The following is condensed from a chapter in “Walking with the Wise” for health & vitality by Alejandra Armas.
Good health is not only the lack of disease and pain, but a complete state of physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well being. Living in a world as fast, busy, polluted and stress-filled as ours, it may seem difficult to achieve and maintain health and inner peace. However, it is possible!
Let’s start with our thoughts. Everything that humankind has achieved was first a thought in someone’s mind. Our thoughts and emotions shape all areas of our lives, mainly our health and well being. We are repeatedly using our thoughts unfavorably, compromising our health as a result of it.
Using constructive affirmations is a very powerful tool that will help us in shaping our health. Continuous positive thoughts become new “programs,” which will create positive outcomes, becoming a fountain of well being.
As opposed to thinking “I am sick,” it is better to say the same in a more constructive way: “I am in the process of getting better.” Not a lie, but a powerful creative, proactive affirmation! Think and affirm “I AM HEALTHY!” Why? Because by doing so you are actually identifying with the real YOU. Since you are not only your body, emotions or thoughts and, since you are a powerful being using these vehicles, by saying “I AM HEALTHY” you are indeed identifying with that powerful being – with the soul, with the universe. By saying “I AM SICK” you are identifying instead with that which Is not true – for the soul is never sick.
Think about how many times in one day you say things like “I can’t do it,” “I won’t get better,” “I feel terrible,” or “I won’t make it.” You are giving your power away! You are actually helping the process of getting sicker and feeling worse! If you don’t believe it, ponder on this: are you feeling any better? No? Then change the content of the technique you are using! Because as a matter of fact, you are already using a powerful technique: affirmations! Same technique, same power, just different content. Give it a try – IT WILL WORK!!
Energy is like muscles. It has to be built. You must persevere and persist with your affirmations. No need to become fanatical, write down each affirmation 2000 times or surround yourself with post-it notes. Just keep a simple yet consistent pace.
It doesn’t matter whether you believe it or not. JUST REPEAT IT! Even if mechanical, you are creating an energy. The more you say it, the more effective it’ll be, and by the law of cause and effect, the more you’ll attract it, therefore, the more you’ll start believing it! Regardless of our inability to see the air, it is there! Whether you believe it or not, the law of gravity exists…if you throw something, by the law of gravity, it will fall. Period. In the same way, you don’t have to believe this: just try it. “You become what you think.” It is a law!And the world needs our positive thoughts now, more than ever!
What a unique + outrageous evening I had last night – a sister date in a sea of white and the weather couldn’t have been more perfect.
Arrivals
I attended Vancouver’s second “Diner en Blanc” courtesy of my sister Lisa. Have you heard of it? This event first started 25 years ago in Paris and has now become a global phenomenon. A big part of the event is always its secretlocation up until a few hours before having to make your way there. This year many people guessed the Science World location ahead of time.
This exclusive sold out evening drew 2,500 people, double the size of the first Vancouver one held last year near the Olympic cauldron at Jack Poole Place. What a coincidence that Black Sabbath happened to be playing at Rogers Arena on the same night. Which left many black clad fans on their way to the concert wondering what the hell was going on and why everyone was dressed up all in white – a strict dress code requirement. Not only that, but participants were required to bring their own picnic baskets, folding tables, chairs, dinnerware and even food unless you arranged to have it catered. You had to make arrangements to order wine & champagne ahead of time too.
We were very lucky to have an excellent chef cater a five course meal for our table of about sixteen people.
Melissa, Jen, Lisa, Debbie
We enjoyed live music of upbeat, mostly french songs too and danced a bit.
Hey there’s another Lisa – lulu run group leader, looking lovely as ever.
Now there are many other en blanc dinners held in various cities around the world.
Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, Calif., was shut down when a flash mob took over the elegant shopping street for the Los Angeles version of Diner en Blanc on August 22nd. Participants included François Pasquier, 69, who held the first Diner en Blanc 25 years ago in the Bois de Boulogne.
Adrien & Angela
“Such a chic pique-nique,” Pasquier said of the Beverly Hills version.
Also, to make memories depends on how distinctive and different it is. That’s what is remembered the most – doing that little bit of extra to make it more special so people will talk about it for a long
time.
So, would I do it again…..after having to lug our own or borrowed folding tables/chairs, tablecloths, napkins, place settings, dishes, glasses, candles, centrepieces, etc. – Bien sûr!
Last week I posted about the latest trends in nail polish because when most people think of nail care they think of nail polish, or fingernail problems like peeling, chipping, and cracking. But your cuticles also contribute to nailhealth and a neat appearance. Uncared-for cuticles are prone to hangnails and dryness, while badly cut or bitten cuticles put the skin around the fingers at a risk of infection. My cuticles have always been troublesome until recently, now that I’ve found the perfect solution – see below for product reviews.
