Nutrition for Beautiful Skin - it's what's inside that counts!

I have to admit that I have never spent much (or any) money on the nightly and morning ritual of skin care - the eye creams, toners, tighteners, brighteners, etc. Many of these products have ingredients that have some level of toxicity to them (preservatives to keep the all natural ingredients from spoiling) - plus they don't allow the skin to be free and open to cleanse as needed. Some naturopaths more extreme than myself don't use soap at all. It is seen as simply a surfactant (Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension of a liquid, the interfacial tension between two liquids, or that between a liquid and a solid. Surfactants may act as detergents, wetting agents, emulsifiers, foaming agents, and dispersants.) These strict natural health peeps are going to rely on the loofah sponge to cleanse the skin instead.
Sorry folks but this natural health girl still uses a body wash and/or soap.
One fellow classmate was so extreme in my naturopath degree program that she was oompa loompa orange from all the carrot juice she drank (more on that later) and did not shave her armpits. I'm all for letting the body detox but I simply could not sit next to her because her cleansing and b.o. would make me gag.
So back to my point. It's what's inside that counts. For healthy, clear and radiant skin - you don't have to buy what all the inf0mmercials are selling for 90 bucks an ounce. Go this route instead:

If you really want beautiful skin, do the same things you would do to strengthen your heart, control your weight, lift your mood and live longer and better: Get regular exercise, sleep enough and eat well.

Discovery Health suggests a number of foods to look at if you want a beautiful-skin diet. Here are a few of their suggestions:

Nuts

The benefits of nuts -- especially almonds -- have to do with antioxidant activity. Vitamin E fights skin-aging free radicals, and also helps your skin hold in moisture.

Red and Green Vegetables

Orange-red vegetables are full of beta-carotene. Your body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A, which prevents cell damage and premature aging. Spinach and other green, leafy foods provide lots of vitamin A, too.

Citrus Fruits

Vitamin C aids in your body's production of collagen, which is the protein that forms the basic structure of your skin. Collagen breakdown can leave your skin saggy, and vitamin C will help tighten it back up.

Easy & fresh high protein recipe

Do you watch NBC's the Biggest Loser? I do. Love the show. I especially love it about 1/2 way through the season when the emotional detox hits. Layers of toxic emotions are shed quicker than the pounds! I particularly was a fan of Season 8 where two friends from my neck of the woods were contestants and the winner is still the all time winner of the show of most percentage of body fat lost. I particularly appreciate that girl Jillian. Sadly she's no longer on the show (on to other cool projects like The Doctors and more on the horizon via my inside source). BUT I am diggin' the new trainer who gets the job done...Dolvett Quince. He's the bomb.
Here's a fun & easy -fresh & high protein & gluten free recipe compliments of Dolvett...

• celery stalks sliced, garlic, cup of chicken broth saute in pot add cup of quinoa
• sprigs of fresh mint basil and fluff together
• add fresh tomatoes
• serve chilled or warm

The Office: healthy energy tips for your day at work

You may not work at Dunder Mifflin with a charming boss like Michael Scott, but you might need some extra boosts to help get you energized throughout your work day. Here ya go...

LEAVE YOUR DESK

And, if possible, leave your building. This can be difficult to do, especially when no one else at your office does, or when you have a pile of work that must be done today. But guess what? That work will always be there, and so will the people with unhealthy habits. You can't let either determine how you take care of yourself. The number one way to have an energetic lunch is to actually take a lunch. Remove yourself from your work environment – even if it's just for 15 minutes – and give your brain and body the break you need to return refreshed, energized and ready to tackle your afternoon. Get in a brisk walk or catch a cat nap if you need to.

