Jackie Silverand I are so fortunate to know Jackie Lee, co-founder of Grand Central BeautyNot only did we enjoy her on our recent Ageless Sisters Blog Talk radioshow but we had the opportunity to film with her in NY. The S.M.A.R.T. mask is hydrating and it provides immediate benefit to parched, dehydrated skin. It's affordably priced and we know you will love it as much as we do!
___________________________________________________________________

Facial cleansing includes a good beauty mask.

BY: JACKIE SILVER 

Even if you have oily, normal or combination skin, harsh winter temperatures, winds and indoor heating can cause dry "alligator" skin for just about anybody. That's where a peel off mask can help – it's good for dry skin – and a new company called Grand Central Beauty has stepped in to bring you its dry skin solution mask.

Grand Central Beauty's S.M.A.R.T. Skin Perfecting Mask is a clinically tested, 15-minute weekly or occasional-use peel off treatment that doesn't conflict with your daily routine.

S.M.A.R.T. stands for:

Smooths  – nourishing seaweed extracts makes skin feel softer and visibly smoother.

Moisturizes  – vitamin infused, exclusive water-activated formula provides immediate skin hydration and up to 24-hour moisture retention.

Anti-aging  – clinically tested natural marine algae proven to detoxify skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, making skin look up to six years younger.

Redness-reduction – soothing botanicals help to brighten skin and visibly reduce signs of skin redness.

Tones– mineral-rich marine powders help to refine pores and draw out black heads while adding suppleness to skin, improving both tone and elasticity.

Click to read full article: http://style.lifegoesstrong.com/article/peel-mask-good-dry-skin*

VIDEO:  The Ageless Sisters & Jackie Lee demonstrates how to use Grand Central Beauty's S.M.A.R.T. Skin Perfecting Mask

Sign up for Cynthia's FREE newsletter:
CynthiaRowland.com — http://www.cynthiarowland.com

FOLLOW her on Twitter:
@cynthiarowland — http://www.twitter.com/cynthiarowland

"LIKE" her Facebook page:
Cynthia Rowland — https://www.facebook.com/cynthiarowlandfans

I appreciate Jackie Silver. She is a Facial Magicdevotee and she is very vocal about how she loves to exercise her face. Thank you for your meaningful words and your willingness to share your beauty secrets with women of the world.
_____________________________________________________________

bSmart interviewed anti-aging expert Jackie Silver, founder of AgingBackwards.com about her tips on staying young, favorite products and how you can buy her book Aging Backwards: Secrets to Staying Young.

Aging Backwards starts on the inside. – Jackie Silver

What are your top five tips for staying young?

Tip 1) Exercise for 10 minutes a day.

Exercise is the fountain of youth.

Tip 2) Get 7-8 hours of sleep.

Studies show that our bodies "tune up" while we're sleeping.

Tip 3) Laughter is the best medicine.

Studies show laughter changes the make-up of your system.

Tip 4) Watch your diet.

Supersize your veggies and half-size everything else.

Tip 5) Volunteer and giveback.

Find ways to give back on Volunteermatch.org.

If there was ONE thing we could start doing today to begin aging backwards, what would it be?  

Click below to read full interview....
http://bsmartguide.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=752:aging-backwards-secrets-to-staying-young&catid=66:health–beauty

Sign up for Cynthia's FREE newsletter:
CynthiaRowland.com — http://www.cynthiarowland.com

FOLLOW her on Twitter:
@cynthiarowland — http://www.twitter.com/cynthiarowland

"LIKE"* her Facebook page:*
Cynthia Rowland — https://www.facebook.com/cynthiarowlandfans

By Cynthia Rowland 

Are you wearing the same old, tired, scary, witchy face this year in celebration of Halloween or would you rather your face to be younger looking and prettier not only for Halloween but for the entire holiday season and the rest of your life?

Remember how Lucy and Ethel would tell Rickie and Fred that they were going to the ladies room to fix their faces and then the two men would proceed to make certain remarks about their faces? They were less than kind sometimes about noses that longed for powder and lips that needed fresh color. We women seem to feel better about our appearance when we look polished and back then powder and lipstick were the two easy makeup staples that women relied on for on-the-spot beauty.

