We all know the mantra for a basic skin care regimen: cleanse, exfoliate, tone and moisturize. Lather, rinse, repeat … At first glance, this seems simple enough and most of us follow it or some variation of it on a regular basis. The only problem is, as our environments change, so do our skin care needs. This usually becomes obvious with the change in seasons, but it can also happen when we travel to areas where the local climate differs considerably from the environment we normally find ourselves in.

In spite of this, it’s not unusual for most of us to follow essentially the same skin care routine all year-round. Whether its busy schedules that leave little time to adjust or a lack of knowledge of what to do, whatever the case may be, if you’re using the same routine year-round, you’re in a skin care rut! This virtually ensures that you’re not optimizing your skin’s health and appearance by addressing the seasonal skin care needs brought on by different weather conditions and climates.

Optimizing your seasonal skin care routine for any environment is not so much about using a completely different set of products for each season or climate change as it is about fine-tuning or tweaking your basic approach –emphasizing certain aspects over others to address your skin’s varying needs. If you know what those changing needs are then you will be well positioned to keep your skin in tip-top shape as you transition from one season to the next, or travel from one climate to another.

Featured Ingredient:

   Rosemary essential oil (Rosmarinus officinalis) has stimulating properties that are purported to increase skin cell turnover, and improve circulation.  The scent is uplifting and stimulating which can in turn diminish mental fatigue and improve mental clarity.

   Back in 2002, when I was in my Esthetician program, we literally had a major test once a week so we were always cramming. The group at my table passed around a little vial of Rosemary essential oil to inhale as we focused on the subject for that week. I can’t say for sure that it was the Rosemary that helped, but the students at our table consistently received better scores than the rest of the class.

History:

   In the Middle Ages, Rosemary was burned for fumigations that were used to drive away evil spirits and protect from plague.

Rosemary Scalp Therapy

4 ounces of Jojoba oil

20 drops of Rosemary Essential Oil

10 drops of Lavender Essential Oil

5 drops of Sandalwood Essential Oil

2 drops of Clove Essential Oil

Directions: Mix all of the ingredients in a plastic bottle with a dispensing cap. Shake well and apply to roots. For best results, leave on at least 30 minutes before washing hair. For added benefit, gently warm oil in hot water bath or microwave before applying.

Usage: Use this recipe for dry scalp, dandruff, eczema, or whenever you want an aromatic pick me up.

 
   Are you aware of the effect sugar has on the way you feel everyday? Is the short-lived euphoria you experience when eating a sweet treat followed by feelings of depression, crankiness or even mental fog? Do you find yourself reaching for another snack or sweet to counteract those feelings or just to feel better? If you answered yes, then you are probably a true sugar addict. How can you know for sure?

   People with a “sweet tooth” report many of the same common symptoms that all addicts have: increased consumption of the substance over a short period of time, withdrawal symptoms when it is denied, and regular intense cravings for it. Apparently, sugary treats stimulate the brain’s reward center in the same way that alcohol and drugs do, by sparking the release of the pleasure chemical dopamine.

   Each spike in our sugar consumption generates a correlated spike in insulin and a subsequent nosedive in our blood sugar. Every time this happens our adrenal glands respond by releasing anti-stress hormones, which in turn release the sugar that is stored in our liver for emergencies to restore balance.  Lather, rinse, and repeat.

   Unfortunately, most sugar addicts unwittingly repeat this pattern over and over until the roller coaster ride eventually wears out all their organs (including the pancreas) –leaving them in a weakened state where they are unable to fight disease or other stresses.

   If you’re on the sugar treadmill, it should come as no surprise when you feel run down in spite of getting a good night’s sleep, or if you’ve become more susceptible to colds and flu, or when you become prone to general malaise. With all your anti-stress hormones being usurped to balance out your blood sugar spikes, there isn’t much left to help you stay on an even keel. In that state, a lack of food can put you into a tailspin.

   So how can you take control of your cravings and get off the sugar treadmill? Here are some tips that may help:

    Identify Your Triggers. Know what situations or circumstances typically lead you to consume unnecessary or excess sugar and develop strategies to avoid them or consciously work around them. For example, if you feel pressured to have dessert at a dinner party or restaurant gathering, tell people that you’re “pre-diabetic” and have to carefully watch your sugar intake or you’ll develop full-blown diabetes. It’s highly unlikely that anyone will argue with that!
    
