Beauty is a relative term.  I have seen many women who are beautiful, who would never make the cover of a magazine, due to their size, shape, or age.  True beauty comes from within.  It is confidence, passion for life, spirituality, compassion, and love that evolves from a place deep within; a place where one has worked through many issues and conflicts to arrive at a place of self-acceptance. 

I could spend every day critiquing the flaws in my face and body, or I can make a conscious decision to embrace life and take care of what I have been given.  Being that I didn’t just fall off the turnip truck, I learned long ago how to take good care of my skin.  I can justifiably say that I have tried hundreds of skin care products, both high end and inexpensive.  I’ve found very little difference in the two.  I can with absolute certainty say, that regardless of the products that you use, my top three makeup tips actually come before you ever put makeup on!  If you take great care of your skin, any makeup you use will give you a better result.

1. Cleanse - your skin morning and night.  Oils and dirt can build up and clog your pores, creating unsightly blemishes.

2. Moisturize - your face and neck daily.  Stay ahead of the aging game by being proactive in fighting it.

3. Hydrate - your skin by drinking lots of water.  Dehydrated skin looks dull and lifeless.

Yes, my solution is simple.  It would probably shock you to know that, having tried all of those products through the years, the most effective cleanser for my skin is Dove soap.  I hear you gasping, “Soap is terrible for your skin.”  Dove is a conditioning moisture bar poured into a soap mold.  It also rates a “0″ on the scale of toxicity to your body.  My skin is smooth, soft, and wrinkle free.  I’ve used it for twenty years, and it works great for me.  Experiment with various products to see which ones work for your skin, but be aware that many of them contain harmful chemicals, parabens, and phylates.

Click here to check out your personal care products for toxicity at Cosmetics Database.  It is a great source for learning about the safety of our skin care products.

Shopping for estimates is time consuming!  I feel that about all I get done, since I reached mid-life, is to run around to various doctors’ offices to get estimates to repair some part or piece of my body.

It’s much like owning a car.  About the time you get one thing repaired, another tears up.  Even when you make a special effort to keep it clean, serviced, and fueled, high mileage catches up and you have to either patch it up or trade it in for a newer model.  Turning back the clock so that I regain my youth isn’t an option, so my only choice is for a tune-up and/or repair, or as I say…since I can’t make it look much better, I can keep it from getting worse.

Mid-life is a trip!  I’m not talking about the years it takes to get there, but what happens once you arrive.  Hormones fluctuate or leave.  You inner self finds its way to the outside, around your middle.  The teeth that once glistened in the sunlight now drop to the bottom of the jar on the bedside table.  The hair that you used to have to shave almost daily is gone from your legs and underarms and made its way to your upper lip or chin.  And all of this happens if you’re normal!  This doesn’t include any bumps in the road or in your sagging breasts. 

I taught a seminar for group fitness instructors and personal trainers recently for the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America (AFAA)..  The seminar is titled “Midlife Fitness for Women”.  The seminar agenda called for a 9:00am-5:00pm time-line.  One comment was, “Why not talk only about the positive aspects of reaching mid-life?”  My response was, “Because, we would have been finished by 9:03!” 

Honestly, this is the best time of my life!  My children are grown and self-supporting.  My husband makes me laugh almost every day.  And, I get to do what I love to do and make a reasonable living doing it.  So what if the old six pack of abs are hidden under my mid-life crisis?  I can still exercise intensely, as long as there is someone close by who knows CPR!  I’m just teasing.  I can still exercise vigorously; I just need to recognize the fact that my body needs more recovery time than it did ten years ago.

Whether or not you are at this stage in your life, we must put our bodies into perspective.  What do I mean by that?  I mean…place our body right in there with a healthy mind and spirit.  The three must work in harmony and balance to get through mid-life or any other time in our lives.

As I was sitting in the dentist’s chair yesterday, it occurred to me that in America we practice segmented fitness.  To illustrate my point, I was thinking that, though we go to different doctors for different ailments or treatments, they are all a segment of the whole.  You know-the shin bone is connected to the leg bone and the leg bone is connected to the hip bone - and so on and so forth.  However, most of us don’t approach our health or fitness with this in mind.  Much like our automobile…we take it to one place for an oil change, another for a tune-up, and another for tires.  All of these are important stops to result in a smooth running vehicle, just as preserving and maintaining our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health requires a plan of action.  Regular check ups and preventive maintenance are essential.

