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I read How to Eat Like a Hot Chick by Jodi Lipper and Cerina Vincent a few weeks back. It isn’t something I would have picked up to read normally but through the grapevine I heard one of the authors supports a raw diet and when Harper Collins offered to send me the book gratis I decided to give it a read.

It was a pretty funny book actually. It reminded me of a “Girlfriend’s Guide” to eating right. It is basically two girlfriends dishing on all the ways they have found to eat healthfully without feeling deprived. And just like with girlfriends there are no secrets…they tell it like it is…from Build-A-Butt-Workshops to men with BMS (you have to read it). I really liked the cover too. It shows a svelte woman, reminiscent of the fifties, drinking a martini. She is beautiful for sure but no lightweight. It is awesome to see a woman who doesn’t resemble a stick-thin supermodel gracing the cover of a book about women and diet.

Jodi and Cerina were kind enough to allow me to interview them too. So here are a few insights into How to Eat Like a Hot Chick direct from the authors.

Tiffany: What was the purpose behind writing How to Eat Like A Hot Chick?

Cerina:  We wrote this book after realizing that we were wasting too much of our time dieting, worrying about what we ate, feeling insecure and trying to be perfect. 

Jodi: About three years ago, we had a giant light bulb moment where we thought, “This is our heyday, and we should be enjoying it!”  Since then, we have learned to let go of most of our craziness about food and (most importantly) to laugh about it. 

Cerina:  We wrote HOW TO EAT LIKE A HOT CHICK to help women realize that they are already hot and to stop wasting their time obsessing about food.  

Jodi:It is our way of trying to make food fun again for women, by talking to them as their girlfriends and sharing our newfound, liberating attitude about food. 

Tiffany: That is a great perspective for women to have…you are already beautiful…no need to obsess about food choices. I think many women would like to feel some liberation in regards to food and diet. What are some of your best hot chick tips?

Jodi: Some of our best tips are the ones that let women know about the sneaky hidden calories in many common foods. 

Cerina: For example, most smart women don’t know that tonic actually has the same amount of calories as Coke!  So you should always use soda water in your cocktails instead of tonic.

Jodi: Also, most people don’t realize that many Japanese restaurants make their spicy tuna rolls with lots of mayonnaise! 

Cerina: We’re not saying that you can’t eat these things, just be aware of what you’re eating and pretty soon you’ll understand why some “healthy” foods actually end up making you feel terrible.

Tiffany: Yeah…that sucks about the spicy tuna rolls. :( What are some Hot Chick Non-nos?

Jodi: People might be surprised by our “no-no’s,” which actually include a lot of typical diet foods, like granola, rice cakes and yogurt.  Most regular yogurts have about the same amount of calories per ounce as Haagen Dazs!  Those tiny cartons of pink sugary cream are unsatisfying and are not going to make anyone feel hot.

Cerina: Another big Hot Chick don’t is protein bars, which usually have crazy ingredients like dried egg protein, tomato powder, rice polishing, corn syrup and freaking EGG SHELL.  We want women to eat real food, not weird condensed food bars.

Tiffany: It is sad that we actually do have to look for “real” food in this day and age of processed, fake foods. It seems we have the deck stacked against us. So, what overall do you hope women will get from this book?

Jodi: We want women to gain the confidence to eat the foods they love and the knowledge to balance it out by cutting corners elsewhere so that they will always feel (and look) their hottest.

Cerina: We also want women to gain confidence in themselves as Hot Chicks.  We believe that Hot Chicks come in all shapes and sizes and that every woman who picks up this book is already hot – they may have just forgotten! 

Jodi: So we want to remind women that they are hot and that it is time to start treating themselves accordingly.

Cerina: And, of course, we hope that the book makes women laugh and that it will make the idea of food fun again for women.

Tiffany: Thanks Jodi and Cerina for sharing your book with us and for answering a few questions. The book is fun and revealing.

About the authors:

Jodi Lipper is a writer and editor in the publishing and film industries. She graduated from Barnard College at Columbia University and she lives and works in Manhattan.

Cerina Vincent is an actress and writer. She played Maya, the yellow Power Ranger and she has starred in other movies like Not Another Teen Movie. She has also co-written several screenplays and TV pilots.

Technorati Tags: how to eat like a hot chick, book review, interview, jodi lipper, cerina vincent

When I asked moms recently what kind of natural mom they were green, instinctive, frugal, or health nutty I found that 27% of moms were living natural lives for monetary reasons. A natural way of life is often a more frugal way of life so if you happen to be pinching your pennies then this is good news. So what natural practices can save you some dough? I will be discussing a few of the ways over the next few days. Today I will talk about frugal beauty practices.