Wow, time has changed that.

Beauty has become a multi-billion dollar business that encompasses more than lotions and potions or just lipstick and powder; add the medical aspect of injections, lasers and surgery and the amount of money spent each year to hopefully wear a younger looking face is staggering.

What is your beauty regimen? Do you look in the mirror and wish sometimes that indeed there was a Halloween mask that could easily double as your face? Would that mask portray your face without lines, wrinkles, sags and bags?

Wearing an aging face can sap your confidence. What makes an aging face even more unpalatable is the fact that you have continuously spent money on topical products, maybe a few injections here and there and you've even considered a surgical procedure, but all to no avail because your face continues to age no matter what you try.

Spending thousands of dollars using injections will not stop facial aging. Surgery will not stop an aging face and topical products certainly soften the skin making lines and wrinkles less apparent, but the real cause of aging is not addressed using these modalities.

Most aging in the face is a result of sagging, atrophied muscles that are hidden but attached to the skin. When the muscles begin their elongation, the skin elongates and moves, too. They both go one direction – south. This means that features like your nose and your cheeks fall; your jaw line becomes loose and pouches can develop below the mouth. Then the dreaded wattle is in evidence while eye lids become lined and your eyes can look tired. Voila! The recipe for an aging face is not your fault but a result of gravity.

The cause of aging is a result of muscle atrophy and there is only one way to stop it – facial exercise.

Not any facial exercise will do, after all, they are not equally effective. Contortions, funny faces, twists and puckers will not stop the downward slide of muscles. The most effective exercise program teaches you to first isolate, anchor and then contract the muscles so that the action begins to tighten and lift the areas affected by atrophy.

Preserving your natural beauty using resistance training effectively works.  Just like your arms, tummy, hips and thighs tighten and lift with resistance exercises; your face can receive the very same type of benefit. Those tiny muscles will awaken and respond to these exercises. Your skin will look and feel youthful as your muscles reposition.

Your forehead will smooth, your cheeks will lift, the lower mouth will tighten, your brows will stop dropping and your neck will look years younger in just weeks. Sound too good to be true?

Well, it's a fact that exercise will change the shape and contour of your body and facial exercise will help you look years younger without any danger. All you have to do is follow the program to receive visible results in just hardly any time at all.

A facial exercise program is basically a one-time purchase because once you learn the routine, the knowledge is yours forever. Exercise is reliable, inexpensive and best of all, it works.

Most users will happily share their experience because they've laid down the Halloween mask and instead, they have armed themselves with exercise gloves, using their "age erasers", to lift, tone and tighten their faces. Without surgery, injections, or anything harmful, your face can look younger than it has in years.

Just like Lucy and Ethel, you can create on the spot natural beauty using facial exercise.

Sign up for Cynthia's FREE newsletter:
CynthiaRowland.com — http://www.cynthiarowland.com

FOLLOW her on Twitter:
@cynthiarowland — http://www.twitter.com/cynthiarowland

"LIKE"* her Facebook page:*
Cynthia Rowland — https://www.facebook.com/cynthiarowlandfans

Who knew watercress was so healthy for you and that by eating a bag of it a day could stop wrinkles and help you look younger, too!
Well, I hope this nourishing green veggie is flying off the shelves worldwide so that women everywhere stop abusing themselves with surgeries and needles and instead use Mother Nature's gifts for their beauty treatments.
__________________________________________________________________

• Study showed 10 out of 11 females experienced visible improvements to their skin

• 7 out of 11 saw an improvement in their wrinkles  

Watercress contains more vitamin C than oranges, four times more beta-carotene and vitamin A than apples, tomatoes and broccoli

By BIANCA LONDON

If you want to roll back the years, forget expensive lotions and potions and instead reach for something more natural (and cheap): a bag of watercress.

The old adage of beauty coming from within has been borne out by a new study in which 10 out of 11 female volunteers experienced visible improvements to their skin after just four weeks of adding one bag of watercress a day to their diet.

