Ok ladies, listen up. If there is *anything* that most women have in common, it is the following:
1) we want to look the best we can - for ourselves, for our mates, just because
2) we're suckers for a slick marketing/advertising campaign
3) we're too busy caring for and worrying about everyone else to pamper ourselves properly
Now....I don't know about the rest of ya'll but I can neither AFFORD all the crap that is advertised nowdays as the next 'miraculous' beauty treatment nor do I have the time to apply/use them all.
So, where is the common sense approach in all of this? And just so everyone knows, every single thing I suggest here I started doing and managed to KEEP doing. I'm as bad as the next working/busy mom - I do and do and do and fall into bed remembering all I didn't get done - and doing for myself rarely makes the 'done' list.
Let's take it step by step....
Ok, let's start with the basics - Health and Nutrition!
1) Water - well, this is simple - drink plenty of it. This is a challenge for me because I'd MUCH rather be drinking a cup of strong coffee! But, my goal every day is to drink a minimum of 4 16 oz bottles of water.
2) This may seem like it's ridiculous, but it's not. Laughter. Laughter is the best medicine, right? Research has shown health benefits of laughter ranging from strengthening the Immune System to reducing food cravings to increasing one's threshold for pain. There's even an emerging therapeutic field known as humor therapy to help people heal more quickly, among other things. Humor also has several important stress relieving benefits.
a) Laughter actually gives our bodies a good workout. Laughter can be a terrific workout for your diaphragm, abdominal, respiratory, facial, leg, and back muscles. It massages abdominal organs, tones intestinal functioning, and strengthens muscles that hold the abdominal organs in place. Not only does laughter give your midsection a workout, it can benefit digestion and absorption functioning as well. It is estimated that hearty laughter can burn calories equivalent to several minutes on the rowing machine or the exercise bike.
b) Laughter lowers blood pressure. People who laugh heartily on a regular basis have lower standing blood pressure than the average person. When people have a good laugh, initially the blood pressure increases, but then it decreases to levels below normal. Breathing then becomes deeper which sends oxygen enriched blood and nutrients throughout the body.
c) Laughter protects the heart. Laughter, along with an active sense of humor, may help protect you against a Heart Attack, according to the study at the University of Maryland Medical Center (cited above). The study, which is the first to indicate that laughter may help prevent Heart Disease, found that people with Heart Disease were 40 percent less likely to laugh in a variety of situations compared to people of the same age without Heart Disease.
If you can't find anything to laugh about, well, just stop a minute to think of a world where women went on strike and men had to assume our roles/duties! Now THAT would be tragically hilarious!
2) Ease up on caffeinated beverages. This is another toughie for me because of the love of coffee I mentioned above, but also because my #2 favorite drink is Coca-Cola (hey, at least I'm honest about it!). So, what I'm doing is replacing 3 cups of coffee or 3 glasses of coke (or combination of) with 3 cups of Green Tea sweetened with honey. I do love Green Tea - and the benefits of Green Tea are impressive. Want to read about those?
3) Eat breakfast. Now, I HATE eating breakfast - I'm never hungry and if I eat a large breakfast I become nauseated. But, when I eat nothing, I end up going hours on ONLY coffee and then binge eat like a starving, rabid person. The way I've solved this? I bought generic Ensure (chocolate flavor, of course) and drink one of those each morning. It gives me something substantial AND gives me some protein. I've actually lost weight doing this, even without changing any other part of my lifestyle.
4) Eat brightly colored fruits and vegetables. Substitute snacks of cookies or chips with an apple, fresh broccoli sprinkled with Olive Oil and Lemon, a spinach salad, etc. You get the idea.
5) Cut down on anything with high Saturated Fat (fried foods!) and refined flours and eat more fish (especially Alaskan Salmon), turkey and chicken. Diet IS linked to Acne - no matter what the 'experts' may say.
6) Take your Vitamins. Of course, we could make a list 3 miles long of so-called 'amazing' Supplements, right? Well, I have three goals with my supplements: 1) general good health 2) heart health (Heart Disease runs in my family) and 3) beauty.
Here's what I take:
1) A solid Multi-Vitamin will help you get all of the nutrients, Vitamins and Minerals you may need. Although, remember, the best way to get what your body needs is by eating right!
2) Alpha Lipoic Acid - Alpha Lipoic Acid, also known as lipoic acid is a powerful, natural antioxidant slowly becoming recognized as having some unique properties in the therapy and prevention of a broad range of diseases. We have all heard the term "free radicals" in connection with youth and aging. Antioxidants are what help battle these free radicals and keep us healthier and younger looking.
3) Hair, Skin and Nails by Rexall (great Multi-Vitamin specifically for hair, skin and nails that includes Biotin!)
4) Fish Oil - 2000 mg a day - great for heart and for soft skin and terrific source of Omega-3s
5) Flax Oil - 1000 mg a day
6) Vitamin B-Complex - Over 60 different bodily enzymes require vitamin B6 to perform properly. In addition, vitamin B12 relies upon its B cousin for assistance in adequate absorption into our bodies. Vitamin B6 promotes healthy skin and hair; therefore, it is not surprising that a B6 deficiency could easily lead to a skin disorder. I personally love No Shot B-12 and B-6 by Superior Source.
7) DMAE - DMAE can lift ones mood level to a more positive side, counter depression and bad moods, and raise and improve cognitive functions (such as memory and Concentration), DMAE can even increase intelligence. Physician's closely watching patients on DMAE have reported that such people are more. upbeat, and have greater positive mental acuity. Also, people taking it often, have reported sleeping deeper and having much more energy when awake. Finally, one of the most promising DMAE benefits is that it promotes healthy skin, by stopping the process of arachidonic acid being manufactured, which is a substance that can lead to Wrinkles and aging of the skin. Because of these purposes, the nutrient can be taken internally as nutritional supplement or applied orally through certain creams.
8) Cod Liver Oil - Healthy skin, Strong bones and teeth, Healthy joints, A healthy Cardiovascular system, A healthy nervous system and prevention of depression and other mood disorders, A healthy lining for your digestive tract
In Part 2 of Natural Beauty on a Budget - Dry Skin Brushing and Body Detox for Beautiful Skin!
Dee Braun, a single mom of 6 kids, is a Certified Aromatherapist, Certified Dr. of Reflexology and a natural health practitioner. You can visit her at NaturallyBeautiful.Me - http://www.naturallybeautiful.me/ - where you can find helpful information on natural and effective skincare treatments to help battle the ravages of time, toxins and stress as well as address many common skincare problems.
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