Ways to Stop a Sniffle

"It's sick out here look at the clouds." -E-40

Starting to get cold! Don't let the sniffles get the best of you this season. In addition to the following ideas, see Body+Soul article on boosting your immunity; how to make over your medicine cabinet, brew herbal teas and build up your resistance.

1. Take herbs the right way: You've probably heard that echinacea can help fight a cold. But do you know the best way to take it? To get the full effect, you need a much larger does than what's recommended on most product labels. Take 3/4 teaspoon of an Echinacea purpurea tincture every two to three hours, starting as soon as you feel a cold flare up. Continue the treatment until a few days after your symptoms have subsided. For extra immune support, pair echinacea with the herb amla (aka Indian gooseberry), an adaptogen that builds resistance to stressors. During cold season, take two 250 mg capsules twice daily (go to http://www.iherb.com/).

2. Put the kettle on: A soothing cup of hot tea can bring cold relief by moistening your mucous membranes. But green tea may be especially helpful in keeping colds at bay because the antioxidant-packed brew contains compounds known to kill or inhibit the growth of certain viruses. For immune support during cold season, drink three cups of green tea daily (go to www.celestialseasonings.com/).

3. Pop some probiotics: Beyond tummy troubles, probiotics can lessen the length and severity of a cold. By stimulating the activity of white blood cells, these friendly bacteria rev up your defenses against cold viruses. A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that taking daily probiotic supplements led to a major drop in cold symptoms among a group of athletes. Stick with probiotic supplements throughout cold season, selecting a refrigerated capsule with 10 billion Lacto-bacillus gasseri, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium logum and Bifidobacterium bifidum bacteria per daily dose.

4. Don't ditch your workout: When the sniffles start, ease up on exercise, but don't stop moving altogether. Research shows that while intense, vigorous activity can weaken immune function, moderate exercise might enhance immunity and shorten the duration of a cold. At a cold's onset, aim for a half hour daily of moderate intensity activities like brisk walking or biking. Or try tai chi, a gentle martial art found to help ward off viral infections, according to a number of recent studies. And since rest is also essential to recovery, take care to tuck in early and get your eight hours of sleep.

5. Added by me: Use one of the array of dietary supplements available for such occasions. I used Emergen-C on a recent world wind trip from Colorado, to Las Vegas, to Florida, to Jamaica, to Dallas and back to Colorado. I did not get sick at all, despite the long flights, delays and stress (and fun!). I started drinking them the day before my trip, drank one on every flight and several more during the day. The slightest cough, sore throat or just plain icky feel, I start using them and am better the next day without having the symptom worsen.

Rules of Natural Makeup

"You make me feel, you make me feel like a natural woman." -Aretha Franklin

1. Prepare your skin: Start by applying moisturizer, followed by sheer foundation, then press a bit of concealer under the eyes. Lightly dust on powder if you're super oily - but the skin shouldn't be completely matte.

QUICK TIP: To get foundation to melt into skin, apply with your fingers. Put a small amount on tips, rub together and then dab onto your face.

2. Define your eyes: To play up eyes without getting dramatic, use a pencil liner to dot between the roots of lashes. Then apply no more than two coats of mascara to curled lashes.

QUICK TIP: Brows should be clean but not overly groomed. Pluck stray hairs and use a clear or light brow gel to keep them in place.


3. Warm up your cheeks: To look as if you've just come in from a frosty night, pick a blush that complements your natural coloring. Light pink for fair ladies, dusty pink for medium complexions, peach or bronze for olive skin and poum for darker tones.

QUICK TIP: If your skin is on the oily side, stick with powdery textured blush. For normal to dry skin, go for creams and mousses.

4. Amplify your lids: Go for a sheer wash of matte shadow applied only to the lids. Pick a shade close to your skin tone. Again, for fair try Laura Mercier Eye Colour in Morning Dew, medium skin try M.A.C. Eye Shadow in Soft Brown, olive try L'Oreal Paris Wear Infinite Eye Shadow Single in Brushed Suede and for dark try Maybelline New York Expert Wear Eye Shadow Single in Nutmeg.

QUICK TIP: Use a bit of concealer on lids. It cuts down on redness and works as a primer to make shadow last.


5. Enhance your lips: Skip matte and glossy textures and go for lipstick with a creamy consistency. Match your lip color or choose a shade or two deeper (I've heard you should match the color that is on the inside of your lips). For a sheer application, dab it on with your finger or apply and then blot.

QUICK TIP: This natural look calls for smooth, moisturized lips. Exfoliate them with a soft-bristle brush and a dab of Vaseline. Then make lipstick last by filling in lips with a pencil that matches your natural lip color before applying lipstick.

Fun Halloween Stuff

"Now I have a story that I'd like to tell, About this guy, you all know me I was scared as hell." -Will Smith aka Fresh Prince

I was recently given some magazines (Thanks sis!) and found some fun Halloween stuff that I thought I'd share. I know it's a bit early but this is to get you thinking.


Bubbling Cocktails & Costumed Fruit










Autumn Illuminated & Musty Wreath










and...my favorite, Blood Red Hot Chocolate and Marshmallow Bones

Sweet Treats

"Baby first let me know what you gonna do about this sweet tooth." -R. Kelly

Moisturizing soap: Jelly Pong Pong Soap Popsicle

Shea butter-infused body wash: Lush Heavenly Bodies Buttercream

Skin softening bath salts: Fizzy Baker Raspberry Cupcake Bath Bomb

Mouthwatering candle: Upper Canada Soap Creamy Milk Chocolate Truffle Candle

Glossy scented lip balm: Sweet Shop Cupcakes & Cartwheels Lip Gloss Set

Improve Your Sleep

"And what I wanna see, is you go to sleep." -Eminem

Take a warm bath: Make taking a 30-minute soak before you hit the sheets a nightly routine. Try EO Products French Lavender Bath Salts or Origins Calm To Your Senses Lavender and Vanilla Milk Bath in your bath.

