Do vitamins block disease? Some disappointing news

There’s more disappointing news about multivitamins: Two major studies found popping the pills didn’t protect aging men’s brains or help heart attack survivors.

Millions of Americans spend billions of dollars on vitamin combinations, presumably to boost their health and fill gaps in their diets. But while people who don’t eat enough of certain nutrients may be urged to get them in pill form, the government doesn’t recommend routine vitamin supplementation as a way to prevent chronic diseases.

The studies released Monday are the latest to test if multivitamins might go that extra step and concluded they don’t.

“Evidence is sufficient to advise against routine supplementation,” said a sharply worded editorial that accompanied Monday’s findings in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

After all, most people who buy multivitamins and other supplements are generally healthy, said journal deputy editor Dr. Cynthia Mulrow. Even junk foods often are fortified with vitamins, while the main nutrition problem in the U.S. is too much fat and calories, she added.

But other researchers say the jury’s still out, especially for the country’s most commonly used dietary supplement — multivitamins that are taken by about a third of U.S. adults, and even more by people over the age of 50.

Indeed, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is deliberating whether vitamin supplements make any difference in the average person’s risk of heart disease or cancer. In a draft proposal last month, the government advisory group said for standard multivitamins and certain other nutrients, there’s not enough evidence to tell. (It did caution that two single supplements, beta-carotene and vitamin E, didn’t work). A final decision is expected next year.

“For better or for worse, supplementation’s not going to go away,” said Dr. Howard Sesso of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He helps leads a large multivitamin study that has had mixed results — suggesting small benefits for some health conditions but not others — and says more research is needed, especially among the less healthy.

Still, “there’s no substitute for preaching a healthy diet and good behaviors” such as exercise, Sesso cautioned.

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As scientists debate, here are some questions and answers to consider in the vitamin aisle:

Q: Why the new focus on multivitamins?

A: Multivitamins have grown more popular in recent years as research showed that taking high doses of single supplements could be risky, such as beta-carotene.

Multivitamins typically contain no more than 100 percent of the daily recommended amount of various nutrients. They’re marketed as sort of a safety net for nutrition gaps; the industry’s Council for Responsible Nutrition says they’re taken largely for general wellness.

Q: What are the latest findings?

A: With Alzheimer’s on the rise as the population ages, Harvard researchers wondered if long-term multivitamin use might help keep older brains agile. They examined a subset of nearly 6,000 male doctors, age 65 or older, who were part of a larger study. The men were given either multivitamins or dummy pills, without knowing which they were taking.

After a decade of pill use, the vitamin-takers fared no better on memory or other cognitive tests, Sesso’s team reported Monday in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

Q: Did that Harvard study find any other benefit from multivitamins?

A: The results of the Physicians Health Study II have been mixed. Overall it enrolled about 15,000 health male doctors age 50 and older, and the vitamin-takers had a slightly lower risk of cancer — 8 percent. Diet and exercise are more protective. They also had a similarly lower risk of developing cataracts, common to aging eyes. But the vitamins had no effect the risk for heart disease or another eye condition, Sesso said.

Q: Might vitamins have a different effect on people who already have heart disease?

A: As part of a broader treatment study, a separate research team asked that question. They examined 1,700 heart attack survivors, mostly men, who were given either a special multivitamin containing higher-than-usual doses of 28 ingredients or dummy pills. But the vitamins didn’t reduce the chances of another heart attack, other cardiovascular problems, or death.

Q: What about women?

A: Research involving postmenopausal women a few years ago also concluded multivitamins didn’t prevent cancer or heart disease. But it wasn’t nearly as rigorous a study as Monday’s research, relying on women to recall what vitamins they used.

Q: What’s the safety advice for multivitamin users?

A: The preventive services task force cited no safety issues with standard multivitamins. But specialists say to always tell your doctor what over-the-counter supplements you use. Some vitamins interact with some medications, and Sesso said anyone worried about nutrition should be discussing their diet with their doctor anyway.

