Liz the Chef

Summer provides us with a bounty of wonderful fruit,  perfect for cobblers, crisps, and just plain eating out of hand. this recipe from Elizabeth Perhac Schmitt, also known on her blog as, Liz the Chef, takes some of that fruit and incorporates it into a colorful, inventive salsa. Serve it alongside Grilled Halibut and you have yourself a terrific low-fat, healthy meal that celebrates the season in a delicious way.

Grilled Halibut with Fresh Blueberry Salsa

Author: Liz the Chef

Prep time:  25 mins

Cook time:  10 mins

Serves: 2

I have tried acupuncture,  over the counter orthotics to support my arch, and heel wedges from CVS to create lift in my sneaker.  I have tried to increase blood flow to my heel to ease the constant ache — massaging my foot shamelessly on airplanes and in restaurants. I carry a golf ball in my purse which I place under my foot under the dinner table and at the movies. I roll the ball under the arch and press onto the heel just like I was told to do by every single friend who has suffered from this relentless foot pain. I even sleep in special knee socks with velcro straps that look medieval. Nothing is working. I have been told to be patient — I’m trying.

At the end of March (almost eight weeks ago) I even stopped my ritualistic running.  I’d been running 25-30 miles per week for years — not any more. Pounding down the West Side Highway back in March on cold concrete finished off my foot and as I crossed the finish line at the NY Half Marathon I knew something had to change. So, I rested my foot–but, come on — it’s… been… eight… weeks–ENUF!

Turns out I have the symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis and I’m not alone.  Turns out the numbers who suffer from this misery are not insignificant:

2,000,000 Americans are affected by plantar fasciitis each year.

85% of the cases of plantar fasciitis cases have unknown causes.

40-60 year olds are most affected. 

If you can relate to the following scenario and no longer suffer from the pain – I want to know how you fixed your problem.  Here’s my daily drill: I start my morning wincing and muttering, “OUCH.”  As I drop my feet to the floor and start to stand, it feels like my heel is crushing shards of glass. The arch of my foot tightens and I limp to the bathroom praying the pain will subside. It does. The pain lessens as I start to walk around a bit.  Within 30 minutes or so after taking my first step of the day—my pain eases but is by no means gone.

It’s become virtually impossible to ignore the screaming that is going on in my left foot. It’s Groundhog Day every morning as my heel fires when it hits the floor and the “shards of glass” underfoot make me buckle and fall back to the bed.

I finally gave in to trying to fix this problem on my own and went to a Podiatrist. I know, I know–don’t lecture me–but at least I went.  He fixed me up with a temporary orthotic and told me that nothing would improve until I stopped walking on it. Really? He urged me to do my best.  This seemed impossible. What was not impossible was his suggestion to wear heels. Wow, now this sounded like fun! At almost 5 foot 8, I rarely wear heels. Shoe shopping was to be my prescription drug. I was down with that. I am now embracing my 5 fo0t 10.

Just the other day, I was walking in my neighborhood in my orthotic supported running shoes (a short dog walk with friends) and I ran into another “PF” sufferer.  She told me I would never get better unless I bought 5-fingered Vibram shoes –  totally flat with no arch support. She suffered for over a year and had only cured herself when she went the “unsupported” route.

I want to believe that science has come far enough to have a remedy for my pain–but alas–it’s trial and error. And as I seek out the best therapy for my foot–I’m sticking with the golf balls, heels and modified walks…and even my kinky knee socks at night–unless you’ve got a better idea. I urge you to  please post your winning therapy and remedy below — there are about two million of us who could use a communal cure.

Everyone seems to be talking about this scientific 7-minute workout, but I don’t know anyone who actually believes it- at least enough to substitute it for their regular workout.  They are talking about it at the gym as they finish their 55-minute pilates, tabata and strength and tone classes, and they are talking about it breathless as they do their interval sprints on the treadmills.

