2014modetrends

Queen Letizia gets fashion accolades as she meets Francois Hollande

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King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia were welcomed by President Francois Hollande at the Elysee Palace on Tuesday as the new Spanish monarchs continued on their tour of neighbouring countries.

Letizia was confirmed as the "Queen of Style" when she appeared looking elegant in a pale pink dress and open-toed heels and with her hair pulled back into a chignon to meet the French head of state.

Only days earlier the new Queen showed she had not forgotten her commoner roots when she posed for a "selfie" with fellow filmgoers at her local cinema.

Queen Letizia and her husband King Felipe VI popped out for a low-key outing to see "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" at a Madrid cinema on Friday evening.

Dressed casually in a yellow T-shirt, Spain's new Queen was happy to pose with two teenage girls for a phone "selfie" in the foyer of the Kinepolis cinema.

The girls posted the image on Twitter and described the Queen as "very friendly". They told Europa Press she had spent time chatting with them before agreeing to the photo.

"They are a great King and Queen but they are even better people," said Belen Guzman, one of the girls in the photograph.

Queen Letizia, 41, a former newsreader and divorcee who married Felipe ten years ago, has in the past been described as "aloof".

But the image of her, which spread on social networks, was seen as evidence that the new monarchy want to be perceived as closer to the people.

King Felipe VI, who was crowned last month following the surprise abdication of his father King Juan Carlos hopes to restore faith in the embattled monarchy.

It was the second time the royal couple have been seen going to the cinema in less than a fortnight.Also read here:sexy evening dresses

Be proud of your curves: Huma Qureshi

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Bollywood actress Huma Qureshi, who walked the ramp as showstopper for designer duo Rimple and Harpreet Narula on the last day of Shree Raj Mahal Jewellers India Couture Week 2014, says that Indian women are blessed with "naturally beautiful curves" and they should not feel embarrassed about it.

Asked about how much pressure she faces every day as an actress to look slim and prefect, the voluptuous beauty told IANS: "It's not just actresses but even the normal girl constantly tries to fit into the particular idea of beauty. They face the entire pressure of marriage madness where everyone try and look prettier and forget what they actually are.

"I agree that one should be fit and take care of one's body as there is no excuse to be unfit. But I feel that Indian women are naturally blessed with beautiful curves. Just because somebody has said that you need to be perfect, one should not kill herself to achieve that. Be proud of your curves."

Huma also said that one should not try to modify their body just because someone else doesn't like the way you are.

"Don't be embarrassed about your body. Yes, as an actress, if I have to play a model or wear something where I need to be super toned, I would obviously love to work towards that but that is the part of my job. But my real life is mine and this is how I look. So don't be apologetic about how you look," she said.

The actress also recalled her childhood memories when she used to get teased by her schoolmates because of her body weight.

"I was quite a chubby kid so I used to get teased by schoolmates because of my body weight," said Huma.

The "Gangs of Wasseypur" fame actress looked like a true diva when she walked the ramp for Rimple and Harpreet in dull gold lehanga with antique zari detailing and a tulle trail. She completed the look with minimal jewellery and hair wide open.

The designer duo presented a collection titled "The eternal wanderlust", inspired by nomads and wanderers who used to abound in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (in Pakistan), the Thar and Sahara deserts, ancient Persia and Syria.

The duo used hand crafted textures created by intricate fabric manipulation and crocheting, monogrammed coins, weaves of delicate tulles and gossamer silks. Also, there were tessellations inspired by Islamic Art that were juxtaposed with fine hand embroideries to veritably breathe life onto the surfaces of each ensemble.

The silhouettes comprised of capes and robes, sheer billowy jackets and regal cloaks.

Sharing her experience of walking on ramp for the designer-duo, Huma told us: "I have done a shoot with them and I really like their bridal work. It's interesting to walk for them. Also since the fashion week was happening in Delhi so I thought why not. I always look for excuses to come back to Delhi."Also read here:celebrity style dresses

Up your nuts to save your heart

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New research has linked a daily dosage of nut to a decreased risk of heart disease.

Eating a handful of nuts a day can slash the risk of heart disease by a third, says new research.

The benefits of nuts has long since been celebrated, and they're often hailed for their skin, energy and dietary properties.

New research carried out by US and Chinese scientists suggests snacking on a bowl of Brazilians or cashews can cut your risk of heart disease by roughly 30 per cent. They also found from their study it can reduce the number of deaths from other causes by about 17 per cent.

That's not to say the next time you're in pub to get a round of salted peanuts in with your drinks, as these won't do your heart- or waistline- any favours because they are literally swimming in salt. Instead keep a pack of almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamias and Brazilian nuts handy at work and home for those times when a snack attack comes on. Nuts are a great food to graze on in between meals, and can be an ideal swap for junk food such as crisps and chocolate. In fact often when you're craving the sweet stuff, your body is actually telling you it's short on magnesium so a handful of almonds will do just the trick. Or similarly when you're hankering for a packet of crisps, your body may be lacking essential fats which nuts are naturally packed full of.

The latest research, published online in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, looked at the health benefits by grouping together research from a number of earlier studies.

Scientists from Hua Zhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China and Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, USA, explained that their latest data should be kept in mind when making daily dietary decision.

"These findings support recommendations to include nuts as part of a healthy dietary pattern for the prevention of chronic diseases," the study stated.

In their research 18 different studies were looked at which covered more than 12,000 cases of type two diabetes, 15,000 cases of heart disease and almost 50,000 deaths.

