Think twice about what you’re rubbing into your skin or scalp if your products include any of the following ingredients:

1. Cocoamide DEA (diethylalomine) TEA, MEA,– detergent in most shampoos, moisturizers and more Studies also show that DEAs (including cocamide DEA) directly inhibits fetal brain development in laboratory studies by blocking the absorption of choline, a nutrient required for brain development and maintenance.

2. Propilene Glycol - industrial antifreeze – in deodorant, shampoos, shaving gels, and moisturizers.

3. Sodium lauryl sulfate and flouride garage floor cleansers, detergents – in shampoos and toothpastes.

4. Benzaldehyde (in perfume, cologne, hairspray, laundry bleach, deodorants, detergent, Vaseline lotion, shaving cream, shampoo, bar soap, dishwasher detergent).

• Narcotic
• Sensitizer
• Local anesthetic
• CNS depressant
• Irritates the mouth, throat, eyes, skin, lungs and GI tract
• Causes nausea and abdominal pain
• May cause kidney damage

5. Benzyl acetate (in perfume, cologne, shampoo, fabric softener, stickup air freshener, dishwashing liquid and detergent, soap, hairspray, bleach, after shave, deodorants)

• Carcinogenic
• Linked to pancreatic cancer
• Can be absorbed through the skin causing systemic effects

6. Benzyl alcohol (in perfume, cologne, soap, shampoo, nail enamel remover, air freshener, laundry bleach and detergent, Vaseline lotion, deodorants, fabric softener)

• Irritates the upper respiratory tract
• Causes headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and drop in blood pressure
• CNS depressant
• Death in severe cases from respiratory failure

7. Ethanol (in perfume, hairspray, shampoo, fabric softener, dishwashing liquid and detergent, laundry detergent, shaving cream, soap, Vaseline lotion, air fresheners, nail color and remover, paint and varnish remover)

• Is on the EPA Hazardous Waste list
• Irritates the eyes and upper respiratory tract
• Causes initial stimulatory effect followed by drowsiness, impaired vision and ataxia
• Causes central nervous system disorder

8. Ethyl acetate (in after shave, cologne, perfume, shampoo, nail color, nail enamel remover, fabric softener, dishwashing liquid)

• Is on the EPA Hazardous Waste List
• Narcotic
• Irritates the eyes and respiratory tract
• May cause headache and narcosis
• May cause anemia with leukocytosis and damage to the liver and kidneys

9. Linalool (in perfume, cologne, bar soap, shampoo, hand lotion, nail enamel remover, hairspray, laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, Vaseline lotion, air fresheners, bleach powder, fabric softener, shaving cream, after shave, solid deodorant)

• Narcotic
• Causes respiratory disturbances in some cases leading to death
• Causes central nervous system disorder

10. Methylene Chloride (in shampoo, cologne, paint and varnish remover)

• Banned by the FDA in 1988
• Is on the EPA Hazardous Waste list
• Carcinogenic
• Causes headaches, irritability, fatigue and tingling in the limbs
• Causes central nervous system disorder

Are you sure that organic cosmetics is safer than the conventional varieties? Not necessarily. When shopping for organic cosmetics there are specific ingredients that should not be on the label. These are:

11. Grapefruit Seed Extract. It derives its antimicrobial properties not from grapefruit seed, but from toxic chemicals, primarily benzethonium chloride, and to a lesser extent from triclosan and parabens.

12. Cocamidopropyl Betaine. It is toxic to the immune system and can cause dermatitis and other allergic reactions.

13. Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein. Anytime you see something that is hydrolyzed there is a hidden source of MSG that is absorbed into your bloodstream when it comes in contact with your skin.

14. PEG – Studies have shown that any ingredient that contains PEG in its name can be contaminated with the cancer-causing chemical 1,4-dioxane.

Unfortunately, these hazardous chemicals are going to remain quite legal in the use of personal care products for many years to come, as manufactures care about their convenience and profit, not about your health. But you do not have to expose yourself to toxic chemicals! Protect yourself by learning the truth about the products that you use (you can find a lot of useful info at Cosmeticsdatabase), and switch to products made with safer ingredients.

