Holistic Approach to Health & Beauty

I believe that good looks shouldn't cost a fortune or a trip to a specialty store at the mall but I have to admit that I don't care much for shopping. I research online, read the comments and find out where my chosen products are available before leaving the house. I'll try an inexpensive brand first as long as it's ingredients are touted by the scientific community and its results are given a thumbs up by other users. Let's be honest with ourselves: What works for some won't work for all. I'll try just about anything once unless it costs as much as a car payment.

Most of the products I use can be purchased at Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target or any pharmacy. It's not my intention to sound cheap or give the impression that I'm not worth it: I am worth the extra effort and the money, but that money is earmarked for more than just my vanity.

Good health? The Farmer's Market isn't off the beaten path for me and most grocery stores these days carry organic produce. Organic? Doesn't that cost more? Sure it does but cancer, high blood pressure, high cholesterol (the bad stuff) and cardiac issues cost a whole lot more. In short, I'm taking a holistic approach to my health and beauty. What I can't get from organic fruits, vegetables and whole grains (or detest the flavor of) I ingest via vitamins and supplements.

By the way, please know that I'm not compensated for my opinions: If I endorse a brand name or a product, it's because I speak from first-hand experience.

My Top Beauty Tips

What are my top beauty tips for women 50 and older?  Here they are, in no particular order.

1. Ultra-hydration. Internally and externally, if you want your skin to look and feel its best, drink lots of water. If you can't do without colas and coffee at least limit your intake. Any beverage that contains caffeine is usually a diuretic. That means you're outputting as much, if not more, fluids than you're taking in. 
2. Sunlight, natural and artificial, does more damage to your skin than you realize. While natural sunlight is good for you, too much of a good thing can have adverse effects. If you're going outdoors for more than 15 minutes, wear a sunscreen. You might even consider wearing a wide-brimmed hat as well. Tanning, whether natural or artificial, does irreversible damage to your skin, damage you may not see for several years.
3. Eat right and exercise. Eating the right foods in the right amounts puts necessary nutrients into your body, nutrients that help your body maintain good muscle tone, strengthens bones and yes, supple, hydrated skin. Eating the right foods can even have a good effect on your mood. Exercise - it's not just for people who want to lose weight: Its for women like us who want to reduce stress and look good. 
4. Stop smoking. Need I elaborate?
5. Accept yourself and your age. For most of our lives, we've had "youth" pushed on us by marketing companies selling us everything from shoes to hair color. We've come to believe what the media pushes on us - age is ugly, age is bad, age is useless. There's nothing bad about having wrinkles, especially when those wrinkles speak to knowledge and experience - beauty all it's own.