Nu Brilliance Microdermabrasion System

I’m not a person who normally watches the Home Shopping Channel or others where they are selling the latest gadget or anti-aging cream – there’s a but coming – but I couldn’t resist Nu Brilliance. You know how it is. You’re pitling along with the TV playing in the background. Someone is trying out new workout equipment swearing that this one is THE ONE, right? Well, this particular morning it was the commercial for Nu Brilliance. I can’t say that it was the celebrity endorsement or that it claimed to be the best microdermabrasion system out there. What struck me was the vacuum feature. This little gizmo not only exfoliated your skin but had a suction. Hum, I thought, I bet that sucker can pull those wrinkles right out. Obviously, I have no experience.  I haven't been to a salon. I've had no facials.  I don’t know what the latest techniques are. But I was intrigued.

So I did the unthinkable!  I called the 1-800 number. In the back of my mind I knew there had to be a catch. After all, this system couldn’t be the best thing since sliced bread and only cost $14.95. Quite the contrary, $14.95 was the in-tro-duc-tory amount. Cutting to the chase, I asked the operator how much the system was. Of course, she answered with her spill, “You can use the system for 30 days. If you aren’t fully satisfied, you can return it. We won’t charge you.” Yeah, yeah, yeah, I thought. “But how much is it if I choose to keep the system?” I asked. “The cost of the system is $239.85 but we'll divide it into 3 easy payments.” My head began to spin!  Then I had a thought.  I'll use it for 30 days then return it lickety-split.  “It comes with free skin care.” Oookay, I thought. “And we’ll automatically send you a 60-day supply for $56.90.” “No, no, no,” I interrupted. “No 60 day supply.”

Back to the system. I did order it. What can I say, aging will make you do some strange things. I wanted to see if this suction thingy would work on my developing wrinkles taking over my forehead.  Besides, the exfoliating tip worked on other parts of your body that reveal your age:  your neck, hands, elbows, even that thick skin that develops above your elbows.  But the crème de la crème --your feet! My ashy husky feet!  This tool could replace my pumice stone and save me trips to the nail salon for a pedicure. Oh joy!

The system arrived in about 5 days.  You would have thought I would have tore right in and start using the system immediately.  I didn't.  It wasn't until last night, almost a week later, that I took it out of the box.  I listened to the DVD in its entirety, as advised, then took it for a spin. Even on the low setting, you could feel that vacuum action.  The DVD made it look almost effortless, but real time was a little more challenging.  I reminded myself of what I heard on the DVD:  brace the skin and stroke in the opposite direction.  It got a little easier.  I'm happy to report that I didn’t overdo the treatment or suck the skin off my face. That’s a good thing…lol!  I know this is gonna sound kinda hokie, but it really worked.  The next morning, I ran to the mirror.  My skin had a glow to it.  It was smoother and the wrinkles across my forehead had diminished significantly. Honest!  This little thing might end of being worth its weight in gold. I’ve got 3 more weeks to try it, so I’m going to really really make the effort.  Who knows, it might be worth the cost. The real test is gonna be my feet.  I’ll keep you posted. Latta!

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Style Is Ageless So Amp It Up

For a few days now, I’ve been rethinking my sense of style. What use to work for me just doesn’t fit anymore. It’s not that I’ve gotten leaner or stouter. It’s just that Suzette has grown in consciousness and Suzetteness. Yes, Suzetteness.


So where does one go when they have a fashion emergency? I can’t think of any place betta than TLC’s What Not To Wear. Surely, Stacy and Clint can help! After all, they’ve helped countless outdated and downright pitiful-dressin folks bring some freshness to their otherwise shame-shame-shame wardrobe.

Oh, you haven’t heard of the show? Well, let me tell you a little somethin about it. Two celebrity stylists – Stacy and Clint – appear out of nowhere and approach some unsuspecting person about their hideous style. Like police, fashion police that is, they accost some poor soul along their family, friends or coworkers and tell them they’ve been nominated for What Not To Wear. They are stunned – and I’m sure a little embarrassed - but good-naturedly agree to allow Stacy and Clint to coach them as they spend $5000 on a brand new wardrobe.

Today’s show was full of fashion nuggets but two in particular struck me. First, shop for outfits not just pieces. I gotta start doing that! The second was in response to a client’s criticism of some shoes Stacy and Clint had picked out. “They don’t match the outfit,” she complained. “But they go,” says Stacy. Ummmm, I thought to myself. Doesn’t matter the color so much if they go with the outfit. Got it!

