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From deodorant to body wash -- whether you're wearing lipstick or foundation or not -- you're exposing yourself to the nebulously-regulated world of cosmetics, according to Julie Gabriel, author of "The Green Beauty Guide: Your Essential Resource to Organic and Natural Skin Care, Hair Care, Makeup and Fragrances." In an interview with AOL Health, she talks the best ways to become ingredient savvy, deodorant types to avoid and her 10 commandments for green beauties to follow.

Are you an organic beauty -- buying and consuming organic-only beauty products and foods? Why or why not?

Festive parades, corned beef, cabbage, a night at the pub ... these may be the things you think of when you're celebrating St. Patrick's Day. Go ahead and have your fun, then incorporate a little green into your diet all year long ... and in a healthier way than green beer.

Fruits and vegetables in different color categories tend to have different nutrition profiles. Green fruits and vegetables are colored by chlorophyll. Cruciferous vegetables like kale, cabbage and broccoli have cancer-fighting indoles. Leafy greens and some green fruits contain eye-health-promoting lutein. Other greens are rich in folate, which helps prevent birth defects and some are good sources of calcium.

Try these four delicious ideas for some eating o' the green:

• Swiss chard is delicious when sautéed with a little minced garlic and olive oil.
• Mix broccoli raab (boiled or steamed until tender) with whole-wheat pasta, olive oil and sautéed onions and garlic.
• Add spinach, arugula or other dark leafy greens to an omelet.
• Peel and slice kohlrabi into wedges and arrange on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast in a 300-degree oven until tender. For extra flavor, squeeze a little fresh lemon or orange juice over the kohlrabi before serving.
  

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Given the current economic crisis, having to pay a few hundred dollars a year for a gym membership might be an expense you can do without. That's why experts in Britain are encouraging cash-strapped citizens to ditch the gym in favour of the great outdoors.

Free outdoor conservation sessions are being held across the country, aimed at getting people to do something good for themselves by exercising in the outdoors -- all while doing something good for the environment by volunteering some time to help maintain these 'green gyms.' Think about it -- you're not only burning calories by helping out, you're creating a sustainable workout space for yourself and your neighbours, and you're doing something you can feel good about too.

So far these conservation sessions are a real hit in the UK -- let's hope they come to North America too!

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I don't know what it's like where you live, but outside my window there's very little green to be seen. Everything is covered in a thick and frosty layer of white. But just because you don't see much green, doesn't mean you can't go green when it comes to winter sports. As an added perk ... you'll end up with more green in your wallet.

• Rent. If you hit the ski hill only once or twice a year, you really don't need to own your equipment.
  
• Buy used. Ebay, used sporting goods stores, and sites likes Craig's List and Freecycle are great places to search for sports equipment. Keep your eye out for skis, snowboards, skates, hockey gear, and other winter treasures.
• Equipment swap. Many ski clubs hold equipment swaps where you can bring in your unused gear and look for something new (to you, anyway). If you have a child on a hockey league or other winter sport, consider setting up an equipment swap with other parents.

If you've got old equipment that's really not fit for use anymore, try to find a new purpose for it and keep it out of a landfill. I unloaded a ridiculously old set of skis on Freecycle last fall; the person who picked them up is going to attach them to the bottom of a large crate so he can easily tow his gear across the ice on his way to his ice-fishing shanty. You just never know what use people can get out of old items.

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Organic clothing has had a bit of a bad reputation -- I know my mind used to immediately go to scratchy fabrics, dull colors, and baggy, unflattering styles. I might live the hippie lifestyle in some ways by trying to be as green as possilbe, but I don't want to look ... crunchy. You know?

Enter Danskin Prima Organics. They sent me a couple of pieces to try out, and let me just say that my mindset has definitely been adjusted. Each piece is made of earth-friendly certified organic cotton, dyed and printed using non-toxic organic dyes and finishes. And that's not all -- each garment comes with a recyclable hangtag made from 30 percent post-consumer waste, attached with an organic cotton string.

The website describes the collection as "feminine and contemporary," saying it "offers you fashionable functional looks created in the spirit of dance style and yoga chic. Sumptuous soft, lightweight quality fabrics and sensational lines wrap you in comfort ... Pose flex and move with ease in gorgeous pieces to wear alone, layer, and even add to your casual wardrobe for a cool highlight."

I'd have to agree with them.

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New Year's Eve is fast approaching. When the numbers 2-0-0-9 light up Times Square, they'll have been powered not by traditional energy, but by human-powered energy.

Duracell set up a "Power Lodge" in Times Square where people can come and ride a stationary bike to generate energy that will be stored and used during the New Year's celebration. And while many average Joes and Janes are surely contributing to the 230 hours of bike riding needed, some famous faces (and legs) have stopped by as well. Just think -- not only is the Duracell Power Station generating green energy, it's also helping New Yorkers shed some extra calories; 230 hours of bike riding has burned roughly 131,560 calories from the combined volunteers. That's not too shabby!

Gisele Bundchen did her part. She said her efforts were "in support of the Agua Limpa Project which was started by my father and provides clean drinking water to people in regions of Brazil." Good for you, Gisele -- but are you engaged or aren't you?. Other celebs who have hopped on the bike include Katie Couric, Nick Lachey, Natasha Bedingfield and Christian Siriano.

[via Tonic]

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No ... I'm not asking if you're painfully bright, wealthy and generous. I'm referring to the Oprah Syndrome as: Having lost and regained enormous amounts of weight more times than you can count. If you've lost a bunch of weight through dieting or just plain old great fitness habits, yet at some point just broke down and regained it all back, you're suffering from Oprah Syndrome.

