Food & Fitness

Cool

By Chris Fernando

Cool and crisp, the cucumber belongs to the same family as pumpkins and watermelons. It was one of the earliest vegetables to be cultivated.

Different types

There are white and yellow skinned varieties of cucumber, but the green skinned one is the most popular.

Cucumbers are classified as

1. Pickling type - usually small, prickly and bumpy.

2. Field grown - these are large and have a smoother skin.

3. Greenhouse type - relatively new, long, thin and seedless.

Buying tips: 

Look for firm cucumbers with bright coloured skins. The cucumber should not have wrinkles or suntan spots. Avoid yellow, puffy and dull coloured ones as they may be over mature, tough, bitter, watery or have hard seeds. 

Some vegetable sellers apply wax to cucumbers to prolong their shelf life. You should peel this wax off before eating. Cucumbers are available throughout the year.

Consumption:

Freely available and inexpensive, cucumber can be eaten raw or sliced, or cut into circles for use in salads.

Why you should eat cucumbers:

The cucumber's most remarkable quality is its exceptionally high water content. A cucumber can have as much as 96.4 percent of water. This makes it more refreshing and low in calories. It can also easily quench your thirst on a hot day and serves as a natural diuretic. Cucumbers contain some potassium and vitamin A and are amazingly high in vitamin E. If eaten with the seeds and the skin, cucumber provides a considerable amount of fibre.

Cucumbers also contain calcium, phosphorus, niacin, vitamin C, sodium, magnesium, sulphur and silicon. Chlorine and fluorine are also present in small quantities.

Advantages:

Cucumber as a food is a remedy for most ailments.

* Those suffering from stomach ulcers and gastritis can find relief by taking cucumber juice regularly. This will also reduce acidity which causes heartburn.

* This vegetable will also help those suffering from excess body heat.

* Since this is a diuretic, it will help in the flow of urine.

* It has also been recommended for people suffering from kidney stones and hepatitis.

Who should not eat:

People suffering from colds should avoid cucumber as this could prolong the illness. Cucumber is taboo for people suffering from asthma and phlegm ailments.

Beauty tip

* For pimples - Cut the fruit into slices and apply on the face regularly.

* For blemishes on the skin - Apply a cut cucumber on your skin. All the blackheads and dirt will disappear.

* For your eyes - Cut into slices and place them on your eyes for about 15 to 20 minutes. Your eyes will feel cooler, cleaner and clearer.

* For hair growth - Since cucumber has silica, mix cucumber juice with carrot juice. If taken regularly, it will enhance hair growth.

Now Lankans can face up to lifts

By Ruhanie Perera 

Recognised as the first surgeon to start liposuction in Australia in 1981, Dr. Gunatillake explains that cosmetic surgery is a relatively new field, branching off from plastic surgery. 

In his opinion there is big demand for cosmetic surgery today, the reason being that the modern individual is aware of the importance of projecting the right image. Even in Sri Lanka, although it's a fairly new idea, it is something he feels will catch on. His first face-lift scheduled within the short time that he has been here is one such indicator.

Speaking about the procedure of a face-lift Dr. Gunatillake says that although there is no specific age group for a face-lift, it is generally more suitable for older women. It is really a decision made by individuals when they feel that they require one. "If you feel that you need one, that would be the best reason for having one," says Dr. Gunatillake who cautions against getting advice from family and friends as to whether a face-lift is needed. "Your child is not going to tell you that you should go in for a face-lift. Without a doubt 'No mum, we like you as you are', will be the answer. As for your friends, their opinion would be that, one must grow old gracefully. So don't ask for a second opinion from them; the choice is yours."

A surgical face-lift is performed when the skin begins to thin, lose its elasticity and signs of ageing are visible on the individual's face. It is at this point that the wrinkles grow deeper and the jowl formations become obvious. Explains Dr. Gunatillake: "In a face-lift procedure, we undermine the skin with the underlying soft tissue covering the face and neck regions. Then re-drape and stitch in position, after trimming the margins of the redundant ageing skin. In addition to this correction, we also perform an inside lift of the membranous structure that holds the neck muscle called platysma to the forehead muscles. SMAS is the name given to this layer. This procedure gives, a double lift, created to maintain the new youthful appearance for a sustained period." The skin cut, in a face-lift procedure, extends from the temple region to the front and behind the ear lobes, to and above the neck hairline. The skin and the underlying soft tissues are separated from the muscle layer at the plane of the SMAS. The underlying muscles are lifted and tightened and the neck plastysma muscle is stitched at a higher level to give a smooth neckline.

