So one day at the Lancome counter in Macy's, the representative introduced to me to Lancome Genefique. I took home some of the serum samples and loved it, it didn't make me break out and made my skin so soft and refined. When I went online to see how much an ounce of this stuff was, it was $80. I went back and told her there was no way I would buy an eighty dollar serum, so she said to try L'Oreal Paris products. Although the Youth Code products make me break out, the Serum Intense by Youth Code didn't react that way. I looked up the ingredients and it's almost the exact same product as Lancome Genefique Youth Serum, only $60 less! Check it out. (L'Oreal Paris Youth Code Serum Intense was found at Target for $20 in the same size)
To remind everyone, I'm 24 years old. I have very oily skin, and am trying to find products that can keep my skin youthful and healthy for as long as I can. I decided to buy the Aveeno Active Naturals Positively Ageless Complete Starter Regimen. This stuff made my skin break out like no other. I did it for another week to make sure it wasn't my skin just detoxing, and then went back to my Body Shop Tea Tree line, and my face cleared in two days. I went back to Aveeno just to make sure, and sure enough two days later I was broken out. Maybe I shouldn't have purchased something for aging skin since I'm so oily! LOL. But for those of you out there who were thinking of it and have oily skin, stay away. I am planning on trying other Aveeno products, and will review them when I do. Check often.
Want to look younger and more awake? Try these tips for pampering tired eyes.
Intensify - If you love smoky, sultry eyes but don't have the patience to apply layers of dark shadow, here's a low-effort way to smolder. Arm yourself with two soft eye pencils in shimmery, complementary tones like copper and cocoa. Ones that are soft enough to draw smoothly on the back of your hand.
Starting directly above your pupil, gently but firmly drag the flat side of the lighter pencil - not the tip - along the lash line toward the outer corner of the eye. Return to the middle and do the same thing going toward your nose. Then, with an angled shadow brush (MAC 266 $20) blur the stripe in both directions to create a hazy look.
To turn it up a notch for a night out, wiggle the darker pencil into the roots of upper and lower lashes to give the illusion of fuller fringe. Then swipe the lighter liner along lower lashes and blink firmly three to five times. You'll end up with a subtle bottom-lid smudge, not raccoon eyes. Try Maybelline NY Line Express ($6) for intentional smudging.
Volumize - It's tempting to ignore tiny lower lashes, but giving them some extra attention adds instant impact. Now it's easy too, thanks to new mascaras designed to make the most of the paltry bottom fringe - without producing the dreaded spider effect. The smaller brushes are great for touching up any fine hairs your go-to wand misses. Try Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara ($10).
Anyone trying the 'Snob Diet' yet? I can't rave enough about it. I'm never hungry anymore and my pants get looser every week! I got my boyfriend on it and its motivated him to lay off the Diet Coke and drink way more water since all his flavor is coming from the rich, high quality foods I've been cooking.
Here are some easy rules to follow when trying to stave off your junk food cravings:
Avoid Your Triggers - Spend your day thinking about where you are and what you're doing when a craving hits. Does it hit when you drive past the Mcdonald's or Starbucks? Take an alternate route through a residential area instead of commercial. Try to change one trigger at a time, though.
Take Control - Develop strategies for the triggers you can't avoid. For example, if someone brings cupcakes to work, resolve this issue by splitting one with a co worker or just taking a few bites.
Stick to a Schedule - Aim to eat only at set meal and snack times, about every four hours to help prevent mindless grazing.
Get Some Satisfaction - If you bring a salad for lunch every day, it's no wonder you're likely to ditch it for pizza. Include indulgences a few times a week, but keep portions reasonable. Packing a few cookies to satisfy your need for something sweet is a better strategy than depriving yourself until you rebel and eat a huge sundae.
Derek Degrazio toured with Britney Spears to keep her in-shape during the Femme Fatale tour. Britney is a southern girl at heart that is known for her guilty pleasure snacking from Cheetos to Starbucks Frappuccinos. This guy Derek is gold. He doesn't make you guess on things to do, he tells you exactly what to do to get your life back on track. Below is an interview he does and gives the absolute basics on things to keep you motivated and some workouts to get you started that he put Britney on for the past year. For Britney's Circus Tour, it was a low carb diet and no fuit or juices. Berries and melons allowed. Four to five small meals a day, and combining fats, proteins and complex carbs together to keep metabolism strong and fast. You can find him on facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/ddegrazio.
