Dorinda Medley’s Rebel Rebel Tee at Her Apartment

Real Housewives of New York Season 12 Episode 2 Fashion

Although Dorinda Medley may object to having writing featured on her body, she thankfully does not object to having it featured on a cute t-shirt like this “Rebel Rebel” tee she wore while packing for the Hamptons on this week’s episode of the Real Housewives of New York. Which in our opinions we think could act as the perfect source of inspiration if she ever does decide to stamp it up. 

Fashionably,

Faryn

Zoe Karssen Tee Sold Out at Bandier

Originally posted at: Dorinda Medley’s Rebel Rebel Tee

By now we
know that chronic diseases make the COVID-19 infection (caused by the
Coronavirus) worse.

It is obvious
why something like asthma could complicate COVID-19. If you have heart disease
that is severe enough to cause a breathing problem or to require a diuretic,
that makes some sense too. But what about diabetes? Or high blood pressure?

In China, the
reported fatality rate in patients who reported no other health conditions is
0.9%. It is 10.5% for those with cardiovascular disease, 7.3% for those with
diabetes, 6.3% for people with chronic respiratory diseases, such as COPD or
asthma, and 6.0% for people with high blood pressure. This data poses a very
important question.

Why Are Heart Disease
and Diabetes More Dangerous Than Lung Disease?

Doctors
already know that some chronic diseases go together, sometimes in surprising
ways. For example, people with Type II diabetes are more likely to have heart
disease than people with obesity but no diabetes, and three times as likely to
have heart disease than people who have no other chronic disease.

We also know
that other coronavirus influenzas, like SARS and MERS, also have more severe
symptoms if their sufferers had some other chronic disease, even if it doesn’t
seem directly related to lung disease.

People who
catch avian flu (H7N9) and have an additional chronic disease, are 3.4 times
more likely to need ventilators and other intensive care than patients with
avian flu but no other disease.

So, there seems
to be a relationship between certain chronic diseases and 3 other
kinds of severe influenza, as well as COVID-19.

The diseases and
conditions that have been shown to make COVID-19 more severe include:

• Heart
  disease
• Diabetes
• Chronic
  lung disease (such as COPD) or moderate to severe asthma
• High
  blood pressure
• Smoking
• Severe
  obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 40 or higher)
• Chronic
  kidney disease
• Liver
  disease such as hepatitis B
• Anything
  that can weaken the immune system.

And of course, age is a contributor too.

What Is the Connection?

Two problems common for all of the above conditions are chronic low
level inflammation and changes in the immune system. In addition, many are
associated with diet and other lifestyle factors.

Inflammation Is a Healthy Response

Normally, inflammation is part of the healing process. It is
associated with pain and swelling of the affected areas. Cytokines, the
chemical messengers produced by immune cells, surround those cells and guide
their responses. They stimulate white blood
cells to multiply.

The cells then move in to clean up dead and dying tissue and fight
off germs. Damaged areas are patched with connective tissue if the natural tissue
can’t re-grow.

Various cytokines cause fluids to leak into the area, allowing
more white cells to get to the damaged tissues and nutrients to stimulate
faster healing. Other cytokines end this process when it is no longer needed.

Once healing is accomplished, things go back to normal, white
cells go back to where they are needed, cytokine types change and numbers
decrease, fluids decrease, and the process ends.

What’s Different When Inflammation Is Chronic?

But with chronic inflammation, you have some version of this happening
all the time, all over the body. White cells become trigger-happy. They go
where they are not needed and may attack normal cells.

Excess connective tissue may be laid down, causing fibrosis
(similar to scar tissue) of a body organ, interfering with organ function and
sometimes (especially in the liver and kidney) causing organ failure.

The lining of blood vessels gets stiffer, leading to high blood
pressure. In addition, some areas in the blood vessels develop fatty deposits,
which can eventually clog one or more blood vessels in the heart. Blood is more
likely to clot in those areas, making strokes and heart attacks a great concern.

So, inflammation creates substances that cause inflammation, which
then creates more substances that cause more inflammation – in a never-ending loop.

How Does Inflammation Start?

For some conditions, the beginning of inflammation is pretty
obvious: “hepatitis” literally means “inflammation of the liver,” and one
common cause is hepatitis B. Cigarette smoke is famous for causing inflammation
of the lungs.

