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Showing posts with label Women. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Women. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Brain Chemistry altered by foods high in fat, salt, and sugar

Today’s Re-Powering Information – The article below explains why you grab that cookie even though you know you shouldn’t eat it. It also explains why diets don’t work. The author also has a new book called “The End of Overeating”. I have not read it, but if you struggle with overfeeding, it may be worth the read.



Published Monday May 4, 2009
Brain aches for food bathed in badness
THE WASHINGTON POST

WASHINGTON - He went in the middle of the night, long after the last employee had locked up the Chili's Grill and Bar. He'd steer his car around the back, check to make sure no one was around and then quietly approach the Dumpster.

Click to Enlarge


Foods high in fat, salt and sugar alter the brain's chemistry in ways that compel people to overeat, says Dr. David Kessler, the former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration.

If anyone noticed the man foraging through the trash, they would have assumed he was a vagrant. Except he was wearing black dress slacks and padded gardening gloves.

The high-octane career path of David Kessler, the Harvard-trained doctor, lawyer, medical school dean and former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, had come to this: nocturnal Dumpster diving. It took many of these forays until Kessler emerged with his prize: ingredient labels affixed to empty cardboard boxes that spelled out the fats, salt and sugar used to make the Southwestern Eggrolls, Boneless Shanghai Wings and other dishes served by the nation's second-largest restaurant chain.

Kessler was on a mission to understand a problem that has vexed him since childhood: why he can't resist certain foods.

His resulting theory, described in his new book, "The End of Overeating," is startling. Foods high in fat, salt and sugar alter the brain's chemistry in ways that compel people to overeat. "Much of the scientific research around overeating has been physiology - what's going on in our body," he said. "The real question is what's going on in our brain."

The ingredient labels gave Kessler information the restaurant chain declined to provide when he asked for it. At the FDA, Kessler pushed through nutrition labels on foods sold through retail outlets but stopped short of requiring the same for restaurants. Yet if suppliers ship across state lines, as suppliers for Chili's do, the ingredients must be printed on the box. That is what led Kessler, one of the nation's leading public health figures, to hang around trash bins across California.

The labels showed the foods were bathed in salt, fat and sugars, beyond what a diner might expect by reading the menu, Kessler said. The ingredient list for Southwestern Eggrolls mentioned salt eight different times; sugars showed up five times. The "egg rolls," which are deep-fried in fat, contain chicken that has been chopped up like meatloaf to give it a "melt in the mouth" quality that also makes it easier to eat quickly. By the time a diner has finished this appetizer, the person has consumed 910 calories, 57 grams of fat and 1,960 milligrams of sodium.

Instead of satisfying hunger, the salt-fat-sugar combination will stimulate that diner's brain to crave more, Kessler said. And the food industry manipulates this neurological response, designing foods to induce people to eat more than they should or even want to, Kessler found.

His theory, borne out in a growing body of scientific research, has implications not just for the increasing number of Americans struggling with obesity but for health providers and policymakers.

"The challenge is how do we explain to America what's going on - how do we break through and help people understand how their brains have been captured?" he said.

Kessler is best remembered for his investigation of the tobacco industry and attempts to place it under federal regulation while he was FDA commissioner from 1990 to 1997.

Kessler's aggressive approach toward the tobacco industry led to billion-dollar settlements between Big Tobacco and 46 states and laid the groundwork for legislation now pending in Congress that would place tobacco under FDA regulation.

Whether government ought to exercise tougher controls over the food industry is going to be the next great debate, especially since much of the advertising is aimed at children, Kessler said.

"The food the industry is selling is much more powerful than we realized," he said. "I used to think I ate to feel full. Now I know, we have the science that shows, we're eating to stimulate ourselves. And so the question is what are we going to do about it?"

Through interviews with scientists, psychologists and food industry insiders, and his own scientific studies and hours spent surreptitiously watching other diners at food courts and restaurants around the country, Kessler said, he finally began to understand why he couldn't control his eating.

