Women Blog

Retin-A Micro(R) PUMP and ELLEgirl.com Send Four Girls to My Beauty Camp this Summer

Retin-A Micro(R) PUMP has teamed up with the popular teenage Web site ELLEgirl.com to send four contest winners later this summer to a weeklong My Beauty Camp in Santa Monica, California. With the new school year approaching, the goal of the camp is to empower girls to become successful women by helping them build confidence and boost self-esteem through all aspects of their academic and personal lives.

One critical aspect of a teenager’s self-confidence is skin health, including proper management of acne.(1) According to results of the Skin Matters survey, conducted by Harris Interactive and commissioned by Retin-A Micro(R) PUMP, the impact of acne extends beyond physical appearance and can have psychological and emotional effects on teenagers.(1) The survey found that 70% of teenagers feel pressure about having clear skin; and acne tends to impact teenage girls more negatively than teenage boys, with greater effects on their self-confidence, mood, physical health and relationships with family.(2)

In light of the survey results, Retin-A Micro(R) PUMP recognized My Beauty Camp as a valuable opportunity to address the physical and psychological impact of acne and to provide girls with educational tips on skin health.

“Acne is a vicious cycle — it can be a huge stressor for teenagers which can often lead to more acne breakouts,” says Richard Fried, M.D., Ph.D., Clinical Director, Yardley Dermatology and Yardley Skin Enhancement and Wellness Center and an investigator of the Skin Matters survey. “Emotional stress has been linked to severe acne episodes, and certain factors in a teen’s life — such as getting ready to go back to school, trying out for a sports team or fitting into a social niche — can cause anxiety and distress. I recommend that my younger patients schedule a ‘back-to-school’ visit to gain control of their skin before these emotional factors affect them.”

My Beauty Camp offers a variety of useful workshops for girls ages 11 to 18 that address a range of adolescent issues such as fitness, self-esteem, skin care, college preparation, healthy eating, everyday etiquette, shopping sense, goal-setting, money management and more.(3) Gabrielle Thomas, a licensed aesthetician, founded My Beauty Camp in 2004 to provide a fun and rewarding experience that helps girls set and reach their highest goals.(3) The staff is comprised of an aesthetician, fashion stylist, clinical psychologist, hair stylist and peer mentor, all with whom provide hands-on workshops on their specialized subject matter.(3) Over 100 girls have attended the camp this summer.(3)

“Like most teens, I went though a very awkward stage of my life where I wasn’t comfortable in my own skin,” said Thomas. “Our goal at My Beauty Camp is to teach girls about how to take care of themselves from the inside-out, and provide them with the necessary tools to boost their self-esteem. The camp is a great opportunity for girls to attend right before the school year when insecurities can be at their highest.”

To participate in the ELLEgirl.com contest, girls were asked to submit a visual or written representation of what beauty means to them, whether it be a collage, photograph, painting, drawing, poem, or short essay. The winners of the My Beauty Camp contest are Beatrice Ebijimi (age 13) of Chicago; Mercedes Knibbs (age 15) of Bronx, NY; Jennifer Petrucci (age 13) of Cheshire, CT and Tyler Williams (age 14) of Alpharetta, GA.

“Being beautiful is expressing yourself. You have to love yourself and other people, and you have to take care of your body and be healthy. It’s knowing that you have natural beauty,” says Williams. “I’m excited to attend My Beauty Camp. I think it’s going to be a great way to learn about the latest beauty and health tips, discover more about myself and make new friends.”

The Retin-A Micro(R) PUMP and ELLEgirl.com contest winners will attend My Beauty Camp from August 25 through August 29. Since its founding in 2004, more than 1,200 girls throughout the United States have attended the camp and its related workshops.

Source: OrthoNeutrogena

I’m off to Singapore again. This is going to be both a leisure and business trip. Since our last seminar is over, it’s time for me to move forward and explore deeper into our internet marketing business. And yes, I can’t wait to snap more pictures with my new Nikon D80. I have posted some photos in my Life, Travel, Passion blog so head over if you have a passion for photography too.

I find myself needing an internet marketing coach cum mentor to get me started. Plus, there are so much to learn in affiliate marketing and it helps if someone guides and holds you by your hand for a start. Since mom’s birthday is a week away, we will be organizing an early celebration and if time permits, I may pop into a spa for a good massage therapy. Whatever it is, it feels nice to know that I’ll heading home again… yea, Singapore is still home in my heart.