Bath and Body Tips: In ancient civilizations, they used milk in their bath water to soften their skin. The lactic acid in milk serves as a gentle skin exfoliant and the fat acts as a moisturizer. You can try this trick, too. Use powdered milk in your bath and see if your skin feels any different. To further exfoliate your skin, apple cider vinegar keeps skin supple. It’s heavy concentration of enzymes helps peel off dead skin cells.

Face Care: Beauty products today, even those that say they are all-natural, contain preservatives and chemicals. Who cares if you look a bit younger if you will eventually get skin cancer because the beauty products you were using contained carcinogenic chemicals? Who cares if you smell good when the aluminum or the parabens in your beauty products are making you sick? Instead, wet your face with warm water and apply honey. As a facial exfoliant, try raw sugar. Gently rub it in until it dissolves and then rinse.

See more natural AND frugal bath and body recipes.

Keep a bottle of witch hazel under your bathroom sink. It is a natural toner for the skin and costs less than the name brands you find in stores. A sliced cucumber from the fridge will reduce the swelling of puffy eyes in the morning and if you drink cucumber infused water you will be refreshed and hydrated.

Instead of expensive makeup removers, use olive oil and an organic cotton ball.

Hair Care: Chemicals can build up in the hair from thermal styling, hair sprays, and everyday activity. Well, did you kow that you can never use shampoo again and your hair will thank you for it? See our No Shampoo Alternative.

The Best Things in Life are Free! The best beauty tip is drinking plenty of water. It is like an internal shower for your body so drink your eight to ten glasses a day. Water removes impurities and gives a natural glow to your skin.

Taking care of your body naturally reduces the need for more expensive beauty treatments. The billion dollar beauty industry doesn�t need your money and you don�t need their flawed products. Beginning a simple daily regimen using everyday items will keep you looking beautiful for pennies on the dollar.

So tell me about your frugal and natural beauty practices…

Technorati Tags: natural beauty, beauty recipes, frugal

Other Resources: Indian Girls Desi Girls

Aloe Vera has been used to heal both internally and externally. Derived from the Aloe Vera plant, it has long, spiked leaves, which are thick-skinned and contain a clear gel-like substance. It is used today in many products, including cosmetics, skin lotions and moisturizers, burn gels and even sun screen creams.

It speeds the healing of many skin injuries, including burns, hives and poison ivy; and also acts as a laxative. For minor burns, the stabilized aloe gel is applied topically to the affected area of the skin three to five times per day. Treatment of more serious burns should only be done under the supervision of a healthcare professional. In addition, apart from providing relief from itching, it helps to heal blisters and sores. For people suffering from Psoriasis, Aloe Vera has provided relief by reducing the pain and itching. It has been proved that the gel causes considerable improvement in the nature of lesions as well.

The laxative element of the plant works by preventing the absorption of water from the bowel. For constipation, a single 50-200 mg capsule of aloe latex can be taken each day for a maximum of ten days. This component of Aloe also kills some bacteria, and is believed to act against a variety of viruses including herpes, chickenpox, and flu. It is recommended not to combine Aloe with other medications that are used to flush water and potassium from the body.

For internal use of aloe gel, two tablespoons, three times per day, is used by some people for inflammatory bowel conditions, such as Crohn’s disease and colitis. However, while commercial gels and juices, which are processed under strict controls, can be found at most health food stores as well as many supermarkets, it is always recommended that one consult a physician before self-treating a medical condition.

Technorati Tags: Aloe Vera, disease, Health

There has been a lot of talk lately about the problems associated with processed food. We’re now being told that eating whole, unprocessed and even raw foods can help us be healthier, happier, and live longer, but can unprocessed foods make us look better? Well it all stems back to that old saying…you are what you eat. If you eat processed garbage what does that mean for your skin? Scary thought!

While there are many steps to take if you want to look younger, the most important is to work on having healthy beautiful skin. Processed foods can have harmful effects on the skin, so if you want to look younger and healthier, eliminate them from your diet.

When food is cooked and processed, it loses vital nutrients. When you eat processed food, you don’t get the nutrients your body needs to function efficiently. This leaves you less healthy, and it shows in your skin. If your skin cells aren’t properly nourished, they don’t look as good. You’re also more prone to acne and other embarrassing infections.

People who advocate the raw food diet believe that cooking your food is too much processing. Raw foods contain live, active enzymes that help you digest your food more efficiently and improve your body’s functioning and your overall health. And remember, the healthier you are, the healthier your skin will be. Many people who increase their intake of raw food as opposed to cook notice a positive change in their skin. Raw food can help to reduce wrinkles, age spots, eye bags, and even acne, leaving your skin beautiful and radiant.

We all know that when we’re tired, we look worn down, our skin is dull, and we just get a haggard appearance. Having proper digestive enzymes from eating raw, live fruits and vegetables helps speed digestion giving use more energy from our food. When we have more energy, we feel and look less tired.

