"Have an Attitude of Gratitude".  A simple but powerful saying repeated thousands of times over the years by Father Pat Tobin, one of the founders of Harvesters Food Bank in the greater Kansas City Area. Over the years when I was teaching in the classroom I paraphrased his sloglan and and posted it on my chalkboark as a constant reminder to my students of just how fortunate we are.http://www.harvesters.org/WhoWeAre/Index.asp?Reference=BackSnack

In keeping with that spirit of gratitude, earlier this month Sonrisa sponsored an event for the Harvesters Backsnack Program and is partnering with them to raise awareness about the area school children who are food insecure.  Sonrisa also donated to the Harvest Ball Society last weekend and we were happy to see so many of our favorite clients at the event which was the 25th Harvest Ball Celebration.http://www.harvestball.org/ As a company we have also adopted a 9 member family fron the Salvation Army. That same family has also been designated by Sandi Martin Hennier winner of Sonrisa's "Kindness Counts Philanthropy" to receive the cash award associated with that award.

At Sonrisa, all of us are committed to giving back to the local community and now we have the opportunity to extend our reach internationally. Last month I met a fellow presenter at the annual Green Spa Congress, Jennifer Trubenbach who is The Executive Director of Operation Of Hope. Operation of Hope sends surgical teams to Africa and Latin America to repair facial deformities among the poorest of the poor. Jennifer loved our company name Sonrisa because in Spanish it means to smile. She asked if we had any shirts with our logo because in Latin America they actually facilitate smiles to those who were unable to smile because of facial deformities. We are sending them 24 shirts and 17 hats this week and in 2012 donating one dollar for every facial as a way to continue the support.http://www.operationofhope.org/

We started this company over 3 years ago and this community has blessed each and every one of us and it is up to us to show our "Attitude of Gratitude".

Ahh Spa for your hair ? You betcha!

The new botanical hair treatments from Aveda has been described by my team as MAGICAL! 

Think of what you put your hair through on a daily basis, blow drying, heat styling and what about what those tresses endured over the summer? Here are the abbreviated descriptions for our new treatments:

Botanical therapy treatments:

moisture treatment-ten minutes

improves dry hair up to 86% with the power of buriti and pomegranate oils, leaving the hair soft silky and shiny.

repair treatment-ten minutes

improves damaged hair up to 86% with the power if quinoa protein and sugar beet derived amino acid, leaving strands strong, supple, and healthy.

scalp balance treatment-ten minutes

features a deep restorative massage with the aroma therapeutic essential oil blend that will bring the healthiest balance to your scalp, setting the stage for beautiful hair. 

scalp detox treatment-ten minutes

deep cleanses, featuring a refreshing massage with wintergreen-derived salicylic acid that gently exfoliates your scalp and removes buildup that may affect healthy hair.

hair and scalp treatment- one hour

It's like a spa for your head.  It begins with a restorative scalp treatment and ends with a transformative moisture or repair treatment. 

Your hair will look healthier and shinier-and feel soft and silky.

Ask your stylist which treatment you need and if you are a color processed blond, you may need the hour treatment. Call 746 4772 and schedule a treatment with your next cut or color. 

Back to the Future with Sugar

More food manufacturers and restaurants are responding to consumer demand by working to re-introduce sugar, honey or other natural sweeteners back into soft drinks and food recipes in place of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).  The scientific debate on whether corn syrup has a more negative impact on your health than sugar will rage on for years but in the meantime, another powerful force is driving this change - marketing and consumer perception. 

Many consumers, professional chefs and even some manufacturers are convinced, or are convincing that sugar is a more wholesome, natural and desirable ingredient.  Natural sugar is trendy again. In response, the Corn Refiners Association is seeking approval from the FDA to rename HCFS as “Corn Sugar” and is now running frequent television adds promoting the natural goodness of sweeteners derived from corn. 

Personally and based on the research I’ve read, I’m on the side of sugar.  But this could be a long, slow change process because HCFS is so deeply rooted in U.S. food production today - and the manufacturers and associations have very effective lobbyists to protect their interests.  At the end of the day though, the primary barrier to widespread replacement of HCFS by sugar will be the cost - sugar is a more costly ingredient, not to mention the costs that would be passed along by manufacturers to reformulate their brands with natural sweeteners.  This is the same, practical barrier to the growth of organic food consumption as well. If given the choice I’ll opt for products sweetened with sugar - that includes the ‘new’ sugar sweetened Coke and Pepsi products that are available on special occasions while the companies test for consumer demand and willingness to pay. 

