Tips For Glowing Skin - Four Tips Your Skin Will Never Forget!

Looking at the mirror first thing in the morning and wondering why your skin looks so colorless? Maybe then, it is time you had a quick look at some tips for glowing skin. Because I think for all of us, glow equals a healthy skin. Source

Timothy Caulfield: 9 Health Myths Debunked

Timothy Caulfield: 9 Health Myths Debunked

Our world is saturated with advice about health and fitness. It is hurled at us from every direction - from sources that are clearly suspect (infomercials, fashion magazines and my "stylist") to those that are meant to have more heft, legitimacy and influence (health care providers, scientists and even government). Given that about 60% of us are overweight and almost none of us workout regularly or eat a healthy diet, it is no surprise we - both individuals and society - are looking for simple answers.

But here is the reality: Most health advice is either total baloney or, from a bang-for-your-buck perspective, pretty useless. We have long known the key steps to a healthy lifestyle - real exercise, real food, cutting calories - and they have little in common with all the noise emanating from the health industry. Indeed, despite the emergence of more and more relevant and reliable research, health and fitness myths have remarkable staying power. And new ones are emerging all the time.

In the hope of getting to the basic truth about the best way to optimize health, I have spent several years immersed in the world of health and fitness. What I found was a sea of myths and misinformation. Here are a few of my favorites:

Timothy Caulfield is the author of The Cure for Everything [Beacon Press, $24.95]

You can tone a part of your body by working out that part of the body.

1  of  10

Few myths are as pernicious and enduring as this one. Think of all the fitness equipment that has been sold based on this scientifically impossible premise. Indeed, useless toning gear undoubtedly makes up a measurable portion of the merchandise found at America's garage sales. Hey neighbor, want a vintage Thigh Master?

Few myths are as pernicious and enduring as this one. Think of all the fitness equipment that has been sold based on this scientifically impossible premise. Indeed, useless toning gear undoubtedly makes up a measurable portion of the merchandise found at America's garage sales. Hey neighbor, want a vintage Thigh Master?

You can tone a part of your body by working out that part of the body.

Few myths are as pernicious and enduring as this one. Think of all the fitness equipment that has been sold based on this scientifically impossible premise. Indeed, useless toning gear undoubtedly makes up a measurable portion of the merchandise found at America's garage sales. Hey neighbor, want a vintage Thigh Master?

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Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Serena Williams Opens Up About Her Sleep Struggles

Serena Williams Opens Up About Her Sleep Struggles

Get Healthy Living Alerts:

www.washingtonpost.com:

Serena said she’s had trouble sleeping for years because she’s “constantly on a natural high, high on life and happy, happy, happy and working.”

She said her sleep difficulty was so bad one year it affected her at the Australian Open.

Read the whole story at www.washingtonpost.com

Contribute to this Story:

Filed by Laura Schocker  | 

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Auriderm - A Time Tested and Innovative Brand

Cosmetics and other skin care products like Auriderm are being used by everybody around the world for the many obvious benefits they provide. The cosmetic industry is a huge one with new products being added on a regular basis and marketed aggressively. It is therefore not surprising to discover or come across innovations that have made a significant difference to the lifestyles and self confidence of many consumers. Source

Tips on How to Treat and Avoid Ingrown Hairs

Tips on How to Treat and Avoid Ingrown Hairs
Razor bumps tend to be more common in areas with coarse hairs such as in the bikini area, armpits and legs for the women, and around the beard and neck area for the men. There are different ways to treat and avoid ingrown hairs. Let me share to you some of them.
Source: EzineArticles.com

7 Powerful Ingredients For Looking Younger: Nature Provides the Best Anti-Aging Ingredients

7 Powerful Ingredients For Looking Younger: Nature Provides the Best Anti-Aging Ingredients
How long have you been slathering on toxic and potentially hazardous chemicals onto your skin and face in the name of beauty? I know, I know, these products smell heavenly, feel great and give you endless choices - And, they're made by seemingly trusted companies that have been around for years. So, what's the problem? Well, if you're in your 40's, 50's, 60's and beyond, do you love looking in the mirror each morning and are you pleased as punch with what is looking back at you? No? Skin spots starting to appear? Wake up and almost overnight, there are more creases than the night before? And what is up with the shadows underneath the eyes. Yikes, this is getting scary. Well, don't panic just yet - you can take steps starting today to remedy some of these dreadful side effects...errr, I mean natural aging dilemmas.
Source: EzineArticles.com

Your 'Natural' Products Aren't As Green As You Think

Your 'Natural' Products Aren't As Green As You Think

Many of the most popular natural beauty lines, including Burt's Bees and Tom's of Maine, are owned by major corporations.