Style is ageless. You just got to know how to make it work for you. Clothes should be reflection of who you are and your spirit. My clothes are a hodgepodge of eras in my life. Some good, some not so good, some loooooong gone. So, out with the old and in with the new. I’m gonna amp it up!

NECESSITY

Ever so often, I have to change it up a bit. Grow my hair. Cut my hair. A little makeup. A more glam look. The natural laid-back me. The passion for fashion diva. Sometimes it’s an impulse to take a different route to work or grab a bite at a bistro rather than eat my bag lunch. Or like last night, rather than spend my entire Friday indoors and retire early, I accepted an invite to watch Eat Pray Love with my Raleigh family. I’m tired as a mug but have a big smile on my face!

Someone asked Jane Fonda, now 73, how she has made it in an industry that frowns upon aging. “I’m the queen of reinvention,” she said. Or maybe that was how Oprah touted her. I’m not saying that she hasn’t used cosmetic surgery--a nip here and a tuck there--over her seven decades of life. But a new face doesn’t give you a sparkle in your eyes and a spring in your steps. Take Vickie Winans for example. She was a guest at Women’s Empowerment some two or three years ago. What struck me most wasn’t her signature swinging ponytail or her amazing vocal range. I had come to expect nothing less from Vickie. Rather, it was how she pranced up and down those steps leading up to the stage with the youthful abandonment of a teenager. How was she able to do that?!  Brought to mind Betty White’s response when she was asked how she remained so vibrant in her 80’s. “I have stairs and I’m very forgetful,” she said with a chuckle.

Necessity is the mother of invention. I can’t recall who said that but I think we’ve all heard it at some time or other. I watched Liz's flashbacks of the progression of discomfort.  The lifestyle of passivity she had adopted.  There was no joy, no taste, no passion.  She had ignored the whispers and the shouts.  And now a brick had hit her up side the head.  A divorce.  It was now necessary to heal her broken life.  I know that Eat Pray Love is just a movie. But the role of necessity in reclaiming us, growing us and reinventing us masterfully plays out in the journey of one woman. 

In my youth, I think most change or reinvention, as it were, was inspired by vanity. I wanted to look, live or act a certain way to appeal to a certain group.  After my divorce, however, vanity took a back seat to survival.  My shopping sprees were no more as survival and providing for my son took center stage.  With age has come a shift in priorities, that's for sure.  It’s not just about painting the outside for curb appeal but understanding that if there are termites, faulty wiring or leaky pipes, no one cares about how cute the house is.

If it’s toning your body, forging a new career pathway or updating your wardrobe, necessity is the drive behind it. Project Runway mentor, Tim Gunn, who celebrated his 58th birthday yesterday, attributes his youthfulness to a zest for life. In an interview, he said he approaches life with a sense of wonder and excitement. He, who describes his youth as introverted and geeky, went from shy and isolated to teaching.  And from teaching to becoming a style icon on a hit reality show. I don't know what inspired him but I'd bet it was to meet some type of need. 

Over the past few days, I've blogged about my struggle with a sore throat, most likely caused by acid reflux.  It's been a beast!  Nevertheless, I have to say that it's also been a gift.  The intensity of the discomfort necessitated that I do something I had not done before. Try something I had not tried before.  Nexium was no longer working.  Raising the head of my bed or eating more leafy vegetables wasn't enough.  Not eating after 7pm and exercising brought no sustainable relief. I had to reach outside of the box and invite spiritual guidance as I sought a new path.  As I reflect on the journey, its value has been greater than I could have imagined!

My throat is no longer sore!  Yay!  Just as valuable is the knowledge I've gained.  The benefits of licorice extract, slippery elm and apple cider vinegar not only to addressing my symptoms but to my overall health.  Herbs have been used for hundreds of years yet modern medicine has convinced us to pop a pill. We medicate symptoms and leave issues unresolved.  We pay for convenience rather than adopting more healthy alternatives.  Remedies are as close as our kitchen cabinets and we don't even know it.  We spend hundreds of dollars in prescription medications when a bottle of vinegar, aloe vera juice or a 20 minute walk could bring relief.  I have been forever changed by this experience.

Now, I'm ready to reinvent my environment. Sooooooo what's it gonna be?  The loft or my closet?