"Highly palatable" foods - those containing fat, sugar and salt - stimulate the brain to release dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with the pleasure center, he found. In time, the brain gets wired so that dopamine pathways light up at the mere suggestion of the food, such as driving past a fast-food restaurant, and the urge to eat the food grows insistent. Once the food is eaten, the brain releases opioids, which bring emotional relief. Together, dopamine and opioids create a pathway that can activate every time a person is reminded about the particular food. This happens regardless of whether the person is hungry.

Not everyone is vulnerable to "conditioned overeating" - Kessler estimates that about 15 percent of the population is not affected and says more research is needed to understand what makes them immune.

But the key to stopping the cycle is to rewire the brain's response to food, he said.

Deprivation only heightens the way the brain values the food, which is why dieting doesn't work, he said.


Contact the Omaha World-Herald newsroom

Copyright ©2009 Omaha World-Herald®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, displayed or redistributed for any purpose without permission from the Omaha World-Herald.

Friday, May 8, 2009

One Flaw In Women

Today’s Re-Powering information. A poem passed onto me by camper Jill.


One Flaw In Women

Women have strengths that amaze men.
They bear hardships and they carry burdens,
but they hold happiness, love and joy.

They smile when they want to scream.
They sing when they want to cry.
They cry when they are happy
and laugh when they are nervous.
They fight for what they believe in.
They stand up to injustice.

They don't take "no" for an answer
when they believe there is a better solution.

They go without so their family can have.
They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.

They love unconditionally.
They cry when their children excel
and cheer when their friends get awards.

They are happy when they hear about
a birth or a wedding.
Their hearts break when a friend dies.
They grieve at the loss of a family member,
yet they are strong when they
think there is no strength left.
They know that a hug and a kiss
can heal a broken heart.

Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.

They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you
to show how much they care about you.

The heart of a woman is what
makes the world keep turning.

They bring joy, hope and love.
They have compassion and ideas.
They give moral support to their
family and friends.

Women have vital things to say
and everything to give.

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,
IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.


Please pass this along to all your
women friends and relatives to remind them just
how amazing they are.



End



I want to wish every mom a Happy Mothers Day. For those who are mothers, allow yourself to be celebrated – even if you have to create your own party! For those who have biological moms or surrogate moms, honor them in a memorable way with your words and your presence.



Finally, Pool season is upon us and I recently was made aware of the importance of having your pool and outdoor living area’s inspected to ensure everything is to code and there are no issues. The last thing you want is an electrical problem around water. I’ve been electrocuted (when I was 13 at a marina – but I’ll save that for another day). My parents also had a house burn to the ground from an electrical fire so this is something to take seriously. Campers Tami and Tom own TLC Electrical and put together a special for the campers for an inspection.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Feed Your Skin

Today’s Re-Powering information – I don’t mention the skin too much, however it’s our largest organ. If you are taking care of your body from the inside, the outside will take care of yourself (unless exposed to things from the external environment like too much sun). If you are having challenges with your skin, breakouts, moles, rashes, etc, more times than not, its from something going on in the inside that surfaces on the skin. The good news is that many skin conditions can be reversed with great nutrition. Not only that, but with exercise and good nutrition. You can appear up to 10 or more years younger. I’m 70 and don’t look too bad!!! (that was a joke). Read the article below for some skin saving and soothing foods that you can both consume for younger looking and feeling skin. You can even use real foods to make your own scrubs and masks..



Feed Your Skin

By Helen Hawkes
Forget plastic surgery. All you have to do is eat your way to great-looking skin.
Can you look younger by stuffing your face? Absolutely! The healthier the foods you consume are, the better your skin looks. No vitamin C and you'll have no collagen.

Too little vitamin A or essential fats and you'll have dry, rough skin, and too little zinc is a recipe for greasy skin and stretch marks.

So forget plastic surgery. For glowing, gorgeous, youthful skin, it makes sense to eat your way to fewer wrinkles, pimples, age spots and other beauty plagues.

Resurfacing your skin

It's no accident that vitamin A is the number one vitamin used topically to improve the texture and appearance of ageing skin.

Vitamin A is a powerful agent for increasing cell turnover, so that skin looks more youthful.

This skin vitamin comes in two forms: retinol, the animal form found in meat, fish, eggs and dairy products; and beta-carotene, found in red, yellow and orange fruits and vegetables.