If you've recently traded in your Colgate toothpaste for a tube of Tom's of Maine in an effort to be more environmentally friendly, your money is still going to the same company.

Tom's of Maine, a popular line of natural toiletries, is owned by Colgate-Palmolive -- a Fortune 500 company with $15 billion in revenues last year.

Tom's of Maine is not the only earthy beauty company backed by a major American corporation. Rather, it's a common trend in the world of personal care products.

Another example is Burt's Bees, that ubiquitous line of organic balms and butters launched in the 1980s by Burt Shavitz, a Maine beekeeper who lived in a turkey coop and sold his bees' honey from the back of his truck. Fast-forward nearly 30 years, and what was once a little collection of handmade soaps and lotions is now a factory-produced beauty line adored by hippies and hipsters alike and owned by the Clorox Co., another Fortune 500 company with more than $5.5. billion in revenues last year.

Similarly, behemoth Johnson & Johnson owns Aveeno, L'Oreal owns The Body Shop, and Estee Lauder owns both Aveda and Origins, among other brands.

Large companies are actively pursuing sales of "green" beauty products because consumers are buying more of these products, according to Heather Smith, a spokeswoman for New Hope Natural Media. In 2010, U.S. consumers purchased $8.2 billion in natural and organic personal care products, representing a 6 percent increase in sales over the previous year, according to Nutrition Business Journal, which tracks industry sales.

"Tons of large companies now have lines that they’re marketing as green, natural, or even organic," wrote Smith in an email to The Huffington Post. "At this point most mass personal care manufacturers have at least one line that tries to snag a piece of the 'green' market as demand for natural personal care products grows."

But does it matter if a giant corporation owns your favorite natural beauty line? The answer depends on what you want from your products, explained Karen Grant, vice president and senior global industry analyst at the NDP Group, a market research firm.

"Most consumers are just trying to get something that works, so efficacy is the first thing they are looking for," Grant told The Huffington Post. "It's a smaller, niche population that asks if the company is sticking up for the brand's core principles or asking if the product is not really so natural."

But as sales of natural products increase, so does the confusion surrounding the definition of natural, green or organic, Smith explained. While the Department of Agriculture regularly inspects food that is labeled organic to make sure it complies with regulations, the same rules and processes do not apply to beauty products.

"Because there are no labeling regulations about natural or organic personal care (except for state legislation in California that requires any product sold and marketed in California as organic to contain 70 percent organic content), anything goes when it comes to claims, so many -- especially in conventional retailers -- are unsubstantiated," Smith wrote.

"Greenwashing has been particularly impactful on consumers who are not well versed in natural personal care ingredients, terms, and labeling and are therefore more likely to believe that these products are in fact natural just because they’re marketed that way," Smith continued.

Consumers interested in learning more about the ingredients in beauty products and how to determine whether they are safe can explore Environmental Working Group's database of cosmetics.

Contribute to this Story:

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Featured Interview: Earth Day Canada Impacts the Globe

Featured Interview: Earth Day Canada Impacts the Globe
When Earth Days across the map were first established, they were typically thought of as fringe festivals or radical gatherings. Now, every April sees an expansive and diverse celebration in countries across the globe

Jed Goldberg. Photo from EarthDay.ca

When Earth Days across the map were first established, they were typically thought of as fringe festivals or radical gatherings. Now, every April sees an expansive and diverse celebration in countries across North America. But these popular Earth Day events would not be possible without the hard work of individuals like Jed Goldberg of Earth Day Canada, and his team of inspired environmentalists. Vegan Mainstream spoke with Goldberg recently about the planning involved for a large initiative such as Earth Day Canada, and what their goals are to encourage environmental awareness.

Vegan Mainstream: I’d like to start by just having you tell me a little about Earth Day Canada.

Jed Goldberg: Earth Day Canada is a national environmental charity. We’ve been around since the late ’80s. Initially, we were supposed to be a one-year wonder. We were founded to organize, coordinate, and promote the 20th anniversary of Earth Day, April 22, 1990. That event was really the first time Earth Day went international.

Prior to that it was an American phenomenon. That proved to be such a tremendous success, but most importantly, we were hearing back from folks that normally would not be communicating with an environmental organization.

