I don’t know about you, but when I have a crazy busy week like this one, the most immediate way my body responds is to lose its natural, full breaths. Quicken the pace, and I’ll step to it, but I’ll also forget to take a slow breath for hours on end. This might seem like a trivial thing (after all, I’m not hyperventilating or anything), but you’d be surprised at how profound the connection is between breathing and beauty.

When you fail to take full, relaxing breaths, your body’s stress levels rise, making you breathe even shallower, causing you more stress...it’s an ugly cycle. And I mean that quite literally. Chronic stress takes a major toll on your looks.

Here’s the connection, and a few ways for you to breathe for beauty…

Breathing in short breaths doesn’t allow our body to fully detox as we exhale.

Short breaths boost your stress level, which leads to inflammation and advanced signs of aging when it’s a regular happening. Setting aside time to focus on deep breaths is a method of self-care and self-love, which really can make you feel more beautiful.

Deep breathing releases feel-good endorphins in the body that give you a gorgeous glow. Couldn’t we all use a mood boost when we’re under stress?

Deep breathing also gives you more energy and focus— more oxygen!

When you breathe deep, try to breathe into your diaphragm (the lower part of your torso) instead of your ribs to get a fuller breath.

Here is one of my favorite breathing exercises, the Relaxing Breath, from Dr. Andrew Weil. I have to remind myself about it all the time, but it absolutely works wonders!

The 4-7-8 (or Relaxing Breath) Exercise
This exercise is utterly simple, takes almost no time, requires no equipment and can be done anywhere. Although you can do the exercise in any position, sit with your back straight while learning the exercise. Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth, and keep it there through the entire exercise. You will be exhaling through your mouth around your tongue; try pursing your lips slightly if this seems awkward.

• Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
• Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.
• Hold your breath for a count of seven.
• Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.
• This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths.

Note that you always inhale quietly through your nose and exhale audibly through your mouth. The tip of your tongue stays in position the whole time. Exhalation takes twice as long as inhalation. The absolute time you spend on each phase is not important; the ratio of 4:7:8 is important. If you have trouble holding your breath, speed the exercise up but keep to the ratio of 4:7:8 for the three phases. With practice you can slow it all down and get used to inhaling and exhaling more and more deeply.

This exercise is a natural tranquilizer for the nervous system. Unlike tranquilizing drugs, which are often effective when you first take them but then lose their power over time, this exercise is subtle when you first try it but gains in power with repetition and practice. Do it at least twice a day. You cannot do it too frequently. Do not do more than four breaths at one time for the first month of practice. Later, if you wish, you can extend it to eight breaths. If you feel a little lightheaded when you first breathe this way, do not be concerned; it will pass.

Once you develop this technique by practicing it every day, it will be a very useful tool that you will always have with you. Use it whenever anything upsetting happens – before you react. Use it whenever you are aware of internal tension. Use it to help you fall asleep. This exercise cannot be recommended too highly. Everyone can benefit from it.

For a guided breath exercises, check out the amazing programs that you can download from Sounds True. You’ll not only look more beautiful with your new breathing techniques, you’ll feel energized and under control.

Unless you just had a birthday, you’re a college student, or you’re hooked on online shopping, it’s probably been awhile since you arrived home to find a package on your doorstep. The heyday of snail mail may well be behind us, but there’s still nothing quite like the feeling of getting a special delivery with your name on it. It’s even more exciting when it shows up out of the blue after a long day of work.

That’s exactly when my KLUTCH Club box arrived: at 6pm after a long day of writing and editing. Inside the shoebox-sized container were a few healthy lifestyle products that were already favorites, and several others that were completely new, like Tea Forte’s new Skin-Smart teas (love these!), a healthy trail mix from Enjoy Life and a yoga workout DVD from Kristin McGee (a great way to end a hectic workday). My KLUTCH Club box packed in samples from nine different brands in all (including Barlean’s, Shea Terra Organics and Kind Bars), plus a $25 gift certificate for Yoga Hyde clothing. In all, $50+ worth of healthy goods for $18 (the cost of a one-time KLUTCH Club delivery).

Knowing how much I loved getting my KLUTCH Club treasure chest, I have to suggest it as a Mother’s Day gift for health-conscious moms. A 3-month subscription is only $17/box (shipping included in the contiguous US), so you make a $51 investment that showers your mom with three whole months of healthy treats. Gift box subscriptions like this may have been done before, but KLUTCH Club— with its mix of food, beauty and fitness— is my favorite.