One woman even managed to reduce her facial wrinkles by an incredible 39 per cent.

Forget expensive creams, a recent study shows that adding one bag of watercress a day to your diet can improve your skin tone and reduce wrinkles

The women, who ranged in age from 23 to 58, began the trial by having their faces photographed using a VISIA complexion analysis system which gives a subsurface reading of an individual's skin and focuses on wrinkles, texture (the balance between oily and dry areas) pores, UV spots, brown spots, red areas (any underlying redness, inflammation, sensitivity or thinner skin) and porphyrins (levels of bacteria on the skin).

After four weeks of eating 80g of watercress a day the volunteers had their skin reassessed by the VISIA camera, and the results were extremely positive.

The majority of women also reported increased energy levels.

During the trial the volunteers made no other changes to their usual health and beauty regime.

They were allowed to eat their daily quota of watercress in any way they chose – in salads, sandwiches, whizzed into smoothies or wilted into pasta, however it was not allowed to be cooked.

One of the success stories of the study was Ruth McKechnie, 54, a theatre training teacher from Cambridge who saw a 39 per cent improvement in her wrinkles, 13 per cent improvement in her skin texture, 5 per cent per cent reduction in brown spots and 18 per cent improvement in her levels of bacteria.

She said: 'I'm absolutely thrilled with the results of the trial and astounded at how my skin has improved in almost every aspect.

'It feels smoother to touch, looks plumper and best of all my wrinkles have reduced! I had a particularly stressful few weeks at work and thought it would have a negative effect on my skin so to see such an improvement really is impressive.

'I have also felt more energised and generally healthier which has helped me deal with the stress. Watercress will certainly be top of my shopping list from now onwards.'

Throughout history, eminent philosophers and doctors have revered the health boosting properties of watercress from the pharaohs in Egypt and the ancient Greeks, to the Romans and Anglo-Saxons.

Now, sophisticated science techniques have confirmed folklore beliefs.

Philosophers and doctors have raved about the benefits of watercress for years

Dr Sarah Schenker, a leading nutritionist and dietician who oversaw the study, said: 'Watercress is a rich source of beta carotene needed to quench free radicals, which can cause damage to skin cells.

'However, in order to work properly a high concentration of Vitamin C is also needed to complete this process and watercress again has this in abundance.

'In addition watercress contains Vitamin E which is also important for skin health. It is this powerhouse of nutrients and the chain reaction in which they work together which is so important for maintaining good skin.'

There are plenty of delicious ways that watercress can be incorporated into your diet

Sarah added: 'This study confirms that diet is an important aspect of beauty. Eating plenty of plant foods including watercress cannot only help to slow down the ageing of our skin, but may actually reverse some of the effects of damage.'

Watercress Alliance member Dr. Steve Rothwell, who holds a PhD in watercress explained: 'There have been a whole host of scientific studies that have shown that B Carotene can help reduce the ageing of skin, so we were encouraged to carry out our own small pilot study using fresh watercress.

'We were delighted with the results of the new pilot study which may now be used to secure funding for a larger scale university research programme, as the findings have proved so conclusive.'

Original Post: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2216852/Eat-way-facelift-Watercress-latest-wonder-food-battle-anti-ageing.html

Sign up for Cynthia's FREE newsletter:
CynthiaRowland.com — http://www.cynthiarowland.com

FOLLOW her on Twitter:
@cynthiarowland — http://www.twitter.com/cynthiarowland

"LIKE" her Facebook page:
Cynthia Rowland — https://www.facebook.com/cynthiarowlandfans

Many health and fitness professionals agree that the way to a better body overall is to concentrate on what you put in your mouth because if 85% of your weight relies on portion control and only 15% of your weight is attributed to exercise, eating sensibly will undoubtably begin to change your body. I know how difficult it is to give up any loved food – mashed potatoes, bread of all kinds, pasta and rice, yummy desserts like apple fritters, pie and cake...Cutting back on those foods that pack on the pounds is easier when you remember that it is the smidgens that count, the little things you do every meal, every day that makes a difference. Pay attention, read the labels and enjoy the new body that will begin to reveal itself in just a few days. Keep at it!
____________________________________________________________________

The most potent weapon in your antiaging arsenal may be scaling back at mealtime.

