All Naturale Gal

The majority of Americans are overweight to some degree. My observation is there is a lack of pride in personal presentation. The youth do not own a scale, stores have distorted mirrors, and American “fashion” is obsessed with tight clothing. How can  size 14 “petite” jeans make you look small?! A basic to shedding pounds is to eat more slowly. Chew each bite at least 20 times. Walk away from each meal without feeling “full”. Eliminate all processed food. Carbohydrates and foods that have sugar (including fruit) cause a rise in insulin production and a metabolic drop , and will be stored as fat. The most effective program is to eat 4 small meals a day consisting of protein, fat (olive or coconut oil) and raw vegetables.  Walk at least 45 minutes a day. You will loose weight, increase your health and fitness level, and the size 14 will become a size 4. If you like this post, please share it with friends.

Best daytime sunscreen is DeVita. It has 19% zinc oxide, clear, non-oily and has the added benefit of hyaluronic acid for moisture retention. My daughter and I love it. Her skin is sensitive and acne prone, so it works for all skin types. With all zinc oxide based sunscreens, apply in one direction. I move from nose to ear, brow to hair, chin to collarbone. This maintains the performance of  the molecular structure and provides a stronger barrier.

Does it make you tired? Does it make you energetic? I have found that a cup of strong coffee before my workout helps maintain focus and fitness: it raises the insulin level so you will need to eat with a few hours to avoid a blood sugar crash.

Have you noticed that a man’s skin does not wrinkle/age as quickly as a woman’s? The dangerous chemicals in our cosmetics severely dehydrate your skin,  lead to premature aging and are showing up in cancerous breast tissue. Investigate the ingredients in most foundations   Some of the ingredients are used to degrease engines,used to emulsify fats, etc. Most have major commercial applications. Even mineral oil dehydrates.  Our skin is our largest organ and what we apply is absorbed. In short, why would you apply something on your face that you would not eat?
Please be wary of even the “natural” and “mineral based” products.  Many of these are not what they claim. Research  and educate yourself. Treating your skin properly is much more intelligent  than a face-lift.

At the Gym

I watch women spending morning after morning at the gym without realizing any changes in their weight or toning. What are the key elements required to make a difference? As an exercise addict for the last 30+ years, I would like to share insights from others I have met along the path .  At age 18, I met a wonderful woman . She was a professional dancer, mid 30′s (ancient) . Perfect body. She taught me two important fundamentals: whatever you “work” one way, stretch the other way. This elongates the muscle  so you do not add “bulk”.For example,  after sit-ups : lay on a bench and  let your legs hang over  the end. This will force your stomach muscles to stretch  and prevent the proverbial pooch. Keep your leg muscles warm to prevent injury and make the muscles work harder (dancers wear tights). She theorized this also prevents cellulite. Recent studies show that going in the sauna after a workout reduces cellulite.  I am a huge believer in free weights for women. Free weights force your body to defy gravity which protects against bone loss. It is the single best way to remain toned and strong.  Instead of expending all your energy in a 30 minute run, run for  5-10 minutes as a warm -up, use weights for 30-40 minutes (15 to 20 minutes each for upper and lower) , then do your final 20-30 minute run. This will raise your metabolism and lead to faster weight loss and conditioning.

Happy workout!

“Don’t Pull Your Skin”

“Pulling causes wrinkles”

It was my Mother’s chant.  She died wrinkle free at 63. She religiously used exactly a pea sized portion of Pond’s cold cream every night , stayed out of the sun and NEVER rubbed or pulled her skin. She only “patted”.

Does her methodology have validity? Asian women sleep on their backs to keep the skin from “pulling” which leads to sagging. Proof: seldom do you see Asian skin deeply wrinkled or sagging. I believe genetics play a role, but common sense would tell you that pulling is helping gravity do its job.

P.S. I was once told  that most “moisturizers”  do the same. They “pull” and weigh the skin down.  For this reason, I do not believe in facial moisturizers.

Beyond Antioxidants

I was recently introduced to a new way of slowing the aging process, and speed exercise recovery time. The term is “redox signaling”. As always, I went to my trusted source: the internet. What I found is that “redox” involves molecules that have been bombarded with electricity (thereby producing an electrical charge) so that our cells can absorb vital minerals. This is beyond antioxidants. Studies have shown that redox actually increases the uptake of oxygen in the blood by up to 12% . Considering , trained marathon runners can usually increase by a max of 2%, this is a radical breakthrough. It also increases the body’s natural antioxidants. If you would like more information, please contact me and I can direct you to a few amazing sites.

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