Pretty, Soft and Happy Feet!

Living in the desert like I do (being in Las Vegas), where snow is non-existent and rainy days are few, sandals can be worn almost year round. This also means our feet are constantly exposed and take a beating, a little extra attention especially with open toed shoes, never hurts. 

However, for most people, even if we are wearing winter boots and shoes, having our feet soft and looking nice is always a plus! If you'd like to give your feet some much needed TLC, here are a few great tools for between your pedi appointments! 

First on my list, the Silk Feet Exfoliating Microscreen. I stumbled across this at Bed, Bath, & Beyond of all places. It's inexpensive at $6.99 and it beats out any pumice stone you've ever tried! It's a flexible mesh steel material and works wonders! 

Follow it up with a foot cream, of which I've tried many! My recent obsession is the Burt’s Bees Honey and Bilberry Cream. It smells so tempting and soaks right in without leaving a greasy, slippery mess to walk around in.

If you're looking for a total "makeover" and your feet are in rough shape, you can try the electronic file tool by Amope. It's a little pricier at about $36.99, but it does the job and with no effort! 

Additionally, for those that have ever been curious of the Baby Foot peel, if you have a free week where you can cover up your feet and let it do its magic (trust me, you won't want to be wearing sandals during the peel process), you will indeed come away with remarkably baby soft feet! 

Happy treading!

Baby Boomers and Skin Cancer

For those of us over 50, baby oil and iodine may be an all too familiar memory of our 20’s. Throw in a reflector followed by a top notch sunburn and that’s how I attained that perfectly bronzed body during my younger days. Knowing what we all know now, the idea isn’t quite as appealing these days!

As a consequence of the era where we baked until we were a fine golden brown, many of us are now keeping our dermatologist busy. And if you haven't visited your doctor yet, you may want to consider it!

Skin cancer has different types, but as with many others, the earlier you catch it, the better options you have for treatment.

From my own experiences, don’t ignore anything. I recently noticed a very tiny spot in the small of my back. A quick biopsy determined it was squamous cell carcinoma and I had MOH surgery to remove it. A tiny scar that’s now hardly even noticeable is a small price to pay. Had I waited, it would have been larger and could have spread. A spot on my face was also suspicious and frozen off. Left a slight white mark, but again far better than waiting and needing a more invasive procedure. 

While none of us want scars, the techniques used for these removals when caught early are minimal and certainly better than the alternatives!

For scars on your face, long-lasting coverage concealers work beautifully, and using one with sunscreen is even better. Hats, sunglasses with UV protection (very important) and sunscreen are a must.

And being covered doesn't mean you can't still have that sun-kissed look with your favorite bronzer. My current favorite is Benefit’s Hoola Matte Bronzer in a powder and of course tanning moisturizers will work too!

As always, it's never too late to protect your beautiful skin so please use that sunscreen! If it's exposed and the sun is out, you’re at risk. And make that call to the doc for your skin check. The sooner the better!

Little Changes...Good For Your Health and Your Waistline!

Summer often sees a rapid increase in health memberships for those of us hoping to get back into those swimsuits. There’s the old saying, “you are what you eat”, and if that’s the case I’m currently a giant piece of pie.

When we’re younger foods often affect growth and development. Sugar and caffeine are obviously not good for growing youngsters and in your youth you may not need the daily caffeine boost.  As we age, however, that morning cup of coffee can be our biggest reason for getting out of bed! Lucky for us, getting older has its perks, and recent studies have shown caffeine to be beneficial for us grown-ups. From reductions in cardiovascular disease and diabetes to psychological pick-me-ups, it’s proving to be quite curative!

While many of our nutrition habits are often established in childhood, as adults we have so much more information at our fingertips for easy ways to be healthier and adopt better habits! These habits can improve our physical as well as our mental health.

Sugar of course is one of the biggest saboteurs to our good intentions and unfortunately seems to pop up in anything that doesn’t grow out of the ground. It’s a plague for those at risk for diabetes or struggling with weight gain. And while it’s easy for some to suggest cutting it out altogether, it’s sometimes easier to figure out what “good” you can add to your diet, rather than subtract from it. So, what are some things we can all easily do to get results from the inside out this year? Here are a couple tips to make you feel and look better for the summer weather, without needing a gym membership or a crash diet!

Grab an Omega-3! Aside from the amazing brain-boosting properties like helping to reduce Alzheimer’s risks and depression, fatty acids are also connected to lowering heart disease and raising Vitamin D levels. And if that wasn’t enough, they contribute to the healthy skin and shiny hair we all want more of! Adding one or two servings a week of fish like Salmon into your diet can provide all these worthwhile results without any giant lifestyle changes.

Try something new! Whether it’s a food or activity, new things are always fun! Did you like riding a bike as a kid? Chances are you still will! Take an evening stroll after dinner and enjoy the winter season. If you’re a foodie, find a way to try out some things that are making the news. Many swear by anti-aging fruits like papaya which helps breaks down proteins and ease digestion. And the currently popular coconut oil and avocado have a whole host of uses and benefits. Obviously diet is a huge factor for weight, so if you just want to start somewhere, change just one thing at a time and go slowly. Maybe ditch the soda at lunch or replace your morning doughnut with a quinoa-oatmeal blend. Over time, little changes add up!

And for the beauty lovers needing a little pampering, here’s one more fun use for the great avocado!

Quick Avocado Face Mask:

Mash 1/2 Avocado really well. Dissolve 1 teaspoon honey in 2 tablespoons of hot water and add to the avocado. Smooth onto face avoiding the eye and mouth area. Leave 10 minutes and wash away.