WATER

Unless you have been sipping 3-4 glasses of water throughout the morning, you are probably already dehydrated, and even more so if you are a morning coffee or tea drinker. Our bodies are 2/3 water, and without replenishing your supply, you will feel tired and worn out – and you will look like it, too. Every energetic lunch should include a large glass of water. Soda, coffee and tea have no place at your lunch table. You can also bring freshly prepared juice to work you make morning of or night before and freeze. Go to http://www.marlyjones.com/JuicingArticle.html if you need help with Juicing.

LEAN PROTEIN

Without lean protein on your lunch plate, you will not be able to sustain energy until dinnertime. Grilled chicken or grilled fish are great choices for lunchtime and can be easily gleaned from last night's leftovers and perched atop a salad (see below) for maximum energy levels. No leftovers and no time to cook? Keep a few organic boiled eggs on hand for those times that you need protein-to-go. Or consider keeping a nutrient rich protein powder with you at work. This one is probably my fave:

http://www.marlyjones.com/fitness/TotalVegan.html

GREEN SPACE

Fiber is filling and beneficial to your digestive system, and a lunch salad is an ideal way to give yourself the vitamins and minerals you need. Pack your salad the night before, and pile on the leafy greens, other fresh vegetables, walnuts and almonds, stout cheeses – craft a colorful salad that you will look forward to and enjoy. To save time, prep all your veggies before the week begins so they are ready to go when you are. Here's another handy option to get your greens in you (and your kiddos)...

http://www.marlyjones.com/nutrition_diet/PowerFruits&Veggies.html

FRUIT

Add a washed piece of seasonal whole fruit to your lunch box: Apples, bananas, oranges, plums, nectarines and peaches all work well. This piece of fruit can be saved as an afternoon snack for those of us who like to eat all day long – just make sure to eat a handful of nuts along with it. Eating carbohydrates alone without any protein or fat will make your energy crash shortly thereafter; strive to never eat carbohydrates alone.

CHOCOLATE

A small piece of good chocolate at the end of your lunch will elevate your mood without delivering a whopping dose of sugar that will upset your body's balance. After such a healthy lunch, you can indulge. Choose a small square of dark chocolate and have some antioxidants along with your cocoa fix.

The trick to enjoying an energetic lunch is to plan on it. Healthy lifestyles don't just happen, and if you want to have energy throughout the day, prepare a lunch that will sustain you long before the hunger pains arrive.

Stress Detox

Are you stressed? Or should I simply ask, "Do you have a pulse?" Most people are either in the midst of major stress or recovering. How do you handle stress? Here are a few li'l stress busters I've rounded up:

Early Morning:

Whole Grain Cereal

Whole grains are complex carbohydrates that help increase serotonin levels, the chemical that makes you happy. Exercising will also help your body produce more serotonin.

Orange Juice

The vitamin C in orange juice will boost your immune system when you’re exposed to stress. It also strengthens your blood vessels, promoting overall health.

Black Tea

Independent studies show that black tea can actually reduce the effects of stressful events, but it takes about 4 cups a day.

Mid-Morning:

Snack on Walnuts

Walnuts are the best source of the amino acid arginine. Recent studies have uncovered a link between arginine and nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a compound that has a relaxing effect on blood vessels, therefore improving blood flow. Walnuts are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help lower your blood pressure.

Early Evening:

Listen to Classical Music

Research shows that listening to 30 minutes of music, especially classical musical produces the equivalent of taking 10 milligrams of Valium, a powerful medication with a calming effect. The average dose of Valium is 2 – 10mg multiple times a day, depending on the reason for treatment.

After Dinner:

Wash the Dishes

Doing a repetitive task will help you relax. Getting into a routine will help lower your heart rate and blood pressure, and slow your breathing.

Right Before Bed:

Read a Book

Reading for 6 minutes slows your heart rate and releases tension in your muscles.

Want to know my all time best form of stress relief? Here it is....
http://www.marlyjones.com/detox/StressDetoxCD.html

Are you a snothead? Detox those nasty allergies & boogers!!

