by Gail Rodgers
Energy is the hottest commodity on the market today. We need it at every level of life, whether material, physical and even spiritual. Though its force is invisible it drives not only the economy of the world but also the economy of our own lives.
Energy is big business. Producing it brings jobs that fuel the market place. It brings revenue fueling corporations and governments. Without its invisible force, engines stop and every area of life is affected.
Fuel in affects energy out
In our own lives we know that the food and exercise choices we make fuel our bodies. The choice of input directly affects the energy levels of output. It’s also important to consider what fuels our spirits. Energy is also a need on the spiritual side of our lives. How we fuel our spirit greatly affects our well-being. With the increasing stress in life and relationships many feel a growing deficit within.
Recent surges in exploration of spiritual energy have proven that it too is fast becoming big business. Many want to cash in on the confusion and emptiness that is openly acknowledged. You can have your future told or buy an object said to bring luck or peace, for the right price. Advertising slogans are also showing a strong spiritual awareness. Many companies are now pitching serenity right alongside a new car, chocolate, even household paint. The promises of peace in exchange for your dollar are plentiful. Yet spiritual hunger only grows.
Fueling the spirit
Spiritual peace comes not from a set of religious standards or specific rituals or objects. These may bring some degree of comfort for a short time… but true fueling of our inner spirit comes only from a relationship with the living God. Spiritual fulfillment comes from inviting God to share the journey of life with is.
Millions around the world have come to know the lasting inner peace that comes when we realize we need God’s forgiveness. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ provided that. We need only believe and invite Him to walk with us through every area of our lives. Changed lives are the evidence of the reality of God’s power in an individual … changed lives that were once empty or hopeless…changed marriages and homes that wondered if change was even possible.
Jesus is the Source of hope and strength. He alone is the Source of all we need to fuel us within our spirits. He alone can be depended on to meet the need of the heart that is close to running on empty.
If your spirit feels empty or depleted today from the cares of life, why not invite Jesus to share the journey with you? He alone can fuel the deep places of your heart with new life and new energy. Take the step of faith today. You will never regret it! It’s as simple as praying this prayer…
God, my spirit often feels empty. I am running on empty as I hurry through my days. I believe that You sent Jesus to be my help and my strength. Forgive me for going my own way. I invite You to walk beside me and to bring new life into my soul. Lead me and guide from this day on. Amen.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Learning to Love My Body
by Stacy Carto
I'm doing something I thought I'd never do again - working as a full-time model in New York, this time in the plus-size market. For six years, I worked full-time as a straight-size model. But I got out of the business after battling bulimia and coming to the conclusion that it wasn't right for me to continue.
Bulimia had a hold on my life, and I constantly struggled to be thin enough. I felt so guilty. I found freedom and have and have been abstinent for eight years. But my struggle with bulimia is another story.
A plus-size model - who, me?
After I quit modeling, I remained in the industry doing hair and makeup. At a photo shoot one day, a stylist encouraged me to get into modeling again, but as a plus-size model. I laughed! I had said I would never model again unless I could work just the way I was.
I didn't really consider plus sized modeling until I was in Florida and started thinking about making some extra money alongside my make-up career. Shortly after that I started working at a local church and stopped thinking much about modeling. But soon after I got representation in Miami with a plus-size agency.
While I am considered small for that end for the industry, there was plenty of work. My agent kept trying to get me to do it full time and really put some effort into it, but a full-time modeling career was not one of my desires at the time. A year and a half later I felt it was time for me go back to modeling. I can't believe that I am 31 years old and back in New York!
Seeing the fashion industry through new eyes
As I get back into the business this time, it is so different. I am better prepared me to go into the battlefield. And it is a battlefield! Although many things in the plus-size industry differ from the straight-size market, one thing remains the same: these women need hope. The emptiness is there. I can see it in their eyes.
Today I called my agency to check in for the morning. In a somber, quiet voice, my booking agent said that of the models on our board, a beautiful 21-year-old who graced the cover of Mode magazine, had committed suicide over the weekend. Though she was on the rise to great success, she felt so alone, so sad, that she felt she could not live any longer. This grieves me deeply.
Living without hope
I then thought of a conversation I'd had recently on the plane ride back from Germany with one of the models I had worked with. She also is very successful and has done many covers and campaigns. But on the plane she told me of her alcohol problem and her need for help.
These women need hope. I found that hope in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Take a look at your life. How would you describe it? Contented? Rushed? Exciting? Stressful? Moving forward? Holding back? For many of us it’s all of the above at times. There are things we dream of doing one day, there are things we wish we could forget. In the Bible, it says that Jesus came to make all things new. What would your life look like if you could start over with a clean slate?
Living with hope
If you are looking for peace, there is a way to balance your life. No one can be perfect, or have a perfect life. But every one of us has the opportunity to experience perfect grace through a personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.
You can receive Christ right now by faith through prayer. Praying is simply talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. Here's a suggested prayer:
Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be.
Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? You can pray it right now, and Jesus Christ will come into your life, just as He promised.
Is this the life for you?
If you invited Christ into your life, thank God often that He is in your life, that He will never leave you and that you have eternal life. As you learn more about your relationship with God, and how much He loves you, you'll experience life to the fullest.
~ Stacy Carto has been in the fashion industry for 14 years. Her career has taken her internationally to countries including Italy, Germany, Spain, Greece, Australia, and Switzerland. She has appeared in magazines such as Mode, Vogue, Glamour, and New Woman. Presently, Stacy and her husband reside in Florida. For information about plus-sized modeling, Stacy recommends www.plusmodels.com
A Healing Journey
secret -concealed from general knowledge or view, hidden. (Webster's Dictionary)
There are different kinds of secrets. Some are things hidden from our understanding, sometimes called the mysteries of life: how they built the pyramids, miracles, unexplained events. There are military secrets - confidential military matters, the CIA and spies. There are the secrets that are methods or formulas based on successes: if you send in your hundred dollars, you can receive a secret blend of tea/cream/pills guaranteed to make your cellulite disappear. Don't we wish. There are the secrets where others share confidences with you.
Then you have the secrets that are of the personal nature - things that we have done ourselves, or had done to us, or been involved in that we don't want anybody to know about. Usually it is something that is not socially or morally acceptable.
There are different kinds of personal secrets:
Cheating - Perhaps on an exam, just looking over onto the next person's paper.
Lying - Even distorting the numbers on our income tax.
Stealing - We eat those grapes, walking down the aisle in the market, and we haven't paid for them. That may be a stretch, but then maybe there's a history of stealing- stealing as a teenager. Maybe its embezzlement.
Sexual secrets - Things like affairs, crisis pregnancies that may have ended in adoption or abortion that you haven't told anybody about. Maybe it was prostitution. Molestation. Homosexuality. Addiction to pornography. Incest.
Drug addictions - This could be anything from sleeping pills to cocaine to heroin.
The list goes on.
We keep secrets for many reasons. We conceal out of fear and shame. We fear rejection. What if - if we expose ourselves and lay ourselves bare - we are abandoned by our friends, our family, or perhaps even ridiculed by our enemies. We fear that our projected persona would become tarnished if we showed who we really are. We may feel that to be acceptable to others we must look good at all costs. Perhaps we keep secrets in a futile attempt to erase our past.
Abortion is a secret that many people keep. We can transpose the same dynamics from this onto any personal secret. Abortion is an issue that is highly charged and can be very political, but my intent is to discuss this subject with sensitivity and compassion.
A Woman's Secret-Abortion
In the general population, about one in four women has had an abortion. Tracy, Lynn, Kate, Donna and Muriel all shared this secret. The first four are not their real names, but their circumstances are all true. Muriel, the fifth woman, openly writes and speaks about her abortion experience and her healing journey. As one of our volunteers at Post Abortion Community Services, she has given permission to use her real name.
When I first met these women, and learned something about themselves and their lives, they each presented with an array of symptoms specific to what is called Post Abortion Stress - also called Post Abortion Trauma or Post Abortion Syndrome. For whatever reasons the woman has had an abortion, she can enter a kind of relief phase from two to five years. That phase is starting to shorten simply because many women now have access to information and pictures that they wouldn't have in the past - fetal development, ultrasounds, and other literature. Following that relief period, some symptoms that women describe are:
Guilt/survival guilt - "I took the life of my baby. I feel badly about it now. I wish I weren't here."
Anxiety and panic attacks.
Psychological numbing - "I don't feel happy; I don't feel sad. I feel nothing. I feel devoid of emotion." One woman in a group, after she told her story, was asked: "What was it like to tell your abortion story?" She said: "I felt like I was up in the room . . . and I watched myself, looking down, telling my story." It was as if she couldn't bring her emotions together with the actual details of what had happened in her life.
Depression - Many women have, at some point after their abortion, felt suicidal.
Anniversary syndrome - On the date that the baby would have been born, or on the date of the abortion, sometimes women feel different, kind of crazy. Some women re-experience the abortion in flashbacks.
Child-bearing/fertility anxiety - Women may become preoccupied with becoming pregnant again. There may also be an interruption of the bonding process when they do feel that they are ready to have a baby.
Eating disorders.
Alcohol/drug abuse - Behaviours that only mask the pain.
Brief, reactive psychosis - One woman described walking down a city street on garbage day. As she passed the alley, she "could hear babies crying from the garbage cans." She had a break with reality. Another woman woke up one night after her abortion, and she looked at her hands and said: "I've got blood on my hands." She said: "I went and I tried to wash this off my hands and it wasn't coming off."
These symptoms are primarily the result of three things:
A. The inability to process the fear, the guilt and the anger surrounding the pregnancy and the abortion.
B. The inability to grieve the loss of the baby - because it is a pregnancy loss, there is a child-bearing loss.
C. An inability to come to peace with herself and others involved in the abortion decision.
Many other factors may affect the situation, such as the circumstances surrounding the pregnancy. Was it an affair? Was it incest? Was it rape? Was the person unmarried? Were the rules about having sex broken? Each of these circumstances will bring a set of dynamics that will affect the woman's situation.
Another factor is support - what sort of support did she have? Was she in a situation where either the boyfriend or the husband was pressuring her to have the abortion? Did she pressure him to agree to the abortion? What about family and friends? Did she tell anyone? Did she cross her own moral and ethical boundaries?
The type and the legality of the abortion are also important to the woman's experience. We see many women from both sides. There are nine or ten different types of abortion, depending on the stage of pregnancy. So the woman who was awake, for example, would experience something very different from the woman who was under general anaesthetic. Her memories would be very different if she were at a clinic because she sees, she hears, she experiences and she remembers what people say to her. The woman under general anaesthetic - as is usual in a hospital - will remember the before and the after. If it were a medical abortion - where she is going to abort in her own home - this will make a difference as well. She will be reminded of that everywhere she goes in her own home. If it's a second or third trimester abortion, she's going to be fully awake to go through labour and delivery.
Tracy came for counselling after keeping her abortion a secret for twenty years. She had a later term abortion, and it was illegal. Lynn arrived for her first appointment through the back door from the alley. She was frightened that she would be seen coming into our office. Lynn took part as a subject in an experimental project to test medical abortions. She aborted in her own home.
Kate was adamant that she could not be in a post-abortion group with anyone who worked in her field. She was quite well-known and she was terrified that anybody in her profession would find out her story. She came for counselling five years after her abortion. Her abortion was an early term abortion and it was legal. Donna came for counselling more than twenty years after her illegal abortion. She was a teenager at the time of her abortion - her mother had arranged it and was present in the room at the time of the abortion, where her daughter gave birth to twins. Muriel came twenty-two years after her two abortions. Both were first trimester, both were approved by a hospital board, so they were both legal.
At the time of their abortions, each of the women was single. Donna and Tracy are now married and they've told their husbands. Muriel, Kate, and Lynn are currently single. Generally, for those who were involved in the decision-making, the abortion was a part of their lives that they chose to keep secret.
The Deep, Dark Place
Secrets imprison, they breed suspicion, and at times they can paralyse us with a fear of being found out. They are parts of us that we hide, that we keep undercover. It's kind of musty, dank, and dark in that place; nothing flourishes there except fear. It's often shrouded in shame, guilt, confusion, and - in the case of abortion - there may be mixed maternal messages for the woman. If you're not talking to anybody in the isolation of this dark place, that fear will mount.
The post-abortive woman will sometimes revisit her decision, asking herself: "Did I do the right thing? Have I done something wrong?" Or even: "What have I done?" Even a glimpse of the answer can be too painful or terrifying to face, let alone allow anyone else to see.
Somewhere in the pain and fear, consciously or unconsciously, the decision is made to conceal and to compartmentalise: "I'm not going to touch it. And no one else is going to touch it either." This might seem very strange in a society that is quite open about abortion. Yet women who've had abortions usually do not talk about it again - it usually doesn't come up in conversations. So although there is great permission for abortion, there is not great permission to talk about it. There continues to be tremendous stigma around abortion.