The internet makes it easier for people to shop online. In fact, many individuals find it better to shop online for groceries, certain valuables, cars, online auto insurance and even travel insurance. Nowadays, it is much easier to shop for family travel insurance online because you have a lot of choices. It would be best to go directly to the insurance provider rather than consulting a travel agent. This way, you can save some money that you can still use during your travel. You can get family travel insurance that offers the same coverage as mentioned earlier at a lower price.

For convenience, online shoppers are also purchasing health insurance online. Sites like eHealthInsurance makes health insurance simple by offering:

• Free quotes
• Comparison tools
• Personal assistance
• Online applications

But why do people buy health insurance plan online? Did you know that for less than the price of a latte a day* you may be able to buy a quality health insurance plan? If you hop over to eHealthInsurance, you will realize that you can find an affordable coverage and have some money left over for the fun stuff.

Seven-Year-Old Singer’s Natural Talent & Charm Take Globe by Storm

Connie Talbot — remember the name. Many millions have come to know not just her name but also her amazing voice during the brief time since Talbot was the captivating runner-up in the 2007 season of the U.K.’s top-rated “Britain’s Got Talent” TV show. The precious, 7 year-old singer has since become a best-selling international recording artist, and her unaffected charm and aplomb have won the hearts of music lovers and the media. The stunning preternatural singing talent that has made Talbot a star now arrives stateside as AAO Music/Reality releases her debut album, Over The Rainbow in the U.S. on September 30.

Talbot’s UK debut (Rainbow Records) went gold a mere three weeks after being released in Great Britain, and has since surged to platinum in U.K. sales. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Connie now holds the distinction of two titles: the youngest artist ever to make the British charts and the youngest ever to earn a gold record.

The euphoric response by “Britain’s Got Talent” viewers and judges alike (including the notoriously crusty Simon Cowell) quickly spread beyond the U.K. to the rest of Europe and throughout Asia. Recent tours include stops in South Korea (where her album has gone double platinum), Singapore, Hong Kong, and Thailand. She was also honored to perform at the prestigious Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund (U.K.) Annual Gala Dinner in London.

Plans for a Nintendo Wii Karaoke game “Sing Along with Connie,” have been announced and production has been completed. Scheduled to be released in early 2009, the console game will feature 15 tracks from “Over The Rainbow.” In the game, players will be able to sing along with Connie in karaoke mode, or with other friends and family members in multi-player fun.

Britain’s Channel 4 has hailed Talbot as “the next Charlotte Church,” resulting in Talbot becoming a popular television attraction. Recent appearances include Nickelodeon U.K. and Eire (Ireland). She has also to-date appeared on many major British TV shows as well as programs in Germany, Poland, Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong — where she performed a verse of “Over The Rainbow” in sign language.

Over The Rainbow features Talbot singing such time-honored vocal standards as “Over The Rainbow,” “My Favorite Things,” “What A Wonderful World” and “I Will Always Love You” as well as contemporary hits like John Lennon’s “Imagine” and Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” (for which she shot the video in Marley’s native Jamaica). The single for “Three Little Birds” recently entered the U.K. Independent Singles Chart.

Talbot says that singing is her favorite thing to do, and cites her album’s title tune as the song she loves best because she would sing it with her late grandmother as they watched their favorite movie, “The Wizard of Oz.” Despite the sensation she has stirred around the globe, Talbot remains a normal primary school student in Streetly, Walsall in the English West Midlands. But with her eighth birthday coming in November, Connie Talbot is already well on her way to a lifelong musical career and international stardom.

Source: AAO Music/Reality

Over the last few years home gardening has become an increasingly popular past-time and hobby.  In fact, studies show that home gardening is at an all time high in America right now.  In the United States 8 out of 10 households take part in some type of home gardening activity.  Obviously from the number of people that are doing it, home gardening is one of the most popular recreational activities in nation.

Most people that try their hand at home gardening plant flowers; at least they start out planting flowers anyway.  Roses will probably be the first thought into any gardeners mind, but roses will take extra time and work, and should probably be left to those who have gardened before.  When planting flowers many choices are available, such as bulbs, perennials, and annuals.

