Hair Coloring Breakthrough: WOW

Been tempted to get the gray out – or maybe go blonder, redder or dark brown - it seems you can do it more safely, with more guaranteed results, right in your very own bathroom!

The breakthrough: An ultra new system of removing color that developers Proctor and Gamble say is kinder, gentler and fool-proof way to color hair at home - all in just 10 MINUTES!

The development, which was in the works for 10 years, centers around a chemical compound known as AminoGlycine, which reportedly works by targeting melanin pigments (they are what give hair color) better than the present alternatives, so you get better color saturation , faster.

Plus, the new compound is kinder and gentler to hair’s natural protective coating -yielding less damage. AminoGlycine also works to inactivate free radicals that are formed during the hair coloring process, making hair healthier still.

And for those of you who have to open every window in the house just to tolerate the fumes from your hair color: The new improved color products have substantially fewer odors.

Better color, healthier hair, fewer odors – and just 10 minutes of your time! What’s not to love? The new AminoGlycine based formula is available now in the Perfect 10 by Nice & Easy brand - a division of Clairol.

Finding Your Inner Wisdom

I was recently browsing through an online antique shop when a poster from the 1960's caught my eye. And after I got over the shock that stuff from the 60's actually does qualify as an antique, (yikes!) I took a moment to revel in its pink and green day-glo daisy message:

" I pray for the strength to accept what I cannot change, the power to change what
can be changed, and the wisdom to know the difference"

Apparently, it's not just chandelier earrings and peasant skirts that have stood the test of time. Indeed, if ever there was a moment when a plea for wisdom was apropos, it is surely now.

But world politics aside :) seeing that poster also served to remind me of something else – namely, how many of us really use, or even recognize the innate wisdom we posses?

What's that you say . . . you're coming up a little short on wisdom these days? Not to worry –finding it may be easier than you think.

In fact, all you really need do is take a moment to pay attention . . .and listen for that little voice inside your head.

Oh, you know . . . it's the one that whispers " Get out now" when that partner/ boss/ best friend is treating you a whole lot worse than you know you deserve.

It's also the one that screeches, "Don't listen to her", when Mom pushes the buttons that leave you feeling as if you'll never make it on your own.

In fact, even during your darkest, loneliest, scariest hours, when all you can see is cheesecake…. well if you listen very close, that voice is there, gently trying to nudge you away from the light at the back of the fridge.

The problem is, too often we drown out that inner voice, sometimes with fear, but more often with the chatter of someone else's opinion of how we ought to live our life. And all too often that means we stay the course with the bad job/partner/friend. Or we begin to believe maybe Mom is right . . . and those dreams we cherish don’t' have a chance of coming true.

But all this can change – and so can you. How do you begin?

The next time you're stuck at a crossroads, not sure of which way to turn, don't ask your best friend, your mother or even your shrink what to do. Instead, stop, take a breath . . . and ask yourself. Then listen, for that wise little voice inside your head.

Not only am I certain it will guide you in the right direction, it will give you the strength to accept that which you cannot change, as well as the power to change a whole lot more than you ever dreamed you could.

And yes . . . the wisdom to know the difference, too.

Something to think about ....

Campaign Candidate Nonsense: Did you ever notice that when the "other guy" rats out something you did wrong, it's called "political mud slinging". But when you get the goods on the other guy and go to the mat, it's called "uncovering the truth." Amazing, isn't it, how perspective changes everything?

The worst part? At one time or another, all candiates from both parties have done it . . .

Margaritas: Good For The Heart?

By now you've probably heard that drinking a glass or two of red wine every week is good for your heart. But what I'm pretty sure you haven't heard is that knocking back a couple of Margaritas - or Cosmos or Appletinis - or pretty much any alcoholic drink may net you the same benefits.

According to a new study published in the American Journal of Physiology, Heart and Circulatory Physiology, it may well be the alcohol content of the wine - and not the other nutrients such as polyphenols - that have the real protective effects on the heart. Indeed, after measuring the impact of both red wine or other alcoholic beverages on the heart and blood vessels, researchers found the effects were nearly identical.