Building the Walls
No matter what the secret we have, we employ defence mechanisms to keep the pain at bay - to keep ourselves from going to that dark place. We can avoid people, situations and anything that gets us too close to that secret. We can deny it exists, or that it even holds any power over us. We will forget, either consciously or unconsciously. We may even try harder to make up for the shame we feel: "I'll do better, I'll work harder, I'm going to be more successful."
It may seem that our secrets, even small secrets, are benign. Yet secrecy runs deep, and it can take hold of us in ways that, perhaps, we had not even anticipated. Protection is of utmost importance to us: protection from pain, protection from being found out.
The secret, then, prevents us from intimacy, from the ability to self-disclose, and from the ability to be vulnerable with another person. It isolates , it restricts and it chokes.
This poem was written by a young woman eleven years ago. She came to a post-abortion group as a university student. She felt that she could not explain herself clearly, that she could not open up. This is a woman who had begun to look at her secret, but remnants of the isolation remained.
Babies everywhere,
Not mine.
I feel foolish,
But I want to get pregnant again.
I'd never have an abortion again.
But getting pregnant now would be stupid.
Mixed feelings:
Want a baby,
Glad I don't have a baby,
Want to get pregnant,
Scared of it.
Alone.
Leave me alone.
Don't deserve love,
I killed my own child.
Don't get too close,
Don't touch me.
I'll only hurt you,
Push you away.
Curl up in a ball,
Just me.
No one else,
No one can touch me.
Shut you out,
Shut the world out.
Alone,
Not lonely.
Yes it is lonely.
Lonelier when I'm with lots of people.
Feel detached,
At odds with myself, the world, everything.
I stood among them, but not of them,
In a shroud of thoughts which were not their thoughts.
Escape.
Go away to a cabin in the woods.
Just me and the birds, animal, and small children.
The only ones who truly accept you as you are,
No questions,
Unconditional love.
No questions.
Alone.
Me and my dog take off.
Candles, flames, fire, warm,
All-consuming.
Just sit and stare into the flame,
Imagine myself curled up inside the flame,
Fire all around me.
Surrounding, protesting, isolating.
No one can touch me.
Cocoon, protection,
Womb-like.
No worries, no fears, no thoughts.
Change, metamorphosis, become better,
Emerge whole, complete.
At peace.
Light, warmth, acceptance.
Love.
Love is patient, love is kind.
Faith, hope and love, these three.
But the greatest of these is love.
Love my baby.
Imagine myself pregnant.
See myself with the child,
Teaching, loving, molding.
Never let myself think of it as a baby before.
Tired.
Want to sleep forever.
Want to dream of paradise,
My child and I together.
No one else.
Don't want to share her with anyone.
Don't touch me.
Don't be nice to me.
I'll cry
Salty tears down my face,
Wet my pillow
Before I even realize I'm crying.
Something inside of me is empty.
It's broken, it's missing.
Irreplaceable.
Punishment, jail, bars.
No public sentence,
Only an eternity locked up inside myself,
Alone, tired, exhausted.
When a post-abortion group meets, we ask each woman to describe pictorially what her abortion pain looks like. How would she describe it? We call that the abortion wound. One woman described it as being in a body bag. You're dead. She said: "I feel dead. I want out. Wrapped up in barbed wire . . . I can't touch out without getting hurt, and nobody can touch me without getting hurt." Caged. A shattered teacup. In a dark hole, can't get out.
Muriel described her abortion wound as being up against a brick wall that she could not see over. Some years after her description of that wall, I came across a diagram that expressed the secrecy and isolation of abortion. The woman behind the brick wall.
On the outside of the wall, there are flowers and ivy growing - life flourishes. On the inside of the wall are feelings: hopelessness, shame, numb, sad, lonely, hurt. She lives within the wall: "Often this isolation is not apparent to the person living behind the wall or to the significant others in her life." This way of living has become her normal lifestyle; she got used to it. In fact, if a woman has lived long enough behind her wall, she may not even remember her life outside the wall. She feels that people let her down when she needed them, and probably not only when she aborted. So she builds the protective wall even higher.
It takes a lot of emotional energy to hold up that wall. A person has to work very hard to keep it looking good, so that nobody will find out what the secret is.
The Journey of Healing
The wall we hide behind with our secret really protects us from being free. It protects us from letting others in, from getting close and from being real. Herein lies the dilemma: we'd like to be vulnerable, we'd like to be transparent, we'd like to be intimate. But what is the cost?
The cost is being exposed - the unravelling of the secret, the consequences that might bear out, seeing ourselves as we really are.
Tracy, Lynn, Donna, Kate and Muriel, despite their fears, did not want to live as they lived. They took the first step of telling their secret. With quiet courage, they placed that first phone call. They spoke with a post-abortion counsellor, and in subsequent weeks, the unravelling began. Each woman started on her journey of healing, where she was able to sort through her fears, her questions and her emotions to grieve the loss of her baby and move into forgiveness and resolution.
Think of a person's healing journey as peeling an onion. If you think about peeling an onion, there are usually a lot of tears. The "onion" comes away in layers, and each layer represents something different. It could be some healing for anger, healing for humiliation, for depression, for unforgiveness, hatred, sadness, hopelessness, despair, shame, grief.
Grief over losing the baby.
There is freedom at each stage, as you are exposing what's been in the dark, and it comes into the light. But even good intentions to deal with a secret may not relieve the core issue. And that is the one of lingering guilt.
It is in the healing journey, I find, that we are often led to our spiritual journey. As more layers are removed, and more of those outside issues are dealt with, we get closer to the core of who we are. We are exposed for who we are. Sometimes if we rest quietly, and allow ourselves to see who we really are, it can be terrifying. Because we see people who are capable of evil. We are sinful people.
We don't like to use that word very much. When I wrote that down, I thought: "Oh, I don't know if I want to write that." But it's true, we really are. We hate to admit it. It can be a frightening realization that shatters our impression of who we thought we were. Yet if we don't run away from this place, we begin to see a yearning that arises - a yearning for forgiveness, that can't be assuaged by or from within ourselves.
We can't deal with the forgiveness. We try many things. We try doing good work. Sometimes we try punishing ourselves. It doesn't work. When we come to the end of that, we're left with our core again. The prison walls of guilt are still there, they still loom large. It's here that we're faced with our need for God.
Four of the five women - Tracy, Donna, Kate and Muriel - all experienced the relief that comes in sharing their secret within the safe company of a selected and trusted few. One of the women decided she wasn't ready to do that yet. Three of them, as they got closer to the core, moved into the next depth of the spiritual.
They received forgiveness, rest and peace in the safety of Jesus Christ. He is the very Son of God. He has the power and authority to forgive - the power and authority to reconcile us to God and the power and authority to bring restoration in our lives. We can be free women, authentic women, vulnerable women, transparent, truthful, capable of intimacy, and healed women.
Where we can't break through that prison wall, Jesus will do it on our behalf. He tells us He loves us while we're still deep in the muck of the darkness of the secret, even if we say: "Forget it God, I don't want anything to do with you." He still loves us. Jesus has already provided for our forgiveness, and He's already provided a way to turn our lives back to God. A 360-degree turnaround. A new beginning, a fresh start. All we need to do is put our hand in His, trust Him and follow Him out.
Secrets are a prison. In the Bible, Jesus says: "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
If you would like to know more about how you can experience forgiveness, click here to begin your Journey of Joy.
ANGIE CÔTÉ, RN, RPN is the Program Director of Post Abortion Community Services in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Their client services include Abortion Recovery Weekend Retreats, Individual and Group Counselling. For information and registration call 604 525-0999.
Quench the Thirst of Frizzy Hair
by Diana Dudas
"Why is my hair so FRIZZY and dry, coarse or brittle?" The simple answer - your hair needs moisture. 90% of us suffer with dry, brittle or frizzy hair because our hair lacks WATER!
Oil and Water
For years we've been told that out hair is dry because we are lack natural oils. We've been told that if we brush vigorously 100 times a day, or if we nurture our hair with hot oil treatments then we are sure to be blessed with beautiful, shiny locks. This might be the case, if you have young, virgin (hair that is not chemically treated) hair. But this is certainly not the case for permed, coloured or naturally curly hair. What contributes to frizzines?
Condition of the cuticle - Under a microscope, a cuticle looks like shingles on a roof. When the hair is in good condition, the tiles or cuticle layers are tight together giving the hair a smooth appearance and lots of shine. When hair is in bad condition, is curly or has poor porosity, the cuticle layers are lifted. The light is absorbed instead of reflected and there is no shine.
Porosity - Is the ability for hair to be able to absorb and retain moisture. Hair that has poor porosity will not be able to absorb or retain moisture as well as hair that has good porosity. Hair that cannot retain water can become permanently dry.
Product build up - Once the hair is coated, the problems start. Moisture cannot permeate through the wall of product build. Oils cannot diffuse when there is product build-up, they just sit on top of the cuticle layer, useless. Using any kind of hot styling tools such as blow dryers or hot irons, adds to the damage and decreases the shine.
Getting Rid of the Frizz
Hair in great condition has a moisture (water) content of at least 8% and the right balance of protein and natural oil. Most of us produce enough natural oil to keep our hair healthy, but lack the moisture.
After having a chemical service (colour or perm) your hair's moisture level can drop as low as 2%, drying the hair and causing split ends. The same will happen with constant use of blow-dryers and hot styling tools. If the moisture level is not restored to it's optimum 8% by the use of good moisturizing products your hair will ultimately become brittle and possibly break. Give your hair some TLC to combat frizzies and bring back the shine
Use moisturizing shampoos that are designed to restore your hair's moisture level to its optimum 8%.
Use intense conditioners that will help to repair damaged cuticles, improve porosity, elasticity and general health and appearance of your hair.
Avoid product build-up by using products that contain natural ingredients.
Avoid hot oil treatments, heavy cholesterol type conditioners, petroleum-based and silicone-based products. Also avoid hairsprays, mousses and gels that have a high alcohol or butane content.
Our hair needs MOISTURE, MOISTURE, and MOISTURE! Who needs to add moisture more than most? People with naturally curly hair, chemically treated, hot styling tool users or people who live in hot sunny and arid climates.
Used with permission.
~ Diana Dudas is an expert with more than 28 years experience in the beauty industry. She has answered over 2000 questions for allexperts.com and has had her work published in many well-respected beauty magazines both online and off.
More on Frizzy Hair:
Controling your frizzy hair
Add Shine to Your Hair Without Weighing it Down
Beauty tips, trends and how-to's from the experts
"Why is my hair so FRIZZY and dry, coarse or brittle?" The simple answer - your hair needs moisture. 90% of us suffer with dry, brittle or frizzy hair because our hair lacks WATER!
Oil and Water
For years we've been told that out hair is dry because we are lack natural oils. We've been told that if we brush vigorously 100 times a day, or if we nurture our hair with hot oil treatments then we are sure to be blessed with beautiful, shiny locks. This might be the case, if you have young, virgin (hair that is not chemically treated) hair. But this is certainly not the case for permed, coloured or naturally curly hair. What contributes to frizzines?
Condition of the cuticle - Under a microscope, a cuticle looks like shingles on a roof. When the hair is in good condition, the tiles or cuticle layers are tight together giving the hair a smooth appearance and lots of shine. When hair is in bad condition, is curly or has poor porosity, the cuticle layers are lifted. The light is absorbed instead of reflected and there is no shine.
Porosity - Is the ability for hair to be able to absorb and retain moisture. Hair that has poor porosity will not be able to absorb or retain moisture as well as hair that has good porosity. Hair that cannot retain water can become permanently dry.
Product build up - Once the hair is coated, the problems start. Moisture cannot permeate through the wall of product build. Oils cannot diffuse when there is product build-up, they just sit on top of the cuticle layer, useless. Using any kind of hot styling tools such as blow dryers or hot irons, adds to the damage and decreases the shine.
Getting Rid of the Frizz
Hair in great condition has a moisture (water) content of at least 8% and the right balance of protein and natural oil. Most of us produce enough natural oil to keep our hair healthy, but lack the moisture.
After having a chemical service (colour or perm) your hair's moisture level can drop as low as 2%, drying the hair and causing split ends. The same will happen with constant use of blow-dryers and hot styling tools. If the moisture level is not restored to it's optimum 8% by the use of good moisturizing products your hair will ultimately become brittle and possibly break. Give your hair some TLC to combat frizzies and bring back the shine
Use moisturizing shampoos that are designed to restore your hair's moisture level to its optimum 8%.
Use intense conditioners that will help to repair damaged cuticles, improve porosity, elasticity and general health and appearance of your hair.
Avoid product build-up by using products that contain natural ingredients.
Avoid hot oil treatments, heavy cholesterol type conditioners, petroleum-based and silicone-based products. Also avoid hairsprays, mousses and gels that have a high alcohol or butane content.