    Plan Ahead & Stock Healthy Foods. Plan your meals in advance and make a point of stocking your pantry and your fridge so there are enough healthy foods on hand for meals and snacks including healthy versions of salad dressings and condiments (where added sugar is often hiding) and whole grain cereals, oatmeal, or plain low-fat yogurt for breakfasts. Don’t keep cookies, cakes or other sugary snacks in your house!
    
    Commit to Your List.  Take a list with you when food shopping and commit to buying only the items on your list. Not only will you save money by doing this, you will avoid the temptation of buying or snacking on foods you don’t need or are loaded with sugar.
    
    Hydrate with Unsweetened Beverages. About 46% of Americans’ added sugar intake comes from beverages. Replace sugar bombs like soda (and even diet sodas), alcohol, bottled iced teas, flavored waters, and fruit drinks, with purified water and herbal teas. You can flavor your own water by adding a drop or two of essential oil (peppermint, cinnamon, or lemon) to a quart or squeeze fresh lemons or limes directly into it.
    
    Don’t Skip Meals. Skipping meals results in low blood-sugar levels which leads to impulsive eating –often of sweets. Try to eat something every 3-4 hours and substitute sweets or refined carb treats with protein, healthy fats (nuts and seeds), and plenty of veggies. Be sure to eat a protein-rich breakfast to maintain blood sugar balance throughout the day.
    
    Spice Up Your Life. Get in the habit of using herbs to add flavor to your food instead of dressings and sauces that often contain hidden sugar. Cinnamon has been shown to help regulate blood sugar. Use it in place of sweeteners in your desserts, breakfast foods, smoothies, and even in your coffee. Its thermogenic (fat-burning) properties can help you lose weight too!

Copyright 2010 Dropwise Essentials

Donya Fahmy, is a green business owner and the creator of Dropwise Essentials' spa-quality aromatherapy body products that help you safely relieve stress, increase vitality, improve confidence, or simply manage your emotional state any time or place without popping a pill. For more free tips and valuable information visit www.dropwise.com and subscribe to the Dropwise Health & Beauty News Ezine or blog feed.

Everyone wants to look good and stay healthy, right? A simple way to do this is to properly care for your skin. Your skin needs you!

Skin is the largest organ of your body and serves as a protective barrier between the inside you and the outside you. The story of your life can be seen through your skin. It can tell people everything from what you eat to where you live. Ok, maybe not exactly what you eat or exactly where you live, but pretty close. Skin is affected by everything that you do. That's because skin acts like your body's filter.

We all know what unhealthy skin looks like. Sallow, dull, uneven appearance, wrinkles develop easier, are deeper and more noticeable. Sometimes skin will be excessively oily or dry, have blemishes and even rashes can occur. How do you keep these things from happening?
Skin is in a constant state of growth with old cells dying and new cells forming. Because of this, properly taking care of your skin isn't only about how you look. It's also about being healthy. That's why Shear Miracles by Robyn ~ Organic Salon Products takes "A Holistic Approach to Beauty for Salons & Spas" bringing awareness to the fact that it just doesn't make sense to use products with ingredients that harm your health to enhance your beauty. According to the The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language holistic means emphasizing the importance of the whole and the interdependence of its parts. Another words, we care about your whole person.

Since your skin is constantly growing and changing, you can see why it’s important to be vigilant in daily taking care of it.  Keep your skin hydrated by drinking plenty of  water throughout the day, and maintain a balanced diet to provide the vitamins and minerals your skin needs. Stick with fresh organic fruits and vegetables, whole sprouted grains and foods high in Omega 3s.

Proper skincare also involves cleansing it properly, feeding it with nutrient rich ingredients. That's why we use milk and honey in all of our facial cleansers along with carefully selected herbs and oils that work at bringing your skin into proper balance. (We have an equally effective Vegan Cleanser with an organic apple juice base, too.) Milk and honey have wonderful hydrating antimicrobial and cleansing properties and are greatly enhanced when used together, giving the skin a glow while containing many anti-aging benefits.
Honey prevents infection, speeds healing, and moisturizes the skin. Packed with antioxidants, honey can protect your skin against the damaging effects of the sun and prevent premature wrinkling. The properties in milk gently exfoliate and soothe your skin keeping it soft and supple.