The skin flaps are stretched upwards and backwards, while excess redundant skin is trimmed and the skin edges are stitched into place along the incision line. The head, sides of the face and neck regions are protected with dressings and there will be two drain tubes on either side of the neck, which are removed after 24 hours. The stitches are usually removed after two weeks. The visible area of the suture line will be in front of the upper and lower thirds of the ear lobe. "These scars can be easily hidden, by a change of hairstyle and by wearing large ear studs, Dr. Gunatilleke says.

According to Dr. Gunatillake the first 24 hours is critical and could be painful. It is during this period that the patient must watch out for a sudden swelling and severe pain in any area, which could be the beginning of a bleed from a tiny blood vessel. If it continues, the surgical incision may need opening up to remove the clots of blood. Minor bleeding leaves little collection of blood under the skin and does not require active treatment.

After 24 hours the patient is reviewed and if everything has gone smoothly, after the removal of the drains, a bath may be permissible. 

The patient needs to continue the showers everyday to keep the structure line free of clotted blood particles. A crepe bandage needs to be worn for at least a few days after the operation. After 48 hours, the patient may go home and relax. 

It is best that the patient eats soft food for the next few days to reduce hard biting, advised Dr. Gunatillake adding that the swelling of the face and bruising takes about three weeks to subside. 

The most important question for those who go in for a face-lift would be 'How long does a face-lift last?'

Before you form any illusions about the procedure, Dr. Gunatilleke says a face-lift is not foolproof. There some signs of age that even a face-lift cannot beat. According to Dr. Gunatillake, the laugh line, which becomes very prominent as one ages, will not get flattened, however there will be a softening of the line. Changes around the eyes and crow's feet will not be eliminated. In addition to that a face-lift will not lift the brows, nor will it eliminate frown lines or wrinkles around your mouth. 

However, for the perfectionist, in conjunction with a face-lift, other procedures like chin and cheek implants, eyelid reductions, lip augmentations, etc. could be performed. Says Dr. Gunatillake, "The average cost for plastic surgery at the hospital comes to less than Rs. 50,000/=, excluding the hospital accommodation fee." 

For Dr. Gunatillake, an avid artist who revels in painting and photography in his free time, cosmetic surgery is right up his street. He says with a smile, "When I operate I simply use the scalpel blade instead of the paint brush."

Double trouble 

Round faced blonde Jenna and brunette Barbara were presented to the world's media as embodying the uncomplicated, Waspy, all American teenager, churchgoing, sporty and squeaky clean. This mythical creature must be rare these days, and certainly isn't to be found in the persons of Jenna and Barbara, who clearly enjoy raising a little hell.

Last month they were under police investigation for trying to buy alcohol using a friend's ID at Chuy's Mexican restaurant in Austin. It's not the first time the pair have got into what must be, for their father, rather embarrassing difficulties. Last month, police caught Jenna trying to buy drinks in an Austin student hangout using a fake ID.At school, Jenna was known as "doughnut girl" because, it is said, she liked to treat friends to snacks (but one can't help suspecting it might also have something to do with her plumpness).Heartbreakingly she was also voted girl "most likely to trip on prom night" before her high school graduation. 

The more academic, slimmer, but less attractive Barbara, who did at least make it to Yale, fared better, being voted girl "most likely to appear on the cover of Vogue". Barbara apparently prefers fighting to shopping, and threw off her security guard this year to travel to Madison Square Garden for a wrestling event. The twins are notoriously competitive with each other, but these two also have their thin, pretty cousin Lauren Bush to contend with, who, in fact, is much more likely to appear on the cover of Vogue than either of them. At 16, Lauren has already been signed by Elite model agency, exchanges e-mails with Prince William, and came out in Paris at the Bal de Debutantes wearing a $100,000 frock.

How the teeth of the twins must grind when they hear news like this. And yet, and yet. Web users may be familiar with hotornot.com which allows you to assess your own attractiveness by submitting a photograph and inviting site visitors to vote. Well, pictures of Jen and Barb were naughtily posted on the site, and the twins scored a resounding 8.4 and nine respectively. And they weren't even indecently dressed. Which just goes to show that, deep down, the Americans love a good time gal.

- Evening Standard

Return to Plus Contents