IT CAN HAPPEN AT ANY AGE: One day you're eating what you want with no consequences. The next day, one stray cookie and your jeans don't zip. Elisabetta Politi, nutritional director at the Duke Diet & Fitness Center in Durham, North Carolina, notes that each year your resting metabolism burns approximately 10 fewer calories — 100 fewer per decade — meaning you can slide up into the next dress size all too easily if you don't gradually adjust your diet over time. Plus, as you age, "your old techniques don't work anymore," says Heather Bauer, a New York City-based registered dietician and coauthor of Bread Is the Devil. "You can't binge and starve your way to a healthy weight." Research suggests that even exercise can't counteract the evils of age-related weight gain. Recent studies indicate that metabolism is less responsive to exercise than we had thought. New York-based fitness instructor and holistic health coach Craig Smith believes that the food you eat accounts for a full 85 percent of your body's appearance, while a gym routine dictates only the remaining 15. "No workout will give you the results you want unless you change your diet," he says. We polled the country's top nutritionists and doctors and a swath of svelte professional women to find the best body strategies for every age.

The Girl's Guide to Eating Green

20s  

THE SCIENTIFIC SCOOP:  Most women's basal metabolic rate — a key determinant of metabolism speed — can drop by 5 to 10 percent between their mid-teens and early 20s, due to a rise in reproductive hormones, says Dr. Jeffrey Morrison, a family doctor and nutritionist based in New York City. "As a woman enters prime childbearing years, estrogen — which increases body fat — rises," he explains. At a cellular level, mitochondria, which convert glucose into energy, become less efficient, impairing the body's ability to burn fat and sugar, says Oz Garcia, a New York City-based wellness and aging expert whose clients include Hilary Swank and Heidi Klum. "As kids, our mitochondria work at full blast," he says, but they slow with age.

  Video: 3 Tricks to Eat Less

THE EATING STRATEGY:  Aim to get a full third of your diet from protein, suggests Morrison, who says he's seen patients become vegetarians only to find it harder to shed weight when they consume inadequate amounts of protein, which is necessary to maintain muscle mass and optimize metabolic function. Case in point? Jewelry designer Suzanne Somersall, 29, lost 5 pounds from cutting back on calorie- and carb-dense Nature Valley granola bars and eating more lean protein like chicken, salmon, and hummus. In addition, New York nutritionist Joy Bauer suggests swapping sugar- and calorie-heavy coffee drinks, the domain of college all-nighters, for skim-milk lattes. Milk provides calcium (women need 1,200 milligrams daily to help build bones before menopause) and protein. And add vegetables like spinach to get folic acid, which is important for women who want kids.

THE EXERCISE PLAN:  Experts agree that establishing a consistent fitness routine, say 30 minutes of cardio three to four times a week to establish muscle tone and drive metabolism, is a must. Good habits now will pay dividends later.

6 Surprising Ways to Lose Weight

30s  

THE SCIENTIFIC SCOOP:  Research done at the Cleveland Clinic shows that while portions of the human skeleton continue growing through the mid-20s, by her 30s, a woman's vertical growth has stopped and the hormones responsible for boosting muscle and bone strength fall off dramatically. Experts say those growth hormones also help prevent glucose absorption in fat cells, and when there is a deficiency, it's hard to lose weight. On top of that, pregnancy and breast-feeding mean many women temporarily increase their nutritional intake, and stress — brought on by full-fledged careers and family life — can cause overeating and trigger the release of cortisol, a hormone that signals to the body to store fat around the midsection.

