What You Don’t Know About MBGN Miss Tourism 2014 + New Photos

You have seen her on the red carpets and even on the runway but the new “IT” girl is more than just a pretty face. In her new photo shoot, MBGN Miss Tourism, Chinyere Adogu shows she is ready to conquer the world, and make an impact during her reign while revealing a classy yet playful side to her personality. 

Chinyere Adogu hails from Anambra but was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She has an Associate Degree in Accounting and is currently pursuing her Bachelor's Degree in Business Management at Long Island University. She was crowned America's Perfect Teen in 2012, becoming the first African American to win a national title in the pageant system. See more photos below...

Worse Than Hating Your Body: Hating Your Face

This is a little tough for me to write, but since I've never seen anything in print about it I figured it might be something other people scanned pages for, even if they might not admit it. It's nothing fancy, but here goes.

For most of my life I absolutely believed that if I had better skin, the whole world would be a wonderful place to be. Everything would be easier; this is what I figured at 16, then 19, then 22. I would automatically become more desirable and charming. I could be cute; I could even try being "girlish" and sweet just for the heck of it. I could look straight into the camera. I could cut my hair short; I could wear a ponytail in public. I could use cheap makeup without worrying that I'd break out or look lurid and tough. I could lighten up. I could be less angry, less defensive, less miserable.

I figured I'd be less ashamed of facing the day without a scarred face. And I was ashamed -- constantly and profoundly ashamed. As a teenager, I totally blamed myself for the poor condition of my skin and would make serious, often written, vows to give up soda, pizza and chocolate -- too bad, since now most dermatologists agree that diet doesn't have much to do with acne. Almost every diary from those years begins with a New Year's resolution to forgo oily foods, as if that was going to begin my Cinderella-like transformation into a girl who could appear on the pages of Seventeen or Mademoiselle.

I especially identified with Cinderella out of all the fairy-tale possibilities because it seemed to me that bad skin was something poor kids seemed to have; the wealthier ones had parents who would take them to doctors, or even specialists, or for facials, or buy them the right kinds of magical products that would minimize the problem. Poor kids were left to comb our hair over our foreheads and put our hands up to cover our faces as often as possible. Yes, of course, it was the worst possible thing to do, but try to tell that to someone who is interested only in hiding.

You've never seen a girl with rough skin in a movie; you've never seen any woman whose flawless, silken face is anything but perfect. It just doesn't happen. Guys who have rough faces are usually cast as the tough characters, mobsters or evildoers, but at least they get roles and they are visible in some way.

While it's true that physical perfection has always been at an absolute premium for women, a beautiful face is la creme de la creme -- it is at once the most essential and it is the most valued element of loveliness. You can, after all, get a body double; there is no face double to be used for the closeups. You are your face. And when you hate your face, it's a pretty short step to hating yourself.

OK, it sounds like I should be asking you to get out the violins. It's not a sense of adolescent whining I'm trying to convey, but instead to give a sketch map of a real issue for a lot of girls and women (and maybe for men as well, although I imagine it would be slightly different). How is this different from worrying about weight, for example?
For one thing, weight is (for better or worse) a topic the culture has supplied with a large vocabulary; giggling or weepy girls trade diet stories the way boys trade baseball cards.

The only girls who ever drew attention to one of their facial imperfections (a nice way of saying "zits"), however, were the ones who had skin like Glenn Close, just as the girls who usually shrieked about putting on a pound were usually the ones wearing the skintight jeans and looking good in them.
And, yes, it is both true and tragic that eating disorders can destroy the lives of some young women, while in contrast few people have died from acne. But when it's your face you're trying not to look at, the pain is deeply real.

When did it get easier? My husband Michael made all the difference in the world to me when, very early on in our relationship, he wanted to stroke my face. Gently but unhesitatingly, I pushed his hand away and told him not to touch my cheek because I felt too self-conscious, too uncomfortably aware of my own unloveliness. He asked again, and kept asking, telling me he loved how I looked. I told him I was ashamed of the scars, and he told me that it wasn't scars that he saw, that whatever scars I was talking about were the ones left inside, from a long time ago, not ones facing the world every day.