Apricots, carrots, sweet potatoes and pumpkin are all good sources of beta-carotene.

Sydney-based naturopath Penelope Sach, author of Natural Woman (Penguin), advises: "Include a raw carrot juice daily for the natural vitamin A content, which helps to regenerate skin cells. "

Foods to tighten and tone

Thanks to New York Times bestselling author Dr Nicholas Perricone, we now know that good skin is a very fishy business.

Fish is not only a good source of the antioxidant co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10), but an outstanding source of high-quality protein that helps with cellular repair and essential fatty acids (EFAs), which are responsible for healthy cell membranes, he says.

EFAs hold water, so the stronger they are, the plumper and younger your skin looks.

Fish also contains a powerful antioxidant compound called dimethylaminoethanol or DMAE.

"This chemical stimulates nerve function and the muscles to contract and tighten under the skin," says Dr Perricone in The Perricone Prescription (HarperCollins).

"It is a magic bullet for great skin tone, keeping your face firm and contoured."

Sach says: "For radiant skin, eat cold-water fish such as salmon, mackerel or tuna, three times a week."

Other good face firmers are walnuts and flaxseed oil, soya oil, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.

Flaxseed oil may also be useful in the treatment of skin conditions such as eczema.

Natural wrinkle fighters

Perhaps your skin's biggest enemies are free radicals, produced by UV rays as well as pollution, stress and even breathing.

These nasties lead to skin inflammation, as well as the degradation of collagen, the support structure for your skin, according to Leslie Baumann, of the dermatology department at the University of Miami in Florida.

But nature has designed some pretty clever foods that, if eaten regularly, act as natural wrinkle fighters.

Start with apricots and tomatoes, rich in lycopene, nature's sunscreen.

For maximum anti-ageing, add a daily bowlful of berries, a glass of red wine or a freshly brewed pot of tea.

In a 2004 study by the veterinary science faculty at the University of Sydney, a potent free-radical scavenger called pycnogenol was found to reduce the amount of inflammatory sunburn in mice.

Pycnogenol can be found in grape seed, grape skin, cranberry, blackcurrant, green tea, black tea, blueberry, blackberry, strawberry, black cherry, red wine and red cabbage.

Still want a stronger defense against free radicals and the surgeon's knife?

Here's a potent free radical-busting combination: vitamin C, vitamin E, glutathione and CoQ10.

A 2002 German study published in the Journal Of Pharmacological And Biophysiological Research found that, together, these antioxidants could reduce inflammation caused by UV rays.

You'll find vitamin E in vegetable oils, nuts and green leafy vegetables, and vitamin C in leafy citrus fruit, berries and green leafy vegetables.

Asparagus is high in glutathione and CoQ10 is found in seafood, spinach and nuts.

Other antioxidant-rich foods are prunes, plums, capsicum, beetroot, parsley, figs, raisins and legumes such as red kidney beans.

And don't forget herbs and spices, an often neglected way to boost antioxidants in the body.

"Herbs and spices contain several natural water-soluble phenolic acids and flavonoids that can protect the body against oxidative stress and inflammation," says Dr Michael Fenech, principal research scientist on the CSIRO's Genome Health and Nutrigenomics Project in Adelaide.

Add cinnamon to your cappuccino, drink tea made of fresh mint or ginger, roast lamb with herbs such as rosemary, sage and thyme, and indulge in turmeric-rich curries.

Try Gourmet Garden's herb tubes if you can't buy fresh.

Out, darn spot
There are two types of spots that detract from youthful skin: age spots and pimples.

And Australasian soils are notoriously short of a trace element called selenium.

This deficiency, along with sun exposure and sugar in the diet, is believed to be a factor in age spots, says Erica Angyal, an Australian nutritionist now based in Tokyo and author of Gorgeous Skin In 30 Days (Lothian Books).

To stop spots, you should not only wear an SPF15+, but eat selenium-rich foods, including garlic, brazil nuts, macadamia nuts and sesame seeds.

A study published in 2003 in the British Journal Of Dermatology also showed that skin was less likely to suffer oxidative damage when selenium levels were high.

Eating garlic, which also contains vitamin C and sulfur, can help banish blemishes.

