Strawberry Avocado Bliss

· 1/2 avocado, pitted and peeled
· 1 cup frozen strawberries
· 2/3 cup lowfat milk
· 5 Tbsp. Coffee-mate Natural Bliss Vanilla
· 1 tsp. granulated sugar (optional)
· 1/2 cup crushed ice

- PLACE avocado, strawberries, milk, Coffee-mate, sugar and ice in blender; cover. Blend until smooth.

Blueberry Green Tea Iced Bliss

· 1 cup green tea, chilled
· 3/4 cup frozen blueberries
· 1/4 cup Coffee-mate Natural Bliss Low-fat Vanilla
· 1/2 tsp. granulated sugar (optional)
· 1 cup crushed ice

- PLACE green tea, blueberries, Coffee-mate and sugar in blender; cover. Blend until smooth. Serve over crushed ice.

Fight Fat with Fat!

Every year millions of people battle the bulge with trendy diets and weight loss supplements. Sadly their results are most often disappointing and tend to cause long term weight gain. However new science in the field of omega-3 research suggests that the best way to fight fat is with fat!

According to the latest research omega-3, in the form of fish oil, can activate genes that increase fat metabolism while at the same time activate genes that help build lean muscle mass. When combined with moderate exercise the results can be remarkable.

For Grant Roberts, celebrity nutrition and fitness expert, high dose omega-3 fish oil is not new news. For almost 10 years he’s made omega-3 an essential component for achieving dramatic body transformations with all his celebrity clients. For best results you should target your intake of omega-3 EPA+DHA at 2000mg per day and get at least 30 minutes of exercise daily.

Marc St-Onge, CEO and Omega-3 Scientist, Ascenta

How have omega-3 fatty acids helped you to lose weight or improved your overall health?

ECO Friendly Fashion

Okay, I’ll admit I’m becoming an ECO ADDICT. As my new PSOS Haute line is being created for our big ECO-FASION NIGHT OUT runway bash in July, every day has become a new journey of discovering how junk can be made into beautiful gowns! I have all these incredible fabric swatches all over my office – beautiful colors, textures, patterns ­–
and they all come from plastic bottles and plastic refuse that has been melted down and made into stunning fabric!

Our newest PSOS t-shirts, (which you can purchase at projectsaveoursurf.org) are very cute tees for the girls in a Long Sleeve V-neck and Pony Backless Tee – which are made from the softest reused plastic material. Bobby Lipton, our designer, has made these hip tees with our sunny and surfery ‘conSURFvation’ logo. The best part is that not only are you wearing these comfy tees you are actually reducing waste and reducing your carbon footprint, but also knowing that all the proceeds from these t-shirts go to kids scholarships to an outdoor camp this summer!

CAMP PSOS 2012 in July and August will help sixty inner city and underprivileged children to go camp in the California wilderness: hike, make crafts out of junk, be one on one with lizards, snakes, animals (don’t worry the camp counselors are brilliant!) …And experience why we need to preserve our precious resources through having their own heartfelt hands on interaction with the ethos rather than learning through a one-dimensional textbook.

Four of these adorable tees send one child to camp. 4 TEES = 1 KID SCHOLARSHIP TO PSOS CAMP! I couldn’t be more excited that protecting our earth and continuing to educate our youth about conservation could be so cute and fashionable! As a founder of non-profit SAVE OUR SURF, I believe that attitudes toward ecological change can create just as powerful results if we go about our job with almost a playful attitude, and I’m gaga over our t-shirts and the children who will experience Camp PSOS – I can’t wait to see the ecosystems unfold through their eyes!

Wanna buy a t-shirt?

The Importance of Sleeping Well

One of my patients made an amusing observation this week: as infants we sleep most of the time. Children and teens, on the other hand, often want to stay up as long as they can. By the time we enter
college, pulling all-nighters by any means necessary is the norm. In adulthood, the shoe is on the other foot; it seems we just can’t find a way or enough time to sleep.

So why is it so difficult for most to get their required amount of sleep? Perhaps our sleep-starvation is partly because we forget just how important sleep is to our health and well-being. There is still significant debate about the reasons why we actually need sleep. However, medical science and practical experience have repeatedly demonstrated that in order for sleep to be effective, it must be deep and prolonged. This is so that the body can proceed properly through the different stages of sleep.