While I’ve already discussed what food loses through processing, what might be more important to this topic is what is added to food during processing. Most companies aren’t concerned about keeping you healthy; they’re concerned about selling their product. They add chemicals to keep food fresh longer, change its color, change its texture, or even to make you more hungry or thirsty after you eat or drink it. These chemicals can be toxic do your body. They build up in your cells, making them function improperly and be less healthy. Also, if you have acne or other skin ailments, your breakouts may be due to an allergic reaction to these chemicals.

In order to look good, your skin needs to be healthy. This means proper nourishment and fewer toxins. This can be achieved with a healthy diet including fresh, unprocessed foods. So shop around the outer edges of the grocery store where the fresh natural foods are and stay away from the processed stuff…your skin will thank you.

There are thousands of commercial products and treatments available to help improve the quality of your skin, but only a very small percentage of these are natural. Most skin products contain harsh, damaging chemicals. Just take a look at the Dying to Look Good book. Many prodcuts that are supposed to improve your skin are anything but good or healthy for you. Remember the article on MSG in your personal care products? We really have no idea what most of these treatments and chemicals will do to our skin 20 years down the road. Do you want to take that chance with your skin? I sure don’t. If you want to have great looking skin without dangerous chemicals or procedures, there is a way.

Here are some great tips to keep your skin looking fabulous the natural way:

* Drink more water. All cells need water to function properly. If your skin cells aren�t properly hydrated, waste products build up in your cells and keep them from working right and looking their best. Also, if you don�t drink enough water, your cells will retain as much as they can and you�ll end up looking puffy and bloated. Your whole body feels better when properly hydrated in fact.

* Change your diet. You�ve probably heard the phrase �you are what you eat� a lot. If you think about it, this old saying is 100 percent true. Your body is made up of what you put into it. If you want it to work properly and look its best, you need to feed yourself the nutrients it needs and avoid foods that may damage it. For beautiful skin, you should try to get more fiber and �good fats� in your diet and avoid foods with a lot of sugar. I see many people that have grey complexions, and eyes that are sunken with dark circles and I KNOW that their diet is poor. You can just tell.

* Improve your circulation. To function properly, our cells need to get plenty of oxygen. If you spend your days sitting at a desk or remaining mostly immobile, your circulation probably isn�t as good as it could be. Increase your circulation by getting more exercise, stretching, or getting regular massages (they don�t need to be professional). My skin is rosy and pink all day after a good exercise session.

* Avoid the sun. A little sun is good for you. It provides vitamin D and can help give you a sunny disposition, but too much sun can do terrible damage. Try to use hats, clothes, or sun block to protect yourself from damaging UV rays. Don’t end up looking like a saddle bag with brown leathery looking skin.

* Use certified organic skin products. Traditional beauty products contain all sorts of unnatural chemicals. Most are there as preservatives, or to give the product a certain scent, color or texture. These chemicals not only have no value to your skin, some may cause cancer and other dangerous problems. That�s why it�s beneficial to use natural products if you want to look your best and stay healthy. Just be sure to check labels, many products will claim they�re natural or organic and only contain one natural or organic ingredient. Be wary of ingredients you can�t pronounce and look for certification seals to be sure you�re getting what you pay for.

With a little time, patience, work and an eye for 100% natural products you can have fabulous looking skin in no time.

Important! Read this before you buy any cosmetics or personal care products that contain protein or amino acids!

MSG may be hidden in your cosmetics and personal care products. If you know you�re sensitive to MSG, you may be avoiding it in your food but still noticing MSG-type reactions and not know where they’re coming from.

Do you ever get a headache or notice other unpleasant symptoms when you put on your makeup, shampoo your hair or wash your face? Have you ever wondered why? Or do you just shrug it off and pop a pill to mask the symptoms? Maybe you just grin and bear it and don’t give any thought to the fact that there might be a relationship between the product you’re using and the symptoms you’re feeling.

If you try to avoid MSG in your food, just because you believe it’s harmful, you may be surprised to know that MSG is found in more than food. It can be found in your cosmetics and personal care products, like makeup, soap, shampoo and conditioner. You may also be getting a dose of MSG in your daily vitamin supplements. Over-the-counter and prescription medications may also contain it, as well as vaccines that are given to your children.

MSG sensitivity is commonly referred to as Chinese Restaurant Syndrome because it’s frequently used in Chinese foods and many people experience symptoms like headaches, dizziness and sweating after eating Chinese food.

MSG is short for monosodium glutamate. It also applies to processed free glutamic acid, which is glutamic acid that has been freed from protein through a manufacturing process or fermentation. MSG is a neurotoxin. It crosses the blood-brain barrier and the placental barrier and excites nerve cells to death. If you’re pregnant, it may even affect your unborn baby.

