Esther Blum - Secrets of Gorgeous: Hundreds of Ways to Live Well While Living It Up

Hundreds of Ways to Live Well
While Living It Up

Esther Blum, M.S., R.D., C.D.N., C.N.S.

Copyright 2008 by Esther Blum.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

Blum, Esther.
Secrets of gorgeous : hundreds of ways to live well while living it up / by Esther Blum.
p. cm.
Includes index.
eISBN: 978-0-8118-7174-7
1. Nutrition. 2. Beauty, Personal. I. Title.

RA784.B5582 2008
612.3--dc22

2008010491

Chronicle Books LLC
680 Second Street
San Francisco, California 94107

www.chroniclebooks.com

Advil is a registered trademark of Wyeth. Aquaphor is a registered trademark of Electrophor Inc. Ben & Jerrys is a registered trademark of Ben & Jerrys. Diet Sprite and Diet Vanilla Coke are registered trademarks of the Coca-Cola Co. Dr. Scholls is a registered trademark of Schering-Plough Health-Care Products, Inc. Duncan Hines is a registered trademark of the Procter & Gamble Co. Gatorade is a registered trademark of Stokely-Van Camp, Inc. Grand Marnier is a registered trademark of Societe Des Produits Marnier-Lapostolle. Grey Goose Vodka is a registered trademark of Bacardi & Co., Ltd. Hersheys is a registered trademark of Hershey Chocolate & Confectionery Corp. M&Ms, Milky Way, and Snickers are registered trademarks of Mars, Inc. Method is a registered trademark of Method Products, Inc. Nalgene is a registered trademark of the Nalge Nunc International Corp. Neti pot is a registered trademark of the Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy of the USA. Q-tips is a registered trademark of Unilever Supply Chain, Inc. Seventh Generation is a registered trademark of Seventh Generation, Inc. Sigg is a registered trademark of Sigg Switzerland. Starbucks is a registered trademark of Starbucks U.S. Tide to Go is a registered trademark of the Procter & Gamble Co. Trader Joes is a registered trademark of the Trader Joes Co. Tupperware is a registered trademark of Dart Industries Inc. Voss is a registered trademark of Voss of Norway.

No book can replace the services of a trained physician, and you should always consult with your doctor for questions relating to your health. Every effort has been made to present the information in this book in a clear, complete, and accurate manner; however, not every situation can be anticipated, and the information in this book cannot take the place of a medical analysis of your particular health and needs. Do not use any information contained in this book to make a diagnosis, treat a health problem, or replace a doctors judgment. Following tips or recommendations does not ensure that you will be healthy. Your health is the result of many factors, some of which are not yet fully understood. It is important that you rely on only the personal advice of a health-care professional to advise you on your specific situation. The author and Chronicle Books hereby disclaim any and all liability resulting from injuries or damage caused by following any recommendations contained in this book.

For BENJAMIN, my son-shine.

Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels. Faith Whittlesey

The best gifts come in small packages. My last book, Eat, Drink, and Be Gorgeous, was about living well while living it up. The book you now hold in your hands is a continuation on that themethe must-have little Pink Bible of lifestyle to open up and flip through when you need some divine inspiration. Think of it as a clutch-sized accessory for the gorgeous lady on the go. Its chock-full of my best secrets and tips on being gorgeous inside and out.

Before we get to the tips, Id like to say a few words about being gorgeous. The very essence of being gorgeous isnt about being perfect: Its about being and feeling our most fabulous. And the secret of doing that is accepting your imperfections; I prefer to think of these as attributes. As a nutritionist, I love to make my clients laugh about their perceived imperfections and inspire them to take responsibility for themselves. Rather than fight against the machine that rages inside of us, why not shift gears and go with the flow? A little self-acceptance goes a long way in softening our own critical voice, which can serve as a barrier to helping us reach our goals.

People often assume that because I am a nutritionist, I am somehow exempt from ever wanting or craving any kind of junk food. If I am out on the town and indulging in a martini or two, or my fave chocolate dessert, I have to be prepared for the reaction that inevitably comes my way, should I run into a patient. Some Gorgeous Girls are psyched that a nutritionist is validating their food choices in a very real way. Others may be appalled: Who is this woman who has the balls to tell me what to do and then goes and eats a jumbo M&M-studded cookie?! This makes my message to you all the more heartfelt. Eating cookies is a very real part of who I am and who I will always be. Id love to think I could be a yogi eating air all day, gaining strength from all my willpower and inner peace. But my relationship with chocolate goes deep, and I have to accept that this is me. By accepting this truth, I set myself free from the pressures of the world to do yet one more thing perfectly, and then I can move on with my life. Until the next time I bake cookies, that is.

The tips in this little gem of a book will help you to become your own detective and find what works for you. Youll learn how food affects your bodys digestive system, weight, energy levels, and gorgeous glow.

Youll also learn that the tips in this book are not one-size-fits-all. For more than fifteen years I have been going to nutrition and medical conferences. Ive attended countless roundtable discussions on epidemiological studies, and guess what? The only thing experts ever seem to agree upon is that there is no one diet for everyone. Every gals DNA is unique, like snowflakes, so how can we expect that diets are a one-size-fits-all remedy? When I work with patients it never ceases to amaze me how different people respond to the same foods. Some vegetarians, for example, gain weight when they increase protein intake and decrease carbohydrates, while more carnivorous types pack on the pounds when they even so much as glance at a grain of rice! So keep an open mind as you try the tips in this book. Some may work like a charm, others may be better for your sister or best girlfriend.

Youll find chapters here on everything from eating gorgeous to drinking gorgeous to, my favorite, being gorgeous in bed. These days, it seems like wooing a man with our God-given womanly charm just isnt good enough. Advertisers do all they can to convince us that weve got to get waxed, shaved, and plucked beforehand; we need to look, taste, and smell great; and to top it all, we have to perform well. In other words, the pressure is on. Its enough to give a girl a complex. So when pesky problems like vaginal dryness or a bum libido make an uninvited appearance, they can really cramp your style. The good news is that nutrition once again comes to the rescue. No, it cant give you Pamela Anderson breasts or a J. Lo booty. But nutrition can get your motor running and help you take entertaining at home to a whole new level.

The chapter on being gorgeously fit will give you loads of tips on how to challenge yourself. Ive made a point to offer lots of great exercise ideas so you can incorporate new types of fitness into your regime. The Gorgeous in Green chapter proves that being eco-conscious has never been sexier or more important. Companies are finally jumping on the bandwagon, and a slow but sure paradigm shift is taking place. Call me ever optimistic, but I feel that increasing folks green awareness alters the way we think about Mama Earth and our relationship with her. Green products not only preserve the environment, but using them also gives our bodies a break from the hard work of first metabolizing, then detoxifying from, the harsh chemicals present in the majority of non-green products. I dont know about you, but the only time I want to spend laid up in bed is when Im getting laid!