In those days, the environmental community was pretty exclusive, but we were hearing from average people from all different walks of life. We realized at that point we had touched a nerve and we had the ability to communicate with these people and potentially inspire them to change their attitudes, behaviors and lifestyles.

Now, Earth Day, the event, is a very small part of what we do. Most of what we do is the development of programs that really are all about educating people, making them understand the consequences of our lifestyles and most importantly, making sure they appreciate all the options available to them to have less impact on the environment.

[Ed. note: A little history on Earth Day. Earth Day was first observed in San Francisco and other major cities on March 21, 1970. That date was chosen because it is the first day of spring in the United States. Another separate Earth Day was founded by a U.S. senator on April 22, 1970 with the goal of being an environmental teach-in. In 1990, 200 million people in 141 countries participated.]

VM: I saw on your website something called “action campaigns.” Can you tell me a little about these?

JG: We know there is a lot of excitement in April, when everybody is talking about the environment and expressing their concerns for the environment, but sometimes they lack focus and direction. What we want to do is channel this interest people have into some sort of concrete action.

This year, we are doing a campaign called “Take It Up for Earth Day.” It’s not about going to an event, it’s about learning about things you can do in your daily lifestyle that really do have a big environmental impact. By making modest changes in your lifestyle, there can be some really spectacular environmental benefits that come as a result of that.

We are asking people to not eat meat and have a plant-based diet. We are suggesting they do that for a minimum of a week, and hopefully for a month. We know from research we’ve seen that once people change their lifestyle for a month, and they do that on a regular basis, they can often break their bad habits and get into a healthier lifestyle.

We are also suggesting they don’t drink bottled water, don’t use personal care products that have toxic ingredients, and also that they unplug their electronics and go outside for a change. Get away from the screen, go outside, breathe some air and hopefully get a better appreciation of the environment.

VM: What are some specific ways you encourage people to give up meat?

JG: It’s really the same as with any other social movement. People need to be educated, so they need to understand why there are issues around eating meat, what the environmental impacts are, what the health impacts are and what impact [giving up meat] has on people around the world. They need to understand how easy it is for them to modify their lifestyle. Most importantly, they need to understand what their small actions can actually translate into in terms of benefit.

The last thing we want is for them to know they aren’t doing this in isolation; it’s not just them against the world, they are part of a whole movement of people who are interested in not eating meat. There’s a lot of momentum to that and a lot of good reasons people [should consider not eating] meat products.

VM: What sorts of information do you give people on the effects of meat-eating on the environment?

JG: There is tons of information out there, talking about the impacts of grazing cattle, what kind of an impact that has on climate change and on our food system, because these animals are consuming food that could be eaten by humans and by other animals. The amount of water being used, the methane given off, there’s all kinds of solid environmental reasons why you wouldn’t want to be eating meat, aside from the health issues. I think it’s fairly well understood now that diets high in red meat are also diets that are not healthy for our bodies.

VM: Do you talk about the effects of dairy and veganism at all, or just about the effects of giving up meat?

JG: Actually, we do talk about veganism. One of the things we are very fortunate to have is a lot of well-known people who are supporters of our campaign and who talk about the benefits of taking up these particular actions. One of these is Sarah Kramer, a best-selling author of The Garden of Vegan, How It All Vegan, and La Dolce Vegan. She’s a well-known advocate of veganism and she is also someone promoting our campaign and blogging for us. We also have Annie Leonard, a woman who did The Story of Stuff [Project] and various other environmental communication pieces. We have a couple of Olympic athletes helping us out as well, and a woman who is very well known here in Canada, Adria Vasil, who is a best-selling author of environmental lifestyle books.

VM: In your opinion, why do you think the focus on meat-eating is not as prevalent in environmental movements?

JG: Well, I wouldn’t say that it isn’t. I think vegetarianism might be overlooked as a really solid starting off point for anyone who is looking for an environmentally preferable lifestyle. It is also one of the easiest things to do, in getting yourself off of a meat-based diet. It’s not a difficult thing to start off slow, maybe a couple of days a week have vegetarian meals and work up from there. It’s the kind of thing we really like to promote, because it’s a really easy way to get people started.

It’s the kind of action where people start feeling the difference as a result of taking the action. You physically feel better not eating meat. That is going to contribute to your interest in maintaining that practice.

VM: How have you seen awareness increase since you’ve been with Earth Day Canada?

