The holiday season is a great time of the year to spend with family and friends, but it’s also a time when we’re surrounded by fatty food and turkey comas. The holidays are centered around celebration and feasting on foods that are delicious, but not quite healthy for us.

We’re all merry during the festivities, but then comes the New Year when we look at the scale and realize the number has leaped an undesired amount. This is usually when we all vow to lose weight for our New Year’s resolution. Statistically we can see this resolution take action with the skyrocketing amount of new gym memberships solely in the month of January. Many gyms will sign 30-50 percent of new members at the start of the New Year, but more than 75 percent of those members stop going after a few months. Why don’t we skip ahead and end this year on a high note of health and beauty?

The first thing you must understand is why you eat more during the holidays to prevent this from happening. Many people eat more because of the stress that coincides with the holiday season. It’s not all glitz and glam. Planning an event or balancing the checkbook can be extremely stressful for anyone, and many people see food as a way of comfort. Another reason is the changing weather: Naturally, we’re prone to eat more as a way to keep warm during the colder months. Also, with the cold weather brings lazy people. No one wants to go for a run in 30-degree weather. We’d rather curl up next to the warm fire and enjoy a glass of wine.

Here are a few tips to avoid weigh gain:

1. Why start your New Year’s resolution on January 1st? Set boundaries for yourself now. Create a holiday eating and exercise plan for the last month of the year. If you start off with a goal it is easier to avoid those tempting goodies.
2. Do not go to a party hungry! Eat a snack or even a small meal before going so you don’t immediately load your plate with food. If you arrive full of healthy food from your own kitchen, it’s easier to resist the spread at the party.
3. Portion control: At a party you’re allowed to treat yourself to some yummy snacks, but in moderation. Serve yourself little portions so you can experience the food without gaining the extra pound or two.
4. Don’t be a grazer at a party. Go and mingle! It’s a time of celebration with your friends and family. Spend the time away from the food table, and enjoy the company of others.
5. Limit how much you drink. First of all, alcohol can cause you to gain weight if you don’t drink it in moderation. Along with this, it may cause you to lose your inhibitions and eat the entire buffet.
6. Take a walk after the party. This is a great way to wind down the night. It doesn’t have to be a long walk, but enough to stretch your legs and work off some of those extra calories. Have someone join you. Maybe it could lead to a romantic stroll!

Have a fabulous (and skinny) holiday!

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The bride is the center of attention at a wedding. The focus is on how beautiful and happy the bride is during that special day. Most women have pictured this day since they were little girls, and because of this they want everything to be perfect. These high expectations can make a bride a little anxious and very nervous. There are ways to decrease her stress level as well as improve her natural beauty for one of the most important days of her life.

Let us talk about a little bridal preparation before the big day!

First, I’d recommend a bride start quite early into her engagement to enhance what her mama gave her! I would start with a year’s worth of chemical peels. These will help even out the skin by removing dead skin, which will make it lusciously soft and give the bride a nice glow. This is a wise choice since there will be hundreds of pictures taken during the ceremony and at the reception. She does not want to look back at pictures saying, “Gosh my skin looks awful!”

There are a plethora of different chemical peels on the market. At the Tiffani Kim Institute, the TKI Salicylic 30% Peelis targeted for women who are prone to acne, while the Glycolic Acid Peel is for more sensitive skin. Each chemical peel is targeted towards a specific skin type, and they all have different strengths at which they perform. I would start with a stronger peel and work to milder ones throughout the year so that before the big day the face will look radiant without any peeling still in progress.

The oxygen facial at TKI is a nice way to soothe and refresh the face after a chemical peel. I always pair a peel with a facial for this reason.

Botox and other fillers are another way to soften skin by evening out the surface and saying goodbye to wrinkles. Even younger brides in their 20s can benefit from a little Botox. This should be done a few weeks before the wedding since some brides are prone to bruising after treatment. Another great idea: Botox for the lips! This will plumpen the lips to a luscious/can’t resist appearance. The groom wont be able to resist either!

