Category: Body Care & Beauty

Gifts for Mom

May 9th, 2012 by Paula Gallagher

teaMother’s Day is around the corner and if you haven’t found a gift for the special mom in your life, here are some ideas to help make shopping a little easier.

A cup of tea: With names like Get Gorgeous Be Well and Get Relaxed Be Well, and flavors like double dark chocolate and ginger peach, Republic of Tea teas are a tasty and warm gift to give. Pair a tin of tea with a beautiful antique tea cup and tea strainer for a lovely morning treat for mom.

drhauschkaBath time retreat: Dr. Hauschka has combined trial sizes of our five luxurious aromatherapy baths, “Lemon Bath, Lavender Bath, Rosemary Bath, Spruce Bath and Sage Bath,” in this handy metal tin. Pure essential oils combined with sulfated castor oil disperse readily in bath water for a mood-altering experience. Continue reading “Gifts for Mom”

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New Skin Care Line: Skincando

January 10th, 2012 by Paula Gallagher

I am a sucker for great ingredients and even more of a sucker for a great story. Skincando has both, plus it is made with all natural ingredients and no harsh chemicals.

Sara Damelio developed Combat-Ready Balm after struggling with acne for years. On her quest for a product to help her problem, she found that many “beauty” products contained toxic substances, including petroleum by-products and parabens. Combat Ready Balm is free of all these harsh chemicals and has helped many who suffer not only from dry skin, but eczema, sunburn, insect bites, diaper rash and blisters.

Operation Sand Flea is a program that Sara started because the feedback she received from our US troops overseas was this: Combat Ready Balm is the only cream that our soldiers have used that calms and soothes their incessant sand flea bites, sunburn and dry skin. So Sara has been donating Combat-Ready care packages to our US troops overseas for over 5 years and continues to do so.

Her line has expanded to include a lip balm, as well as Combat Ready Balm for Kids, which is great as a diaper rash cream.

Skincando also has a more luxurious line for those that are more concerned with lines and wrinkles. The Miracle Cream is a super-hydrating moisturizer that contains vitamins A and E, organic rose geranium oil and essential fatty acids, promising to hydrate the skin and diminish the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and uneven skin tone. Skincando Eye Balm contains organic white tea and chamomile essential oil to leave the eye area refreshed and luminous. These two products are made to order, so you have the freshest and the highest quality product.

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Stress and Your Skin, Hair, Nails and More

January 9th, 2012 by Debi Silber, The Mojo Coach

Someone recently asked: “I’m under a lot of stress and I noticed changes in my hair, skin and nails. Is there any connection?” The answer is a big, fat yes.

One reason for poor hair, skin and nail health is due to over-secretion of the stress hormone cortisol. When it’s over-secreted, it will look to replenish itself by borrowing components from our estrogen stores. Estrogen is a hormone that helps keep us youthful, so when stores become depleted, we age faster. (You know how someone “looks like they’ve had a hard life”? That’s the physical effect of over-secreted stress hormones.)

Another way stress negatively affects hair, skin and nail health is that it deteriorates the skin’s natural ability to protect against invasion. Pollution and toxins are harsh on the skin and alter the way it repairs and regenerates itself. Stress also decreases tone and elasticity of the skin, creating a more aged look.

Increased cortisol can also slow down skin regeneration by slowing the rate of cell turnover, leaving skin dull. While this is happening, adrenaline, which is also released under stress, redirects blood away from the skin to where it’s more needed at the time. This can contribute to a dull look.  Continue reading “Stress and Your Skin, Hair, Nails and More”

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5 Natural Solutions for Dry Skin

November 30th, 2011 by Margo Gladding

Redness, flaking, and cracking of the skin can be common during the winter months when temperatures outside are so cold and the indoor air so dry. Here are some tips to help soothe, heal, and moisturize your ailing skin.

1) Eat foods rich in healthy fats – foods such as salmon, avocado, walnuts, flax seed, coconut, and olive oil provide nourishing oils to help moisturize your skin from the inside out. Research has also shown that healthy fats, particularly omega-3 fatty acids, can help fight wrinkle formation and photodamage, as well as provide support for skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, and eczema.

2) Increase your water intake – drinking plenty of water and eating foods containing a high water content (fruits and vegetables, such as apples, plums, blueberries, melons, eggplant, cucumber, tomatoes, celery, etc.) can help to moisturize skin. Soups and herbal teas count too! Water plays many important roles in the body such as providing detoxification support, carrying nutrients and oxygen to cells, regulating body temperature, lubricating joints, and moistening tissues. Continue reading “5 Natural Solutions for Dry Skin”

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Favorite Things: Orange Blossom Energizer

November 28th, 2011 by Paula Gallagher

I discovered this little gem when one of my coworkers gave me a sample. Annemarie Borlind has made a unique product that basically makes my skin GLOW. It really does. I use it after cleansing my face in the morning right before I put on my moisturizer. I have super dry skin and the layering of moisture really helps keep my skin radiant. In the summer, I sometimes use it alone.  It also smells  so good. Well, it smells like oranges, because that’s what it’s made of.

The orange extract is calming,  moisturizing, offers effective cell protection against damaging environmental influences, protects the skin from premature aging, and  stimulates the production of collagen. That’s not all. It contains lactic Acid L(+) which helps stabilize the skin’s acid mantle and strengthens its resistance, improving the elasticity of the skin with its lasting double effect for immediate skin smoothing. It also contains carrot oil, which encourages blood flow, giving a more youthful appearance.

Independent dermatological studies confirm Orange Blossom Energizer’s beneficial effects: it stimulates cellular activity and protects against environmental damage, gives the skin a special infusion of vitamins enriched with vitamins B5, C and E, and reduces skin irritations caused by stress and other environmental factors. The extreme conditions of climate to which the special variety of Sicilian orange is exposed during its growth and ripening give the fruit exceptional resistance and a first-class protection system, with high concentrations of antioxidant vitamins.

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Our Bloggers

  • Paula Gallagher
    Paula Gallagher
    Paula is a highly qualified and experienced nutrition counselor on the staff at Village Green.
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  • Margo Gladding
    Margo Gladding
    Margo's impressive knowledge base is the result of a unique blend of educational and professional experience.
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  • Dr. Neal Barnard
    Dr. Neal Barnard
    Dr. Barnard leads programs advocating for preventive medicine, good nutrition, and higher ethical standards in research.
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  • Joseph Pizzorno
    Dr. Joseph Pizzorno
    Dr. Joseph Pizzorno, ND is a pioneer of integrative medicine and a leading authority on science-based natural medicine.
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  • Debi Silber
    Debi Silber
    Debi is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition, a personal trainer, and whole health coach.
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  • Teri Cochrane
    Teri Cochrane
    Teri is a is a Certified Coach Practitioner with extensive certifications and experience in holistic medicinal practices.
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  • Dr. Rav Ivker
    Dr. Rav Ivker
    Dr. Rav Ivker is a holistic family physician, health educator, and best-selling author.
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  • Susan Levin
    Susan Levin
    Susan writes about the connection between plant-based diets and a reduced risk of chronic diseases.
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  • Rob Brown
    Dr. Rob Brown
    Dr. Brown's blended perspective of healthcare includes a deeply rooted passion for wellness and spiritual exploration.
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Other Contributors

Caroline Blazovsky
Heather Gunn
Jared Rice
Ellen Kittredge
Naz Amini
Carmen Ugas
Steve Stillwater
Farzin Farid
Joe Ailts
Scott O’Dell
James Brodsky, MD
Christine M. Gonzales
Beth Ritchie
Jim Fox

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