JG: Tremendously. These environmental lifestyle choices now are part of our daily lexicon. People have been communicated to so many times, they know what kinds of things they can do for the environment and what’s available to them. Unfortunately, there is still this disconnect where they feel they need facilitation, support, somebody to hold their hand and bring them through the process. That’s the role we like to serve. We are facilitators; we are people that try to inspire change. That’s the position we really relish in the marketplace.

VM: What are some actions Earth Day Canada has to help kids become environmentally friendly?

JG: I’m glad you asked that because we have one of the most comprehensive environmental education programs in the world, called Eco Kids. This is a program that offers both teachers and students tons and tons of resources on a whole range of different environmental topics. For the teachers, we also provide lesson plans. So, if they are teaching geography, [for example], on a particular area, they can go to our website, pick up lesson plans to use that day in their classroom that are focused on that particular need, but also on the environment.

We have all kinds of lesson plans available. For young kids, we have over 50 games on our website, plus activities and initiatives. We have “Eco Reporters” across the country: young kids who are budding journalists write stories about what’s going on in their communities, what other people could be doing, successes, [etc.]. It’s really quite compelling.

This program, Eco Kids, has really exploded. We have a lot of folks in the States who are part of our Eco Kids program as well. All of these materials are offered at no cost.

We also have a [mentoring] program for older youth, 16 to 24 year olds. We take these youths and we train them so that they can give environmental presentations to younger kids. This came about because we looked a report that talked about how young kids are so receptive to messages from teenagers. We thought it would be great to train these young people so that they can confidently go into a classroom and make a presentation. They’ll be able to develop all kinds of skills regardless of which direction they end up going in their lives.

Those are just two of our education programs. Education is a big part of what we do.

VM: Do you have to work with school districts?

JG: We have tons of teachers who just go to our website, grab the materials and use them, but we also work with school boards and school districts, and also with the Ministries of Education. Here in Canada, for instance, each of the individual provinces have their own curriculum expectations for different subjects and grade levels. We have developed our lesson plan so that they meet those expectations province by province.

VM: What are some overlooked ways to help the environment for kids and adults?

JG: Well, probably the most obvious is taking a pause. As humans, we have impulses that we sometimes just react to, whether they be good or bad. So, if you’re walking past a store window and you see a shirt in the window and you “gotta have it,” whether you need it or not.  You need to pause sometimes and say to yourself, “Is this something I need, or something I want?” “Do I really need to drive to that place, or could I walk?”

There are thousands of choices we make everyday, and if we just took a little bit more time in thinking about what our response is going to be to a particular situation, I’m sure we would have a lot less impact [on the environment].

VM: Are there any other initiatives Earth Day Canada is working on for this coming year?

JG: We have a couple of new programs we’re involved with. In Canada, there are a lot of new immigrants that come to this country, many of whom do not speak English. We developed a diversity outreach, where, in essence, we reach out to various ethno-cultural communities throughout the country and find out from them what kinds of environmental needs resonate in their community, how they like to be communicated with, and the kinds of projects and activities going on in their community. We really want them to provide us with user-generated content, hopefully in their own language, that would be culturally sensitive for their particular community and that’s something that we can then broadcast to similar communities across the country.

There’s a way to take a large segment of our population that is really under-serviced environmentally, and really listen to them and hopefully learn from them, and get them engaged and involved in the environmental community.

VM: What sorts of mediums do you run yourselves?

JG: We use a lot of social media, Facebook, Twitter, and blogs as well. We are also fortunate that we have relationships with thousands of other organizations across the country. We are very lucky that they often act as distribution partners for us. We’ll provide information on something we are involved with and they then communicate that to their networks. We communicate almost exclusively electronically. We don’t print much any more. Social networking has made this extremely easy, and it’s probably the most valuable globalization tool that has ever come around.

Find out more at Earth Day Canada.

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Tips on How to Manage the Symptoms of Psoriasis

Tips on How to Manage the Symptoms of Psoriasis
Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition characterized by white or even silverish or red patches of flaking skin. Its exact cause is still unknown, however experts say that genetics and the immune system play a major role. This chronic skin condition can be really itchy and quite difficult to manage. Everything from the changes in weather to the temperature of your bath water to your clothing material can trigger a reaction to your skin.
Source: EzineArticles.com

What Are Stretch Marks and How Can You Get Rid of Them?