Our hair needs MOISTURE, MOISTURE, and MOISTURE! Who needs to add moisture more than most? People with naturally curly hair, chemically treated, hot styling tool users or people who live in hot sunny and arid climates.
Used with permission.
~ Diana Dudas is an expert with more than 28 years experience in the beauty industry. She has answered over 2000 questions for allexperts.com and has had her work published in many well-respected beauty magazines both online and off.
More on Frizzy Hair:
Controling your frizzy hair
Add Shine to Your Hair Without Weighing it Down
Beauty tips, trends and how-to's from the experts
White Chocolate Berry Soufflés
BERRY MIXTURE
Frozen mixed berries, thawed and drained 2 cups 500 mL
Granulated sugar 1/2 cup 125 mL
Orange-flavoured liqueur (such as Grand Marnier) 2 tbsp. 30 mL
Hard margarine (or butter) 1/2 tsp. 2 mL
Granulated sugar 2 tbsp. 30 mL
SOUFFLÉ
Hard margarine (or butter) 2 tbsp. 30 mL
All-purpose flour 2 tbsp. 30 mL
Milk 1/2 cup 125 mL
White chocolate baking squares (1 oz., 28 g, each), chopped 3 3
Egg yolks (large), fork-beaten 2 2
Granulated sugar 3 tbsp. 50 mL
Egg whites (large), room temperature 4 4
Icing (confectioner's) sugar, for dusting 1 tbsp. 15 mL
Berry Mixture: Combine first 3 ingredients in medium frying pan on medium. Heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed and mixture is slightly thickened. Cool.
Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC), see Tip, page 81. Grease six 1/2 cup (125 mL) ramekins with margarine. Sprinkle each with 1 tsp. (5 mL) of second amount of sugar. Tilt ramekins to coat bottom and side of each. Gently tap to remove excess sugar. Place ramekins on baking sheet. Divide and spoon berry mixture into each.
Soufflé: Melt margarine in small saucepan on medium. Add flour. Heat and stir for 1 minute. Add milk. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes until boiling and thickened.
Add chocolate. Heat and stir until chocolate is almost melted. Do not overheat. Remove from heat. Stir until smooth.
Combine egg yolks, granulated sugar and about 2 tbsp. (30 mL) milk mixture in small bowl. Stir into remaining milk mixture. Heat and stir on medium-low until sugar is dissolved. Transfer to large bowl.
Beat egg whites in medium bowl until stiff (not dry) peaks form. Fold about 1/3 of egg whites into chocolate mixture until almost combined. Fold in remaining egg whites until just combined. Divide and carefully spoon mixture into prepared ramekins. Bake for about 20 minutes, without opening oven door, until puffed and set.
Dust with icing sugar. Serve immediately. Serves 6.
1 serving: 331 Calories; 10.6 g Total Fat (3.3 g Mono, 0.6 g Poly, 5.8 g Sat); 87 mg Cholesterol; 53 g Carbohydrate; 2 g Fibre; 6 g Protein; 106 mg Sodium
Reprinted from The Egg Book © Company's Coming Publishing Limited
Laugh a little: It's good for your health
by Rusty Wright
Had a good laugh recently? Need one?
Stressful days can invite comic relief. Doctors realize that laughter can enhance physical and mental health. Now it seems even looking forward to laughter can be good for you.
WebMD reports that Lee Berk, MD, a University of California Irvine medical professor, and his associates have for years investigated how moods affect immune systems and illness. They've found laughter has a role in fighting viruses, bacteria, cancer and heart disease.
Stress can hamper your immune system; a good chuckle can help.
Berk found earlier that watching a one-hour humorous video reduced stress hormone secretion and helped the immune system counter viruses and bacteria.
But there's more: Berk now says the mere anticipation of laughing can help. He studied ten men, measured their stress signs, and told them that in about three days they would see a humorous video. In each man, spirits lifted before viewing the video.
Two days before the viewing, depression was down 51 percent, confusion 36 percent, anger 19 percent, fatigue 15 percent and tension 9 percent. Right after the viewing, depression and anger were both down 98 percent, fatigue 87 percent, confusion 75 percent and tension 61 percent.
Berk feels anticipating humor brightens life and affects health. He calls this influence the "biology of hope." Berk says, "Positive anticipation of humor starts the ball rolling in a sense, in which moods begin to change in ways that help the body fight illness. We believe this shows that even anticipation can be used to help patients recover from a wide range of disorders."
Moral: Planning humor can benefit your health.
Watch a funny movie, spend time with humorous people. Tell your boss, professor, clergy or club chairperson to liven up their speeches a bit if they want healthy employees, students, or members. Put laugh-breaks on your calendar, since anticipation is part of the therapy.
A Jewish proverb observes, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." Paul, a first-Century follower of Jesus, emphasized hope: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope. . . ." Those biblical writers have some good advice now and then, practical stuff for everyday life.
The other day, a friend sent what he claimed were comments from federal employee performance evaluations. Maybe because I've encountered a groundswell of administrivia-creating bureaucrats recently, some of the remarks left me roaring . . . and feeling much better. With apologies to the many capable federal workers, know anyone like this?
"Since my last report, this employee has reached rock bottom and has started to dig."
"I would not allow this employee to breed."
"This young lady has delusions of adequacy."
"He sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them."
"Got a full 6-pack, but lacks the plastic thing to hold it all together."
Those biblical writers would probably tell me to pray for those who hassle me, advice I should heed. But this laughter-break lifted my spirits and got me going again.
So, laugh more. You'll like it. And say, have you heard the one about. . .
Related Reading:
10 Great stress reducers
Remembering how to smile
Jokes and humor index
~ Rusty Wright is an author and university lecturer who has spoken on six continents. "Real Answers" furnished courtesy of The Amy Foundation Internet Syndicate. To contact the author or The Amy Foundation, write or E-mail to: P. O. Box 16091, Lansing, MI 48901-6091; amyfoundtn@aol.com. Visit our website at www.amyfound.org.
Had a good laugh recently? Need one?
Stressful days can invite comic relief. Doctors realize that laughter can enhance physical and mental health. Now it seems even looking forward to laughter can be good for you.
WebMD reports that Lee Berk, MD, a University of California Irvine medical professor, and his associates have for years investigated how moods affect immune systems and illness. They've found laughter has a role in fighting viruses, bacteria, cancer and heart disease.
Stress can hamper your immune system; a good chuckle can help.
Berk found earlier that watching a one-hour humorous video reduced stress hormone secretion and helped the immune system counter viruses and bacteria.
But there's more: Berk now says the mere anticipation of laughing can help. He studied ten men, measured their stress signs, and told them that in about three days they would see a humorous video. In each man, spirits lifted before viewing the video.
Two days before the viewing, depression was down 51 percent, confusion 36 percent, anger 19 percent, fatigue 15 percent and tension 9 percent. Right after the viewing, depression and anger were both down 98 percent, fatigue 87 percent, confusion 75 percent and tension 61 percent.
Berk feels anticipating humor brightens life and affects health. He calls this influence the "biology of hope." Berk says, "Positive anticipation of humor starts the ball rolling in a sense, in which moods begin to change in ways that help the body fight illness. We believe this shows that even anticipation can be used to help patients recover from a wide range of disorders."
Moral: Planning humor can benefit your health.
Watch a funny movie, spend time with humorous people. Tell your boss, professor, clergy or club chairperson to liven up their speeches a bit if they want healthy employees, students, or members. Put laugh-breaks on your calendar, since anticipation is part of the therapy.
A Jewish proverb observes, "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." Paul, a first-Century follower of Jesus, emphasized hope: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope. . . ." Those biblical writers have some good advice now and then, practical stuff for everyday life.
The other day, a friend sent what he claimed were comments from federal employee performance evaluations. Maybe because I've encountered a groundswell of administrivia-creating bureaucrats recently, some of the remarks left me roaring . . . and feeling much better. With apologies to the many capable federal workers, know anyone like this?
"Since my last report, this employee has reached rock bottom and has started to dig."
"I would not allow this employee to breed."
"This young lady has delusions of adequacy."
"He sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them."
"Got a full 6-pack, but lacks the plastic thing to hold it all together."
Those biblical writers would probably tell me to pray for those who hassle me, advice I should heed. But this laughter-break lifted my spirits and got me going again.
So, laugh more. You'll like it. And say, have you heard the one about. . .
Related Reading:
10 Great stress reducers
Remembering how to smile
Jokes and humor index
~ Rusty Wright is an author and university lecturer who has spoken on six continents. "Real Answers" furnished courtesy of The Amy Foundation Internet Syndicate. To contact the author or The Amy Foundation, write or E-mail to: P. O. Box 16091, Lansing, MI 48901-6091; amyfoundtn@aol.com. Visit our website at www.amyfound.org.
House Hunting? Here's a Great Deal for You
By Kamil Skawinski
bankrate.com
There was a time when if you heard of a home being offered for sale with a discount or some other generous bonus, your first thought was, "OK, so what's wrong with it?" But with prices leveling off and properties now staying on the market much longer than they used to, it's becoming more common to find lucrative incentives offered on both newly built and existing homes.
Of course, everything depends on whether you're house hunting in a real estate market that has cooled. But if you're in the right place at the right time, you could wind up getting considerably more than you bargained for — in the best possible sense — when you make an offer on a home.
Incentives on new homes
Tom Stevens, president of the National Association of Realtors, says home builders started offering incentives in cooling markets such as certain parts of Florida, Las Vegas, California and the Northeast. "Home builders were among the first to react with various incentive programs and promotions to help keep their properties moving and to reduce unsold inventories," he says.
High-end kitchen cabinets and counters, upgraded bathrooms, generous hardwood flooring packages, finished basements and professional landscaping are just a few of the common gratis offers Stevens has heard of. "And good old-fashioned discounts and cash incentives ranging between $25,000 and $50,000 are out there, too."
Three-quarters of the 369 homebuilders recently surveyed by the National Association of Home Builders said that they are now including once-expensive extras at no additional cost to help sell their homes. One-third reported that they are now also absorbing such costs as financing points on mortgages to help move unsold properties. Several even admitted to offering free vacations.
Real estate analyst Jack McCabe, of McCabe Research and Consulting in Deerfield Beach, Fla., says that desperate developers in South Florida, for example, are now offering potential buyers a host of generous incentives, in one case even the free use of a yacht. "Our area's incentives really vary by market and product type, so we're seeing just about everything today — points and closing costs being paid by sellers, upgraded trim and generous kitchen appliance packages, one year of (paid) condo fees, big-screen plasma TVs being thrown in for free, even ... limousine service both to and from the airport whenever you need it."
McCabe says he's seen sellers offering higher commissions — "in ranges from five to 12 percent" — to get a higher level of service from real estate brokers.
Generous incentive packages can even be found in the conservative Midwest. Buyers purchasing lots in the high-end subdivisions of Bavarian Woods, in Germantown, and Weston Highlands, in Brookfield, through Wisconsin-based Simon Group, can choose between a brand new Mazda Miata convertible or a $20,000 rebate.
"This year, there's definitely a lot more negotiating and discounting going on with most builders in our area," says David Balcerzak, vice president of sales and marketing at Pulte Homes in Detroit. "But our company has taken a different approach. We're taking a much closer look at our potential buyer's situation and asking what we can do to help offer them a solution."
For instance, one of the biggest hurdles new homebuyers now face is selling an existing home. To help them, Pulte (through its own mortgage company, Pulte Mortgage) has implemented a special program which basically covers three to six months of buyers' existing and new mortgages, both interest and principal, plus tax payments so that these customers aren't stuck with the pain of making twin payments on two properties.
Incentives on existing homes
While builder-incentive programs have attracted the most attention, developers aren't the only ones to offer inducements. More home sellers today are also including tempting freebies that go well beyond the usual appliances, fixtures and window treatments. Typical incentives can include assisting a buyer with closing costs, paying points, covering homeowners' association fees for a year or more, or selling the home with a comprehensive warranty.
"If you're a reseller, your only real option is to price your house in a way that will sell, which is in itself an incentive," says Sacramento-based Re/Max Gold agent Loren Ransier.
But if you aren't quite ready to make a home-buying decision right now, you probably need not fear missing out on today's generous deals.
"This whole thing with incentives is really just starting now," says McCabe. "There's no telling what types of very creative marketing offers we're going to see in the next couple of years."
Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.
bankrate.com
There was a time when if you heard of a home being offered for sale with a discount or some other generous bonus, your first thought was, "OK, so what's wrong with it?" But with prices leveling off and properties now staying on the market much longer than they used to, it's becoming more common to find lucrative incentives offered on both newly built and existing homes.
Of course, everything depends on whether you're house hunting in a real estate market that has cooled. But if you're in the right place at the right time, you could wind up getting considerably more than you bargained for — in the best possible sense — when you make an offer on a home.
