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BEAUTY&SOUL NEWSLETTER

April 2006

Happy Spring, dear Beauty&Soul readers!

Dear Readers, I have received so many great letters from all of you, and I often feel badly that I cannot respond personally to all of them. I received 20 letters regarding weight issues last month, so I thought I'd "answer" one letter in detail in this newsletter format. I hope you find it helpful -- I will be updating the "ask Wendy" section of the site more regularly, so be sure to check back often for those of you with unanswered dilemmas!

Question: Dear Wendy, thanks for the website! I am a regular reader and try all of your daily tips. I love them! However, I have struggled with my weight for some time, and right now I'm feeling especially depressed about my body. I'm about 15 lbs. overweight. No matter what I do, I can't seem to get rid of it. I'm not exactly sure WHAT I should be eating, but I do try to stay away from "junk". I exercise several days a week, or at least try to. I'm self-conscious and my negative self image is greatly affecting my life. I'm finding it hard to socialize at all, let alone date. Please help me, Wendy. I feel I am at the end of my rope.

-Holly

Answer: Holly, first of all, don't be so hard on yourself! We ALL have something about ourselves that we struggle with. The point is to realize you CAN have the body you want, and to start to replace your feelings of frustration and despair with good, productive thoughts about yourself.

Take a moment to get quiet and remember all of your positive traits. I assure you, there are many! (For instance, while weight is not a problem for me, I often struggle with organization and other adult responsibilities. When I begin to beat myself up mentally, I try to literally stop and make note of what I do happen to do well. This helps stop the self-defeating cycle of negativity and boosts you to the place you need to be to take action and meet your goals.)

Diets? I'm not crazy about any of them. What I think is the MOST important thing in all of life is that we FEEL WONDERFUL. That's it! If you are constantly hungry or aren't meeting your bodies many nutritional needs, you won't look or feel as you were meant to be. I have always (well, pretty much always) been "healthy", and have eaten, for the most part, pure, organic foods. (Though if I am traveling all bets are off!) What I have found to make all the difference is consuming plenty of "raw" foods, meaning foods in their most natural state and thusly containing all of their beneficial enzymes. I'm not suggesting you need to go over the edge and eat only raw foods, as that is not often practical, and won't help your social life either. : ) However, by trying to get 50% of your more from living foods, I think you will find yourself feeling very satisfied, full of energy, and naturally the weight will come off.

I tend to keep things pretty simple and make huge salads with an array of chopped colorful veggies, raw nuts, avocado, etc. I probably eat twice as many calories as many women I know, but I credit the natural enzymes and pure nutrition of the raw foods for this phenomenon. After having kids, I not only lost my "baby weight" swiftly, but my skin, hair, and energy levels have never been better. As within, so without!

You can get some great raw food ideas on the internet. I encourage you to give it a try for month and see how you do. I am willing to bet you will notice big, big changes!

Lastly, I have seen great changes in my own body since easing off jogging and practicing yoga/walking. I highly recommend Steve Ross' show on Oxygen, as he makes a challenging workout great fun with his humor and uncommonly light hearted style. If you don't get this channel, his book, "Happy Yoga" can give you the basics.

Instead of trying to punish or beat ourselves into shape, I think our bodies more often respond when we treat them kindly and with reverence. When we take the time to stop and listen, we all know what we need to achieve radiant, life-long health. Keep your life as simple as possible, be gentle to yourself, and eat healthy foods and supplements with plenty of pure water. Taking time every morning and evening to meditate or simply "focus on the good" is another ritual I use to make the most of all my days...these moments are precious to me and provide the must-have spiritual connection that we all need to thrive in life.

hope this is of some help. Please stay in touch and of course keep me posted on your progress, Holly! I have great faith that you will feel much better about things in a few months. : )

love,
Wendy
www.beautysoul.com

PS: Additionally, because I get so very many questions from all of you asking where to buy products, which supplements and beauty essentials are best, etc, I will now begin offering my favorites, at the absolute best prices, to all beauty&soul readers. I have likely tried every supplement, nutritional, and beauty product known to mankind (well, almost!) over the years, so it's my hope and greatest desire to be able to share with you what I feel truly works in attaining radiant health and beauty, while also ensuring the best value.

