Category Archives: Wellness

Share a Selfie…Change the World!

If you could help someone just by taking a photo of yourself, would you do it? Johnson & Johnson makes it that easy.

Their latest philanthropic campaign is simple. Just download their free Donate A Photo mobile app and for every shot you share, J&J will donate $1 to a pre-approved non-profit charity of your choice. You can protect a child from bullying, help children in Africa get clean water, help a baby in Bangladesh stay healthy….just by sharing a picture!

To do, visit donateaphoto.com for an easy how-to and register to get started. Choose a cause from the rotating list of charities, snap a #SelflessSelfie (or any other subject of your choosing) and upload your photo. Share it on Facebook, Twitter and/or Instagram to encourage friends to get involved, too.

One photo, once a day, change the world!

 

The Not So Forbidden Fruit

The fall season always gives me visions of apple pie and apple sauce and baked apples and apple everything so this past weekend we piled into the car and headed about 30 minutes away to Alstede Farms, a great pick-your-own farm (and so much more) about 30 minutes away. If you’ve never taken a bite of an apple straight from the tree I highly recommend you run, don’t walk, to your nearest pick-your-own farm and give it a go. Every apple is crisp, juicy and better than anything you could possibly buy in a grocery store.

Besides apples Alstede’s has pears, peaches, flowers, eggplant, blackberries, corn, potatoes and so much more, but it was apples we came for so after petting a few horses, goats and sheep and checking out the fancy chickens, turkeys and peacocks we headed into the orchards to pick. Of course we tasted a few just to make sure they’d be as scrumptious as we knew they would be and then we filled up our carton as high as it would go. When it was all said and done we had over 20 lbs. of apples!

We planned on baking something that very night but were too exhausted to do anything more than watch the Giants get defeated. A few days after putting them in the fridge and snacking on them every chance we got I noticed the pile was dwindling…it was now or never! We decided on The Barefoot Contessa’s Old Fashioned Apple Crisp. After school yesterday the kids and I got to work peeling, coring and slicing apples, zesting and juicing lemons and oranges, adding a little bit of this and a little bit of that and before we knew it we had the most delicious dessert ever. Truly!

Ready to give it a go yourself? You will not be disappointed! Click here for recipe.

 

Exceptional Epsom Salt

When I was a child, we had a huge box of epsom salt under the bathroom sink. My mom said it was good for me and would pour some in the tub before my weekly (!) bath. Then I grew up, went off to college and didn’t think about Epsom Salt until now actually. Turns out my mom was right, it is good for you.

Magnesium, a naturally occurring mineral is important for many systems in the body, especially the muscles and nerves. Epsom Salt, also known as Magnesium Sulfate, is easily absorbed through the skin when dissolved in water and can help you boost your magnesium levels. Here, some other uses:

  1. Soothe sore muscles by adding 2 cups of Epsom Salt to a tub of warm water. Soak for about 20 minutes.
  2. Polish skin by adding a tbs. of Epsom Salt to your usual face or body cleanser.
  3. Relieve a headache. Evidence suggests that soaking in a soothing epsom salt bath helps.
  4. To soften, deodorize and refresh tired feet add 1/2 cup Epsom Salt to a basin of warm water.
  5. Get textured, beachy-hair with a homemade sea-salt spray. Mix 1 cup hot water, 2 tbsp. Epsom Salt and a small squirt of hair conditioner in a spray bottle. Spritz hair and let air-dry.
  6. Draw out a splinter by soaking the affected area in an Epsom Salt bath.
  7. Easily clean tile and grout with a mixture of equal parts Epsom Salt and liquid dish detergent.
  8. Relieve itchy skin and bug bites by dissolving a tablespoon of Epsom Salt in 1/2 cup of warm water. Allow to cool before applying to skin with a compress.
  9. Boost plant growth, by adding a tablespoon of Epsom Salts to the soil below them weekly.

for product information or locations, visit www.drteals.com.

Change the World…One Smile at a Time!