THE EATING STRATEGY:  "In your 30s, every day can be a frantic whirlwind," says Bauer. To stabilize blood sugar and maximize energy, she suggests starting the morning with a breakfast of Greek yogurt, which has lots of calcium and twice the protein of regular yogurt, and making a peanut butter sandwich on whole-wheat bread for a mid-morning snack. (The slow-burning carbs help you feel fuller longer, as does the fat in the peanut butter.) Elisa Dahan, a 33-year-old mother of two and the Montreal-based co-creative director of outerwear line Mackage, eats Nutella on whole-wheat toast every morning, saying it satisfies her sweet tooth and gives her something to look forward to the night before. For dinner, in lieu of bread or pasta, Dahan has a salad and barbecued salmon. One habit busy women should avoid, experts agree, is unintentionally sabotaging a diet by casually polishing off high-calorie foods (like uneaten French fries) from your child's or partner's plate. "You have to create controlled moments when you can eat," advises Bauer. So steam a big plate of spinach to snack on while your kids have dinner, or order a side of grilled asparagus at restaurants.

THE EXERCISE PLAN:  Full-body conditioning, like in a cardio class with weights, will torch calories and build muscle simultaneously, making it a time-efficient way to get in shape during your 30s, says Smith.

40s, 50s & BEYOND  

THE SCIENTIFIC SCOOP: As metabolism function drops further, daily calorie requirements dip, too. In addition, women approaching menopause have less estrogen, meaning fat goes straight to the abdomen, not hips or thighs.

THE EATING STRATEGY:  After 40, overall health becomes as much a consideration as weight. Experts highlight the need for heart-healthy fats like coconut oil, which contain a cholesterol-lowering triglyceride that's easily converted into energy; and antioxidant-packed and anti-inflammatory foods like red bell peppers, which can reduce the effects of chronic oxidative stress and excessive inflammation, both of which are linked to higher cancer risks. Meanwhile, Dr. Michael Moreno, a San Diego-based family practitioner whose latest book, The 17 Day Plan to Stop Aging, was published in September, tells patients this age to eat Brazil nuts, loaded with omega-3 fatty acids that can help fight depression. Ji Baek, 42, founder of Rescue Beauty Lounge, an upscale line of nail products, has her own approach: She eats just one meal a day. Throughout the morning and afternoon, Baek snacks on an apple or a few cashews and drinks tea in anticipation of a 6 p.m. dinner date with her husband or friends, which often includes wine, stuffed pasta shells, and steak. "I'm not a farmer. I don't need to eat three times a day," she says, adding that the diet allows her to enjoy the foods she loves while staying lean. "I choose quality over quantity."

Jewelry designer Ann Dexter-Jones, in her late 50s, took the opposite approach, eating more, not less, when she realized that being too thin was adding years to her appearance. "I needed a few carbs to fill out my face," says Dexter-Jones, who now has oatmeal for breakfast, a meal she used to skip; vegetable- and fish-filled lunches and dinners (Dover sole and sea bass are favorites); and vodka sodas instead of wine, which she says has too much sugar. Savory snacks, like Gorgonzola and Emmentaler cheese, salami, and pickles, round out the day.

THE EXERCISE PLAN:  Add resistance training to your fitness program to mitigate the effects of sarcopenia, the age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass, says Dr. Caroline Apovian, director of the Nutrition and Weight Management Center at Boston Medical Center.

THE NEW PRESCRIPTIONS  

Last summer, the FDA approved its first two diet medications in more than a decade, Belviq and Qsymia. (Another, Contrave, was rejected in 2011 but is expected to be reviewed again in two years.) Die-hard dieters are rejoicing, but experts like Dr. Gerard Mullin, the director of Integrative Gastroenterology Nutrition Services at Johns Hopkins Hospital, question the drugs' long-term efficacy. Even those who celebrate the addition of new tools to help patients, like Dr. Caroline Apovian, say the drugs are intended for clinically obese patients with diseases like type 2 diabetes or hypertension. "This is not for someone who wants to lose 5 pounds to fit into a wedding dress," she says.

NAME: BELVIQ  

TIMELINE:  Approved by the FDA in June 2012; available by prescription soon.