Of course they are talking about it.  The idea of a 7-minute workout is intriguing (almost as intriguing as a diet where you can eat as much as you want!)  And the fact that the New York Time’s article The 7-Minute Scientific Workout took less than a minute to read- gave it even more legitimacy.  These people are time sensitive….. would they lead us astray?    I am a big believer that just about everything in life is way too long, and if I could get my daily dose of exercise completed in 7-minutes, well, I’d be down with that.

According to the scientists at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario (right, I never heard of it either-but it turns out it is Ranked 48th in the world for scientific papers in clinical medicine) the 7-minute workout is the equivalent of a.) several hours of bike riding or running and b.) weight training.    Now what, tell me what, could be better than that?

So I gave it the old college try.  My first 7-minute at home workout turned out to be a 17 minute workout, if you count the minutes it took to change into my work out clothes, double knot my sneakers (there is no time in this work out to your tie shoes), run up and down the stairs to find an elastic for my hair (extra cardio there), go to the bathroom, fill up my water bottle, find and move a suitable chair to climb on, and locate a wall from which I could see a clock with a second hand (that was not easy).

I did exactly as was suggested:  30 seconds of each exercise- with a 10 second break in between.  The “breaks” turned out to be barely enough time to digest what exercise was up next.  Some were easy for me (jumping jacks).  Some were more difficult (30 seconds of pushups- the “manly” kind- with rotations.) When I finished, I was huffing and puffing and had a sweat going.  Still, it was only 7-minutes.  I’m used to an hour of huffing and puffing with a sweat going.  I know the 7-minute workout is interval training, but it’s not like interval training is new in the fitness world.   When I finished I felt as if I should take a little break– and then do it twice more.  Who ever heard of doing a circuit once?

The routine left me thinking that the 7-minute workout is for those who already know their way around a proper tricep dip, but are utterly and completely stretched for time.  Better a 7-minute workout than no workout at all, right?  And it made me wonder why there was no warning for those not already in shape.  Clearly, if you are new to exercise, don’t try 30 seconds of manly pushups on your tiled kitchen floor – there is no time in this regime for wiping up the blood when you collapse on your face.  And unless you already know how to do a proper squat, plank and push up, you might be wasting those precious minutes.

As much as I would like to believe that I could keep fit in 7-minutes a day, I can’t help thinking of the “Non-Fat Frozen Yogurt” Seinfeld episode.  Some things in life are just too good to be true.   So, for now, I won’t be giving up my routine.  I’m gonna put on those running shoes and suck in that pollen-filled air.   I’m hoping one of my already fit readers will take one for the team, and substitute the 7-minute scientific workout for their usual routine and report back.  Please, let us know how it works out for you.

And if you gain a little weight and get a bit flabby from the 7-minute scientific workout?  Blame Canada.

Ronna is not taking any chances- she just signed up for membership at the Equinox in her home town which will be opening in November, 2013.  If you are interested in the Equinox Experience, contact Daniel Smith at daniel.smith@equinox.com

Looking for more articles by Ronna about exercise for women over 50?  You can read about Ronna’s first sprint Triathlon experience here.

Communicating with your partner can be viewed as a form of foreplay. The key is to tell him or her what you want and give him guidance as to how you want to be satisfied. Even if you’ve been married for 30 years, there are no guarantees that he’s able to read your mind.  One of the biggest mistakes I’ve made as a woman is assuming that my partner knew how to please me, how to pick the perfect Christmas present, and what movie I wanted to watch on our anniversary. (It definitely was not Heartbreak Ridge)

It took me quite a few years, a little therapy and a divorce to realize that I could talk about what I wanted in life, in a relationship, and in the bedroom. They all require me to communicate my wishes!

What Do You Want from A Sex Partner?

Have you ever thought about what you want in a sexual relationship? We often know what we want; we’re just afraid or unwilling to ask.  We’re afraid we’ll look demanding or we worry that our husband, boyfriend or lover will interpret our wishes to mean we’re dissatisfied with him or her.

I think most men would be thrilled to hear a woman talk about what turns her on.  It lets them know you’re thinking about sex and that you want to make the experience better for the both of you.

