5 Tips to Look Younger Longer

By: Mamaluv

Jeff is a close family friend, almost like a brother to me. Several years ago on my birthday, I was bemoaning the light-speed passage of time when he helpfully piped up. "Don't worry about it, C, you don't look a day over..." Here he paused to think of a super low number, way below my actual age. "....23!"

"Good, because I'm not a day over 23!"

I was horrified that he was so accurate while clearly trying to lowball me. Now that I am a wee bit older than that, I realize I need to be creative finding ways to cheat my age.

I know I'm supposed to drink lots of water, always wash my face before bed and use fancy anti-aging serum, not sunbathe, and exercise. Am I missing anything?

1. Lose the booze It turns out that drinking too much won't just give you a nasty headache and puffy red eyes the morning after. Some researchers have found that alcohol consumption in excess of 1 or 2 drinks weekly can speed up the aging process. Heavier drinkers will see pronounced signs of aging more quickly. The reason is that alcohol reduces Vitamin A in your skin, which is responsible for generating new skin cells to replace old ones and boosting collagen production. Low collagen = saggy skin.

2. Butt out You know about lung cancer, birth defects, and stained teeth, but what you might not know is that tobacco use is considered to be one of fastest acting threats to skin aging after sun and chemical damage. Smoking reduces the overall amount of oxygen in the body by restricting blood vessels. Oxygen and nutrient deficiency allow formation of free radicals which attack collagen and promote wrinkle development.

3. Sweet dreams, Sleeping Beauty Sleep time offers skin a chance to regenerate away from harmful environmental factors like sun exposure and makeup use. Staying in a horizontal position for hours at a time temporarily halts the degenerative effects of gravity pulling on your skin and spine. If you sleep on your back, you can avoid those pillow lines and sleep-scrunched wrinkles from becoming permanent features.

4. Less really is More. Some of us already have a few fine lines, but use caution when trying to camouflage with cosmetics. As we age, skin loses elasticity and texture, allowing makeup to literally slide into the creases and actually accentuate what you're trying to hide.

Try applying eye and lipliners using a soft smudgy technique to avoid harsh contrasts that draw attention to problem areas.

5. Aging Tart or Aging Smart? Fashion maven Clinton Kelly of TLC's 'What Not To Wear', strongly cautions women who dress much younger than their age.

Trying to compete with 18-year-olds is a losing battle because the teenager always wins. Instead of screaming "I'M TRYING TOO HARD!", try dressing stylishly age-appropriate. You can look sexy and younger if you choose clothes that fit in colors that flatter for an overall look that shouts confidence and sophistication. The alternative is, well, urban cougar.


Mamaluv is a ChickAdvisor member, a mother of 3 and environmentalist who enjoys manicures, massages and margaritas (on occasion).

Bon Appetit!

By: Mamaluv
"I'd like a decaf, nonfat, soy latte, no foam, with 2 sweeteners."

Come again?? Just what the heck is that? I am an advocate for natural foods and diet. Translation: I really like to know what I'm eating. And during my quest for quality eats, I've come across the odd tidbit of information that helps me sort out the 24-carat from the fool's gold.

Misconception #1: Decaffeinated means no caffeine. Not true, according to a recent MSN Health article. Decaffeinated coffee can contain as much as 10% of the caffeine found in regular coffees (16 milligrams per serving in some cases compared to 170 mg); some decaf espresso-style drinks like lattes contain as much caffeine as a can of Coke. Sensitive individuals may have health issues at caffeine levels as low as 10 mg.

Misconception #2: Nonfat and low fat are always better than their full fat counterparts. Really? Have you label-compared recently and read past the first line? Many of the lower fat options are much higher in sodium and carbs, and lower in potassium and fiber. Then there's the moniker. I just found a 'cream-cheese style product'. Red flag, right there. Ever heard of an 'apple-style' beverage? Neither have I.

Misconception #3: Skip the sugar and pass the Sweet 'n Low. Hmmm. Do you know what artificial sweeteners are made of? Aspartame and other chemical goo. Aspartame, for one, is not recommended for pregnant women or children younger than 7 years old. It can cause seizures, migraine headaches, insomnia, depression, and many more issues.

The FDA continues to monitor aspartame and other food additives like MSG, and requires warnings be printed on the labels of foods containing these chemicals. I'm used to seeing warnings on cigs, not my food.