Discover relaxing oils: Add a drop to shampoo, the bath, lotion or pulse points with The Body Shop Deep Sleep Essential Oil.

Create a calming bedroom: Make your bedding even cozier with a spritz of Molton Brown Relaxing Yuan Zhi Sleep Mist.

Give skin a soothing scent: Use lotion with lavender, vanilla clove or chamomile at bedtime. These scents have been proven to have a relaxing effect. Try Bath & Body Works Warm Milk & Honey Sleep Body Lotion.

Before you turn in...

• Work the room: Light suppresses melatonin. Close curtains, keep lights on a dimmer, move the TV out of the bedroom and keep it cool - no more than 68 degrees.
• Consume wisely: Don't eat a large meal before bed. And before you reach for a 4 p.m. latte, know that caffeine stays in your system for 12 hours.
• Hear the sounds: Consider earplugs if you sleep with a snorer or on a busy road, and invest in a sound machine.

Extreme sleep aid: Low Blue Lights glasses block blue light, which suppresses melatonin levels. They're meant to be worn three hours before bedtime to induce drowsiness.

Shop For A Cause

"It's so ridicule we gotta find the right cure." -Black Eyed Peas


Guess by Marciano watch: 20% of proceeds goes to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.


Philosopy She Colors My Day bubble bath: 100% of proceeds goes to the Entertainment Industry Foundation's Women's Cancer Research Fund.



Bella's Confections fudge: 50% of proceeds goes to the Fremont-Rideout Foundation Cancer Center.



Envirosax reusable shopping bag: 80% of proceeds goes to the American Cancer Society.




Erin Condren personalized note cards: 50% of proceeds goes to the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer and the Revlon Run/Walk for Women.





Coach: 20% of the proceeds from select purchases will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. (My personal favorite)

Support For Our Soldiers

"I need a soldier. That ain't scared to stand up for me." -Destiny's Child


Books for Soldiers: Once your application is approved, you will be able to send troops books, DVDs, games and relief supplies. You will also have access to our Pen Pal area and Post Card Jamboree. on average our volunteers fill over 1000 requests a month. Get started today and get your company, civic group or place of worship involved with supporting our troops.


Any Soldier: All the Soldiers involved in this effort are military volunteers stationed in areas that are in harm's way. You send your support (letters and/or packages) addressed to them and when they see the "Attn: Any Soldier" line in their address they put your letters and packages into the hands of Soldiers who don't get much or any mail first. Everything is shared.


America Supports You: America Supports You is a Department of Defense program that provides opportunities for citizens to show their support for the US Armed Forces. The program was launched in 2004 in an effort to highlight citizen support for our military men and women and communicate that support to the members of our Armed Forces at home and abroad.


Any other organizations, that are good and useful, that you know of...please share with the rest of us!

Bargain Books

"Cause I done read fo' libraries worth of books I got some knowledge y'all need to get up on maybe." -UGK

Free Downloads: This is the first and best consolidator of free e-books, with more than 100,000 titles. Its specialty is classics but it also offers fun texts like a history of women in the fine arts or a book on dinosaurs. Audio books and DVDs are available.

Bargains: The stores are great and you get great deals, minus the hassle of rummaging through tables of unsorted books (which can be fun, too, sometimes).

Browsing: Scanning this site is as much fun as meandering in a dusty neighborhood bookstore. It champions quirkier books like graphic novels and science fiction.

Sampling: The site emails you short excerpts from books at no charge so you can decide whether you want to buy them or just check them out at the local library (which we don't use nearly as often as we should).

Textbooks: Unlike many other sites for textbooks, this one has a stellar privacy policy and customer service record. You can save big over campus bookstore prices. There is also a buyback program, which, if you have ever stood in line at campus for a buyback, you'll appreciate this service.

Happy reading...and saving!

Slash You Monthly Bills

"Can you pay my bills? Can you pay my telephone bills?" -Destiny's Child

This economy is not friendly. I think we could all use some advice on how to save some bucks.

Sites that can save you money: Stop clicking all over the Web! These 7 online shopping spots will help you find the real deals fast.

Save on prescription drugs: Ask your doctor about switching to generics, or ask about cheaper name-brand alternatives. For free information on generics and name-brand drugs to to the Consumer Reports Health site and click on "best buy drugs." Also, check prices at retailers such as Wal-Mart, Target and Costco. One website that might save you money is Drugstore.com.

Insurance: If you're renewing a life, home or auto insurance policy or buying a new one, comparison shop at sites like InsWeb.com and AccuQuote.com. Also go to http://www.naic.org/ to find a link to your state's insurance department for price-comparisons.

Cell phones: Go to sites such as LetsTalk.com to find the best priced plans for your calling patterns.

Cooking: This one's easy...use your microwave more. It uses about 20% of the energy a full-size oven does.

Laundry: Cut the cost of washing not-too-grimy loads in cold water with a detergent made for the job. And hand dry as much of your laundry as possible. When you do use the dryer, use it consecutively with loads so that it stays warm.

And most importantly, live within your means!