Oatmeal and Eggs - Ultimate fat fighter.
Almond butter, cottage cheese and cinnamon spread onto rice cakes.
Metabolism bumper, fat dumper.
Dinner.
Call it natural plastic surgery: The new, super-effective moves that celeb trainers are using to precision-sculpt star's bodies. What's better, cheaper and far less painful than plastic surgery? Exercise, duh. Celebrity trainers believe results can be as effective as a tummy tuck or even liposuction. Below are a few moves you can do in your living room.
For Your Butt Bridge Series - Lie on back, knees bent and pressed together. Feet on floor, arms by sides. Lift hips off the floor as high as you can, pause, and then lower slowly. Do this 20 times. Repeat again with your knees at shoulder length apart. Do three sets a week. Booty-Lifting Trinity - While standing, lower into a squat. As you come back up, take a giant step right and bend the knee you're stepping with and keep your left leg straight. Push off right heel and return to start. Step right foot forward and lunge, bending both knees about 90 degrees and return to start. Switch sides and repeat with left leg. Do two sets of ten reps three days a week.
For Your Tummy Double Leg Raise - Lie on back with hands under butt. Lift legs straight up toward ceiling with your knees slightly bent. Pull belly button toward spine and slowly lower legs to six inches off the ground. Keep your lower back on the ground at all times. Do this fifteen times without taking a break, and repeat that set again. Hip Thrust - Lie on back with legs raised straight up to the ceiling, arms by sides, palms down. Push belly button in, and lift hips several inches off the floor, aiming toes toward ceiling. Get hips as high off ground as you can without pressing hands into floor to help you. Lower butt to ground; do two sets of fifteen reps.
For Your Muffin Top Windmill - Stand with feet shoulder width apart. Extend right arm overhead and left arm by side; while looking up at right hand, bend left hand toward floor. Pause, rise back up and repeat ten times. Do the same for the opposite side. Do three sets a day, three days a week. Waist Rotation - Stand with feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent. Extend arms in front of chest, press palms together. Twist torso left, then right as quickly as you can while keeping your lower body and hips still. Continue twisting thirty times on each side. Do three sets a day, three times a week.
These simple moves were given by trainers who work with Britney Spears, Gisele Bundchen, Jessica Alba and Halle Berry.
*Britney was caught many years ago using a diet pill known as Zantrex-3.*
Here is a sample of what Derek and Britney did on the Femme Fatale tour.
Bobby Strom used to be Britney's trainer back in the early days of her career. This is his ab workout that was used with Britney to prepare her for awards shows and photo shoots.
Britney Spears shares her situp routine with Ellen. Skip to 4:25 to jump to the details.
Spray tan, Spray tan, Spray tan!
Britney's Face
Britney has picked many products as her fave over the years. After some research, here are three I found.
Britney likes using Christian Dior and MAC makeup.
Britney's Smokey Eye
There is no "one way" to do the smokey eye. There are many versions of it, and in my opinion, when done right are all beautiful. The look I'm going to help you achieve in this article is the smokey eye of Britney Spears, in the photo to the right. All the products used are from MAC Cosmetics. Please do your eyes before applying foundation. Working with dark shadows causes fall out that you often have to clean up, causing you to have to fix your foundation. If it seems that there are a lot of steps, it is because I'm trying to be as thorough as possible.
1. If you are going to use an eye cream, make sure it is a light eye cream formulated for under eye makeup. Use sparingly so that it doesn't interfere with the blending and longevity of your makeup application. MAC's Fast Response Eye Cream is a good choice.
2. Now let's start with a good base so that your eyes will stay smoldering all day and night! Use Prep n Prime Eye in a choice that suits your skin tone. Apply it sparingly from lashline up to your brows with either your finger, or a synthetic brush such, you want to apply either a paint or paint pot. With lighter to medium skintones such as Britney's, I like to use Bare Canvas in the paint or Bare Study in the paint pot. With darker skintones Bamboom in the paint and Groundwork in the paint pot are good choices. You want to apply a small amount of either of these shades all over lid from lash line to brows in quick strokes so that it doesn't dry before you've finished! Next, take a tad of the product and apply just under the bottom lash lines. This step is CRUCIAL in keeping your eyeshadow on and helping you to blend!