2010 is going to be a fantastic year!

We would also like to quote Christmas greetings of Fra Giovanni (16th century Italian monk):

“I salute you! There is nothing I can give you which you have not;
but there is much, that, while I cannot give, you can take.

No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today.
Take Heaven.

No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present instant.
Take Peace.

The gloom of the world is but a shadow; behind it, yet within our reach, is joy.
Take Joy.

And so, at this Christmas time, I greet you, with the prayer that for you, now and forever, the day breaks and the shadows flee away.”

Sincerely yours,
Going-Well

Exercise 1: Exercise for shoulders, chest, upper back and arm muscles
With your hand, take edge of a table and strain the hand, like you are trying to lift the table. When your muscles get tired, repeat the exercise with your other hand.

Exercise 2: Exercise for shoulders, chest, upper back and arm muscles
Put your hand on the table, palm down. Press down as strongly as you can, and keep your strain as long as you can. Repeat the exercise with your other hand.
Exercises 1 and 2 can be done with your both hands at the same time.

Exercise 3: Exercise for shoulders, chest, upper back and arm muscles
Put your right hand on the table, palm down. Put your left hand under the tabletop, palm up. Press your right hand down as strongly as you can, and keep your strain as long as you can. Simultaneously, with the same effort, press your left hand up as strongly as you can, and keep your strain as long as you can. When your muscles get tired, change your hands and repeat the exercise.

Exercise 4: Exercise for hips and belly
Sitting on the edge of your chair, raise your straight leg some inches above the floor, and hold it for a few minutes. Raise the leg higher – it will make the exercise more effective. When your muscles get tired, change your leg and repeat the exercise.

Exercise 5: Exercise for the whole body
Sitting on the edge of your chair, and holding on to the edge of the table, raise straight legs. Hold them as high as it is convenient for you for as long as you can.

Exercise 6: Exercise for the whole body
Put your right hand on the outer side of you right knee. Press on your knee as strongly as you can, like you are trying to move it toward your left leg. At the same time, strain your right leg to counteract your hand’s pressure. When your muscles get tired, repeat the exercise with your other hand and leg.
This exercise can be done for both sides simultaneously.

Exercise 7: Exercise for the whole body
Put your right hand on the inner side of you right knee. Press on your knee as strongly as you can, like you are trying to move it away from your left leg. At the same time, strain your right leg like you are trying to move it toward your left leg. When your muscles get tired, repeat the exercise with your other hand and leg.
This exercise can be done for both sides simultaneously.

Exercise 8: Exercise for arms, chest, and abs
Put your right hand on you right knee, and press on your knee down as strongly as you can. At the same time, strain your right leg and try to counteract your hand’s pressure raising your knee. When your muscles get tired, repeat the exercise with your other hand and leg.
This exercise can be done with both hands and legs at the same time.

Exercise 9: Exercise for arms and back
Take your right wrist with your left hand and the pull your hands in the opposite directions. When your muscles get tired, change your hands and repeat the exercise.

Exercise 9: Exercise for arms and back
As in the previous exercise, take your right wrist with your left hand. Now, with your left hand, pull your right hand down. Strain your right hand to counteract the left hands’ strength. When your muscles get tired, change your hands and repeat the exercise.

Exercise 10: Exercise for arms, shoulders, and back
Take side edges of your chair with your hands. Pull up as strongly as you can for as long as you can.

Exercise 11: Exercise for arms, shoulders, and chest
Put your hands on the tabletop. Make a fist with your left hand, and set it against your right palm. Press the hands firmly against each other. When your muscles get tired, change your hands and repeat the exercise.

Exercise 12: Exercise for arms, shoulders, and chest
Lower your hands, join your palms (fingers pointing down) and press them firmly against each other, for as long as you can. Then, repeat the exercises with fingers pointing up.

Exercise 13: Exercise for abs and legs
Raise your feet above the floor, couple them together, and pull in the opposite directions, till your muscles get tired.