By following these cuticle-care guidelines, you can prevent cuticle disasters & help maximize your manicure’s good looks at the same time.
Moisturize
No matter how well you think you moisturize your hands, your cuticles are especially thirsty for hydration. They’re soaked and dried every time you wash your hands, they’re exposed to chemicals when you clean or work without gloves. If you’re not already rubbing a good quality moisturizer (see below) into your nails and fingertips every day, start doing it. If you do moisturize, and you still get hangnails or dryness, start to do it twice.
Never cut your cuticles
Your cuticles perform a valuable job: protecting the roots of your nails from invasion by harmful bacteria. If you cut them away, they won’t be able to do their job. Same if you cut them poorly. Instead, push the cuticles back with a non-metal tool, such as a rosewood stick. However, bear in mind…
Don’t Push Back Dry Cuticles. Cuticles are not only easier to nudge back when they’re moist, it’s also safer. Pushing on a wet, flexible cuticle is much less likely to lead to tears or other damage. Try pushing back your cuticles right after you get out of the shower, or soak your fingertips for a short time in a bowl of warm water.
Push Back Cuticles Like a Pro. There are three steps to the push-back: One, apply a cuticle remover (balm works better than an oil or cream – see below). Two, use an orange stick to gently push back your nice moist cuticles. Finally, move the orange stick in tiny circles at the base of the nail to remove any clinging dead skin that’s there. Repeat the last step as necessary.
Trim Hangnails Carefully. While it’s not a good idea to cut your cuticles, it’s fine to cut your hangnails. Just go about it with caution: again, you’re trying to avoid causing infection. Use a sharp cuticle nipper (I recommend Tweezerman) that you’ve cleaned with alcohol or peroxide beforehand, and apply antibacterial ointment to the cut areas immediately afterwards—especially if you slip up and draw blood (ouch!).
Choose Nail Care Products Wisely. Acetone-based nail polish removers and polishes and treatments with formaldehyde, including formaldehyde resins, are just as bad for your cuticles as they are for your nails. Dump any nail polishes or nail treatment products made before the end of 2007, which are likely to contain formaldehyde, and look for removers that are labeled acetone-free. Both of these chemicals, in addition to being toxic, cause dryness and irritation of cuticle skin.
This floral scented cuticle oil from IslandGirl is best for finishing off your manicure with a swipe after polish. Available at ABC stores – Hawaii + Las Vegas.
It’s simple: healthy cuticles look better than unhealthy ones. And healthy cuticles help keep nails healthy too. My TOP picks:
Don’t forget the hands. This 20% shea butter in a tube from L’Occitane is one of the best hand creams ever invented.
The one in the blue jar is called BALMshell& it worksbest of all. Infused with healing essential oils my nails have never been healthier, seriously!
It’s a NEW miracle 3 in 1beauty balm that works equally well to help soften around the eyes + lips. Available only online at http://www.getspoilednow.com
As much as we want to hang on to Summer, Fall is just around the corner and with these 10 investment pieces you can’t go wrong.
In every woman’s wardrobe, there are places one should splurge and places one should save. Unlike fleeting trends, closet classics—things you’ll love for years to come, regardless of ever-changing fashion fads—are the obvious best place to sink your shopping dollars. Here are 10 splurge-worthystaples that, while guaranteed to take a bigger chunk out of your budget, chances are they’ll be sticking around for awhile.
Black or Camel Coat
COAT
Outerwear trends come and go every autumn, but there are a few coat classics that never change—and two timeless hues in particular, black and camel. A Burberry duffel coat’s casual enough that you won’t have to save it only for special occasions, while a chic peacoat infuses any look with instant prep appeal. As for Max Mara’s beautiful self-belted topper, it’s the sort of piece you could pass down to your daughter or niece one day.
More practical than nearly any other piece of jewelry, a watch adds instant polish and professionalism to any look, and is something you’ll keep for years to come. Why shouldn’t yours be an absolute knockout?
from left: chronograph watch in rose gold/navy, $275, michaelkors.com; medor, $4,050, hermes.com; tank française watch, medium model, $4,700, cartier.us
Patent Pumps
PUMPS
A simple, classic pump works for everything from job interviews to first dates to black-tie weddings to girls’ night out. Find a pair that’s comfy (OK, relatively so) and take the plunge. (Side note: while I love a smooth calfskin heel too, I think there’s something about glossy patent that just adds that extra somethin’ somethin’.)