3. With your finger search for your crease by feeling for your eye socket. using the 217 brush and a warm brown eyeshadow (try corduroy), apply eyeshadow in a "windshield wiping" motion, back and forth into your crease and above staying away from the area just under your browbone. I like to switch from the "wind shield wipe" motion to little circles to make sure it's nice and blended. Use a lighter brown such as Soft brown or Malt to soften the line of your darker brown shadow by softly blending right on top of the edge of your darker brown. This is to ensure that you don't have any harsh lines.
4. Take a light creme colour base such as Pearl and with your finger, or once again the 242 brush, apply a tad (and I mean a tad!) of it on the inner half of your eyelid. Do not go into the crease with this, doing so can cause creasing. Take a nice silvery color such as Silver Pigment or Electra, and using the 242 brush, pat the shadow on top of the creme colour base going just up to the crease. The creme colour base underneath the shadow will not only help the shadow to stick but will also help to create that beautiful bright shade as seen on the inner corner of Britney's eye!
5. Okay, next is the trickier part. Take a short yet full bristled brush that is stiff, such as the 213 brush, and pick up some product from a black shadow (Carbon). On the outer part of your eye between your crease and the end of your upper lash line, create a "sideways v" with the point of the v pointing outward using the tip of your brush (as seen in the photo). Don't brush this on, pat in on. This will help deposit the color. Now take your 217 brush and, just barely tapping into the black shadow, place the brush on the v and start blending a bit in a circular motion right over the v. Without picking up any more product take your brush in the crease all the way to the inner part of your eye in the "windshield wiping" motion . Repeat this entire step as needed to obtain the amount of darkness that Britney has, or that you feel comfortable with. Try not to over blend the outer v though, you want that to be more defined. I always like to start with a little and keep adding until I get my desired affect because it actually looks more blended and pretty this way! After blending is done, pick up some more of your silvery color that you used and pat on the same area as in step four to brighten anything that may have been erased by blending your black shadow. Take a clean brush and dust a tad of a highlight color under the brow, try Naked Lunch. Apply liquid liner (Boot Black) on top of your upper lash line and in your upper water line (makes lashes look fuller!).
6. Take a deep black kohl eyeliner such as smolder or feline. Draw a line on your bottom lash line. It doesn't have to be perfect. Take a pencil brush (219), dip it in black shadow, and making little "erasing" motions buff that black eyeliner out with the black shadow. Repeat as needed to get the desired affect. Take your 217 brush and, without picking up any more product go over what you just did in fast sweeping motions to help buffer it downward a bit. This will create a very pretty smokey affect. If you pay close attention to the photo, you'll see that it goes from being very dark at the lash line and progressively buffs out to a lighter, almost greyish shade. Doing the process above with the right brushes with help create this look.
7. Wipe off our pencil brush, dip into a white shimmery shade such as White Frost and pat it close to your tear duct. Pick up more product and place in the "inner v" of your eye (closest to your nose). Apply a few coats of mascara top and bottom (try Prep n Prime Lash followed by Plush Lash in black). Apply natural looking lashes such as number 4's or 7's with Duo Adhesive. Allow to dry. Apply liquid liner on top of the strip part of the lashes to hide any glue that may be showing.
8. The photo above doesn't include this. But if you want even more drama you can add black liner to the inner water line on the bottom!! And don't forget to do your brows!! You're done!! Enjoy!
If you've ever had Chinese food, you know that shortly after you're done eating, you seem to be more hungry after stuffing yourself. Chinese-American food is full of salt, sugar and refined carbohydrates. We all know refined sugar and carbs are called ' empty calories ' that give you a small boost, but does not give you any real energy to get you through the day. The three things to eat together in every meal to stay full and energetic all day are protein, healthy fats, and fiber. Let's discuss 8 super foods that are high in nutrients and energy.
1. Eggs - One egg is around 70 calories and 6 grams of protein. The average-sized adult needs 50-60 grams of protein in a day, so just one egg in the morning is around 10% of your daily value of protein. One study showed that women who ate eggs for breakfast lost more weight than those who had bagels with the same number of calories.
2. Soup - Foods that contain a lot of water can keep you feeling full. When you start meals with soup, you activate brains signals that begin to tell you that you're starting to get full. So, by the time you eat half of your sandwich, you might want to save the other half for later. One note, stay away from those creamy soups like clam chowder. They pack on twice the amount of fat.
