Audrey Hepburn and cake. Two of my favorite things in life.
After this week’s mega post on the bittersweet truth about cake and the cutis, some of you expressed your concern in regards to turning your back on cake and other sweets. I completely understand that, heck! I’ll never let my cake go! We have too much history, and have too deep and meaningful a relationship for it to end now. And so I’ve come up with a little game-plan as to how we can all continue our mad cake-loving behavior, without letting our faces down to much in the process:
1. Apply a Retinol containing night cream. It has been shown that retinol’s increase the production of collagens and elastin in our skin, and so by using it regularly as part of your skin care regiment you’re already putting up a great fight against the aging effects of 
glycation. My favourites can be found in my post about Retinol-HERE. But I will say (in case you just can’t be botherd to press the link) that
Skin Ceuticals Retinol 0.5 Refining Night Cream 30ml/1oz and
Skin Medica Tri-Retinol Complex ES 28.3g/1oz are offering 2 of the best formulations on the market, with the highest concentrations (skinmedica) you’ll get over the counter.
Both come with free worldwide-shipping from Strawberrynet.
2.Cut Back. You might not like this very much, but if you try to cut down on all sugars, such as those hidden in prepared and processed foods, such as: barley malt, corn syrup, dextrose, fruit juice concentrate, maltose, maple syrup, molasses, and turbinadoas, your much better off, generally speaking! You may also want to watch the amounts of sugar you’re getting from fruits, grains- breads and pastas, and then when time for cake comes, you’ll be able to enjoy your piece without too much skin compromise.
3.Take a vitamin B1, and B6 supplement everyday. These vitamins proved to be 
potent glycation- end- product inhibitors in a number of published studies, says David J. Goldberg, MD, a New York City–based dermatologist and a clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. B1 and B6 are plentiful in food, but taking a multivitamin — most of which deliver at least 1 mg of both Bs — ensures you’re getting the daily value of 1.1 mg for B1 and 1.3 mg for B6 (1.5 mg after age 50).
B-Complex, Ultra (100mg, 100 medium Capsules) $13.49 from ProHealth.
4. Take a Carnosine supplement. As recommended by celebrity dermatologist, Dr. Brandt. Supplemental 
carnosine, an amino acid, has been shown to protect against AGE buildup. $24.95, from ProHealth.
L-Carnosine by Now Foods (500mg, 50 Vcaps)
5.Wear Sunscreen. Increased numbers of glycation end products in the skin makes it less able to ward off the damaging effects of UV exposure, which is still ager number one, and so a broad-spectrum SPF of at least 30 will most definitely prove to be a friend to our faces down the line. I like Skinceuticals Sheer Physical Uv Defense SPF 50 Broad-spectrum Sunscreen Fluid, 1.7-Ounce $25 from Amazon, but have a look HERE for all my sunscreen favourites.
6. Eat and apply antioxidants regularly. Antioxidants (a post on which is found HERE) have been shown to inhibit the binding of glycation end products to the proteins in our skin, and so maintain and assist their function. Antioxidants also decrease the damaging effects of UV exposure, and increase function of collagen and elastin -producing cells in our skin. I like to add berries, dark greens, teas, red vegetables, nuts and spices to my 
Which is packed full of all major skin saving antioxidants including vitamin C,E, and resevatrol.
7. Use new ingredients that protect skin from sugar. A growing number of products contain compounds like aminoguanidine (carnosine) and alistin, which have been shown to block the formation of AGEs.
You might want to try: MyChelle Dermaceuticals Perfect C Serum
I hope you feel better ROKers! Now that you know the cake can stay.
Love,
Rolah
hello there!
reading point 2, I first thought to myself; good thing I hardly ever use white sugar on my food! but then again, I often drink tea with honey or use it in desserts, yogurt, salads etc… I always thought honey would be a good substitute for sugar – now realising also just sugar, haha! so thanks for the (rather late) enlightenment
cutting down a bit on carbs in general and keeping an eye on hidden sugars really makes sense. I like the way you suggest how we can balance out a piece of cake now and then
too bad there isn’t any non sugary alternative to sweet our food, though. healthy of course, NOT by sweeteners like aspartame & co.
about that – it reminds me, there was this huge fuzz about a plant called “stevia” last winter in germany… a natural, reportedly safe sweetener. if you haven’t heard about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevia
it has been permitted in EU-countries since november 2011. the plant is up to 300 times sweeter than sugar, has no calories and supposedly even decreases blood-glucose-levels. hmm, sounds suspicious… note; I’m really not a fan of sweeteners! many germans love it though, and were so delighted when it “finally” got approved.
I’ve seen stevia products in german health food shops, one can buy stevia as dried, crushed leafs/powder, as grains and liquids – or even the plant its self at the garden market. I guess that’s the safer way of using it. you see, although some nations have been using stevia instead of sugar for many years (i.e. japan and south american countries) scientists are still not completely sure of its possible longtime effects; especially not for the higher concentrations used by the industry -> http://www.bevreview.com/2012/04/06/sprite-with-stevia-in-france/ so I guess one should read more into it as new study results get published.
after this post I got curious, so I checked stevia’s metabolism – glucose or no glucose, that’s the question, right? well, its extracts “steviol glycosides” do break down to glucose in the colon, but are not absorbed. and no glucose, no glycation. stays interesting then!
actually, my mr. bought a small bag of dried stevia leaves half a year ago, but I haven’t touched it yet! I was too sceptic and I think he forgot about it too. next time I’m at his place, I’ll give it a try and tell you about it!
what do you think about this natural sweetener? maybe it’s a way to decrease our sugar intake, help us cut back?
love, julia
Woha! thats what I call a comment!!!
Looooove it! I’ve heard about stevia, my mother is all over it 
Apparently the farmers in “Jæren” are now starting to farm it as well! stevia-boom all over! I haven’t really looked that much in to it, as I like you prefer my honey! I love honey as a treat and sweetener, it contains loads of antioxidants, and vitamins, and has been proven to be anti- carcinogenic (but only before cancer occurs, after, it acts much like sugar does in that regard= not good). In the book I mentioned earlier (the high school reunion diet book), Dr. Colbert advocates honey as part of your diet, but no more than 2 tablespoons a day, so I guess its good, as most things are in moderation. Have you heard of Akacia honey? Appareantly it is lower in fructose levels, and recommended for diabetics! (?) I don’t use sugar on things, but if I bake I might look into getting some of that stevia! I like the sound of No-Glycation!! Let me know how you go with the dried leaves! 
It sounds like an excellent sugar replacement for those that need that sugar kick to their coffee or tea. Thanks for the tip darling!
Lots of Love,
Rolah
aaah, in that case I’ll stick to honey
akacia honey is one of my favorit! it really is a healthier “sugar”, despite ending as glucose in our body… *I think I want that book!!*
imagine the impact on nutritional medicine it would have!
so stevia has reached norway as well… does your mum use it for baking? I wonder if pastry and cakes would taste the same? I just googled “stevia recipes” and there are tons of websites and blogs on stevia baking and cooking. it’s booming, alright
as promised, I’ll keep you updated on the stevia leaves.
Love back,
Julia