I've been teaching fitness for 20 years now, and I've dealt with many people suffering the same condition. It's extremely painful to watch, and it's really frustrating for both those going through it and those who love them. I call it Oprah Syndrome because Oprah has made this agonizing situation famous. She has all the means, tools and professionals around to help keep her on track but at some point, she mentally just can't take it.

Gaining five pounds back can be accidental. Gaining 60 to 80+ pounds back is oddly deliberate. She could have hit the breaks when she gained 10, 20 or 30, but she didn't. I believe her issue is emotional, and she simply won't allow herself the life and/or perks that go along with being fit and trim. I'm no psychiatrist, but after doing this about a bazillion times, it's hard not to know the trends.

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As you deck the halls with red and green, be sure to deck your plates, too. The holidays come along with all sorts of tasty temptations, so be sure to balance out the naughty with plenty of nice. After all, there are plenty of good New Year's resolutions to make -- why get stuck making a "lose those extra holiday pounds" resolution?

From snacks to side dishes to the main course, nature's versions of red and green are nutritious and delicious. Check out the gallery for a few red and green choices.

Alicia Silverstone is well-known for her views on animal rights and for being a vegan. Several years ago, she appeared in a series of ads for PETA and Jacki recently told us why Silverstone is thankful for her healthful diet. Now Silverstone is taking her knowledge of the vegan lifestyle and releasing a diet book called The Kind Diet.

The book is scheduled to release in Fall 2009 and will include a 3-step diet program that doesn't focus on weight loss, but on the environmental impact of meat production and how the food we eat affects how we look and feel.

Want to give some vegetarian and/or vegan recipes a try? Check out Vegweb.com.



[via Chatterbox]

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Nike is well-known for lots of reasons -- high-profile athletes as spokespersons, the swoosh, and possibly the catchiest catch phrase ever. But now, Nike Inc. is hoping to become known for something else -- eco-friendliness.

The company's initiative, Nike Considered Design, focuses on having all aspects of the business meet specific goals, starting with footwear, then apparel, and finally, by 2020, equipment. The Nike crew intends to cut waste and raise the use of environmentally-friendly materials, eventually recycling all used products. And, it will streamline the supply chain, which will reduce the amount of oil and other materials used.

As you probably guessed, the Nike Considered Design initiative won't just help Nike go green, but will also make a little green in the process. Using fewer materials will lower their costs -- something they've already learned since reducing their shoe production waste by 50 percent.

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To sip or not to sip? When you're talking tea, the consensus among health experts seems to be: sip up! Tea is nutritious, delicious and virtually calorie-free. Over at Mark's Daily Apple, they're talking tea. Here are 10 reasons to start brewing:

• Tea is full of antioxidants.
• It also has anti-inflammatory properties, meaning it can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease, among others.
• It can lower the body's absorption of carbohydrates.
• It can protect you against ovarian cancer.
• If you have it sans milk, it counts as a glass of water against your eight glasses a day.
• It can curb hunger and help satisfy cravings.
• it's lower in caffeine than coffee
• To get the most positive impact from tea, drink two to three cups a day. If you can't? One cup should be fine.
• Loose, fresh tea offers more benefits than bags of tea.
• Worried about staining your teeth? Drink white or green tea instead of traditional black tea.

What do you love about tea?

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Y Water is looking to tap into more than just the bottled water market by appealing also to the healthy and fit kids market and those shopping for ways to be friendlier to the environment. They offer four specialized low-calorie formulas to target the brain, muscles, bones, and immunity, plus once the water's gone, the leftover bottle (specially created by designer Yves Béhar) can be used as a building block of sorts to make toys and encourage creativity.

Sounds like a great way to get your kids to drink more water and get more vitamins and nutrients, all while helping the environment and stimulating their brains (or at least giving them a few minutes of entertainment).

Via Inhabitat

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Do you know that olives are in the fruit family? How about this: The olive, like the oil, is great for you.

Yep, olives are fruits. And they're bursting with benefits too. They've got antioxidants, monounsaturated fat, iron, vitamin E, and fiber. There's more: Olives harness the power to protect from impotence, premature wrinkling, stroke, and heart disease.

Here's how RealAge says you should incorporate olives into your diet.

• Buy them whole -- not pitted, not stuffed, just whole. This way, you'll get the biggest dose of antioxidants and polyphenols -- these are your disease-blocking agents.
• Buy black -- Black olives are better than green because they contain more cancer-preventing flavonoids.
  
• Go dark with olive oil and store it in a dark bottle too -- more blood-clot-fighting polyphenols this way.

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I love bell peppers. They're so delicious just to munch on by themselves or dipped in hummus. I also include peppers in a lot of basics such as scrambled eggs and marinara sauce. So this recipe for green and red pepper relish really appeals to me.

The recipe certainly sounds easy -- after chopping the vegetables, you just have to can them in a pickling solution. This relish would make a delicious topping for burgers, sausage sandwiches, baked chicken ... even fish!

Canning is such an economical and healthful way to preserve summer's bounty for the winter.

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Got some healthy leftovers to store? Something you can take to work and eat for lunch? Something that will make a great dinner a second time around? If so, you'll want to properly store your food in the greenest of ways, says Jessica Jensen, co-founder of Low Impact Living. Here's how.

• Use glass first. It can be used over and over and is easily recycled.
• Go for aluminum foil next since it too can be recycled.
• Opt for plastic containers before bags because they can be reused and some can be recycled. It's best to use as little plastic as possible, though, since it's made from petroleum, a nonrenewable resourse.
• Last choice: Plastic wrap. It's only good for one-time uses and can't be recycled.

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