I will greatly look forward to hearing your feedback on any of my "picks", and of course would love to hear from you if you have any exceedingly healthful, beneficial and also fun products of choice! : )

HEALTHY OILS: THE WAY TO PERFECT BEAUTY

Beauty is something every one of us wants to attain. It's perfectly natural -- our "looks" are the first thing people see when meeting us, and often represent what's going on "inside". Shiny, healthy looking hair, radiant, young looking skin, clear eyes, a bright smile, and a fit, healthy body are all part of looking (and feeling!) beautiful.

For many years, I've watched the infomercials, read the magazines, and noticed that so many of these products or plans solely focus on the outer, or physical, body. The fact is, without the "inner" being perfectly tuned, the outer or physical self just isn't going to look it's most beautiful -- no matter how much expensive make-up is used, or even how much surgery done. Quite simply, our bodies need specific and important nutrients to not only function well, but to look beautiful. It's these nutrients that allow our bodies to achieve an ideal weight easily and effortlessly, our skin to rejuvinate itself and continue appearing youthful. Adequate and proper intake of important nutritionals is the best and surest way to attain the utmost in beauty, from the inside out!

A decade or two ago, the fact that America as a whole was "fat" caused many experts to declare the solution was the problem was to simply eat less fat, thus the popularity of the low-fat diet. The problem was, even with many americans cutting down their fat intake, people were not losing weight! More recent studies have proven that essential fats (omega-3's getting the most attention) are absolutely necessary to losing weight and keeping it off. Seems like a contradiction, but these important fats work to improve metabolism, converting stored body fat into water, carbon-dioxide and energy, enabling the body to burn off fat and lose excess weight. In addition to boosting metabolism, EFAs assist in weight loss by stimulating digestion, helping the body conserve protein, and slowing the absorption of carbohydrates which balances blood sugar levels. They also lower high blood fat (triglyceride) levels and serve as a building block for the production of hormones, increasing energy levels and athletic endurance. (On top of all this, research is beginning to show that these amazing oils may protect the heart, prevent cancer, help brain function and provide numerous other health benefits.)

Pioneer educators like Dr. Andrew Weil, Udo Erasmus, and Dr. Johanna Budwig have done their part to spread the word, warning the public that eliminating all fats from a diet may actually trigger weight gain, and that certain fats are essential for maintaining good health. Current research has continued to support this and even the FDA Dietary Guidelines now recommend a diet consisting of 30% fat.

I have found that my own health has improved drastically by upping my daily intake of "good fats". My skin is perfectly clear, my hair shiny, I have far more energy, and I never have to watch my weight. (Though in addition to consuming healthy EFA's I also eat very well.)

What is the easiest way to get these EFA's into your own diet? I'm asked about them all the time, and my answer is always the same: "It doesn't matter how, just do it! " Joking aside, I have found "udo's choice" perfected oil blend to be the ultimate EFA supplement, and I use it daily. I've tried numerous products, and Udo's Choice Oil Blend is the leading product in its category for one simple reason......it works.

Since consuming the oils internally is a must, I've found many delicious ways to do so. Try using a few teaspoons on a salad or steamed veggies. Also great in smoothies! (NEVER heat these oils, btw.) I've found using a few drops externally, on my face in the evening after cleansing, to be essential in my beauty routine. Because they are anti-inflammatory, they seem to work to prevent acne and leave skin smooth and soft. Also perfect for applying to scars or other skin imperfections.

Lastly, before beginning any supplement program, do check with your physician.

You may order this wonderful, precise, perfect oil blend by clicking Udo's Choice Perfected blend

For private consultations or coaching with Wendy, please contact Consultations@beautysoul.com