Hello!

ONGOING SPECIALS Free Shipping on orders of $75 or more! Subscribe to this newsletter and get $10 gift certificate! Venables Valley Handmade Soaps Clean Sweep Energy Spray Tattvas Essential Oils E3 Energy Cream MORE SPECIALS BELOW

When doing the Optimum Health Insitute's raw food program, I notice how much better my skin looks and feels. I think there are more factors than just diet at work here, so I've summed up what I do for good skin care, especially now that summer is here.

The worst thing you can do to your skin is strip the acid mantle (the protective layer) of the skin. Bar soaps that dry out the skin and cleansers with detergents are the two main culprits that disrupt the acid mantle. I use a dehyrated product made from seeds, that exfoliates and cleanses the skin in a gentle manner and maintains my skin's natural oils. (We will be introducing this product on line shortly. It's a natural, holistic beauty product that will please your senses).

Even if you drink plenty of water, if your body is not utilizing it correctly, all the layers of skin may not receive the hydration needed. Drinking water is the best way to keep the body hydrated. If you don't like the taste of plain water, add lemon or cranberry to it, which will also provide pH-balancing benefits. Dehydrated skin actually stems from internal dehydration. When the body is deficient in water, the organs become dehydrated too, as does the skin.

If you think that the only benefit of exercise is a better body, guess again. Exercise is essential for the skin because it helps stimulate the lymphatic system, which keeps everything moving, especially the blood. Proper blood flow is crucial for not only a healthy glow, but to fuel the underlying cells so they can function at their best.

Smoking is extremely damaging to the skin since it depletes the body of vitamin C and accelerates the rate at which collagen and elastin are broken down. The chemicals in cigarettes suck moisture out of the skin, making it look and feel dry.

The digestive system and skin have a reciprocal effect on each other. Certain foods work to positively influence how the skin behaves. My skin loves wheatgrass and dislikes salty processed foods, what happens when I eat the latter...bloat. It is not about what is missing in your diet, it's is more about what you can and cannot digest. If you cannot properly break food down, it won't move throughout the digestive process and can actually cause you to become puffy and the skin to look sluggish. In order for the for the skin to not suffer, ingest both vitamins and minerals ideally from whole foods, to fuel the body. Support proper digestion with digestive enzymes, plenty of pure water, and...exercise.

Repeated sun exposure depletes collagen and elastin from within, making the skin less elastic and thinner, leading to wrinkles. The effects of the sun begin as soon as we are exposed to it at an early age. Years later, we start to see brown spots, red spots and wrinkles, and if there is extreme damage, pre-cancerous patches and skin cancer can occur. Wear a hat, be sensible with sun exposure, and your skin will thank you down the line.

Until next time...

In vibrant health,

Shay Arave, President
pureenergyrx.com

---

---

Revisiting Abundance

I stepped outside one day last week into one of those rare sunny northwestern Oregon days, and paused taking a long slow breath, reveling in the sunshine. Everything smelled so alive and abundant. Just then, I noticed pine cones all around gently broken loose from their parent tree nearby scattered everywhere, blossoms were bursting out on several trees--each blossom to become a plum, or crabapple. I saw other plants all around that had matured, with fat packets of seeds ready to randomly journey off on the wings of Nature's winds and rains. It struck me how wonderfully ABUNDANT everything is. >>>> MORE

---

---

Family Summer Vacation Enjoyment Tips

Some dream of spending their days in sparkling water and of evening walks on the beach. Others anticipate the sights and sounds of a city, with great restaurants and art. Whether they plan to go away or stay at home, most hope for freedom from the "daily grind" and time for pleasure and relaxation. The following questions and tips can help you get a handle on vacation stress:

1. Are you being realistic in your planning? Talk with fellow travelers in advance about what each expects in terms of activities and rest time, then plan accordingly. Children aren't the only ones who need to unwind between stimulating activities--adults need to as well.

2. Do you have "unscheduled time" in your schedule? Unscheduled time gives family members a chance to kick back and just do what they want to for a little while. Alone time is also important for some. It's an opportunity to build a deeper connection with yourself.

3. Have you discussed finances? Most vacations involve lots of choices to make about spending money. Getting clear on your budget in advance and letting children know spending guidelines can take the anxiety out of this issue.

4. Are you communicating? Increased contact with family members during a vacation can bring conflict to the foreground. Someone may feel he is not getting to do what he really wants to do, while others need to learn to compromise or let another lead from time to time. Honest communication and sincere listening can result in real understanding of each other's needs and solutions that bring more balance to the situation.

5. Bored in the car or plane? It's a great time to talk about something you appreciate in each of your traveling companions. A simple activity you can do with your children is to take turns and have each person you're traveling with share what they appreciate about someone from your group. Try to keep the tone of this activity fun but sincere. Sometimes it might be best for a parent to begin by sharing their genuine appreciation for one of the children so they can get a better feel for of the concept. This exercise can be fun and gives everyone a chance to express something positive about someone else that they may not have otherwise had an opportunity to share.

6. Use a fun quantum technique called "prepping the field environment." Each person's thoughts, attitudes and emotions emit energetic fields that affect the social field environment as we interact with each other. Research shows that we can help to precondition the field environment by sending love and positive energy to gatherings before we go. Prepping the field environment can help to enrich any experience. Another method of "field prepping" is using the Clean Sweep Spray. (Thanks to Sara Childre, Heartmath Institute)

---

---