Oprah

- May Sarton (American poet, novelist, 1912 – 1995)

Another way to interpret this is to realize that the basis of many health problems, emotional issues, and relationship conflicts is a lack of self love and self acceptance.  The human tendency is to look outside of ourselves when something is “wrong” (or, in other words, when something comes up to be healed) to make us feel better.  We think the “cure” will be found in an external source.  Sometimes external remedies are able to give us support and help us in our processes, but ultimately, peace and joy and healing come from within; and that begins with total love and acceptance of self—”flaws” and all.

Love, compassion, and forgiveness are the keys.  When we are able to look upon ourselves with compassion, we are then able to do that with others.   It goes back to the Golden Rule—do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  For it is difficult to love your neighbor if you don’t love yourself, and an eternal challenge to find healing and peace without Love.

Check out this piece in  GOOD Magazine Health Section:  The 10 Best Foods for Your Looks by Siobhan O’Connor.

A mere two percent of the U.S. market consumes toilet paper made from recycled paper, while in the E.U. and in Latin American countries, the most purchased toilet paper brands are made of recycled paper.  North Americans, it seems, buy into advertising campaigns that create a demand for “luxury” toilet paper.  Two and three-ply plushness, pleats, quilts, air pockets, and bleaching, coloring, and scenting agents are all gimmicks that add up to higher prices and higher consequences for the environment.  “Virgin” toilet paper uses vastly more trees, oxygen and water (not to mention displaces wildlife, decimates natural habitats, and increases pollution) than recycled brands, and are harder to break down.

We can help to turn this situation around by choosing recycled brands of toilet paper (and facial tissues, napkins, paper towels) instead of the puffy stuff.  Too many soft and affordable, recycled brands are available to not make the change.  In addition to helping save our life-sustaining trees and protecting our precious environment, we use our purchasing power to tell the lumber and paper industry giants to produce more responsibly or we’re not buying!

(Whitney Moore Young, Jr.)

Hurraw keeps your lips lavishly moist, and stays on even under lipstick.  That must be because the ingredients are totally natural, food-grade oils (almond, coconut, cocoa butter, jojoba, olive, castor) infused with the scent and flavors of raw seeds, pods, fruit zests, herb barks and roots.  The company makes the balms in small, handmade batches that are free of any and all chemicals, preservatives, gluten, of course animal products, or any other weird stuff.  Especially after all my years of personal research and experience with cosmetics and skin care, I feel great about buying and using this product.  And for $3.79 a tube, the price is definitely right!  Try it for yourself!

Hollywood and the fashion, cosmetics and diet industries work hard to make each of us believe that our bodies are unacceptable and need constant improvement. Print ads and television commercials reduce us to body parts — lips, legs, breasts — airbrushed and touched up to meet impossible standards. TV shows tell women and teenage girls that cosmetic surgery is good for self-esteem. Is it any wonder that 80% of U.S. women are dissatisfied with their appearance?  [Or that] women and girls spend billions of dollars every year on cosmetics, fashion, magazines and diet aids?

“Sex, Stereotypes and Beauty:  The ABCs and Ds of Commercial Images of Women” is a presentation that shows how advertisers and the media enforce unrealistic beauty standards, sexual ideals and gender stereotypes that girls and women are expected to follow.  Click here to find out the impact of such an agenda.

It’s our responsibility to love and care for the bodies we were given, and to put an end to such unrealistic and ridiculous pressure.

http://loveyourbody.nowfoundation.org

Argan oil: Nicknamed “liquid gold,” Morrocan women swear by this stuff to treat everything from wrinkles and psoriasis to burns and acne. Science is still catching up but argan is extremely rich in linoleic acid, which applied topically is proven to reduce acne, and vitamin E, an antiager that may reduce scarring as well.

Aloe vera: [We] know that aloe vera gel has calming and restorative properties straight from the plant. Science says that it’s antibacterial and has been proven to speed wound healing in rats. In humans who’d undergone dermabrasion treatment, damaged skin healed 72 hours faster when aloe was applied.

Baking soda: It will wash your sink, but it will also whiten your teeth, banish your bad breath, and deodorize bad smells.

Coconut oil: With a molecular structure that allows it to penetrate skin and hair, both preventing water loss and replacing lipids that deplete with aging, it’s a double winner. Science says it also accelerates wound healing, can help treat eczema, and has shown to be therapeutic in the treatment of acne.

Green tea: [For] drinking, but topical application of green tea has lots of science on its side, too. Several studies have shown it to reduce the effects of UV damage, enhance wound healing, and treat acne. Green tea is also anti-inflammatory and can help reduce the redness associated with rosacea.

Honey: Before we had antibiotics we had honey, which was frequently used in wound dressing to accelerate healing. It’s no surprise then that science says it does, in fact, do just that. Its topical application also demonstrates antibacterial action, and helps prevent scarring.

Olive oil: Just when you thought you’d heard everything there is to know about the powers of olive oil: A 2000 study done on mice indicated that topical application of olive oil after UVB exposure effectively reduced the rodents’ chances of developing skin tumors. Already proven to be a powerful antioxidant in food, olive oil may play an exciting role in reducing DNA damage in skin, too.

Propolis: Bees use propolis, an antimicrobial resin, to sterilize their hives, and a variety of studies have shown its properties to benefit human health—from reducing the duration of common colds to slowing the proliferation of cancer cells. Topically, propolis functions as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory proven to protect skin against photodamage, it’s more antibacterial than honey, and is even effective against cold sores.

Shea butter: West African women have been using this stuff forever. Not only does its application exhibit powerful anti-inflammatory properties but recent studies are indicating that cinnamic acid (found in shea) reduces the effects of UV damage. Just make sure to choose a brand that’s sourced fairly, like Alaffia.

Vitamin C: You can’t soak your face in orange juice to get the topical benefits of this powerful antioxidant, but a good natural cream or serum containing L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C), which in its stable form helps the skin fight free-radical damage, reduces redness, stimulates wound healing, and helps minimize fine wrinkles.

Tea tree oil: A comparative study [on acne] found tea tree oil to be just as effective as benzoyl peroxide (banned in Europe) for treating pimples.

http://www.good.is/post/which-naturals-are-backed-by-serious-science