The hypothesis: It may simply be alochols ability to relax the cardiovascular system that is responsible for the heart healthy effects of wine - and all the other cocktails.

But here's the catch (and you knew there would be one!) : While one alcholic drink yiedls good results, knock back a second or third and the protective effects disappear. Indeed, heart rate increases, blood is pumped harder and more vigorously, but the vessels themselves are unable to expand enough to accept the increased activity, thereby reversing the beneficial effects of a single serving.

So drink up - but have just one. Your heart will be healthy - and you won't gain a ton of weight. Yes, alcohol is packed with useless calories.

Edible Sunscreen - With AntiAging Effects! WOW!

You want to protect your skin from the sun – but not crazy about swiping on sun screen every 20 minutes? Have I got great news for you!

On the very close horizon: An edible sunscreen! But before you try and chug down that bottle of Coppertone, listen up: Unlike the current, chemically-based sunscreens we apply on the skin, this new development is a nutrient based protector that we can add to fruit juices or even dairy products and actually "drink in" protection from the sun!

According to the Israeli based product developer LycoRed, the key elements are the nutrients lycopene, along with phytoene and phytofluene and, optionally, vitamin E. These are all antioxidants and members of the carotenoid family of nutrients found in foods such as tomatoes and carrots.

So far, several studies have found lycopene to have strong protective effects against UV rays – and LycoRed says when boosted with the effects of the other antioxidants, including vitamin E, the results are even greater.

But wait …there's even more: This same formulation also has skin-tightening effects, so you not only get protection from the sun, you also get to guard against the signs of skin anti-aging. Wow – it's like being able to drink your moisturizer! :)

Until now the primary way of getting lycopene and the other antioxidant nutrients into the body was either by eating a boatload of fruits and vegetables, or taking a pill. Now, the new natural lycopene formulation can be added to almost any beverage – for sun protection you sip through a straw!

While medical experts say the LycoRed product is not likely to completely replace topical sunscreen, it could give it an important boost, covering the gaps when the topical preparations wear off or wash off, plus giving a layer of 24 hour- year-long protection during the times when we don't normally think of putting on sunscreen – such as in winter or Fall.

The new LycoRed edible sunscreen could hit US shores by the end of this year.

Sex & The City - And How Far 40 Has Come!

Ever think about just how much the world has changed for women ...and how much differently we view ourselves today, then say, 40 years ago?

To prove just how much, try this little memory game: Remember the hot, steamy and oh-so-fabulous–forty-something character of Samantha, on the now infamous TV show Sex and the City - circa 2000? (Like we could ever forget her!)

Well believe it or not, forty years earlier, Samantha shared her 40-something age bracket with another very famous female TV character, one who, in her day, helped change our views with much the same attention as Samantha. Who was she?

I'll bet you're thinking Mary Tyler Moore's Mary Richards . Uh uh, guess again.
How about Marlo Thomas' Anne Marie? Nope!
Give up ?

Hold your breath now: It was that frumpy, doting, house-coat-wearing character Edith Bunker on the now infamous sit-com All in the Family - circa 1960's.

Yup...the characters of Edith and Samantha were roughly the same age on their respective shows - they both portrayed women in their early 40's. Are you as flabbergasted as I was?

My, my, my ....how times have changed! :)

Soy Shakes and Belly Fat: Great NEWS!

Getting a little round around the middle? No longer able to pass it off as post pregnancy weight since your oldest just entered college?

You're not alone. And, you probably don't need me to tell you that excess weight that accumulates in the mid section is worse for your heart than those jiggly thighs you've been dying to get rid of since the 8o's. (Even though it's clear most of us would trade the jiggly thighs for just about any other problem.)

Still . . . its your heart I'm concerned about – which is one reason I'm so excited to pass along the findings from what could be a very important new medical study in this area.

More specifically, doctors at the University of Alabama found that drinking a daily Soy Milk Shake may play a role in how your body distributes your fat cells - and it may help keep fat away from the stomach area, particuarly in women.