Edible plants are another big thing in home gardening.  Perhaps the best thing about edibles is the reward of eating them.  The list of edible plants that gardeners can grow at home is endless. Some of the most common edible plants in the vegetable arena are, potatoes, peas, corn, carrots, squash, and cucumber.  Many gardeners opt for fruits, such as, watermelons, tomatoes, peaches, plums, apples, pears, and apricots.  Small fruits, such as strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries usually require less work and less space, making them much more feasible for home gardening.  Herbs, most often used as spices in cooking, are growing in popularity every day; some of the most grown include basil, thyme, oregano, parsley, and cilantro.  One of the most important things to watch for when planting edibles is insects and disease, after all, you don’t want to miss out on the feast you will get to enjoy from healthy plants.

Many people don’t realize it, but landscaping is a form of home gardening.  Landscaping covers many different areas and forms of gardening.  You can even classify mowing your lawn as landscaping!  Keeping in the line of grasses, landscaping nearly always involves decorative grasses, and the great thing about them is they don’t take much work for upkeep.  Types of grass include monkey grass, pampas, buffalo grass, flame grass, and ornamental millet.  Landscaping is not just limited to plant life, but also includes anything done to a yard for decoration, such as adding rocks or stones, putting a small pond, statutes, or a waterfall.

There isn’t much difference between home gardening and gardening anywhere else.  Plants still need to be planted in a good location.  The plants still need water and they still need the same nutrients.  Home gardening shouldn’t cause anyone to get nervous.  If you do decide to try homing gardening and finding out that you don’t have a green thumb, don’t get discouraged.  Get some information, read up on gardening, and try it again the next planting season.

I just realized that I haven’t posted for a week! It’s been a full week and I have many reasons for the late posting…

Monday: Preparation for our seminar (which ended on 14 August). Thank God for all the last minute sign ups!

Tuesday: I had to rush to collect my new toy - it was a new Nikon F80! A dream came true for me!

Wednesday: Checking in to Mandarin Oriental and getting ready for the last seminar of the year the next year. I was down with flu and a bad throat. Sensed a fever coming

Thursday: The big day! I was still having a throat infection but was too excited with learning about my new toy.

Friday: A more relaxed day with my little boy who often had to tag along when we had projects and seminars. We went to the playground and pool. He had a great time. I was feeling a little better.

Saturday: Had to see my Chinese doctor for this flu that didn’t seemed to wanna go away! Had a few acupuncture needles on my face for the first time - ouch! I am determined to get well once and for all!

Sunday: Home alone with my boy as hubby is outstationed. Spent the entire afternoon watching him fixed his train set ( an advanced birthday gift from Aunt Tracy and Uncle David) and practising with my new toy.

So now you see why I had a busy week. In one hour’s time, I gotta to be preparing dinner for my boy and I can’t wait to catch up with some affiliate marketing stuff and blogging

Adventure Mountain honors the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s 75th anniversary

Dollywood’s 2009 season features the new Adventure Mountain attraction and Imagine presented by Le Grand Cirque, the new show that will headline Dollywood’s annual Festival of Nations in the spring.

Adventure Mountain celebrates the great outdoors and natural beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which marks its 75th anniversary in 2009. Dollywood is located near the entrance to the national park, the most-visited in the country, which welcomes more than 10 million guests annually.

“The beautiful Smoky Mountains have long inspired me and my music, and they’re certainly at the heart and soul of my Dollywood theme park,” Parton said. “My new Adventure Mountain attraction not only lets families explore the great outdoors together, but it’s a way for all of us to celebrate these mountains and the folks like me who call them home.”

Adventure Mountain, a two-acre outdoor terrain, will be located in Wilderness Pass, home of Dollywood’s award-winning coasters Thunderhead and Mystery Mine. The $5 million addition features five different courses to challenge the strength and skill of every member of the family. Guests will encounter a waterfall gorge, rugged mountain trails, and zip lines. Guests can engage in individual pursuits or family competitions. Visitors will get a rare glimpse into the lives of park rangers who protect and preserve forestland as they learn to tackle the elements. Rugged mountaineers can choose from a variety of nature’s challenges to test their skill and agility. Young tenderfoots can take an Adventure Mountain trek to Camp Teachittoomee. Ranger guides introduce tykes to kid-friendly adventures, teaching them new skills and crafts to prepare them for outdoor adventures of their own.

During Dollywood’s Festival of Nations, the park unveils Imagine presented by Le Grand Cirque. A cast of world-class international athletes, performers and acrobats combined with beautifully executed costumes and sets perform feats to dazzle the eye and stretch the boundaries of the imagination. Imagine delivers acts that include pole climbing, contortionists, men’s bungee, mime artists, hand balancing, unicyclists, silk ropes and a Diablo act. Imagine also is renowned for its dramatic lighting effects, which include one act performed under an ultra-violet light. Dollywood’s Festival of Nations begins March 28, 2009, and concludes April 28, 2009.

