Welcome All!

Fall is my favorite time of year. Although it's hard to say goodbye to hot summer days, I must admit that the thought of vibrantly colored leaves, chilly morning walks along the Rur river (in Germany, where I live now), cinnamon apple smells coming from the kitchen, and relaxing with a good book in front of the fireplace, excites and inspires me!

I was in Canada for the month of July visiting with my family and good friends. Even though the weather was not like the endless hot summer days that I remember as a child, I still managed to enjoy the time I spent with everyone. Isn't it a great thing to be able to come back home and pick up where you left off with friends just as if you've never been away? That is truly a beautiful thing and I don’t take it for granted.

Now, I am  back in Germany gearing up for my fall schedule and forging ahead with new projects. One such project I am very excited about is being a contributor to the natural beauty section of Woman's World magazine. Woman’s World is a popular weekly magazine available in many stores and markets throughout the U.S. and Canada. I have been an avid reader of the magazine for years, especially their DIY beauty section, found in every issue. And I am so glad to be part of that now! Making your own cosmetics has been and always will be trendy.

September and October are the months in which we usually get back into our routines after the summer. The kids go back to school and everyone at work seems to look rejuvenated and ready to tackle projects with new-found energy.

While trying to juggle our time between family, shopping, cooking, cleaning, pets, friends, work, parents, in-laws, bosses, co-workers, traffic, car pooling, dropping off, picking up. repairing, painting, taking courses, building and whatever else we women do in our daily lives.....it is REALLY important to take time for ourselves. Time is always an issue because of all the demands put on us. But it is always possible to take time at the end of the day, on a weekend, after work, or maybe before bedtime when there is less activity and noise in the household.

You only need 10 to 20 minutes to take care of yourself. Believe me, it's worth it!

Check out some of the fall recipes and as always, Enjoy!

Winter 

I am currently living in the heart of Europe - these days in Germany - in an area which is surrounded by beautiful cities such as Cologne, Dusseldorf and Bonn.

Living here has given me even more enthusiasm and energy in believing what I have always believed in the first place, which is, that Mother Nature has provided us with everything we need to keep our skin and body looking its very best.

Europeans have known this for decades! Their attitudes towards mind, body, and spirit, and taking care of their health using natural methods, has been a way of life. Indeed it is part of European culture.

Here in Germany, there are numerous saunas, spas, and relaxing places that people use often to "get better" or "de-stress". These places are not just for the rich and famous. The hot baths and saunas are affordable and accessible to everyone. They cost roughly 20-30€ (Euros) per day which works out to be about $35-$50 dollars per day. Can you imagine $50 for a whole day at the spa? Your $50 includes sauna, swimming, relaxing in comfortable day beds, and an incredible facial treatment made from various natural herbal preparations.

These places are always busy - day or night- weekday or weekend! There is never any hype or hooplah attached to it. It's simply taking in natural healing ways, and if you'll pardon the pun, it's a natural way of life here.

And it really shows! Europeans look healthy. Not all are model thin, but skin and hair are very important to them. I've seen women rub fresh tomatoes on their faces to deep clean pores, remove toxins, improve skin elasticity, and to even out their skin tone. Rinsing their hair in warm beer is another favorite ritual to give hair lots of volume. If you look at any women's magazine here, there are always sections on beauty that emphasize natural skin remedies.

Though not all North Americans are members of health clubs or have access to saunas and spas like our European counterparts, it is no longer a barrier to partake of the same indulgences, because now anyone can create a beautiful home spa experience by using the tips and recipes found in the Cosmetics Cookbook.

Remember - your skin is the largest organ of your body. Even if we are not in control of the pollutants that our skin soaks up daily, we can do something to eliminate the impacts of those chemicals getting into our systems by nourishing our outer shell with nature's own.

Happy Cooking!

Copyright Lisa Sharon Belkin