Ginger Garrett

A new study presented at the British Society for Investigative Dermatology has shown that consuming tomato-based foods may be a true miracle food for smooth, young-looking skin. A diet rich in tomato-based foods “boosted the level of procollagen in the skin significantly. These increasing levels suggest potential reversal of the skin ageing process. This is in addition to the significant reduction in sunburn.”

So a diet rich in tomatoes, which contain high amounts of lycopene, may be the fountain of youth for skin. We all know that cosmetics companies want us to shell out a fortune for pricey products that “may” increase collagen production. But yet again, eating your beauty foods offers advantages that no cream or lotion can. I’ve added a glass of V8 to my regular afternoon munching schedule, and I have felt great every time. Plus I know I get these benefits, too:

1. Protection against cancers and a host of modern ailments

2. Reversal of the skin ageing process

3. Protection against sunburn

4. Weight control

5. A feeling of good health–and relief that I’ve gotten some vegetables in for the day!

Try adding a V8 to your afternoon routine, too. For under 50 cents a day, this may be one of the best investments you can make in your long-term health and beauty.

I spent this week interviewing leading dermatologists and skincare gurus to get some fabulous summer tips. You can read the full article at www.calledmagazine.com when it goes up in a week or so. But until then, here are some highlights:

1. Sunscreen: So many readers want advice on choosing a good sunscreen! You need to know that sunscreen protects against two types of rays: UVA and UVB. UVA rays Age your skin. UVB rays Burn your skin. You need protection from both. One of the best protectors, especially for UVA rays, is avobenzone. You can find it in CVS’ store brand Cooling Mist Spray. At $7.99, it’s a great deal, and a favorite of mine since it will not clog pores, and really absorbs well. Keep one in your purse for those rushed mornings when you forget to apply before leaving the house!

2. If your feet are not sandal ready by now, you need the PedEgg. Yes, I have succumbed to the hype and tried one for myself. This thing works! My calloused runner’s feet look better than they ever have, and I can throw out my pumice stone. At under $10 in stores everywhere, this is a fantastic gadget to keep handy with your nail care supplies.

3. Another frequent reader question is about antiperspirants. Most herbal remedies are only deodorants, which can mask odor but cannot prevent it. (And the rumors about antiperspirants causing breast cancer were way off…the ingredient they questioned is not even contained in antiperspirants.)

Did you know that the only real difference between most “clinical” strength antiperspirants and the “regular” ones is the label? Compare labels and you’ll agree. All contain about 18% aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydex. To make your usual antiperspirant work like the more expensive clinical versions, you simply need to begin applying at night before you go to bed. This gives the product time to block the pores so that wetness cannot develop, which will in turn prevent odor.

If you apply in the morning, the product can’t get a head start on blocking perspiration and will not be as effective. So save your money, switch the time you apply, and you’ll get better results for less cash.

Have a great weekend!

I’m so pleased to announce that I’ve assumed the role of Health & Beauty Editor for CALLED Magazine.  If you want to visit the  website, go to www.calledmagazine.com   Be sure to sign up for their weekly inspirational emails. They will uplift and encourage you.

I’ll be doing a monthly online column plus a quarterly print issue with CALLED. (Plus, since I’m writing so much more on the beauty biz, I’ll start doing more of my own newsletters. I know sending out a quarterly email to my favorite readers just isn’t cutting it!)

May the beauty of the Lord rest upon you!

Yes, I know it’s June but only by a few days!

The monthly winner is a reader named Linda who will receive an autographed copy of Beauty Secrets of the Bible and an Apple Brightening Peel from MyChelle Dermaceuticals.

More news on giveaways is coming soon! (Here’s a hint: if you’re not already part of a bookclub, start one now. You’ll want to ask four of your closest friends, or more, to join you. Bible study groups who like fiction count, too! More details coming soon!)

On Mondays and Fridays, I like to talk beauty and answer reader emails.  But on Wednesday, when our minds tend to wander away from our desks and we get a little restless for the weekend, I like to tackle another fascinating topic: angels.

In my next series of novels, I’m writing the stories of the most influential women of history and the guardian angels who watched over them. Since several of my influential women were from the medieval period, I’ve been spending time studying medieval art. Art tells us what could not be written; the hopes and fears that even the artists had no words for.