One thing to note: my delivery included the amazing Shea Terra Organics Rose Hips Black Soap (the company’s best-selling product, I recently found out!), but it doesn’t look like all of the KLUTCH Club beauty samples have an equally rigorous natural ingredient standard (May’s Hydroxytone sample is not completely natural). I would ask KLUTCH Club creators, please keep your beauty products as natural & organic as possible! Natural beauty on the outside does a body good, just as much as healthy snacks and a great workout.

All in all, a fun, healthy treat that’s perfect to pamper yourself or someone you love.

What do you think of KLUTCH Club? Who do you know who would love to receive a box?

Sugar, as I’ve written before, is no friend to your skin (or mine!). Refined sugar spikes blood sugar, causing inflammation and accelerating skin aging, in addition to interfering with collagen production. We know this, yet we still get dessert cravings. What’s a skin savvy-girl to do?

Make my Raw Cocoa Almond Truffles.

Now, if you have daily sugar cravings that are generally hard to control, they could signal that something is off in another area of your diet. For example, if you eat mostly plant foods, your sugar cravings could be a signal that your body needs more protein. Cravings are often your body’s way of letting you know what it needs, so it’s important to explore what your cravings mean.

Relentless sugar cravings aside, we all like something sweet now and then, especially when we can legitimize it. These Raw Cacao Almond Truffles are actually beneficial for our skin and our bodies, and completely free of refined sugar. Make them once and I predict that they’ll become a go-to sweet treat. You’ll serve them at holiday parties. You’ll give wrap them up in a lovely box and give them as a gift. And they won’t leave you with that terrible, over-sugared feeling.

The best part of these treats is that they’ve got sweetness AND substance. A few amazing beauty nutrition facts: did you know that raw cacao has the highest concentration of antioxidants of any food in the world? Cacao is rich in chromium, manganese, zinc, iron, copper and magnesium- all essential trace minerals. A 2009 study in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology found that chocolate with a high cocoa percentage can help protect skin from UV damage. And a Journal of Nutrition experiment found that drinking a cocoa-rich beverage improved skin hydration and reduced skin redness. Total beauty food!

Need any more reason to make these truffles? Here are a few:

Cinnamon regulates blood sugar (no sugar spikes and crashes for you), raw honey is full of active enzymes, phytonutrients and anti-bacterial properties (great for allergies and immunity), while almonds offer protein, healthy fats and minerals that are great for the skin- and the body!

Enjoy these truffles and feel free to alter the recipe to suit your personal tastes.

Asparagus Sage Risotto, adapted from Mario Batali’s Asparagus Risotto

Risotto is a dish that requires more patience than culinary expertise. And even though it’s not incredibly complicated, it always seems to impress your dinner guests (even if that’s just your roommate). But what may impress them even more is the amazing beauty nutrition knowledge that you’ll be able to tell them as they chow down on this perfect spring dish:

ASPARAGUS is a major anti-aging food because it boosts the body’s production of glutathione, an anti-inflammatory nutrient that can stop the action of some enzymes that naturally break down collagen— which contributes to wrinkles! Asparagus is also a diuretic that reduces bloat and water retention. Keri Glassman, author of Slim, Calm, Sexy Diet, says that asparagus are calming foods, thanks to their high levels of folate (a super-important nutrient for pregnant mamas). The fiber in asparagus also contributes to healthy gut bacteria (and a healthy gut is one must-have for glowing skin).

Ready to transform this beauty food into an equally gorgeous dinner?

Just after adding the asparagus spears…almost there.

Your body — and your skin — have been holding out all winter for fresh spring produce to arrive. Get your skin out of winter mode with this anti-aging salad, designed to show off spring’s bounty and give you a big boost of beauty nutrition. To thoroughly enjoy this beautifying meal, take a trip to a local market that carries fresh produce and shop for organic (the most nutrient-dense) veggie choices where you can. Picking out fresh ingredients by hand adds a whole new level of beauty to the experience.

Here’s what you need to know about the beauty foods in this amazing salad:

WATERCRESS has been shown to repair DNA damage (amazing, right?) in human trials in the US and Germany, and it has natural detox properties. MACHE is a natural plant source of inflammation-calming omega 3 fatty acids. Organic EGGS are packed with protein, one building block of healthy collagen. ASPARAGUS is a diuretic that reduces bloat and water retention, plus it boosts the body’s production of glutathione, a nutrient that can stop the action of some enzymes that break down collagen (and cause wrinkles!). PEAS are high in vitamin C (important for collagen production) and zinc (a beauty mineral that keeps skin, hair and nails healthy). And RADISHES contain the beauty minerals sulfur and silicon, and vitamin C — an incredible glowing skin combination.

