May 2013 – Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION.

B well – B WILD!

EAT WILD GREENS + choose the right vitamins & minerals. B Green in Mind and Body for good skin and optimum overall health.

YOUR SKIN is a reflection of your inner being. Aside from lifestyle and genetics, what you eat plays a role in your skin health. Eating the right foods will not only enhance your natural beauty, it will help minimize wrinkles, acne, inflammation and other skin-related conditions. Most people treat their skin with chemical-ridden products, but don’t address the root cause, which may lie within. Your best-kept beauty secrets are sitting right there in your grocery store! Be sure to eat foods that include these nutrients often, and you’ll reap the benefits of having a beautiful, glowing and healthy skin.

Vitamin C

Like vitamin E, vitamin C is also a powerful antioxidant. Vitamin C helps to reduce oxidative stress to the body and may lower cancer risk. Vitamin C is also involved in the synthesis of collagen, an important protein for making your skin supple. Many fruits and vegetables are great sources of vitamin C, so be sure to include them in your diet. Food sources high in vitamin C include: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, bell peppers, guava, acerola, beet greens, grapefruit, strawberries, red and green bell peppers, parsley, collard greens and turnip greens.

Selenium

Selenium is a powerful antioxidant trace mineral that is responsible for maintaining skin firmness and elasticity. This mineral not only prevents acne but also aids in skin cancer prevention. It promotes absorption of vitamin E and enhances the antioxidant function of vitamin E, which is mainly stored in the skin. The end result is glowing skin and less deterioration to the skin’s collagen. Food sources high in selenium include: brazil nuts, walnuts, red snapper, tuna, liver, wheat germ, herring, onion, seafood, whole grains, brown rice and poultry.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is one of the key vitamins for skin health. When combined with vitamin A, vitamin E is especially effective at preventing certain skin cancers. Because of vitamin E’s antioxidant properties, it helps fight free radicals caused by pollution, smoking, processed foods and sun exposure. Free radicals are the catalyst for premature skin aging such as wrinkles. Food sources high in vitamin E include: almonds, eggs, walnuts, avocados, asparagus, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, spinach, oatmeal, and olives.

Omega-3s

These essential fatty acids (EFAs) offer healing benefits in various inflammatory conditions such as eczema. Omega-3s also manage overexposure of cortisol levels, which in turn helps keep skin supple and guard against wrinkle formation. EFAs are also responsible for skin repair, moisture content and overall flexibility. Since the body doesn’t produce these fatty acids, they must be obtained through your diet. Food sources high in omega-3s include: walnuts, salmon, mackerel, sardines, flaxseeds, and chia seeds. You can also supplement with a fish oil pill.

Vitamin A + Beta-Carotene

Vitamin A is critical for skin repair and maintenance. If you suffer from flaky or dry skin, it could be a sign you’re deficient in vitamin A. Beta-carotene, the precursor to vitamin A, is an antioxidant found in brightly colored foods. This antioxidant helps to reduce free radical damage that occurs due to skin damage caused by sun overexposure. Foods sources high in vitamin A and beta-carotene include: liver, collard greens, asparagus, peaches, beet greens, kale, spinach, eggs, sweet potato, cantaloupe, and red peppers.

Zinc

Zinc is an important trace mineral that helps repair damaged tissue and heals wounds. Another important use for zinc includes protecting skin from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. If you suffer from acne, it may be as a result of a zinc deficiency. Zinc may help prevent acne and regulate the production of oil in the skin. Foods sources high in zinc include: oysters, pecans, poultry, pumpkin seeds, ginger, legumes, seafood, mushrooms and whole grains.

I promise you will notice a big difference in the way your skin looks as you feed your body the nutrients it needs!

Brad King's ULTIMATE WILD GREENS - PURE & RAW. — Brad King’s ULTIMATE WILD GREENS – PURE & RAW. Vegan supplement for natural energy. AMAZING!

Taken from Mind, Body, Green

**Don’t miss listening to “Transforming Health” with host Brad King for the most evocative and informative up-to-the-minute interviews with leading health professionals – Live every Wednesday @ 12PM-PST/3PM-EST on VoiceAmerica.com – #1 internet radio station in North America.