The bride is a very busy lady! All the scheduling and appointments she has planned between her day-to-day life and career can definitely take a toll on her energy level! For this I would suggest receiving B-12 injections. B-12 injections will give her more energy and even heighten metabolism to help the bride shed a few pounds before the wedding day (which of course is a bonus). Vitamin B-12 can be found in foods such as fish, meat, and dairy products, but an injection will give the proper dose, while eating these foods might only provide a small percentage of what’s needed.

These injections are usually used to treat vitamin B-12 deficiency, which is when B-12 levels in the blood stream are too low. This occurs with many women who are anemic. Many women have anemia or are close to an anemic level because of their menstrual cycle, which causes them to have low iron. B-12 is also known to be a mood booster and can help with anti-aging.

A massage is a necessity for both the bride and the groom before the wedding. (Actually, multiple massages might be in order depending on how the bride manages her stresses.) No bride should be stressed for her big day. It is supposed to be the happiest day of her life, and if she has tension in her body she will feel and look a bit exhausted. Easy fix, have a spa day! This would be a great gift from the bride’s friends and family, but hey why does it have to be a gift? Go get spoiled! Another great idea is making it a couple’s massage: It’s something the groom will actually want to go and do as part of the wedding planning!

Finally, how about a spa day with the bridesmaids? They do a lot to help the bride out whether it is going to the different appointments or being there for moral support. They deserve a day of relaxation, too. Who better to spend a day of beauty than your best friends? I would recommend doing this right before the wedding. During this time the ladies can get their nails done for the big day and maybe a relaxing facial.

Visit Tiffanikiminstitute.com or call 312.260.9000 for more information about the different services we provide or to schedule an appointment. We’d like to be a part of your special day!

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I do not condone drinking heavily as a way to live one’s life. Alcohol can become addictive and worsen one’s health. There is nothing that can supplement a well-balanced diet and daily exercise routine to maintain a healthy body. However, research has shown drinking red wine in moderation does actually have some health benefits. Moderate drinking for men is considered one to two drinks a day, and one drink a day for women. With this in mind, it is a perfect time of year to write on a little indulgence with a glass of red wine.

The holiday season is quickly approaching and calendars are already filling up with the social events. It’s a great time to enjoy a savory glass of wine with some close friends. What you probably did not know about that glass of wine is it can actually help prevent your chances of getting heart disease, heighten your libido and even improve stability.

First off, let’s talk about all the different natural compounds found in red wine. Red wine contains certain substances called antioxidants that have extremely beneficial properties to support a healthy body. Flavonoids, resveratrol, polyphenols and melatonin all have positive effects on our body and are all found in red wine.

Research has shown that polyphenols may strengthen the lining of blood vessels in your heart. This will then strengthen the heart itself.

Melatonin is the antioxidant that regulates the body clock. If you have trouble falling asleep, drinking red wine before bed might help you have a more restful night. One’s beauty sleep is very important in keeping a healthy body.

The most beneficial antioxidant found in red wine is resveratrol. This is the key ingredient that helps prevent blood clots, damage to blood vessels and reduces cholesterol. Researchers have found drinking red wine, and resveratrol, is linked to a reduced risk of blood clots and inflammation. These two risks can in time lead to severe heart disease. Resveratrol is also known to prevent fat accumulation and lowers the risk of diabetes by reducing insulin resistance. This wonderful antioxidant is located in the grape skins used to make the wine.

White wine also has resveratrol, but a smaller percentage. During the fermentation process, red wine ferments with the skins in the barrel for a longer period than white wine, which in the end gives red wine a higher dosage of resveratrol. Along with good heart health, resveratrol has also been linked to inhibiting the spread of numerous cancers, such as breast, thyroid, prostate, colon and stomach cancers, according to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State.

If you do not drink wine, there are other ways to incorporate resveratrol into your diet. Why not just eat the grapes? You can also find a smaller percentage of resveratrol in red or purple grape fruit juice, peanuts, blueberries and cranberries, though the amount varies widely.