Not to sound too corny or anything, but I took him seriously and spent time looking at what inside wounds needed healing and what inside work needed doing. And I started to be able to look at myself a little more steady and to face the world.
--reviewed and revised from an earlier essay

in the Name of Beauty

When he escaped Communist-controlled Poland as a boy, Z. Paul Lorenc never imagined he'd end up in one of the wealthiest corners of the United States, paid to slice into human bodies in the name of beauty.
During 17 years as a plastic surgeon on Manhattan's Upper East Side, Lorenc has operated on famous actors like Katharine Hepburn (after skin cancer), high-powered CEOs and members of what Lorenc calls the Park Avenue Posse—the ultra-rich clientele living near his offices.
His book, A Little Work: Behind the Doors of a Park Avenue Plastic Surgeon, written with Trish Hall, lays bare the weaknesses of his patients, of surgeons and of a society increasingly obsessed with physical perfection.
You say patients often lie. What do they lie about?
Their medical history. People often hide that they smoke, which affects your face. Others lie about medications they are taking, which can be very serious.
One male patient was taking steriods but wouldn't tell me. He wanted a face-lift and nothing would stop him. I've never seen a patient's face bleed so much in my life.
I try to convey to the patient that I'm on his side. I'm the one that's going to be taking his face apart and putting it back together. We have to have totally open communication.

Some people will even tell me that they haven't had plastic surgery before, when it's obvious they have.
Do you have a sixth sense for liars?
Sometimes. Usually, I see the face-lift scar. In that situation, I find a reason not to operate.
Do you say, "I know you've had surgery"?
Occasionally I will, but I don't like to be confrontational.
How are male patients different?
Men opt for different types of surgery. Rhinoplasty [nose job] and liposuction are most common.
Men, I think, find it more difficult to follow postoperative instructions. Many are business owners or in finance. They're in control all the time. They're the masters of the universe.
I once did the face of a man who owns a huge company, very well known. I went into his room two hours after the surgery to make sure he was OK. He should have been resting, but he was screaming into the phone at someone in his office, still running the company. The nurse didn't know what to do. His wife was crying. I had to disconnect the phone in the middle of his conversation.
Can a person really be addicted to plastic surgery?
Absolutely. The job of the plastic surgeon is to put on the brakes.
But evidently many surgeons don't.
Many of these people have body dysmorphic disorder. They're obsessed. I'll never forget one young man who came to me for a scar on his face. He insisted that he had this awful acne scar. I looked through my [magnifying glass] but found nothing there. He was totally focused on it.
The worst thing for me to do would be to operate. Because afterward he would have had a real scar.
Do you think plastic surgery is distorting what is considered attractive? For example, that women should have big, round breasts?
I'm totally against cookie-cutter procedures. But much of this is media-driven. These shows on TV have done a disservice to what I do for a living. For instance, the show on MTV I Want a Famous Face, where someone tries to look like Britney Spears—that's insane.
Your big love outside of work is art. It's not tough to see the connection between that interest and your job.
I work with the ultimate medium, if you think about it. People always ask, "What's your favorite procedure?" My favorite is a rhinoplasty because it's truly artistic.

187kph beauty queen escapes drive ban

Miss Limerick 2010 Gemma Reilly

A beauty queen clocked by gardai driving at 187kph escaped a driving ban after a judge praised her honesty.

Gemma Reilly - crowned Miss Limerick in 2010 - was fined €500 after pleading guilty to speeding on the Ennis to Gort motorway on March 3.
Reilly of Riverpoint Apartments, Lower Mallow Street, Limerick, entered the plea after being clocked driving her mother's Mercedes 220 at 187kph in a 120kph zone at Srangalloon, Co Clare.
Ms Reilly told the court: "I agree with the garda's evidence that I was speeding."
At Ennis District Court, Judge Patrick Durcan asked Reilly to go into the witness box "and tell me why you were driving at 187km per hour".
She said that her orthodontist is based in Galway "and I was extremely late for an appointment. I was driving my mother's car and didn't realise how fast I was going".
She said: "I'm usually very diligent. I drive a 1.4 Golf myself. I have never been speeding before."
He fined Ms Reilly €500 for the speeding offence and said: "I am not disqualifying you from holding a driver's licence because you have been absolutely honest in how you have dealt with the matter and I want to commend you on that.
"I must penalise you by virtue of the speed you were travelling at. If I had detected any element of dishonesty in your evidence I would have disqualified you, but I must say I found your honesty refreshing. Thank you."