Victoria's Secret fashion show 2013

We’ve waited and waited to see the Angels in action and the day is finally here! The stunning scenes from the Victoria’s Secret fashion show 2013 will be revealed tonight. So here is all the information you need to get you in the know ahead of tonight’s show.

This year marks the 18th year of the annual fashion show - the first lot of Angels strutted their stuff in New York in 1995 - and we can watch as 36 models work the catwalk. Only eight of the globally popular brand ambassadors are present this year. And we see Candice Swanepoel – who opens the show in the $10 million fantasy bra – along with Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Behati Prinsloo, Doutzen Kroes, Karlie Kloss, Lily Aldridge and Lindsay Ellingson.

You may notice that one of the more iconic models isn’t’ named. That’s right Miranda Kerr won’t be present after hanging up her wings earlier this year. It’s the first time since 2007 that the Angel hasn’t walked – except from the 2010 show when she was pregnant with son Flynn – and her presence is undoubtedly missed.

There are a number of other models who take part in this year’s show: Esla Hosk, Lais Ribeiro, Barbara Fialho, Izabel Goulart, Joan Smalls, Jessica Hart, Jourdan Dunn, Cara Delevinge, Caroline Brasch Nielsen, Hilary Rhoda, Ieva Laguna, Martha Hunt, and Jasmine Tookes. Along with Josephine Skriver, Ming Xi, Kelly Gale, Devon Windsor and Sigrid Agren who all walk for the first time this year.

There are six themes that run throughout this year’s show, ‘British Invasion’, ‘ Shipwrecked’, ‘Birds of Paradise’, ‘PINK Network’, ‘Parisian Nights’, and ‘Snow Angels’. There have been 28 pairs of custom wings created for the Angels to wear as they make their way down the glitter covered 120ft catwalk.

Taylor swift is the headline performer for the 2013 show and she takes to the stage before Fall Out Boy, Neon Jungle and A Great Big World.

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The Victoria’s Secret Fashion show is known for its extravagant costumes and this year is no different. Candice Swanepoel’s fantasy bra alone features 52 carat pear-shaped rubies which are hung from the centre and 4,200 other precious stones such as diamonds and sapphires which are all set in 18 carat gold. Lindsay Ellingson wears the first ever 3D printed costume this year which gives her the appearance of a giant snowflake for the ‘Snow Angels’ segment of the show. And Brazilian Adriana Lima – the longest serving Angel in history having first appeared in 2000 – this year wears the Pearly Queen inspired costume which sees her covered in 3,000 pearl buttons.

The annual catwalk event this year allegedly cost $12 million to produce and saw 26 make-up artists, 22 hair stylists and 8 manicurists prepping the Angels backstage. If that’s all it costs to look as good as they do then we’re in. Tune in tonight and let us know what you think of the show!

Londonderry makeup artist turns heads

Growing up in Salem, a young Ella Schwotzer was often asked to do her friends’ makeup and dreamed of one day making a career out of her favorite pastime.

After graduating from Salem High School in 2001, Schwotzer was given the chance to follow her dream when she was accepted into the Complections International Academy of Makeup Artistry in Toronto, Ontario.

During her time in Canada, Schwotzer studied under celebrity makeup artists like Dino Dilio and learned firsthand the fine art of fashion photography makeup, runway makeup and black-and-white photography makeup.

After receiving her certification in 2004, Schwotzer has steadily made a name for herself in the local wedding and media industries.

This month, Schwotzer’s hard work has once again paid off. For the third year in a row, Schwotzer, a licensed esthetician who now lives in Londonderry, was given the highest possible rating for The Knot’s Best of Weddings.

The Knot, an interactive wedding-planning website, lists recommended wedding vendors for each state, with vendors rated based on positive user feedback.

“It’s always very meaningful to be part of someone’s wedding day, but it’s truly an honor to get such positive feedback from clients that continue to make my job so rewarding each year,” she said.

Schwotzer was first featured on the site five years ago and is now the highest-reviewed makeup artist in the Granite State.