What Are Stretch Marks and How Can You Get Rid of Them?
Stretch marks occur when the dermis tears. The dermis is the layer between the epidermis and subcutaneous tissue. In spite of the fact that these tears can diminish in time, they very rarely disappear completely. However, there are some researchers who claim they have already found out how to get rid of stretch marks with the help of surgical intervention, laser treatments or natural lotions.
Source: EzineArticles.com

Dry Brushing The Skin - Dos and Don'ts

Dry Brushing The Skin - Dos and Don'ts
At first, the idea of dry brushing sounded painful to me. Like most people, I was used to brushing and exfoliating wet, properly prepped-up skin in the shower, usually with the aid of bath soaps, creams or oils that make body brushing a smooth, luxurious experience. But dry brushing? I imagined it like having a rabid blindfolded cat being thrown at butt-naked me. Hard bristles on my skin? No way! But after giving dry brushing a shot, I realized my fears were unfounded-as long as it's done properly, of course!
Source: EzineArticles.com

Weekend Blog Reads: Lindsay is Vegan

Weekend Blog Reads: Lindsay is Vegan
I was one of those annoying people that loved taking photos of their food. Even worse, I would post them on Facebook and text them to my friends at all hours of the day. I did this for several reasons: I wanted to prove how delicious vegan food could be, I wanted to brag about [...]

photo courtesy of Lindsay

I was one of those annoying people that loved taking photos of their food. Even worse, I would post them on Facebook and text them to my friends at all hours of the day. I did this for several reasons: I wanted to prove how delicious vegan food could be, I wanted to brag about my amazing meals, and I think people were tired of seeing photos of my cat.

When I started getting asked for recipes I decided to start a blog to document one of the greatest love stories of all time; me and my food. I will break into a sweaty excitement over a delicious garlicky chickpea salad and fajitas with mango and avocados make me dance like Tina Fey.

On Lindsay is Vegan I favor simple recipes with fresh ingredients and there’s nothing like the high that comes with trying a new random vegetable or figuring out how to make a favorite carnivorous meal vegan (like tuna sandwiches!)

I am also unafraid to document my disasters and failures, like my gluten-free strawberry basil pie that looked like a digestive cookie with fruit. It’s about the journey, not the destination right?

Vegans are a tight community and bloggers around the world share camaraderie in our love of kale, which is why we are eager to support each other online. I’ve developed amazing friendships through blogging as well as tips on how to make the creamiest hummus possible.

I am also continually astounded by the people that tell me they love my blog and have started incorporating vegan meals into their diets. Food seems to unite people from all walks of life and vegan food is a fantastic way to initiate conversations on the meat & dairy industry, animal rights, and ethics.

I only discovered all of the mouth-watering dishes and amazing diversity after becoming vegan for a variety of other reasons however I hope my blog reverses that order for others. I want people to approach veganism with enthusiasm, excitement and a sense of curiosity.

So join me by lifting your soy latte, vegan wine, or almond chocolate milk and toasting to a lifetime of delectable vegan meals!

**Lindsay is a vegan blogger, writer, and marketing specialist who helps activists use social media for environmental and animals rights efforts. You’ll likely find her fulfilling the Vancouver stereotype by heading to a yoga class with a soy latte in hand. She’s also on Twitter and Pinterest.**

**Weekend Blog Reads is a weekly column where we feature great vegan blogs to help spread the word about people doing great things for the vegan movement. Do you have a vegan blog to share? Email editor@veganmainstream.com.

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Don't Let Combination Skin Interfere With Your Anti-Aging Routing - Here's What You Can Do

Don't Let Combination Skin Interfere With Your Anti-Aging Routing - Here's What You Can Do
If you feel like the skin on different parts of your face reacts to your aging skincare routine in completely different ways, you may have combination skin. Being one of the most difficult skin types to deal with, combination skin tends to produce skin with oily properties along the nose, forehead and chin.
Source: EzineArticles.com

How To Lighten Skin Safely And Naturally - Top 3 Mistakes To Avoid

Knowing precisely what not to do and what mistakes to avoid can oftentimes be very important. One of the better strategies to achieve that is learning what mistakes others have made so you can steer clear of making those very same mistakes. That also applies to how to lighten skin safely at home. A lot of people avoid the mistakes and succeed. You would like to be one of them. Get the rest of the article

Herpes Simplex - A Simple Solution

Cold Sores or Herpes Simplex generate symptoms that are both unsightly and uncomfortable. It affects a significant part of the world population who often resort to costly and ineffective over the counter treatments from chemists. There is however lest costly home remedies that people may want to consider Source

Vegan Goodies [illustration]

Vegan Goodies [illustration]
Although we like to advocate for a whole foods, healthy diet on Vegan Mainstream, there is always a time and place for vegan goodies! Tune in to the Vegan Mainstream blog this week for all kinds of mouthwatering tips on vegan baking, substitutes for common ingredients like butter, eggs and milk, and how to make your vegan goodies delicious AND healthy.