Irish Independent

12 beauty tips you could try

(12 beauty tips you could…)

Youngsters share some homemade remedies that worked for them.
Mangesh K, an MBA student says he doesn't really have the time for intense maintenance, but admits that once in a while he likes to try out a thing or two to beat the stressed look. "I have tried raw egg and curd on my hair. Egg has protein and curd acts as a moisturiser. I can't really vouch for it though. He adds with a grin, "Yeah but I know of this Ramdev baba thing of rubbing your nails together for keeping your hair black. An aged accountant in my company has been doing this for quite some time and his hair started going black from grey!"

Sapna Arora, a customer care associate feels olive oil works wonders on her tresses. "Every time I oil my hair it has to be with olive oil. Now I can tell you it is no lie that olive oil promotes hair growth and locks hair fall."
Amit Dua, an actor, invests considerable time looking good the natural way, and why not he says, "my profession demands it. I wash my hair with beer at least once in two months and you can see the effect yourself."
Deepika Hariani prefers to cleanse herself within for that outer glow and beautiful skin. "I prefer drinking honey with lime water for its numerous benefits. Spinach juice is also a very regular morning drink I indulge in. And mind you, I get regular compliments for my glowing skin", she says with a wink.
Aastha K, a client servicing executive, regularly hunts for beauty tips in women's magazines. She shares a tried and tested formula, "I suggest all my friends to try the neem face pack. All that needs to be done is quash the neem leaves and cucumber together and refrigerate it for sometime. Apply and wash it off after 15 minutes. Regular application will assure you a pimple free skin."
Honey Chandiramani, a stylist, believes outer beauty is equally important. She emphasises, "an oily skin and Mumbai's pollution can get the worst of you. My way out was multani matti, my mom's remedy which is really low maintenance with extraordinary results. Multani matti, rose water and saffron pack once a week really helps an oily skin like mine."
Amrita S, a PR executive suggests, "fresh cream (malai), Pinch of turmeric powder (haldi), saffron (kesar), all diluted in rose water makes an excellent pack for clear, glowing skin."
Ather, a medical student has had a troublesome 'hair-hood' as he puts it, until he tried henna (mehendi) on his hair. "My grandmother suggested that once I try it, apparently to keep my head cool. Well, according to her it didn't really work to cool down my temper but it turned my unruly mop into soft and manageable hair."
Kunjal Karaniya, a law student likes her to pamper herself and indulges in a lot of home remedies for her great hair and clear skin and she always has an advice for everyone. Animatedly she suggests, "hey, winters will be any time soon. Make sure you apply ghee on your lips every night to keep them soft."
Esha Maker, a client servicing executive likes to maintain long nails but doesn't have the time for regular manicures. "I rub my nails with lemon slices every opportunity I get. It adds to the needed shine and the nails look bright."

10 tips to get rid of under eye puffiness

 Do you feel old and tired because of your eyes? It is really hard to feel fresh and alert when your eyes are tired and droopy, because of those annoying bags under them. They are a sign of stress and fatigue

Fret not as Asian Roots Luxury Spa, Delhi, has come up with some totally handy and effective tips to get rid of under eye bags and dark circles.

1. Go potato: Slice a raw potato (after refrigerating for a couple of minutes) into two and circle the closed eyes gently with those halves. Place it on your eyes so that it also covers the puffed ares under your eyes and leave it like that for 15-20 minutes. You'll notice a tremendous change in those bags as they'll be diminished in size.
2. Milky way: If you have extremely puffed up eyes this is the regular regime that you will have to follow. Dip cotton pads in chilled milk and place on your eyelids and relax for 20-30 minutes. This well help your eyes in water retention and it would also cool them off .

(10 tips to get rid of under…)