CLAIM TO FAME:  This appetite suppressant activates a serotonin receptor in the brain, so smaller portion sizes trigger greater satiety. In clinical trials, almost half of the nondiabetic patients who used Belviq lost 5 percent or more of their starting weight (an average of 12 pounds) in a year. Possible side effects include headaches and dizziness.

NAME: QSYMIA  

TIMELINE:  Approved by the FDA in July 2011; available by prescription soon.

CLAIM TO FAME: This drug combines phentermine, an appetite suppressant, with topiramate, an epilepsy and migraine medication often prescribed off-label to help people feel fuller. Dieters on a high dose lost slightly more than 10 percent of their starting weight, but possible side effects include elevated heart rates, a decline in cognitive function, and birth defects in babies of pregnant patients.

NAME: CONTRAVE

TIMELINE:  Rejected by the FDA in 2011; may be reviewed again in two years.

CLAIM TO FAME:* Contrave, a combination of the antidepressant buproprion (marketed as Wellbutrin) and naltrexone, a medication for drug and alcohol addiction, suppresses food cravings. The FDA has asked for more research on its effect on cardiovascular health.*

Original Post: http://healthyliving.msn.com/health-wellness/aging/portion-control

Sign up for Cynthia's FREE newsletter:
CynthiaRowland.com — http://www.cynthiarowland.com

FOLLOW her on Twitter:
@cynthiarowland — http://www.twitter.com/cynthiarowland

"LIKE" her Facebook page:
Cynthia Rowland — https://www.facebook.com/cynthiarowlandfans

By Carol Stanley 

What is Couscous

 It is easy to cook couscous and you can add so many ingredients to change the taste. This recipe needs lots of seasonings and other ingredients to dress it up. Couscous by itself can be very bland tasting. Couscous is wheat semolina that has been crushed and rubbed. You can buy whole grain, organic or regular couscous. I love making couscous because it takes less than five minute to cook, which is great when you are in a hurry. Make sure to add some oil after cooking immediately as the couscous tends to clump. Couscous expands in volume, so a half-cup of dry couscous serves four people.. Add different meats and veggies to add some spark to your couscous.

Couscous is a healthy alternative to potatoes or rice.

Ingredients

• One cup Raw Couscous
• Two cups Water or chicken broth
• Two cups Cooked chicken or beef
• One cup Chopped mushrooms
• One cup Chopped yellow onions
• One cup Chopped zuchinni
• Two Garlic cloves
• One-half cup Creme fraiche
• One-half cup Greek yogurt
• One tablespoon Cider vinegar
• One-half cup Parsley
• One tablespoon each Curry powder, Turmeric, Oregano
• One teaspoon Cayenne pepper
• One teaspoon Seasoned salt
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Grapeseed oil
• Three tablespoons Olive oil

Cook Time

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ready in: 45 min
Yields:  Recipe serves 6 people

Instructions for Couscous

1. Heat grape seed oil in a large frying pan.

2. Saute garlic, onion, zuchinni until golden brown in the grape seed oil.

3. Mix creme fraiche, yogurt, vinegar, spices thoroughly. Set aside.

4. Start the couscous. It takes less than five minutes to cook.

5.  Boil the water or chicken stock. Add couscous to the liquid Add three tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper. Put the lid on the pot and allow to steam.

6. Add the chicken or beef to the vegetable mixture to the couscous. Cook for three minutes on a high heat. Lower the heat and add the creme fraiche mixture. and stir well.

7. Remove the couscous and vegetable mixture from the stove.

Serving Suggestions

You can pile the vegetable and meat on top of the couscous or blend all together. Sprinkle with fresh parsley. Serve with a green salad.

Serve up the Couscous

Original Post: http://carol7777.hubpages.com/hub/Cooking-Couscous-Recipes#

For more recipe from Carol Stanley click here 

Sign up for Cynthia's FREE newsletter:
CynthiaRowland.com — http://www.cynthiarowland.com  

FOLLOW her on Twitter:
@cynthiarowland — http://www.twitter.com/cynthiarowland  

"LIKE" her Facebook page:
Cynthia Rowland — https://www.facebook.com/cynthiarowlandfans