaping cup Grapes from California, muddled, plus additional for serving (optional)
• 3 lemon slices
• 3 large stems fresh mint
• 4 cups water
• ice

Grape, Cucumber and Mint:

• 1 heaping cup Grapes from California, muddled (plus additional for serving (optional)
• 6-8 thin slices cucumber, halved
• 3 large stems fresh mint
• 4 cups water
• ice

1. To make grape, ginger and lime water: In pitcher, place grapes, ginger and lime slices. Add water and stir well. Cover and chill overnight.
2. Before serving, stir well and pour into ice-filled glasses, adding grapes to each glass, if desired.
3. To make grape, lemon and mint water: In pitcher, place grapes, lemon slices and mint. Add water and stir well. Cover and chill overnight.
4. Before serving, stir well and pour into ice-filled glasses, adding grapes to each glass, as desired.
5. To make grape, cucumber and mint water: In pitcher, place grapes, cucumber and mint. Add water and stir well. Cover and chill overnight.
6. Before serving, stir well and pour into ice-filled glasses, adding grapes to each glass, as desired.

Nutritional information per serving: 25 calories; 0 g protein; 7 g carbohydrates; 0 g fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 0 mg sodium; 0 g fiber.   SOURCE: California Table Grape Commission

(Family Features) Pruning, or the practice of removing dead or diseased branches from flowering plants – including certain herbs, vegetables, shrubs, trees and flowers – allows them to focus their energy on new growth and blossoms, which can result in a more robust and abundant flowering season.

While the optimal time to prune is largely dependent on the type of plant and its blooming cycle, in general completing the chore shortly after first bloom can help shape plants, ensuring they grow in a desirable manner, and improve air circulation and light penetration, which help prevent fungal diseases.

Start by gathering the necessary tools, including sharp bypass pruners, loppers, a pruning saw and hedge shears, then consider these simple steps to begin pruning your plants:

1. Inspect your plants and remove any dead, diseased or damaged branches.
2. Find branches that cross or rub against each other and remove one of the crossing branches to allow the other to grow freely.
3. Thin out the plant by removing any overcrowded branches.
4. Shape the plant as desired, maintaining its natural form and structure.

Find more lawn and garden advice by visiting eLivingtoday.com.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

SOURCE:
eLivingtoday.com

 

(Family Features) Senior year of high school is a time for big changes for most people, but for Emani McConnell-Brent, she did not expect it would include changes to her health. After being rushed to the emergency room with severe stomach pain, McConnell-Brent learned the problem was her kidneys and she was diagnosed with a kidney disease called focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). After her diagnosis, McConnell-Brent struggled to get the right medicines to treat her disease. She was encouraged to undergo a genetic test and discovered her FSGS was the result of APOL1-mediated kidney disease (AMKD), a rapidly progressive genetic kidney disease that can cause kidney failure. The diagnosis brought McConnell-Brent some relief, both physically and emotionally. “Knowing it’s genetic and knowing I’m taking care of myself makes a big difference in my mental state,” said McConnell-Brent, now 21 and an ambassador for the American Kidney Fund. Everyone has two copies of the apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) gene – one from each parent – but Black Americans of West and Central African ancestry are more likely to have changes (variants or mutations) in their APOL1 gene that cause AMKD. This genetic form of kidney disease can develop even at a young age, in otherwise healthy people, and can advance faster than other kidney diseases. An estimated 13% of Black Americans have the two APOL1 gene variants that are associated with AMKD. Those who have variants in both copies of the APOL1 gene have a 1 in 5 chance of developing kidney disease. “A lot of people don’t even know about how prevalent the APOL1 gene is in the African American community,” McConnell-Brent said. Early diagnosis of AMKD can keep your kidneys working longer, delaying the need for dialysis or a kidney transplant. If you have kidney damage, symptoms may not occur until your kidneys are close to failing. As kidney damage worsens, one or more of these symptoms may occur:

• Protein in urine
• Swelling in legs or weight gain
• Feeling weak or tired
• High blood pressure

The only way to get an official diagnosis for AMKD is through a genetic test. You can find more information about the risks and benefits of genetic testing online. “If you got genetic testing, you would have the facts of what your genes are telling you,” McConnell-Brent said. “Your genes are telling you a story of what did happen, is happening and could happen.” This AMKD Awareness Day, on April 29, become APOL1 Aware by learning how your genes impact your kidney health and help build awareness in your community by visiting KidneyFund.org/APOL1Aware.   SOURCE: American Kidney Fund