Your skin also needs to be hydrated. Hydration refers to the amount of water found in your skin. When  your skin is properly hydrated it will be smooth and plump (verses saggy and flaky). Neglecting this most important part of your skin's health, can result in blemishes, wrinkles and many more negative effects. Eat plenty organic fresh fruits and vegetables. Drink at least 1/2 your body weight of pure water in oz per day. Avoid using toners. These contain drying agents that do more harm than good for your skin. We recommend our specially designed hydrators that we have formulated for each specific skin type.

Since your face is always showing, it gets exposed to all the elements of life. The sun, wind, air pollutants, you name it - so it needs extra moisture to keep it balanced and healthy. Even if you feel like you have oily skin, it needs to be moisturized.  Oily skin is out of balance and getting it into balance will help your skin produce the perfect amount of oil that your skin needs. (Many customers, after using just 1 full set of our Shear Delight Organic Skincare system for oily skin, have reported that they no linger have skin that is excessively oily. They then switch to out Miracles Happen Anti-Aging or Natural Beauty Normal Skincare System.) Moisturizers prevent wrinkles, protects from environmental stress and damage, improves overall complexion and your makeup application will be smoother and more even.

These 3 steps are essential to properly caring for your skin.

Visit Shear Miracles Today at http://www.ShearMiracles.net

It seems like lately, every time you turn on the television or radio, or pick up a magazine there’s a story about sugar and its role in the nation’s growing epidemic of diabetes and obesity. You’ve likely been hearing a new term called Diabesity, which encompasses the intricate relationship between sugar, diabetes, and obesity.

Ever since the American Heart Association’s 2009 recommendation to limit our daily consumption of added sugar to between 100 and 150 calories (vs. the 355+ calories that is actually consumed), the link between our overly sugar-laden diets and our ever-expanding waistlines has become painfully clear.

Understanding the potential health consequences of eating too much sugar is one thing, knowing what to do about it is an entirely different story … Looking at sugar consumption as a long-term health imperative rather than a simple weight management issue might give you the motivation you need to tackle it. Start with small manageable steps and work up from there.

First, aim to significantly reduce your consumption of (and eventually eliminate) highly processed sugars like corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup –which can be addicting and wreak havoc with your blood sugar levels.

The next step (which can also be taken simultaneously) is to substitute whole grains for white flour and add more raw fruits and vegetables. After that, try to uncover all the hidden sources of added sugar that may be sabotaging your best intentions, and find healthier alternatives. I’m talking about sugar that’s added to less obvious things like peanut butter and spaghetti sauces, and frozen, canned, or other packaged foods. Avoid fruit juices with added sugar and watch out for those flavored yogurts that boast only 150 calories per serving! Some of those tiny containers have as much as 45 or 50 grams of sugar per serving!

Last, but not least, become a savvy consumer of alternative sweeteners. The marketplace for alternative and especially natural sweeteners has exploded over the past few years, but with no practical means to evaluate all the options, the average consumer still turns to artificial sweeteners like NutraSweet, Equal, or Splenda, as low-calorie solutions to manage their weight.

The problem with artificial sweeteners is they may actually contribute to obesity because they trick the body into thinking they’re sugar molecules. When the tongue and brain recognize sugar the body produces insulin. Excess insulin in the body is converted into fat, leading to weight gain. Several studies support this finding while others conclude that Aspartame, for example, may be neuro-toxic under certain conditions and should be avoided altogether.

So how can you work your way through the maze of alternative sweeteners (natural and synthetic) to find the right substitute? Here are some quick tips to help you get started:

    Compare Glycemic Index Scores. Look first and foremost for the impact of a sweetener on your blood sugar levels. The easiest way is to find its Glycemic Index (GI) score and compare it to that of white sugar (68). The Glycemic Index basically measures how fast carbohydrates convert to glucose in the blood. The higher the number the faster the conversion. Lower numbers are better. Honey is in the 70s, maple syrup is around 55 and high fructose corn syrup is just above 90, while palm sugar is around 35 and agave nectar is in the low teens.


    A Sugar By Any Other Name. Make sure that your sweetener of choice isn’t simply another version of white sugar. Most of the sugar in the food and beverages that people purchase at the supermarket is refined cane sugar. Evaporated sugar cane juice is simply the solid that remains when sugar cane juice evaporates. It’s considered less refined than white sugar but has the same GI score so avoid products made with this sweetener.