I was reading last week that Tulsa and Oklahoma City were both in the top ten worst states to live in for allergies. Nice. Makes sense though... I never knew an allergy until I moved here in 1992. If our systems are clear of toxins and our liver especially is functioning at full capacity -allergies do not exist. Add in the airborne stresses of our environment and its one more thing to make us sluggish, snotty and hating allergy season.
Several years ago I ran across THE BEST nasal spray. I probably first learned about it because I wanted something safe for newborns. It's Xlear Nasal Spray. I've sent clients all over town to get some at clinics and health food stores but now I have it in my MarlyJones.com store.
The Xylitol in the spray is a natural sugar alcohol (it's in fruit and vegetables and even is made in our bodies) that bacteria and allergens are drawn to. It washes away pollutants, irritants and airborne contaminants. If you are needing to use an rx nasal spray - Xlear -even soothes sinuses and nasal passages as it detoxes...so it's great to use along with another spray.
You can use Xlear as often as needed. It's of course a tiny bit sweet so kids don't mind using it as a mist or even as drops if you need to tilt head back and use it that way. When my kids have been really congested this is how I have to get it up their li'l noses so the xylitol can go to work on those boogers. Nobody likes a "snothead" - especially if it's you!

Wealth & Hellness or Health & Wellness?

I was getting tongue tied this morning while trying to say, "health and wellness" and what I actually said is what truly describes the painful experiences I have heard about from family and friends this week. Too many people are trading a life of health and wellness for one of wealth and "hellness".
We all know that money doesn't buy happiness and the love of it is the root of all evil. But I'm not just talking about money here. For some, wealth is oftentimes tangible - what we "got" - house, car, savings, fashion trends - but I'd like to also include job title, who we associate with, goals we've achieved, etc. There is nothing wrong with any of these things as long as it's not what we find our purpose and identity in...and not what we think we did in order to get.
I want to challenge you to check your level of humility and how that affects your self concept, esteem and identity. Some might automatically think that having humility or being humble means being lowly. Instead, I want to challenge you to see that every little cell in your body and every little accolade you have accomplished -all came from -and because of- the one who created you.
True humility comes when you're dead to self and alive to God. It manifests when your own self-interests are gone, and you're focused only on the purposes of God.
With that in mind I think our motives for what we do with our day, how we treat others and how we see ourselves as well as others will be modified. It's no longer about me or because of me. It's a mindset or belief system that will transform you from wealth and hellness to health and wellness.

Are you an emotional eater?

Hey ! - you are a precious person - body, mind and spirit! – We all need to be aware that eating a pint of ice cream isn’t health producing to the body - BUT - the guilt over eating it also is an energy robber and oftentimes worse than the empty calories! Negative emotions can suck the life right out of you. If and when this happens - let it go and move on – next time just do better!

I believe we need to sincerely look at why we are not living healthy and fit and uncover the underlying reasons. Are we emotional eaters? When you were a child did a grown up offer you food as a comfort or reward? I'll bet you if that happened to you it was a piece of candy and not an apple, wasn't it? This conditioned and taught your body and your mind and emotions to use food to handle an emotion that was either positive or negative.

Food and nutrition is what our body's need to function and thrive. It should not be a band-aid or a form of reward. I'm not saying we shouldn't enjoy food as we celebrate moments in life - just make quality food choices when you do! That's even more to celebrate in itself - eating right for health and wellness!!

Here's another example of how conditioned we've become -most people when they get a headache, for example, do not look back and consider the poor food they ate or the environmental toxins they exposed themselves to. Instead they pop a pill and hope the headache “goes away”. However, your body creates symptoms to get your attention that something is wrong. Headaches are a result of some toxin within the body – this may be a greasy hamburger, alcohol, birthday cake, a virus, or even a toxic emotion such as anger for that matter. I guarantee that your headache is not a result of your body having a Tylenol deficiency. Keeping your food and symptom journal will also help you to stay on track - making good healthy choices for you and your body.