Because my husband’s nickname for me is Bunny, I’ve decided my current moniker is Crusader Rabbit. What’s my crusade you ask — it’s to debunk all those creepy myths of aging and get us to embrace the process instead of fear it. Ooops, my husband just commented on my new title; he hopes it doesn’t become Rabid Rabbit. I’m sure you’ll let me know if it does. But hey, sometimes it takes a lot of energy and forcefulness to overturn the kind of aging stereotypes we’re subjected to on a daily basis.
I’m sure you’ve noticed those ubiquitous television commercials where women are encouraged (coerced) to use various “anti-aging” potions, lotions, and injections. It’s as if our natural aging process is somehow flawed or a disease that needs curing by our friendly pharmaceutical and cosmetics companies. It reminds me of the old 1960’s menopause myth perpetrated by a male MD who made a natural process, menopause, a disease and, with the help of the drug companies, got millions of women to medicate themselves unnecessarily with a potentially carcinogenic synthetic estrogen. A drug which by the way, was created at the expense and inhumane treatment of ccountless numbers of pregnant mares.
Did you know that innocent animals are subjected to the botulinum toxin that makes up Botox in order to make it safe for us? And that they are injected with Botox at various doses to see what doses paralyze them? If they aren’t paralyzed, then the Botox dose is considered too weak. However, the animals that receive too much Botox become paralyzed to the extent that they suffer horrible deaths from the paralysis of their respiratory muscles. How can we use any product that makes a fellow creature suffer like that? I, for one, will live with my wrinkles — I’ve earned every one of them!
Now, Botox also works on your face to reduce those pesky wrinkles by paralyzing your facial muscles – hence the robot-like expressionless appearance of the Botoxee’s. Moreover, the treatment is temporary, which means once started if you want to maintain that “permanent pressed” look, you’ll have to continue to inject yourself with the botulinum toxin. Oh, by the way it’s made from the bacteria that causes botulism, a potentially lethal illness that can lead to paralysis and death!
Now, I’m not advocating doing nothing to keep your skin and body beautiful and healthy. I’m advocating doing it naturally and out of LOVE for our bodies rather than fear of “looking old”. By naturally, I mean eating the foods and taking the supplements that nourish our skin from the inside out. So, what are these supplements? According to the December issue of Nutrition Action, the vitamin C in fruits and vegetables and the linoleic acid in foods like nuts, soybeans, and oils may protect the skin from aging. The vitamin C apparently reduced the wrinkled appearance and dry skin usually associated with aging. The linoleic acid helped reduce skin atrophy and dryness.
I use some botanically-based, not tested on animals product (a Swiss formula) from Arbonne International called NutriminC RE to keep my skin as soft and as smooth as nature allows. Their products work extremely well and no animals are harmed, no animal products are used, and no mineral oil either. My only complaint is that they’ve caved in to the “anti-aging” advertising virus and call them anti-aging products.
Now, I do have wrinkles, and so what. They’re a natural part of the aging process. Vive la elder Diva!!