Though less overtly sexy than the aforementioned stilettos, ballet flats are (or should be, at least) the day-in-day-out workhorses of a modern girl’s footwear wardrobe. Chances are you’ll likely clock more miles in these babies than in your heels,
BALLET
so take care when shopping for them. Porselli and Repetto make beautiful, ballerina-approved versions, and many editors swear by Lanvin’s flattering hidden-wedge take on this sleek staple.
Audrey wore them. Carine Roitfeld lives in them. Kate Moss accessorizes hers to the hilt. A simple black fit-and-flare dress, body-con number or sleek sheath works for pretty much any scenario imaginable and is guaranteed to make you look your absolute best, so it’s a sound item to spend a little extra on.
That said, when you’re in the mood to make even more of a statement, there’s nothing like a boldly patterned party frock. The trick here is to choose one in a relatively classic print—think florals, polka dots or easy geometric graphics.
from left: ruby printed silk crepe de chine and cotton-blend lace dress, $3,220, erdem, net-a-porter.com; garden-print dress, $895, red valentino, saksfifthavenue.com; embellished lace and silk-faille dress, $6,990, oscar de la renta, net-a-porter.com
Perfectly-Fitting Denim
PFD
There’s absolutely nothing—nothing—like finding that amazing pair of derrière-perfecting, leg-lengthening, hip-slimming jeans. Sink a little extra cash into your blues, and they’ll pay for themselves in compliments.
from left: 811 mid-rise skinny leg, $191, jbrandjeans.com; the marrakesh, $168.30, mih-jeans.com; stretch cotton-blend leggings-style jeans, $187, rag & bone jean, net-a-porter.com
Gray Cardigan
GREY CARDIGAN
Yes, black cardigans are great too, but hear me out: when you’re already dressed in head-to-toe noir, sometimes you need another, slightly lighter neutral to keep the look from veering into Morticia Addams territory. In such cases, gray’s your go-to. Heather-colored cardis look equally great with little white dresses, too—as well as pretty much everything in one’s closet.
from left: cashmere and silk-blend cardigan, $640, miu miu, net-a-porter.com; asymmetric hem cardigan, $595, alexander wang, barneys.com; collection cashmere boyfriend cardigan, $238, jcrew.com
Oversized Cashmere or Wool Wrap
WRAP
How do we love our enormous cashmere throws? Let us count the ways: they’re the perfectway to stay warm in snowy weather (when you live in a windy city, a coat alone just doesn’t cut it), they double as blankets (and pillows!) on long plane or car trips and they sort of make us feel like Stevie Nicks. Solid.
If you’re looking for the absolute most reliable place to sink those wardrobe dollars, a classiccarryall’s your best bet. Whether you opt for a classic flap-front 2.55 shoulder bag, a quilted tote or even a tiny crossbody carryall, there’s just no going wrong with anything double-C-adorned. Proenza Schouler’s cult-forming PS1, meanwhile, has made the tricky transition from trend to cool classic with ease. And of course, few can resist the heritage-steeped house of Hermès. While Birkins and Kellys may yield the longest waitlists, we’re currently smitten with the smaller Constance crossbody.
clockwise from left: vintage constance bag, $6,700, hermès, portero.com; ps1 medium leather, $1,695, proenzaschouler.com; classic flap bag, $4,400, chanel.com for locations
This recipe originally called for 4 Chilean Sea Bass fillets. Since Sea Bass in on the endangered list I now substitute for the very comparable Sablefish.
First: combine the below ingredients in a small bowl to form a spicy paste to coat fish.
¼ cup olive oil
1 Tbsp. chillipowder
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
½ Tbsp. curry powder
¼ tsp. tumeric
¼ tsp. paprika
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. aniseed
½ tsp. mustard seed, toasted in dry sauté pan for one minute.
Preheat oven to 375 F. Season fish with salt and pepper. Coat lightly with flour (not necessary but doing so makes it brown better). Brush a heavy coating of the spicy paste mixture (above) on the skin side of fish and a little on the flesh side if you like more spice. Add about 2 Tbsp. of vegetable or canola oil to a very hot, oven-safe skillet (cast iron is great) and sear the fish-skin side. When the skin is crispy, place fish in oven for approximately 10-15 minutes. Serve with fruit salsa. Serves 4-6.
Spicy Fruit Salsa (worth the extra bit of work)
1 tsp. jalapeño pepper, chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 papaya, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
½ cup fresh pineapple, chopped
½ lemon, juiced
½ lime, juiced
1 Tbsp. honey
½ tsp. chilli powder
1 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
¼ cup of oliveor vegetable oil
pinch of salt & pepper
Carefully (some wear gloves) remove seeds and membrane of jalapeño and discard. Combine all ingredients and refrigerate. Either top the fish or serve on the side with a nice jasmine rice.