3. Avocados - This super food is packed with healthy monounsaturated fats that can help slow down the speed at which your stomach empties. They also have folate, potassium and vitamin E, which are all linked to satiety.
4. Low-Fat Greek Yogurt - Seventeen grams of protein in a 6oz container is great for hunger control. That's more than 25% of your daily protein!
5. Oatmeal - 4 grams of fiber and 4-7 grams of protein in just half a cup helps keep you full for hours. Toss in blueberries for even more fiber and flavor. Couple it with eggs and you have a very effective fat-fighting meal.
6. Apples - One medium apple is around 80 calories. It also has 4 grams of fiber and lots of the water I mentioned that is also crucial for feeling full.
7. Beans/Lentils - Beans are very high in protein (About 7 grams of it per cup) and complex carbs. Complex carbs take a lot longer to burn and don't give you a sugar crash after eating them. This is also a great way to get your protein without adding cholesterol.
8. Nuts - These have the perfect combination of fiber, protein and fat. Don't eat too much, more than 2 ounces can contain an unhealthy amount of fat for one sitting.
Cookies, Crackers, Croissants - Processed carbs tend to cause hunger to rebound. Whole-grain snacks like air popped popcorn is a great choice.
Alcohol - Booze actually spikes your appetite!
Cereal - Lucky Charms and Fruit Loops are high in sugar and little else. Look for fiber and protein in something like Kashi Go Lean
"Diet" Foods - Some of those Healthy Choice or Lean Cuisine meals don't have enough calories for one meal and definitely not enough fruits or vegetables. I do however like to use these meals for dinner, since lunch should be the biggest meal of your day anyways. Metabolism slows down after about 4pm, and a low calorie dinner is best.
Self Magazine's interview with Jillian Michaels brought up some interesting tips I wanted to share.
Q: When I work on my abs, I never feel it in the lower portion, where I need it most. What am I doing wrong?
A: You are probably relying on exercises, like a traditional sit-up or crunch, that targets mostly the upper part of your abs. Keep in mind that there's really no such thing as 'upper' or 'lower' ab muscles. Each muscle group runs more or less vertically along the length of the abdomen. But you can work the upper or lower portion of a muscle group. To tone the lower part of your abs, try leg raises, reverse crunches or the tried and true tummy toner Hollowman pose: Lie flat on your back, raise your legs and shoulder blades several inches off the floor and 'hollow' out your entire torso, holding the pose for about 30 seconds.
Q: How can I tone my arms without adding to much bulky muscle?
A: It's very difficult for women to gain muscle mass because we don't have the same amount of testosterone as men do. This hormone is needed to bulk up. Additionally, you have to eat a lot of calories to build muscle mass. So feel free to train your way to chiseled perfection. Try tricep dips and push-ups.
Q: I've been cutting calories and exercising daily, but I'm losing only one pound a week. How can I speed it up?
A: A pound a week is great. You can lose up to 2 pounds a week if you make additional changes: Cut back or totally eliminate processed foods. The benefit is multifold. Most processed food has excess calories in the form of saturated and trans fats, refined grains (White bread), sugar and high-fructose corn syrup. The last three in particular aren't filling, have no nutritional value and raise insulin levels, which can make you hungry. Remember the phrase ' empty calories ' ? Studies show that alcohol also promote fat storage, so cutting back on that helps as well. Finally, get eight hours of sleep. People who clock a full night's rest produce more of the fullness hormone leptin and less of the hunger hormone ghrelin. Besides, it's much easier to stick to a healthy diet and workout schedule when you're well-rested.
Be careful what you take for that ache, not all over the counter (OTC) pain meds should be treated the same.
There are two basic choices: Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) which include ibuprofen and naproxen (Advil, Motrin, Aleve) and aspirin. Acetaminophen is best for a fever. NSAIDs are best for pain due to inflammation like joint and muscle aches, headaches and cramps.
On occasion it may be ok to take two pills at once, but try to follow the label's directions. High doses of NSAIDs can cause ulcers and kidney damage and raise blood pressure. Acetaminophen is toxic to the liver. Do not take more than 4,000 mg a day. Taking 3-4 aspirin will not make your pain go away quicker or easier, and if it is, it's all in your mind. That extra pill is causing you liver damage.
Glamour magazine readers vote every year on their favorite products they consider the best in its category. Here they are below.