The findings demonstrated that for each daily serving of nuts the risk of heart disease dropped by between 28 and 29 per cent and the danger of death from any cause was 17 per cent lower.

It also showed that there was no significant difference in diabetes rates between nut eaters and non-eaters. Stroke were also looked at, and only a small reduction in risk was found.For more information:green prom dresses

Lauren Conrad Reveals Her Childhood Crush

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As her big wedding day draws near, it's only in good fun to reminisce about past crushes. When Us Weekly caught up with reality-star-turned-fashionista at the Mondrian South Beach in Miami Beach, FL, she revealed that her childhood crush will always be Justin Timberlake.

The 28-year-old revealed that she even had posters of the singer up in her bedroom as a young girl and, makes a point to clarify, that she prefers the post-'N Sync Timberlake, "Like, the hair, license-plate-around-the-neck Justin in his prime."

The love for JT may come as a surprise, seeing as he publicly dissed her seven years ago during the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards.

Conrad revealed that she was disappointed with her crush at the VMAs, admitting, "Whitney [Port] and I presented him with an award. We were so excited, and he wouldn't even take the award from us. Then he went up to the microphone and insulted reality television on MTV. We were standing up there smiling, and I felt so stupid."

In a 2012 interview with the site, she still admits that she, "Had the posters and went to the concerts, I felt like every girl my age had that crush. It was probably the end of my love for him."

Well, the love for JT may have faded, but her upcoming nuptials to fiancé and fellow musician William Tell will hopefully fair better than a poster in her bedroom!Read more here:green prom dresses

Is your child diabetic?

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Known as juvenile diabetes as it occurs in children right from the age of 10, it is a growing concern among urban parents today, says lifestyle nutrition consultant, Tripti Gupta, adding, "Ten per cent cases of children and teenagers who are consulting me for obesity, sports nutrition, nutritional deficiencies, stunted growth and lack of stamina are also suffering from diabetes, which is getting increasingly common."

According to bariatric physician and obesity consultant Dr Kiran Rukadikar, research has shown that nearly one in four urban Indian teenagers aged 12-18 years is on the verge of developing diabetes. Here's an expert guide to help you and your kid cope with this lifestyle disease:

Check your kid's waistline: Obesity remains one of the main causes of this disease. While diabetes are of two kinds — Type I and Type II— more teens are prone to develop the former, which is insulin dependent. "But with bulging bellies in teenagers, the Type-2 diabetes (which was common only in adults) is now common in children and adolescents as well," says Dr Rukadikar.

Adds Gupta, "Hereditary, hormonal imbalances and poor lifestyle are the leading causes of diabetes in young age. Lack of physical activity, over consumption of junk and processed food and imbalanced nutrition cause fluctuation in the hormonal levels of growing children. As a result, the insulin levels go into an imbalance causing diabetes mellitus and other related diseases."

PCOD can trigger it off too: According to weight management expert Dr Amrapali Patil, PCOD (Polycystic Ovarian Disease), which is on the rise among girls can also lead to weight gain, increasing the risks of getting diabetes. "In those suffering from PCOD, other than the ovaries having cavernous fluid filled sacs, there is a co-existing insulin resistance and propensity towards developing full blown diabetes," cautions Dr Patil.

Early check up is a must: Unlike other diseases, this lifestyle disease is not easy to detect, especially at a young age. "A teenager might not show any outward symptoms. His/her diabetes gets detected accidentally during blood tests or when a physician suspects diabetes and gets such lab tests done," says Dr Patil. Adds Gupta, "It's difficult for a parent to suspect diabetes for their child, but it's important to watch out for symptoms like polyuria (frequent urination), polyphagia (excessive eating), polydipsia (excessive thirst), mood swings and irritability, itching of the genitals and sudden weight loss." Moreover, make it a habit to get a bi-annual full body check up for your kid, as soon as he/she enters the teens.

Help your kid deal with it: While diabetes is not a fatal disease, it is long term and can lead to a host of other problems where diabetic teens are more prone to heart ailments, high cholesterol, stroke, heart attack and a constant fatigue. Moreover, it can take a mental toll on your kid. "Once diagnosed, a child is more likely to be depressed, feel isolated and even embarrassed about this medical situation, worrying that their mates and friends might reject them/or exclude them from the group," says Dr Patil. In such a scenario, it is important for parents to first help their kid accept the problem and be supportive instead of blaming them. "Make your kid understand that diabetes is not the end in life, and that it can be controlled by lifestyle modification," says Dr Rukadikar. If your child is genetically predisposed to diabetes, make sure that his/her friends know about this issue and they are aware of the symptoms of low sugar. "Ensure that your child drinks plenty of non-alcoholic fluids. Avoid risks by discouraging body piercings and tattoos. If these are indulged in, add foods like flax seeds, onion, garlic, methi, bitter gourd etc to your teen's diet," says Dr Patil.

Modify your lifestyle: Kids tend to follow their parents. So, it's important to change the lifestyle habits of the entire family. Says Gupta, "The first thing every parent needs to incorporate is enough activity and healthy eating habits among their kids. If your kid is very fond of junk food, ensure that he/she has it only once-a-week. Incorporate enough fibre and omega-3 in your kid's diet. This maintains the fat balance, which in turn controls the hormonal balance in an individual. Green leafy vegetables, fruits, nuts, cow's milk and healthy proteins should be a large part of the meal. Due to its high estrogen properties, soya can be given in moderation to growing boys. Drinking healthy cow's milk is another key factor for growing kids."Forr more information:SheinDress green prom dresses