Embracing time

Age is defined as “one of the periods or stages of human life.” Age is just a number, thus we should not be afraid of it. Our state of mind, our lifestyle, our emotions are what define us. A combination of healthy mind, body and spirit contributes to the betterment of this “stage in our life.”

A few weeks ago, a close friend of mine, makeup artist Juan Sarte, introduced me to The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. He just shared a few things he learned from the book and I got so excited about it that I now listen to the audio book every day. Now, I want to share “the secret” with you. This book helps us control our thoughts and makes us think more positively. Another book I want to share with you is entitled Chasing Life by Sanjay Gupta, M.D. These inspirational books will bring light into your life and will help you have a healthier, more positive outlook. I promise you that after reading these books, you will have a sense of unbelievable freedom.

If you believe in the power of the human mind, then you will believe that all things are possible. This is the main thesis of The Secret. This is why in the world of The Secret, age does not exist because aging puts limit into one’s thinking. Focus on health and eternal youth and you will imbibe, live and radiate this thought.

“Eternal youth can be brought into being through consistent thinking of perfection,” writes Byrne. Laughter is the best medicine because it attracts joy and releases negativity. Laughter improves blood flow, boosts the immune system and lowers blood sugar levels (visit www.cbsnews.com). Besides, it is such a joy to get a real good laugh. So, relax and share jokes or be a clown and laugh with your loved ones.

The picture of eternal youth is perhaps best embodied by Anette Coronel, the model on this page. Can you believe that Anette has a 22-year-old son? Hard to believe, right? She is proud to say that she is 44 years old and looking and feeling great. But what is age? Again, it is just a number. Youth is a state of mind. What is Anette’s secret? She lets her skin “breathe” and rest by wearing makeup only when she has to because she takes good care of her skin. She eats healthy food, swims regularly and stretches every morning before she takes a shower. She leads a healthy lifestyle by eating fruits and vegetables all the time and stays away from fast-food or deep fried food. She is happy with this kind of diet because it makes her look and feel great. She does it for herself and for her three kids, too. Her children are proud of her because they have a “hot mom.” Her daughter is her No. 1 fan. This euphoric feeling that she gets from her kids is, for her, already a good and healthy feeling. This feeds her spirit.

Like Anette, we should all find time to take care of ourselves. When we do these things to improve our physical body, our whole being changes. Taking care of yourself means that you love and respect your body. When you do this, your spirit comes alive, and you will radiate this positive feeling to others.  This way, you make others love you and respect you more because they see and feel how you love and respect yourself. And this makes a good boost for your self-esteem, too, which radiates from within, making others see that in you. This is why Anette exudes a different kind of beauty that radiates youth, wisdom and confidence. This is what we aim for in life — to look and feel good.

In the book Chasing Life, Gupta teaches us to live a healthy life by having a healthy lifestyle. He teaches us the essentials to good health. His study is based on the lessons he learned from his travels. He explains that one of the most important factors in pushing back aging is our diet. Gupta writes,  “Well, I think it has a lot to do with — with our diet and our exercise. But, more specifically than that, for example, in terms of living longer, we know that eating less makes a huge difference. Caloric restriction, for example, is the only proven way to actually extend life. When I was looking at some of the folks in Okinawa, which has the highest population of centenarians, they have this phrase, which I found so interesting. It’s called hara hachi bu. It means, ‘eat until you’re only 80 percent full.’ Never satiate yourself. Never completely fill yourself. They always push the plate away, which I think is huge.”

Gupta teaches that eating the right and healthy food like almonds, green leafy vegetables, fruits, fish, eggs and soy, and taking the necessary vitamins for good health are essential to being healthy and fit. (Read more for the list of right food and their benefits from his book.)

Another book that you should find time to read is titled You on a diet by Dr. Oz. This book will help you in taking care of your heart and will enlighten you on the proper food that you should be eating especially for women who are 35 years old and above. Dr. Oz says women who are top heavy and have a waist size over 35 inches should have their hearts checked regularly especially if they have a hard time breathing or if they catch their breath and feel tired after a few minutes of walking.

We should take our health seriously because we only have one life to live. Let’s also make our loved ones, particularly our mothers, aware of the importance of a good and healthy body, mind and spirit. I singled out mothers because they don’t ask for much and they are so easy to please. Simply having coffee or a snack and sharing great blooper moments is a great way to spend a relaxing afternoon with them. Laughter is the best medicine for it reduces stress. Don’t ever forget that our loved ones also need our company, our presence, our attention and quality time. They receive our love when we do this and this is the best gift we can give, the gift of love. Giving them a kiss or a hug is more than enough to show our loved ones that they are our heroes, our models who help us see and feel the beauty of embracing time.

Get the look:

1. Cleanse. Tone and moisturize if needed.

2. Groom eyebrows.

3. Even out skin tone with concealer or foundation.

4. Set with loose powder.

5. Use brown eyeliner.

6. Curl lashes.

7. Apply mascara.

8. Smile and apply rose colored blush on the apples of your cheeks.

9. Finish with sheer rose lip color.

(E-mail the author at beautysecrets@gmail.com)