The Best Body Products - From Drugstores: St. Ives Fresh Skin Invigorating Apricot scrub ($4). This is a three-time winner. A reader says, "Stimulates and de-stresses while delivering smooth skin. And it's budget-friendly." From department stores: Bath & Body Works Signature Collection Body Lotion in Japanese Cherry Blossom ($11). This is also a three-time winner that a user says "Flowery and seductive. It also gets the job done. Even keeps elbows soft."
The Best Self-Tanners - From Drugstores: Jergens Natural Glow Firming Daily Moisturizer ($9). This is a four-time winner. "Get this sun-kissed glow with this moisturizing formula. It's hard to mess up!" From Department Stores: Clarins Self Tanning Instant Gel ($33, clarins.com): Four-time winner. "Perfect for getting a summer tan during fall months. This streak-free stuff has a faithful following."
The Best Eye Creams - From Drugstores: Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum ($19). Five-time winner. "This hides the fact that I never get enough sleep. It definitely helps with puffiness but feels weightless." From Department Stores: Clinique All About Eyes ($47 clinique.com). Five-time winner. "Attacks dark circles, leaving under-eyes refreshed. I got my husband to use it."
The Best Facial Moisturizers - From Drugstores: Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 ($14). Two-time winner "The super light skin saver evens skin tone with no trace of greasiness. Plus, it has sun protection." From Department Stores: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion ($24 clinique.com). Six-time winner. "I would take this on a deserted island."
The Best Wrinkle Fighters - From Drugstores: Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream ($25). First-time winner. "This miracle cream makes small wrinkles disappear. At age 33, I'm usually mistaken for 24." From Department Stores: Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex ($48 esteelauder.com). First-time winner. "In less than a week, this smooths wrinkles. I wake up to glowing skin."
The Best Glosses/Lipsticks - From Drugstores: L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Lipcolour ($9). First-time winner. "This is one impressive lipstick. So hydrating, you don't need to put on a lip balm first." From Department Stores: MAC Tinted Lipglass ($14, macccosmetics.com). Four-time winner. "The glamorous and kissable shine stays put even through a meal. A perfect compliment to your smile."
The Best Mascaras - From Drugstores: Maybelline New York Great Lash Mascara ($6.50). Six-time winner. "Lengthens and plumps skimpy lashes without being clumpy. This classic never fails to deliver." From Department Stores: Dior Diorshow Mascara ($24 sephora.com). First-time winner. "The brush gives you mile long lashes and great volume. This is well worth the price. Two coats is enough for a night out."
One of my favorite books is "Eat This...Not That!" It takes two very similar products (When you're eating out) and compares fat, sodium, calories, etc. and gives you the better option without cutting back on flavor. Here is an example of calorie counting and making the most of what you eat when it comes to portions, taste and quality.
You can have...
A Turkey Club sandwich, restaurant style. It has three slices of white bread, turkey, bacon, mayo, lettuce and tomato. 640 calories, 33 grams of fat.
Or You can have...
Turkey BLT. It has two slices of whole wheat bread, three slices of roast turkey, two strips of bacon, one half tsp of mayo, lettuce and tomato. An apple and an oatmeal raisin cookie. 640 calories, 20 grams of fat.
Wait... I can get more flavor from whole wheat bread, keep my bacon and my mayo? Plus I get a tangy apple and a cookie for desert and it's less fat and the exact same number of calories?!
So I just discovered this amazing tool that Oil of Olay has released... Go to http://www.olayforyou.com
This is a USA site, but there are many sites just like it for those of you in different countries.
www.rightolayforyou.com.au/
www.olayforyou.ru/
This site asks you about 20 questions about your age, type of skin you have, preferences on skincare, what your biggest problems are, and it creates a personalized regimen for you! I am posting my answers and the products it recommended.
You want to Get long-term results
You're Constantly pursuing better results
You're in your 20s
Not enough “me” time may be affecting your skin
Your facial skin type is Oily
Your skin color is Light
You want to improve Acne
More specifically, you want to improve Breakouts or blemishes
You use Your hands to wash your face
You like your face to feel Squeaky tight and clean after washing
In the morning, you use a Moisturizer with SPF
In the morning, you use a Serum
In the morning, you use Makeup with SPF
In the morning, you use an Eye treatment
At night, you use an Eye treatment
At night, you use an Exfoliator
At night, you use a Moisturizer (different one than in the morning)
At night, you use a Serum
Younger Looking Skin is important to you in a body lotion
Younger Looking Skin is important to you in a body cleanser
You prefer to wash your body with Liquid Body Wash
It recommended the following...
