| Wellness / Beauty / Inspiration |
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In this issue:
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What can be done about "turkey neck?"
This is a common problem because signs of aging show up first in your neck and on your hands.
Firming serums and creams should not be spared in this area. Apply a masque one to three times a week. Combine these with facial massage techniques (see link under Natural Beauty ) every time you clean and treat your face. Every time.
Additionally, there are two exercises that are also very helpful in tightening the skin of the cheeks, jaw and neck which can be done anytime, anywhere, multiple times a day. The first is to stretch your neck out as far forward as possible and hold to a count of five. The other is to use exaggerated motions as you silently mouth the letters A-E-I-O-U. These can easily be done even in the car. You may want to make sure you choose times when you are not being closely observed. No explanation needed.
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| NATURAL BEAUTY: Botox Safety / Facial Massage |
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 Botox uses very low doses of botulinum toxin, a powerful natural poison, to paralyze overactive muscles, including wrinkles, neck spasms, excessive sweating, crossed eyes, and other conditions, including some not approved by the FDA.
Doctors have long known that the shots can trigger effects far from the injection site in people who have pre-existing neuromuscular disorders, including difficulty swallowing and breathing. Concern has arisen as some of these same side effects may occur in others also. The number of hospitalizations or deaths is very small but the FDA is considering a new warning for all botulinum-containing drugs. The point is to be aware and educate yourself. Think about potential risks, consider alternatives, ask for low doses, and always use a trusted physician. Contact your doctor if you experience any of the warning signs: difficulty breathing or swallowing, muscle weakness, or shortness of breath.
Perfect outcomes are so expected that even knowing risks, we tend to subconsciously minimize the potential for harm. The truth about all new drugs and procedures though is that even with extensive pre-release testing, the full measure of consequences is not known for many years, after thousands of individuals have been engaged. The uniqueness of individual physiology dictates that all variables just cannot be compiled by even the most diligent research. You protect yourself by being aware and making informed decisions.
An alternative to injections and surgeries, which has been very successful is facial massage. Facial massage improves circulation in the skin of your face and neck by increasing the amount of oxygen reaching the tissue, helping to keep your face youthful and radiant. It enhances the effectiveness of skin actives in products, reducing sagging and fine lines faster. Professional aestheticians know the value of facial massage for glowing skin. Performing these self-care techniques consistently is valuable for long-term effects, and can prolong the results of any professional services you enjoy. It can be as quick or as slow and relaxing as your time permits. You will be pleased with the results.
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| FOUNTAIN of YOUTH QUICK TIP: AgeProofing Skin Care |
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 Age-proofing your skin means small routines performed regularly. Here are a few suggestions for smooth, wrinkle-free skin:
1. Moisten your face and neck before applying cleanser to avoid irritation or excessive pulling on skin. Splash with water or use a wet facecloth.
2. Massage cleanser into the skin for 60 seconds. (Long enough for you to sing Happy Birthday to yourself four or five times,) This gives the ingredients in the cleanser time to break down dirt and makeup and deep clean your pores.
3. Remove cleanser with a wet facecloth. Splashing with water is not sufficient to wipe away makeup, residue, bacteria, and pollutants. Ineffective removal can lead to dullness and clogged pores.
4. Wipe a generous amount of toner over the face and neck to further shrink pores and tighten skin for smooth makeup application.
5. Apply treatment serums and creams and let them absorb for approximately three minutes. Sinking deep into your skin, ingredients will repair wrinkles and sagging at the source. Makeup will glide on much more smoothly and your foundation, blush, and shadow will last all day.
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| SKIN CARE COSMETICS: Spring Glow |
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 Less is Younger ~~ Keep it Natural
Skin that is losing firmness needs less makeup, not more. Makeup tends to slide into and accentuate even tiny facial furrows. Mineral powders applied with a light hand reflect light and minimize wrinkles and sagging.
It's spring! Brighten up your face with a little color. Apply a little more pink on your cheeks and a little color to your eyes with blues, greens, or pinks. Feather the color into the skin with a q-tip. Blend, blend, blend.
L'Oreal Paris even suggests mixing colors on the eyes, e.g green shadow on bottom eyelid and pink shadow on the upper. Blend, blend, blend. This surprising combination will make eyes brighter and is ideal for dark-haired women.
Be creative without being overly dramatic. Remember: Moderation in all things. Be selective. When your eyes have more color, tone down your blush and lip color.
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| WELLNESS: Natural Allergy Relief |
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The car is covered with a layer of yellow dust; a signal that pollen season is in full bloom. Literally. You feel as though there must be a matching dust layer in your nasal passages and throat. Spring is here.
Americans miss nearly four million days of work each year due to hay fever. We suggest some natural alternatives for dealing with the symptoms like sneezing, watery eyes, and a runny, itchy nose. Severe allergies will probably need medical intervention, but as adjunct therapy, or for those suffering with controllable allergy misery, many natural remedies are very effective.
Nasal Irrigation. For those who have never tried this, it seems a bit intimidating, but in so many cases, the results are amazing. The short description is that you flush your nasal passages with a saline solution to cleanse and clear your nasal passages. Advocates of this technique are convinced that it produces results better than any medication for allergy symptom relief, sinusitis, chronic infections, and even halitosis. There are too many benefits of this technique to list here so the image links to the Wikipedia overview, and you can view a how to video of this technique at the following: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzK9Gn4E_Eg .
Diet. More attention is being given to the benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet. Increase omega 3 foods (walnuts, salmon, fish oils, ground flax) and antioxidant rich produce (dark colored berries and leafy greens). Hot, spicy foods that include cayenne pepper, hot ginger, fenugreek, as well as onion and garlic, provide allergy relief because they thin mucous secretions and help clear nasal passages. Grape seed extract and a flavonoid compound called quercetin are especially useful and abundant in red wine, apples, and onions, as well as in supplement form. An apple a day is still worthy advice.
Ironically, what you don't eat may be more important than what you do eat. This makes sense as food intolerance may be intimately connected to seasonal allergies. Avoid foods that cause even a mild stomach upset to lighten the burden on your immune system. Cut back on cow's milk products and trans fats. If you suffer from weed pollen allergies, e.g., ragweed, avoid eating melon, banana, cucumber, sunflower seeds, and any herbal supplements containing Echinacea, which can worsen symptoms.
Supplements. The most impressive clinical trial results recommend the European herb butterbur (Petasites hybridus). Swiss and British research has found just one tablet of butterbur four times a day was as effective as popular antihistamine drugs in quelling symptoms of hay fever and grass allergies.
Quercetin (400mg - 600mg) twice daily between meals (children under 10 take half as much) is an effective preventative when taken a few weeks before allergy season. Vitamin C increases its absorption rate. Continue through the season.
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