Getting Better

After reading more about licorice extract, I'm going to have to be more judicious in how much I use it.  Prolonged use can cause raised blood pressure or renal issues.  For this reason, it's recommended that usage is spaced out or if you use it daily to take a break from it once a month.  I have noticed that I'm having increased headaches.  I don't know what it's from.  In my reading, some people complained of headaches with licorice extract use.  I've been taking 500 mg prescription strength DGL licorice extract every night.  That stuff does work very well.  I am reflux free for an average 6 hours, allowing me to get a good night sleep.  However, tonight, I'm taking some slippery elm bark and drinking some apple cider vinegar. We'll see how that works.  If my headaches decrease, then I'll know that I might need a lesser strength of the licorice extract.  Moreover, if what I try tonight works, I might have an overall healthier alternative. 

Well, I'm experimenting to get the right regimen and dosage.  It takes time.  At least my throat has stopped hurting.  Thank God! 

The Wonders of Vinegar

Oh the wonders of apple cider vinegar. Today has been so much better. I made a vinegar drink with a capful of vinegar to a cup of warm water. Because it is a tad challenging to drink such a bitter drink, I added a little maple syrup to it. 100% maple syrup, of course. I’ve been sipping on it throughout the day. Would you believe I found a small jar previously filled with mayonnaise that I saved and I put my vinegar drink in it? Yep, I did. I filled it and screwed on the lid. It fit pretty well in the corner of my pocketbook. I haven’t taken any of the other supplements today. Just sippin on the vinegar drink whenever I felt phlegm or throat pain. While sitting here now, I can honestly say that my throat doesn’t hurt as badly as it’s been. Thank goodness!

One thing, I’ve noticed though. When I sip on it on an empty stomach, I get a headache. I don’t know why. I’ve pondered whether it may be my pressure. Can your pressure go up from drinking vinegar? Hum, I’m not sure. Doesn’t bother me if I sip on it on a full stomach. Or if I eat something once I feel that headachiness. I just don’t want to be causing some weirdness that will threaten my progress. I’ll have to read up on this to see what might be happening.

Because I got home late and ate two chicken sandwiches -- I was hungry, don't judge me -- I decided to get some exercise in. While talking to Carm, I walked in place at a fast pace. Despite what we were talking about, I kept a steady gait. By the time I asked him how long it had been, 30 minutes had passed and I was about out of breath. I’ve found that I have to exercise after eating especially since I have a desk job. Too much sitting doesn’t help reflux. So, neither rain, nor 100 degree temperatures or dark of night, will hinder me from my exercise plight. Tee hee. That was corny!

Well, I’m gonna gargle with some more salt water. Take some licorice extract for a good night’s sleep. I’m going to also set my cup of vinegar drink on my night stand. This morning at about 5:45am, I awakened to some acid reflux. I felt it come up and start burning my throat. However, I know that if I drink a couple of sips of the vinegar drink, it settles things.  I guess one could say I’m limping along until my GI appointment on Wednesday. My hope is that he will check my throat and even take a culture to rule out strep or yeast or some type of bacterial issue. Then I want to schedule an Upper GI Endoscopy. I need to make sure there has been no damage in a year’s time. I think that’s important.

The journey continues. Tomorrow, I’m going to call the alternative medicine practice in Carrboro that Carm texted me. Someone to monitor all these vitamins and supplements and concoctions is important, I think, to ensure effectiveness. Well, here’s to taking it step by step to wholeness and healing. Later!

Step By Step

Since I last wrote, I’ve been busy reading everything I can about digestive health, GERD and various alternatives to prescription medications. It’s been kind of overwhelming to read. One person swears by eating mustard to stop reflux. Another talks of the wonders of apple cider vinegar. Still another says if you hop on one foot for 1 minute, it’ll absolutely relieve the symptoms. Okay, okay, I’m just kidding. I couldn’t resist.

In the meantime I’ve continued to keep a food journal and exercise. What I have learned is that cranberry juice burns my throat. I drank some with breakfast yesterday and immediately felt the discomfort. I don’t know why I didn’t remember that cranberry juice has always burned my throat. Duh! My exercise has been jogging or walking in place for 20-30 minutes indoors. The temperatures have been in the 100’s outside so I’ve had to get creative with my exercise.