Incentives on new homes
Tom Stevens, president of the National Association of Realtors, says home builders started offering incentives in cooling markets such as certain parts of Florida, Las Vegas, California and the Northeast. "Home builders were among the first to react with various incentive programs and promotions to help keep their properties moving and to reduce unsold inventories," he says.
High-end kitchen cabinets and counters, upgraded bathrooms, generous hardwood flooring packages, finished basements and professional landscaping are just a few of the common gratis offers Stevens has heard of. "And good old-fashioned discounts and cash incentives ranging between $25,000 and $50,000 are out there, too."
Three-quarters of the 369 homebuilders recently surveyed by the National Association of Home Builders said that they are now including once-expensive extras at no additional cost to help sell their homes. One-third reported that they are now also absorbing such costs as financing points on mortgages to help move unsold properties. Several even admitted to offering free vacations.
Real estate analyst Jack McCabe, of McCabe Research and Consulting in Deerfield Beach, Fla., says that desperate developers in South Florida, for example, are now offering potential buyers a host of generous incentives, in one case even the free use of a yacht. "Our area's incentives really vary by market and product type, so we're seeing just about everything today — points and closing costs being paid by sellers, upgraded trim and generous kitchen appliance packages, one year of (paid) condo fees, big-screen plasma TVs being thrown in for free, even ... limousine service both to and from the airport whenever you need it."
McCabe says he's seen sellers offering higher commissions — "in ranges from five to 12 percent" — to get a higher level of service from real estate brokers.
Generous incentive packages can even be found in the conservative Midwest. Buyers purchasing lots in the high-end subdivisions of Bavarian Woods, in Germantown, and Weston Highlands, in Brookfield, through Wisconsin-based Simon Group, can choose between a brand new Mazda Miata convertible or a $20,000 rebate.
"This year, there's definitely a lot more negotiating and discounting going on with most builders in our area," says David Balcerzak, vice president of sales and marketing at Pulte Homes in Detroit. "But our company has taken a different approach. We're taking a much closer look at our potential buyer's situation and asking what we can do to help offer them a solution."
For instance, one of the biggest hurdles new homebuyers now face is selling an existing home. To help them, Pulte (through its own mortgage company, Pulte Mortgage) has implemented a special program which basically covers three to six months of buyers' existing and new mortgages, both interest and principal, plus tax payments so that these customers aren't stuck with the pain of making twin payments on two properties.
Incentives on existing homes
While builder-incentive programs have attracted the most attention, developers aren't the only ones to offer inducements. More home sellers today are also including tempting freebies that go well beyond the usual appliances, fixtures and window treatments. Typical incentives can include assisting a buyer with closing costs, paying points, covering homeowners' association fees for a year or more, or selling the home with a comprehensive warranty.
"If you're a reseller, your only real option is to price your house in a way that will sell, which is in itself an incentive," says Sacramento-based Re/Max Gold agent Loren Ransier.
But if you aren't quite ready to make a home-buying decision right now, you probably need not fear missing out on today's generous deals.
"This whole thing with incentives is really just starting now," says McCabe. "There's no telling what types of very creative marketing offers we're going to see in the next couple of years."
Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.
Preparing to Buy a House
by Holden Lewis
Scripps Howard News Service
Summer is the busiest time of year for home sales. If you want to buy a house this summer, spring is a good time to get the ball rolling.
No, it's not necessary to start looking at houses so early. It's the financial stuff that you tackle three to four months before moving day: finding out your credit score and fixing any errors on your credit report.
Rudy Cavazos, spokesman for debt-counseling giant Money Management International, advises people to wait before finding a real estate agent and a lender. Instead, he sends them to MyFICO.com to buy their credit score and a copy of a credit report for $12.95.
"You want to gain yourself some leverage," he says. "You gain that leverage by finding out what your credit score is."
The credit score is a distillation of your credit history into a three-digit number between about 300 and 850, the higher the better. A score above 720 is most desirable. Credit scores are calculated using a secret mathematical formula devised by Fair, Isaac & Co.--hence the name "FICO."
Errors appear regularly on credit reports, and they can drop your score lower than you deserve. If that happens, you might be offered loans on worse rates and terms than you otherwise would qualify. Most mistakes on credit reports result from clerical or computer errors by billers.
Most errors can be corrected with a letter to the credit bureau that describes the mistake and requests an investigation. Expect the process to take at least a month. Cavazos tells people to set aside 45 days to repair credit-reporting errors.
If you're satisfied with your credit score and the accuracy of your credit report, the next step takes place about 60 days before you plan to move. That's when you gather financial documents that a lender will need: pay stubs; statements from banks, brokerages and retirement accounts; income tax returns; records of debts such as auto loans, mortgages, student loans and credit cards.
Then it's time to find a broker or lender, who will evaluate credit and income information to estimate how much you can afford to borrow. If there are any obvious problems with your financial documents, the broker or lender will tell you during this pre-qualification process.
If you haven't started looking at houses two months before you plan to move, it's time to start. By searching for a house 60 days before your target move-in date, you have a little over three weeks to look and a half-week to haggle.
While you're searching, it's time to go a step further from pre-qualification: Get pre-approved for a mortgage so that your offer for a house is taken seriously. When you're pre-approved, it means that a lender has agreed to lend up to a certain amount at specified terms and conditions.
"With a pre-approval, you're going to have more leverage when you make an offer," says Steve O'Connor, vice president for industry relations and policy development for the Mortgage Bankers Association. "You can say, 'I've got a loan approved already that's sufficient to purchase this home,' and that makes you more attractive to a potential seller."
After you agree on price and terms for your house, it usually takes a month or a little longer to accomplish everything else: an inspection, an appraisal, final loan approval, title work and closing. Not to mention packing up and moving.
By the time you've moved into your new home, you'll look back fondly at that less-hectic time a mere three or four months before, when you were reviewing your credit report and your days were less stressful.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service. E-mail Holden Lewis at hlewis@bankrate.com.)
Resources
Scripps Howard News Service
Summer is the busiest time of year for home sales. If you want to buy a house this summer, spring is a good time to get the ball rolling.
No, it's not necessary to start looking at houses so early. It's the financial stuff that you tackle three to four months before moving day: finding out your credit score and fixing any errors on your credit report.
Rudy Cavazos, spokesman for debt-counseling giant Money Management International, advises people to wait before finding a real estate agent and a lender. Instead, he sends them to MyFICO.com to buy their credit score and a copy of a credit report for $12.95.
"You want to gain yourself some leverage," he says. "You gain that leverage by finding out what your credit score is."
The credit score is a distillation of your credit history into a three-digit number between about 300 and 850, the higher the better. A score above 720 is most desirable. Credit scores are calculated using a secret mathematical formula devised by Fair, Isaac & Co.--hence the name "FICO."
Errors appear regularly on credit reports, and they can drop your score lower than you deserve. If that happens, you might be offered loans on worse rates and terms than you otherwise would qualify. Most mistakes on credit reports result from clerical or computer errors by billers.
Most errors can be corrected with a letter to the credit bureau that describes the mistake and requests an investigation. Expect the process to take at least a month. Cavazos tells people to set aside 45 days to repair credit-reporting errors.
If you're satisfied with your credit score and the accuracy of your credit report, the next step takes place about 60 days before you plan to move. That's when you gather financial documents that a lender will need: pay stubs; statements from banks, brokerages and retirement accounts; income tax returns; records of debts such as auto loans, mortgages, student loans and credit cards.
Then it's time to find a broker or lender, who will evaluate credit and income information to estimate how much you can afford to borrow. If there are any obvious problems with your financial documents, the broker or lender will tell you during this pre-qualification process.
If you haven't started looking at houses two months before you plan to move, it's time to start. By searching for a house 60 days before your target move-in date, you have a little over three weeks to look and a half-week to haggle.
While you're searching, it's time to go a step further from pre-qualification: Get pre-approved for a mortgage so that your offer for a house is taken seriously. When you're pre-approved, it means that a lender has agreed to lend up to a certain amount at specified terms and conditions.
"With a pre-approval, you're going to have more leverage when you make an offer," says Steve O'Connor, vice president for industry relations and policy development for the Mortgage Bankers Association. "You can say, 'I've got a loan approved already that's sufficient to purchase this home,' and that makes you more attractive to a potential seller."
After you agree on price and terms for your house, it usually takes a month or a little longer to accomplish everything else: an inspection, an appraisal, final loan approval, title work and closing. Not to mention packing up and moving.
By the time you've moved into your new home, you'll look back fondly at that less-hectic time a mere three or four months before, when you were reviewing your credit report and your days were less stressful.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service. E-mail Holden Lewis at hlewis@bankrate.com.)
Resources
Sunday, February 3, 2008
15 Minute Cleanups for Every Room
What a 15 Minute Cleanup Is:
A 15 Minute Cleanup is a brief step-by-step guide to cleaning a room in 15 minutes or less. While the room may not be white glove clean, it will be presentable to guests. 15 Minute Cleanups are a great way to maintain a home in between more thorough cleanings. These cleanups include step-by-step instructions, a list of supplies, tips, and links for more thorough information.
What a 15 Minute Cleanup Isn’t:
A 15 Minute Cleanup is not the only cleaning regimen you’ll need to keep your home in tip top shape. It’s not an intense cleaning, but only a brief pickup of a room. To really keep a home clean, more thorough work will need to be done according to your cleaning schedule. Before intensely cleaning a room, it’s a good idea to start with that room's quick 15 Minute Cleanup.
The Cleanups:
15 Minute Living Area Cleanup
This cleanup can work for formal and informal living areas and sitting areas.
Leather Wipes
Clean your leather without the worry of damaging its surface
www.leatherwipes.co.uk
How To Clean Room
Clean Rooms explained here. Learn Standards, Construction & More.
www.Machines-Direct.com/CleanRoom
It also works for formal dining rooms, and other rooms where entertaining is done. The idea with this cleanup is to get the room ready for guests, or events without spending a lot of time on the details.
15 Minute Kitchen Cleanup
The kitchen cleanup aims to remove trash, dirty dishes, and unwanted items from a kitchen, making it ready to be used, or in good shape for guests to be around. While you won’t scrub out the refrigerator, or clean under the sink in this cleanup, you will remove any offending trash and dishes, making your kitchen clean and clutter free.
15 Minute Bathroom Cleanup
The bathroom cleanup helps you quickly organize and wipe down bathroom surfaces. This cleanup will work to maintain your weekly bathroom scrub down, or get a bathroom ready in a hurry when unexpected guests show up.
15 Minute Kid’s Room Cleanup
This kid’s room cleanup is great for parents at a loss for where to begin when faced with a disaster area child’s room. It’s also perfect for older readers who can actually follow the list themselves to get their rooms clean. Print it off for them and watch as an all day chore turns into a 15 minute miracle.
15 Minute Bedroom Cleanup
Like many people, I usually leave cleaning my own bedroom for last. After a busy day or week, a bedroom can be in terrible shape. This cleanup will help maintain a bedroom or give it a quick pickup just in time for a restful night.
15 Minute Dorm Room Cleanup
The dorm room cleanup is for those who live in a very small area like an efficiency apartment, or campus housing. These small places can quickly fill up with junk and trash, but this quick cleanup will help organize even the worst-case scenario.
Why A 15 Minute Cleanup Works:
A 15 Minute Cleanup works because it recognizes that there are three types of items we need to clean up in a room. Everything falls into one of three categories...
Trash
Things that don't belong in the room.
Things that belong in the room, in a different place.
Having only a few categories to sort items into makes a pickup run more smoothly. The 15 Minute Cleanups also work because they are designed to maintain a room. Having a 15 Minute Cleaning session in a room several times a week will keep your home looking great between more intense cleanings.
More Intense Cleanups:
If you need a little more intense cleanup, you can try the following. These cleanups will take you between 1-2 hours per room depending on how much cleaning they’ve had lately. When you make your cleaning schedule, you can use the 15 Minute Cleanups and the Intense Cleanups together to create a perfectly clean home.
A 15 Minute Cleanup is a brief step-by-step guide to cleaning a room in 15 minutes or less. While the room may not be white glove clean, it will be presentable to guests. 15 Minute Cleanups are a great way to maintain a home in between more thorough cleanings. These cleanups include step-by-step instructions, a list of supplies, tips, and links for more thorough information.
What a 15 Minute Cleanup Isn’t:
A 15 Minute Cleanup is not the only cleaning regimen you’ll need to keep your home in tip top shape. It’s not an intense cleaning, but only a brief pickup of a room. To really keep a home clean, more thorough work will need to be done according to your cleaning schedule. Before intensely cleaning a room, it’s a good idea to start with that room's quick 15 Minute Cleanup.
The Cleanups:
15 Minute Living Area Cleanup
This cleanup can work for formal and informal living areas and sitting areas.