Believe it or not, recent studies collected this year also found red wine may help prevent senior falls. This seems rather counterintuitive, but researchers from the American Chemical Society have presented some pretty convincing lab results suggesting resveratrol could improve senior mobility and strength, resulting in less falls. In this study, the researchers tested two groups of lab mice. They studied young and old mice to see how balanced they were while crossing a beam. In the beginning, the older mice had trouble crossing the beam and often fell before making their way across. Within an eight week period of a resveratrol-rich diet, researchers saw an improvement. After week four, the older mice were almost equally stable as the younger mice.

This study’s researchers did mention that humans have difficulty absorbing resveratrol, but they believe it has the potential to help seniors avoid falls and obtain a steady stance in life: “Our study suggests that a natural compound like resveratrol, which can be obtained either through dietary supplementation or diet itself, could actually decrease some of the motor deficiencies that are seen in our aging population,” said research lead, Jane Cavanaugh, Ph.D. “And that would, therefore, increase an aging person’s quality of life and decrease their risk of hospitalization due to slips and falls.”

Now to discuss what’s on everyone’s mind. How does red wine help libido?

A collection of data from Tuscany, Italy shows that red wine has an affect on one’s sex life. In this study, researchers from the Urology Department of Italy’s University of Florence medical school gathered data from 800 women living in Tuscany. They were interested in what foods these women ate, their daily drinking habits and their sexual health. The study divided the women into three groups: red wine drinkers, white wine drinkers and alcohol-free women (teetotalers). After collecting the data, using the Female Sexual Function Index, the research showed that all three groups were equal in sexual arousal and satisfaction.

Yet, there was still a difference between these three groups. This study showed that the red wine drinkers had greater desire for sexual intercourse, as well as a heightened degree of vaginal lubrication. The researchers believed this could be caused by blood flow, resulting from the dietary values found in red wine, but also the simple fact that our eyes are drawn to the color red. Red is the universal color of sexual attraction. Research has shown that women find men more sexually attractive when men are wearing red compared to any other color. Ergo, women who drink red wine might have a stronger sexual appetite.

So grab that wine glass out of your cabinet tonight and enjoy a glass of delicious red wine with dinner. It might have some beneficial effects on many aspects of your life. But don’t forget — only in moderation ladies and gentlemen.

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The refreshing change in weather during autumn’s arrival can also bring along aches and pains caused by the decrease in temperature and the lower barometric air pressure. These pains do not only happen to older adults, but also younger athletic individuals who might experience aggravated muscle pains.

Muscle or joint pains are frequent problems for many people throughout the year, but with the colder months these areas become more inflamed. This is related to many different changes in weather. Changes in wind, temperature, humidity, precipitation and barometric pressure can trigger these pains and knock you out of your daily routine.

There are a few quick solutions to reduce the inflammation of a joint or muscle. Icing the swollen area until slightly numb can relieve some pain. When icing, make sure to wrap the ice pack inside a towel before applying it to the inflamed area. Direct contact with ice to skin is not recommended. This has the potential to cause frostbite and other tissue damage. Along with icing take an anti-inflammatory medicine like ibuprofen. This will help minimize the pain and allow you to continue with your day-to-day activities.

Try to stay warm. A great way to keep cold weather from affecting your joints is to stay warm. Bundle up when leaving the house. Bust out those gloves to keep your fingers and wrists warm while wearing nice wool socks for ankle pains. These layers will keep in your body heat, which will keep the blood circulating throughout the body. Another great way to loosen the inflammation is to use a heat pad on the sore area. This will help with the blood circulation, allowing the swelling to move out.

Managing your body weight will also help reduce wear and tear on your joints. Ankle and knee problems can be caused by or worsen with excess weight. Staying at a healthy body weight can take pounds of pressure off those sensitive areas. Visit RealAge.com and learn more at home ways to help relieve some of those aches.

Why not enjoy a relaxing deep tissue massage? Not only are they working your muscles, the massage therapists are helping your blood circulate throughout the body. One main reason people experience joint and muscle pain during the cold fall and winter months is because your body’s circulation to your arms and legs decreases. This decrease causes inflammation at the joints. If you injured yourself in the past, but the pain worsens during cold spells, you might want to help strengthen the joints by working with a physical therapist. These therapists know the body, our joints and all the ligaments in our bodies, and they can help target the cause of your pain and ways to minimize it.