For Bedford resident Anna Talbot Kleeman, Schwotzer’s talents prove an asset not only during Kleeman’s daughter’s May 2013 wedding, but also during the recent filming of Kleeman’s new workout video, “The Doctor’s Workout.”

A registered nurse, Kleeman produced and released the video with her husband, orthopedic surgeon Tom Kleeman, this past summer.

“I wanted to keep things real on film, while knowing we’d need to have makeup that could hold up for hours while we were working out and sweating,” Kleeman said. “Ella rose to the challenge without batting an eyelash.”

Over the years, Schwotzer’s freelance makeup career had led to some pretty memorable experiences.

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“New Hampshire is such a political state and the last campaign season was certainly a busy one for me,” she said.During the 2012 campaign season, Schwotzer served as Congresswoman Carol Shea Porter’s personal makeup artist, and she also did makeup for commentators from Eurovision, a division of the European Broadcasting Union, during their coverage of the Granite State primaries that year.

She also provided makeup services for MSNBC personalities Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski.

These days, Schwotzer continues to work her day job as the administrative services coordinator at the Alzheimer’s Association of New Hampshire, though her outside life is kept busy with new bridal consults.

She’s gotten many calls from potential clients in the days following Thanksgiving.

“The holidays are now upon us and that means lots of people are getting engaged,” she said. “They’re excited, and they’re eager to start making their plans.”

Manchester resident Kathleen McCarthy said she was initially hesitant to hire a makeup artist for her October 2013 wedding.

“I don’t normally wear makeup, so I was a bit nervous about it,” McCarthy said, noting that she eventually decided to contact Schwotzer at the recommendation of two co-workers who’d previously used her services.

“Everything turned out just perfect,” McCarthy said. “Ella knew exactly what I needed.”

2013 British Fashion Awards Winners Include Harry Styles, Christopher Kane, Burberry, and Edie Campbell

Put down that coffee. Stop the world from turning. Last night, as the most fashionable Brits in the world gathered at the British Fashion Awards to celebrate their own Brit-ness and fabulosity, the event took a turn that no one except rabid teenage girls could have anticipated: Harry Styles of One Direction won the British Style Award, which is determined entirely by public vote.

Is this real life? Sure, Styles is a cutie, if you’re into the whole deep v-neck on a 19-year-old look, but he was competing against Kate Moss. Kate “I single-handedly popularized heroin chic and the Vivienne Westwood pirate boot” Moss. Kate ”I’m on the cover of Playboy at nearly 40” Moss.

Other nominees that are probably sobbing into their champagne right now: Kate Middleton, poster girl for subdued millionaire chic; Florence Welch, who is hopefully writing a song about it; Anna Wintour, dictatoress of all things high-end fashion. Helena Bonham Carter is all “frizzy hair, don’t care!” As for the rest of the male nominees, they’re hot, but they basically just wear well-fitted suits. They have no reason to be bitter.

Yeah, yeah, Harry’s last name is Styles, so he’s clearly the Second Coming of Chung, but the dude’s kind of a one-trick pony: Tight jeans, blazer, curly hair, screaming groupies attached to every limb. Style means innovation, experimentation, not finding-a-look-that-makes-girls-swoon-and-sticking-to-it, right?

Maybe we’re just being bitter and old. What’s so special about Cara Delevingne and Carey Mulligan anyway? Styles does androgynous cuts and statement eyebrows just as well. After all, he does look pretty slick arriving at the British Fashion Awards:

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And he’s definitely adorable in a collar:

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But ew, here’s the unwashed Burberry shirt that sold for nearly 5K:

The clear takeaway here is that in the case of the British Fashion Awards, “voting public” clearly means “every teenage girl in the entire world.” Case closed.

Other notable winners: Christopher Kane snagged Womanswear Designer of the Year, Miuccia Prada won International Designer of the Year, Burberry got Burberry Designer Brand of the Year and the Menswear Designer of the Year, Edie Campbell was Model of the Year, and Nicholas Kirkwood was named Accessory Designer of the Year for the third time.

