How well are you?

And what is wellness anyway?

According to wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellness)

Wellness may mean:
• a healthy balance of the mind-body and spirit that results in an overall
feeling of well-being.
• the state of being healthy.

Wellness is feeling good on the inside as well as looking good on the outside. It involves proper diet, sleeping at least 7 hours a night, exercise, drinking 8 glasses of water a day, taking vitamins, a good skin care regime, cosmetic products that are good for your skin, peace of mind and relaxation.

It sounds like a lot; however, if you focus on each one separately, it will be a routine that is effortless.

If you need some help, I would like to introduce you to Stacey Pearlman. She is a nutritionist, and health and guidance counselor. I have known Stacey for many years and she has certainly followed her passion for wellness. Her patience, knowledge and beautiful smile make you feel very special.

She believes that all children and adults are happiest and most productive when they are eating well and nurturing themselves. “There is a definite connection between what we eat and how we feel and that each person is capable of becoming their best healthy self!"

Stacey received her training at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition , a school that is affiliated with Columbia University in New York. She earned her Masters degree in School Counseling from CW Post, Long Island University, and a B.S. in Child Development and Family Studies from Pennsylvania State University. Stacey offers individual health and nutritional counseling and group workshop presentations.

She believes that most diets are fads and that nutrition is a life style.

“Diets don't work because each person is unique; how could one diet be right for everyone? A diet might work for a short amount of time, but research shows that almost all diets result in a 10-pound gain once off the diet. Diets don't work because they are too restrictive. They require discipline and restriction at levels that are unsustainable by a healthy human body. Most people are disconnected from why they gain weight, and see diet as the only culprit. For example, ignoring or discounting emotions is often the first thing to cause weight imbalances. In our fast paced world, we have lost sight of many aspects of life that truly nourish and balance our bodies, such as slowing down, eating home cooked meals and spending quality time with loving people. Eating consciously and making simple lifestyle changes will create positive results and release you from the endless cycle of dieting. There is no such thing as a quick fix. With careful thought and loving reflection, you can feed yourself wisely and purposefully and be completely nourished. A health counselor can help you learn to work with your body rather than against it to bring about increased energy, stabilized weight and sustainable health.”

Stacey is currently offering a complimentary health history consultation. Log on to www.myhealthyself.org for more details.

She also has a newsletter filled with articles on well-being with quick easy recipes too.

Here’s one that I found interesting and a very under-rated food.

Food Focus: Sprouts

Sprouts of all varieties contain the building blocks of life in the form of vitamins, enzymes, amino acids and simple sugars. In their early growth state, sprouts are very easy to digest, allowing our bodies to access many nutrients. Recent research by the American Cancer Society reports that sprouts contain anti-cancer properties, high levels of active antioxidants, concentrated amounts of phyto-chemicals and significant amounts of vitamins A, C and D. In their raw form, sprouts have a cooling effect on the body, and therefore are best consumed in warm weather. Those who tend to feel cool can try steaming spouts or adding to warm dishes such as stir-fries and soups. There is a wide variety of edible and delicious sprouts, each with a different texture and flavor: alfalfa, mung bean, lentil, radish, clover, sunflower, broccoli, garbanzo and adzuki.

Here are some great ways to serve up sprouts:
*add to salads
*combine with other vegetables in wraps, roll-ups or stir-fries
*use as garnish on top of soups, stews, omelets or scrambled eggs
*add to rice or whole grain dishes
*use in sandwiches instead of lettuce.

RECIPE OF THE MONTH: Quick and Easy Stir-Fry

Preparation:

2 tablespoons oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
12 ounces BEANSPROUTS
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, diced
2 teaspoons lite soy sauce
(add any additional vegetables that you enjoy)

Prepare and set aside all ingredients. In a large skillet or wok, heat oil. Add garlic, onion and celery, and cook 1 minute, stirring continually. Add vegetables, mushrooms and Beansprouts and continue cooking 1 minute more. Season with ginger and soy sauce. Heat thoroughly and serve over brown rice.
Enjoy.

Customize your cosmetics…and your car

My favorite subject is customization. You know my product line…cosmetics. We’ve been doing it for 20 years. But the trend has extended to jeans, coffee (Starbucks has us customizing each cup!), shirts and jewelry – individual expressions created just for you. It makes us feel like we are in control…at least with some portion of our lives!

A good friend of ours recently introduced my husband and me to sticars, magnetic graphics for the exterior of your car. Very cool! Designs range from birds to peace symbols, flowers, scary shapes, dots and waves in red, blue, silver, purple, yellow, orange, taupe, green, black and pink. It’s a throw back to flower-power VW vans of the 60’s, only better because you can stick them on, move them around and take them off with no effort or damage to you car. They can also be placed on any magnetic surface such as a locker, refrigerator, or metal door.

Sticars (defined by sticars.com) is (as a noun):

1. auto bodyart
2. art for your car

or as a verb:

1. To express yourself in the fast lane
2. to change the direction of the road

The sticars philosophy “envisions a world where cars are an extension of your personal style; artful with hip designs that express individuality and can be changed or rearranged with ease”.

I chose the blue birds and placed them on the back of my car near the tail lights. Now it’s easy to find my car amongst the many black cars in the parking lot. And it brings a memory that makes me smile. So simple, so personal, so fun and such personality for our car!

They are very reasonably priced, ranging from $8.00 - $22.00 depending on the single or multiple packs.

Okay flower children, check it out at www.sticars.com

Indian Gooseberry – Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit

I am so very excited about this new ingredient, especially how to say it. It’s Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit from the Indian Gooseberry plant. Always on the search for new ingredients, aromatherapy and packaging for our potions and custom blends, I came across this skin brightening powder about 4 months ago.

It is an anti-oxidant rich Indian herb that combats hyperpigmentation. Hyperpgimentaion occurs from freckles, pregnancy, sun damage and certain medications and usually darken with age and sun exposure. Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit provides the skin with very high doses of antioxidants that convert the toxins and degrade the proteins that cause hyperpigmentation. Applying a 2% powder formulation of Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit to the skin each day significantly lightens the complexion after 8-10 weeks.

I have been using it in my mineral face powder and mineral foundation. And I can really see a “brightening” effect to my skin. The few spots I had even lightened. I like it also because the process is gradual. It brightens the skin without burning or irritation.

If you do not wear makeup, you can also get the benefits of this skin brightening powder with one of our serums. It’s water based, infused with the Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit and feels very lightweight on the skin.

Another step forward to looking younger!