Zinc is another natural substance that is necessary for good skin. Rich sources of zinc are oysters, ginger root, lamb, pecan nuts and brazil nuts.

Softening up

Extra-virgin olive oil has a high concentration of a monounsaturated fatty acid called oleic acid, one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory foods in existence, says Dr Perricone.

"Oleic acid is a member of the omega 9 family," he says. "It can make the difference between a complexion that resembles a piece of old shoe leather and one that looks and feels like a rose petal."

For younger-looking skin, aim to eat about 20g - or two tablespoons - of good fats a day, including olive oil.

Avocados contain oleic acid, as well as the antioxidants vitamin C and E.

Try having some on toast with lycopene-rich tomatoes, accompanied by a cup of green tea, for a super skin-boosting meal.

For baby-soft skin, avoid dehydrating drinks too, like alcohol and caffeine.

"Try Campari and soda during summer, as this is less dehydrating than wine and champagne," says Sach. Of course, cool, filtered water is great too.

Debloat and depuff

Your capillaries are the pipelines for your skin cells, says Angyal.

"When they are weak, or not working efficiently, your skin cells don't receive all the oxygen and nutrients they need."

This leads to poor elimination and sallow, puffy, prematurely aged or dull skin.

Bioflavonoids in citrus fruits can help to protect your capillaries, as well as support collagen production. So, next time you're at a juice bar, mix pink grapefruit, orange or lemon into your fruit or vegie blend.



END



If you are following the 30 Day Detox Fat Burning Meal Plan, yesterday was your first detox day. Fruit in the morning, veggies in the afternoon and a regular dinner from the list of foods provided. Continue following the plan for the best results. Below is a recipe I make, but I eat it without the tortilla’s (I do eat them occasionally)

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Dietary fiber: An essential part of a healthy diet

A bunch of ladies gave me feedback on the gluten information from yesterday. Seems that quite a few think they are gluten intolerant. Truthfully if we all cut gluten out of our diets for 3 weeks we would all probably notice that we felt better. It can’t hurt to go gluten free – or even limit gluten in your diet by using gluten free alternatives to bread, pasta, crackers, etc. You should not cut out all carb products so make sure you have some substitutes like the ones listed yesterday.



We get a lot of fiber from carbohydrates, but we can also get them from other sources. Fiber is important for proper digestion as well as heart health. As adults, we should have bowl movements twice a day. The first should be immediately after your first meal and then again at night. If you are not going twice a day you may not be getting enough fiber and or may be dehydrated.



Read below for insight on the importance of fiber for your health – and weight loss. You will also see a list of good sources of Fiber from real foods. Notice that some of the foods on the list are not gluten free.



Dietary fiber: An essential part of a healthy diet

Dietary fiber offers many health benefits. Here's how to include more in your diet.

By Mayo Clinic staff

Eat more fiber. You've probably heard it before. But do you know why fiber is so good for your health?

Dietary fiber — found mainly in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes — is probably best known for its ability to prevent or relieve constipation. But fiber can provide other health benefits as well, such as lowering your risk of diabetes and heart disease.

If you need to add more fiber to your diet, don't worry. Increasing the amount you eat each day isn't difficult. Find out how much dietary fiber you need and ways to include more high-fiber foods into your daily meals and snacks.

What is dietary fiber?

Dietary fiber, also known as roughage or bulk, includes all parts of plant foods that your body can't digest or absorb. Unlike other food components such as fats, proteins or carbohydrates — which your body breaks down and absorbs — fiber isn't digested by your body. Therefore, it passes virtually unchanged through your stomach and small intestine and into your colon.

Fiber is often classified into two categories: those that don't dissolve in water (insoluble fiber) and those that do (soluble fiber).

* Insoluble fiber. This type of fiber promotes the movement of material through your digestive system and increases stool bulk, so it can be of benefit to those who struggle with constipation or irregular stools. Whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts and many vegetables are good sources of insoluble fiber.
* Soluble fiber. This type of fiber dissolves in water to form a gel-like material. It can help lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. You can find generous quantities of soluble fiber in oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, barley and psyllium.

The amount of each type of fiber varies in different plant foods. To receive the greatest health benefit, eat a wide variety of high-fiber foods.