The Stages of Sleep

During a healthy night’s rest, we cycle between four equally important stages of sleep. In stage one, or “drowsy sleep”, we are aware of noises around us and can be easily awakened. Often we will experience
a rush of ideas and even light hallucinations as the body begins to relax and unwind.

Generally, we spend about five to ten minutes in stage one before proceeding to stage two, a deeper level of sleep. Here we lose consciousness and muscle tone. Our bodies start their reparative
process and begin to relax. Though we quickly drop from stage two to stage three, we return to stage two over and over; in total, we spend about half of our night in stage two. As we progress to our deepest sleep level stage three, our relaxation, repair, rejuvenation and restoration increases. Skeletal muscles of the limbs lose their tension and go limp. Smooth muscle cells lining the blood vessels relax and dilate. Our blood pressure falls; our heart rate decreases; our body temperature drops; and our respiration
becomes less frequent. This increases the blood flow to all tissues in the body, allowing them to get bathed with the oxygen and nutrients found in the blood. This influx of blood also removes waste products and toxins that have accumulated throughout the day.

During stages two and three, our peaceful deep sleep is periodically interrupted by a dramatic change. The brain becomes very active, sending nerve impulses throughout the body. As a result, blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature and respiration all increase. Our muscles begin to contract, even those that control eye movement. These eye movements give this active final sleep stage its name: REM, or the rapid eye movement stage.

Try to establish a routine to let your body and mind know the plan beforehand, going to sleep at the same time every night might be a good way to start. But perhaps the most interesting feature of REM sleep is dreaming.

Experts believe that dreaming is a means for our bodies to deal with stress at a subconscious level — a way to heal ourselves intellectually, emotionally, cognitively, psychologically and
spiritually. This psychological rejuvenation can happen directly or indirectly through the symbolization and role-playing in our dreams. Without our REM stage dreams, many of the stresses that we internalize throughout the day would continue to build. This might lead to irritability, poor concentration, emotional dysfunction and diminished physical performance. For this reason, insomnia and sleep disorders can effects far beyond a few restless hours at night. Sleep deprivation affects our mental well-being as well as our physical acuity.

What About Sleep Aids?

It’s impossible to mention the devastating effects of poor sleep without a word about medical sleep aids. In the last ten years we’ve seen a boom of prescription sedatives, each with a television ad promising peaceful slumbers and bright mornings. Though these medications are helpful on a temporary basis, it’s important to remember that these products are not intended for ongoing use, and that they may have numerous side effects. This is doubly true for over-the-counter drugs like antihistamines. Though many of the newer the newer formulations have been designed to minimize side effects, they simply should not be considered a permanent cure. It’s always best to discuss ongoing sleep problems with your doctor.

The Melatonin Mystique

One of the most provocative prescription sleep aids is melatonin. In its natural form, melatonin is a hormone produced in the body of most living things. Unlike other familiar hormones like seratonin, which can be produced at any time, melatonin only comes out at night—darkness affects the production of melatonin, and in turn melatonin seems to help entrain us to a 24-hour cycle of wakefulness and sleep.

Prescription melatonin is appealing because it isn’t a sedative– it simply boosts the melatonin present in our own bodies. Despite melatonin’s current popularity and notoriety in the press, it remains controversial and the effects of its long-term use are unknown. Melatonin also has side effects, which can include headaches and stomach problems. Therefore, it is important to talk to your healthcare provider to determine the right dosage for you.

Tips for a Good Night’s Sleep

It has been estimated that 90 million Americans suffer from a sleep disorder at one time or another in their lives. Those of us who are free of medical disorders are still susceptible to poor sleep habits. If you’re having difficulty capturing a full night of rest, try these simple tips to cultivate better sleep practices and happier mornings.

1. Darken the room so your brain releases more of its own melatonin for better sleep.
2. Try not to eat or drink much just before bed, and try not to take medications with stimulants—for example, avoid antidepressants, caffeine, Ritalin, and Straterra. Food and stimulants shorten the REM
stage in unhealthy ways.
3. Turn off the television and radio an hour before bedtime. Decreasing stimulation will help to ease your brain into a state of restfulness.
4. Incorporate restful practices into your waking life. For example, try yoga, or take time to pamper yourself at a spa or with a massage.
5. Take vacation time and use your paid time off, especially when it does not accrue year to year. Fatigue builds over time, so be kind to yourself.
6. Take naps, especially on the weekend when there is some extra time.