Exercise 14: Exercise for abs and legs
Raise straight legs above the floor and cross them. Press with your top leg on your lower leg. When your muscles get tired, change your legs and repeat the exercise.

Enjoy your workout!

“For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge you’ll never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; Never throw out anybody.

Remember, If you ever need a helping hand, you’ll find one at the end of your arm.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.

The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!”

Audrey Hepburn’s favorite beauty tips that she often quoted in public were written by Sam Levenson. Levenson wrote “Time Tested Beauty Tips” for his grandchild. Audrey read it to her children on her very last Christmas Eve.

In this Philips Design Probe, human body is explored as a platform for electronics and interactive skin technology. Stimulated by touch, an electronic tattoo traverses across the landscape of body, navigated by desire:

Reference

1. Buy a humidifier. Humidifiers give off get more moisture in the air, which helps prevent your skin from drying out. For best indoor comfort, health, and beauty, a relative humidity of about 45% is ideal.

2. Winter sun, combined with snow glare, can damage your skin.30 minutes before going outside, apply a sunscreen lotion to skin that may be exposed to maintain a good protection from the UV rays. Choose a product that combines oil-based moisturizing cream with sunscreen.
Related post:
How safe is your sunscreen

3. Protect your beauty from the wind and cold: wear scarves, gloves, hats and hoods.

4. Moisturize and protect your lips with natural lip balm with SPF 15 or higher. Don’t lick your lips, as it makes chapped lips even worse.
Related post:
Natural home remedies for healthy and attractive lips

5. Hot water removes the essential oils of the body that maintains the balance of a normal skin. Take warm rather than hot showers and stay in the water a shorter amount of time. As well, wash hands in lukewarm, never hot, water.

6. Use a creamy moisturizing cleanser or a mild soap when bathing. Do not rub your skin with a towel, instead, softly pat it dry. Apply moisturize while skin is still damp to seal in moisture.

7. Use moisturizer that’s oil-based, rather than water-based, as the oil will create a protective layer on the skin that retains more moisture than a cream or lotion. Moisturizers that come in ointment form contain 80% oil.

8. Avoid using harsh peels, masks, and alcohol-based toners, as they strip skin of protective natural oils. Use mild, milky cleansers, toners with no alcohol, and hydrating masks. Pay attention to elbows, hands and feet, which tend to be drier than the rest of the body.
Related posts:
Homemade masks for natural beauty of your skin
Homemade foot care recipes

9. Exfoliate at least once a week using a gentle natural scrub. This will remove dead cells and allow the skin to absorb extra moisture. It’s best to scrub skin when it’s dry.
Related post:
Homemade body scrub recipes

10. Nourish you skin by adding a few drops of jojoba oil or almond oil into your bath.
Related post:
Homemade baths: aromatherapy milk oil and sal bath recipes

11. Hydrate your skin from within by drinking at least eight glasses of water per day. Avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks, which are dehydrating.
Related post:
Some more reasons to drink water

12. Avoid blow drier. Hot air dries out your hair and scalp and can irritate your skin as well. If you can’t imagine your life without blow drier, buy ionic ceramic hair dryer.  Ionic ceramic hair dryers offer less blow dryer related damage, and reduce dryness, frizziness, and flyaway hair related to static electricity.
Related posts:
Natural home remedies for damaged hair and dry scalp
Natural homemade shampoo recipes

13. Omega-3 fatty acid may moisturize your body from the inside and soothe super dry skin. Good sources of Omega-3 are: flaxseed oil, walnuts, and cold water oily fish, such as salmon, herring, mackerel and sardines.

14. Make sure you get enough vitamins A (can be found in liver, cheese, eggs, cold water oily fish, carrots, red peppers, mango, melon and apricots), C (parsley, broccoli, cauliflower, bell pepper, oranges, lemons, and Brussels sprouts) and E (olive, soya, and corn oil, nuts, seeds, and wheat germ), which are powerful antioxidants that fight free radicals.

15. Exercise regularly. This keeps you fit, stimulates blood circulation and rejuvenates your body!
Related posts:
How to make exercise a habit
Living the active life