    Weigh Pros & Cons. Not all natural sweeteners are created equal. Some have better GI scores than sugar but no nutritive benefits. Others like Molasses, are high in minerals and antioxidants but not suitable for broad use as a sweetener. Stevia has added health benefits, almost no calories, and a GI score of zero, but sometimes leaves a bitter after taste. Sugar alcohols like Xylitol and Erythritol are very low in calories and have dental health benefits but are not natural and if eaten in excess, can have a laxative effect.


    Context, Texture and Taste. Find out which natural sweeteners work best for sweetening beverages and which work best for cooking and baking. Many times, these may not be one and the same. Erythritol and Stevia are often recommended for sweetening beverages, while Brown Rice Syrup (made from sprouted brown rice) and Agave tend to work better for baked goods. Keep in mind, the latter are liquids so they can’t be used spoon for spoon as a substitute for table sugar in recipes.

Above all, stay open minded and willing to experiment with different types and brands of sweeteners, until you find the right combination for your particular needs. Remember to balance your taste buds’ needs with your body’s overall health needs and don’t rely strictly on substitutes as a way of managing your weight or your blood sugar levels. Try to get most of your sugar from natural sources and limit the amount of sugar per serving to 12 grams or less.

Copyright 2010 Dropwise Essentials

Donya Fahmy, is a green business owner and the creator of Dropwise Essentials' spa-quality aromatherapy body products that help you safely relieve stress, increase vitality, improve confidence, or simply manage your emotional state any time or place without popping a pill. For more free tips and valuable information visit www.dropwise.com and subscribe to the Dropwise Health & Beauty News Ezine or blog feed.

It’s a new year and every new year brings with it “New Year’s resolutions” designed to help us improve our lives in some way –either by ditching a bad habit or acquiring some new good habits. By far, the most common New Year’s resolutions have something to do with losing weight or getting into shape. And somehow, no matter how well intentioned these resolutions are, for many of us, our weight loss efforts never seem to really get off the ground.

If losing weight and getting into shape were that simple we all would have accomplished it by now! The truth is, there are many factors that contribute to weight gain, and consequently our ability to successfully manage our weight. While most of us are focused on how to lose weight we may be ignoring an even more insidious health threat that coincidentally, also hinders our ability to diet successfully.

The statistics on sugar consumption are staggering. By one estimate, the average American consumes over 150 pounds of sugar and sweeteners (like corn syrup) every year! Phew! That’s a LOT of sugar. According to research and analysis firm Datamonitor, U.S. consumers’ reliance on sugar and sweeteners for total energy consumption is more than twice the global average.

Other studies indicate that 75% of the American diet is made up of refined carbohydrates like sugar, white flour, white pasta and potatoes. It turns out that sugar is actually more fattening than fat. What that means for anyone who is serious about losing weight and getting healthy is cutting way back on sugar and simple carbohydrates, which your body quickly converts into sugar!

Sugars and starches are carbohydrates and carbohydrates are one of our body’s main sources of energy (the other being fat). When your body needs energy it will first look for carbohydrates to burn as fuel. If there are fewer sources of carbohydrates available, then your body will break down your fat reserves for energy. That’s the key to successful weight loss and maintenance. By limiting your intake of sugars and starches, you force your body to use up your fat reserves instead.

What happens if you don’t? The opposite. When you consume more sugar than your body needs for energy, your blood sugar becomes elevated so your pancreas secretes a hormone called insulin. Insulin is designed to balance blood sugar by carrying glucose to your cells where it is normally burned off for energy. Storing sugar in these cells is your body’s way of balancing its blood sugar levels. This is a normal insulin response. But if we consume more sugar than our body needs for energy then the excess insulin in our blood is stored as fat to be burned for energy at some point in the future.

Like it or not, most of us have become addicted to sugar in one if not all of its various forms. Our love affair with sweets leads to consistently elevated blood sugar levels. When that happens, our energy-burning cells begin to become resistant to the action of insulin (hence the term “insulin resistance”).

If insulin can’t be balanced due to insulin resistance, our entire hormonal system can be thrown out of whack, leading to unintended weight gain and ultimately to diabetes and obesity. This situation is exacerbated by the fact that as we age our metabolic processes slow down and we simply don’t need as many carbohydrates as we did when we were younger, so our continuing overconsumption of sugars and simple carbs makes it all the more difficult to lose those extra pounds!

