Organic Veggie Buckwheat

I love buckwheat and use it often. Not only is it alkalizing, low in sugar, easy to make, but it is absolutely delicious! I grew up in Russia, and buckwheat is a grain we eat daily. Russians make buckwheat "kasha" for breakfast, and enjoy it with milk and a sprinkling of sugar (just like cereal), they make it as a side for meat and eat it for lunch and dinner. It is a relatively inexpensive grain, and our National staple, even more so than potatoes. You will be surprised to know that buckwheat used to be in deficit during the communist times! My mother used to have to wait in line and purchase her ration with a coupon, and the only people who were given access to it were diabetics, since this was the approved low-sugar food they were allowed to consume to stay stable, and not spike. 

Not only is buckwheat a delicious, fluffy, and warm comfort food, but it is also good for you! Did you know that buckwheat is one of only few alkaline grains? This means that it won't feed candida, and won't cause inflammation and acidity imbalance in the body. This recipe will not only satisfy your taste buds, but will keep you full without spiking your blood sugar - so it's low on the GI (glycemic index) and absolutely satiating.

Ingredients (all-organic)

1 cup buckwheat
pinch of salt
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 large sweet onion
1 medium tomato
1 carrot
1 cup spinach
1 cup crimini mushrooms
1/2 small head of cauliflower

For this simple vegetable recipe,  boil a cup of buckwheat and set it to the side. In a pan,  sautée the onions with carrot in the coconut oil, and add the rest of the veggies, except for spinach. When the cauliflower starts to gently caramelize, take the pan off the heat and add the spinach on the top. Stir everything together, and fold in the buckwheat. You can plate this hot or wait for it to cool! I paired this warm veggie meal with a baby greens salad with figs, walnuts, avocado and shaved parmesan cheese, dressed in flax seed oil! Lemon water on the side to help me cool off after a hot day!

Enjoy!

DERMASCOPE Magazine Celebrates 40 Years!

One of my favorite trade publications, DERMASCOPE Magazine, celebrates its 40 year anniversary this year, and I was fortunate enough to be interviewed on industry trends, and other cool topics! See my answers below and comment with any questions you would like me to answer to help you in your esthetic practice!

Tell us about your history with DERMASCOPE. Any great stories or fun facts readers would find interesting?

My first article, co-written with my mother, came out in the May 2010 issue of DERMASCOPE, and my first solo article came out in the July 2010 issue of DERMASCOPE Magazine - exactly 5 years ago! Ever since then, I have been blessed to be a part of this wonderful publication! I am so overjoyed and proud to have been able to start contributing at such a young age, and can assure you that I will never run out of content, topics, fresh information, and inspiring stories in the coming years! My work is my passion and pride, and I am committed and dedicated to share all my knowledge and experience with DERMASCOPE readers!

What advice do you wish you had been given when you began in the industry? 

What I wish I had known is that building a brand isn't only about the quality of the product, but about the knowledge of the educators, and the language of the marketers. Keeping it simple and explaining it well is the key to success!

What product innovation do you feel paved the way for today’s must-haves in our industry?

Natural products without chemicals and parabens are among the most popular and revered in the industry today, and rightfully so! Health and beauty go hand in hand!

What do you feel is the one thing that has made the biggest change in the industry?

More and more professionals are now taking the time to research ingredients, to make sure they are choosing the right products for their clients. Gone are the days of relying on ads and promises - estheticians want results, and invest their time in finding the best products out there!

What is the one advancement that is needed the most going forward?

Education is the most important element which must be present to be able to advance! Taking workshop classes, watching tutorials, webinars, listening to podcasts, reading trade magazines such as DERMASCOPE, that's what it's all about! If you feel you know everything, you close yourself off from learning more.

Targeted Topical Therapy for Rosacea and Post-Procedure Bruising with SAIAN® Vital-K™ Creme

We all know that aloe vera is soothing and cooling, and chamomile is relaxing, but did you know about Arnica? This amazing medicinal herb has been taken internally in Europe for centuries to heal organ trauma, and applied topically to reduce swelling, treat bruises, wounds and bug bites. It has anti-inflammatory properties, and is mild and non-agressive in topical skin care products. What is really amazing, is Arnica's ability to reduce bruising - the mechanism in lies in the herb's ability to stimulate blood flow and move stagnation through the veins and capillaries. When a lesion of capillaries is traumatized by physical impact, or inflamed from exposure to the harsh elements, we see the dark color on the skin's surface. Applying an Arnica creme to the area significantly reduces the swelling and dark patch, and brings the color back to normal, as well as moves blood through the damaged capillaries for reduced discomfort and pain.

We recommend SAIAN® Vital-K™ Creme - the most-effective paraben-free topical creme which works wonders on postoperative bruising following cosmetic surgery or injections, rosacea, dark circles, and hyperpigmentation. 

Bruising and dark spots are the appearance of blood which has been released from the tiny capillaries of the battered area into the tissue under the skin. Over time the color eventually fades as the blood is absorbed back into the body and away from the surface. To halt the expansion and deepening of unsightly discoloration, we use Phytonadione (Vitamin K). This is the body's natural blood coagulating agent which stops the spread of blood from seeping further. Individuals with low levels of Vitamin K will often experience wider and darker bruises, taking excessively long periods of time to recover because is not enough Vitamin K in their systems to prevent this from occurring. Not only is this creme perfect for post-surgical and injection-site bruising, but also ideal for cuperose, rosacea, and dark under-eye circles.

SAIAN® Vital-K™ Creme provides a powerful dose of Vitamin K to repair the damaged area, supplying your skin with the means to halt the flow of bruising and pause discoloration. To maximize and quicken the recovery process, we use Arnica. This natural herb, rich with anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties is a highly efficient vasodilator of blood capillaries. Arnica drastically increases the fade back time, by escalating the recession of blood away from the damaged capillaries and back into the body. This helps return your skin to a flush and even color in a fraction of the time it would usually take. The mechanism lies in the herb's ability to stimulate blood flow and move stagnation through the veins and capillaries. When a lesion of capillaries is traumatized by physical impact, or inflamed from exposure to the harsh elements, we see the dark color on the skin's surface. Applying SAIAN® Vital-K™ Creme to the area significantly reduces the swelling and dark patch, and brings the color back to normal, as well as moves blood through the damaged capillaries for reduced discomfort and pain.

By combining these two powerful ingredients in a natural, paraben-free product, SAIAN® Vital-K™ Creme speeds up the color neutralization process and restores your skin in just a few daily applications! For best results, apply this creme to the affected area twice daily. This creme works best for under-eye dark circles when applied on top of SAIAN® Clinical Strength Under- Eye Serum.