I hate raking leaves!

This weekend was a leaf raking marathon... and I hardly made a dent! There are a few bright spots however.

1. This year is milder than usual (we often have snow leading up to halloween)
2. I will have far fewer leaves this year since the HUGE maple tree in front of our house had to be taken down a few weeks ago. (sad to see it go)
3. Being outside and doing physical work, always makes my skin glow - it feels really good to be active.

I'm sure that activity like this (with proper sunscreen of course) does a few things. Being outside in the fall air (especially with the rain this past week), hydrates the skin. It also get the blood circulating. And I'm sure that exercise can help your overall metabolism by eliminating toxins too.

Just make sure to drink lots of water - so easy to forget and then to binge afterwards. Drinking lots of water is essential for your skin care too.

This good article that touches on the importance of all round skincare and exercise is worth reading.
Also this assistance in choosing skin care products can be helpful.

Have a great fall!

Starting to Really Feel Fall Kicking-in

In spite of the weatherman's prophesy of great weather over the next 5 or 6 days (Canadian Thanksgiving included), I can really feel the bite of fall in the early mornings now. We are supposed to have lots of sun and temperatures up to 20C (~68-70F) over the next few days. This is very warm for here! Then at night it plumets down to 4 or 5C, and will probably even hit to near freezing very soon. This morning I looked out at the neighbour's house, and you can see the trees changing in the background, but also the flume of smoke from the gas furnace trying to take the early chill out of the day.

When the heating comes on at the beginning of the year, I can feel the moisture being sucked out of the air. This can make my skin very dry and irritated. After the first frost, things get a bit better because of the reduction of allergens in the air.... but then we get set for the deep freeze of winter.

I've put together this site that details some of the skin products I find useful in this climate. Of course there is my workhorse solution of Lifecell, but there are also a few companion products that I find useful as well.

There are lots of good articles out there to helo you choose the products that are right for you. A few articles to get you started off are here:

• http://ezinearticles.com/?A-Simple-Approach-to-Under-Eye-Care
• http://transplanted.qondio.com/harsh-effects-of-life-on-your-skin
• http://www.streetarticles.com/beauty-products/start-now-to-improve-your-skin
• http://www.squidoo.com/a-youthful-look

I found more info about sunglasses that looks good.

So there I was today, again not following my own advise. A few weeks back, I sat on my sunglasses (prescription ones b.t.w.), and had been delaying getting another pair. Its funny when the fall comes along, we all let our guard down when it comes to skin care, and sun damage. We figure that its not hot anymore - so how would I ever get a sun-burn? Well, I know quite a few people that that gotten bad sunburns right at this time. In fact, when I was in school, there was an informal Frisbee Football game organized, and some of the guys decided to go without shirts. Well guess who suffered the next day?

But we know know, that it is not just about sunburn, even a half hour in the right conditions can lead to skin damage. The best case scenario, temporary impact, but this can lead to leathery skin many years later or even skin cancer..... but I digress. back to the glasses story.

So, today was a really sunny day - not a cloud anywhere - and where do I find myself...? Walking along a sunny road in the country with no sunglasses, squinting to ensure that there is no oncoming traffic. When I got home, I realized that it was time to do some research. Since I broke my last pair myself, my insurance coverage is not good this time, but I've had crappy cheap glasses before, and want to make sure I can get some quality glasses this time.

I found this write up that describes a good common sense way of identifying the right glasses (by visiting local stores and doing the research), but then ordering the same (or in some cases better) glasses online.

So tomorrow, I'm off to the mall to do some research, and then I'll check out the online resource (with the good discounts on that site) to see what I come up with. I'll keep you posted!

J

9-11 a day to reflect

Sittling up North (about 10 hours drive) of NYC, the link we share with all humanity is profoundly evident. We visited NYC this year at the end of August. Its such an amazing place, a testament to the strength and creativity we all have. One place we could not bring ourselves to go to was Ground-Zero - still too fresh for me - so I cannot imagine the emotion and pain for those that were so much more deeply impacted than I.

Today is a day to stop and remember....... and to hope for better forces to prevail.

Choose Accessories for Health and Beauty

Too often I see people focusing on one issue they have, while ignoring other things around them. For example, someone who thinks they are overweight, may focus obsessively on a diet, while ignoring the benefits of a wardrobe upgrade.

This principle can apply to many areas. An area I have been thinking about lately is aging, and the appearance of my skin. There are many sites on the web dealing with skin and cosmetic products. Take  a step back to consider the importance other accessories may have in providing greater results through a holistic approach.

Remember, your skin and body are reflectors. Poorly chosen clothes, uncomplementary colors, or simply things you are not comfortable in can leave you looking like a blotchy mess. But look further, it is not simply appearance, but function too. A good pair of sunglasses can prevent squinting (a leading cause of wrinkles), and reduce sun damage due to harmful UV expsosure. And don't forget your mental state. If you are happy and relaxed, this will show in your body and face too.

Check out the good write-up here for further details.

  J :)