Here’s the link: http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1686/transforming-health

FUN

Personal Post – Product Review

PERFUME for your ROOM

The very minute I smelled this voluptuous blend of oriental scents called AMBRE from L‘Occitane with the sweetness of vanilla combined with a bouquet of other exotic spices I knew I had to have it. It smelled so familiar and also foreign at the same time. Then I realized the scent reminded me of the perfume my mother used to wear called “Shalimar” by Guerlain. It’s a classic!

With a name that literally means “temple of love” in Sanskrit, Shalimar is the amber-oriental perfume that spawned a host of successful imitators. Guerlain’s fragrance takes its name from the Indian Gardens of Shalimar, where emperor Shah Jahan met the woman who inspired him to build the Taj Mahal. One very lucky lady. A runaway success since its birth in 1925, Shalimar’s irresistable blend of fragrance notes has given it pride of place on the vanities of glamorpusses from Rita Hayworth to Kate Moss.

And now me…..with this similar scent from L’Occitane that sits on my vanity and with one single spray brings back very fond memories with its intoxicating scent.

How do you feel about scenting your room?

FUN

INtrigue INsider – IN the Beauty Cabinet

Tinted moisturizing LIP balms

Sugar is addictive. Now I’m addicted to every single SUGAR lip balm made by “fresh” ever since trading in 100 points with my Sephora beauty insider store card to try a few. I went back and bought the mini six pack to try the other shades. They’re super moisturizing and provide a nice hint of color at the same time.

Fresh’s #1 best-seller, Sugar Lip Treatment Sunscreen SPF 15 is proven to provide 6 hours of significant moisture for soft and supple lips. Its sublime texture and addictive citrus flavor make it positively irresistible. Made with a proprietary blend of moisture-preserving sugar, nourishing precious oils & antioxidant-rich polyphenols.

Then there’s always Burt’s Bees Moisturizing Lip Shimmers. I like several of the shades for a natural look with a kiss of color and a bit of pearlized shine for that hint of glamour. I think they contain some menthol too.

SALVEATION for your LIPS

with Smith’s Rosebud Salve

This is probably my favorite no color lip balm for at night before bedtime. It’s been around forever. It conditions & smooths beautifully.

My choice for best natural softening & protecting lip balm for daytime is the repairing one made by “ROC” called ENYDRIAL. Roc has been around ever since I can remember. I haven’t experienced any other one more smoothing than this.

There you have it – all my “HALL OF FAME” picks for LIPS.

Time to pucker up!

More reviews to follow

FUN

Style and Substance – in Full Bloom

It’s Spring and the buds are out in full force on the high street & in our favorite designer collections. Here is a sampling.

Fendi's famous baguette in a bouquet that never wilts. — **Fendi**‘s famous **baguette** in a bouquet that never wilts.

Nicholas Kirkwood floral mesh shoe — **Nicholas Kirkwood** floral mesh shoe

After all the rain we’ve had lately I’m definitely ready for this Flower Power. How about you?

FUN

Simply Satisfying – Kitchen Conveniences

That make preparing a meal and your life so much easier.

I don’t know about you but I like to simplify things in the kitchen as much as possible. These are my latest favorite kitchen tools. A whisk, a zester and a fruit/veggie peeler extraordinaire.

A friend gave me this Pogo whisk and I love it. Before this I was mashing potatoes with an electric mixer which is kind of messy. This works just as well and you only have to push down on the handle – it does the work for you. I also use it for smoothing sauces, soups & frothing milk for making lattes. Genius.

fruit and vegetable peeler especially good for soft skin fruit. — fruit and vegetable **peeler** especially good for soft skin fruit.

lemon & lime zester. The bottom part contains the zest. — The best lemon & lime **zester**. The bottom part contains the zest – no mess.

Do you have others you would recommend?

FUN

Seen on the Storefront

Meuse…..for beautiful living

Where casual meets elegance, whether it be painted refurbished vintage and antique furniture, beautiful new clothing, La Rochere glassware from France, premium bedding or 100% organic cotton nightdresses. Located at 2005 West 4th Avenue in Kitsilano

FUN

AWay with Words – on reading

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.”— Dr. Seuss, “I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!”