Not only am I evaluating the foods I eat, but how my burning throat is reacting to various remedies I’ve read about as well. Matter of fact, on yesterday evening, I bought some Bragg’s Raw Apple Cider Vinegar. Reading of the benefits of apple cider vinegar, I decided to give it a try. There is a distinction though. The kind that should be used should have sediment at the bottom of the bottle. I didn’t know that. I’m glad I didn’t use the regular vinegar. What differs from website to website is the amount of vinegar you should add to an 8 ounce glass of water. Some say 2-3 tablespoons while others say 2-3 teaspoons. Last night, I decided to use the mixture as a gargle. Immediately I realized that it had to be the teaspoon cause it burned like crazy.  Ouch!!! I had to gargle with warm water to douce that flame. Note to self: neither vinegar or hydrogen peroxide gargles seem to benefit me. I think I’ll stick with warm salt water.

Nutrition has also been subject to evaluation. I’ve upped my fruits and vegetables, eating smaller meals multiple times a day. This way, my stomach doesn’t get overloaded. At the same time, I’ve noticed that my throat tends to burn if I wait too long in between meals. So, I tend to snack on fruits in between. Though I love, love, love Cajun shrimp from the local vendor who sells grilled foods from underneath his tent, I’ve not purchased one thing from him. Not even gone to Carolina Barbecue for their slap-yo-momma good barbeque chicken. Not nairy a spicy, barbecued or heavy-on-the-pepper piece of food has entered my mouth since I decided to relieve this sensation in my throat.

I’ve also worn pants or shorts that don’t fit tightly around my mid-section. I read that this can contribute to reflux. I’ve also not worn shirts with a tight-band shelf bra. The pressure can exacerbate the reflux if it’s too tight.

While sitting here typing this blog, it's starting to burn again.  Darn!  I just finished eating a salad but it had honey mustard dressing on it. I’m wondering if the dressing might be the problem.  I dunno. I think I need to eat some cooked food and see how that helps. It's all about a well-balanced diet too.  Balancing those fruits, vegetables, protein and good carbs.  Also getting that balance between not eating too heavy and not eating too little has to be managed.

I’m back. Took a break to eat. I figured I needed something cooked this time. Roasted chicken, cabbage and a slice of whole grain bread. I was so tempted to get more but decided to eat some fresh cherries instead. Sidebar: I wonder if this yucky taste I have at the back of my throat is from the vinegar or whether it’s from the 2 Slippery Elm supplements I took before breakfast. When I took those capsules, I noticed a sensation from my throat to my intestines. I could feel it working. It’s suppose to soothe irritated or inflamed tissues. I certainly hope so. Regardless, I felt relief for a while.  I know I'm shifting from one thing to another...lol.  I feel all over the place right now.

Well, this burn and metallic taste is going nowhere so I think a warm salt water gargle is in order. As with anything, I guess I’ll have to figure out what to take and when. That’s why I want to consult with a nutritionist or alternative medicine doctor or nurse practitioner. In the meantime, I believe that by being focused on my health, I’m creating an energy that will bring answers to me. I’m creating a buzz in the Heavenlies so it’s only a matter of time before wisdom comes. You see, I believe that knowledge about my condition is only one step. The next step is how to apply that knowledge. That is wisdom. I lack both but I believe the scripture that says, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not (will not find fault, will not rebuke you, without an unkind word); and it shall be given him.”

Please know that I’m not doubting God’s ability to heal my condition Divinely. I know that He can. With one sweep of his hand or just a mere thought, the burning, the reflux, the journey would be over. At the same time, I have come to understand that if He doesn’t, it’s not because he can’t or he won’t, neither is it because I’ve done something wrong. It’s for my growth. I will learn something about Him, about myself and/or this experience will enable me to help someone else. Sooooo I submit to this journey confident in a God who sees, who knows and who cares. Later!

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Burning Throat

“Could be reflux, true. But it could also be allergies.” This peaked my curiosity as I listened to the sales person at Vitamin Shoppe tell me of his experiences. You see, I ran out of the house on a mission to find Licorice Extract (DGL) as an herbal alternative to treat what I assumed was a burning throat caused by acid reflux.


Earlier, I was overwhelmed by the intensity of my burning throat and sinus congestion. This had been going on for days, off and on for months now, and I was sick and tired of it. I cried, I paced, I prayed. I cried some more. I paced some more. I prayed with an intensity that only those who are fed up with their situation do. “God, pleeeeeease help me. I’m not getting no better. Please don’t let this be cancer. Please don’t let me not be able to sing again.” The pleading and crying went on and on until my Wise Self took over.