So, let’s make a list. Then the next time a man—your husband or new boyfriend, asks you if you’d like to try something new in bed or wants to know what turns you on you’ll be able to give him an answer!

You can do this on your own then share it, or the two of you can do it together. If you decide to do this as a joint exercise, do not do it right before you jump into bed. Find a more neutral time where you can share your lists with each other and discuss them without any immediate pressure to perform. Pour some drinks, dim the lights and sit down on the sofa for a nice chat. I’m betting you’ll end up in the bedroom once you’ve communicated your desires to each other.

I would suggest a few ground rules:

• Never start a sentence with, “You don’t …”
• Preface statements with a gentle opener like, ‘It would be fun to try….” Or “I’ve always wondered what it would be like to…”
• No comparisons to former (better) lovers or husbands!
• Be prepared for defensiveness and try not to react negatively
• Start off with a promise to listen and respect each other’s wishes.
• Be prepared, think about what you’ll say if he suggests something you’re not interested in!

The goal of this exercise is to open up communication between you and a partner. It’s about feeling safe and free enough to talk about things that will enrich your sex life. This is the place where you can say, “ I love the way you _____________ but I sometimes need a little more kissing or a little more ______________ .”  You’re saying it from a place of love and desire—with the intention to bring pleasure to both of you.

I’ve filled out the list with a few ideas to get you started, though I’m guessing you know exactly what you want to say! 

The goal of this exercise is two-part.

1. The first step to a more satisfying sexual relationship with your partner is to your willingness to express your needs and listen to his.

2. You need to think about what works now in your relationship, what you’d like to see change and what you really desire. What kinds of things would please you romantically and sexually? Ask for them.

When couples hold back on speaking out about their wants and needs in a relationship things stagnate. Many over 50 couples are exploring their sexual relationships in the post-children, post-menopause, retirement years. It’s a time of many life changes for women and men. Our sexual needs can get pushed aside when dealing with these changes. You can have some of the best sex of your life—if you’re willing to communicate what you want from each other.

I hope you’ll report back in the next few days and weeks about how you communicate with your sexual partner.

Next week—Books to Get You in The Mood

When my divorced friends began dating (a few years before I was ready to date), I noticed that they were making some big mistakes. Their online profiles were vague. Their photos were not doing them justice. They were over-interpreting men’s emails and choosing men who treated them poorly.

I knew they could have more success if they were proactive, did the inner work and tweaked their dating skills. I rewrote their profile essays to reflect more of their essence. I had them upload new photos that brought out their true beauty. I became a behind-the-scenes Cyrano de Bergerac as I advised them on what to write in their emails and what to say on a phone call to move the relationship forward.

The Man Whisperer

When my friend called me the ‘Man Whisperer’ for my ability to understand men, I realized that I had found my true calling as a dating coach.

The Naked Truth About Dating After 50

I’m excited to be the new dating expert here at BA50. I’ll be writing a regular column called The Naked Truth About Dating After 50. I’ll provide tips and tools for dating in midlife, but most importantly, I’m here to answer your dating and relationship questions. What do you want me to write about? Please send your dating questions to sandy@lastfirstdate.com.

Look for my first article this Thursday- it will give you something to think about over Memorial Day weekend…Are Men Sexier After Fifty?

But judging from the few times I’ve whispered the subject to a close friend, many of them have a distressing and misunderstood condition called dyspareunia—which means they have pain before, during, or after sexual intercourse. It can range from mild to excruciating, like someone’s sliding a knife inside you. Dyspareunia can make you dread intimacy and feel embarrassed, anxious, alone, and inadequate as a partner. And it can affect your overall quality of life.

Women of any age can find that sex hurts, but roughly one-third of women who’ve reached menopause do. (Accurate numbers are tough to come by because so many suffer in silence.). Estrogen loss is a major culprit in our demographic group. Whether it happens naturally with age or suddenly from surgery or another medical treatment, decreased estrogen can make vaginal tissue become thinner and less elastic. Vaginal atrophy, as it is called, can be felt as dryness, burning, itching, irritation, and pain.