TIP: you’ll most likely have leftover salsa which is delicious next day for fish tacos or chicken salad.
SPICES: I consider all the spices here to be basics for use in so many other dishes. If you must go out to buy them you won’t be wasting your time or money.
HONESTY IS CRUCIAL to a healthy relationship with ourselves and others. It can help us resolve longstanding issues, find forgiveness, and deepen our relationships with the people who surround us.
Why do we lie?
It’s clear that without being honest with ourselves we’ll never be honest with others. What are the obstacles to achieving this kind of clarity and how do we overcome them? And once we gain clarity, how do we communicate truthfully in a productive and positive manner? How about those little white lies….if need be and in small doses? Only if really necessary & in order not to hurt anyone.
Condensed from Dr. Habib Sadeghi on Honesty – taken from Goop.
Being Honest About Dishonesty
Feelings buried alive never die, especially fear. Lying comes from fear. It’s born from our traumas, disappointments and betrayals and is always the result of something that’s happened to us. You may be late meeting someone and blame it on the traffic or cover up being fired to avoid embarrassment. The scenarios surrounding why we lie are endless. The fact is that our lies are born from our traumas, both big and small.”
“Dishonesty begins with the self. It starts when we can’t reconcile a difficult experience. The first lie is the one we tell ourselves. It’s usually, ‘It didn’t happen’ or ‘It didn’t happen like that’. We avoid these realizations because we’re terrified of how they will make us feel. We do it because we’d rather live with the long-term consequences of lying to ourselves and others than face the temporary pain of the truth. So, we repress the truth and our feelings about it with a lie to keep the pain at bay.”
“That pain could be a friend’s disappointment or a spouse’s rage. The size of the lie doesn’t matter. We never lie to protect the feelings of others. That’s the part of the lie we tell ourselves to make it easier. We lie to protect ourselves from the pain and repercussions we’ll experience from their feelings or even our own self-judgment. Lying is always self-serving.”
The First Victim
“When we are stung by life’s traumas, especially the big ones like losing a job, relationship, financial security or our health, we become frozen in place like the tarantula. We rarely give ourselves enough time to process the hard lessons (truth) of the situation. We may grieve briefly, but then we anesthetize ourselves and it’s on with life.”
“Dissociating from what really happened is known as ‘splitting’ in psychoanalysis. We either react only with emotion and become irrational about the situation or, we escape to our heads and don’t process any of the feeling. Being honest with ourselves and others requires an ability to think and feel at the same time in order to fully integrate a difficult experience and neutralize any lasting negative energy.”
“Short-circuiting that process creates a second lie, an ‘alternate’ reality or ‘My Side of theStory’. Sadly, we’re always the first victims of our lies because we have to believe them first before we can convince others to do so.”
Avoid & Divert
“Living in our own little world of self-created lies and avoiding the truth of our life experience takes great energy and produces an even greater amount of stress. To deal with it, we often turn to illicit or prescription drugs. The problem here is that drugs only perpetuate our dishonesty because they give us the false impression that everything is ‘fine’.”
“Even yoga can be an addictive diversion. It can provide intense emotional release because we store pent up energy in our bodies. Still, we must be able to think and feel to fully integrate the experience and release it. Without conscious thought providing truth and understanding surrounding the situation, we easily fall back into old habits.”
To Tell the Truth
“Honesty is the capacity to tell yourself the emotional truth in any situation. When you can do this for yourself, you can do it with others. Unfortunately, we can’t give what we don’t have. Dishonesty is always the result of avoiding pain at some level. This leads to lying and its twin sisters: secrets and denial. Healing from lying to others requires that we stop lying to ourselves first. It means clearing up our unconscious anxieties and the survival mechanisms that we’ve put in place to protect us from their pain.”
Truth or Consequences
“As spiritual beings, we’re hard-wired for honesty. We have a natural instinct to search foranswers and make sense of things. Have you ever seen a bad actor on screen? You don’t need to be an actor yourself to recognize the lack of truthfulness in the performance. Why? It’s because we’re all viscerally connected to truth on a fundamental, physical and spiritual level. It’s part of who we are and like a virus, we instinctively reject dishonesty.”
“To override this natural impulse by telling lies, we generate immense amounts of resistantand negative energy in our bodies. This internal stress puts us at war with ourselves, producing cellular damage. Lies create a mind/body that is not at-ease and end up manifesting as the symptoms of our diseases. Like the unsuspecting tarantula (in the full story), the egg we’ve carried for so long eventually erupts in a catastrophic way, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Healing is a choice, so is lying. Our work isn’t to create healing. Healing happens when we find and remove the barriers we’ve created against it by facing the temporary pain we didn’t think we could survive.”