From the doctor’s office we go outdoors or to the gym for a bit of physical activity, and later in the week to church for a spiritual check-up.   We tend to view taking care of the mind, body, and spirit as three separate issues, as opposed to each being a part of the whole person.

So what’s wrong with that?  Nothing really, except that we never seem to connect the dots.  We never seem to get that we can eat right and get all the exercise we need, but if we don’t manage the stress in our life, we can’t be healthy.  And, it is vital to take care of our spiritual well-being.  What better ay to reduce the stress in our life than by casting our burdens and cares on God and let him handle them?  By the same token, if we spend all of our time with our noses stuck in Bible study and meditation and none keeping our body healthy, we are going to get sick or lose our quality of life due to lack of physical activity and then what good are we for ministry?

How did I get from mid-life to preaching!  Blame it on the hormones.    Mid-life has many positive aspects and benefits.  I intend to experience them all and with as healthy a body, mind, and spirit as I can muster.  Adopting a positive mental attitude is half the battle.

I misplace things all the time and I can’t remember whether I’m coming or going, but wherever I’m headed, I am going to enjoy the trip! 

How to Have Perfect Skin

Prevention Magazine now has an on-line presence.  Filled with lots of tiips and articles for health and fitness, you can find answers to just about any question that you may have.

I have been accepted as a writer for them, so my articles will be featured there soon.  I will post a link to them in the next day or two.

They have a neat tracking tool for your skin type.  Check it out at:

http://www.prevention.com/perfectskin

I will be posting a lot more fitness information for you than ever before.  Please be patient with me.

Decisions, decisions…I am in my closet trying to decide what shoes I should wear for the activities that I will be doing today.  My footwear collection looks vastly different than it did as a child.  Like most other children growing up in the 1950’s, I owned only two pair.  One pair was for school and the other for church.  The shoes were purchased in September and had to last until Easter.  By summer, it was flip-flops or bare feet, except for that pair of patent leather ones, which were reserved for Sunday.  I can still feel those shoes tightening around my growing feet, by the time school resumed in September. 

It’s funny how history repeats itself.   Flip-flops have reinvented themselves and returned in an array of colors and styles and have once again found their way into my closet.  Only this time, they are on sassy platforms.  As I continue to survey the situation I notice that I have a certain proclivity for high heels. I feel a little guilty that a fitness specialist would treat her feet so badly, but I quickly ease the Eve syndrome by turning my attention toward my sneakers.  I justify the urge to purchase a new pair or two of sneakers by telling myself that “I exercise a lot”.  It’s time for some (as my friend Amy says), RETAIL THERAPY!

The problem is that it is getting harder and harder to find just the right sneakers for a specific activity.  Yup, I said for a specific activity.  Do you remember when Keds and P.F. Flyers were the only choices?  Well, things are different now.  Gym shoes are now called athletic shoes and the styles and selections can be mind boggling for the novice shopper.  If one doesn’t know a little bit about what they are shopping for, they might make a wrong choice and end up with aching feet and throbbing knees. 

Most athletic shoes are sport specific.  This means that if you are a runner, you need to buy running shoes that are designed specifically for flexion of the ankle.  To participate in an aerobic dance or step class wearing running shoes could do some serious damage to your knees.  To safely participate in those activities you would need to buy a studio shoe or a cross trainer, which are made for both lateral and forward/backward movements.  However, if you were playing basketball, volleyball, tennis or any other court sport, you would want to purchase a shoe to maximize speed and agility.  On another hand, take these same shoes to the soccer or baseball field and you could be in for a major fall.  And, can you imagine wearing those clunky aerobic shoes to go for a spin on your bike?  The handlebars are better left on the front of the bike as opposed to wrapped around your head!

When buying athletic shoes don’t be shy about asking the salesperson what type of shoe it is.  In sporting goods stores, most sales people are knowledgeable about the shoes the store sells.  The shoes should feel great on your feet the minute you get them laced up.  You should never have to break in a new pair of shoes before you actually wear them for the activity.  The exception to the rule is that you wouldn’t want to wear a brand new pair of shoes to run a marathon or another endurance activity or the result could be blisters.

Something else to consider is the brand name.  Just because a shoe is endorsed by a major league star doesn’t mean that it is the right one for your foot.  Try on different brands and see which one feels best to you.  A sneaker shouldn’t be quite so roomy as a dress shoe, because you don’t want your foot to slide around in it as you move through your workout or activity, putting you at risk for injury.