Dollywood is a 130-acre family adventure park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. Open nine months a year (March 21, 2008-Jan. 3, 2009), Dollywood offers more than 40 rides and attractions; award-winning live entertainment featuring country, bluegrass, gospel and mountain music; and a dozen crafters authentic to the East Tennessee region. For more information, call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD or visit www.dollywood.com . Operating days and hours vary.

Source: Dollywood

• Aid workers find humanitarian situation “heartbreaking and profoundly disturbing”

• World Vision reaching hundreds with food, blankets, bedding, hygiene items; providing medical supplies to Tbilisi’s main hospital

• Ceasefire needed to reach those still in conflict areas

As the fighting in South Ossetia and surrounding areas enters its fifth day, international relief and development agency World Vision continues to provide emergency relief to women and children who have fled to Georgia’s capital, as well as medical supplies to the city’s main hospital.

Many families are arriving to Tbilisi however they can - whether by foot or by car - and with nothing but the clothes they are wearing.

An 11-year-old boy from the village of Ergneti in the Gori region arrived at a displacement center in Tbilisi with his parents and 4-year-old sister.

“There were rockets in the sky and it was like lightning all the time,” he told World Vision staff. “When we were going from Ergneti to Gori to visit my aunt, they dropped a bomb on the way and the building blocks started to shake. We got scared and we immediately came to Tbilisi,” he continued.

World Vision has reached some 700 people since Saturday with essential food such as canned meat, pasta, vegetable oil and iodized salt, along with hygiene kits and blankets. The extent of humanitarian suffering was described by World Vision staff as “heartbreaking and profoundly disturbing.”

There are now 23 centers set up for those fleeing south — half of which are in Tbilisi, and the rest in towns and villages nearby. World Vision is working with the United Nation’s World Food Program (WFP) to meet the needs of displaced people in 11 centers, while carrying out needs assessments in all the Tbilisi centers, with a special focus on the needs of the children.

“We will mobilize supplies from outside the country as well, but of course all of this depends on a cessation of attacks on Georgia. We need all parties to observe an immediate ceasefire,” said David Womble, World Vision’s national director in Georgia.

According to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the number of internally displaced people in Georgia and South Ossetia could be up to 20,000 people. World Vision is working with the WFP, the UNHCR and other organizations to coordinate relief efforts.

World Vision has worked in Georgia since 1994 and has 155 staff in the country. The agency has also worked in the North Caucasus region of the Russian Federation since 1995, and has peacebuilding and economic recovery projects in North Ossetia.

World Vision is advocating for the following:

• The United Nations Security Council must work to broker an immediate ceasefire.

• All combatants must abide by international law and protect civilians, particularly children and women, who are the most vulnerable.

• Civilians fleeing the conflict zone to the north and the south must be afforded safe passage.

• Humanitarian corridors should be set up immediately so aid workers can safely access civilians and provide life-saving assistance.

• In particular, U.N. agencies must be allowed access into the conflict zone to help coordinate the humanitarian response and maintain the necessary security communications to allow for humanitarian operations.

• The United Nations, regional actors and key international stakeholders should advance the mediation of a long-term political solution that will end the conflict and address the humanitarian conditions resulting from the fighting.

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. Visit worldvision.org/press.

Source: World Vision

 Walking DVD Review

I just read some reviews in our paper of something called a walking dvd. These are exercise DVD’s where the main form of exercise is walking. These are called I guess I haven’t checked out exercise DVD’s since purchasing my easy yoga dvd’s but these sounded kind of interesting so I thought I would look in to it.

According to my research,  a walking dvd will either teach you how to walk with good form, on the treadmill or outdoors or use walking combined with other exercises for an indoor cardio workout.  In this post, I want to discuss the latter. These “walking” DVD’s give you a  low-impact workout that is as easy as walking and is good for outdoor walkers when they are prevented from walking outdoors. Walking is the easiest and most basic form of exercise. These videos would be a good way to begin an exercise program if you are just starting out.

Fast and Firm! 4 Really “Big” Miles (Leslie Sansone) - Running time 56 minutes. Cardio with a little resistance and flexibility, basic beginning-intermediate. According to the review you “walk and lift knees in your living room with chatty, chirpy direction. Miles quicken to ponytail whipping 10 minutes.” Boosted walking is included which mean jogging in place and that as strenuous as it gets. The reviewer did not like the music on this one and said the standing ab crunches were worthless. There is a stretching cool down at the end.