Thankfully, to keep the informed public from mutinying, Kate Moss was honored with a Special Recognition Award that paid homage to her 25-year career in fashion and her incredible and unfading style influence. I still think she should have won every award. Yes, even the imaginary ones, like the More Fashionable Than One Direction Award and the Doesn’t Need to Sell Unwashed Burberry Apparel Award. Next time, Kate. Next time.

Hairstyles that never go out of style

We've seen actresses flaunt it on screen, and sighed in silent despair, desperately wishing we had perfect hair. Since the dawn of the movies, millions of women worldwide have always imitated the hairstyles flaunted by screen goddesses. Here are five hairstyles that never go out of style, both onscreen and off it!

1. The ponytail : No we're not talking about that umbrella-like tuft of hair on the top of your head that would make you look like Pebbles from the Flintstones series. We're talking about the messy, casual and chic ponytail, best accentuated with bangs. The ponytails with bangs works with almost any outfit and is perfect for both a formal and informal outing.

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2. Waves : Alright, we admit it - the poker straight hair suits only certain face types. Unfortunately, Indian women are blessed with wavy hair. Make the best of your wavy look. Tousle your forward and rub in some styling gel. Flip your hair back and run a comb through it, combing it enough to suit your liking. Think Farah Fawcett of the 60's meets Rose Byrne.

3. Curl it up : The best look that works with curly hair would be to let it be - natural is the way to go! The more you try to comb through your curls, the bushier your curls are going to look. Let your hair loose and use minimal styling products. Avoid curlers and never, ever crunch your curls.

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4. Up do chignons : Immortalized by the evergreen Audrey Hepburn, the up do spells class and elegance rolled into one pretty package. For a better effect, section your hair into three buns to follow the curves in your barrette. Also, you could add blunt bangs for a completely retro look.

5. The Bob : Short and sweet - that's what the bob is all about. The length of your bob is determined by your face cut. While those with angular faces can opt for an uneven bob, nothing works better than the classic cut for most faces. Once again, this look can be worn for both formal and informal occasions.

Natural beauty products often rooted in the past

As you gaze exasperatedly around the Thanksgiving table this week, perhaps you should look upon Aunt Sue or Granny Esther as a potential font of beauty-related wisdom.

Recognizing as much has proved profitable for actress Salma Hayek.

She was raised in the city of Coatzacoalcos in southern Mexico, learning beauty secrets from her grandmother Maria Luisa Lopez, who made scrubs, masks and conditioners using ingredients indigenous to the country — including prickly pear; raw honey; and mamey, a large football-shaped fruit.

“She was an alchemist and would mix beauty knowledge that is also historical tradition and make her own creams in the kitchen,” Hayek wrote by email.

Several decades later, Hayek drew from those traditions for a makeup line, Nuance Salma Hayek: 160 products for the hair, body and face that cost between $5.99 and $19.99 and have been sold at CVS since August 2011.

“I knew I had in my possession precious secrets from her that were better than anything else I had tried,” she wrote.

Sales have been the highest for a proprietary brand in CVS history, said Judy Sansone, a company senior vice president.

Hayek has the built-in advantage of being a celebrity, but she represents just one example of newcomers to the beauty world capitalizing on rituals and ingredients used by their mothers and grandmothers.

For decades, skin-care and cosmetics lines have touted their discovery of the latest scientific breakthroughs to help draw consumers.

Today, though, many are also reaching to the past.

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Natural brands, which include the family-heritage category, have been outpacing the overall market, according to figures from the NPD Group, a market-research company based in Port Washington, N.Y.

In 2011, the brands grew 18 percent, compared with 12 percent for the overall market.

Indeed, some such brands have become positively big-box.

Aveda, for example, started in 1978 with the help of two Ayurvedic doctors who designed products using recipes and ingredients from their Indian grandmothers.

They’re now sold at 7,000 sites worldwide.