Leather Wipes
Clean your leather without the worry of damaging its surface
www.leatherwipes.co.uk
How To Clean Room
Clean Rooms explained here. Learn Standards, Construction & More.
www.Machines-Direct.com/CleanRoom
It also works for formal dining rooms, and other rooms where entertaining is done. The idea with this cleanup is to get the room ready for guests, or events without spending a lot of time on the details.
15 Minute Kitchen Cleanup
The kitchen cleanup aims to remove trash, dirty dishes, and unwanted items from a kitchen, making it ready to be used, or in good shape for guests to be around. While you won’t scrub out the refrigerator, or clean under the sink in this cleanup, you will remove any offending trash and dishes, making your kitchen clean and clutter free.
15 Minute Bathroom Cleanup
The bathroom cleanup helps you quickly organize and wipe down bathroom surfaces. This cleanup will work to maintain your weekly bathroom scrub down, or get a bathroom ready in a hurry when unexpected guests show up.
15 Minute Kid’s Room Cleanup
This kid’s room cleanup is great for parents at a loss for where to begin when faced with a disaster area child’s room. It’s also perfect for older readers who can actually follow the list themselves to get their rooms clean. Print it off for them and watch as an all day chore turns into a 15 minute miracle.
15 Minute Bedroom Cleanup
Like many people, I usually leave cleaning my own bedroom for last. After a busy day or week, a bedroom can be in terrible shape. This cleanup will help maintain a bedroom or give it a quick pickup just in time for a restful night.
15 Minute Dorm Room Cleanup
The dorm room cleanup is for those who live in a very small area like an efficiency apartment, or campus housing. These small places can quickly fill up with junk and trash, but this quick cleanup will help organize even the worst-case scenario.
Why A 15 Minute Cleanup Works:
A 15 Minute Cleanup works because it recognizes that there are three types of items we need to clean up in a room. Everything falls into one of three categories...
Trash
Things that don't belong in the room.
Things that belong in the room, in a different place.
Having only a few categories to sort items into makes a pickup run more smoothly. The 15 Minute Cleanups also work because they are designed to maintain a room. Having a 15 Minute Cleaning session in a room several times a week will keep your home looking great between more intense cleanings.
More Intense Cleanups:
If you need a little more intense cleanup, you can try the following. These cleanups will take you between 1-2 hours per room depending on how much cleaning they’ve had lately. When you make your cleaning schedule, you can use the 15 Minute Cleanups and the Intense Cleanups together to create a perfectly clean home.
Bathroom Tips and Ideas
This is the job nobody wants. Cleaning the bathroom can be a thankless, dirty, but necessary job. Explore ideas for quickly cleaning the bathroom with thorough methods and timesaving products. Check out organizational ideas for the bathroom that leave a cramped medicine cabinet a thing of the past.
Sponsored Links
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Learn how to organize your bathroom in this article by Martha Mathews from Jorbins. In just 4 easy organizing steps, she will help you get your bathroom decluttered and ready for easier more efficient use.Helpful Bathroom Hints
Hints for the bathroom to help you get it clean. Great tips to help you get in and out of the bathroom quickly and cleanly. Brought to you by All About the Home.
Check More and follow the link :D http://housekeeping.about.com/od/bathrooms/Bathroom_Tips_and_Ideas.htm
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Articles & ResourcesSort By : Guide Picks | Alphabetical | RecentToilet Cleaning Tools
Toilet cleaning requires the right tools to get the job done. Find out the best way to choose toilet cleaning tools and products.Intense Bathroom Cleanup
This step-by-step how to illustrates how to get your bathroom downright clean. Learn what steps to take to scrub your bathroom down to the core and get it ready to serve your family.Spring Cleaning Your Medicine Cabinet
Spring is a great time to freshen up your medicine cabinet. Learn what to throw out and what to add to keep your family set for spring activities.15 Minute Bathroom Cleanup
Get in and out of the bathroom as quickly as possible with great results. Here you'll find a step-by-step guide with tools and tips to get your bathroom sparkling, shining, and clean. Share this guide with your family to show them that in just 15 minutes the bathroom can become a room that seems to clean itself.Clean the Bathroom Sink
We wash our hands to keep clean, but does your sink shout out cleanliness? Dirt from hands, soap scum, and fingerprints line the sink of your bathrooms. Leave your bathroom sink sparkling clean with these tips from the Tip King.Advertisement Bathroom Cleaning Tips
Look here for some wonderful tips to keep your bathroom clean and shiny. Fast easy solutions for your bathroom from the floor up brought to you by Sandi.Organizing the Bathroom In 4 Easy Steps
Learn how to organize your bathroom in this article by Martha Mathews from Jorbins. In just 4 easy organizing steps, she will help you get your bathroom decluttered and ready for easier more efficient use.Helpful Bathroom Hints
Hints for the bathroom to help you get it clean. Great tips to help you get in and out of the bathroom quickly and cleanly. Brought to you by All About the Home.
Check More and follow the link :D http://housekeeping.about.com/od/bathrooms/Bathroom_Tips_and_Ideas.htm
3 Homemade Natural Cleaning Products
Using lemons, vinegar, and baking soda as natural cleaning products in your home
One of my earliest memories is of my mother cleaning with what looked to me like cooking ingredients. She would be listening to the radio as she poured baking soda, lemon, and vinegar combinations on the surfaces of our home. Magically these natural cleaning products kept our home clean and smelling fresh, without stretching an already thin household budget. Here are a few basic household ingredients and items you can use to clean your home.
Vinegar
Uses:
Vinegar naturally cleans like an all-purpose cleaner. Mix a solution of 1 part water to 1 part vinegar in a new store bought spray bottle and you have a solution that will clean most areas of your home. Vinegar is a great natural cleaning product as well as a disinfectant and deodorizer. Always test on an inconspicuous area. It is safe to use on most surfaces and has the added bonus of being incredibly cheap. Improperly diluted vinegar is acidic and can eat away at tile grout. Never use vinegar on marble surfaces. Don't worry about your home smelling like vinegar. The smell disappears when it dries. Here are some uses for vinegar in the rooms of your house. Use it in the…
Bathroom - Clean the bathtub, toilet, sink, and countertops. Use pure vinegar in the toilet bowl to get rid of rings. Flush the toilet to allow the water level to go down. Pour the undiluted vinegar around the inside of the rim. Scrub down the bowl. Mop the flour in the bathroom with a vinegar/water solution. The substance will also eat away the soap scum and hard water stains on your fixtures and tile. Make sure it is safe to use with your tile.
Kitchen- Clean the stovetop, appliances, countertops, and floor.
Laundry Room- Use vinegar as a natural fabric softener. This can be especially helpful for families who have sensitive skin. Add ½ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle in place of store bought fabric softener. Vinegar has the added benefit of breaking down laundry detergent more effectively. (A plus when you have a family member whose skin detects every trace of detergent.)
Lemon Juice
Uses:
Lemon juice is another natural substance that can be used to clean your home. Lemon juice can be used to dissolve soap scum and hard water deposits. Lemon is a great substance to clean and shine brass and copper. Lemon juice can be mixed with vinegar and or baking soda to make cleaning pastes. Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle baking soda on the cut section. Use the lemon to scrub dishes, surfaces, and stains. Mix 1 cup olive oil with ½ cup lemon juice and you have a furniture polish for your hardwood furniture.
My favorite use for the fruit is to put a whole lemon peel through the garbage disposal. It freshens the drain and the kitchen. Orange peels can be used with the same results.
Baking Soda
Uses:
Baking soda can be used to scrub surfaces in much the same way as commercial abrasive cleansers. Baking soda is great as a deodorizer. Place a box in the refrigerator and freezer to absorb odors. Put it anywhere you need deodorizing action. Try these three kitchen ingredients as natural cleaning products in your home.
One of my earliest memories is of my mother cleaning with what looked to me like cooking ingredients. She would be listening to the radio as she poured baking soda, lemon, and vinegar combinations on the surfaces of our home. Magically these natural cleaning products kept our home clean and smelling fresh, without stretching an already thin household budget. Here are a few basic household ingredients and items you can use to clean your home.
Vinegar
Uses:
Vinegar naturally cleans like an all-purpose cleaner. Mix a solution of 1 part water to 1 part vinegar in a new store bought spray bottle and you have a solution that will clean most areas of your home. Vinegar is a great natural cleaning product as well as a disinfectant and deodorizer. Always test on an inconspicuous area. It is safe to use on most surfaces and has the added bonus of being incredibly cheap. Improperly diluted vinegar is acidic and can eat away at tile grout. Never use vinegar on marble surfaces. Don't worry about your home smelling like vinegar. The smell disappears when it dries. Here are some uses for vinegar in the rooms of your house. Use it in the…
Bathroom - Clean the bathtub, toilet, sink, and countertops. Use pure vinegar in the toilet bowl to get rid of rings. Flush the toilet to allow the water level to go down. Pour the undiluted vinegar around the inside of the rim. Scrub down the bowl. Mop the flour in the bathroom with a vinegar/water solution. The substance will also eat away the soap scum and hard water stains on your fixtures and tile. Make sure it is safe to use with your tile.
Kitchen- Clean the stovetop, appliances, countertops, and floor.
Laundry Room- Use vinegar as a natural fabric softener. This can be especially helpful for families who have sensitive skin. Add ½ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle in place of store bought fabric softener. Vinegar has the added benefit of breaking down laundry detergent more effectively. (A plus when you have a family member whose skin detects every trace of detergent.)
Lemon Juice
Uses:
Lemon juice is another natural substance that can be used to clean your home. Lemon juice can be used to dissolve soap scum and hard water deposits. Lemon is a great substance to clean and shine brass and copper. Lemon juice can be mixed with vinegar and or baking soda to make cleaning pastes. Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle baking soda on the cut section. Use the lemon to scrub dishes, surfaces, and stains. Mix 1 cup olive oil with ½ cup lemon juice and you have a furniture polish for your hardwood furniture.
My favorite use for the fruit is to put a whole lemon peel through the garbage disposal. It freshens the drain and the kitchen. Orange peels can be used with the same results.
Baking Soda
Uses:
Baking soda can be used to scrub surfaces in much the same way as commercial abrasive cleansers. Baking soda is great as a deodorizer. Place a box in the refrigerator and freezer to absorb odors. Put it anywhere you need deodorizing action. Try these three kitchen ingredients as natural cleaning products in your home.
Facial Recipes
Treat yourself and your skin to some TLC. Give yourself a facial.
It's not only good for you, if feels great too. You can make a facial from ordinary kitchen goods. Here are some recipes which are inexpensive to make and you probably have the ingredients right in your kitchen.
Honey Facial * (warning - do not use this if you are allergic to eggs!)
1 tablespoon honey
1 egg yoke
1 teaspoon olive oil
Beat the egg yoke with a fork, add the oil and blend well. Add the honey using a spoon that you have rinsed with hot water and blend well again. Smear it all over your face with your fingers, except do not cover your eyes. Leave it on your face for 15 minutes, then rinse it off.
Cucumber Facial
1 cucumber
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon witch hazel (you can buy this in any drug store)
1 egg white, beaten with an electric beater until fluffy.
Peel the cucumber and run it through a blender or a food processor. Pour the cucumber pulp into a colander or strainer and force it through, catching the liquid that comes out in a bowl underneath. Combine the cucumber liquid with the lemon juice and the witch hazel. Stir it and add the beaten egg white gently. Put it on your face and leave it on for 15 to 25 minutes, then rinse off.
Refreshing Fruit Facials
PEACH TIGHTENING MASK
1 Peach, ripe, peeled, pitted
1 Egg white
Whip the peach and egg white together in a blender until smooth. Gently pat the mixture all over your face. Relax for 30 minutes, then rinse it off with cool water.
APPLE MASK FOR NORMAL SKIN
1 Apple, cored & quartered
2 T Honey
Drop the apple pieces into a food processor and chop. Add honey and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Pat the mixture onto your face with a light tapping motion, tapping until the honey feels tacky. Leave it on for 30 minutes and then rinse.
CUCUMBER MASK FOR OILY SKIN
1/2 Cucumber
1 Egg white
1 T Lemon juice
1 tsp mint
Puree everything and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Apply the mixture to your face and leave it on for 15 minutes. Rinse with warm, then cool water.
STRAWBERRY DRAWING MASK
1/2 c Strawberries, very ripe
1/4 c Cornstarch
Mix strawberries and cornstarch together to make a paste and apply it to your face, avoiding the delicate area around your eyes. Leave it on for 30 minutes and then rinse it off with cool water.
CITRUS FRESHNER
2 cups boiling water
1 vitamin C (a preservative)
Lemon peel (zest) from 2 lemons
Dissolve the vitamin in water. In a glass bowl put the lemon zest and pour the water over them. Let it sit over night. Remove the zest and put in a spray bottle. You can use any type of citrus peel.