Sources
 Wald, Matthew L. “The Costs of Sleeping on the Job.”

http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/sleep-101

http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/stages-of-sleep

http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/tc/melatonin-overview

http://www.aasmnet.org/Resources/FactSheets/Insomnia.pdf

Best Steps for Healthy Hair

• Seek out young, hip stylists to try new styles. Ask for their help to select something without changing your hair so much it is difficult to style yourself or that is awkward for your age or lifestyle.

• Get regular cuts. Regular upkeep of your hair every 6-8 weeks is the best. Your hair on average grows a half an inch every month and will start to split if it is not trimmed on a regular basis.

• Coloring helps. Coloring will help with youthfulness if it is done with the integrity of the hair in mind. Coloring can also damage your hair. We recommend that every time you do a color you are also doing a deep conditioning treatment.

• Consider a smoothing treatment. There are many treatments, both permanent and semi-permanent, that can be used to help with smoothing and adding protein. These also improve hair texture, shine and control.

• Treating the scalp is important. A healthy scalp = healthy hair. Blow dryers, styling or flat irons and brushes directly impact the health of your hair; reduce heat damage by using professional tools that aid in conditioning hair.

• Maintain hair at home. Healthy and youthful hair is blend of what’s done in the salon and what you do at home. Use quality products and heed product education and recommendations from your stylist.

• Know the ingredients in hair products. Certain ingredients may make your hair feel great, but are damaging from the inside out, such as some non-vegetable glycerin. Many shampoos and conditioners sold in big box stores cost little because they have few long term benefits for maintaining healthy hair.

Tasia Ashton, Andria Strandin and Jeanne Strandin, taj salon & spa owners, taj salon & spa

Products for Healthy Hair

For healthy, young looking hair, the answer is simple: a mix of products is always best depending on your hair type, texture and whether or not it is color-treated, etc. Protein Sprays in general fill the hair follicle and infuse the strand with moisture thus making it young and shiny. If your hair is fine or color treated you may need to mix in a gel or treatment cream first. A great example of a cream treatment is Phyto 7. Additionally, Infusium 23 is an excellent solution for Protein Spray and affordable for all.

Steven Dillon, Celebrity Hair Stylist

What rituals do you use to maintain healthy hair?

Zoë Saldana looked beautiful at the Cosmopolitan for Latinas launch party in New York last week, but it took some convincing to get the actress into that blush-hued Elie Saab dress.

“This took years for [stylist Petra Flannery] to get me to wear — feminine, pretty colors and pastel,” the actress told FabSugar. “I always want things to be hard and poignant but sometimes, you need these things because they mellow you out.”

The Avatar beauty relies heavily on Flannery — not just her stylist but also a close friend — to help put together her red carpet ensembles. “She is my must-have,” she said. “I work so hard and I am nonstop that sometimes taking time to think about what I am going to wear is overwhelming.”

Saldana, also said she’s “not a pink girl,” is known for her fashion risks, too, so it’s not surprising that she describes her style as “unexpected” and “emotional.”

That was never more true than at the 2010 Oscars, when Saldana stepped out in a jaw-dropping purple Givenchy gown.”Everybody and their mommas told me and Petra that might be a little bit too much,” she revealed. “It was a shocker for some and some people needed to be revived after they saw it on the red carpet.”

So why did she ultimately choose the gown? “I was happy and I felt like the most beautiful girl in the world that night,” she shared. “And that’s all I care about.”

–Jennifer Cress

VOTE ON STARS’ BEST DRESSES IN ‘LAST NIGHT’S LOOK: LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT?’

Originally Posted on People.com

She just had baby Maxwell Drew two weeks ago, but Jessica Simpson is already giving birth to another venture: a maternity line. The designer announced plans for her latest collection, aptly named Jessica Simpson Maternity, just this morning.

Simpson’s new line — which will be available at Destination Maternity, Motherhood Maternity and Macy’s stores this fall — includes “breezy, everyday pieces aimed at the modern mom-to-be who wants to maintain her fashion edge throughout her pregnancy,” according to a release.

“I’m so excited to partner with Destination Maternity to design a collection of fashionable styles that make you look and feel great,” Simpson said in the release. “You want to wear clothes that are flattering to your baby bump; you want to show your bump off.”