Benefits of a high-fiber diet

A high-fiber diet has many benefits, which include:

* Prevents constipation. Dietary fiber increases the weight and size of your stool and softens it. A bulky stool is easier to pass, decreasing your chance of constipation. If you have loose, watery stools, fiber may also help to solidify the stool because it absorbs water and adds bulk to stool.
* Lowers your risk of digestive conditions. A high-fiber diet may lower your risk of specific disorders, such as hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome and the development of small pouches in your colon (diverticular disease).
* Lowers blood cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber found in beans, oats, flaxseed and oat bran may help lower total blood cholesterol levels by lowering low-density lipoprotein, or "bad," cholesterol levels.
* Controls blood sugar levels. Fiber, particularly soluble fiber, can slow the absorption of sugar, which for people with diabetes, can help improve blood sugar levels. A high-fiber diet may also reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
* Aids in weight loss. High-fiber foods generally require more chewing time, which gives your body time to register when you're no longer hungry, so you're less likely to overeat. Also, a high-fiber diet tends to make a meal feel larger and linger longer, so you stay full for a greater amount of time. And high-fiber diets also tend to be less "energy dense," which means they have fewer calories for the same volume of food.
* Uncertain effect on colorectal cancer. Evidence that dietary fiber reduces colorectal cancer is mixed — some studies show benefit, some show nothing and even some show greater risk. If you're concerned about preventing colorectal cancer, adopt or stick with a colon cancer screening regimen. Regular testing for and removal of colon polyps can prevent colon cancer.

How much fiber do you need?

How much fiber do you need each day? The National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine, which provides science-based advice on matters of medicine and health, gives the following daily recommendations for adults:




Age 50 and younger


Age 51 and older

Men


38 grams


30 grams

Women


25 grams


21 grams

Your best fiber choices

If you aren't getting enough fiber each day, you may need to boost your intake. Good choices include:

* Grains and whole-grain products
* Fruits
* Vegetables
* Beans, peas and other legumes
* Nuts and seeds

Refined or processed foods — such as fruit juice, white bread and pasta, and non-whole-grain cereals — are lower in fiber content. The grain-refining process removes the outer coat (bran) from the grain, which lowers its fiber content. Similarly, removing the skin from fruits and vegetables decreases their fiber content.

So what foods are your best bets? This list shows the amount of dietary fiber in several types of foods.

Food item


Fiber content in grams*

Split peas, cooked, 1 cup


16.3

Red kidney beans, boiled, 1 cup


13.1

Raspberries, raw, 1 cup


8.0

Whole-wheat spaghetti, 1 cup


6.3

Oat bran muffin, medium


5.2

Pear, medium with skin


5.1

Broccoli, boiled, 1 cup


5.1

Apple, medium with skin


4.4

Oatmeal, quick, regular or instant, cooked, 1 cup


4.0

Green beans, cooked, 1 cup


4.0

Brown rice, cooked, 1 cup


3.5

Popcorn, air-popped, 2 cups


2.3

Whole-wheat bread, one slice


1.9

*Fiber content can vary between brands.
Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, 2007

Whole foods rather than fiber supplements are generally better. Fiber supplements — such as Metamucil, Citrucel and FiberCon — don't provide the vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients that high-fiber foods do. However, some people may still need a fiber supplement if dietary changes aren't sufficient, or if they have certain medical conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome. Check with your doctor if you feel you need to take fiber supplements.

Tips for fitting in fiber

Need ideas for high-fiber meals and snacks? Try these suggestions:

* Start your day with a high-fiber breakfast cereal — 5 or more grams of fiber per serving. Opt for cereals with "bran" or "fiber" in the name. Or add a few tablespoons of unprocessed wheat bran to your favorite cereal.
* Add crushed bran cereal or unprocessed wheat bran to baked products such as meatloaf, breads, muffins, casseroles, cakes and cookies. You can also use bran products as a crunchy topping for casseroles, salads or cooked vegetables.
* Switch to whole-grain breads. These breads list whole wheat, whole-wheat flour or another whole grain as the first ingredient on the label. Look for a brand with at least 2 grams of dietary fiber per serving.
* Substitute whole-grain flour for half or all of the white flour when baking bread. Whole-grain flour is heavier than white flour. In yeast breads, use a bit more yeast or let the dough rise longer. When using baking powder, increase it by 1 teaspoon for every 3 cups of whole-grain flour.
* Eat more whole grains and whole-grain products. Experiment with brown rice, barley, whole-wheat pasta and bulgur.
* Take advantage of ready-to-use vegetables. Mix chopped frozen broccoli into prepared spaghetti sauce. Snack on baby carrots.
* Eat more beans, peas and lentils. Add kidney beans to canned soup or a green salad. Or make nachos with refried black beans, baked tortilla chips and salsa.
* Eat fruit at every meal. Apples, bananas, oranges, pears and berries are good sources of fiber.
* Make snacks count. Fresh and dried fruit, raw vegetables, and low-fat popcorn and whole-grain crackers are all good choices.

High-fiber foods are good for your health. But adding too much fiber too quickly can cause intestinal gas, abdominal bloating and cramping. Increase fiber in your diet gradually over a period of a few weeks. This allows the natural bacteria in your digestive system to adjust to the change. Also, drink plenty of water. Fiber works best when it absorbs water, making your stool soft and bulky. Without the added water, you could become constipated.

End

Take one more look at Today’s quote. Something told me that this was the right quote for today. I hope it makes a difference for you.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

BurbMom.Net- Connect with Mom's in Argyle

I wanted to share a neat website / blog that I found for moms in Argyle and the surrounding area’s. Regardless of the age of your child, there is something for everyone. They post local events, real stories that hit home, add a sense of humor and it’s a great way to connect with like minded moms. They have asked me to feature one of our boot campers to follow along with their story for about 4 weeks. They want the good, the bad and the ugly. The don’t’ want to hear how perfect camp is (ha ha), they want to know what lifestyle change is really about.



If anyone is interested in volunteering, I would love to feature you. If not, I’ll be picking someone!!! The website is www.BurbMom.net. Please check it out. One of the articles I noticed was where to find the best donut in the area – in case anyone is interested. It’s basically a mom’s guide to her suburb from dining to parks, hair stylists to concerts.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Avoid the Beauty Bullies - Building Women's Self Esteem

Today’s Re-Powering Information: - Wow I really learned a few things from today’s article. I was intrigued by this one since it’s the first day of school and for many young girls (and of course boys) the peer pressure begins again. I didn’t realize the pressure to be beautiful was starting as early as kindergarten and continuing into the corporate workplace. I’m not saying looks are not important, but I suppose for me that being healthy was always paramount. I think every woman should wake up and make an effort to look her best for her own self confidence and esteem, but not to please anyone in her peer group. I don’t believe extreme measures should be taken to look beautiful, but instead to look within and look for your natural features beyond what Vogue says is the ideal skin tone, eye shape or hair color.

Wearing the latest jeans or jewelry has never been important to me. I know women obsessed by it. I just don’t believe its healthy and it sets the tone for our young girls (and boys) about their bodies. We are their greatest teachers and if we don’t have a positive image about ourselves you can bet theirs will only be further diminished with today’s media and peer pressure.

I’m suggesting we stick together, support and lift each other up, eliminate the criticism, do our best to look our natural best so that we feel good about ourselves and give those around us a positive boost. Nothing good comes of criticizing anyone. My grandmother lived with us growing up and she was very critical. I could remember dreading going down stairs b/c I would wonder what thing she was not going to like. Would it be my socks or the way I had my hair? Thankfully I don’t think there are any long term scars, but I am sure we can all share similar stories of personal criticism that was unnecessary and unproductive.

Read on to see the details of particularly how women can be cruel to each other and how women go to great lengths to have just the right look to avoid being bullies by beauties!

Women Dying To Be Beautiful?
If researchers are right, it may be more than mere coincidence that beauty and pain are so frequently intertwined in pop culture.
Indeed, a new report released this week from the YWCA contends that American women are obsessed with the pursuit of perfection – and paying for it in painful ways we may not even realize.