Olay Acne Control Face Wash ($6.99 Walgreens) Olay Regenerist Detoxifying Pore Scrub ($8.29 Target) Olay Regenerist Eye Derma-pod Anti-aging Triple response system ($26.00 Walmart) Olay Regenerist Eye Lifting Serum ($22.99 Walgreens) Olay Complete Night Fortifying Moisture Cream ($12.29 Walmart) Olay Regenerist UV Defense Regenerating Lotion SPF 15 ($22.99 Walgreens) Olay Total Effects Body Lotion and/or Wash ($5-9 Walmart)
For those of you out of the USA, Amazon.com has most of these products and at a nice discount.
Olay products are very affordable and right now I use the 'Olay Day cream spf 15' and the 'Night of Olay Firming cream'. I have very oily skin and I've never had a problem with these two products clogging my pores. I haven't heard of half the products they suggested to me, so I will definitely be open to trying them out. Good luck!
Below is a kind of cheat sheet to save freakouts for the truly harmful products that are out there. Below you will find which things you should definitely get rid of, ones you should use sparingly, and ones that still have very little evidence saying they are dangerous.
Eliminate NOW
Antimicrobial Chemicals - Be on the watch out for Triclosan, a chemical used in hundreds of germ fighting products. It may damage the liver and disrupt thyroid hormones. People using anti-microbial products have been shown to get sick just as often as those who use ordinary soap.
Cigarettes - I'm not even going to bother elaborating on this.
Oil-Based Paints - "Fresh" paint smell signals volatile organic compounds, solvents that can trigger breathing issues, headaches and diziness. It's also known that some research shows reproductive problems and birth defects. Low or no-VOC paints from brands such as Benjamin Moore have less toxicity.
Room fresheners - They're air pollution. Up to 20% of all people say they've had headaches, trouble breathing or other problems after inhaling room sprays. Here's an interesting solution... To get smells out of soft materials like sofas, spritz on straight vodka from an atomizer.
Regulate It
Canned Food - BPA is a synthetic estrogen that is in the linings of most food and beverage cans. It is linked to cancer and abnormal brain development, and can leech out and into your food. When possible, buy fresh or frozen. BPA is not in freezer bags.
Household cleaners - Using chlorine bleach, cleaning sprays and disinfectants more than once a week is linked to asthma. Never mix chlorine and ammonia, it produces toxic fumes and you might wake up on the kitchen floor after a 30 minute crash nap. Always dilute bleach to ten parts water.
Plasticware - Memorize the numbers 3, 6 and 7. These recycling numbers mean the plastic have BPA. Try 4, 5 and 12. No plastic is 'microwave safe'. Just because the container doesn't melt does not mean that chemicals aren't seeping into your food.
Scented 'Stuff' - This last one makes me very very upset. The word 'fragrance' on a label may stand for hundreds of chemicals. Phthalates and musks can be endocrine disruptors, linking to reproductive dysfunction. The laundry room is a good place to cut back. Get unscented detergents and dryer sheets. Using these products coat your clothes with chemicals that you take with you... and that seep into your skin.
Tolerate It
Aspartame - Despite internet rumours, a National Cancer Institute study of nearly 500,000 people discerned no link between consuming this sweetener and developing leukemia, lymphoma or brain cancers. Nor is it tied to MS or Lupus. But... most soda cans have BPA.
Fluoride Toothpaste - The debate over water fluroidation shouldn't have you questioning your toothpaste. The federal government has advised utilities on lowering the amount of fluoride in tap water, due to studies linking fluoridation with bone fractures and stiffness. However, environmentalists and dentists agree that using toothpaste with fluoride has no adverse affect and is indeed beneficial for people older than 2 years old.
Nonstick Pans - The EPA is working to phase out perfluorooctanoic (whew!) acid used in making Teflon coatings. Nonstick cookware does not expose you to PFOA, according to a study in Food Additives and Contaminates even when you subject it to extreme heat. Scratched parts are fine too, so flip fearlessly.