Although we like to advocate for a whole foods, healthy diet on Vegan Mainstream, there is always a time and place for vegan goodies! Tune in to the Vegan Mainstream blog this week for all kinds of mouthwatering tips on vegan baking, substitutes for common ingredients like butter, eggs and milk, and how to make your vegan goodies delicious AND healthy.

When you went vegan, what was the treat YOU missed most – and have you found a vegan replacement? Tell us about it today, to kick off our week on Vegan Goodies…

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What Is Sorbolene and Is It an Effective Moisturiser

If you have used moisturizing creams before, you might have stumbled across the word 'sorbolene'. This particular substance is a very important ingredient in many moisturizers, but only a few people actually know about its benefits. In this article, you will find out more about this amazing substance and how it works. Read more

10 Fun Fitness Facts With Samaire Armstrong

10 Fun Fitness Facts With Samaire Armstrong

By Kristen Aldridge for Shape.com

Samaire Armstrong made a name for herself on hit shows like "Entourage", "The O.C.", "Dirty Sexy Money" and most recently "The Mentalist", but don't miss her heating up the big screen too! The Hollywood hottie currently stars in the indy feature Around June, in theatres now.

The spunky, adorable actress (who is also a budding fashion designer) is a true chameleon when it comes to her both her roles and her looks, and through it all, she always manages to look so incredibly chic!

Aside from having such a great sense of style, the same goes for her workout routine. We can't help but love her healthy perspective when it comes to all things fitness.

More from Shape.com:
What Kelly Ripa Eats (Almost) Every Day
Maria Miller's Supermodel-Worthy Abs Workout
7 Celebrity Health Tips to Ignore

"I've spent most of my life doing some sort of exercise, but I've learned to never push myself into doing it," Armstrong says. "I know that when I am up for it I will, and when I'm not in the mood to, I don't make myself feel badly over it."

That's why we were excited when the charming, down-to-earth star shared 10 fun fitness secrets with us:

1. By the time Armstrong was 14, she could clean 135 pounds and quarter squat 315 pounds.

2. She loves Japanese Iced Green Tea in a can. "It reminds me of growing up as a kid," Armstrong says. "It is also a fantastic alternative to coffee or sugar-free Red Bull."

3. She has gymnastics training.

4. She loves Edamame. "It's a favorite snack of mine!" the actress says.

5. Her family owns a training center in Sedona, Ariz. called Spartan Training Center.

6. Thinking about going on a run gives her anxiety. "I just don't like running," she admits.

7. She was MVP on her JV Volleyball Team.

8. She is a serial monogamist when it comes to working out. "I will spend three months straight going to Bikram Yoga at 6:30 a.m., then the next three months hiking every afternoon," Armstrong says. "Pilates the next and so on…"

9. She used to work out with her dad two to three times a week before school at 6:30 a.m.

10. She's a big fan of Pilates. "I found that doing Pilates consistently three to four times a week had an amazing effect on really toning and shaping a tight waist and legs," Armstrong says.

Check out Armstrong's newest movie, Around June, in theatres now!

Kristen Aldridge lends her pop culture expertise to Yahoo! as host of "omg! NOW." Receiving millions of hits per day, the hugely popular daily entertainment news program is one of the most-watched on the web. As a seasoned entertainment journalist, pop culture expert, fashion addict and lover of all things creative, she is founder of positivelycelebrity.com and recently launched her own celeb-inspired fashion line and smartphone app.

For more on fitness and exercise, click here.

Related on HuffPost:

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Jean Fain, L.I.C.S.W., M.S.W.: Victoria Secret's Doutzen Kroes and Vogue Italia's Franca Sozzani Get Personal About Body Image

Jean Fain, L.I.C.S.W., M.S.W.: Victoria Secret's Doutzen Kroes and Vogue Italia's Franca Sozzani Get Personal About Body Image

When I read who was coming to Harvard's public forum, "Health Is Beauty: Defining Ourselves," I knew I was going. The Harris Center's 15th annual forum offered a rare insider's view of an issue near and dear my professional heart -- body image and the media.