Even if you’re not sensitive to MSG, these are good reasons to avoid it.

How do you know if MSG is in the products you use?

First of all, you have to read the label. Not just the front of the label that tells you what the manufacturer wants you to believe about the product, but the ingredients list on the back of the label. You know, that tiny print that’s often so small and in a color that blends in with the label that it’s almost impossible to read. The more difficult it is to read, the more important it is for you to read it. Carry a magnifying glass with you and make sure you read every label of every product … BEFORE you buy. Dying To Look Good is a book that will help you read labels and choose healthy products.

Look out for these ingredients that are hidden sources of MSG:

hydrolyzed proteins
amino acids
yeast extract
nayad (potent yeast extract)
glutamic acid
glutamates

MSG may also be in or be the result of:

processed proteins
enzymes
carrageenan

These are the hidden sources of MSG that are most likely to be found in cosmetics and personal care products. There are many more ingredients that are hidden sources or potential hidden sources of MSG. You can find more information on MSG at truthinlabeling.org.

MSG is not the only ingredient that you need to watch out for in your skin care products. There are many harmful ingredients in the cosmetics and personal care products on the market today. Some are even known to cause cancer. Make sure that the products you use on your skin contain safe and healthy ingredients because what you put on your skin can be absorbed directly into your bloodstream and affect your health.

� 2007 Christine H. Farlow, D.C., “The Ingredients Investigator” and author of DYING TO LOOK GOOD. Dr. Farlow has been researching ingredient safety since 1991. Learn more about the safety of ingredients in cosmetics and personal care products and find healthy products at www.dyingtolookgood.com.

What is the first thing people see when they look at you? Is it your hair, your face, your eyes? Well, it�s probably your skin. While we may not realize it, the skin is the most important part of your body when it comes to looking young and healthy. If our skin looks old, tired, or if we have skin problems, it can seriously affect the way we look and feel. A great way to get healthy, young looking skin is to use Evening Primrose oil, or EPO. It can clear up problems and have you looking beautiful in no time.

Before I tell you what it does, I should probably tell you what it is. Evening primrose is an edible plant that grows naturally in North America and has been used by Native Americans for centuries. While they used various parts of the plant, EPO is made from the seeds. It can help improve skin and has also been suggested to help with a variety of other ailments from PMS to breast cancer.

So what�s so special about EPO? Well it is one of the best sources of GLA, an essential fatty acid. GLA is used to maintain normal cell structure. It is also used to produce a hormone that has many uses in the body, including reducing inflammation and helping with digestion.

While there hasn�t been extensive research done on EPO, there has been some scientific evidence to show its effect on skin. It can improve your skin�s health by improving problem skin and allowing your young fresh skin to shine through. Here are some of the benefits of EPO.

* Reduces inflammation. Most of us have had the problem of red puffy skin at one point or another. EPO can help ease swelling, making your skin look younger and healthier.

* Relieves skin allergies. Being an allergy sufferer myself, I tell you there�s nothing like having to hide my legs and neck because of rashes or hives. EPO can help get rid of these symptoms and have you back into the outfits you love.

* Relieves Eczema. Those who are afflicted with eczema know that skin can not only look bad, but feel bad too. EPO may ease eczema symptoms, sparing you some of the pain and embarrassment.

* Increases blood flow to the skin. Even if you don�t have skin problems, you can still be benefited by taking EPO. It can increase blood flow to your skin, leaving it healthy and nourished.

* Reduces bruising. While EPO is generally taken orally, it can also be applied directly to the skin to decrease the appearance of bruises.

Remember, as with any medication or supplement, you should talk to your doctor before taking EPO. Once you�ve gotten the okay, you can take this oil regularly for healthy, beautiful skin.

Buy Primrose Oil below:

WHOLE FOODS MARKET WANTS GROCERY shopping at its natural supermarket chain to be associated with relaxation. It’s testing the waters with an unusual spa-within-a-food store concept.

Refresh–The Everyday Spa at Whole Foods Market opened last week in a store in Dallas, where the company is headquartered. The prototype is serving as a test bed for consumer acceptance of spas within grocery stores, before any rollout.

Looking to create a tranquil environment within the giant-sized suburban Whole Foods Market, the Refresh spa is enclosed with a soundproof lounge complete with fountains, several treatment rooms, and a private balcony where lunch is served.

The 4,500 square foot Dallas trial spa, like other stand-alone spas, offers a m�lange of face and body treatments such as massages and facials, and has wellness consultants and nutritionists available by appointment for consultations. Also contained within the spa is a shop that sells treatment products, cosmetics, jewelry, shoes and organic, natural-fiber clothing.

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