Now for the recipe…

Image: food-hub.org ]]> http://www.beautyiswellness.com/featured/youth-in-a-bowl-crunch-this-anti-aging-spring-salad/feed/ 0 http://www.beautyiswellness.com/featured/five-for-spring/ http://www.beautyiswellness.com/featured/five-for-spring/#comments Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:58:47 +0000 Jolene http://www.beautyiswellness.com/?p=3234

My five favorites for spring:

1. Fresh greens. I am hooked on mache lettuce (shown). It has a buttery, light flavor and is a natural source of beautifying omega 3s, iron and folic acid.

2. JarrowSil. I am all about getting beauty nutrition from whole foods, but this supplement caught my eye, and I’m loving it for its blend of silicon (one of the forgotten beauty nutrients, needed for skin, hair and nail flexibility and healthy collagen!), boron, and zinc (essential for collagen synthesis, acne prevention, and antioxidant protection). We don’t store zinc in our bodies, so it’s important to find good food sources. Some of the best zinc sources are meat, so vegetarians might want to try this supplement (and eat pumpkin seeds, cashews, chickpeas and walnuts for dietary zinc). A few drops of this liquid JarrowSil in water give you a good daily dose.

3. Primavera Calming Cream Cleanser. I love this cleanser for its blend of calming, healing borage oil and chamomile, and its creamy, makeup-removing formula. My sensitive skin has been so happy since I started testing it!

4. Vered Anti-Aging Face Treatment Oil. I got a tiny sample of this oil and I’m obsessed. It smells amazing, feels luxurious, and the ingredients are incredibly healing and anti-aging for the skin: oils of rose hip, carrot seed, borage, argan, primrose, jasmine and many more. This oil blend is a splurge, but I promise you will enjoy it each and every time you apply it to your freshly-washed face.

5. Lotus Wei Joy Juice Transformative Perfume. When you need to be uplifted, Lotus Wei’s Joy Juice is happiness in a bottle. It smells like fruit punch (it’s actually blood orange, davana, which has a strawberry-like scent, marigold and rosewood) and makes you feel utterly carefree.

What are your spring picks for beauty inside and out?

The beauty of borage

Borage is an herb with a beautiful (edible!) star-shaped flower that often grows wild. If you’ve heard of borage, it’s probably in reference to its well-known oil. Borage seeds are a potent source of an oil rich in gamma linolenic acid (GLA), an essential fat known to prevent water loss and increase skin cell strength when taken internally, or when applied to the skin topically. Borage oil actually contains up to 24 percent pure GLA, making it a very popular supplement for those looking for the many benefits of GLA, which include relief of PMS and arthritis.

Topically, borage oil is an anti-inflammatory known to ease eczema and psoriasis, and generally soothe, hydrate, heal and boost elasticity in the skin. The GLA in borage oil is also a well-known nail strengthener, according to Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS, author of The Living Beauty Detox Program. So if you’ve got splitting nails, here’s one solution! Look for a daily supplement with 360 mg GLA.

Borage oil: Inside or out?

I find it so interesting that the skin benefits of borage oil are similar whether you choose to take it internally or apply it to your skin topically. In the skin care world, you’ll find borage oil in serums, creams and in a fantastic new line of products for sensitive skin by German natural beauty brand Primavera. I put the new Primavera Calming line of products, with chamomile and borage oil, to the test on my sensitive skin and was thrilled with the results. I highly recommend the line, which reminds me of Pai Skincare products in its perfect formulation for sensitive skin. I tested the Primavera Cream Cleanser (great for removing makeup, extremely gentle) and the Toning Lotion, a very unique gel that takes the place of a toner (it pH balances the skin) and a light moisturizer (thanks to the borage oil!).

The Primavera Calming line with borage oil will be available beginning May 2012 at primaveralife.com.

Image via: The Writing Nag

Even before I started working in the beauty industry, I loved the mood-changing effects of perfume. I was always searching for the fragrance that would match my personality well enough to become my signature scent, and I’d like to think that I got pretty close to curating my perfect perfume wardrobe while working as a beauty writer at InStyle. But the romance didn’t last long. Once I found out about the toxic ingredients that were in my lovely little bottles of fragrance, I couldn’t look at them the same way. For months they sat on a shelf, unused. Then one by one, I took one last whiff and tossed them for good.

