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Real Women Have Curves!!!

By:   Emily Moss

My first boyfriend once told me he liked bigger women because they were better in bed. His logic was that big girls have self-confidence issues, and that they compensate for their less-than-ideal figures by being freakishly awesome (or just plain freakish) in the sack.

If a suitor pulled out a line like that now, I’d head for the hills, but I was young then (and stupid and infatuated). In any case, at least part of his theory was true -- I did have self-confidence issues.

At the time (and I’m embarrassed to admit this now), I was hoping men would like me in spite of my body. I was counting on finding a guy who thought I was so awesome that he could overlook my plus-sized frame. It never occurred to me that my figure wasn’t something to apologize for. Like I said, I was young and naïve.

Now I’m older and wiser, and I scoff at how limited was my understanding of the vast expanses of human desire and attraction. Now I know that people’s tastes are as diverse as there are bodies to appreciate.

If you have any doubts, a trip down the rabbit hole of the world wide web is a fast reminder that people are into all sorts of stuff. There will always be men who enjoy what you’ve got going on, whether you gain a hundred pounds, shave your head, lose a limb, or braid your armpit hair. This much I can promise you. Of course, any of those things will drive some guys away, and that’s fine. They’re just not the guys for you.

The beautiful thing about attraction is that it's a package deal. When we’ve got great vibes with someone, all the good bleeds together. What we like about them obscures -- but doesn’t erase -- the “imperfections” until we see only the appealing.

How many past partners have you had who sported perfect physiques with nary a hair out of place? My own history is populated by guys with bodily features that weren’t society’s ideal. They had beer guts, hairy shoulders, bald spots and toothpick legs. They were shorter, skinnier, wider, or lumpy in all the wrong places. They were human, and I was still into it, perhaps more so because of their 'flaws'.

As women, we devote an incomprehensible amount of time to picking apart our appearance and the appearances of our peers and celebrities alike. Most men are not like that. The stubble you see sprouting from your shins, the pimple on your chin, the late-night Cheetoh's habit that lives on your hips? Most guys don’t notice, and even fewer care. Everything they like about you outweighs the blemishes you fixate on. No man has ever watched a woman undress and then changed his mind about sleeping with her.

And if you stumble on one of those rare men who thinks it’s his right to articulate all the ways in which you’re not a Victoria’s Secret model? Trust me, you don’t want him anyway. Kick him to the curb, obviously, but first take the opportunity to point out his crooked tooth, flabby ass, and sprouting unibrow. We’re not flawless, but neither are they, and none of us should strive to be.

* * * *

Since that first boyfriend with his manipulative big girl theories, my body has changed in good, healthy ways, but I’m still outside the range of what magazines would tell me I should aim for. While my dress size may wax and wane, my mindset towards curvy girl dating has permanently evolved.

There are some guys who are still never going to like what they see, and I’m okay with that. I used to think that it was my problem. I know now that my figure, whatever shape it is or will become, isn’t a flaw to be overlooked, and anyone who sees it as such isn’t worth my time.

Emily Moss

Emily Heist Moss is a 20-something New Englader in love with Chicago, where she works at a tech start-up. She is a weekly columnist at The Good Men Project, and has been published by Jezebel, The Frisky, and The Huffington Post. She blogs daily at RosieSays.com, and can be followed @rosiesaysblog.

Dr. Mark Hyman Q/A regarding Genetics

Question:

Can I overcome a family history of disease, or is it my fate?

Answer:

Your genes are only part of the equation. Your environment is also critical to whether you’re healthy or plagued by sickness and disease…and you can change that! I ask every patient detailed questions about all their environmental inputs:
What is the quality of your diet? Do you eat whole foods? Is yours a plant-based diet? Or are you following a disease-promoting SAD (Standard American Diet) that makes you malnourished and unable to self repair, regulate and heal?
What are the stressors in your life: your relationships, work, societal pressures, family, money?
Have you been exposed to toxins in the air, water or in food and has that disturbed the balance of your health?
Have you experienced physical trauma?
Do you misuse or under use your body and not provide the regular benefits of moving, stretching, and strengthening that allows your organs, joints and muscle to function as they were designed?
These are the real factors that influence and affect every system, function and process in our bodies. If we don’t deal with them directly we are just dealing with the effects – and not addressing the real causes of disease.Getting to the root of the environmental influences on your health and your life is the beginning of the possibility of your achieving UltraWellness – something we all are capable of enjoying.