3. Oily help: Take chilled water in a bowl and add a few drops of vitamin E oil to it, now mix the two well. Dip cotton pads in this mixture and place on the eyes for 20 minutes, this well help in reducing the swelling around the eyes.
4. Cucumber relief: Cucumbers are a fantastic natural remedy to get rid of under eye puffiness. Take 2 slices of fresh refrigerated cucumber and place it on your eyes for 25 minutes. Relax with the cool soothing slices over your eyes and slip into a short nap, it will help refresh your mind as well as your eyes, and the anti-inflammatory properties of the cool cucumber will naturally help reduce puffy tissues.
5. Chilled tea bags: If you are in a hurry and do not want to go with droopy eyes then teabags are the way to go. Moisten two tea bags in cold water and refrigerate them for a while. Then place them over your eyes for 25-30 minutes. Lie back and relax with the cool teabags over your eyes. Finish by washing your eyes and face with cold water, and dry your skin thoroughly. You would feel relaxed and rejuvenated.
6. Of spoons and iced water: The puffiness of the eyes can be reduced with the help of a glass of ice water and four stainless steel spoons. Chill the spoons in the water and then place one over each eye. Keep switching the spoons while letting the other one chill in the glass of water. Keep switching until you see improvement.
8. Egg white: Stiffly beat a few egg whites and apply it around your eyes with a brush. It will result in making the area around and under the eye feel tighter and look less puffy. Leave it on for 20 minutes and then rinse your face in cold water.
9. Green tea bag: Settle down for 10-15 minutes with a chilled, steeped chamomile or green tea bag over each eye and then relax. The natural properties of these herbal teas will help bring puffy eyes back to their original size.

10. Hydrate your body: Drink as much water as possible. Yes, it seems counter-intuitive when you are retaining water, but hydrating reduces puffiness. So drink a glass of water whenever you notice your eyes getting a little droopy.

Giving women with breast cancer a shorter course of radiotherapy may be BETTER, study finds

Women with breast cancer get as much benefit from three weeks of radiotherapy treatment as from the international standard five-week course, research has found.
And fewer trips to hospital mean patients suffer less fatigue.
The ‘less is more’ regime can generate cost savings for the NHS and paves the way for research that could see treatment time fall further to just one week’s radiotherapy.

While relapse rates for women on the shorter course were the same as those on the longer one, the damage caused to healthy tissue was far less

The shorter course of 15 treatments was adopted by many British hospitals in 2008, but doubts remained about longer-term benefits.

BOWEL TEST COULD CUT DEATHS

Two out of five bowel cancers could be prevented if older people had colonoscopy screening every ten years, say researchers.
The procedure allows a doctor to look inside the colon, or large bowel, for cancerous growths using a long flexible tube.
A new study suggests it is the most effective preventive measure against a cancer that is diagnosed in 41,000 Britons each year and which kills 16,000.
The research by Harvard School of Public Health studied 1,815 cases of colorectal cancer and 474 deaths from the disease, as reported in the New England Journal of Medicine.
It found that both colonoscopy and the similar sigmoidoscopy (which uses a smaller tube) were associated with a lower risk of getting colorectal cancer or dying from it.
But only colonoscopy cut the risk for cancers in the proximal or upper part of the colon.
The researchers estimated that if all participants in the study had undergone colonoscopies, 40 per cent of colorectal cancers would have been prevented.

The latest findings, published in The Lancet Oncology journal, build on results from a five-year trial of radiotherapy given to 4,500 British women after surgery for early breast cancer.
The ten-year follow-up confirms the benefits from the earlier trial, including an unexpected small improvement in survival for those on the short course.
It shows the relapse rates of cancer within the same breast are similar to the international standard course, but with significantly less harm to healthy tissue.
‘We’ve shown conclusively that less can be more in breast cancer radiotherapy,’ said chief investigator John Yarnold, professor of clinical oncology at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and honorary consultant at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.
‘Both breast cancer recurrence and the side-effects of radiotherapy can occur many years after treatment, so these long-term results provide an important reassurance that the shorter treatment course is the best option for patients.’
The same team is now setting out to investigate whether even fewer doses of radiotherapy could be just as effective, as part of a new trial of 4,000 women called Fast-Forward.
The trial will compare the new standard 15-dose course of radiotherapy treatment, delivered over three weeks, with an even shorter five-dose course, over one week.

 

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Kate Law, director of clinical trials at Cancer Research UK, which funded the latest research, said: ‘What’s really exciting is that as a result of this trial women are already benefiting from the added physical and emotional wellbeing of needing fewer hospital visits for their treatment.

Four out of five women who find a lump and have surgery also undergo radiotherapy treatment

‘Minimising the long-term side effects of treatment is becoming increasingly important as more cancer patients live longer.’
At present, radiotherapy is offered to all women who have breast conserving surgery – around 30,000 a year – where just the lump is removed rather than the whole breast.
Four out of five have treatment which kills any remaining tumour cells in the breast.
Sally Greenbrook, of Breakthrough Breast Cancer charity, said: ‘Many UK hospitals have already adopted this shorter regime, and this study confirms that the NHS is providing the best possible care to UK patients.’