The new report just published in the journal Fertility and Sterility found a component of soy-- a natural chemical known as isoflavone is what seems to do the trick.

The double blind, placebo controlled study assigned 15 women (average age 55) with an average BMI of 30, to drink either a placebo shake or a soy shake, containing 20mg of soy protein plus 160 mg of isoflavones, every day for three months.

The result: While neither group lost any weight, xray tests revealed the women who drank the soy shakes appeared to have less fat around their mid section than they did prior to when the study began! More specifically, the soy group had a 14.7 sq. cm reduction in belly fat, then the placebo group, who had a 22.9 sq cm increase in belly fat.

And remember, neither group lost any weight.

Although researchers say they don't quite understand the result, they do note this is the first study to suggest that components of soy may play a role in fat distribution – and that drinking soy protein shakes may, in fact, be one way that post menopausal women can help to control the level of belly fat which seems to accumulate more readily after age 55.

If you want to give the soy shakes a try, here's a link to an inexpensive brand similar in it's nutritional profile to what was used in the study. They come in vanilla and chocolate and they are yummy! Just don't wash them down with a box of doughnuts. :)

How To Look Younger Instantly!

Okay, so not really instantly ...like right this second...but pretty darn fast! After years of interviewing top make up artists and skin care experts - including some of the world's best dermatologists, I've come up with this list of 8 things that every woman can do to look younger and prettier, and feel more confidant! So put on that red dress and get ready to GO!


Anti Aging Tip #1:
Never go to bed with make-up.
No matter how tired you are, no matter how late it is, take just 2 minutes to slather on and tissue off a facial cleanser and your skin will thank you. Not only will it help remove surface bacteria that could encourage breakouts, most make up is drying to the skin, so removing it will help reduce wrinkling while you sleep.

Anti Aging Tip # 2:
Never leave the house without sunscreen on your face.
Take this two minute step for enormous health benefits ( like reducing your risk of skin cancer) as well as protecting against aging. Sunscreen is the biggest gun in your wrinkle defense arsenal!

AntiAging Tip # 3 :
Protect your lips - and look younger and sexier!
Want those juicy, sexy, full Angelina lips? Then protect your pucker with a lip gloss or balm containing sunscreen. When lips are hydrated and protected they will automatically look fuller - and you'll look younger! You can capitalize on the protection if you swap out a matte lipstick for a high wattage gloss in a medium warm tones in colors that suit you. Do not, as Charla Krupp points out in the new book How Not To Look Old- automatically switch to pink lipstick. You will look like a cupie doll gone wild. Wear pink only if it's your color - and wear it in a sheer gloss.

Anti Aging Tip# 4:
Whiten your teeth.
It's the quickest, most inexpensive way to take years off your appearance, and give you a polished, well groomed look - for just minutes a day.

Anti Aging Tip# 5
Keep up with your hair coloring - and lighten up 1 to 2 shades every 5 years after 40. The 2 inches of "roots" look popularized on "Sex and the City" is going, going, gone! In it's place is more natural, highlighted color. And lighter is definitely more youthful - just a shade or two every 5 years or so will make a HUGE difference1 If you're wearing a shade you just can't bear to change, make sure you touch up those roots every 4 weeks .

Anti Aging Tip # 6:
Trade in your shower gel for a moisturizing bar of soap.
Did you ever wonder why the ingredient label on your shower gel is 2 inches long and filled with chemical terms you can't pronounce - while the average bar of beauty soap is just two lines long? Chemicals, dyes, foaming agents, and lots of drying alcohol are all things you skin doesn't need. Try a daily shower with a moisturizing soap - and see your entire body complexion come alive in just 14 days or less. And - you'll save a ton of money too!

Anti Aging Tip # 7
Wear a bronzer all year long.
While most gals think of that powder bronzer as a summer time treat, it's also the Hollywood secret that keeps many an aging starlet from looking her age - or letting on how little sleep she really gets! Just a quick pouf of powder on the bridge of your nose, the tops of your cheers, and round the outer rim of your forehead will give you a glow that will leave everyone wondering . . .is she in love . . . again ?