DR. HYMAN

Dr. Mark Hyman
MARK HYMAN, MD has dedicated his career to identifying and addressing the root causes of chronic illness through a groundbreaking whole-systems medicine approach known as Functional Medicine. He is a family physician, a four-time New York Times bestselling author, and an internationally recognized leader in his field. Through his private practice, education efforts, writing, research, advocacy and public-policy work, he strives to improve access to Functional Medicine, and to widen the understanding and practice of it, empowering others to stop managing symptoms and instead treat the underlying causes of illness, thereby also tackling our chronic-disease epidemic. His website is at www.drhyman.com.

The 'Kate Effect'

By:   Abby Waters

Since the royal wedding in April 2011, women of all ages have become mesmerized by the latest British style icon Kate, Duchess of Cambridge.

With her flowing brown hair, statuesque frame and warm smile, she has become one of fashion's most influential figures and possibly the most copied royal of all time. 

The 'Kate Effect', which was originally noted by the UK Guardian, reflects her powerful influence on clothing purchases. Within hours of wearing an item in public, you can be sure the design will sell out worldwide.

Kate is a designer's dream. She has been selected as "Hat Person Of the Year" by The Headwear Association, "Best Dressed Woman of The Year" by Harper's Bazaar, and she has landed on Vanity Fair's "International Best-Dressed List" for the first time. Not bad for a beginner.

When Kate arrived at the BAFTA 'Brits to Watch' event in Los Angeles last July, she appeared to be taller, thinner and more beautiful than just about every A-list female celebrity at the gala. Some of the ladies in attendance were Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lopez and Blake Lively. The Duchess of Cambridge selected 5.5" Jimmy Choo sandals which -- already 5'10" in stocking feet -- had her towering over most of the men. Her cleverly pleated lavendar Sarah Burton gown, accented with a beaded belt, made her waist look super tiny.

Kate has several secrets when it comes to dressing that make her look larger than life, incorporating elements that make her seem taller and thinner than she already is. Do you want to know Kate's dressing secrets? Shhhh, here they are...

Nude Pumps
Nude shoes are a fashion favorite of the Duchess. She wears great looking pumps by L.K. Bennett which often include a front platform. By combining the nude shoes with nude hose, it makes her look taller. Lifting the hemline of her skirt makes her legs look like they go on forever. A similar effect can be achieved by wearing dark pumps and exact matching hose or tights. For many glam events, she selects very high heeled sandals by Jimmy Choo.

Fit and Flair Designs
Kate loves fit and flair coat-dresses for royal appearances. These are designs that are fitted at the top and cinch at the waist with a bottom flair. The pieces make her waist look very slim. She often adds a wide belt for even more focus on her waist. Kate made her first royal solo appearance in Oxford for the Art Room program wearing an Orla Kiely "Birdie" jacquard-printed fit and flair style coat-dress. Kiely is a favorite designer of the Duchess of Cambridge.

Skinny Jeans

Skinny Jeans are exactly what the name implies. They are very narrow legged jeans that pair well with tailored blouses, blazers and overcoats. The Duchess often selects loose fitting knee-high boots to wear over the jeans to make her legs look even trimmer.

Simple Jewelry
Clothing flows better when jewelry is kept at a minimum. Kate wears delicate chains, studs and simple drop earrings to frame her face. Framing the face draws the eye upward and makes her appear taller. The pieces add just the right amount of sparkle and color for a well-balanced look. Big statement pieces of jewelry can tend to chop a look and can also take attention away from the beauty of the person wearing it, because the jewelry then becomes the focus. Two favorite jewelry designers for the Duchess are Kiki McDonough and Tiffany.

Asymmetrical and One-Shoulder Designs
These styles make the wearer appear taller by drawing the eye up to the shoulder area. Kate selected a stunning silver Grecian-inspired one-shoulder Jenny Packham gown to attend a fundraiser at St. James Palace. She looked so elegant in this design. Packham knows how to create fantastic high profile pieces, and Kate always selects the perfect design to compliment her figure.

Tailored Blazers
Tailored blazers are something that Kate wears over jeans and pencil skirts. They show off the beauty of the wearer because of the simple nature of the design. The form-fitted garment showcases a great body and has a slimming effect. Kate wore a Roland Mouret "Smythe" blazer on her trip to Canada.

High Hats
Hats give you a boost in elevation. Royals wear hats for just about any and every event and occasion. Kate stole the show at the wedding of Zara Phillips in 2011 with a giant tilt hat by Gina Foster. It was an over-the-top look that had her towering over everyone at the event. The design was dubbed the 'Potato Chip Hat' because the shape and the color closely resembled the popular snack.

Kate is a beauty who continues to look more incredible with each passing day, and her fashion followers can't wait to see what she will wear next. Not everyone is blessed with Duchess Kate's genes, but anyone can use her secrets to achieve a trimmer and taller look.