While weight gain is the most visible result of this hormonal imbalance, a much deeper more insidious process is taking place within our bodies that is far more dangerous to our long-term health. Sugar is acidic, so when large quantities of sugar remain in the body, it creates an acidic and hostile environment that leads to cellular damage and inflammation. This causes us to age prematurely on the inside as well as on the outside.

According to Dr. Andrew Weil, sugar and other refined carbohydrates appear to trigger a chemical reaction that creates pro-inflammatory compounds in the body. A conclusion that is further supported by the findings of a 2010 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that women who consume excess sugar are prone to chronic inflammation.

If you’ve resolved to lose weight and get healthy this year, first consider some of the ways you can cut back on your consumption of sugar (especially processed sugars) and simple carbohydrates. Part of the trick is to free yourself from the addictive taste of sweets and the best way to do it is to go cold turkey for a couple of weeks. This may seem difficult at first, but you may also be surprised to learn that after doing without for a while, you no longer crave sweets as much as you once did. If you’re really lucky you might actually find the overly sugary taste of certain foods a turn off to your taste buds!

Copyright 2010 Dropwise Essentials

Donya Fahmy, is a green business owner and the creator of Dropwise Essentials' spa-quality aromatherapy body products that help you safely relieve stress, increase vitality, improve confidence, or simply manage your emotional state any time or place without popping a pill. For more free tips and valuable information visit www.dropwise.com and subscribe to the Dropwise Health & Beauty News Ezine or blog feed.

The holidays are usually a joyous and wonderful time of the year for most, but for many of us they can also be very stressful. Whether it’s related to gift-giving anxiety, travel upsets, inclement weather, difficult family dynamics, isolation or overindulgence, this time of year can make us all more susceptible to colds, flu, fatigue, depression and general malaise.

Instead of allowing ourselves to go into hibernation mode as there is less and less sunlight during the holiday season, we pull our coats tight and brave the cold weather, traffic jams, crowds, and long lines to get our gift shopping done (often at the last minute). We stay out late, drink too much, eat too much, and scramble under pressure to complete projects or plans before the close of the year.

Add the pressure of living up to the expectations of family and the inevitable weather-related travel upsets and you’ve got a recipe for major stress.

So what can you do to take a little bit of the edge off this time of year? Here are some tips to help you keep your stress to a minimum and improve your mood so you can enjoy the holiday season with some sanity:

Get plenty of rest. Stay hydrated and remember to breathe … deeply! Try to get at least 8 hours of sleep a night or make up for lost sleep by taking naps or sleeping in. Lower alcohol consumption and drink plenty of other fluids, especially water, to stay hydrated. And remember to breathe deeply.

Avoid refined carbohydrates and sugars. OK, I know this is a tough one, but it can make a huge difference in how you feel! Refined carbs tend to spike then deplete your serotonin levels leaving you exhausted. So, indulge a little, but try to stick to healthier treats like dark chocolate or seasonal fruits. Balance things out by eating serotonin-enhancing foods like whole grains, root vegetables, beans, legumes, seeds and nuts, along with a little lean protein (turkey or fish).

Slow down. Take time to savor and enjoy the rituals of the season. Stay present with yourself and everyone around you and practice forgiveness and acceptance. Remember, you can choose to let go of whatever is troubling you for the moment.

Reach out to others, especially those in need. The holidays can magnify feelings of isolation or loneliness for those who can’t be with family or don’t have family to be with. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help and comfort if you are in need. Helping others in need also has a profoundly healing and uplifting effect, both physiological and psychological.

Surround yourself with uplifting and nurturing sounds and smells. During the holiday season it is especially important to surround yourself with soothing and uplifting smells and sounds. Listen to music that makes you happy and calm even if its not holiday music. A great place to start is with one of our Soothe collection of aromatherapy products. The combination of lavender, geranium, clary sage and chamomile essential oils in this blend help you stay calm and grounded, even when things around you are a little chaotic.

If you need a little extra help adjusting your mood try our Inspiration blend with it’s uplifting mix of citrus essential oils –sure to put a smile on even the most stubborn of scowls. If traditional holiday smells stress you out or make you depressed, avoid them as much as possible.

Copyright 2010 Dropwise Essentials

     Donya Fahmy, is a green business owner and the creator of Dropwise Essentials' spa-quality aromatherapy body products that help you safely relieve stress, increase vitality, improve confidence, or simply manage your emotional state any time or place without popping a pill. For more free tips and valuable information visit www.dropwise.com and subscribe to the Dropwise Health & Beauty News Ezine or blog feed.