BLEMISHED SKIN MASK
1 Tomato, ripe, chopped
1 tsp Lemon juice
1 T Instant style oatmeal or old-fashioned rolled oats
Blend everything until just combined. Apply to skin, making sure the mixture is thick enough to stay on blemished areas: cheeks, forehead, or chin. If necessary, add a bit more oatmeal to thicken the mask. Leave it on for 10 minutes, then scrub it off with a clean washcloth dipped in warm water.
It's not only good for you, if feels great too. You can make a facial from ordinary kitchen goods. Here are some recipes which are inexpensive to make and you probably have the ingredients right in your kitchen.
Honey Facial * (warning - do not use this if you are allergic to eggs!)
1 tablespoon honey
1 egg yoke
1 teaspoon olive oil
Beat the egg yoke with a fork, add the oil and blend well. Add the honey using a spoon that you have rinsed with hot water and blend well again. Smear it all over your face with your fingers, except do not cover your eyes. Leave it on your face for 15 minutes, then rinse it off.
Cucumber Facial
1 cucumber
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon witch hazel (you can buy this in any drug store)
1 egg white, beaten with an electric beater until fluffy.
Peel the cucumber and run it through a blender or a food processor. Pour the cucumber pulp into a colander or strainer and force it through, catching the liquid that comes out in a bowl underneath. Combine the cucumber liquid with the lemon juice and the witch hazel. Stir it and add the beaten egg white gently. Put it on your face and leave it on for 15 to 25 minutes, then rinse off.
Refreshing Fruit Facials
PEACH TIGHTENING MASK
1 Peach, ripe, peeled, pitted
1 Egg white
Whip the peach and egg white together in a blender until smooth. Gently pat the mixture all over your face. Relax for 30 minutes, then rinse it off with cool water.
APPLE MASK FOR NORMAL SKIN
1 Apple, cored & quartered
2 T Honey
Drop the apple pieces into a food processor and chop. Add honey and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Pat the mixture onto your face with a light tapping motion, tapping until the honey feels tacky. Leave it on for 30 minutes and then rinse.
CUCUMBER MASK FOR OILY SKIN
1/2 Cucumber
1 Egg white
1 T Lemon juice
1 tsp mint
Puree everything and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Apply the mixture to your face and leave it on for 15 minutes. Rinse with warm, then cool water.
STRAWBERRY DRAWING MASK
1/2 c Strawberries, very ripe
1/4 c Cornstarch
Mix strawberries and cornstarch together to make a paste and apply it to your face, avoiding the delicate area around your eyes. Leave it on for 30 minutes and then rinse it off with cool water.
CITRUS FRESHNER
2 cups boiling water
1 vitamin C (a preservative)
Lemon peel (zest) from 2 lemons
Dissolve the vitamin in water. In a glass bowl put the lemon zest and pour the water over them. Let it sit over night. Remove the zest and put in a spray bottle. You can use any type of citrus peel.
BLEMISHED SKIN MASK
1 Tomato, ripe, chopped
1 tsp Lemon juice
1 T Instant style oatmeal or old-fashioned rolled oats
Blend everything until just combined. Apply to skin, making sure the mixture is thick enough to stay on blemished areas: cheeks, forehead, or chin. If necessary, add a bit more oatmeal to thicken the mask. Leave it on for 10 minutes, then scrub it off with a clean washcloth dipped in warm water.
How to make your own facial mask
Have you ever thought about the amount of money that you spend each year to look good? $500? $1000? More? Staggering, isn't it? I, too, have spent hundreds of dollars on appearances. While we all know it's what's on the inside that counts, we also all know how great it feels to look your best. Looking great improves your mood and builds your self-esteem, but it doesn't have to cost a small fortune.
Here are some recipes for great facial masks that you can quickly and easily prepare in your own home for a fraction of the cost of most ready-made beauty treatments. All of these masks are made with ingredients that are easily obtained at your local supermarkets, some of them may even be in you kitchen right now. These masks are fast and easy to make and, most importantly, they really do work.
If you have dry skin, try this:
Ingredients:
1 tsp. olive oil
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. honey
oatmeal, ground or you can also use infant oatmeal
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, using enough oatmeal to make a paste. Smooth the paste all over your face. Leave on for 15 minutes and then rinse with tepid water. Pat dry. The honey locks in moisture from the egg and olive oil, and the oatmeal soothes and softens the skin. Your skin should look and feel softer and smoother and you should notice and nice healthy glow.
If you have normal skin, try this:
Ingredients:
1/4 cup cooked peach
2 strawberries
1/4 cup mashed papaya
1 tsp. honey
Ground or intant oatmeal, enough to form a thin paste
Mash the fruit together and add oatmeal to make a paste. Apply to face and leave on for 10 minutes. The fruit acids will remove dead skin and leave you with a beautiful, hydrated glow. The oatmeal calms the skin.
If you have oily/acne-prone skin, try this:
Ingredients:
1/2 apple, cooked to softness and mashed
1 tbsp. honey
ground or intant oatmeal
Combine all ingredients and apply to face. Leave on for 10 minutes and then rinse with tepid water.
The oatmeal soothes irritated skin and absorbs oil. The fruit acid in the apple removes dead skin and clears the pores, and the honey contains anti-microbial properties to cleanse and refine.
Here are some other tips for staying beautiful without spending a fortune:
- Olive oil can be used as a moisturizer for dry skin.
- To reduce the redness of blemishes, cut a slice of potato and apply it to the blemish as you would a compress--you'll be amazed at the difference!
- For an inexpensive astringent, try witch hazel.
- For combination skin, try using two different masks. Use a mask for oily skin on the T-zone and a moisturizing mask on the cheeks and neck.
- Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day--this cleanses the body and skin, as well as keeping skin hydrated.
And most importantly, always remember that you are a beautiful person--inside and out!
Here are some recipes for great facial masks that you can quickly and easily prepare in your own home for a fraction of the cost of most ready-made beauty treatments. All of these masks are made with ingredients that are easily obtained at your local supermarkets, some of them may even be in you kitchen right now. These masks are fast and easy to make and, most importantly, they really do work.
If you have dry skin, try this:
Ingredients:
1 tsp. olive oil
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. honey
oatmeal, ground or you can also use infant oatmeal
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, using enough oatmeal to make a paste. Smooth the paste all over your face. Leave on for 15 minutes and then rinse with tepid water. Pat dry. The honey locks in moisture from the egg and olive oil, and the oatmeal soothes and softens the skin. Your skin should look and feel softer and smoother and you should notice and nice healthy glow.
If you have normal skin, try this:
Ingredients:
1/4 cup cooked peach
2 strawberries
1/4 cup mashed papaya
1 tsp. honey
Ground or intant oatmeal, enough to form a thin paste
Mash the fruit together and add oatmeal to make a paste. Apply to face and leave on for 10 minutes. The fruit acids will remove dead skin and leave you with a beautiful, hydrated glow. The oatmeal calms the skin.
If you have oily/acne-prone skin, try this:
Ingredients:
1/2 apple, cooked to softness and mashed
1 tbsp. honey
ground or intant oatmeal
Combine all ingredients and apply to face. Leave on for 10 minutes and then rinse with tepid water.
The oatmeal soothes irritated skin and absorbs oil. The fruit acid in the apple removes dead skin and clears the pores, and the honey contains anti-microbial properties to cleanse and refine.
Here are some other tips for staying beautiful without spending a fortune:
- Olive oil can be used as a moisturizer for dry skin.
- To reduce the redness of blemishes, cut a slice of potato and apply it to the blemish as you would a compress--you'll be amazed at the difference!
- For an inexpensive astringent, try witch hazel.
- For combination skin, try using two different masks. Use a mask for oily skin on the T-zone and a moisturizing mask on the cheeks and neck.
- Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day--this cleanses the body and skin, as well as keeping skin hydrated.
And most importantly, always remember that you are a beautiful person--inside and out!
Anne Collins Weight Loss Program
Lunch
Fast-Food Option
Pizza Hut [Calories 360]
One slice Thin 'n' Crispy Cheese, 1 serving Breadsticks, 1 oz Breadstick Dipping Sauce.
Take-to-Work Option
Soup, Crackers & Fruit & Nuts [387]
10 3/4 oz can Campbell's Healthy Request Soup, any variety
1 packet soup crackers
1 banana chopped, 6 dried apricots, small handful almonds
Microwave soup. Serve with the crackers and follow with fruit and nuts.
Quick-Cook-Option
Curried Chicken Pita & Salad [Calories 396]
4 oz cooked skinless chicken breast chopped,
1/2 red onion chopped,
1 rib celery, chopped,
2 tbsp fat-free mayo,
pinch curry powder,
1/2 cup grapes,
6" whole wheat pita or whole wheat bun.
Blend the mayo and curry powder.
Put the chicken, onion and celery into a bowl and stir in the mayo mixture and add the grapes.
Heat and split pita bread (or bun) and fill with the chicken mixture. Serve with salad leaves and 1 tbsp fat-free dressing.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dinner
Microwave Option
Lean Cuisine Salisbury Steak and Salad [Calories 400]
Microwave 1 pkg Lean Cuisine Traditional Salisbury Steak (or equivalent), serve with salad leaves, 1 tbsp fat-free dressing.
10-Minutes-or-Less-Option
Chicken Tacos [Calories 380]
5 oz cooked chicken breast,
2 regular size taco shells,
2 tbsp reduced-fat shredded cheese,
2 tbsp low-fat sour cream,
1/4 tsp hot sauce, shredded lettuce,
1 large tomato, sliced.
Chop the chicken into bite sized pieces.
Warm the tacos.
Mix the sour cream with the hot sauce and coat the chicken.
Pack the tacos with lettuce, tomato, chicken and top with cheese.
Two-Day-Option
Pasta & Shrimp Ragu & Salad [Calories 392]
8 oz can shrimp, drained,
2 cups mixed frozen vegetables,
1 cup tomato sauce,
2 tsp olive oil,
hot sauce,
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese,
1 oz (dry weight) pasta.
Heat the oil in a pan, cook vegetables for 2 mins.
Add tomato sauce, hot sauce, cover, cook over low heat for 5 mins. Add the shrimp, cook for 5 mins.
Serve half the sauce over cooked pasta and sprinkle with cheese. Refrigerate other half for tomorrow.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Snacks
Selected from Snacks List.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extra Daily Allowance
1/2 cup fat-free milk (or equivalent)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Calories
Daily Calories: Average 1100
Note: Snacks not included in calorie total
Your daily meals on this diet contain an average of 1100 calories. Depending on your gender and how much weight you have to lose, you may increase this to 2000+ calories, by choosing from a wide range of calorie-controlled snacks.
Fast-Food Option
Pizza Hut [Calories 360]
One slice Thin 'n' Crispy Cheese, 1 serving Breadsticks, 1 oz Breadstick Dipping Sauce.
Take-to-Work Option
Soup, Crackers & Fruit & Nuts [387]
10 3/4 oz can Campbell's Healthy Request Soup, any variety
1 packet soup crackers
1 banana chopped, 6 dried apricots, small handful almonds
Microwave soup. Serve with the crackers and follow with fruit and nuts.
Quick-Cook-Option
Curried Chicken Pita & Salad [Calories 396]
4 oz cooked skinless chicken breast chopped,
1/2 red onion chopped,
1 rib celery, chopped,
2 tbsp fat-free mayo,
pinch curry powder,
1/2 cup grapes,
6" whole wheat pita or whole wheat bun.
Blend the mayo and curry powder.
Put the chicken, onion and celery into a bowl and stir in the mayo mixture and add the grapes.
Heat and split pita bread (or bun) and fill with the chicken mixture. Serve with salad leaves and 1 tbsp fat-free dressing.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dinner
Microwave Option
Lean Cuisine Salisbury Steak and Salad [Calories 400]
Microwave 1 pkg Lean Cuisine Traditional Salisbury Steak (or equivalent), serve with salad leaves, 1 tbsp fat-free dressing.
10-Minutes-or-Less-Option
Chicken Tacos [Calories 380]
5 oz cooked chicken breast,
2 regular size taco shells,
2 tbsp reduced-fat shredded cheese,
2 tbsp low-fat sour cream,
1/4 tsp hot sauce, shredded lettuce,
1 large tomato, sliced.
Chop the chicken into bite sized pieces.
Warm the tacos.
Mix the sour cream with the hot sauce and coat the chicken.
Pack the tacos with lettuce, tomato, chicken and top with cheese.
Two-Day-Option
Pasta & Shrimp Ragu & Salad [Calories 392]
8 oz can shrimp, drained,
2 cups mixed frozen vegetables,
1 cup tomato sauce,
2 tsp olive oil,
hot sauce,
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese,
1 oz (dry weight) pasta.
Heat the oil in a pan, cook vegetables for 2 mins.
