A healthy lifestyle can be simple AND affordable.  So should your gift giving.  This article suggests some great gifts for the health enthusiast on your list.   We aren’t endorsing all of these products ( two of them are food items so the responsibility falls on you to read labels and choose the healthiest versions of that type of product) but there are some great ideas for you to check out.

This list might spark ideas of your own so please visit us on the boards and share your thoughts.

One more item that isn’t on the list?  MEMBERSHIP AT MARILU.COM ! 

If you’re already a member we have a special offer for you.  Gift a new membership to a friend at the renewal rate. 

If you’re interested in membership for the first time contact us for special group rates.  You (and your friends) can join Marilu’s new class, beginning January 2nd, and get a strong start in the New Year !

Curious about classes here?  Beginning Monday we’re offering a free class on the message boards.  Join Marilu and Coach Jan for 5 days of keeping it simple and staying healthy through the hectic holiday season.

Your smile is your calling card.  A healthy lifestyle includes good oral hygiene and your smile is indicative of that.  This IS the TOTAL Health Makeover!   Start with a healthy diet and avoid refined sugars.  Check out some of these other tips for a happy healthy mouth.

- Visit your dentist regularly.

- Floss, and brush at least twice daily. 

- Replace your toothbrush each month. (We love Oral B and Crest Pro  HealthPaste…a winning combination!)

- Drink water between sips of wine.  This is good for your health and also for your teeth.  Even white wine can be harmful due to the high acidity.

- Apply the above principle to coffee, tea and other foods and beverages with staining properties.

- Crunch it up.  Snack on raw fruits and veggies.  Good for your health, good for your weight, and a the fiber is a natural scrub for your teeth.

If you’ve been coming to this site for a while you know that we talk about anything and everything here !  In fact a question about panty lines led to the now famous “thong thread” that lasted for months. 

Everyone knows that the right undergarments will make what you’re wearing look better and give you a trimmer appearance,  but isn’t it about more than that?

In honor of the weekend let’s think about fun, sexy, flirtatious fashions from the skin out.   You don’t have to spend a bundle to unleash your sexy side….you just have to ditch the granny panties.  They’re not the real you.

Check out this primer for some ideas.

http://www.bing.com/shopping/panty-primer/r/212?FORM=HPSHPC&crea=091511plusdress

If you’re just beginning your foray into healthy cooking you’ve noticed that the acronym EVOO is everywhere.  It stands for Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Most of the time the word “extra” makes you think “more”.  In this case it means less in the sense that EVOO is the least processed and the least acidic olive oil you can purchase.

Virgin olive oil is the second least process and both contain monounstaurated fat and may lower your LDL or bad cholesterol.  What DO you get extra?  You get high levels of polyphenol, a powerful antioxident that promotes heart health.

More flavor.  Better health.  Win/Win

We saw this while watching the Tour de France and got excited about it. It’s a water bottle you can completely wash and air dry – because the bottom comes off, too, getting rid of the one creepy thing about water bottles – the grunge factor. It was developed as a bicycle water bottle, but those of us who don’t cycle can also use it.

Brilliant.

It’s guaranteed for life; 10% of the profits are donated to green causes; and right now if you buy three, you get one free. Check it out here.

Pssst – they also have a cool t-shirt: 53 miles per burrito. Think about that the next time you want to work off dinner.