In the continuing battle with my pale, freckled self and the detailed vein map of New Jersey highways on my legs, I’ve tried about every self-tanner on the market.  Here’s my latest findings with a big SURPRISE at the very end!  L’Oreal Sublime Bronze Medium Glow and Jergens Daily products are the best supermarket brands for gradual self -tanning and Clarins Cream is rated by many dry-babies as the best department store brand.  I have tried both the Mystic Tan (booth spray) and a tan hand-sprayed by an operator (humiliating, I gotta say, having someone look at you that closely in a bathing suit).  Fake Bake and St Tropez are two good salon or beauty supply store products. But there are two problems with all this stuff – 1) it gets “mottled” when wet, in a pool or at the beach and 2) the tanning ingredient is attracted to all your freckles and age spots and makes them darker.  What to do?  I ordered CoverMark leg makeup online to just (more…)

If they ever discover a miracle cure that uses dental plaque, I’ll be a millionaire!  The dental assistant who cleans my teeth often grouses about it, and one day she asked “Do you take a lot of calcium supplements?”  Hmm, calcium and plaque, plaque and heart disease, calcium supplements and heart disease.  Do we have to choose between heart disease and stronger bones?  For some women, excess calcium may actually raise blood calcium levels, increasing calcification, increasing the risk of a heart attack.  In a recent New Zealand study, the women who took 1,000 mg of calcium citrate had 3% more heart attacks than the placebo group.  Calcium from food is better (think dairy and broccoli), but you must weigh the risk – do you have strong risk factors for fragile bones or heart disease?  One more thing to discuss with your doctor.