Winter Skin Care Tips

Dry, Chapped, Dull, Cracked, Ashy...Winter Skin, Oh My! Don’t let winter skin get you chapped! We’ve compiled a list of simple tips to help keep your skin healthy, soft and glowing all winter long.

TURN DOWN THE HEAT:  Harsh winter elements can be brutally drying to your skin, especially if you spend time outdoors on a daily basis. Yes, I know it’s tempting to spend long moments in a hot steamy shower on cold winter mornings; but you’re doing a disservice to your skin because hot showers actually dry it out even more. Try keeping your showers warmer (as opposed to hotter) because hot water strips your skin of its natural oils called sebum, removing this happy protective barrier that is so important to the health of your skin!  And remember shorter showers and lower temperatures also save water and power, which save you on your water and energy bill. Making Happier Skin and a Happier Pocketbook!

DRINK WATER:  While you might not feel overly thirsty during cold winter days, the truth is your skin needs water now more than ever.  Drinking plenty of water keeps your skin supple, glowing and less prone to chapping.  Ice cold water tends to have a negative impact on digestion, so try drinking water at room temperature or even a little warm.  But most importantly, drink plenty of it - at least six to eight (8 ounce) glasses per day.  The good news is that come spring time, you'll be hard pressed to kick the habit!

MOISTURIZE: Immediately after each shower or bath gently massage a skin loving natural Shea butter, Cocoa butter or natural cream into your skin to keep it healthy, supple and to tone the underlying muscles. You’ll be thrilled with the results in just one week. Also, butters and creams infused with herbs like Hemp, Tea Tree and Mint, or soothing Lavender have many other emotional and physical rejuvenating properties.

EXFOLIATE:  Exfoliating the skin might not come to mind when it comes to protection...but if you want to keep your skin looking youthful and soft, it's important to exfoliate away those dead skin cells. Commercially prepared exfoliating scrubs often contain harsh chemical ingredients like sodium lauryl sulphate, a foaming agent that can cause further dryness and mild skin inflammation.  When shopping for a scrub look for gentle, non-abrasive and chemical free sugar scrubs. Sugar granules in comparison to salt crystals are smooth and non-abrasive, and sugar is alpha-hydroxy rich to give you glowing skin and perfect to use even after shaving, with no burn.

What you give attention to grows...

What you give attention to grows ~ plain and simple. Instead of giving attention to what you don’t have or the negative things…cultivate, be thankful and focus on what you do have. Every seed you plant and nurture will reap a harvest in due time.

"Love the inner you and keep moving ahead, because you can't stand still & improve at the same time." ~ Wally Amos

Simplifying My Life

Written by Wally Amos

I am going through the process of cleaning out a bunch of stuff at my house.  I look forward to being free of all these possessions that I no longer need or have room to keep.  And in the big picture, I recognize that simplifying my life is nearly always a positive experience.  So, I am forging ahead with a pickup truck, a couple of strong friends and the map to the city dump.

            In my days as a talent agent, I got to know a lot of performers.  Tina Turner is a powerful force not only in music but also in life.  She and I have shared some similar experiences; she also had to go to court to fight for the right to retain her own name in business.  Tina has a wonderful way to explain how she got through that time:

            “Sometimes you’ve got to let everything go – purge yourself.  If you are unhappy with anything . . . whatever is bringing you down,  GET RID OF IT.  Because you’ll find that when you’re free, your true creativity, your true self comes out.”

            Sometimes we not only need to rid ourselves of our junk, we need to say goodbye to the old stuff and celebrate simplifying our lives – looking forward to whatever adventure lies ahead that will fill the empty space.
            American philosopher and teacher Joseph Campbell may have said it best:  “We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.  The old skin has to be shed before the new one can come.”

            Do you sometimes have a difficult time letting go of old stuff that has piled up?  Do you know down deep inside that you’re never really going to fix that old appliance?  Glue together that sugar bowl?  Re-use that Styrofoam packing material?

            Onward.

Three Letter Words

Written by Wally Amos

There is one three letter word that I refuse to use.  That word is “try.”  If I had my way, it would be removed from the English language.