Dyspareunia has other causes, too. These include vestibulodynia (a chronic pain syndrome affecting the nerve-rich area around the vaginal opening), skin diseases in the genital area, assorted medical conditions such as cystitis or endometriosis, injury from childbirth, and emotional factors such as stress or depression. Vaginismus, another cause, is a condition in which a woman’s vaginal muscles clench up during any attempted penetration, even a routine pelvic exam. A male partner may have his own sexual issues that prolong intercourse and increase vaginal friction and discomfort.

Often, many things are at work.

Unfortunately, an estimated 40 percent of women with sexual pain don’t seek medical care, and some have trouble finding a clinician equipped to help them. Some women spend years searching for a diagnosis and treatment.

The good news—as I discovered when researching a story for a health newsletter—is that dyspareunia treatments are out there. Depending on the cause, they can include medications such as low-dose vaginal estrogen (in cream, ring, or tablet form), vaginal lubricants and moisturizers (there are many brands, so shop around), extended foreplay, relationship counseling, vulvar care like regular rinsing, and pelvic floor physical therapy.

Pelvic floor physical therapy?! I was fascinated and went to see Raquel Perlis, a registered PT in Wellesley, Mass., who specializes in treating sexual pain with physical therapy techniques to address tender, tight, or weakened vaginal and pelvic floor muscles and tissue.

“How are you? And how’s your vagina?” Perlis might ask to break the ice with a patient.

After discussing her patient’s sexual and health history, she typically begins a multi-week treatment that uses massage and gentle pressure—including inside the vagina—to relax and stretch the pelvic floor and encourage blood flow. She teaches muscle-control exercises and then monitors the woman’s progress on a computerized biofeedback machine.

For homework, Perlis encourages her patients to try vibrators and vaginal dilators—rubber penis-look-a-likes that help you get more comfortable with penetration. It takes time and practice to learn new habits, and there’s no guarantee of cure. But Perlis says she gets excellent results and stresses the positive.

“Hope is always in our vocabulary,” she comments. “This therapy is a journey that will help improve your sense of well-being and self-esteem. It will give you strength to move forward and find the power to heal and reclaim your sexuality.”

Pelvic floor PT is a relatively new field, and finding a specialist may not be easy. Perlis sees 40-50 patients a week and has a waiting list. One woman, she recalls, was so desperate for relief that she flew from Alaska to Boston to see Perlis—and then stayed in the area for three months for care.

Not everyone has to go to such extremes, of course. For dyspareunia sufferers, it’s comforting to know there are options for putting the pleasure back into your sex life.

For more on painful sex and pelvic floor physical therapy:

When Sex Hurts: A Woman’s Guide to Banishing Sexual Pain, by Andrew Goldstein, MD, Caroline Pukall, PhD, and Irwin Goldstein, MD (2011)

 The V Book: A Doctor’s Guide to Complete Vulvovaginal Health, by Elizabeth G. Stewart, MD, and Paula Spencer (2002)

Institute for Sexual Medicine at http://sexualmed.org/

National Vulvodynia Association (Vulvodynia is chronic, unexplained vulvar pain)

Vulvodynia Matters

American Physical Therapy Association to locate a physical therapist near you

Debra Bradley Ruder is a Boston-based freelance writer specializing in health care and education.

The good news is there is a vaccine. The bad news is that it is an expensive mixture and most insurance companies will not cover the expense until you are 60 years old! Of course this doesn’t make any sense and there is talk that the age will be lowered to age 50 in the future.

I turned 60 this year and tops on my list was to get my Shingles vaccine. One shot and it is good for life. I have health insurance so it really seemed like a no brainer. Right after my birthday I had a bad cold. Remnant of the cold I had a cold sore. I waited for these to clear before getting my shot. While I waited, my husband, who also turned 60, waltzed into his Doctor’s office and they gave him his shot without an appointment or copay!