I know how fortunate I am. I have two smart, thoughtful, talented, beautiful children and when they smile–which is very often–they light up a room!  Unfortunately, for many children around the world a smile isn’t a common occurrence. Those born with a cleft lip (a split in the skin of the upper lip) and/or a cleft palate (an opening in the roof of the mouth) can’t thrive because they might have great difficulty eating, speaking and often suffer social challenges as well. Luckily, there are people who care.

This Fall, top-ranked New York City Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, Andrew Jacono, M.D, F.A.C.S., will lead a group of facial plastic surgeons working with HEALING THE CHILDREN NORTHEAST for a mission to Santa Marta, Colombia to perform surgeries on children with cleft lip and palate deformities, as well as microtia, a congenital condition in which a baby is born without one or both external ears or with an ear deformity. They’ll screen and operate on numerous children giving them new faces and smiles. You can make a difference! Every dollar counts. To donate, please click here.

Dr. Jacono is committed to helping those who don’t have the medical or financial resources to correct their facial deformities. He performs pro-bono surgery on victims of birth defects, domestic violence, traumatic events, war and cancer. For more information on Dr. Jacono’s philanthropy and charitable works, click here.

 

Out Damn Spot!!!

Product Review: Osmia Organics Spot Treatment, $20 at osmiaorganics.com

A few weeks ago I received a box of Osmia Organics products and have been waiting for the perfect opportunity to start testing them. Unfortunately for me I had a huge reason to review the Spot Treatment. Fortunately for me Spot Treatment does the trick!

This tiny bottle with the rollerball applicator is chock full of antibacterial essential oils. Lavender, cajeput, lemon, parsley, thyme, cypress and rosemary CO2 immediately go to work and get the healing started. I wish I’d started it a day or two earlier because in one night my pimple was greatly diminished and it didn’t dry out my skin. The next time a spot rears its ugly head, I know what I’ll be reaching for.

(photo courtesy of Osmia Organics)

Nancy Answers: Is it okay to get my Vitamin D from the Sun?

Dear Nancy, I’ve been using sunscreen pretty religiously for the past few years but have been hearing a lot of talk about many people being Vitamin D deficient. Can’t I just sit in the sun for a few minutes for my daily dose? Sincerely, E

Vitamin D3 (known as the sunshine vitamin) plays a very important role in keeping our immune systems strong and our bones healthy. Though it’s easy to get Vitamin D with sun exposure–just 10 minutes in the sun can give you your daily supply–don’t even think about doing it. I’ve spoken to a lot of derms on just this subject and they all agree on strict avoidance since the risk of melanoma is too great. Instead, get your daily supply of D3 with food/drinks or an oral supplement. You’ll find it in oily fish like salmon or trout as well as fortified milk, yogurt, orange juice or try oral drops or a spray which are easily absorbed into your system.

I love Arbonne Essentials Spray Vitamin D+B12, $40. Just 3 sprays twice a day gives you 126% of your daily D as well as plenty of B12 to support your metabolism and keep you energized. Best of all, it’s delicious!

Mother’s Little Helper

Product Review: Arbonne Energy Fizz Sticks, $32 for 20 sticks at arbonne.com.

A good night’s sleep, a healthy diet and some exercise is a great prescription for feeling good throughout the day. But, sometimes no matter what I do, a mid-afternoon fog descends on me and all I really want to do is take a nap. Since I don’t live in Spain where siestas are the norm and I’m not qualified for the senior rate at the movie theater those naps will have to wait.

I was discussing this conundrum with a friend when she opened her bag and handed over some Arbonne Energy Fizz Sticks for me to try. She told me to give them a shot and see what I think.

The next time that fog hit I emptied the pomegranate packet into a glass and filled it up with ice cold water.  It fizzed a bit and then I drank it down. It has a sweet taste with a slight aftertaste, though not unpleasant. I do like the flavor but what I liked even more was that within minutes I felt more alert and energized without feeling wired the way coffee or chocolate can sometimes make me feel. It definitely got me over the hump.