There are many ways to help ease the pain and diminish it. The world of Chinese medicine is unbelievably amazing at helping with joint aches and pains. For many of us these types of pain can be correlated with fibromyalgia and arthritis. With the combination of acupuncture and different Chinese herbal remedies concocted for each individual the pains will subside or even disappear completely. The treatments of acupuncture and herbs help to balance energy blockages that can cause joint pain. Also, acupuncture helps to alleviate arthritis by nourishing the spleen energy that is associated with arthritic symptoms. Damp and cold weather also both affect the spleen energy therefore these fluctuations in weather contribute to joint pain and arthritis. From a nutritional viewpoint, reducing dairy products helps to ease joint pains and aches. There are a lot of skeptics to Chinese medicine, but don’t knock it before you try it. It might surprise you!

If you would like to know more about acupuncture for pain relief visit www.tiffanikiminstitute.com or call 312.260.9000 to talk with an acupuncturist who can explain ways to help with relieving the winter pains. You can also set up an appointment for a relaxing massage.

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“What did I come in this room for? Who’s that actor in that one movie with that one tall girl?” Does this ever happen to you? We all experience the horrible moments of memory lapse, forgetfulness and inability to hold information. It is a common problem that comes along with aging, but it also could be a negative effect caused by tiredness, stress or lack of nutrition. You are in luck though; there are ways to help prevent memory loss from occurring.

Just like physical exercise to maintain a healthy body, we need to practicemental strengthening by performing different exercises to keep the brain running smoothly. I will also discuss great alternative ways to treat memory loss using Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture.

In western medicine the brain is the center of our nervous system. Without it functioning properly the rest of our body will also have difficulty performing. There are different sections of the brain that are developed to handle different tasks: the cerebellum, frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe and the temporal lobe. The frontal lobe is the largest section of our brain, which handles the decision-making functions such aspreparation, development, reasoning and abstract thoughts. There are two sections of the temporal lobe positioned at ear level. These lobes are responsible for obtaining new information and short-term memory. The right lobe is responsible for visual memory while the left works on verbal memory.

This amazing organ is capable of producing new brain cells throughout a person’s life, but like muscle tissue you must maintain it or you will lose it. Depending on your lifestyle, nutritional impact and your daily schedule, those factors will determine how quickly your brain responds.

Occasional lapses are a totally normal part of the aging process, but if you or a loved one experiences severe lapses on a more frequent basis it could possibly be the beginning stages of dementia. However, there are common signs of memory lapses that are not dementia:

• Mixing up names (calling your daughter by your sister’s name…or worse, your dog’s name)

• Forgetting where you placed your car keys

• Walking into a room and forgetting why you entered

• Forgetting planned activities

• Having trouble retaining information

• Easily distracted

You must be proactive to improve your brain’s functionality. There are many easy ways to strengthen the brain’s performance. To name a few: exercise, eat nutritional foods, manage your stresses, stay socially active, get a sufficient amount of sleep, and play games that involve strategy or word/ number puzzles.

Someone who drinks excessively or does drugs is constantly damaging his or her brain, resulting in memory loss. The toxins in alcohol and drugs kill brain cells and prevent new ones from forming. If you are experiencing memory lapses and you drink heavily, I would strongly suggest cutting back on the alcohol intake, and the brain cells will start to perform again.

The brain also needs oxygen. Bottom line: Do not smoke. It will save you from lung cancer, but it will also help you retain information and keep a quick wit.

Also, cut back on refined sugars and processed foods. These foods contain no nutritional value for your body and only focus the body’s energy towards breaking down the food while it should be focused on strengthening the brain. I suggest eating plenty of fruit, vegetables, omega 3-fats and anything with a high level of antioxidants. Antioxidants are found in many different fruits and other produce, but it is abundant in green tea. This will literally strengthen your brain cells and keep them from withering away. Any foods rich in omega-3 fats (fish, flaxseed and different nuts) are exceptional for brain and memory building.