Abby Waters

Abby is a motivational speaker, writer and respected vintage fashion consultant, featured in Time magazine, UK Gaurdian and Palm Beach Illustrated. Her articles on style and fashion have appeared in numerous print and online publications.

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Is Your Sunscreen Safe?

By:   Leslie Pepper
15, 30, 60, 80, broad spectrum, SPF, UVA, UVB… all these terms are enough to drive anyone crazy! What do they all mean?
Minerva Place got the 411 from Bruce A. Brod, M.D., clinical associate professor of dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
What exactly does SPF mean?
SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor, which is the amount of time you’re protected against sunburn. For example, if you normally burn within one minute of being in the sun, if you use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15, you’ll have 15 times longer in the sun (or 15 minutes) before you burn. Remember, though, SPF only refers to UVB rays.
UVB rays? What’s that?
Ultraviolet (UV) rays are an invisible kind of radiation that comes from the sun. UVB rays only reach the top layers of skin, and they’re the ones that are primarily responsible for sunburn.
However, there’s another kind of ray, the most common kind of sunlight at the earth’s surface, which reaches beyond the top layer of skin, called UVA. Those rays actually penetrate deep into the base layer of the skin and may have more of an effect on collagen and elastin, and therefore may lead to even more wrinkling and an overall more aged skin appearance.
Is higher better when it comes to SPF?
Yes and no. Higher is better, although the absolute numbers are misleading.
An SPF of 30 may be 97 percent effective, but an SPF 60 won’t give you double the amount of protection. In fact, the FDA has said that there is no evidence that an SPF over 50 provides any additional benefits.
I’m seeing “broad spectrum” on sunscreen labels these days. What does that mean?
This year the FDA introduced new sunscreen guidelines that provide you with more information about what type of UV protection a sunscreen offers and what a sunscreen can do.
Now, if a sunscreen says it’s broad spectrum, it means that the product has proven to the FDA that it protects against both UVA and UVB rays.
In order to reduce the risk of skin cancer and early skin aging, the sunscreen must have broad-spectrum protection and an SPF of 15 or higher. Without both, the sunscreen only helps prevent sunburn.



How often do I need to reapply?
At least every two hours, more often if you’re swimming or sweating.
Keep in mind that no sunscreen is waterproof or sweat-proof. With the new FDA labeling laws, sunscreens are only allowed to say they’re “water resistant,” and they must give the length of time the water resistance lasts. If you don’t see that on the bottle, the product isn’t water resistant.
And it ‘s critical you put on enough sunscreen! Most people only apply 15 to 50 percent of the recommended amount. A study in the British Journal of Dermatology found that applying less than two ounces over the body at one time can leave people with an SPF rating far lower than what’s on the bottle. Two ounces looks about like two golf balls.
There are so many different ingredients on the back of the sunscreen bottle. What should I look for? 
Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are both physical blocks, which means they protect you by reflecting the sun. I like these, as they usually don’t cause any skin irritation, and new nanotechnology allows them to rub in better and appear less white on the skin than the oxides of old (think white-nosed-lifeguards).
Avobenzone (brand name: Parsol 1789) is a chemical block that protects you by absorbing the sun. Unfortunately, avobenzone breaks down in the sun, so if you’re in direct sun you should apply it even more often than every two hours. Neutrogena has patented a more stabilized form of avobenzone known as Helioplex, which lasts longer in the sun. Another new chemical UVA blocker is called ecamsule (brand name: Mexoryl) which is very stable in the sun. If you do choose a chemical block, apply it to dry skin 30 minutes before you go outside for maximum effectiveness.
Do I always have to use a sunscreen, even when it’s cloudy?Yes. 80 percent of sunlight comes through even on a cloudy day. Many people get burned on cloudy days because they don’t feel the heat, so they don’t realize how strong the sun actually is.
I’ve heard that studies have found sunscreens are dangerous and can cause cancer 
I disagree wholeheartedly. One group reported a study they’d done that found that retinyl palmitate — one ingredient in sunscreen — caused skin cancer in mice. That study was flawed for several reasons. First, the skin of mice is much different than that of humans, and mice are more susceptible to skin cancer. Plus, retinyl palmitate is a derivative of Vitamin A, which has actually been shown to reduce the risk of skin cancer.
The benefits of sunscreen have been shown to prevent skin cancer in millions of people for the past quarter of a century.


Leslie Pepper

Leslie Pepper is a freelance writer based in Merrick, NY who specializes in diet and health. Her work has been published in print magazines such as Real Simple, Woman’s Day, and Parents, as well as online publications such as WebMD.com and Everydayhealth.com.

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