One startling discovery is that medieval angels are protrayed as being at least equal to us in size, if not bigger. Their physiques are strong. They are capable of shielding humans from evil and shepherding us through danger and darkness. The medieval years were the golden age of angels. Theologians debated how many angels fit on the head of a pin. They created hierarchies and orders of angels that bore only a loose resemblance to biblical teaching. And everyone believed in angels and the power of goodness in the world.

That all changed in October of 1348. The harbor of Sicily welcomed a strange ship–and the Black Death stormed the shores of Europe. The Black Death was the end of angels, at least in our imagination. With up to half of Europe wiped out, artists painted pictures of Death leading the innocents–and the priests–away into the abyss. Art became frightening, vulgar, hopeless.

It was the death of our innocence in so many ways, and we began searching for answers. Out of the horror of the Black Death came the brilliant years of the Rennaisance. And the angels were “reborn” in art: as chubby, helpless cherubs. Angels were pint-size creatures capable of nothing but amusements.

The years of the Black Death were some of the most profound years of humanity. We made decisions that shaped the world for hundreds of years to come. And we changed our minds about God and His angels: we were more willing to believe in a strong devil and a weak God. We feared more than we trusted. And somewhere, this poisonous image of angels as fat babies crept into our minds.

In biblical reality, angels are so mighty in appearance that their first words when appearing to a human in the Bible are almost always, “Do not be afraid!” Angels are strong enough to crush evil and deliver us from any threat at God’s command. So who gave us the image of chubby cherubs to erode our confidence in the power of angels and the might of God?

The answer may just depend on what you believe about evil and the Evil One. As for me, I won’t bring images of chubby cherubs into my home. I have enough babies, thank you. I need an angel. I’m reclaiming what our sisters lost in the angst and confusion of the Black Death.

I’m choosing to believe in the power of good and the goodness of God.

I’m into the final four weeks of training for the IronGirl triathlon! I have no idea why I needed an exclamation point for that sentence. Perhaps it’s because my typing fingers are the only part of me that can still move.

I signed up for this triathlon in January, the month of many ill-advised decisions, because I decided I needed a transformation. It was time to unleash my inner athlete. I warned friends and family that they might experience twinges of jealousy when they saw my chiseled physique emerging, but that I would always love them just as they were. <g>

So, with 4 weeks left of a 26-week training regimen, here are the lessons I have learned:

1. When the Bible says “be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” God wasn’t kidding. Running a million miles, biking up the most wretched hills, and swimming through rough waters will not transform us. Soaking in Scripture and aligning our thoughts with God causes transformation. I realized this only two months ago, and felt a terrible sinking sensation. I had signed up for pain and torture, and God was telling me that I had made a big mistake. I couldn’t transform myself that way. So God taught me a new lesson:

2. Transformation is possible–by the grace of God. I overheard a gruff, whiskered old man at WaffleHouse say this to a listening friend. God wants us to be renewed and transformed. It is a very real possibility for each of us–but only through His grace. Grace filters out the selfish, off-kilter demands we make on ourselves and God. Grace prepares us to receive the answer to our real prayer, the cry of our heart. Which means, we must:

3. Surrender the process and the result. I started this adventure because I wanted more muscles, (which I got–all ten pounds of them!) a new attitude in life, and to feel more confident in my bathing suit. It all sounds so stupid now.

Instead, I am learning about the battle of endurance. I am learning about the battle for my mind. (Last week, I was on a training ride with a group of cyclists and my gears went out, leaving me to practically leg-press my peddles up the hills of North Georgia. I was terrified: if I let the negative thoughts creep in, I couldn’t move my body and carry on. The body follows the mind, and it was my mind that was out of shape.) I am learning the beauty of a strong finish.

So this is my triathlon transformation: I had to surrender my idea of what I wanted to accomplish, and step aside for God to show me what He could accomplish.

May you be blessed with grace today–and the transformation that comes from knowing the truth. May we ask boldly for God’s redeeming power to rain down on our lives, making over our hearts, setting us free in our minds, and strengthening our bodies for the road ahead.