Just about every client on my caseload struggles with body image, so I was eager to hear what Victoria's Secret model Doutzen Kroes and Vogue Italia editor Franca Sozzani had to say about the relationship between bad body image and eating disorders.

For those who aren't up on fashion, the outspoken Sozzani has made headline news by advocating for health and beauty at every size. Most notably, she put "curvy" models on the cover of Vogue Italia last year. More recently, she's been getting good press for taking political action against pro-ana and pro-mia websites (sites that actively encourage anorexia and bulimia). You don't have to know your supermodels, however, to recognize Kroes as that underwear model currently smiling down on New York City from a 34th Street billboard.

So I went, I heard; and fortunately, I had time to sit down with Kroes and Sozzani and talk personally about their professional quest to help all women feel better about their bodies. What follows are questions and answers from our recent heart-to-heart. Just so you know: neither Kroes nor Sozzani is a native English speaker. Rather than edit their grammar, I've left their poetic grammatical constructions as is.

Holland-born Doutzen Kroes has made her name modeling for Victoria's Secret and Vogue.

Q. Given your line of work, you're an unlikely spokesperson for body image issues. What moved you to speak out?

A. I myself never experienced any eating disorder, but was told to lose weight many times. For me it was important to stand up and say: "I can't lose more weight and be healthy. This is it. This is what you get." Luckily, I come from Holland and I have a really great background -- great parents and a solid childhood. I knew I could always go home if I didn't make it in the fashion industry. I don't think lots of girls have that. I feel I need to stand up and change the rules. Maybe get the minimum age [for modeling] up to 16. Because sometimes the girls are 13 or 14. That's too young!

Q. Why do you think body image issues have come to plague so many women, especially here in America?

A. Back in the day, there was only Marilyn Monroe and a few others on posters that people compared themselves to. Now everyone feels like they can become a model and become famous. That's what makes it more of a problem. People have to accept that not everyone can be a model. But it's difficult because we get pressure as girls to be beautiful and thin. It's really strange because we don't get pressure to be scientists or athletes. In fashion, pictures are retouched, but, you know, we all have flaws.

Q. Given my line of work -- as a psychotherapist specializing in eating issues -- it's clear that most women struggle with some aspect of their appearance. How about you? What can you say about your own struggles past or present?

A. I never say. If I say it, people focus on it. Even my husband doesn't know. I think it's good to be married, but you still have these mysteries. I'm not going to share because then he see it. I have flaws, but I get to the set and they make me feel beautiful. I feel lucky that I have that. I have my family. I'm happy. I'm doing what I do. I'm 27 and had baby last year. After that, some mental thing changed about weight. I totally let go. I feel better than ever, the best I can be. I think women have to accept their body, but be the best they can be. If you work out, eat healthy and you're happy. That's all that matters.

Q. What's your best suggestion for stopping the madness -- the punishing diet and exercise plans, the eating disorders, the unnecessary plastic surgery?

A. It's like where do you start? Being here [at Harvard's public form] is a small thing, but it does make a difference. We can reach as many as we can today. Also, it's important to accept those images [of models in the media] are a fantasy. It's our job to work out every day and to look our best. It's difficult because women probably feel the pressure toward men. They think they have to look like that because guys see it and that's what their girlfriend is supposed to look like. Then there are beautiful girls in school and you're not [as beautiful] and that makes it harder. I think you have to get your happiness from different things than your looks. Beauty doesn't last. If you go to school, or do sports, or whatever makes you happy, that lasts longer than beauty.

Q. How do you suggest women go easier on their bodies, themselves?

A. Women are so mean to each other, but there's no reason for competition. If I were to compare myself to the other girls, I'd go crazy. I say that as a model. Everybody does it. Every woman looks at her own insecurities and compares herself with someone else. I do that, too, but it makes it a little bit more difficult. Everyone has their doubts and insecurities. I get a picture taken and I don't look the same in the picture as in real life. I look in mirror at home, everything looks very different. I have the same struggles.

Italy-born Franca Sozzani has made her name as long-time Vogue Italia editor.