In the mean time, the old adage “all things in moderation” applies here perfectly.  The perception of sugar as more wholesome doesn’t mean you benefit from eating more of it. Sugar is a sometimes food for me. I use stevia to sweeten my tea or berries.  Conversely, a little bit of corn syrup isn’t damaging to your overall health either.  However, consuming too much of either can be hazardous to your health no matter how you measure it.  I just hope that as part of this trend C&H sugar will resurrect their television ads from my youth - I remember that catch jingle well even today!  

I loved this article on healthy diets for beautiful skin and hair:

http://www.themedguru.com/20110114/feature/winter-diet-gorgeous-skin-86143304.html 

In my last blog entry I talked about real women, beauty and authenticity. As an owner of a Green Spa in the European tradition we offer skin  rejuvenation services that are non invasive and produce results. We have convinced clients that plant based enzyme peels work without damage and downtime. We offer alternatives to surgery, lasers and deep chemical peels with no downtime, sedatives or scarring. I will not promote that which will not work or will expose my employees or clients to dangerous toxins. Here is the independent research on both of the anti aging services that we use. Don't be impressed by Oprah's or any other celebrity endorsement. Look at the science. We combine two technologies,  LED photo rejuvenation and CACI micro-current  stimulation and rejuvenation for incredible results.

LED light

AGING? ACNE? • Soli-Tone LED Rejuvenating Light Therapy will help!!

Face Lift Without Surgery!

Your skin has the natural ability to absorb infrared wavelengths of light and use the energy from this type of light as a source to stimulate cellular regeneration. Infrared LED Light Therapy was discovered by NASA as a method of stimulating cellular regeneration and pain relief and was used in the Space Program as a method of treatment in space. Research has found that LED Light Therapy can reverse and control the visible signs of aging and acne, tightening your skin to make you look years younger. This is done without harsh chemical treatments or invasive surgical procedures. Soli-Tone LED Light Therapy clients see and feel a dramatic tightening of skin, smoothing of wrinkles and rough spots, disappearing blemishes, softening of redness and shrinking of pore size. 

The use of red and infrared non laser light has been shown to have beneficial effects in skin rejuvenation, not by thermal damage but through photobiomodulative reactions. The various tissue and cell types in the skin have their own absorption characteristics, absorbing light at specific wavelengths. Studies have demonstrated that selective wavelengths have stimulatory effects on cell types. Most importantly this has been demonstrated in the formation of collagen precursors and enzymes associated with cellular development. This technology offers a means of delivering light to treat large surface areas with no significant adverse effects. A detailed study by Lee and colleagues showed significant wrinkle reduction, up to a maximum of 36% and improvement in skin tone.20

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17566756

Micro current therapy, the favorite non-surgical treatment for celebrities and royalty in Europe, has now been “discovered” in the USA. Oprah, “Queer Eye” and Dr Phil recently praised micro current for its dramatic anti-aging effect.

A recent University of Washington study proved that micro current increases your skin’s elastin fibers by 45%, collagen by 10% and the number of blood vessels by 35%. It can increase ATP, your body’s building block, by 500%. This is how CACI can “re-sculpt” your face, getting rid of lines and wrinkles and toning your facial muscles.

CACI, Europe’s leading micro current system, is used in more than 3,000 salons in Europe and more than 5,000 worldwide. 

It is a favorite of many celebrities past and present and is the treatment Hollywood stars use when they don’t want a facelift. 

WHAT WILL CACI DO FOR YOU


In the hands of a skilled operator CACI- Computer Aided Cosmetology Instrument, can make you look like you’ve had a facelift – at a fraction of the cost and with no risk or scarring. CACI will:

Increase your skin’s elastin fibers

Increase the production of your natural collagen

Increase the number of blood vessels and therefore the levels of oxygen available to your skin

Increase your levels of adenosine triphosphate – your body’s building block

Help make your face look smoother and fresher

Help reduce heavy lines and remove fine lines and wrinkles

Tone your facial muscles

Make you look younger

After a course of CACI treatments you’ll look relaxed, refreshed – and younger. Your friends will probably ask you if you’ve been on a long, relaxing holiday – it’s that good.

However please note that CACI requires a skilled operator that has been carefully trained in the correct movements and that knows which muscles in your face need tightening and which need relaxing.

Do you love celebrations? Do you often celebrate with food and drink? That is great in moderation but if you are like most of us, you are trying to get into better shape for your own health and well-being. Here are some ideas that won't increase your waistline but will improve your mood and boost serotonin levels in your brain.

 Ideas for Celebrations: