Celebrity trainer Bob Greene (Oprah’s personal trainer) made a stop in Houston this week on his Nation-wide book tour to do a little counseling and book signing.  His latest cookbook “Best Life Diet Cookbook” gives some great ideas for healthy living and is an extension of the Best Life Diet brand that has become highly acclaimed through Greene’s books and work with Winfrey on her show.  There was also a food demonstration, in which Chef Efrain Cuervas prepared two delicious samplings from the Best Life book for patrons of the Buffalo Speedway Kroger to taste as Greene signed books.  Chocolate peanut butter smoothies and egg and veggie breakfast wraps were hits with the crowd.

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White House announces Battle on Childhood Obesity

Recipe for Success Foundation joins initiative.

This week, First Lady Michelle Obama launched a national initiative to eliminate childhood obesity within this generation.  As part of the effort, President Obama created the first ever Task Force on Childhood Obesity to develop a national action plan to meet the First Lady's Goal.  They are calling this the "Let's Move Campaign".

Houston’s own longtime health crusader Gracie Cavnar will be working in close collaboration with the Presidential Task Force to help take the successful Houston area programs of the Recipe for Success Foundation to a national level.  "Childhood Obesity is a national crisis" Recipe for Success Founder, Grace Cavnar said in a statement.  "The White House has called us all into action and Recipe for Success Foundation is ready to help."

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J’adore DiorShow…do you? Next time, try Dior Extase. The newest Dior mascara on the market, Extase ($28), has a tiered brush a la couture dresses. This innovative wand can cover every lash for a panoramic look. It takes the mascara to a new level, with different types of fibers that expand after application. Use three coats for a very dramatic look.

If you’re a classic MAC Zoomlash fan, try their newest release, Studio Fix Lash ($13), which has a skinny rubber wand. This prevents clumping by design and separates lashes. It held a curl really well.  If you’re in search of extreme length, try Tarte’s Lights, Camera, and Lashes ($18) mascara. If you are a fan of packaging, it has a purple faux snakeskin cover.

If you’re considering eyelash extensions or catwalk lashes, pick up YSL Faux Cils mascara ($28.50) as recommended by socialite Vie Society on her eponymous blog. Sleek and dramatic, this mascara has a triple threat: three special films that combine volume, curve, and long lasting coverage. It gave a maximum length, along with a darker pigment as compared to other mascaras.  

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For Valentine’s gifts, it’s not just the women who obsess over their appearance and desire improvement. Utopia Plastic Surgery and MedSpa offers Valentine’s procedures specifically for men. Yes! Men need to maintain too!

Men have become increasingly aware of the effects of aging on their face and bodies. For years, female consumers have dominated the market on anti aging, but, now men are becoming more aware of their own image.

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A report Called Sustainable Foods was recently released by the AMA Council on Science and Public Health. Houston facial plastic surgeon Russell Kridel sits on the AMA Council.  He calls the report “a green initiative”. The report calls for supporting locally produced and organic foods.

According to the report, locally produced and organic foods reduce the use of fuel, promote environmental stewardship, promote stable and prosperous farm communities, preserve genetic biodiversity, and has good long term impact on health, climate, wildlife and individuals. “There are big costs of unhealthy foods in medicine. There are so many processed foods we don’t need to eat candy and potato chips. We need to choose fruits and veggies instead. However, eating fruit flown in from Chile is not good for the environment or as healthy. Foods produced locally and picked ripe increase the nutrient content and lower the carbon footprint. The trend of buying local at the Farmer’s Market is great,” said Dr. Kridel.

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With thousands of runners and spectators, The Houston Marathon (sponsored by Chevron) is the largest single day sporting event in the city. It is run concurrently with a Half-Marathon (sponsored by Aramco) and a 5 KM race (sponsored by El Paso Corp).

The first race in 1972 only had 113 runners and 200 supporters. Today, as many as 15,000 take part in front of a crowd of 200,000.

The course has been repeatedly selected for many world-renowned road-racing competitions (because of the flat terrain and the mild mid-winter climate).

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What an amazing year! I appreciate you, my readers, and my new friends at RSVP713.com for the opportunity to share my passion for vital food and vibrant living.

I will be practicing extreme self-care this season and encourage you to do the same. Whether you attend holiday parties or entertain in your home, you may find yourself splitting your valuable time between friends, family and community. Make sure to create space for private worship, contemplation, relaxation and hibernation. The greatest gift you can give yourself and others is extreme self-care. Shop online to avoid traffic and long lines in stores. Exercise regularly for stress-reduction and to offset the discomfort of sitting and standing at parties. It's ok to skip an occassional workout and indulge your senses. Keep in mind, however, that your cells and organs do not know that your minds have declared a holiday. Eat lots of vegetables, especially roots, to help you stay grounded when presented with holiday meats, treats and sweets. Plan ahead. Eat a large salad or small meal before heading out to an event. Monitor alcohol and caffeine intake. Drink lots of water! If you're staying in you can create your own mini-spa in minutes.

Sugar Scrub for hands, feet and body:
In a big bowl mix with a wooden spoon 1 cup grapeseed or other mild oil with 2 cups turbinado sugar. Add 20-30 drops essential oil such as lavender or grapefruit or try combinations such as rosemary and sweet orange. Add natural food coloring for fun. Store it in a glass jar. Give some away. It makes a lovely holiday gift.

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We all have seen them, heard about them and wondered if we can muster the courage to try them. With a bright radioactive-like green color, we know intellectually they are packed with nutriotional goodness that does a body good, beyond milk-like proportions: green smoothies.

Part of a new wave eating style, the raw movement is catching momentum quickly. Due to perhaps environmentalist, a continuos search for healthier alternatives, or an increase in veganism, one is considered a raw foodie if 75% of one's food consumption is raw.

We can't argue that the concept is sensible in some respects. Raw veggies keep their highest nutritional content while cooked ones loose essential vitamin, minerals and fiber. I myself do not eat meat, and the thought of raw meats cause me to shiver, as dangers of not so fabulous diseases worry me enough necessitate the acquisition of a new Hermes tie. But for some, it does carry into the meat categories.

I have been drinking green smoothies. I guess that makes me half-raw. And I am here to report that they are not only palatable, they are quite delicious. My complexion looks fab, I feel great, have more focus and energy, and I proudly sport pictures of my concoctions on my facebook page so people think I am courageous and brave. After all, raw is sexy.

Here are some tricks that I have learned:

- Use only fruits and green leafy veggies
- Always use a ratio of 60% fruit and 40% greens
- Opt for organic
- Frozen fruits are great

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Trick or treat. Trick or treat. Give me something good to eat. Humans have always desired sweet tasting food. Before food processing we satisfied our sweet tooths with plants such as tubers, roots, grains and fruit. We also derived nutrients, energy and fiber from these foods.

The first sugar refinery appeared in the United States in 1689. Early settlers began to sweeten their breakfast porridge with sugar. Within 10 years annual sugar consumption rose to 4 pounds. Current estimates of average annual consumption of sugar are between 140 to 190 pounds. Sugar wears many masks and uses many names: brown sugar, confectioner's sugar or powdered sugar, corn syrup, dextrose or glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, invert sugar, lactose or milk sugar, levulose or fructose, raw sugar, sorbitol. mannitol, malitol and xylitol, sucrose or table sugar, and turbinado sugar.
Healthier alternatives include agave nectar, barley malt, birch sugar and syrup(xylitol),brown rice syrup, coconut sugar, date sugar, raw honey,
maple sugar or syrup, molasses, rapadura, stevia liquid, leaf or powder, sucanat and vegetable glycerin.

My favorite sweeteners include dark ormus-rich honey, coconut water, mesquite, lucuma and yacon powder, yacon syrup, and green powdered stevia.

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To celebrate the first day of autumn, an enthusiastic group of health-aware,tea-loving, raw-curious locals joined me at The Path of Tea, Houston's only totally organic tea house for a Raw Power Superfood Lunch. They learned to prepare quick delicious raw-live food dishes that pack a nutritional punch. As the outside temperature drops our bodies require more concentrated energy-rich food. Nature provides roots, squashes, mushrooms, a variety of hearty vegetables, nuts, seeds and herbs.

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