“So how can we find freedom from the lies we tell others and most importantly, ourselves? How do we dissolve limiting beliefs, which is really what lies are? We can begin by facing the truth of our traumas and documenting them with all the raw honesty and emotion that we’ve avoided for years. Clearing out our emotional closet can be terrifying at first, but once we survive what we didn’t think was survivable, we’ll get a taste of our limitless power to heal and change.”
It seems that so many woman, young women especially, are getting THE WRONG IMAGE.
This post came about after hearing Amanda de Cadenet (The Conversation) ask her viewers if they feel that the media affects how they perceive their bodies? Her alternative web based TV series is about women who have stories & experiences to share, for women to empower women. It got me thinking. Is seems unhealthy to constantly compare yourself, your life, etc. to others yet how many times have we done so?
Please do not buy into this.
The physical images presented in media programming and advertising can be unhealthy and difficult, if not impossible, for most women to achieve. They frequently portray young women in a sexual manner. This can lead adolescents to think that their own bodies are not attractive or acceptable and that their value depends on how they look.
Growing numbers of young women risk their health, and life, trying to imitate the body images presented by the media. The wrong media messages also can harm mental self-image and self-esteem.
The media generally show underweight women as the ideal body type. The average model today is 25% thinner than the national average weight and actually only represents 5% of females in the country.
Almost 54% of American young girls and women aged 12–23 years are unhappy with their bodies.
Five to ten million women and girls have eating disorders that harm their health, including anorexia nervosa (starving themselves) and bulimia nervosa (binge eating and purging). Some teens who think they are not pretty enough resort to cosmetic plastic surgery. They also tend to have unrealistic andnegative expectations concerning sexuality.
How do we overcome this short of never looking at another magazine or watching TV?
For starters: try to make yourself aware of the media messages aimed at women and young people. Assess your own use of media and reactions to messages about attractiveness and self-worth. Don’t forget that while we don’t come with an airbrush it’s still worthwhile to eat a healthy diet and exercise to maintain good overall health. Young women as early as possible should be encouraged to participate in positive family, peer & school activities to enhance self-esteem based on their abilities and character rather than their appearance. You will automatically appear more attractive by doing so.
Since when did character not count for anything? What is a pretty face & perfect body without personality? Yes, let’s agree that we would all prefer to have it all Giselle?but why not try to accentuate all the other great attributes we either have or can attain?
And realize that you DO NOT have to drink a certain brand of beer, use a precise product, carry a specific IT bag or “anything” else as the commercials say, to have more fun or be beautiful.
You can use it alone but it’s best to apply before sunscreen for day and nightcream. Is it essential? I’ll let you decide. It’s one more step we may need to follow.
Serums may be the costliest product in many skin care lines but when properly applied, a 1-ounce container should last months. Serums contain more active ingredients than other products so you need just the tiniest amount – those few concentrated drops are super-efficient. Serums are made of very small molecules, so the skin absorbs them quickly and deeply. Thicker, heavier ingredients found in creams form a barrier on your skin that’s great for locking moisture in. The active ingredients in a serum penetrate your skin faster and more effectively.
Serums do not include ingredients such as petrolatum or mineral oil that keep water from evaporating. They also contain fewer lubricating and thickening agents, like nut or seed oils. Most serums are water-based, eliminating oils altogether.
Think of it as faster and lighter – many of the qualities we look for in a car, a laptop, and our bodies when we’re running a marathon. They’re also the prized attributes of skin care serums – light, fast-absorbing liquids used as an alternative or in addition to creams or lotions. This from Web.MD
Like so many things in the skincare department, there are too many brands to list here.
My top picks:
MicaBella Repair Serum
1) Mica Bella’s Skin Repair Serum is an ultra-moisturizing serum, formulated with a unique blend, including Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamins, Botanicals and Proline. The unique formula is designed to promote the natural elasticity of the skin, help reduce skin damage caused by the environment, and help minimize the visible signs of wrinkles – providing a healthy glow and younger looking skin. Price – $175.00 Available online at http://www.intrigueimports.com
MyChelle
2) MyChelle Dermaceuticals – an intensive humectant that replenishes skins moisture content, firms and claims to lift facial contours. Price – approx. $45.00. Available at most health food stores.
The following is condensed from a chapter in “Walking with the Wise” for health & vitality by Alejandra Armas.And the world needs our positive thoughts now, more than ever!
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