Add tomato sauce, hot sauce, cover, cook over low heat for 5 mins. Add the shrimp, cook for 5 mins.
Serve half the sauce over cooked pasta and sprinkle with cheese. Refrigerate other half for tomorrow.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Snacks
Selected from Snacks List.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extra Daily Allowance
1/2 cup fat-free milk (or equivalent)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Calories
Daily Calories: Average 1100
Note: Snacks not included in calorie total
Your daily meals on this diet contain an average of 1100 calories. Depending on your gender and how much weight you have to lose, you may increase this to 2000+ calories, by choosing from a wide range of calorie-controlled snacks.
Top 7 Secrets to a Stress-Free Work Life
1. Take 5 minute breaks regularly throughout your day. Sit or walk on your own and relax, breathe deeply and feel peaceful. You will feel more relaxed and not so overwhelmed, increasing your level of concentration and ability to achieve more, in less time.
2. Arrive 10 minutes early for every work and personal appointment. You will have time to feel relaxed, prepare yourself and to show respect for the other person’s time.
3. Take responsibility for your actions. Actions that you take are a result of choices that you’ve made. When you take responsibility for your
actions you realise that you are able to make different choices.
4. Clean up your work space. Such as, find a way to eliminate the piles of paperwork. Working in an environment that is clean and organised will free up your mind and reduce distractions for you. When our space feels cluttered it leads to our mind feeling cluttered.
5. Manage yourself rather than your time. You cannot change time yet you can make changes to yourself by organising yourself, setting priorities, taking responsibility…. When you manage yourself you will have more time to create the life you really want.
6. Learn to say no. A straight forward "No" is best although if this feels difficult at first try, "No, my time is committed elsewhere." Saying no is a skill to learn, takes practice and you can do it pleasantly. You will never please everyone and accepting this will reduce the pressure you put on yourself.
7. Reward your achievements. Choose the reward before you start both for small and large achievements and use it to move you forward, particularly when overcoming an obstacle. Rewarding yourself will encourage you to keep persevering and focusing on winning.
Wendy Hearn
winner of Small Business Consolidator - sponsored by Barclays Bank plc
and The Millennium Woman Awards
2. Arrive 10 minutes early for every work and personal appointment. You will have time to feel relaxed, prepare yourself and to show respect for the other person’s time.
3. Take responsibility for your actions. Actions that you take are a result of choices that you’ve made. When you take responsibility for your
actions you realise that you are able to make different choices.
4. Clean up your work space. Such as, find a way to eliminate the piles of paperwork. Working in an environment that is clean and organised will free up your mind and reduce distractions for you. When our space feels cluttered it leads to our mind feeling cluttered.
5. Manage yourself rather than your time. You cannot change time yet you can make changes to yourself by organising yourself, setting priorities, taking responsibility…. When you manage yourself you will have more time to create the life you really want.
6. Learn to say no. A straight forward "No" is best although if this feels difficult at first try, "No, my time is committed elsewhere." Saying no is a skill to learn, takes practice and you can do it pleasantly. You will never please everyone and accepting this will reduce the pressure you put on yourself.
7. Reward your achievements. Choose the reward before you start both for small and large achievements and use it to move you forward, particularly when overcoming an obstacle. Rewarding yourself will encourage you to keep persevering and focusing on winning.
Wendy Hearn
winner of Small Business Consolidator - sponsored by Barclays Bank plc
and The Millennium Woman Awards
Summer Buyers' Guide: Hair Care
By Denise Mann
WebMD Feature
Riding the newest wave in summer hair care are sprays, shampoos, and conditioners that contain UV filters -- perfect for the summer months.
"With sun damage and exposure, hair can become more brittle. It can also become discolored with chlorine, especially for those who color their hair," says Ellen Marmur, MD, chief of dermatologic and cosmetic surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. "There are extra-strong products to remove chlorine and remoisturize the hair and protect it from breaking, which I think it are worth it."
Parsol SLX is new this summer. Silicone-based, it purports to fight the harsh effects of UV rays that can cause color to fade and hair to break. At the same time, it conditions and moisturizes hair. Look for it to appear in more and more products.
Also, leave-in conditioner or styling crmes are useful even if you haven't shampooed your hair. They provide extra moisturizing after you've spent a day in the summer sun. Above all, don't forget to wear a hat. From straw cowboy hats and sporty visors to your favorite team's baseball cap, hats with broad rims are stylish this season. They also protect the face from the sun. "Find one you like that fits your face and wear it," says Bruce E. Katz, MD, medical director of the JUVA Skin and Laser Center in New York City.
Published May 2005.
Medically updated April 2006.
WebMD Feature
Riding the newest wave in summer hair care are sprays, shampoos, and conditioners that contain UV filters -- perfect for the summer months.
"With sun damage and exposure, hair can become more brittle. It can also become discolored with chlorine, especially for those who color their hair," says Ellen Marmur, MD, chief of dermatologic and cosmetic surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. "There are extra-strong products to remove chlorine and remoisturize the hair and protect it from breaking, which I think it are worth it."
Parsol SLX is new this summer. Silicone-based, it purports to fight the harsh effects of UV rays that can cause color to fade and hair to break. At the same time, it conditions and moisturizes hair. Look for it to appear in more and more products.
Also, leave-in conditioner or styling crmes are useful even if you haven't shampooed your hair. They provide extra moisturizing after you've spent a day in the summer sun. Above all, don't forget to wear a hat. From straw cowboy hats and sporty visors to your favorite team's baseball cap, hats with broad rims are stylish this season. They also protect the face from the sun. "Find one you like that fits your face and wear it," says Bruce E. Katz, MD, medical director of the JUVA Skin and Laser Center in New York City.
Published May 2005.
Medically updated April 2006.
Summertime Nutrition Tips
By Christina Frank
WebMD Feature
Summertime, and the living is easy -- that is, until you notice the havoc all that fun in the sun has wrought on your body. Fortunately, summer also brings an abundance of tasty and nutritious foods, including berries (loaded with antioxidants), tomatoes, sweet bell peppers (good vitamin C source), and protein-filled grilled fish and burgers. And by simply choosing the right ones to add to your daily diet, you can help prevent or alleviate the following common hot-weather woes:
Dry or Damaged Skin
What causes it: You sweat more in the summer, so skin is less supple; plus, saltwater and chlorine have a drying effect. Sunburns and bug bites are also saboteurs of healthy skin.
What to eat: Help heal weathered skin with foods like raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries, which are rich in antioxidants and vitamin C. Protein, in the form of lean meats, beans, nuts, and seeds, is also key. Keep dryness at bay by drinking lots of water, which Lona Sandon, RD, calls "the forgotten nutrient." Sandon is a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. She recommends that women drink 92 ounces (8-10 cups) of water in the summer and men 125 ounces to prevent dehydration. Since calcium can also be lost through sweating, it's a good idea to replace it by eating low-fat dairy products like skim milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese.
Yeast Infections
What causes them: Sitting around in a wet bathing suit provides a perfect environment for yeast overgrowth.
What to eat: To make conditions less hospitable for yeast to take hold in the first place, cut back on sugary foods, advises Leanne Ely, CNC, author of Saving Dinner: The Menus, Recipes, and Shopping Lists to Bring Your Family Back to the Table. Once you've got an infection, be sure to eat lots of yogurt -- the kind that contains live, active cultures.
Parched Hair
What causes it: Overexposure to sun, saltwater, and chlorine.
What to eat: Toss some burgers or shrimp kabobs on the grill, or make a three-bean salad or other protein-rich meal because hair consists of protein fibers called keratin. Eating foods rich in vitamin B-5 (found in yogurt and California avocadoes), vitamin B-8 (in liver and cooked eggs), folic acid (in fortified cereals and beans), calcium (in milk and yogurt), and zinc (in meat and fish) can reduce hair loss and replace dull hair with shiny hair. Theses nutrients also play a role in maintaining healthy skin.
WebMD Feature
Summertime, and the living is easy -- that is, until you notice the havoc all that fun in the sun has wrought on your body. Fortunately, summer also brings an abundance of tasty and nutritious foods, including berries (loaded with antioxidants), tomatoes, sweet bell peppers (good vitamin C source), and protein-filled grilled fish and burgers. And by simply choosing the right ones to add to your daily diet, you can help prevent or alleviate the following common hot-weather woes:
Dry or Damaged Skin
What causes it: You sweat more in the summer, so skin is less supple; plus, saltwater and chlorine have a drying effect. Sunburns and bug bites are also saboteurs of healthy skin.
What to eat: Help heal weathered skin with foods like raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries, which are rich in antioxidants and vitamin C. Protein, in the form of lean meats, beans, nuts, and seeds, is also key. Keep dryness at bay by drinking lots of water, which Lona Sandon, RD, calls "the forgotten nutrient." Sandon is a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. She recommends that women drink 92 ounces (8-10 cups) of water in the summer and men 125 ounces to prevent dehydration. Since calcium can also be lost through sweating, it's a good idea to replace it by eating low-fat dairy products like skim milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese.
Yeast Infections
What causes them: Sitting around in a wet bathing suit provides a perfect environment for yeast overgrowth.
What to eat: To make conditions less hospitable for yeast to take hold in the first place, cut back on sugary foods, advises Leanne Ely, CNC, author of Saving Dinner: The Menus, Recipes, and Shopping Lists to Bring Your Family Back to the Table. Once you've got an infection, be sure to eat lots of yogurt -- the kind that contains live, active cultures.
Parched Hair
What causes it: Overexposure to sun, saltwater, and chlorine.
What to eat: Toss some burgers or shrimp kabobs on the grill, or make a three-bean salad or other protein-rich meal because hair consists of protein fibers called keratin. Eating foods rich in vitamin B-5 (found in yogurt and California avocadoes), vitamin B-8 (in liver and cooked eggs), folic acid (in fortified cereals and beans), calcium (in milk and yogurt), and zinc (in meat and fish) can reduce hair loss and replace dull hair with shiny hair. Theses nutrients also play a role in maintaining healthy skin.
11 "Don't-Tell-the-Wife" Secrets All Men Keep
WebMD Feature from "Redbook" MagazineBy Ty Wenger
11 "Don't-Tell-the-Wife" Secrets All Men Keep
I was in the ninth grade when I learned a vital lesson about love. My girlfriend at the time, Amy, was stunningly cute, frighteningly smart and armed with a seemingly endless supply of form-fitting angora sweaters. And me? Let's just say I was an adolescent Chris Robinson to her budding Kate Hudson -- and well aware of my good fortune.
Then one day, as we stood in line for a movie at the mall, Simone Shaw, junior high prom queen, sauntered by. Suddenly Amy turned to me. "Were you looking at her?" she asked. "Do you think she's pretty?"
My mind reeled. Of course I was looking at her! Of course she was pretty! My God, she was Simone Shaw! I paused for a second, then decided to play it straight.
"Well, yeah," I chortled.
Five days later our breakup hit the tabloids (a.k.a. the lunchroom).
There comes a time in every man's life when he discovers the value of hiding the grosser parts of his nature. He starts reciting the sweet nothings you long to hear: "No, honey, I play golf for the exercise." "No, honey, I think you're a great driver." "No, honey, I wasn't looking at that coed washing the car in the rain."
We're not lying, exactly. We're just making things...easier. But Glenn Good, Ph.D., a relationship counselor, disagrees, and maybe he has a point. "These white lies are pretty innocent, but they can turn confusing," he says. "Many women think, If he's lying about himself, is he also lying about something else? Is he having an affair? To establish trust you have to tell the truth about the innocuous stuff."
And so, in the interest of uniting the sexes, we've scoured the country for guys willing to share the private truths they wouldn't normally confess. Some are a bit crass. Some you've always suspected. Some are surprisingly sweet. (Guys don't like to reveal the mushy stuff, either.) But read on, and you may discover that the truth about men isn't all that ugly.
Secret #1: Yes, we fall in lust 10 times a day -- but it doesn't mean we want to leave you
If the oldest question in history is "What's for dinner?" the second oldest is "Were you looking at her?" The answer: Yes -- yes, we were. If you're sure your man doesn't look, it only means he possesses acute peripheral vision.
"When a woman walks by, even if I'm with my girlfriend, my vision picks it up," says Doug LaFlamme, 28, of Laguna Hills, California. "I fight the urge to look, but I just have to. I'm really in trouble if the woman walking by has a low-cut top on."
Granted, we men are well aware that our sizing up the produce doesn't sit well with you, given that we've already gone through the checkout line together. But our passing glances pose no threat.
"It's not that I want to make a move on her," says LaFlamme. "Looking at other women is like a radar that just won't turn off."