“What’s really new here is the sheer extent to which women and girls are willing to go – literally causing physical harm – to be ‘beautiful’ according to the standards perpetuated by a youth-obsessed media culture with literally thousands of messages 24 hours a day,” said YWCA USA CEO Dr. Lorraine Cole.

Titled “The Beauty Report” the data is gleaned from studies conducted over the last several years by a variety of researchers. But Cole says the common thread that runs through them all is the clear evidence of womens obsession with the pursuit of beauty – as well as the pursuit of an idealized body image most of us will never obtain. And she says, doing so produces a life-long burden that eventually takes a physical and emotional toll on our mental and physical health.

Among the numbers in the report with the most impact:
 80% of women say they are very unhappy with the way they look.
 67% of women aged 25 to 45 are trying to lose weight – even though 53% of them were considered to be a “healthy” weight.
 While 40% of newly diagnosed cases of eating disorders – like anorexia or bulimia – are found in girls between the ages of 15 and 19, symptoms of the disorder are now showing up as early as kindergarten.
 American women spend almost $7 billion dollars a year on products used in the pursuit of beauty. Over a 5 year period that translates into 1 year of college tuition. Invest just half of that sum into a savings account for 10 years and end up with nearly $10,000.

But perhaps the most telling aspect of this report had less to do with our individual pursuit of beauty - or the dollars we spend pursuing it- and more to do with how that pursuit is so deeply intertwined with peer acceptance.
I’m talking about what I like to call the “beauty bullies “ – you know who they are, that clique of cute-girls who pick on less-cute-girls because of how they look. According to the report this behavior not only influences our relentless pursuit of beauty, it has seen an alarmingly steady rise since the 1990s.

What’s even more interesting – at least from the 40 something gals point of view - is that this behavior doesn’t seem to end at the Senior Prom. Often these “beauty bullies” carry their peer pressure tactics right onto the college campus, into the sorority house and eventually, down the hallowed halls of some of America’s biggest corporations.

How bad is it? According to the report “lookism” - a term coined to describe prejudice based on appearance - is an increasingly prevalent equal opportunity employment issue. In one analysis researchers found that those who were considered less attractive actually earned 9% less than those who were considered good looking.
Many believe it is the same “beauty bullies” we met in junior high school that are now driving the “lookism” movement against other women in the business world.
The Pursuit of Beauty: Can It Ever Be Healthy?

While the report served to raise some important issues, in my opinion it also overlooked a few.

Indeed, it failed to address the idea that at least part of the increased interest in beauty products and cosmetic treatments has to do with the fact that they are simply more available - both in terms of convenience and affordability.
While our mothers and grandmothers were hard pressed to find anything more than a jar of Ponds Cold Cream to soothe their furrowed brows, today, the selection of treatments – as well as what they can accomplish and their relative affordability - places the pursuit of self improvement in tantalizingly close reach.
In this respect the report may have been a little harsh on those who are able to simply take advantage of what the beauty and medical industry has to offer - - which can be done safely, and without obsession.

That said, the real issue that seems to be at stake here is not so much the fact that women are in hot pursuit of the perfect face or body, but rather the feeling that they have no choice in the matter.

Be it acceptance among their peers, in the workplace, or in the high stakes world of love and romance, once a woman is made to believe that being herself is no longer good enough, she is in marked danger of crossing that nearly invisible line that separates healthy self improvement from dangerous beauty obsession.
Left untended, those feelings of self doubt can cripple us with depression, anxiety, phobias - and at it’s worst lead us deep into addictions, domestic violence, and self hatred so strong it can eventually kill us.

So I guess the real importance in the Beauty Report is not so much to tell us that we shouldn’t yearn for that fabulous new red Dior lipstick or covet those wrinkle relieving Botox injections - or do what we can to get them. The key, it seems is not to feel any less about ourselves if those yearnings are never realized. We really are okay just the way we are.

One final point to consider: It’s not just a matter of being less hard on ourselves - as women, we also have an obligation to stop being so hard on each other.

Originally Posted by Colette Bouchez at Red Dress Diary http://www.reddressdiary.com/
End

Boy, we do cover all topics here don’t’ we ???
Have a great day and Pay if Forward!!!

Kelli Calabrese
www.KelliCalabrese.com
www.ArgyleBootCamp.com