Today I’m back in the game, hunting once more for my perfect perfume — but this time it’s natural. This fragrance from Honore des Pres is as close as I’ve come! And I recently got the opportunity to try the exquisite organic fragrances from Tsi-La Organics, which swept me up with their gorgeous mixes of spice, florals and fruits. I’d wear Tsi-La’s Ilang Ilang any day! My favorite characteristic of Tsi-La Organics fragrances is that they mix and match incredibly well, so you really can create your own signature scent. Tsi-La Organics fragrances are 95% organic and 100% natural.

Because we all know how hard it is to let go of old synthetic perfumes, this month there’s a little something extra in it for you, thanks to Tsi-La. We’re calling it the Perfume Amnesty. During the month of April, I’ll pick 4 readers to receive a scented treat from Tsi-La. The first three winners (chosen on Wednesdays 4/11, 4/18 and 4/25) will each receive four .65mL Tsi-La fragrance samples. The last winner, chosen on  5/2, will take home the grand prize: a set of four rollerball perfumes from Tsi-La, worth $95!

So what’s the catch? You’ve got to TOSS OUT YOUR SYNTHETICS!

You’re in the process of spring cleaning anyway, right? To enter this giveaway, leave a comment on this post telling me what synthetic perfume you threw out to detox your beauty routine, and let me know what your favorite scent style is. Are you a fan of fruity fragrances? Florals? Ambers? Woody or grassy scents? For an extra entry in the giveaway, leave a comment on the Beauty Is Wellness Facebook page as well. One winner will be chosen every Wednesday in April, with the grand prize winner selected on May 2.

So go ahead- throw out those synthetics and make room for new natural scents to kick off this season of fragrance! You’re going to fall in love with fragrance all over again…

CONGRATULATIONS to the 4/11 winner, Michelle Bennett, the 4/18 winner, Melinda Frank, and the 4/25 winner, Diana McLamore! And a big congrats to the 5/2 grand prize winner, Abigail Miller! Everyone did an amazing job cleaning out their synthetic perfumes!

*For an up-to-date look at chemicals in synthetic perfume and the state of the natural perfume industry, check out my story in the May/June issue of Organic Spa magazine!

Vintage Guerlain perfume graphic: courtesy cafleurebon.com

There’s no question that coffee tastes delicious, but I’ve always found far greater satisfaction in a cup of freshly-steeped tea. My favorite teas are herbal blends that have therapeutic benefits: ginger for digestion, chamomile to calm, peppermint to perk up your mood.

But those are just the basics.

Herbal tea blends can be crafted to address an amazing range of health concerns — including those related to skin.

I recently had the chance to try two herbal teas created specifically to promote clear, healthy skin, from De La Terre Skincare founder Anne Willis. As an educator on aesthetics and holistic skin care, Willis has studied and practiced skin-healing techniques from around the world.

The first tea I tried, Herb Rich Tea to Support Healthy Skin, was packed with healing, calming herbs: lavender, peppermint, mullein, heather, cleavers and calendula. The large, whole calendula flowers and large leaves of mullein in the blend were a sign that this tea was crafted from fresh whole botanicals, not overprocessed bits and pieces. The second tea, Herb Rich Tea to Purify Blemished Skin, contained healing, detoxifying, inflammation-reducing herbs like chickweed, chamomile, dandelion (shown above), nettles and licorice.

Like most therapeutic herbal teas, you really need to steep the herbs for a significant amount of time to get maximum benefits. De La Terre recommends 20 minutes of steeping for its herbal teas. I also recently learned that herbal tea should be covered while steeping to prevent volatile oils from diffusing — so cover your cup with a saucer (it’ll keep it hot, too).

After steeping for 20 minutes in boiling water, the teas are ready to drink as internal detoxifiers, or (if you let the brew cool a little longer) as gentle toners, applied directly to skin with a cotton ball. Note: De La Terre also suggests mixing the teas with clay to create a facial mask, brewing them in your bath, or using the steeped tea as a gentle face wash. The Support Healthy Skin Tea has a slightly bitter taste, compared to the more calming, sweet flavor of the Purify Blemished Skin tea.

Both are great finds for healthy skin and beatifying natural sips that you’ll enjoy drinking — even if they don’t give you a caffeine kick.

*Congratulations to Julie Stewart, winner of the Neom Organics Real Luxury Home Candle!*

The arrival of spring (and this week’s warm weather on the East Coast) is an occasion to throw open the windows and let the fresh air and sunshine pour in. It’s hard to imagine, but during the winter the air inside your home became even more toxic than outside air, even if you live in the big city.