Along with eating right, it is important to get enough sleep and control your stress levels. Stress produces a hormone called cortisol, which compromises the brain over time and can lead to some severe memory problems. Stressed people find it hard to concentrate, learn new things and remember information.

There are great and easy ways to manage stress. First, I would suggest some light to vigorous exercise. While exercising your body releases a chemical called endorphins. This chemical triggers a sense of happiness and energy within the body, which will then subdue the stresses you are dealing with. You should exercise regularly to maintain a healthy body, but also to boost your brain growth. Taking care of your health will result in the development of new brain cells. Staying physically fit will reduce your chance of developing diseases with side affects of forgetfulness and slower brain functionality. Not only is exercise great way to manage stress, but it also wards off depression (another cause of memory loss) and improves your sleeping pattern.

In Chinese medicine, it is said to obtain the most optimal sleep each night, one must sleep between the hours of 10pm to 6 am. These hours are important, as this is when the “yin” energy in the body is most active. The yin energy is responsible for our “house-cleaning:” duties such as cell regeneration and detoxification. We need this time for sleep to allow for our entire mind, body and spirit to be replenished every night. People who are lacking enough sleep have problems functioning altogether. Without resting the brain it cannot work as hard, which will cause difficulty processing information or reacting in a situation.

Boost your brainpower! An enjoyable way in strengthening the brain is play some games. The more difficult the game is the better. Try exercising the brain and play a game that involves a lot of strategy and concentration like chess or maybe a word game such as Scrabble. There are also number games like Sudoku or even the daily crossword in the newspaper. Hey, while you are working on the crossword puzzle … why don’t you read the newspaper, too? Reading a book or magazine that is more challenging for you can improve thoughts and comprehension while working your brain. With our smart phones there are hundreds of apps you can download and play in your spare time.

Activities like this, though they seem minor, can help you retain information and speed up your thought process. Did you know that people who interact with others on a frequent basis (family, friends or complete strangers) have a lower risk of experiencing memory problems? Social interaction is a great way to keep your mind sharp because you are more alert interacting with others, which works your brain. It also aids to warding away stress and some cases of depression.

In Chinese medicine, the heart and kidney energies are associated with memory. A mixture of Chinese herbs and acupuncture has been proven to help with memory loss and forgetfulness. Patients who undergo acupuncture find great results after using a course of the treatments for a specified amount of time. Chinese herbal medicine is specific to each individual, which is decided by a practitioner after conducting an examination of the tongue and pulse along with doing a thorough medical history and intake. After doing this, a practitioner can recommend the correct formula to restore and tonify the kidneys and strengthen qiand blood. By nourishing and supporting the qi, blood, and kidney energy, we can enhance our memory and increase our focus and concentration.

If you would like to learn more about preventing memory lapses and what might be causing your forgetfulness, visit http://www.helpguide.org/life/prevent_memory_loss.htm. Also, If you would like to learn more about Chinese Medicine to prevent memory loss, the practitioners at the Tiffani Kim Institute are highly trained and the best in the field. Please call 312.260.9000 to schedule a consultation with either Jeanie Bussell or Caroline Jung.

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Are you anxious, irritable and stressed out? Maybe you aren’t getting enough sleep. Not putting in enough hours of sleep each night can have a very negative affect on your mood and your body. You might think four to five hours is fine for you, but if you get the proper amount of sleep you could conquer mountains instead of hills. Try to work seven to eight hours a night into your schedule and you will see results. You will find that your energy level is higher and you accomplish more than if you only slept for five hours.

Some great tips for a restful night:

• Have a consistent bedtime. Train yourself to go to bed at a certain hour. After a while your body’s clock will start working and know when it’s time to shut down.

• Make your room into your safe haven, your little sanctuary. Do not allow cell phones, laptops, televisions or any other electronic devices into the bedroom. These are extremely distracting while trying to fall asleep. If you create a harmonious atmosphere, you will most likely have quicker results. Also, try to keep the kids and your pets off of the bed while sleeping. These little guys can disturb your sleeping cycle throughout the night.