When we use the word “try,” even in our heads, we’re giving ourselves unconscious permission to fail.  Leaving the door open for failure means we don’t have to take responsibility for that failure.  After all, we tried, right?  Wasn’t that enough?  Beyond childhood we no longer get bonus points for “trying.”
So stop trying and start doing.  Stop saying, “I will try,” and start saying, “I will do.”  But the job doesn’t stop there, because once you have set your mind to do a thing you have to take responsibility for it.  Once you have done this, you will be surprised at how easy it is to accomplish something that you thought was impossible.

Now, that doesn’t mean that you will never fail.  Failure is something that comes with the territory.  But don’t give yourself permission to fail before you even start.  Give yourself permission to succeed, and you will succeed.  Maybe not the first time.  Maybe not even the second time.  But each crisis you get through makes you stronger.  With each mistake, you learn something that will prevent you from making that mistake again.  The secret is to not give up.  Just keep moving forward.  Keep “doing” and one day you will discover that what once seemed impossible has now been accomplished.

All day long, every day, we are presented with choices. We can HELP life happen or we can HOPE life will happen.  It’s up to you.  To HELP is to be proactive.

Are you a can-do person?  Have you ever surprised yourself by doing something you didn’t think you could do?

Easy To Make Dog Toys

Because at Anasa, we Love Pets too!

 

Here are some ideas for dog toys that you can make from ordinary household items.

SOCK FULL OF BALLS

1. Stuff 2 tennis balls into a large, clean gym sock.
2. Tie a knot in the sock just above the balls, so the tennis balls are tightly secured at the foot of the sock.
3. For added amusement, use tennis balls with squeakers or bells inside.

SIMPLE ROPE TOY

1. Begin with a sturdy piece of rope about 12 inches long.
2. Tie a knot at each end of the rope.

ROPE-A-DOPE (GREAT TUG TOY!)

1. Choose a sturdy rope of tightly braided material.
2. Wrap a rope around a tennis ball until the ball is fully encased in the rope, leaving a "tail" of about 18 inches of rope.
3. Loop the end of the "tail" and tie a tight knot to create a "handle" of about 4 inches in diameter and leaving about 12 inches of rope between the tennis ball and the knot of the handle.

TENNIS BALL TUG TOY

1. Drill a hole through a tennis ball.
2. Thread a rope at least 12 inches long through the ball. Tie the ends of the rope into a sturdy knot.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

• Be sure the toy you're making is durable enough to stand up to your dog's chewing strength and level of play.
• Be sure any squeakers you add to the toy are safely concealed.
• Avoid squeakers and stuffing altogether if your dog likes to rip apart his toys.
• Steer clear of using any choking hazards in your toys, such as string, ribbons or buttons.
• Always supervise your dog with the toy to make sure he will not destroy it.
• Be watchful for any torn, shredded or broken parts and remove the toy immediately if there are any.

*Courtesy of The Happy Dog Spot at http://www.the-happy-dog-spot.com/easy-to-make-dog-toys.html.

Yogurt and Banana Mask

Did you know? Bananas are packed with Vitamin B6, Vitamin C and Potassium! The soothing properties in Bananas can also help reduce visual blemishes and inflammation. Applying mashed Banana to the skin helps make skin more soft and elastic; not to mention Banana is also known to help clear mild acne. Applying banana to the face helps restore the natural glow to your skin! Mixing Banana with honey and yogurt will leave your skin moisturized and youthfully renewed.

Yogurt and Banana Mask (all skin types)

What you’ll need:  Yogurt, Banana and Honey

How to make:  Place 2 tablespoons of yogurt, half a banana and 1 tablespoon of honey in a bowl and mash together until smooth. Then apply to your face and let sit for about 15-20 minutes. If there is any left over, enjoy it as a treat!

Bananas and Yogurt are Good for the Whole Body!  Looking for a tasty, sustainable, quick breakfast, lunch or snack? Foodfacts.com research indicates that you might want to try bananas and yogurt for a healthy, hearty, nutritionally intense treat. See more at the FoodFacts.com blog!