“Oh, magic hour, when a child first knows she can read printed words!”— A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, 1943

“Reading aloud with children is known to be the single most important activity for building the knowledge and skills they will eventually require for learning to read.”- — Marilyn Jager Adams

“There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.”- Jacqueline Kennedy

“You may have tangible wealth untold. / Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold. / Richer than I you can never be – / I had a mother who read to me.” — Strickland Gillilan

“When I was a kid they didn’t call it dyslexia. They called it you know, you were slow, or you were retarded, or whatever. What you can never change is the effect that the words ‘dumb’ and ‘stupid’ have on young people. I knew I wasn’t stupid, and I knew I wasn’t dumb. My mother told me that. If you read to me, I could tell you everything that you read. They didn’t know what it was. They knew I wasn’t lazy, but what was it?” — Whoopi Goldberg

“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.”— Walt Disney

FUN

B well – Juicing the smart way

HEALTH IN A GLASS?

Whether it’s an early-morning fruit-juice fix or pulverized carrots and kale for lunch, may of us are taking our meals in liquid form. But do the health claims justify giving juice a whirl?

You can’t walk down the street these days without seeing someone sipping juice. From trendsetting celebs to health gurus like Dr. Oz and Oprah, it seems everyone is enjoying their salads through a straw. And making some pretty big claims about the benefits. Juicing, they say, can help you turn back the clock, shed unwanted pounds fast and even fight a whole host of diseases.

Doctors, dietitians and nutritionists are divided as to whether juice cleanses have all the detoxifying, diet-transforming and disease-fighting properties their advocates so reverently profess. From a medical standpoint, doctors say our bodies (specifically the kidneys and liver) are equipped to naturally remove toxins from our systems.

One thing most experts can agree on is that juicing in moderation (think a glass a day as opposed to a meal replacement) can supplement an already decent diet or help jump start a range of healthy behaviour, such as more mindful eating in general. The bottom line is It’s fine to occasionally drink your fruits and veggies as long as you eat them often too.

Whole or pulverized, fruit and vegetables are essential to a healthy diet, so if it takes a glass of juice to help you get more of them, then that’s not entirely a bad thing. Experiment with ingredients like ginger for energy, or antioxidant-rich beets, which are high in folate, to help protect your heart.

For a super smoothie try mixing up some high grade protein powder with wild greens, blueberries, yogurt, banana, flax seeds, wheat germ & green tea powder.

Also: **Don’t miss listening to “Transforming Health” with host BradKing for the most evocative and informative up-to-the-minute interviews with leading health professionals – Live every Wednesday @ 12PM-PST/3PM-EST on VoiceAmerica.com – #1 internet radio station in North America. Here’s the link: http://www.voiceamerica.com/show/1686/transforming-health

excerpts taken from Health Trends – Chatelaine Magazine

FUN

Inspiration – Kids Books

Don’t ask what I was doing perusing the Kid’s bookstore recently but I think it was the princess paraphernalia in the store window that drew me inside. Since I don’t have kids of my own I’ve been out of touch with the recent crop of book titles. Wow…how times have changed! But then when you think about it “Green Eggs and Ham” didn’t really make much sense either. Which brings me to the realization that we might be missing something in the imagination department as we get older. Have a look at some of these intriguing titles:

This makes the most sense

I think I could write kids books – anything goes.

FUN

Intriguing Hair Products – Reviews

A Perfect Mask, a Flyaway Tamer & Making Waves.

L’Occitane LOVE: This shine mask not only smells heavenly with 5 essential oils known for repairing dry and damaged hair but it also leaves your hair nice’n shiny, soft and smooth.

Oils: (angelica, lavender, geranium, ylang ylang & sweet orange) formulated with a natural vegetable complex particularly recommended for color and chemically treated hair. You only need to leave it on for five minutes. Your hair will love you for it.

Who doesn’t need to touch up flyaways every now and always?

John Frieda has come up with a Full Repair touch-up flyaway tamer that comes in a mascara like casing and works pretty much the same way but on your hair – specifically on the little buggers that won’t stay put! You just brush the wand over dried hair to smooth flyaways. It really works. Especially great for when you wear your hair up or off your face.

Then when you’re ready for that beachy wavy vibe you can turn to “Not Your Mother’s” BEACH BABE Texturizing Sea Salt Spray infused with Dead Sea Salt & Sea Kelp. You just need to spray it onto clean, damp or dry hair, comb through & style. You’ll get sexy, tousled waves and fool everyone into thinking you just left the beach. Now everyday can be a day at the beach!

Have any other recommendations?