Abdominal Fat

But others aren’t so obvious. For example, it used to be thought
that fat just sat there in your body, storing up calories, and not much else.
But now we know that fat (especially abdominal fat) is involved in increasing inflammation,
leading to a higher tendency for blood clot formation and atherosclerosis.

Abdominal fat also stimulates the liver to make C-reactive protein,
which leads to creating the type of cytokines that stimulate more inflammation.

Excess Sugar

Excess carbohydrates in the diet interact with fat cells to
decrease adiponectin (a protective fat hormone). When adiponectin declines, we
see increased blood sugar levels plus insulin resistance which leads to Type II
diabetes. We also see coronary
artery calcification and stroke.

When blood sugar is too high, in metabolic syndrome or in
diabetes, it starts combining with proteins and fats to form abnormal molecules
called Advanced Glycation End-products or AGEs, especially in the walls of
blood vessels. These accumulate and also contribute to hardening of the
arteries.

AGEs attract the type of white blood cells which contribute to the
inflammatory process. AGEs also stimulate chemical loops that keep producing
more AGEs and more inflammation.

Inflammation Can Spread Throughout the Body

Similar processes happen in other organs of the body, causing the
signs we label as ‘separate diseases’.

In those other organs, various by-products of inflammation can
start a loop, producing more inflammatory products, which cause further
inflammation, and so on. These products in one part of the body can easily get
transferred to other parts of the body, contributing to a disease process
there.

Since this transfer is less dramatic than a normal response to
infection or injury, you are usually not aware of it happening until an organ
weakens. It’s easy, then, to see how chronic inflammation leads to a weakened
immune system.

What’s an Old Immune System?

Up to 80% of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 have a low white
blood cell count. Combine that effect of the virus with a system that is not working
well anyway, and it can really shut off a body’s defense system.

An old immune system does not work as well. Less antibodies are
produced. Different cells in the immune system don’t “talk” to each other as
much. Their signals are not as clear, more like mumbling rather than actual
words.

When a new disease organism tries to invade, the defense cells
multiply, but total numbers aren’t as high as they used to be. Natural killer
cells are more like natural injury cells. The white blood cells that clean up
dead cells and debris aren’t as active.

But the age of your immune system does not necessarily match your
chronological age. Middle-aged people can have an old immune system, and older
people can have a younger immune system.

It depends in part on your lifestyle and health habits. So does
the severity of any chronic disease that you may have.

What Can a Person Do to Decrease Inflammation?

There are cytokines that can decrease inflammation. White blood
cells are affected by their environment, which is affected by your diet and
lifestyle. The life cycle of white cells in the blood is just a few weeks long,
so you can affect the “age” of your immune system pretty quickly.

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in sugar can favorably affect this balance and decrease chronic
inflammation.

Intestinal health also plays a part. A leaky gut wall can allow
bacteria to leak into the bloodstream, forcing the immune system to be on guard
constantly. Prebiotics and probiotics plus avoiding gluten (even if you don’t
think you have a problem) can help with this issue.

Stress and lack of sleep can weaken the immune system and increase
chronic inflammation. If you stop watching the news in the evening, you are less
likely to be stressed at night and should find it easier to fall asleep.
Meditation in the morning can help as well.

Laughter actually strengthens the immune system. You can watch old
comedies. Play games that make you laugh. Tell knock-knock jokes. Make puns. Subscribe
to daily email jokes.

Finally, exercise can help your immune system and cut down inflammation. Isometrics are a form of strength
exercise you can do in your home. Anything you can do to raise your heart rate,
like jumping in place or stepping on and off of a step, will help with aerobic
capacity. And yoga helps relax your mind and body.

So, there are things you can do to lessen the effects of aging and
chronic disease. All can be done in your home without having to worry about
social distancing. And all of them will benefit you for the rest of your life!

Have you been tempted to eat more desserts in times of stress? Do
you have a chronic disease that could affect your resistance to coronavirus? What
will you do to help your immune system turn younger? What are your favorite
ways to decrease stress? Please share with the community and let’s have a
conversation!

Disclaimer: This
article is not intended to provide medical advice. Please consult with your
doctor to get specific medical advice for your situation.