The beauty-and-spa chain Caudalie, available at 12,000-plus retailers, bases its treatments and products partly on the upbringing of co-founder Mathilde Thomas at a vineyard in France.

“In the world of beauty, the back story of a brand can be as appealing as the products themselves,” said Amber Katz, founder of the blog Rouge 18.

“These companies are based on homey traditions, and, really, there is something so charming about buying a product that someone’s grandmother mixed up in her kitchen back in the day.”

The many stories include that of Shaffali Skincare, founded by Shaffali Miglani in New York. It uses Indian ingredients such as turmeric and sandalwood, which Miglani’s mother praised as beauty essentials during her childhood in Pawtucket, R.I.

And Vicki Weaver-Payne started Eight Skincare, an Oklahoma City-based line of moisturizing body products, after recalling her mother’s recipe for a hydrating lotion using aloe vera, avocado oil, apricot kernel oil and five other ingredients.

“My mom worked as a mechanic with the Air Force during World War II and had super-dry skin from being in the hangar all day long,” Weaver-Payne said. “So she created this cream that a co-worker told her about, and we used it all the time as kids.”

Nyakio Kamoche Grieco, a first-generation American of Kenyan descent, went further afield.

The Nyakio skin-care line she introduced in May on HSN includes exfoliators for body and face inspired by the summers she spent on a coffee farm in Africa.

“One of my first memories,” Grieco said, “is of my grandmother teaching me and my mother to crush coffee beans and rub them on our skin using a piece of sugar cane to remove the dry skin."

In my beauty bag: Rose Matafeo

Rose Matafeo is a Samoan/Scottish/Croatian Billy T award-winning comedian (the honour recognises up-and-coming New Zealand comedians with outstanding potential). Until recently you may have seen the 21-year-old hosting U Live, well she's now a contributor on Seven Sharp and Jono and Ben at 10 (and, just quietly one of Stuff Life & Style's picks for funniest women in the biz').

We met the vintage-loving former Auckland Girls Grammar head girl in her local coffee shop and asked her about beauty.

"I wear makeup mostly at work, on-stage, on shoots and when I want to look nice. Other than that I try go most of my time without it or use it sparingly. I'd rather people know what I look like without makeup so they don't freak out when they see me!

I was pretty late to learn how to use makeup and do my hair - my mum never wears makeup and has dreads so she didn't have much to teach me as a teen! She did bless me with pretty manageable skin though, as well as encouraging me to go natural whenever I could.

I shower and moisturise in the evening so in the morning I go straight to M.A.C Studio Fix Powder, a little bit of Clinique natural-coloured eye shadow, Maybelline liquid eyeliner, Lancome mascara and a natural M.A.C lipstick.

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I only exfoliate when I go to my Mum's and she has something nice!

I used to have really crazy curly, frizzy hair. I get it chemically straightened nowadays which makes it so much more manageable. I do miss my curls, but after 19 years of looking like Diana Ross on a humid day, I was ready for something different!

Because of what I put my hair through I have to put back as much moisture as possible. I use Redken shampoo and conditioner, a Pureology protein spray thing after I've washed it and I rely on Batiste dry shampoo (I can't wash my hair more than 2-3 times a week or it gets too dry).

I usually curl my hair a bit with a hot curler - and I am trying to learn how to curl with my mint green ghds. I want to look like Mary Tyler Moore all the time so apparently I need a bit of hot roller action.

I don't always wear perfume but when I do it's usually Moschino Cheap and Chic! Love.

I wear St Ives, Palmers cocoa butter and sunscreen on my body - although I'm brown I hate to burn. I keep my nails short and I don't paint them because I am so bad at it.

At night my makeup is pretty much the same as for day, except I'll maybe wear a fun bright orange or red M.A.C lip colour, and perhaps go a bit more overboard with the liquid eyeliner flicks.

Everything comes off at bedtime with a makeup wipe and eye makeup remover. I wash my face with Cetaphil, then moisturise with a light oil-free moisturiser. And that's me!

I think that makeup should really enhance what you already have rather than cover everything up."