What makes this air so dirty? Think fragrances, cooking fumes, detergents, and household cleaners- to start. So let the breeze sweep in and take a moment to consider the unnecessary exposures that you can eliminate from your home environment.

Here are eight easy ways that you can detox your home this spring, and all year-round:

• Don’t use non-stick pans. Non-stick pans that are coated with chemicals like Teflon release fumes when heated- which happens every time you cook! Choose a safer option for your cookware, like stainless steel, enameled cast iron or traditional cast iron.

• Get informed about CFL lightbulbs. These bulbs may be marketed as the eco-friendly option, but inside they contain a significant dose of mercury that is toxic when released (if a bulb shatters). They are safe to use when the mercury is contained in the bulb, but in the event that a bulb break occurs, be very careful about exposure during cleanup!

• Watch out for dry cleaning chemicals. Traditional dry cleaning uses perchloroethylene, better known as ‘perc,’ a toxic chemical that has been linked to esophageal cancer, lymphoma, cervical and bladder cancer. “Perc causes liver and kidney damage and is toxic to the nervous system even in low amounts. Repeated exposure can lead to headaches, loss of coordination, and cognitive problems,” according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. Perc was banned in California in 2007, and will be completely phased out across the state by 2023. But why not be an early adopter? Switch to an eco-friendly dry cleaner that does not use perc. If you must use traditional dry cleaning services, remove the plastic from around your clothes and let them air out outside for several hours before wearing.

• Switch to natural household cleaners and detergents. All of those chemicals and fragrances being sprayed around your home add up. Check out natural cleaning options, and don’t be afraid to whip up some homemade recipes for household cleaners with ingredients like white vinegar and baking soda.

• Quit using antibacterial soaps with triclosan. Soap and hot water is no less effective than ‘antibacterial’ soaps with triclosan, which increase environmental risk of drug-resistant bacteria and may affect thyroid function. If it’s not necessary, let’s skip the antibacterial soap- and the associated risk.

• Rethink home fragrance. We’ve become accustomed to scenting our home with fragrance, but many traditional home fragrances, like plug-in diffusers, candles and sprays, are loaded with chemicals like phthalates. Breathing them in on a regular basis is not healthy. Skip fragrance, or choose a natural version like Neom Organics candles- this week’s giveaway!- or a plug-in essential oil diffuser like those by Aura Cacia.

• Limit your exposure to EMFs. Cell phones, wi-fi, electric blankets, even most digital alarm clocks emit EMFs, or electromagnetic fields. Problem is, we don’t really know what the effects of cumulative and large-scale exposure to EMFs will be. When you can, cut down on your exposure. Don’t sleep with your cell phone near your head on a bedside table, and plug into a wired internet cable instead of relying on wi-fi, whenever you can.

• Watch your plastics. Storing and heating foods in plastics can release chemicals like BPA, and taking home your leftovers in styrofoam can release the chemical ethylbenzene, especially if the foods are warm or oily. Limit these chemical exposures and help the environment by switching to glass storage containers at home.

A great guidebook to help you create a healthy home environment is The Everything Guide to a Healthy Home: All you need to protect yourself and your family from hidden household dangers, by Kimberly Button. If you get the book, keep an eye out for Beauty Is Wellness in the resources section!

To support your environmental detox, this week’s spring giveaway is a Real Luxury Home Candle from Neom Organics (a $60 value), courtesy of O & N Collective. The Real Luxury candle (shown above) is scented with a blend of natural lavender, jasmine and rosewood essences that release a warm, relaxing scent. You won’t miss your old, toxic candles (toss them!); Neom Organics candles are beautiful.

Neom Organics candles are made with vegetable wax, paper and cotton wicks and pure essential oils that are safe to breathe and free of the toxic phthalates contained in traditional fragrances. They are clean-burning and won’t release any soot into your environment.  Every drop of this candle will burn (you won’t have any wax stuck to the sides) and it will last up to 55 hours. You couldn’t find a more gorgeous, natural, and elegant candle for your healthy home.

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment on this post telling me one way you’re detoxing your home this spring by the end of the day (Midnight EST) next Monday, March 19th. The winner will be contacted Tuesday, March 20th. One entry per person.

A huge thanks to O&N Collective for all three natural product giveaways in the Spring Detox series! Check them out for amazing natural beauty brands like Tata Harper, Kahina Giving Beauty, La Bella Figura and Zoe Organics.