• Turn out the lights! Lights have an extreme effect on people who cannot fall asleep. Some people drape a cloth over their alarm clock or any other glowing lights to eliminate any hint of light. This helps relax their eyes and drift into a heavenly night’s rest.

• Cut back on the amount of caffeine you drink throughout the day. Better yet, try to cut out all caffeine from your daily routine. Once you haven’t had caffeine for a few days you will feel more energized and you wont need that cup first thing in the morning. If you love coffee and cannot imagine breaking up with it then try to stop drinking caffeinated coffee in the afternoon. Caffeine can stay in the system for different durations depending on the individual. For some, it wears off quickly, but others feel the affects for many more hours. Caffeine will keep you rolling around in bed, wide awake, if you drink it too late in the day. Keep it safe and don’t drink caffeine in the afternoon.

• Do not exercise at least four hours before going to bed. Exercise produces endorphins, which are neurotransmitters, a chemical that passes through the body to help block pain. It is also known to produce the feeling of pleasure and happiness. The endorphins produced from exercising cause the body to have more energy, resulting in the inability to go to bed.

• Stay far away from the refrigerator! Try not to eat anything three hours before going to bed. We cannot digest our food properly when in bed. Our bodies are at work breaking down the food, which might result in keeping you up all night. Also, if you stop eating after a certain hour, you might find you will lose some pounds. Americans are known to snack on junk food more in the evenings while watching TV or relaxing with the family.

• Try to minimize your stress level. I know, easier said than done. In my experience, I find going on a long walk, meditating or taking some time out of my schedule to spend with family is a great way to blow off some steam.

There are many sleeping disorders people unfortunately suffer from. A common disorder would be insomnia. This is when a person has trouble falling asleep or wakes up constantly throughout the night. Not only do they have problems falling asleep, but also they cannot stay asleep for long. A person with insomnia might wake up only a few hours after falling asleep. This causes the insomniac a constant feeling of fatigue.

A common cause of insomnia is stress at work or with your social life. Traumatic events can also result in insomnia. I would first recommend trying the tips listed above, and if those still don’t work then acupuncture and Chinese medicine might be the answer for you. Jeanie Bussell and Caroline Jung, the acupuncturists at the Tiffani Kim Institute, have helped my body unwind, allowing me to have a better nights sleep.

Another disorder that is growing at an extreme rate is sleep apnea. This disorder not only interrupts your sleeping pattern, but it can be life threatening. People with sleep apnea briefly stop breathing between 5 seconds to 1 minute during one episode. This can wake the person throughout the night, resulting in unfulfilled REM cycles. The reason it is a growing disorder is because the key source of sleep apnea is being overweight. Many people sleep with a CPAP device, which is a breathing tube latched onto the person’s face to help him/her breathe. Losing weight can solve the problem and save you from this sleeping disorder.

Now that we are on the subject of weight loss, I might add if you are not getting the sufficient amount of healthy daily nutrition you will definitely experience fatigue during the day. Stay away from refined sugars and processed food. These junk foods make your body work harder to break down this food. Work with your body and nourish it with healthy foods high in omega-3 fats, protein, vegetables and some yummy fruits. This will give you energy during the day and allow you to drift off to sleep faster than eating candy, chips and greasy foods. I say this in almost all my blog posts, but I need to re-emphasize how important it is to eat healthy and treat your body like temple and not a dump.

There are all different types of diseases that cause fatigue, which can be treated by going to your doctor and finding the right vitamins or prescription drugs to treat the problem. Hyperthyroidism, a disease of the thyroid gland, can be the cause of exhaustion. This is when too much or too little thyroid hormone is being produced for the body. The thyroid hormone controls how our body’s cells use energy (metabolism). A person with hyperthyroidism experiences fatigue and restlessness if not prescribed medication to balance the thyroid.

Anemia is another disease that causes fatigue. This is common mainly in women because of menstrual blood loss, which results in iron deficiency. An easy way to fix this problem is to take iron supplements daily. If pills are not your thing then you should eat more iron-rich foods, such as lean meats, beans, mollusks and dark greens like spinach and collards.