The company’s website states “high-energy fizz sticks help promote alertness and enhance cognitive performance and also help promote endurance and enhance motor performance. Contains antioxidants. Contains an adaptogenic blend combined with B vitamins and chromium to help boost energy.”

Works for me!

 

 

(photography courtesy of arbonne)

 

 

 

A Posthumous Letter to my Dad…on Father’s Day

Dear Dad,

This is a hard one…it’s the first year that I won’t get to personally hand you a Father’s Day card and tell you how much I love you and give you a big hug and wish you a happy father’s day. You won’t be at the family barbecue and you won’t be saying that my cake is the best you’ve ever tasted. If I was giving you a card I’d tell you how thankful I am for all you’ve taught me, like…

  • family is everything.
  • make friends from all different walks of life–it’s what makes life interesting.
  • a little beef jerky can fix anything.
  • the importance of hard work and even harder play.
  • never chase a bet.
  • it’s nice to reminisce–the good old days really were good days.
  • there’s nothing better than bagels & lox for Sunday brunch.
  • keep learning.
  • always make room at the table when a friend stops by.
  • there are do-ers and there are talk-ers. Be a do-er.
  • treat everyone with respect, regardless of their station in life.
  • help when you can.
  • don’t let others drag you down.
  • life is too short…even when you live to be 85!

Today is 295 days without you and not a day goes by that I don’t think of you and miss you. I will always love you and I will always remember. xoxoNancy

Is there a cure for grey hair?

It seems there is. Research scientists at Bradford University’s School of Life Sciences in the UK have come up with a topical treatment that prevents and reverses the greying process. They’ve discovered that people who are going grey develop an overabundance of oxidative stress leading to an accumulation of hydrogen peroxide in the hair follicle, causing it to actually bleach itself from the inside out. This same treatment also appears to be a remedy for people with vitiligo, a skin condition that causes loss of pigmentation leading to white patches on the skin.

Though there are some who embrace their silvery strands, if you’re not one of them this is great news! But don’t cancel your colorist appointment just yet, it’s still in the research stage and could be years before it’s available to the public.

photo courtesy of Pinterest

 

Healthy Skin is In!

Today is my birthday! I woke up to a nice surprise–my bedroom blanketed with balloons and the most beautiful handmade cards, courtesy of my children. I’m thankful for the gorgeous day because I plan on spending lots of time outdoors, first an early morning run, and later a picnic lunch with my husband. I’ll definitely be wearing sunscreen–I don’t want to be one of the 50,000 Americans diagnosed with Melanoma this year!

I bring this up because May 6th is also Melanoma Monday, a day dedicated to raise awareness of all types of skin cancer,  melanoma being the most serious. Often appearing as as a new mole or a change in size, shape or color of an existing mole, when found in its early stages the chances of recovery are very good. When not found early, it can grow deeper into the skin and spread to other parts of the body, making it much more difficult to treat.

To keep yourself safe:

  1. Limit your sun exposure, especially at the peak hours of 10:00am to 2:00pm.
  2. Use more sunscreen than you think you need. The average adult needs a shot-glass full for the body plus an additional 2/3 a teaspoon for the face and neck. Reapply every 2 hours and immediately after swimming.
  3. Use sunscreen every day, even when cloudy.
  4. Never use a tanning bed. Indoor booths have a proven causal link to skin cancer.
  5. Do a skin-check self exam every 6-8 weeks to hunt down suspicious moles.
  6. Get a yearly head-to-toe skin exam by your dermatologist.
  7. Toss sunscreen products that are more than 24 months old or if the scent and/or texture seem off.
  8. Choose sunscreen with broad spectrum protection (protection from both the UVA and UVB rays). Three to try: Mustela Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ Mineral Sunscreen Lotion, Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Mist Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF30 or Banana Boat Sport Performance Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Lotion SPF50.

Photo courtesy of Pinterest.

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