Leslie Sanson - 2 Mile Walk - Running time 30 minutes.  Cardio workout using walking and low-impact aerobics. According the site I got this from Videofitness.com rated this as a favorite. Beginners could follow it easily and stop at the 1 mile mark, while more advanced walkers got their heart rates up for a good workout. Comes in VHS or DVD.

Kathy Smith - March To Fitness - Running time 30 minutes. Kathy Smith always has great videos. I did her pregnancy workout way back when and loved it. She is always very careful to make sure you don’t injure yourself and her instructions are easy to follow. This DVD is recommended for beginners and as a tape to do indoors every day of the week. The workout uses simple, low-impact marching steps. Kathy also teaches you about calorie burning  interval training. According to the review people liked this non-intimidating video with a warm and friendly instructor.

Denise Austin - Blast Away The Pounds - Running time 55 minutes. Fitness level beginning to intermediate. The disk has three 15 minute exercises of increasing intensity - easy walk, fat blasting interval, and power walk and tone. Each walk is one mile. There is a ten minute stretch at the end. Many reviewers liked this video and said it was particularly good for the chronically unmotivated. Most of the negative reviews I encountered took issue with Denise herself. I happen to love Denise Austin but some people are really put off by the bubbly blonde personality. My kids can’t stand her, but hey their not the ones doing the exercise. 

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Three years after the hurricanes of 2005, four March of Dimes Mom & Baby Mobile Health Centers(R) are bringing much-needed maternal and infant health care to the Greater New Orleans and Gulf Coast area, especially aiding new Spanish-speaking residents who came to help rebuild the region that still is plagued by limited access to public health services.

Although almost all of the hospitals in Jefferson Parish have reopened, fewer than two-thirds are operating in Orleans Parish, and none have reopened in St. Bernard Parish.

Since their launch in 2007, the March of Dimes Mom & Baby Mobile Health Centers have provided more than 3,000 patient visits to the areas hardest hit by the hurricanes: New Orleans; its suburbs St. Bernard Parish and the Lower 9th Ward; the Lake Charles area; and Biloxi, Mississippi. The program is on target to provide more than 15,000 visits in three years.

“These four March of Dimes mobile health centers bring preconception, prenatal and well-baby medical care to pregnant women, new mothers and babies who desperately need it,” said Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, president of the March of Dimes. “Because our centers are mobile, we can bring quality health care where it’s needed most, like St. Bernard Parish.”

The March of Dimes Mom & Baby Mobile Health Centers continue to bring doctors, nurses, medical supplies, the latest technology and information directly to mothers and their babies, an important component of rebuilding communities. Providing access to high-quality medical care is vital to improving birth outcomes in the region.

For example, in 2004, before the hurricanes, Louisiana’s preterm birth rate was 15.6 percent, nearly 25 percent above the national average. In 2005, the state’s preterm birth rate increased to 16.5 percent. Mississippi’s preterm birth rate increased to 18.8 percent in 2005, from 17.9 percent in 2004.

As workers moved to the Gulf Coast to rebuild, the Spanish-speaking population significantly expanded, and access to health care is limited for them.

“Many of our patients are Spanish-speaking, and because we are bi-lingual we can offer these women access to quality health care,” says Rosa Bustamante-Forest, RN, MPH, MN, program director for the Mom & Baby Mobile Health Center in New Orleans. “We’re seeing repeat patients from last year who are pregnant again, which speaks volumes to the quality of care we offer.”

The Mom & Baby Mobile Health Centers were funded through the March of Dimes Hurricane Assistance Fund that included a $3 million gift from the people of Qatar. The mobile health centers are staffed by the Daughters of Charity Services of New Orleans, Southwest Louisiana Area Health Education Center and Coastal Family Health Center.

Inside, the Mom & Baby Mobile Health Centers look like a regular healthcare provider’s office, with private exam areas, waiting areas and nurses’ station. They are equipped with fetal monitors, ultrasound and other equipment, and a backup generator. The handicap accessible centers have bilingual staff, including an obstetrician, nurse practitioner or midwife, a nurse, lab technician and an outreach worker. The vehicles have a fixed schedule at consistent locations each week so services will be dependable and expected.

The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org.

Source: March of Dimes