Other disease or deficiencies that cause fatigue and restless nights are potassium deficiency, fibromyalgia, diabetes, depression, cancers or heart disease. It is always important to mention when visiting your doctor that you are experiencing exhaustion and the inability to sleep. Your doctor will be able to diagnose the cause of fatigue and provide helpful solutions to fixing the problem.

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It happens to every woman, once every month. You are irritated by little things and constantly complaining about cramps, back pain and headaches. And let’s not mention the excessive cravings. This happens to you like clockwork every month without fail. It is your body telling you to get ready; it’s about time for your menstrual cycle to begin (the dreaded period)!

Now, some ladies barely have any symptoms of PMS — good for them — but most ladies experience PMS about 5-11 days before they start their monthly menstrual cycle. A small percentage do experience PMDD. I want to help these ladies find a natural way to relieve these discomforts that can severely affect their day-to-day lives and the people around them.

First, a little background on what Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is and why it happens. PMS occurs 5-11 days before the start of a woman’s period. This is caused by the fluctuating levels of estrogen and progesterone, which are two types of hormones that drastically spike during the menstrual cycle. About 85 percent of women experience PMS, but about 8-10 percent take it to another level and that is called Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). This is a condition in which women have severe symptoms of PMS, specifically: heightened depression, irritability and tension before menstruation. Many doctors recommend painkillers and anti-depression medicine to relieve most of these symptoms, but there are natural ways to say goodbye to PMS and PMDD.

At TKI I have learned from our knowledgeable Wellness staff how to manage the changes occurring in my body holistically without drug intervention. There are many methods, including acupuncture, Chinese herbs and nutritional recommendations, that they have shared with me over the years.

It is important to educate yourself on the monthly patterns that occur during your menstrual cycle. Most doctors recommend keeping a monthly journal where you can log information like when you have a headache, back pain, or any change of mood. Be proactive and ready to deal with the PMS symptoms. You should write down what the symptoms are, the severity and how long it lasts to learn more about how your menstrual cycle functions. Some months might not be as bad as others, but it is important to log this information for future references.

Exercise can do wonders for your overall health, but also it reduces the severity of PMS symptoms. If youexercise for 20 to 30 minutes a day you will help stabilize the body’s spiked hormone levels with the help of endorphins. Endorphins are another hormone, which is secreted within the brain and nervous system during exercise, excitement, pain, the feeling of love and orgasm. When you work out, your body releases endorphins that act as natural painkillers for your aches and pains, but also is a great mood elevator. Even if you were to walk 30 minutes a day it could subdue symptoms like depression, irritability, fatigue, and muscle tension.

Nutrition is a big factor for how the body acts the way it does. Most people have unhealthy diets, which will influence the chemistry in the body causing negative results. It is wise to eliminate or cut back on these five categories: caffeine, alcohol, simple sugars, sodium and fat.

1. 1. Caffeine. It is proven to elevate the estrogen levels in women, which increases the chances of experiencing PMS. This means cut out caffeine found in certain teas, coffee, soft drinks and sweets like chocolate. This will help subdue or eliminate mood swings, breast tenderness, and cramping.
2. 2. Alcohol. Of course everyone knows high alcohol consumption is no good, but did you know it increases premenstrual depression? Also, it provokes headaches. Best to avoid it all together or have one cocktail with your girlfriends, but don’t push it.
3. 3. Simple sugars. It is pretty apparent that simple sugars are no good for you, right? Any processed sweets like candy messes with your blood sugar levels, which can then trigger severe or mild mood swings. It is better to eat complex carbohydrates like rice, beans, or whole grains during signs of PMS. Doing this will help with the sweets cravings.
4. 4. Sodium. We all love salty foods, even though we know it is not good for us. With the spiked estrogen levels our body retains more water than normal, which causes bloating, headaches, and breast tenderness. With the aid of salt the water retention increases. This of course upsets every woman during her menstrual cycle. Cut out any fast food or processed food and watch your sodium intake.
5. 5. Fats. Stay away from any greasy foods such as beef, lamb and pork. It is wiser to eat a delicious fish or poultry. Also, don’t forget how yummy some fresh green vegetables from your local market can be.