I’d argue that no ingredient exfoliates and smoothes the skin better than retinol. Beyond that, the vitamin A derivative also delivers a host of other benefits, by virtue of the fact that it boosts cell turnover which helps expedite the removal of dead skin cells, which then leads to fewer breakouts and a brighter complexion. Having one in your routine seems like a no-brainer, right? Au contraire: there are many retinol options out there including vegan retinol products for those who have skin that doesn’t exactly thrive through the tingles.

The tingles I’m talking about are what come with traditional retinol products; a slight or not-so-slight sting that lets you know retinol has made contact with your skin and begun its exfoliating process. For some, it’s NBD and hardly inspires a flinch. But for those with sensitive skin, it hurts like hell and ends up doing more harm than good.

Thankfully, there are plenty of serums and moisturizers made with retinol alternatives like bakuchiol or products made with all-natural ingredients that help ease the delivery of traditional retinol into the skin. If you want the smoothing benefits of retinol sans irritation, here are some of the best vegan retinol options to choose from.

Aya Natural.

Aya Natural Pure Nurture Serum

The brand that believes that “if an ingredient cannot be eaten, it should never be used to treat the skin” is responsible for this 100% natural dark spot corrector made with olive oil-derived retinol.

Buy: Aya Natural Pure Nurture Serum $31.98

Biossance.

Biossance Squalane + Phyto-Retinol Serum

For firmer, brighter and balanced skin, use this lightweight serum made bakuchiol, a retinol alternative that delivers the same level of smoothing and brightening benefits.

Drunk Elephant.

Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream

One of DE’s most popular products is this night cream, formulated with one percent vegan retinol to diminish the look of sun damage, dark spots and more.

Buy: Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream $74

GoPure Actives.

GoPure Actives Firm + Lift Serum

Both retinol and the retinol alternative bakuchiol are included in this botanical-rich (geranium, aloe vera, white tea and more) serum for smoother-looking skin and diminishing the appearance of wrinkles.

Buy: GoPure Actives Firm + Lift Serum $35.99

Herbivore.

Herbivore Bakuchiol Retinol Alternative Smoothing Serum

This jelly-like serum may be vegan but it’s infused with a heavy hitter list of ingredients for exfoliation and hydration: bakuchiol, poly-hydroxy acids, and blueberry stem cells, to name a few.

Buy: Herbivore Bakuchiol Retinol Alternative Smoothing Serum $54

Josie Maran.

Josie Maran Argan Beta-Retinoid Pink Algae Serum

A truly innovative product, this skin serum includes pink algae which so happens to be rich in beta carotene that converts to retinol upon contact with the skin.

OleHenriksen.

OleHenriksen Goodnight Glow Retin-ALT Sleeping Creme

Besides the Truth Serum, one of OleHenriksen’s most iconic products is this multi-beneficial night cream infused with bakuchiol, glycolic and lactic acids, and red algae extract for firmer and smoother skin.

REN Skincare.

REN Bio Retinoid Anti-Wrinkle Concentrate Oil

In addition to 100 percent naturally-derived vitamin A, this soothing night oil is also infused with vegetable and plant extract oils to ease irritation often associated with retinol.

Buy: REN Bio Retinoid Anti-Wrinkle Concentrate Oil $39.50

Sunday Riley.

Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil

Instead of retinol, this luxe overnight oil is made with esters of retinol to increase elasticity and decrease fine lines without irritating the skin.

The Inkey List.

The Inkey List Bakuchiol Moisturizer

This plant-derived and antioxidant-rich daily moisturizer delivers the exfoliating properties of bakuchiol and the moisturizing benefits of squalane and Sacha Inchi oil.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Sonja Morgan’s White Lace Top

Season 12 Episode 3 Real Housewives of New York Fashion

Sonja Morgan looked summery and feminine in her white lace top hanging out with Tinsley Mortimer and Leah McSweeney in a meeting of the blondes. In their conversation we learned that Sonja won’t be having sex with Leah McSweeney so there goes that storyline.

I thought this whole tattoo shaming sitch was quite interesting because I too have a tramp stamp that my husband would kill for me to get removed, which I refuse to based on principal. And I really haven’t wanted another one for quite some time until I saw Leah’s Chanel tattoo which I’m a little obsessed with. So while her tattoos are turning some of the NY Wives off, she may just have sold me on hers as quickly as Sonja sold me on her shirt.

The Realest Housewife,

Big Blonde Hair

Click Here To Shop Her Sonja by Sonja Morgan White Elsy Lace Top

Originally posted at: Sonja Morgan’s White Lace Top