Pale can be Pretty, My Take on Tans

What do Nicole Kidman, Scarlet Johanssen, Kristen Stewart, Madonna, Marcia Cross, Julianne Moore, Gwenth Paltrow, Kirsten Dunst and many other famous names today have in common besides the fact that they're famous?

Well, here it is...they don't have tans. They're pale and proud of it!!!

Folks, I've been reading and the days of sun soaked skin, coated in baby oil with iodine and all kinds of coconut scented accelerators is a thing of the past. Do it if you want, but you will be labeled an Old Lady, because nothing screams behind the times more than someone who's stuck in the 80s and still addicted to tanning beds and "lying out in the sun". A little sun kissed color is okay and it's good for you to soak up at least 20 minutes of sun per day, but no need to overdose.

I'm reminded of a verse from the Bible that talks about letting all things be done in moderation, that includes things like indulging in sweets and treats, overdosing on sunshine and consuming too much of well...anything.

So maybe this post is a personal opinion and I admit that I'm guilty. I've done it, spent hours in the sun trying to capture the rays, but that was then. This is now. I'm learning to be comfortable in my own skin, whatever color it is!

Being you is beautiful. It's okay to be dark, if that's the way God made you. It's okay to be light, if that's the way you're made. Just be HEALTHY and CONTENT with who you are:)

A Few Basic Things

In writing this blog I generally will post articles with links or references. Today, however, I'm going to post 4 simple things that I think important in my own life, things that I feel are essential to my health. Trust me, I can tell when I'm lacking in one of these things because after a few days effects start to show.

1. eat a balanced diet--balanced means just that "balanced". I believe it is important not to go too far in any direction. I do avoid certain things whenever possible: they are excessive amounts of starch, sugar and white flour along with processed food. It is always better to opt for lean meats, beans, lentils, chick peas, fresh vegetables and fruits, yogurt [but not the kinds with artificial colorings and flavors], whole wheat/grain products, oatmeal, etc. I try to avoid lots of "rich" food, because they make me lathargic and cause me to gain weight around my middle. So, keep the processed nacho dip with oil fried potatoes and give me a bowl of hummus and whole wheat pita chips or a cup of fresh salsa and tortillas any day of the weak. Tonight's menu calls for pinto beans and something green.

2. exercise-at LEAST 3 times a week. I usually do a forty-five minute cardio workout three days a week and weight bearing exercises the other two days. You don't have to join a gym to get in the exercise you need. You can jump rope, ride your bike, do push-ups, run, use a thread mill, get a dvd and workout with the television, walk. Oh, and there are many yoga moves that really increase your level of strength.

3. sleep-get at least 8 hours of sleep a night. I know it's not always possible, but make every effort to DO IT. Years of lack of sleep will pile up on you.

4. relax & laugh-- Take a walk, read a book, write a poem, put on a silly record and dance, watch the Three Stooges, finger paint, etc. The point is, do something fun! Do something that momentarily makes you forget all the stress in the world. A steady diet of stress will effect your health negatively.

Healthful Information: health assessments

Healthful Information: health assessments: "Each week I scan the net for websites that I think are potentially beneficial to my readers. I enjoyed taking the assessments on this site a..."

health assessments

Each week I scan the net for websites that I think are potentially beneficial to my readers. I enjoyed taking the assessments on this site and found that, even though they are not a 100% foul proof, they still made me look long and hard at myself and my lifestyle choices.

http://www.healthstatus.com


So many times we get so caught up in our daily lives and in doing things for the people we love that we forget to do one of the most important things for them...take care of our own health.


I ask you to please join me this month, to workout weekly, drink more water, eat more fruits and grains, laugh at least once a day, relax, read and feed the spiritual part of me, for the ones we love. I'd like to be with my loved ones as long as possible and I'd like for my time with them to be as fulfilling as possible.

Funny Bone Health

I remember seeing George Burns on a talk show when I was a young child. In my mind he was ancient then. He would go on to live a long time afterwards. I can't recall the talk show I saw him on or even the host, only George with those funny glasses of his and a big cigar. I remember the host asking him something about his secret to long life and I remember Mr. Burn's serious reply. He said that he laughed a little everyday. Many years ago, Solomon of Israel wrote that a merry heart does good like a medicine. It seems that in modern times, scientists have confirmed his statement. Whenever I've had a stressful day, I've discovered that a funny television show, like the Three Stooges, Friends, Scrubs or Laurel and Hardy cheers me in spite of myself and before I know it, I'm laughing and the stress is forgotten for the duration of the program. Maybe it works like yoga, maybe some entirely different way. At any rate, here's a real article on the use of humor therapy. I hope you'll be encouraged to research the topic further or at the very least, find something to laugh about every day.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-center/humor-therapy-info.aspx

Healthful Information: Essiac Tea

Healthful Information: Essiac Tea: "I first heard about Essiac Tea from a dear friend and herbalist. When she told me about it I wondered why I had never heard of it before, bu..."

Essiac Tea

I first heard about Essiac Tea from a dear friend and herbalist. When she told me about it I wondered why I had never heard of it before, but then I realized that there are many things, good things, that I've never heard of before. I then discussed the tea with another friend who runs a herbalist shop. She also had good things to say concerning Essiac. That's when I decided to do a little research and learned that there are many possibilities associated with Essiac Tea. I'm posting the following link to one of the articles that I read online. I will say that after reading several articles on the subject that I decided to purchase the tea for my dad. Granted, his cancer IS advanced and Essiac is NOT a definite cure for advanced stages of cancer. Still, I had to try. Not that he is taking it. He is stubborn, but when you have a loved one diagnosed with cancer, and physicians have proclaimed there is nothing else they can do, you either say, "Okay, this is the end. I'll sit here and hold your hand while you die." Or else you say, "Well, it ain't over til it's over and not only will I sit here and hold your hand, but I'll pray for you and fight with you until you take your last breath here on earth." I guess I'm the kind of gal who does the later. I don't like to quit in the middle of a movie, forfeit a game or walk away from a task. I'm betting I'm not the only person like that. I just don't believe in throwing in the towel and burying a person before he or she's dead. So would I try herbs? You bet your life I would.

http://www.cancertutor.com/Cancer/Essiac.html