11 "Don't-Tell-the-Wife" Secrets All Men Keep
I was in the ninth grade when I learned a vital lesson about love. My girlfriend at the time, Amy, was stunningly cute, frighteningly smart and armed with a seemingly endless supply of form-fitting angora sweaters. And me? Let's just say I was an adolescent Chris Robinson to her budding Kate Hudson -- and well aware of my good fortune.
Then one day, as we stood in line for a movie at the mall, Simone Shaw, junior high prom queen, sauntered by. Suddenly Amy turned to me. "Were you looking at her?" she asked. "Do you think she's pretty?"
My mind reeled. Of course I was looking at her! Of course she was pretty! My God, she was Simone Shaw! I paused for a second, then decided to play it straight.
"Well, yeah," I chortled.
Five days later our breakup hit the tabloids (a.k.a. the lunchroom).
There comes a time in every man's life when he discovers the value of hiding the grosser parts of his nature. He starts reciting the sweet nothings you long to hear: "No, honey, I play golf for the exercise." "No, honey, I think you're a great driver." "No, honey, I wasn't looking at that coed washing the car in the rain."
We're not lying, exactly. We're just making things...easier. But Glenn Good, Ph.D., a relationship counselor, disagrees, and maybe he has a point. "These white lies are pretty innocent, but they can turn confusing," he says. "Many women think, If he's lying about himself, is he also lying about something else? Is he having an affair? To establish trust you have to tell the truth about the innocuous stuff."
And so, in the interest of uniting the sexes, we've scoured the country for guys willing to share the private truths they wouldn't normally confess. Some are a bit crass. Some you've always suspected. Some are surprisingly sweet. (Guys don't like to reveal the mushy stuff, either.) But read on, and you may discover that the truth about men isn't all that ugly.
Secret #1: Yes, we fall in lust 10 times a day -- but it doesn't mean we want to leave you
If the oldest question in history is "What's for dinner?" the second oldest is "Were you looking at her?" The answer: Yes -- yes, we were. If you're sure your man doesn't look, it only means he possesses acute peripheral vision.
"When a woman walks by, even if I'm with my girlfriend, my vision picks it up," says Doug LaFlamme, 28, of Laguna Hills, California. "I fight the urge to look, but I just have to. I'm really in trouble if the woman walking by has a low-cut top on."
Granted, we men are well aware that our sizing up the produce doesn't sit well with you, given that we've already gone through the checkout line together. But our passing glances pose no threat.
"It's not that I want to make a move on her," says LaFlamme. "Looking at other women is like a radar that just won't turn off."
The 10 Best Foods You Aren’t Eating
WebMD Feature from "Men's Health" Magazine
Want to do your body a world of good? It's as easy as expanding your grocery list
Although some guys aren't opposed to smoking some weed, most wouldn't think of eating one. It's a shame, really, since a succulent weed named purslane is not only delicious but also among the world's healthiest foods.
Of course, there are many superfoods that never see the inside of a shopping cart. Some you've never heard of, and others you've simply forgotten about. That's why we've rounded up the best of the bunch. Make a place for them on your table and you'll instantly upgrade your health -- without a prescription.
1. Beets
These grungy-looking roots are naturally sweeter than any other vegetable, which means they pack tons of flavor underneath their rugged exterior.
Why they're healthy: Think of beets as red spinach. Just like Popeye's powerfood, this crimson vegetable is one of the best sources of both folate and betaine. These two nutrients work together to lower your blood levels of homocysteine, an inflammatory compound that can damage your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease. Plus, the natural pigments -- called betacyanins -- that give beets their color have been proved to be potent cancer fighters in laboratory mice.
How to eat them: Fresh and raw, not from a jar. Heating beets actually decreases their antioxidant power. For a simple single-serving salad, wash and peel one beet, and then grate it on the widest blade of a box grater. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the juice of half a lemon.
You can eat the leaves and stems, which are also packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Simply cut off the stems just below the point where the leaves start, and wash thoroughly. They're now ready to be used in a salad. Or, for a side dish, sauté the leaves, along with a minced clove of garlic and a tablespoon of olive oil, in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cook until the leaves are wilted and the stems are tender. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice, and sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese.
Want to do your body a world of good? It's as easy as expanding your grocery list
Although some guys aren't opposed to smoking some weed, most wouldn't think of eating one. It's a shame, really, since a succulent weed named purslane is not only delicious but also among the world's healthiest foods.
Of course, there are many superfoods that never see the inside of a shopping cart. Some you've never heard of, and others you've simply forgotten about. That's why we've rounded up the best of the bunch. Make a place for them on your table and you'll instantly upgrade your health -- without a prescription.
1. Beets
These grungy-looking roots are naturally sweeter than any other vegetable, which means they pack tons of flavor underneath their rugged exterior.
Why they're healthy: Think of beets as red spinach. Just like Popeye's powerfood, this crimson vegetable is one of the best sources of both folate and betaine. These two nutrients work together to lower your blood levels of homocysteine, an inflammatory compound that can damage your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease. Plus, the natural pigments -- called betacyanins -- that give beets their color have been proved to be potent cancer fighters in laboratory mice.
How to eat them: Fresh and raw, not from a jar. Heating beets actually decreases their antioxidant power. For a simple single-serving salad, wash and peel one beet, and then grate it on the widest blade of a box grater. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the juice of half a lemon.
You can eat the leaves and stems, which are also packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Simply cut off the stems just below the point where the leaves start, and wash thoroughly. They're now ready to be used in a salad. Or, for a side dish, sauté the leaves, along with a minced clove of garlic and a tablespoon of olive oil, in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cook until the leaves are wilted and the stems are tender. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice, and sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese.
Summer Skin Makeover
By Denise Mann
WebMD Feature
Is your skin ready for summer?
As beach season approaches, anxiety is almost palpable with both women and men who will soon bare it all -- or close to it. After being bundled up all winter long, people will shed their sweaters and jeans and show some skin.
But "the problem with summer skin is winter skin," says Steve Fallek, MD, a plastic surgeon in New York City and Englewood, N.J. "Our skin is dry from the cold, harsh winter."
While some are concerned about looking odd on the beach, he says, "others are worried about being outside in less clothing than they are used to."
WebMD to the rescue: Our doctor-approved tips will help your skin get a healthy glow in time for Memorial Day -- and with results designed to last through Labor Day and beyond.
Exfoliate to Get Rid of Dry, Dull Skin
Experts say the best way to get your skin ready for summer is with regular exfoliation. This gets rid of dead, dry skin cells. "You can use a chemical or physical exfoliation to keep your skin looking fresher and to get rid of dry flaky winter skin," says Audrey Kunin MD, a dermatologist in Kansas City, Mo.
Use a washcloth, loofah, buff puff, or any number of the microdermabrasion creams or tools that are now on the market, Kunin says.
Wet your entire body in the bath or shower.
Apply exfoliating cleanser to your loofah or washcloth, and scrub, using gentle, circular motions.
"Don't go overboard, less is more when it comes to exfoliating," she says. Kunin recommends exfoliating no more than once a day or a couple of times a week.
Get started before Memorial Day and keep the regimen up throughout summer. "This is something everyone should think about now, so when you do have summer glow it will last even longer."
Added incentive: exfoliated skin will help self-tanners go on more smoothly, making them less likely to streak and prevent your glow from fading prematurely.
Moisturize to Hydrate Skin
After you exfoliate, moisturizing your winter dry skin is key. "If your skin is only a little dry, you can use a liquid moisturizer and if it's very dry, you can use a cream moisturizer," says Rhoda S. Narins, MD, a dermatological surgeon in New York City and president of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.
Use it after you exfoliate, shave, and shower. In particular, "moisturizing after you shave puts the skin barrier back until your own body can do it," Narins says.
This year, tinted moisturizers are popular, Kunin adds. "Everyone wants a bronze look and these products are like a foundation for the body," she says. They fall just short of a self-tanner because unlike self-tanners, which fade naturally, tinted moisturizers will typically wash off. "The color itself does not protect from sun so you may need sunscreen too," Kunin cautions.
She adds, "It's hot and humid during the summer, so you really want to make sure that whatever moisturizer or tinted moisturizer you choose it is noncomedogenic," meaning that it won't clog your pores and cause unsightly breakouts.
WebMD Feature
Is your skin ready for summer?
As beach season approaches, anxiety is almost palpable with both women and men who will soon bare it all -- or close to it. After being bundled up all winter long, people will shed their sweaters and jeans and show some skin.
But "the problem with summer skin is winter skin," says Steve Fallek, MD, a plastic surgeon in New York City and Englewood, N.J. "Our skin is dry from the cold, harsh winter."
While some are concerned about looking odd on the beach, he says, "others are worried about being outside in less clothing than they are used to."
WebMD to the rescue: Our doctor-approved tips will help your skin get a healthy glow in time for Memorial Day -- and with results designed to last through Labor Day and beyond.
Exfoliate to Get Rid of Dry, Dull Skin
Experts say the best way to get your skin ready for summer is with regular exfoliation. This gets rid of dead, dry skin cells. "You can use a chemical or physical exfoliation to keep your skin looking fresher and to get rid of dry flaky winter skin," says Audrey Kunin MD, a dermatologist in Kansas City, Mo.
Use a washcloth, loofah, buff puff, or any number of the microdermabrasion creams or tools that are now on the market, Kunin says.
Wet your entire body in the bath or shower.
Apply exfoliating cleanser to your loofah or washcloth, and scrub, using gentle, circular motions.
"Don't go overboard, less is more when it comes to exfoliating," she says. Kunin recommends exfoliating no more than once a day or a couple of times a week.
Get started before Memorial Day and keep the regimen up throughout summer. "This is something everyone should think about now, so when you do have summer glow it will last even longer."
Added incentive: exfoliated skin will help self-tanners go on more smoothly, making them less likely to streak and prevent your glow from fading prematurely.
Moisturize to Hydrate Skin
After you exfoliate, moisturizing your winter dry skin is key. "If your skin is only a little dry, you can use a liquid moisturizer and if it's very dry, you can use a cream moisturizer," says Rhoda S. Narins, MD, a dermatological surgeon in New York City and president of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.
Use it after you exfoliate, shave, and shower. In particular, "moisturizing after you shave puts the skin barrier back until your own body can do it," Narins says.
This year, tinted moisturizers are popular, Kunin adds. "Everyone wants a bronze look and these products are like a foundation for the body," she says. They fall just short of a self-tanner because unlike self-tanners, which fade naturally, tinted moisturizers will typically wash off. "The color itself does not protect from sun so you may need sunscreen too," Kunin cautions.
She adds, "It's hot and humid during the summer, so you really want to make sure that whatever moisturizer or tinted moisturizer you choose it is noncomedogenic," meaning that it won't clog your pores and cause unsightly breakouts.
Please dont stop the music
Please don't stop the music (4x)
It's gettin late
I'm making my way over to my favorite place
I gotta get my body moving shake the stress away
I wasn't looking for nobody when you looked my way
Possible candidate (yeah)
Who knew
That you'd be up in here lookin like you do
You're makin' stayin' over here impossible
Baby I must say your aura is incredible
If you dont have to go don't
Do you know what you started
I just came here to party
But now we're rockin on the dancefloor
Acting naughty
Your hands around my waist
Just let the music play
We're hand in hand
Chest to chest
And now we're face to face
I wanna take you away
Lets escape into the music
DJ let it play
I just can't refuse it
Like the way you do this
Keep on rockin to it
Please don't stop the
Please don't stop the music
I wanna take you away
Lets escape into the music
DJ let it play
I just can't refuse it
Like the way you do this
Keep on rocking to it
Please don't stop the
Please don't stop the
Please don't stop the music
Baby are you ready cause its getting close
Don't you feel the passion ready to explode
What goes on between us no one has to know
This is a private show (oh)
Do you know what you started
I just came here to party
But now we're rockin on the dancefloor
[Don’t Stop the Music lyrics on http://www.metrolyrics.com]
Acting naughty
Your hands around my waist
Just let the music play
We're hand in hand
Chest to chest
And now we're face to face
I wanna take you away
Lets escape into the music
DJ let it play
I just can't refuse it
Like the way you do this
Keep on rockin to it
Please don't stop the
Please don't stop the
Please don't stop the music
Ma say ma sa, Ma ma coo sa
Ma say ma sa, Ma ma coosa (2x)
Please don't stop the music
Ma say ma sa, Ma ma coo sa
Ma say ma sa, Ma ma coosa
Please don't stop the music (2x)
I wanna take you away
Lets escape into the music
DJ let it play
I just can't refuse it
Like the way you do this
Keep on rockin to it
Please don't stop the
Please don't stop the music
I wanna take you away
Lets escape into the music
DJ let it play
I just can't refuse it
Like the way you do the
Keep on rocking to it
Please don't stop the
Please don't stop the
Please don't stop the music
Ma ma say ma ma sa, Ma ma coo sa
Ma ma say ma ma sa, Ma ma coosa(6x)
Please don't stop the music
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