Efficient as NASA

As an esthetician who has worked at home and abroad, I have noted that North Americans are obsessed with exfoliating.  I think its related to our preoccupation with cleanliness and hygiene (we do come from the land of travel-sized hand sanitizer).  So I’m about to blame my cultural tendencies for the fact I have an ever-expanding collection of exfoliating products.  From pastes and powders to hand-held gadgets and abrasive mitts, I have taken this love of shedding my skin to an embarrassing level.  I think the fact I have both a hard dry brush for my body, and a soft dry brush for my underarms and bikini says it all.  But while it may sounds like I have no more skin to scrub, or that I walk around as one big red patch of skin – alas I must admit that many of these exfoliators go unused…mostly out of laziness.

Now – again drawing from my professional background, this is unfortunate.  Because while I think that we North Americans love the idea of being skweaky clean and smooth a bit too much, exfoliation is excellent for both your skin, body and internal health.  Scrubbing away dead skin not only forces new fresh skin cells to the surface giving us a more youthful glow, but it also helps prevent our pores from congestion and break outs.  Exfoliation also enables those of us from dry skin to absorb more moisture as our dry skin cells create a crusty barrier which disallow products and humidity to penetrate (dry skin begets more dry skin!).  But possibly the biggest reason I am a sucker for exfoliants is because the act itself promotes more circulation and therefore combats both water-retention and cellulite.  “Anti-cellulite” is one of those key phrases which makes me automatically hand over my credit card.

So, strolling down the main strip in Laguna Beach after spying on a beachwear photo shoot by the water – I was more than susceptible to buying a Spa Cells Supracor Sponge.  Actually I lied…I bought two (one for face and one for body).  These sponges look suspiciously similar to bubble wrap – and still I was intrigued.  The labels said they were recyclable and mold-resistant.  The sales girl cheerfully informed me that she had no idea what they were made out of only that they were developed from a technology originally designed for space travel.  I’m putting my money on plastic.

Well, let me tell you – I love it!  Yes, its just an exfoliating mitt but it has one thing that my other products don’t: convenience.  I don’t dry brush because it takes too much time – You’re talking to a girl who used to do her make up in the reflection of the TTC train windows on her way to school.  And I don’t like my exfoliating mitt because if it doesn’t dry well it starts to mold and smell (not helping my preoccupation with cleanliness).  These face and body sponges are done in the shower or bath and can be easily kept hanging in your shower without the fear of breeding bacteria.

Lets hope that this is the exfoliator to end all exfoliators…because I don’t think I can fit anymore products into my bathroom.

* Note:  The link to the official Website of Supracor seemed to be broken, so if you can’t find one near you – you can call Athena Day Spa where I bought mine and they do phone and email orders.

Despite being cliche, at the beginning of every year I always make resolutions.  And to help me stay true to my own promises, I write down this list of annual goals in my new personal agenda for the year (yes, I use paper. I’m that old school).  I’m a big fan of reflection, and as I make my new list, I also look back on 2009’s objectives to see how it panned out.  Some goals were a flat out failure (like learning to play the djembe), while others can be crossed of the list with fist-bumping satisfaction ( getting my book published).  And then there are those which need to be transferred to 2010 (Strengthening and toning my body).

When it comes to exercise – I’m terribly non-committal.  I have dabbled in gym memberships and I have an on-again off-again relationship with a variety of yoga studios (no matter how hot they are), but I somehow I can’t seem to stay consistent.  And Jan/ Feb are the worse for falling off the workout wagon which makes my New Year New You project pretty unsuccessful from the get-go.  Its usually a combo of getting busy at work with the fact that its so cold that I rarely feel like leaving my radiator’s side. But this year I have found the perfect, excuse-shattering solution: a rebounder!

A rebounder is a mini trampoline which you jump up and down on for an excellent cardio workout.  Its low impact on your knees and joints (unlike running), it strengthens your core as you engage your abs as you work against gravity – and its really fun!  Just turn up the tunes and bounce to the music.

My practical side also loves it because it doesn’t take up a lot of space (perfect for our small unit) – and I can fit in my exercise while dinner is in the oven (yes we have been cooking instead of resorting to meal service).
Now, many of you may know that I am a bit of a sucker for gimmicky gadgets and shopping channel-worthy home equipment – I have multiple face massagers and an ab exerciser which is much like a lazy susan that is supposed to strengthen your stomach girdle as you swivel- but I really think this one is a keeper.

I have had my rebounder for a little under a month and have used it almost every day (which is more than I can say for my Master Moves Rotator).  Of course this doesn’t mean I will stop going to yoga or throw out the Rodney Yee DVDs I have – but its a good way to stay active even in times of time-poverty and low motivation.

So, with a bit of discipline and commitment, I will not be rewriting this resolution in 2011.

In the last week or so, I have decided that I need to muster up some discipline and establish a routine. As a single mother, my mom would constantly tell me about the importance of routine throughout my childhood to more efficiently get ready in the morning….I was a bit of a dawdler.

But, like the theme of our modern-day sentiments, my motto has always been: if the results are good, who cares about the method? If I’m at my commitments on time, get my work done and keep myself fed, what’s the problem, right? Well, the problem is that our bodies need regularity.

Waking, eating and sleeping at consistent times helps us establish habits – and like little planners, our bodies can expect when to be stimulated, nourished and rested. This helps our digestion immensely, helping our skin and bodies immensely as well. Poor digestion has been tied to rosacea, eczema and cellulite. I, myself, have had my share of digestive issues and its no coincidence that I eat on the run wherever and whenever it has fit into my inconsistent schedule. This is why Vatas (those with an abundance of air in their constitution) tend to have poor digestion and bloating. Vata governs inconsistency – whether it is in the mind or body – and when this happens, our systems do not know when digestive fire should be enkindled, and this also creates erratic hunger patterns.

But routine does not only help with digestion, but also with our metabolism. If we do not eat regularly, our bodies do not know when they will be fed again, and often enter “starvation mode” in which they hang onto nutrients in fear of not receiving more. It is proven fact that those of us who eat consistently, avoiding swings of being too ravenous and overly stuffed, also regulate our blood sugar and metabolic function. Many clients who seem like they cannot lose weight despite reasonable portion sizes and reasonable food choices find that their lack of eating at the same times each day is a major factor. Excess Kapha (the earth element in our constitution) is related to this, and Kaphas who have a habit of over-indulging themselves also lack discipline and structure. Establishing a strict regimen of waking, eating and sleeping is one of the best ways to reduce excess Kapha.

And our waking/ sleeping patterns are of the utmost importance. Waking early each day clears out Kapha lethargy. According to Ayurveda, we should be using the sunrise to help wake and stimulate us – and we should not be eating after sun-down (as our bodies naturally slow down). I have blogged about circadian rhythm before, and this coincides with this concept.

Sleeping at the same time each day also helps us become better rested. Fluctuating sleep patterns confuse our bodies and often cause insomnia (another sign of excess Vata). And we all know that a good night’s sleep not only prevents the feeling of fatigue, but also under eye circles, skin dehydration (lack of sleep taxes our kidneys which regulate water) and water-retention (due to dehydration).

So, while it isn’t as glamorous as a luxurious skin renewing facial or provides the instant gratification of a nourishing body massage, establishing a strict lifestyle routine may provide the most powerful total health and beauty make-over.