Is it just me?

Have you ever heard the expression ? " Live the life you love and love the life you live "
I don't know if it is just me and, I don't think that it is. But, how many 40 going on 50 somethings have this
same sense of restlessness? Midlife crisis maybe but, I don't like that phrase because of  it's negative suggestion.
I don't want to ditch my husband and buy a convertible sports car ( although that sports car thing wouldn't be half bad} It's a valid stage of life. Our children are getting older, we're not getting any younger. our bodies are physically changing. And, now we are reassessing the next chapter as we are half way through the book. Beauty begins under the skin. If we are not happy and content on the in side it will be revealed on the out. I think it's okay to approach this phase of our lives with curiosity, valid questioning of what's next. Otherwise we may miss out on all the greats opportunities that come with that exploration.  Besides along with this age of self discovery we find wisdom and we are more free to feel and express exactly who we are without fear of judgement because really who cares what other's think. I hope that all my sisters address the needs of the whole body, mind , and spirit.
Be happy in your skin,
Donna

"Smile" You'll live longer

I love drinking coffee and red wine. They are both two of my favorite things in the world. I look forward to them most everyday. Life is about enjoying the things that bring us pleasure and living happily. But, unfortunately as a result of my indulgence I find that I want to occasionally brighten my smile. Initially when teeth whitening came about is was so expensive and not many of us could afford it. Still you can find many options unaffordable.
So, two things I wanted  to share with you so you too can have a brighter more confident smile. First is a link to a You Tube demo for whitening your teeth very effectively and affordably. Who doesn't like that?  None of us want to brighten so much that our teeth look blue like grandma's hair! Just a little something to make your smile fresher and brighter. {Watch demo on You Tube video to the right} Second, a tip for making your smile look brighter even without bleaching is to choose lip colors with plums and purpler bases over shades with oranges in them. The oranges will make your teeth look a little more yellowish.
So there you have it smile at everyone you meet you'll make their day and add to your longevity :}
Be happy in your skin,
Donna :} :} :}

Pick up the phone

I received a call from a friend last night and we hadn't talked in probably 6 years. I was making dinner and unloading the dishwasher. I almost didn't pick up the call as I was busy. I am so that glad I did, we laughed while catching up for two hours. I thought after, how our visit took us to when we were 19 again and it was like we didn't skip a beat. It did my spirit so  much good. Pick up the phone, those dishes aren't going anywhere and your family won't starve!  Isn't it funny how time passes and we age but, our mind and thoughts can remain much the same. Therefor, transferring us straight back to some youthful place in time. I think that it's a great asset, being able to take age acquired wisdom and access that youthful past while moving into the future.  

Keep your mind, body, and spirit healthy and youthful. Start each day with a compliment not a supplement to your diet with a good highly absorbable vitamin and mineral complex. I really like Melaleuca's Vitality 4 pack.
It offers an AM and PM pack because the body utilizes them better when distributed throughout the day. This complex, more than a vitamin also contains the minerals essential for nail and hair growth that sometimes thins with age (you will especially love this and see improvement.} In addition they contain a probiotic for improved absorption of nutrients and good digestive health. They contain the necessary calcium and a broad spectrum antioxidant that helps protect against free radicals and the causes of aging.  Sometime we will talk about what free radicals are and the role of antioxidants. We see those terms everywhere.

 Taking care of ourselves inside and out I think we would all agree is so important. So here's my gentle nudge to encourage you to stop put down the laundry or whatever is and  make that time for yourself.  You will glad you did.

Be happy in your skin,
Donna

I can't stop slathering stuff on my lips

 We ingest a freakish
amount of lip product each year.  Because our lips contain no oil
glands, they can feel dryer especially in colder weather. To help remedy
this, mix some raw sugar with vaseline and keep it in your shower to use as a
lip scrub twice weekly. The water will dissolve the sugar and the vaseline
because it is petroleum based will provide a layer of protection and limited
moisture.  For more do it yourself lip product recipes go to http://www.lemelange.com This
site will provide recipes and the necessary ingredients for creating your very
own lip balm.

For optimal moisture
and protection use products found in nature such as bees wax and shea butter.
Some manufacturers will add drying ingredients to their product so you'll feel
the need to keep reapplying over and over needing even more of their product.
During the day remember the SPF in your lip products as our lips contain very
little melanin for protection. Especially, those individuals prone to coldsores
the sun will exacerbate the breakouts. Likewise apply a good lip balm at night
while sleeping just like you would a night time moisturizer for the rest of
your face. Faithful use of a scrub and a good moisturizing lip product will
help minimize the fine vertical lip lines that we may see as we age. Smokers,
could start to notice these lines sooner. A product I would recommend is
LipKist by Arizona Sun. LipKist is affordable at $3. and contains an SPF with
beeswax and jojoba oil. It is great used alone or under or over your lip color.
You won't find it necessary to constantly reapply. Find LipKist @ http://www.arizonasun.com

Be happy in your skin,
Donna