The "Fountain of Youth" is not real........ but it can be!!

Since there is no such thing as the fountain of youth, we have to find ways to keep our youthful appearance. We all know things such as smoking and drinking alcohol can have an adverse affect on out appearance. Not doing those things can help..... but what else are we doing to ensure we remain as youthful as possible? I will begin to explore and share with you the different things I am doing to age gracefully. Its true that some people just have damn good genes, point blank! But for others, staying youthful takes healthy eating, rigorous skin care routines and daily exercise in order to get the results that we want.
Today I wanted to share with you a product I ordered online from Amazon.com.  Its called Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay and its a mask that can be used on your skin and in your hair.  It can also be used for body wraps, foot soaks, and even insect bites. The clay comes in a jar as a powder and you have to mix it with equal parts vinegar and water.  I tried it on my face and neck. I absolutely loved it!! It made my face feel so tight and refreshed. My pores felt clean. One bit of advice..... It will get VERY tight and crack so once you feel a nice tightness I would suggest washing it off before it feels like a brick! LOL! Also you have to mix in a plastic bowl with plastic utensils. Do not use metal. I usually mix in my bowl where I can use the a lid to seal it so I won't have to mix it every time. I will usually make enough to use twice.
 I am most definitely going to continue to use this product twice a week and see what the results are after using it for a few months. Skincare is a very important part of a youthful appearance mainly because your face is the first thing people see. I want to continue to get those "you don't look your age" comments for years and years to come. If you want to try this product you can go to amazon and search "Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay". I have also saw where it is available on Walmart.com but I cant verify if its the exact same product . If you have tried this product please share your personal experiences (good or bad).

Stay tuned over the summer for blog segments pertaining to staying youthful as you age.  I will be discussing various ways that you can have access to the "fountain of youth" by showing you different products and tips that help you to age gracefully! This is not only for women. Men you can benefit from these products and tips as well :)
Thanks for reading!! Don't forget to comment & share!!

Age Ain't Nothin But a Number........Right?

Dating is already a headache for some.  But what makes it worse in when you include factors like geographical location, race, physical features...you know things like that. She has to be within x amount of miles from me. Or he must be over 6'ft tall.  Or how about the people you know that say they only date a certain race. You began to limit yourself greatly.  Its one thing to be geographically unattractive (you live too far away),  Yes, I know someone that has experienced that.....but it just gets even more frustrating when you are numerically unattractive.  Apparently age is more than just a number.  It can determine if you are acceptable enough to date. Soooo...what check box do you belong in?

• 18-25
• 26-34
• 35-45

And so on.......But why is it we limit ourselves to a box? Me...... I don't look at age as a determining factor as to if someone is dating material. I think compatibility, attraction, and being like-minded are far more important. For me, I have always been attracted to older men, and it has never been a problem.... until now. All of a sudden I'm too young. Yeah, me! Soon to be 40.....I'm too young! That's funny to me and a tad bit flattering. Perhaps its just an excuse to cover insecurities about getting older or we just weren't compatible,  who really knows.... but my question for you is.... Have you ever dated anyone that was much younger or older than you? How did that relationship work out ? What issues did you experience, if any? What was the biggest challenge? How did family/friends react to the age difference?
 I can say that my experience from dating younger guys (when I was in my 20's) was that they were so immature or didn't  really know what they wanted in life. It got to the point where as when dating outside my check-box, it allowed me to experience relationships on a much more mature level. I loved it...so naturally I deviated from and eventually eliminated dating younger guys to only dating guys my age or  older.  Am I prejudice against my younger guys....not at all. I may dabble in that pool again (now that I'm older :)
One thing to keep in mind....... if you are dating someone younger or older, sometimes you can be as much as a generation apart. Instead of seeing it as a big age difference, take the time to learn about each other. You may see that you have more in common than you thought. Focus more on those things instead of how your age difference. If you are dating someone older, remember that being older can mean being somewhat set in your ways. This is not a bad thing. Just recognize people are who they are and the longer they have been a certain way, the harder it is for them to change. You shouldn't expect them to anyway. This goes for any relationship. Always allow them to be themselves. After all, isn't that the person you fell for anyway. Lastly your age does not necessarily have to correlate with how you feel. You can be 60 and feel 40. Don't think you have to act or feel a certain way because you are a certain age. You are only as old as you feel.
Bottom line: Be open to dating and relationships regardless of age because you may end up happily surprised ....... After all, Age ain't nothin' but a number................. Thanks for reading!!! Don't forget to comment and share your experiences!!

 

HIV/ AIDS in the ATL....... What's really going on???

A recent news article detailing the HIV/ AIDS epidemic is Atlanta is alarming. Atlanta is being compared to a 3rd world country when it comes to the increasing number of HIV infections attacking Atlanta and the metro area. Click on link to view this story:
http://www.wsbtv.com/news/2-investigates/atlantas-hiv-epidemic-compared-to-third-world-african-countries/263337845

Not only is this epidemic scary, but to know that 1:51 people will be infected over a lifetime in the metro area is even scarier. And what does this mean for those who are single and dating. Point blank you have to be careful!!! Casual sex is very dangerous and its time that we start thinking about safety to try and lower the number of HIV infections being spread.
Don't get it twisted, Atlanta is not the only area with high HIV infections so no matter where you reside, safe sex should always be a priority. Another thing that will help decrease the spread of HIV/AIDS is to get tested and to do so regularly. Even if you are currently or think you are in a monogamous relationship, you should still get tested at least twice a year. Its getting to the point where even if you are married, HIV testing should still be part of your routine health physical. Not everyone is faithful and stepping out on your mate can be deadly.
It sounds good to think we can find that ONE person, stay in a relationship, be faithful to one another and not worry about HIV, but the reality is.... that doesn't happen as often as we would like. We need to all be proactive in being educated and educating others about HIV/ AIDS and know what we need to do to prevent the spread of this infection. Point blank... WRAP IT UP!! Each and every time!!! There are no excuses! Be cautious of those who want to have sex without condoms, because that just means they are real comfortable with not doing so .............and you not the first one that person has tried to have unprotected sex  with and you won't be the last. Be serious about your safety!!!!! Get tested!!! Know your status!!!