First thing. YES I know there are ten million products out there all claiming to do what the box says. While I personally have not tried all of the following products, they are raved about by several magazine editors. Maybe this will be a good place to start. I mean, the editor of Vogue won't endorse something that melts her skin off, right? I really want to see some feedback on these product entries I post. Have these products worked for you? Did they not?
SPF and Retinol - L'Oreal Paris Reviatlift Complete SPF 30 Daytime lotion. $17 at drugstores.
Treats Lines and Spots with Vitamin C - Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus Wrinkle & UV Damage Corrector. $45 clinique.com
Has Peptides to Firm Skin - Olay Regenerist Micro Sculpting Serum. $25 at drugstores.
Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid Smooths Wrinkles - Neutrogena Ageless Intensive Anti-Wrinkle Deep Wrinkle Filler. $19 shop.neutrogena.com
Nourishes Skin with Omega-3s - Lancome Renergie Lift Volumetry Lifting and Reshaping Cream $88 lancome.com
Oxygen - The second most crucial part in maintaining energy in your body. Those who fill their bloodstream with the most oxygen will be able to do all the things they love most (Biking, swimming, playing with your kids, actually making a home cooked meal). Chances are, with a desk job, your oxygen threshold has decreased. All it takes is a little conditioning to get you back into shape. Intervals! Sound familiar? LOL. After a good warm-up on the bike or treadmill, increase your speed and/or resistance until you're wokring nearly as hard as you can for one minute. Recover at an easy pace for two minutes. Repeat five to ten times. When you push the intensity to your upper limit for short spurts, your body adapts by pumping out more blood per heartbeat and increasing its ability to take in oxygen and clear lactate. Your fat-burning zone, that coveted point at which you're burning stored fat rather than carbs, becomes bigger. You can exercise harder and longer before your muscles go into ' the red ' .
Muscle Mass - Another piece of this puzzle is muscle mass. The more your body is made up of muscle instead of fat, the more strength you'll have for daily activities. Women are naturally programmed to shed about a half pound of muscle every year after the age of 30. This can be easily reversed with weight training. This can go for guys as well. For most people, this means incorporating twice-weekly weight training seesions into your cardio routines to regain and maintain active lean tissue. Less fat also means less inactive tissue weighing you down. It's dead weight.
Body Temperature - Your body drops in temperature as you drift off into sleep. You can trick your body by simulating this temperature shift. In the colder months take a hot shower or bath late in the day, your body temperature will rise and then fall again as you cool off from the shower making you sleepy in the process. It's harder to do this in warmer weather, but you can substitute the hot shower with a cold one. While a room temperature shower seems terribly unpleasant—and trust me, it's not as fun as a hot bath on a winter night!—it will also induce a temperature swing that will make you sleepy.
Get Some Damn Sleep Already - Seven to nine hours a night. Period. Give the kids up for adoption. I don't care. LOL. But seriously. Don't torture yourself. You didn't drink any coffee, you turned off the computer at 7PM, you lugged the TV down to the basement, you put in ear plugs and pulled the shades, but it's 11PM and you're still tossing and turning. Don't torture yourself by laying in bed frustrated. Get out of bed and do something that will relax you. Don't go watch television, play video games, or anything else that will stimulate your brain into thinking it is time to wake up. Go sit in a comfortable chair and read a book for a little while. Sort through magazines you're going to toss in the recycling bin and clip out a few interesting articles. Do something low-stress and relatively boring for 20-30 minutes and then go lay down again. You don't want to get in the habit of thinking of bedtime as unpleasant and stressful.
All in all, these are some great things to consider. But as an American that watches what other Americans eat for breakfast and lunch, it's 90% diet. Eat some real food.
L’OREAL YOUTH CODE SERUM INTENSE INGREDIENTS: Aqua/Water, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Dimenthicone, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Peg-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquisterate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Salicyloyl Phytosphingosine, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Adenosine, Ammonium Polyacryldimethyltauramide, Disodium Edta, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Chrysin, Octyldodecanol, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Limonene, and Parfum.
LANCOME GÉNEFIQUE YOUTH ACTIVATING CONCENTRATE INGREDIENTS: Aqua/Water/Eau, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Dimethicone, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate,Phenoxyethanol, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Salicyloyl Phytosphingosine, Amonium Polyacryldimethyltauramide/Amonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Limonene, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Octyldodecanol, Citric Acid, Citronellol, Parfum/Fragrance.