Anti Aging Tip # 8 :
Take a calcium/vitamin D supplement every day. While many women believe calcium is only important if you're pregnant - or post menopausal - the truth is gals of all ages need calcium. You probably already know calcium will help you maintain a strong and healthy skeleton - and protect you against broken bones. But you may not have realized that studies show women in their 20's need that protection as much as women in their 50's! But that's not all! The latest research shows getting adequate calcium may also help keep skin looking younger longer ! And since we're all staying out the sun, the vitamin D is essential to make sure the calcium you take is absorbed. Try it for a month - you'll see a difference!


FREEBIE: For A quick, personalized skin care analysis click here

Vintage? Or just old?

Red Dress Thought For The Day: Just wondering .... when a celebrity on the Red Carpet says she's wearing "Vintage" does it really mean she's wearing a dress that's been hanging in the back of her closet from 4 award shows ago? Didn't "vintage" used to just mean "old" ? :) Just Wondering ....

Chocolate: Good For The Heart - Bad for Bones?

Just in time for Valentine's Day comes the news we do not want to hear: While chocolate may be good for your heart, it may not be so good for your bones.

Yes, it seems just when we were getting comfortable reaching for those York Peppermint Patties and Dove bars, science pulled another "GOTCHA!"

In studies published this month in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition a group of British researchers found that women who ate chocolate every day had a lower bone density than those who ate it once a week.

And if you're thinking you'll just have milk with all those chocolate cookies and load up on calcium ? Well, sorry, no. The study, which also included calcium supplementation, found it didn't influence the rate of bone loss linked to the chocolate consumption.

The reseach included some 1,000 women who were randomly assigned to take either oral calcium supplements or a matched placebo for a period of several weeks. During this time they were also asked to keep a journal of how much chocolate- or cocoa-based drinks - they consumed.

At the conclusion of the study researchers measured bone density - and found the women who ate less chocolate ( once weekly or less) had a higher bone density by at least 3 percent, then the women who ate chocolate every day. Moreover, they found that taking calcium supplements didn't impact the result.

What's behind the finding? Doctors say that while chocolate contains flavenols - a chemical that's heart-healthy, and contains some amount of calcium - good for the bones - it also contains oxalate, a chemical that blocks calcium from being absorbed in bone. And, the sweeter the chocolate, the more sugar it contains - and sugar has also been linked to an increase in calcium excretion.

What does this mean for you ? Eat chocolate in moderation - and the purer the chocolate, and the less sugar it contains ( think dark or semi-sweet, not milk chocolate) the less likely you are to do harm to your bones, and still help your heart.

Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition - January 2008 - J. M. Hodgson, author.

Back from Computer Chaos

So I start this blog and what happens?

My computer goes $%&@*&. Yes, there I was, stranded in the jungles of techno-land, with no way out. Which of course meant computer shopping - which was a whole other experience unto itself.

My question to all of you is: If you bought a refrigerator or a stove or a dishwasher for like $1,000 and once installed it was clanging and banging and not freezing/cooking/washing or generally doing what it's supposed to do....wouldn't you be, like outraged?

Of course you would!

But somehow when we spend equal amounts of money on a notebook computer and it clangs, bangs, and generally doesn't do anything it's supposed to do, we are expected to just take it in stride. In fact, it seems that getting a "good one" is more the rarity than the norm! Accepting shoddy construction, poor quality componants and bad quality control seems to be the norm in the land of technology.

So, here's my plan ...whomever is elected President in 2008 - let's put "better technology" on the agenda. Let's light the fire under our congress to pass legislation that starts holding these monster notebook tech companies like Dell, HP, Toshiba and Acer responsible for not caring what they produce.... like maybe if their consumer complaints hit a certain yet-to-be-determined number, they get a significant tax increase -and the only way to keep their corporate taxes down would be to produce better quality equipment.

Considering how many of us depend daily on computers for running everything from our business to our social life, isn't time we start demanding better quality from computer manufacturers?

Anybody have any computer shopping horror stories they want to share? I'm listening .....:)