My doctor is in a small clinic and I called to make sure they stock the vaccine. No, they did not. I stopped at my husband’s doctor’s office, a multi-location practice and was turned away because I was not their patient. I called my insurance company and was told to go to a Rite Aid or Walgreens for the inoculation.

I spent 27 years in pharmaceutical sales. I called on doctors and at times pharmacists. Don’t get me wrong I love pharmacists, they are smart but are they trained to give me a shot? How many do they give in a day or a year? Pharmacists, do they really want to touch people’s skin like other health clinicians? I called my insurance company again and was told another option, the Safeway store. A grocery store? No, I did not want to get an inoculation while I grocery shopped!

Am I making a huge issue out of nothing? Perhaps. I called my doctor again. She thought if she sent a prescription for the Shingle vaccine to a Rite Aid store close to her office I could pick it up and bring it to her office and some one could give it to me. By this point I was ready to inject myself!

With the sound track from Mission Impossible going through my head, I called the planned Rite Aid store to make sure all was set for ‘Plan Shingles Vaccine’ only to be told they would not release the vials to me. Why not just come in and their pharmacist would inoculate me was their suggestion since they had my prescription ready?

I surrendered. I reluctantly walked into said Rite Aid store and waited 45 minutes until my name was called. A young man directed me to a little room. Although I was assured he was a pharmacist because I saw his diploma on the wall, he looked 14. He must have sensed my reluctance, or was it the tension in my arm or my question if he learned how to give shots in Pharmacy College? He told me he had never given an inoculation before and smiled broadly when I looked at him and plunged the needle into my arm!

I got my Shingles Vaccine. How about you?

He, of course, found nothing to concern him, and suggested I see an ear, nose and throat specialist. After waiting several weeks for an appointment, by which time my pain was considerably more severe, the exam went smoothly, and the doctor could find no problem. His solution was to prescribe Vioxx, a pain medication that was subsequently taken off the market because of its propensity to cause heart attacks and strokes. Good thing I declined to take it. I really wanted to know why my face hurt so much, not just to have an Rx to mask the pain.

At about that time a friend of mine told me about getting complete relief from her debilitating migraines with acupuncture. Her story of so many doctors failing to help her sounded so much like mine that I decided to give it a try.

I visited her acupuncturist, thinking I was going in for a consult. In no time at all, I was lying on a table with numerous fine needles in my face,  a couple in one ankle, and one in the top of my head. Pain gone. Just like that– I couldn’t believe it. I lay there for about a half hour, during which he came back into the room and checked on me once, turning the needles gently. When I was done, he told me to come back in 3-4 days, and twice the following week. At the end of that time, I was completely pain-free. I felt like I had a new lease on life.

I asked the practitioner about the pain, and he described it as an inflammation of a facial nerve. He asked me if it was more severe if I felt a cool breeze on my face. I assured him that it did. Problem solved, and without drugs!

Now, with this in mind, you might ask yourself why, when I developed crippling hip pain (later diagnosed as bursitis) last year, I did not think of going to an acupuncturist. Trust me, I ask myself that all the time. Still, since I didn’t know what was wrong, I started out with an orthopedic surgeon. Upon diagnosis, they sent me for physical therapy, which I went to faithfully for six weeks, including ultrasound treatments. When I was still not better, and the pain was waking me up every single night, I returned to the orthopod for a cortisone injection. That, I was told, was the silver bullet that would make all the pain go away. Nope. Nada.

Suddenly I had a vision of the acupuncturist, and the pain relief I had experienced in the past. After my first appointment, I slept pain-free all night for nine nights. Two days later I returned for another treatment, and again had tremendous relief. My journey with bursitis is not over, but I must say that in these two cases, conventional medicine had their chances (multiple times) to heal me, and failed. I always get relief from acupuncture, even if I am not completely cured. I am a believer in integrating alternative and Chinese medicine in our arsenal of care.