Orthopedic issues are a concern as well.  Some people have high arches, others flat feet.  Some are pigeon toed, others knock-kneed, while some are supinators or pronators.  Selecting a shoe that fits well and wears well is a great investment!  It pays to spend a little more for a shoe that performs.  Generally, a shoe will endure about 3-4 months of regular exercise.  I find that by rotating among two to three pairs of sneakers extends the life of each.  An athletic shoe will lose cushioning and support long before it looks worn.  If your knees begin to hurt check your shoes first and if that doesn’t remedy the problem, see a physician.

If you will excuse me, I think I will put on my high heels and go shopping for some snazzy new flip-flops.  I will probably grab a new pair of aerobic shoes while I’m at it.  See you at the mall!

When we think about beauty products, our minds instantly visualize a cosmetics counter, or our favorite night cream, lipstick, or makeup. Generally, we don’t think much about how food can affect our beauty, both inside and out. The statement, ‘we are what we eat’ is true. Fill your body with fatty foods and your body jiggles. Fill it with healthy foods, and it will tone up and trim down. Your skin will reap the rewards of eating good food and drinking lots of water.

Here are the top ten beauty foods:

1. Organic Eggs- Also known as Mother Nature’s perfect food, because eggscontain complete protein, which is needed for building and repair of muscle tissue.

2. Broccoli- cabbage, brussel sprouts, and cauliflower are other examples. All of these vegetables have been linked to preventing breast cancer, prostate, uterus, and cervical cancers.

3. Berries- all berries provide antioxidant protection from free radicals and are low in glycemic value. For anti aging properties, blueberries are the best, plus they actually help neurons in the brain communicate with each other more effectively, resulting in better memory.

4. Salmon - (wild) One of the best sources for the omega-3 fatty acids, which are helpful to the brain, heart, memory, circulation, and blood sugar control.

5. Nuts- preferably raw. These are great sources for protein, fatty acids, and fiber. They can lower cholesterol. Almonds are particularly know for this. Walnuts contain the highest amount of omega fats of any nuts and aid in brain function.

6. Spinach- one of the best sources of calcium, folic acid, vitamins C & K, and the mineral iron.

7. Extra Virgin Olive Oil - is a natural anti-inflammatory. It is associated with lowering your risk for heart disease, stroke, breast and lung cancer, and some forms of dementia. Weight Watchers suggests daily consumption of olive oil.

8. Kale- antioxidant and cancer fighting plant, aiding in protection against breast, cervical, and colon cancers.

9. Fish Oil- supposedly pefect for our skin, because of it’s ant-inflammatory properties. It’s great for cardiovascular function, brain, inflammation and redness in the eyes, and supports healthy joints.

10. Vitamin/Mineral Supplements -  a complete multiple mineral/vitamin supplement. No matter how hard we may try, we can’t get sufficient nutrition from food alone. We need the support of a good supplement, taken daily.

My advice is to load up on these healthy foods, exercise, sleep, and take your vitamins, for a healthy mind and body.

Eggs are the perfect food!  Who knew!  These poor little oval wonders have gotten so much rotten press that we have all but eliminated them from our dietary intake.  Talk about discrimination!  The whites have been whipped into shape, while the yellows were trashed, because they have been blamed with rising cholesterol.

The truth is, eggs are a great source of complete protein.  They are rich in Vitamins E and A, plus they contain choline, a nutrient that is vital to the nervous system.  Dr. Walter Willett, chairman of the department of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, and a professor at Harvard Medical School said, “No research has ever shown that people who eat more eggs have more heart attacks than people who eat few eggs.”  Dietary cholesterol, like the kind found in eggs, has NO impact on serum cholesterol.  It is advised, however, to avoid scrambling eggs, as scrambling oxidizes the cholesterol and can lead to an increased risk of atheriosclerosis.

I have cracked the case against eggs!  What it all boils down to, is that the preparation of them that gave them the reputation of being bad for us.  So if you refuse to eat eggs, because you have been fed a bunch of hooey grain, then you are just plain chicken!  Eggercise your right to whole foods and buy some farm fresh eggs today.

If I have been somewhat of a ham on this subject, it’s because the news is too eggciting not to ap..pouch you with it.  I help bring home the bacon at our house, so I intend to shell out for some eggs, to go with my yogurt and fruit, for a healthy breakfast.  Now, that’s Grade A!