The clothes (see a sampling above) will have a vintage 1970s feel, and include printed tops, maxi dresses, jackets, blazers, sweaters, knits and denim, starting at just $36. Wonder if we’ll see any leopard-print caftans in the collection?

TAKE A LOOK BACK AT SIMPSON’S OWN GLAM MATERNITY STYLE

Originally Posted on People.com

Four kids and a crazy career mean that Heidi Klum has little time to think about her morning routine. “I’m more wash and wear,” Klum, the new face of Clear Scalp Hair & Beauty Therapy, tells PEOPLE. “I just go in the shower, wash and condition [my hair] and just let it air dry.” And if she’s feeling crazy? “I put my hair behind my ears and I let it dry like that, so when I take it out it has a little bit of a wave.”

Sounds simple, but once you start talking color, it gets complicated. “It’s a pain,” she admits. “Every five weeks I have to get my roots done. Even though now it’s cool to have some roots, you can’t have seven-inch roots and blonde from there on!”

The supermodel is taking better care of her tresses these days; she was just named the first-ever face of the new Clear product line. “I thought they had a great, different approach to hair care,” she says. “I don’t think anyone usually thinks about feeding hair from the scalp, but if you think about it, it makes total sense. That’s where the hair starts.”

Saying the products make her hair soft and sweet smelling, Klum points out that many consumers often buy the wrong shampoo and conditioner. “You need to look at what kind of hair type you are,” she explains. “You have to think about not just hydration and moisture, too, because that can make your hair really flat and limp.”

Klum has her own secret for adding volume to her locks, but admits it’s not the best tip. “I know it sounds horrible, but I feel sometimes [my hair] looks cooler when it is a little bit bedroom-y — and sometimes I literally did just get up,” she says of the un-brushed bed-head look. “Sometimes I think it looks better if you wash it right before you go to bed and let it dry when you’re sleeping. It goes a little bit all over the place and I like that. And if it’s really bad, it just goes in a bun!” Tell us: How do you wear your hair on a daily basis?

–Reporting by Ulrica Wihlborg

TRY ON THE BEST STAR HAIRSTYLES IN OUR INSTANT MAKEOVER

Originally Posted on People.com

Bombshell Eva Green went platinum blonde for her role in Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows — but admits the idea took a bit of convincing.

“The blonde hair was kind of a big thing for me because in the beginning I was like, ‘Oh my God,’” Green told PEOPLE at the film’s Hollywood premiere on Monday. “I didn’t want it to look like a silly blonde.”

The former Bond girl plays a witch named Angelique, who’s left broken-hearted and vengeful by a recently freed vampire (Johnny Depp) who was imprisoned for more than 200 years.

However, Green ultimately decided blonde hair was crucial to her character, since part of the film is set in the ’70s. “It was a great choice from [director Tim Burton] because it represents American, sunshine, health,” she explained.

In fact, the French actress had nothing but praise for her director and her very sexy costar, who are longtime pals. “There was absolutely no pressure on set,” she said. “They really love what they’re doing. They’re like children and it’s fun to play — it’s great.”

Dark Shadows — which also costars Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter and Chloë Moretz — opens nationwide on Friday.

–Jennifer Cress, with reporting by Scott Huver

SEE STARS ON SET IN ‘LIGHTS! CAMERA! FASHION!’

Originally Posted on People.com

If you’re trying to spot Adele in London, look for the lady in the PJs. “I walked through Trafalgar Square on a Saturday afternoon — tourist haven — in pajamas,” the Grammy winner tells Matt Lauer in the upcoming NBC Adele Live in London special.

Even more shocking? The songstress was wearing color. “I’m always in black,” she says. “It was this tracksuit, with a massive green coat and little pink pumps. I had this massive umbrella so no one recognized me.”

The superstar says a few onlookers did do a double-take, but no one approached her. “A couple looked around, but they were like, ‘No … she’s in color and what would she be doing walking around a packed Trafalgar Square on Saturday in pajamas?’” she jokes.

During the special, Adele also speaks about her 2012 Grammy performance; it was her first time back onstage after her throat surgery, but she was thinking about more than just her voice. “I had three or four pairs of Spanx on that night,” she reveals, laughing. “I took a few pairs off when I sang, though.”

Hear more from Adele in the clip above, and catch the full NBC special on Tuesday, June 5, at 8 p.m. ET.

–Jennifer Cress

YOU ASKED, WE FOUND: STAR LOOKS

Originally Posted on People.com