Believe in Yourself - It's a Powerful Choice!

Sometimes it is so easy to doubt our abilities, to minimize our talents, to believe that we will never achieve our goals, dreams and desires.  But remember, whatever you believe will come true...so make a decision to BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!

Healthy Skin is Sexy Skin - Potatoes

Skin Super Food #3 - Potatoes (be sure to leave the skin on!)

Who doesn't like potatoes?  Even the most picky of eaters usually like potatoes.  I have a niece who doesn't like to try anything new but one of the few foods she knows she likes, is potatoes.  That being said, there is a big difference between a commercially prepared french fry and a real potato.

For the sake of you being sexy, be sure to leave the skin on your potato, as the layer just below the skin, is the where most of the potato's nutrients are found.

So how does the world's favorite vegetable help give you healthy, sexy skin?  One baked potato (with the skin)  provides about 75% of your body's daily copper need.  Copper is involved in formation of connective tissue.  Your body also uses copper, along with Vitamin C and Zinc to produce the elastin fibers that support skin structure.  In English, this means that if you don't get enough Copper, your skin's ability to heal itself is greatly diminished and your skin can become rigid and lifeless.

Rigid and lifeless....those two words are definitely not part of healthy or sexy!

Tips for adding potatoes (with skin) into your diet:

• Bake in the oven, just don't over-do the butter, sour cream and salt!  I like to top plain baked potatoes with turkey chili.  This way you get the benefits of a plain baked potato without it being too dry to eat.
• Potato based breads and cakes are delicious!  As long as you don't peal the potato before using it, you should be taking advantage of the all the nutrients it has to offer.
• Homemade, seasoned baked potato wedges are easy and beat the pants off of frozen potatoes...if you want the recipe, let me know...I'll be happy to share!

I choose to live!

Everyday, we make decisions.  Will we make the most out of our life? Will we rise up and be all that we can be?  Will we get back up when life knocks us down?  Or....will we lie there, broken, watching life pass us by?

I choose to live!

Daily Stress Relief - Enjoy

To help reduce stress in your life, do enjoyable activities whenever possible!  Try taking a walk outside, playing a game with your kids or developing a new hobby.  The more time you spend doing things you enjoy, the less time you have to stress.

Do you have a favorite stress-relieving activity?  Leave a comment and tell me about it!

Healthy Skin is Sexy Skin - Acerola Cherries

Skin Super Food #2 - Acerola Cherries

The second food that we are featuring in our "Healthy Skin is Sexy Skin" series, is the Acerola Cherry.  I know what you're wondering....a cherry, is a cherry, is a cherry, right?  And while I will agree that all sweet, fresh cherries are delicious, they are not all created equal when it comes to providing you with sexy skin.

Just one, that's right...I said one...one single acerola cherry contains more Vitamin C than an entire orange!  Not only does it contain more Vitamin C than an entire orange, the Vitamin C content of one tiny little acerola cherry is 65x times that of an entire orange.

WOW!!!  One acerola cherry provides you with the equivalent Vitamin C of 65 whole oranges!  That is a whole lot of antioxidants packed into a little bite!

Ok, so it's a Vitamin C powerhouse...but what does that mean for your skin?  I'm glad you asked.  Vitamin C plays an integral role in the production of collagen, the structural protein in your skin, thus increasing your body's ability to repair skin tissue quickly.

As if the Vitamin C content alone wasn't a good enough reason to start eating acerola cherries, they also contain high amounts of Vitamin A.  This combination of antioxidants makes the acerola cherry a free radical fighting machine.  Free radicals are the number one cause of skin damage, but they don't stand a chance against the acerola cherry!

Tips for adding Acerola Cherries into your diet:

• My favorite way is to eat them fresh!
• Dried or dehydrated acerola cherries are delicious alone as a snack or added to a salad.
• Fresh or dried, try baking them into muffins or brownies.
• Cherry pie...no further explanation needed.
• Be sure to top your ice-cream sundae or banana split with fresh or dried acerola cherries!

Daily Stress Relief - Beauty

Stress is not healthy or sexy!  To relieve stress, add something beautiful to your life on a daily basis. (Flowers, art, music, etc)

Leave a comment and let me know what beautiful things you have added to your life and how they have helped you relax!

Healthy Skin is Sexy Skin - Almonds

We've all heard the saying "You are what you eat" and when it comes to healthy skin that is SO true.  We all notice when someone's skin looks fantastic, and we all have that friend that never seems to age, or whose skin always looks radiant.  Chances are, your friend eats her skin healthy.

Over the next few weeks, we're going to take a look at some of the best foods for your skin.

Skin Super Food #1 - Almonds

Vitamin E is a nutrient that we've all heard of...and most of us know that it's good for skin.  Many pregnant women use Vitamin E topically on their skin to prevent stretchmarks and it's also good for rubbing into scars.

What does this have to do with almonds, you ask?

Quite simply, almonds are the absolute best whole food source of vitamin E.  Not only is Vitamin E good to put on your skin, but putting it in you, also benefits your skin in a BIG way!

Just 1 ounce of almonds (approximately 15 - 20 whole nuts) provides 35% of your RDA for Vitamin E and 12% of your daily protein needs.  That's just a small handful, but it packs a big punch!

The rich, Vitamin E oil, found in almonds, moisturizes dry skin and it's anti-oxidant properties protect against premature aging and skin damage.

Tips for adding almonds into your diet:

• Craving something salty or crunchy?  Try some roasted, salted almonds instead of reaching for the potato chips.  I love to eat them as a snack food!
• Add chopped almonds to brownies, cookies or almost any baked dessert for some delicious added flavor.
• Slivered or whole almonds are great added as a topping to a salad.  Sprinkle them on with your croutons for extra crunch and nutrition.

So go ahead, GO NUTS!  Your skin will thank you!

Be Positive - Your body will thank you!

Ever noticed how those days that you "wake up on the wrong side of the bed" you may have a tendency to suffer from a headache, feel exhausted all day long and just not feel well in general?

On the other hand, on the days that you wake up before your alarm clock, full of energy and a feeling of well-being, you have a tendency to feel great (both physically and mentally) all day long?


The medical community is increasingly making the connection between positive attitudes and good health.  I found a great article on this topic at LiveStrong.com that delves into this mental/physical connection. 


According to this article, "USAToday.com reports that the medical community is increasingly making the connection between positive attitudes and good health. Carol Ryff, a psychology professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison says, 'There is a science that is emerging that says a positive attitude isn't just a state of mind; it also has linkages to what's going on in the brain and in the body.' Positive thinking has begun to be attributed to longer, healthier lives in people with chronic illnesses and a decline in stress, which overall reduces cardiovascular problems." 


This is FANTASTIC news!  How much easier could it be to boost your immune system, reduce stress and reduce heart problems?  BE POSITIVE! Be positive! Be positive!  Say it with me, repeat until you smile, then repeat again!


Improve your attitude, improve your life, improve your health!  Have you experienced health benefits from improving your attitude?  Be sure to share it with us in the comments section.


Here's to becoming a healthy, sexy, you.