Q. Given your line of work, you're an unlikely spokesperson for body image issues. What moved you to speak out?

A. Because I'm a part of this work, I know the good and the bad. I spoke knowing well that this was a boomerang coming back at me. That everyone would start to say, "Shame on you. You are a hypocrite person. We will never buy any more of your magazines." I did it [spoke out] two different ways. The first time, it was a petition against the websites for pro-ana and pro-mia. I was so upset when I found there are 300,000 websites all around the world. Now we have 12,000 people [names on the petition], but it's not good enough because the websites are exactly the same kinds of websites as pedophilia. I don't see any difference. My idea was to obscure this kind of website, but there is no law that can do it because the server is a machine and it cannot be sued.

At a certain moment, I decided to do another story [something else]. We have 1,800,000 unique users for Vogue Italia. If everybody will open a blog against these websites, we could become much stronger than these people. On the 6th of April, we launched "My Own Blog Against Anorexia and Bulimia." From this moment, young people can talk with young people. Because the most important part is these people [with eating disorders] feel alone. I'm not a doctor, so I cannot do anything. But even as an editor, I know if Vogue would do a blog, it would not be reliable. But if I put young people in connection so they can talk to each other, they will make community without us.

Q. Why do you think body image issues have come to plague so many women, especially here in America?

A. What's happened [with fashion], they started to choose girls they all look the same. They're tall, blonde hair, blue eyes. You couldn't recognize one from the other one. I think it's a mistake to think there's only one prototype of beauty. Of course it's a mistake if a girl takes drugs or if she gets anorexic. That's not the image that fashion wants to give. But why are we presenting all the same kinds of women? If you do not accept that there are different kinds of women, it doesn't give possibility to understand that this is a mistake. To ask me if I feel guilty, I say "no" because in the magazine, we don't use the same models all the times. We have black, Chinese white, big, curvy, old, young. But on the runway they look identical.

What we have is not only to point the finger against fashion, but pharmaceutical, nutrition and aesthetical [cosmetic] industry. Everyone, we should be together. But fashion is on one side. On the other side is the pharmaceutical, [among other industries]. Because how you can go into every drug store and buy pills to lose weight without any prescription. It's not good. I don't think it's normal. Why cream promise you that you can become skinny. Is it correct? No, it doesn't happen. All these kinds of tricks they don't drive you in the right way. They're just tricks to fool you.

Q. Given my line of work -- as a psychotherapist specializing in eating issues -- it's clear that most women struggle with some aspect of their appearance. How about you? What can you say about your own struggles past or present?

A. I like my hair. My hair is part of my brand. I cut it very short because at a certain moment I didn't like. I tried to find my own style, my own way to be. All of us, we have to do. All of us we have a beauty inside. It doesn't matter if it's perfection or not perfection, but we have a part [in finding our own way to be].

Q. What's your best suggestion for stopping the madness -- the punishing diet and exercise plans, the eating disorders, the unnecessary plastic surgery?

A. We only have one thing -- "You look so great because you are so thin." This is mentality that has to change. When we did the curvy girls on the cover [of Vogue Italia], these girls were more than happy to be curvy. They were very satisfied with themselves. They accept themselves because they're beautiful. Their body is sexy, really beautiful. All of us, we should change our mentality. The mentality has to change.

Q. How do you suggest women go easier on their bodies, themselves?

A. I'm not this kind of people who say to accept yourself. You never to accept yourself if you're not happy. Why say "I'm fat, I accept myself." Why? You could have a much better shape. It doesn't mean you have to become anorexic. The goal is to fight, day by day, to arrive where you want to arrive. It doesn't mean to be too skinny or too fat, but feel curvy and sexy and happy. Like Nigella Lawson. I love her. You know, she's sexy and she's beautiful. Can you imagine her skinny? She'd be another person. You are not to be satisfied with what you are because none of us is. You choose better glasses. You choose better hair. You choose a better way to dress. It's too easy to say: "Accept yourself. Be what you are." No I don't want. I want to be better. I have a right to be better. Everybody has a right to be better. This doesn't mean to get sick. This is to be healthy. This is what it means to be beautiful. Because if you're not healthy, you're not beautiful.

To read Sozzani's full speech, click here.

Jean Fain is a Harvard Medical School-affiliated psychotherapist specializing in eating issues, and the author of "The Self-Compassion Diet." For more information, see www.jeanfain.com. Got comments on any of the above? Share your two cents in the Comments section.

For more by Jean Fain, L.I.C.S.W., M.S.W., click here.

For more on eating disorders, click here.

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

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