My husband was the ultimate skeptic about acupuncture. His primary complaint is that he doesn’t understand how it works. Well, I don’t understand to this day how we get TV or sound recordings, but I acknowledge that they exist. The hub has seen my results, and I recently overheard him recommend it to a friend for relief of chronic pain. Maybe 5000 years of Chinese medicine knows something we don’t know. I’m okay with that. And I have a whole new respect for a well-placed needle.

Maybe it was thirteen years earlier, during the celebration of my 40th birthday, when I sipped my margarita and realized my life may have just surpassed the halfway mark. I’d been skating a race which no longer held my interest. I’d still cross the finish line, but was it my best shot? Would there be any regrets?

For several years, I tried new things. The age of 50 barreled toward me like a runaway train and my life hadn’t budged. Then an adult education writing class showed me the career of my dreams. More scared than I’d ever been, I tossed the notion of “sensible” jobs right out the window along with my mommy jeans, put on a pair of sweatpants and started a writing career.

I devoured everything I could find on the topic and wrote nearly every single day with – what some might deem – an unhealthy obsession. My eyes were opened to an obvious fact: a writer has always been inside of me. I’d just never taken the time to grab a pen and paper. I learned everything I could from others and began to have some small successes with a few published essays. At this rate, I’d have a flourishing new career by the time my kids left the nest.

I decided to write a novel. Not just any novel. A story that spoke to women my age. Women who believe that romance doesn’t die when you pass the age of forty-five. Who understand about the plight of being middle-aged. Who want to read about mature characters that learn from what life hands them. The theme would be about second chances.

Wasn’t I getting a second chance?

I announced my goal and plowed full steam ahead, despite warnings this was a journey with odds stacked against me. My inner “Polly Positive” stuck by my side, day in and day out while I wrote and revised, revised and revised. Negative contest news made me work harder. Rejections from agents gave me momentary pause, but I’d revise and submit some more.

Years passed and eventually I won a contest then landed an agent. I high-fived “Polly,” certain that my positive attitude helped. I waited for my agent’s call that a publisher wanted me. And waited. And waited.

The phone didn’t ring.

Meanwhile, one of my daughters left the nest. Within five months, the second one left. I pounded the keyboard working on another book, but with each passing day even my enthusiasm shrunk and the loneliness of a writer’s life began to take its toll. “Polly” began to lose faith in me.

I sunk to an all time low. Sure, I wrote. But the 12-hour days waiting for my husband’s return home were getting depressing, made worse because my career hadn’t landed where I had wanted. One afternoon, my daughter called about something new and exciting in her life. After we talked, I hung up and cried. My life was stagnant, my goals foolish. Why did I think I could pull off this new career? The time had come to look for an office job.

“Polly” simply shook her head at me and headed out the front door with nary a glance back at me. I leashed up the dogs to go for a walk, with plans to come back and begin to comb through the “Help Wanted” ads in the paper.

As I zipped my coat, the phone rang. The caller ID showed my agent’s name so I answered.

“Sharon?” My agent’s voice carried an excited edge. “There’s a publisher who wants your book.”

In the overall scheme of lightning-bolt miracles, I almost couldn’t believe that call came at that moment. I pinched myself, wiped away the last of my tears and am proud to say my career is now exactly where I dreamed.

I guess even the most positive amongst us can have a slight loss of faith. In hindsight, I believe everything that happened to me did so because of long-term resolve and some good old fashioned hard work. By the way, “Polly” returned while I was on the phone with my agent. Seems she’d just gone out to get the mail.

***

Sharon Struth’s novel, The Hourglass, is a story that will resonate for women over fifty. The book shows how sometimes–in the thick of mid-life–our world can take an unexpected sharp turn.  The take-away lesson is that no matter what our circumstances are or our age, we can always start over.

A blurb from The Hourglass:

Can forgiveness survive lies and unspoken truths?

Until Brenda McAllister’s husband committed suicide, she appeared to have the ideal life: a thriving psychology practice, success as a self-help author, and a model family. But her guilt over her affair with Jack’s best friend prevents her from moving on. Did Jack learn of her infidelity? Was she the cause of his death?