There are also vitamins and minerals that will help manage the symptoms. It is wise to eat foods high in vitamin A, vitamin D, Vitamin B-6 Vitamin E, calcium, magnesium and fatty acids. There is also PMS relief with the intake of herbal remedies such as black cohosh, ginger, raspberry leaf and primrose oil. Herbal supplements with calming factors, lavender and chamomile, can help decrease mood swings, irritability and sadness.

I hope these suggestions can help ease the pain away. Please join us on Monday (June 25) to learn more helpful tips on soothing away the ugly symptoms of PMS. For more information visit the Tiffani Kim Institute web site or call the institute at 312.260.9000. You can also check out these websites, two great informative resources here and here.

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The sun is shining, the flowers have blossomed and winter has said her goodbyes. After six months of dry winter air your skin has suffered harsh damage, but don’t fret. It is time to do a little maintenance, and a great start is with a chemical peel.

A chemical peel can help imperfections such as skin damage, dry and dead skin, acne, and even age spots. It is time for you to do a little spring cleaning. I am not talking about cleaning the house or cleaning out the cluttered garage. What I mean is a spring cleaning of the body, starting with the face.

I cannot stress enough how important moisturizing your face is to maintain a youthful appearance. It does not matter how naturally beautiful you are or how great your makeup is; everything starts with the skin. The skin is like a blank canvas that you have to prepare and treat before painting a masterpiece. You cannot totally cover up skin imperfections with makeup.

There are a variety of peels one can choose to best fit a specific need. I love the TCA 15% Chemical Peelbecause it is not as invasive as others. I am a busy woman with many business meetings and social events on my calendar. I cannot afford to peel while running around town. It’s my personal favorite.

This peel is great for mature skin types, and helps with the texture of my skin, smoothes away fine lines and enhances skin tone. This peel is also great for sun damage, aging, hyperpigmentation and actinic keratosis (a crusty skin condition caused by intense exposure to the sun).

Here is a list of other chemical peels I would recommend depending on your skin type:

The Glycolic Acid Peel is a natural sugar peel. This is great to use during pregnancy. Glycolic Acid Peels dissolve the stratum corneum, leaving the skin smoother and brighter in appearance and texture. What is the stratum corneum you ask? It is the outermost layer of the epidermis, consisting of dead cells (corneocytes). Simply put, the flaky skin you wish would disappear…will. This peel is ideal for those of you who have acne and thin skin.

TKI Enzyme Gentle Glow Peel helps break down dead skin by using fruit enzymes and salicylic acid. It reduces oil for clearer, smoother skin. A great peel for those who have oily skin. Your face will feel refreshed and able to breathe!

TKI Lactic 15% Peel improves the appearance of fine lines with exfoliation and moisture retention. This peel is great as an anti-aging remedy to look healthy and younger. I recommend this peel for aging skin, acne grades I & II, sun damage, hyperpigmentation and dry and dehydrated skin.

TKI Modified Jessner 14% Peel reduces the appearance of melasma, which is dark skin discoloration. This is particularly common in pregnant women or those who take hormone replacement therapy medications. This peel also helps reduce freckles, acne and mild rosacea with a synergy of effective acids. This peel is great for those who have aging skin, sun damage, hyperpigmentations, and acne grades I & II.

TKI Salicylic 30% Peel deeply cleanses pores with antiseptic properties; it treats acne and rejuvenates the skin. Highly recommended for Acne grades I & II, mild rosacea, hyperpigmentation and rough skin.

The Mini Melanage Peel is a non-invasive treatment that is proven to improve Melasma and sun damage while improving skin texture. This is a less aggressive form of a peel that brightens the skin.

If you are interested in any of the treatments I listed above please visit the Tiffani Kim Institute for further information. We are offering a complimentary skin consultation with our medical estheticians to celebrate the spring! Please take advantage of it. We are also offering various chemical peel specials this month. Pleasevisit the website for more information. Refresh your skin and be beautiful!

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