“Mama, I’ve broken out in some kind of weird rash.  I have welts all over my stomach and back.”  Beth said, with a bit of panic in her voice.  We were leaving the following night for a trip to Cape Cod and Boston.  It was going to be our first girl trip, my three daughters and myself.  Many, okay maybe most, of our family vacations became memorable because of one weird thing after another happening, and I didn’t want this to turn out to be another one of those trips.  “Go to the doctor!” I replied, with emphasis on, “You might be contagious!”  The doctor didn’t know what it was and just put her on steroids to clear it up.  Poor thing was miserable! 

Off we go to the airport.  Our flight was to leave at 8:00 PM with a connection in Charlotte at 10:00.  We boarded the plane and had barely fastened our seat belts when the pilot told us to get off and go back into the terminal until further notice.  Charlotte had grounded all flights, due to thunderstorms.

All four of us began to have flashbacks of previous ill-begotten trips.  The outlook for this one was not looking particularly sunny.  However, we did get to fly out at 9:30.  Arriving in Charlotte at 10:00 pm, the flight attendant told us that our plane was at the gate, but wasn’t holding for anyone.  We took off in a dead heat run.  You would have been proud of this old lady for coming in second, only to the youngest daughter, and only because I was wearing flip flops!  I would NOT be outrun or outdone.  We sprinted across the finish line about 15 minutes later as, of course, the gate was on the opposite side of the airport from which we arrived.  People were staring at us.  I suppose it had something to do with the fact that they hadn’t started boarding our plane yet.

We filed onto the plane.  Maria, Beth, and Abby were in front of me.  As we approached our seats, I spotted two nice looking young men sitting next to my empty seat.  I’m really not a pushy mom.  I don’t know what came over me, but I pushed Abby into the empty seat and said “Here Abby, you sit here and I’ll sit over here with Maria and Beth.”  Abby glared at me in astonishment as her size 2 butt hit the seat.  Her sisters dissolved in laughter.  “Hey Abby, do you need any gum or mints?” teased Beth.  “Hey Abby, do need a belt extender?”  Maria chimed in.  I huddled in my window seat and tried to hide from Abby’s fiery darts, shooting directly from her big, brown eyes.  Things were already beginning to improve.

The flight was nice.  Upon our arrival in Hartford, we loaded our luggage onto the shuttle bus to Avis rental cars.  By this time, it was 1:15 am.  The lady at Avis couldn’t find a reservation for us.  As I glanced down at the confirmation page, I noticed that it said “Alamo”.  Talk about embarrassing!  Now I have the eyes of all three of my daughters glaring at me in total disgust, and the other passengers nodding in understanding as they notice my blonde hair. “Now what?” they asked in unison.  “We can call for a car to take you to Alamo, said the Avis person.”  I guess they do try harder.

Loading and unloading our luggage again, we arrive at the Alamo place, only to discover it was closed.  All was not lost.  There was a self-check in kiosk there.  “No reservation found.” My eyes stared in disbelief at the computer screen.  I tried again, only to get the same reply.  If you’ve ever had your kids roll their eyes at you and groan, you know exactly how I felt at that moment.

The National Car Rental guy was friendly.  He said he could pull up my reservation and would fix us right up.  And so he did.  At about 2:30 we arrived at our hotel a half mile away.

Up early, we drove to Plymouth, Massachusetts.  It was a beautiful day, and we had a lovely meal overlooking the harbor where Mayflower II is docked.  After eating lunch, the girls walked over to get a closer look at the Mayflower, while I sat on the bench.  I had pulled a hamstring muscle during my sprint in the Charlotte airport.  I made my way over a little later.  “Plymouth Rock is closed.” They moped.  “It’s closed?  How can a rock be closed?” I inquired, as my jaw hit the sidewalk.  “See the sign?” they pointed.  “It’s closed for reconstruction.”   I didn’t understand.  “How can a rock be under construction?”  Maria explained, “The rock isn’t under construction, just the structure surrounding it.”  “I spent 100,000 frequent flier miles and Plymouth Rock is closed!”  I moaned, at which point, I pulled out my pin and paper and decided it was time to start documenting the trip.

We got back in the car and made our way to the Cape.  We stopped at a little market.  I don’t remember why, but I clearly recall that we sat there watching Beth walk out of the market and straight into a hanging petunia basket.  It was a classic moment.  The cashier was laughing and so were we. 

We decided to make the most of all the incidences and enjoy the trip despite the fight over the temperature of the hotel room.  It might have been a little bit cold when I awoke to see Beth had a coat on and her head covered with a towel.  I got to sleep by the air conditioner from there on to the end.  I didn’t want to hear even one more time, “Mama’s having a hot flash.”  I don’t wish for my children to have to get old, but I hope I’m around to laugh at them when they hit mid-life.  I have a personal fan all ready for each of them.