I could spend my time pleading or I could consider that the God I was pleading with had been there through some tough times. Some I-can’t-take-no-more days. In retrospect, there wasn’t a time when I prayed that He didn’t hear me. Sometimes that’s the only assurance you get in the moment – that God hears you. You don’t know what His answer will be, but you know that He sees, He knows, He cares.  In life, in death, He shows up. In sickness, in health, He shows up. In sorry, in joy, He shows up. He’s healed me from the inside so much and so until my environment has been transformed. I am walking at a level of consciousness and liberty that is a miracle even to me.  So why wouldn’t He hear me?  Heal me? Help me? He'd done it before so of course He will.  With all He had done, it wouldn't make sense for Him to allow me to be unhealthy when I am prospering emotionally, have a fulfilling romantic relationship, have a job with the flexibility and autonomy that I need, and live in a larger place that makes room for me.  So I stopped wailing.  I could sit here feeling sorry for myself , wait for my doctor's visit or be proactive about my own health.

Licorice extract. Hummmm, I thought. This might be an answer. You see, I had purchased a magazine some days ago called Natural Health. I hadn’t opened it though. I don’t know if something on the cover caught my attention or what, but I felt inclined.  While flipping through the pages, I came upon an article. It was a compilation of tips from well-known practitioners in the alternative medicine world. Dr. Andrew Weil’s interview peaked my interest. He talked about how there were herbal remedies for many of the maladies that we deal with. He named Licorice extract for reflux. Eureka!!!!!

After leaving the Vitamin Shoppe, I went to the grocery store. I had picked up some nutritional tips from the Dr. Weil's website. Fortunately, what I purchased wasn’t much different from what I’d normally eat. I just knew I had to be more conscious and purposeful in my eating. I had been eating out alot. He advised keeping a food log. Yes, food log to see if there were certain foods that were more bothersome than others.

Yesterday’s food log entry (I am so tempted to say Captain's Log, Star Date July 20, 2011):

Breakfast

A berry smoothie using flavored water, frozen strawberries, fresh blueberries and ice cubes I had made from V8 splash fruit drink. It was pretty good.

Later, I had a bowl of cereal. It was one of those ones in the organic section of the supermarket with all those whole grains they listed on the website as rich in fiber. Instead of dairy, I purchased some Almond Breeze Almond Milk. Who would have thought that Millet and Ama-something would taste this good.

Lunch

Grape chicken salad from Lowe’s Foods. That stuff is the bomb! I had it stuffed in a pita. Drank a green vegetable juice drink from some Go Greens type of powder I got from Vitamin Shoppe. Of course, I used flavored water just in case it tasted horrible. It was okay though. I could drink this regularly, I thought.

Around 3pm, I took a Claritin. I waited for 20-30 minutes for it to kick in. I honestly couldn’t tell much of an immediate difference.  I had less sinus congestion though.

I also gargled with some warm salt water. That actually helped I think more than anything else.

Dinner

Broiled salmon, cabbage, Uncle Ben’s wild and brown rice. Instead of blackening my salmon or using the parsley garlic salt like usual, I decided to just go with a li’l salt and pepper with extra virgin olive oil swizzled on it. When the fish was done, it was a bit bland to me so I livened it up with a couple of shakes of cinnamon and added a little honey. Put it back in the oven for a minute. It was actually quite tasty.

Because I ate around 6:00ish and had pretty much sat on my rump for most of the day working on my computer, I decided to get up and get moving. As I watched So You Think You Can Dance on TV, I jogged in place for about 20-30 minutes. Too hot to go outdoors.  Then I did some resistance stretching, using the stretch band I got from a physical therapist last year when I had hand pain.

Most telling was my sleep last night. Not only did I not awaken to a burning throat but my night sweats were less. I slept really well.  As I type today, I still feel the sensation in my throat so I will still go to a GI doctor and scheduled an Upper GI Endoscopy. I am also going to schedule something with an alternative medicine person recommended by one of my friends. I want to rule out food allergies, hormonal influences from being perimenopausal as well as digestive issues. Something's going on and I want to know what it is.  I also decided to stop taking the Nexium. I can’t see it really helping. I had already taken 13 days of Zegerid prior.  Better results from the Licorice Extract, I think.

Regardless, I know that God will lead me. I want to know what’s going on with my body and address that, not just mask symptoms. Here's to the journey.  Later!

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