The release of Brenda’s second book forces her into an unexpected assignment with arrogant celebrity author CJ Morrison, whose irritating and edgy exterior hides the torment of his own mistakes. But as she grows closer to CJ, Brenda learns she wasn’t the only one with secrets—Jack had secrets of his own, unsavory ones that may have led to his death. While CJ helps Brenda uncover the truth about her husband, she finds the path to forgiveness isn’t always on the map.

To See the Book Trailer, click here

For an excerpt, book club questions or to contact the author, click here 

Buy the E-book at:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Kobo

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Migraines. UGH—only those who suffer from them can understand the incapacitating and severe pain of a migraine. I’ve suffered from this pain my entire life, and before seeking professional help – between migraines! – I would spend hours researching alternative treatments. Everything online kept pointing to pills, medications, or so-called natural vitamins and remedies.

But, I wanted a truly natural remedy, or at least a game plan, to relieve my pain.  As part of a study at the BI Deaconess, my doctor suggested a well-balanced vegetarian diet to help with the severity of the migraines. This was initially meant to eliminate known triggers like red meat, certain cheeses and mercury dense fish.  Within months, my pain had noticeably lessened, I had more energy, and I was in better shape — I just felt better. Then, I decided to go a step further and become a vegan. Leading a Vegan lifestyle is a commitment, but having noticed a significant reduction in the frequency and severity of my headaches, it’s a commitment I’m willing to, well, commit to.

I descended slowly into the world of vegan culture and healthy eating. Veganism can be rather cultish in it’s approach, but treading slowly and thoughtfully, I read articles, checked out food blogs, and watched films all about alternative food choices. After watching Food Inc., a documentary that scrutinizes the corporate farming industry while promoting a healthier lifestyle, I began to understand that what I put ON my body was as important as what I put IN my body.

As I surveyed the daily cosmetics products I was using, I noticed that the mass-produced skincare products that I picked up from Bloomingdales and Sephora did not quite fit in with my new healthy lifestyle. I figured, if I felt this good from putting vegan food and products into my body, how good would I feel if I put vegan products on my body?  That’s when a new search initiative went underway and I began seeking alternative, vegan skin care products that would help my skin looks as good as my newly liberated head felt. I was introduced to Dr. Scheller USA natural and effective Vegan skin care line, and ordered a few samples to try.

Registered with the Vegan Society, Dr. Scheller’s products prioritize flawless skin, sustainability, and no animal testing or ingredients. As someone with sensitive (and also aging) skin, I am always aware about the right kind of skin products to use to keep one step ahead of the wrinkle and crepe train.. Dr. Scheller’s products are great for all skin types, and the line actually specializes in sensitive skin. I started with the Argan Oils that Dr. Scheller offers.  These rich oils nourish the skin, leave no slimy residue, and give you a glow that mimics the youthful abundance of a luscious 20 year old basking in the Mediterranean sun.

When I was getting a facial a few weeks after commencing my Argan Oil regime and was complimented on the texture of my skin by the esthetician, I knew I was on to something. Shortly thereafter I branched out to the new Pomegranate Cleansing products, and I’ve already seen a change in the clarity of my skin. The subtle dark spots which I like to think of as freckles are not as visible, and I swear that my pores are smaller. The Pomegranate Gel Wash and Facial Lotion are both gentle cleansers that effectively remove excess oils and dirt, leave my face incredibly smooth, and give me the health benefits I wanted (attributed to the fact that not only are the products vegan, but no silicons, no mineral oils, and no synthetic coloring is used in them).

Do I miss red meat and blue cheese – absolutely.  Do I miss migraines?  Not at all…and when I do get one now I know it is due to factors that I can’t control, like barometric pressure or excessive work stress…ok, maybe I can control that, but you know what I mean…

Using vegan cosmetics makes me feel ahead of the curve.  I like supporting small business and finding products that are meaningful on many levels.  And the more I learn about sustainability and global warming, the more convinced I am that being vegan and using vegan products is the best thing we can do for ourselves AND our planet.

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