Misconception #4: Since I'm eating low fat, non-sugar, decaffeinated foods and drinks, surely I can have second and third helpings. Ok, this oughta be a no-brainer. I have often noticed that the low fat foods don't fill me, the decaf coffee doesn't wake me, and the non-sugar stuff just doesn't taste right. So I'd eat more, but then I'll be filling myself with all the chemical additives that I didn't want in the first place.

By the way, 'no sugar added' does not mean it's unsweetened.

Better choice #1: Eat quality foods in moderation. Mireille Guiliano, author of French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure , suggests that we indulge wisely, exercising portion control, and looking to other areas of our lifestyle to help control weight issues instead of relying solely on modified food. Focus on reducing your stress, getting 7-8 hours of sleep each night, and exercising regularly.

So instead of eating bite-size Snickers from your nephew's Halloween stash, buy a bar of dark chocolate from Lindt or a fine foods market and savor a square slowly when the urge hits. Top fresh French bread with a slice of decadent Brie instead of some weird snack cracker and nonfat mozzarella cheese. It'll fill you and if you eat slowly and concentrate on the flavors, it will be a food experience instead of a mere snack.

Better choice #2: Increase your intake of fat-busting and fiber-loaded food to offset a few extra calories. Back to fifth grade and the Food Pyramid here, girls. If fresh fruits and veggies, whole grain breads and pastas, and lean protein sources dominate your diet, your body will take care of the rest. Your digestion will become more regular, your energy will be boosted, and you'll actually be getting enough of the vitamins and minerals you need for once.

Better choice #3: Eat organic, seasonal foods. When available, load up on farm-fresh goodies that have actually been picked ripe. Do you really want to eat peaches from Ecuador in February (they've probably been en route and in storage since Christmas)? I didn't think so.

Organic food is a good choice, but check the product's origin. If it's been traveling thousands of miles to get to you, it's not fresh and you've wasted a lot of money on something that's lost a lot of it's nutritive value. Spinach loses half of its vitamins one week after picking when stored at fridge temperature. How long does the supermarket keep those bags of produce in the back room before they finally get around to shelving it, do you think?

Better choice #4: Find ways to cheat the system. Instead of using products you're not sold on, use the real thing but find ways to cut back. I hate margarine, so I'll use unsalted butter and reduce the amount. I routinely cut the sugar in my baking back by 25-50%. I use less salt and more pepper (it actually does work, I was amazed too).

Good news: Many low fat and nonfat foods really are as good as they appear. Check the label, and if you can identify everything on it, you're usually home free.

Mamaluv is a ChickAdvisor member, a mother of 3 and environmentalist who enjoys manicures, massages and margaritas (on occasion).

Krafty Kameleon: It all began at Beads on 5th

We were in New York for the weekend and my wife and I wandered into the bead stores because she loves this stuff and I started looking at all of the different beads, the glass, the wood, and the pearls. I started tinkering around thinking, I'll make her a souvenir from New York.

So Paolo Fietta set out to make his wife a necklace and so it began. She started wearing the pieces to work and her coworkers kept asking her where she got her jewelry.

Husband and wife team, Paolo and Pina Fietta turned their love of making jewelry into a business with newly launched www.kraftykameleon.com.

Krafty Kameleon carries a fabulous collection of high quality handmade rings, necklaces and bracelets with fresh water pearls, Swarovsky crystals, a range of semi-precious stones, shell, crystals and glass including fire jade, turquoise, coral, sponge coral, porcelain beads from Lisbon, citrine, peridot, walnut wood, poppy jasper, black onyx, sterling silver and murano glass.

Pina has always had a passion for jewelry, and both she and Paolo have family histories of Italian artisans working with stone, marble, wood and glass.

I grew up working with stone and wood", says Paolo. "I also have a particular affinity for murano glass because I grew up close to the industry and I'd always seen the masters at work, I mean the stuff that they'd make out of glass was amazing. I have uncles and relatives who are artisans with wood and ceramics so you're just inspired.

Krafty Kameleon makes custom orders so if you see something you like but you'd prefer it in a different color or length or style, it's no problem.

Now imagine getting one of these gems for 50% off! To celebrate the launch of their website this fall, Krafty Kameleon is offering 50% off of 10 selected items exclusively for ChickAdvisor members.

Simply click on the ChickAdvisor Exclusives link to see the selection.

*Discounted Items are first come first served. All prices are in Canadian dollars and they ship to Canada and U.S.A. Offer is limited to 1 discounted item per person. www.kraftykameleon.com