The day in Boston was fun.  We walked, and walked, and walked.  We walked the Freedom Trail, and other parts of that beautiful city.  But for the horrid winters, we could live there.  We fell in love with it’s beauty, quaintness, history, farmer’s market, Qunicy, Market, and the friendly people. We didn’t want to leave.  I wasn’t through shopping yet, but I gave up for the good of the group.  The three MUCH YOUNGER daughters were too tired to continue.  We hopped the subway out of the city and back to Cambridge where we had parked.  I was proud that I was still in good enough shape to keep up with my children and to have some energy left.  “Mama, aren’t you exhausted?”  Beth asked that night.  “No, I’m feeling pretty good.  I’m sad to have to leave, there’s so much more to see and do.”

My point in telling this story is that had I not been keeping myself in good physical condition, I would not have been able to walk a block much less six or seven miles.  It’s important that as we age, we must keep active so that we don’t become immobile and lose independence.  I want to go on a girl trip every year with my girls, and I want to be able to keep up with, them, maybe even outrun them again next year.

Besides, we have to take a trip one time that goes smoothly.  We would probably go into shock, and I wouldn’t have anything to write about.

I hope you have enjoyed a laugh or two and that it will conjure up your own memories.

Most of all, stay fit to enjoy life.

Everybody’s talking about it.  The cost of fuel is rising daily.  These inflated prices are effecting every area of our jeopardized economy, from our grocery bill to the cost of a single flower.  Something has to be done, so go the murmurings and complainings.

The solution is quite simple.  Let’s take other means of transportation.  What are you talking about, you might ask.  I was thinking about the two-wheeled vehicles, called bicycles.  Not only would it be much cheaper than operating an automobile, but health care costs would be dramatically reduced. 

Imagine America getting healthy and fit!  Bicycles don’t emit toxins into our air.  We would all lose our excess fat, and all of this getting healthy would reduce the need for visits to the doctor.  Heart disease, diabetes, and morbid obesity might become issues of the past.  Our interstate highways and roads would last longer, allowing us to stretch our tax dollars. 

I was always curious about what it was like to live back in the horse and buggy days.  I think this is a brilliant solution.  So what if it would take longer to get where we are going.  We are trying to get there too fast as it is.  We are all so stressed out from the pressures of our fast paced lives, that we can’t relax and live. 

And, Lord help us all that we might have to walk a mile or two!  Walking.  Now, that’s a thought….a fleeting one, but a thought. 

There are lots of solutions to the rising fuel costs.  It’s a big supply and demand thingy.  Don’t demand and the supply will build up and there will be no choice but for it to become cheaper.  Just don’t buy it!  Take to the roads, but not in our vehicles.  Alternative means of transportation could be our life saver, in more ways than one.

And the wheels keep turning.

This month marks the first Global Breast Cancer Early Detection Month.  This month is the compliment to the October Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Early detection month is spearheaded by the Know Now Foundation, of Scottsdale, Arizona.  http://www.knownowfoundation.org.

Two of my sisters and sister-in-law have had breast cancer, so I am diligent about self-examination and my annual mammogram.  I was listening to a radio broadcast about it last night and the expert said that 70% of all breast cancer patients have no family history of breast cancer.  Lifestyle is more of a contributing factor to getting the disease.  High fat diets, physical inactivity, among other things, are contributing factors to the development of the disease.  It is the second leading cause of death among women, second only to heart disease.

It is common knowledge that early detection is the key to survival.  While self-examination and mammograms are good preventive medicine, there is a new tool available for early detection.  Plexus Pink manufactures a self-examination kit.  What is different about this kit is the piece of material used as a barrier between your fingers and your breast.  This piece of fabric allows one to glide over the surface and feel something as small as a grain of salt.  Without the friction of the fingers against skin, it is more likely to be able to feel something out of the ordinary. 

This kit is saving lives! A video explaining how it works can be seen at http://www.justexaminethem.com , or http://www.plexuspink.com.   The kit sells for $35.00 and is good for one year of use.  This is very inexpensive compared to a visit to the doctor’s office, or the cost of a prescription, and a whole lot less expensive and more convenient than chemo and radiation treatments.

There is a TV commercial that talks about a shot to prevent Ovarian Cancer.  It says “I want to be one less.”  With either ovarian or breast cancer, I want to be one less, don’t you?

Order your kit today.  It could be the best thing you ever do for yourself.   Stay current with you self-exams and your mammograms.  Be one less.