Have you ever watched people brushing their teeth? What you’ll most likely see is this: Grab the toothbrush, apply a great fat wad of white or blue toothpaste, poke it in the mouth and keep poking in and out, brushing horizontally across the sides of the teeth, spit-rinse-spit, and done—the whole affair taking, for most adults, 30 to 45 seconds or even less. Not good enough. Read the rest of this entry »

We all get concerned when we see a chemical-sounding name among ingredients in our cosmetics. Since I have been eating raw foods without anything added to them for the last fourteen years, when creating my own cosmetics, I wanted them to be as pure as possible. Preservatives in particular became a focus of my most scrupulous investigation. Read the rest of this entry »

In recent years with my busy schedule, I rarely have the time to make homemade cosmetics. This was one of the reasons I developed my own facial cream and masque. But for those of you who are interested in creating your own  cosmetics, these are the best recipes that we could find. Read the rest of this entry »

Got coarse-textured hair that grows fast? Good for you! My own hair is fine (meaning each individual hair strand has a small diameter) and growing it has always been a challenge. Now, this would be just great if I were sporting a cute little pixie cut—it would be simple and practical.

But no—not me. I’ve always wanted long hair. Always preferred it. This was challenging enough in my youth. But after 40, it just hasn’t grown as readily. And once my hair reaches a certain length, it seems just to stop growing altogether. If your age is forties or better, you know exactly what I mean. For some of us, growing hair can be as challenging as growing palm trees in the arctic. Read the rest of this entry »

Tonya Zavasta is 53 years young

The sun has quite a rap-sheet. Just about every degree of assault and battery you can name, from the mere annoyance of a little sunburn around the backyard pool to full-on skin cancer. Freckles, liver spots, red blotches, wrinkles, and dry skin—the sun “takes the heat” for them all. And the older we get, the more we blame old Sol.

Actually, I abhor the phrase “sun damage.” The sun per se does not create these problems. Toxins in the body are what do the damage, directly. Unless you’re on a sound raw foods diet, sunlight will have an ill effect on the skin. Sunbathing is downright dangerous for those on a standard high-fat American diet or who don’t get an abundance of raw fruits and vegetables. An average person must take steps to protect herself from the sun. The trouble is…you are then missing out on all the benefits that sunlight brings. Read the rest of this entry »

Some argue against facial massage, facial exercise and especially against dry-brushing, on the ground that facial skin is extra-sensitive. A better way to state the truth: Facial skin is different. Check it out: Under a microscope, you’ll see the cells making up the top layer of the face are generally smaller than skin cells. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s been many years since I took the first few tentative steps on my raw food journey. Since then, I’ve experienced one exciting transformation after another, both physically and mentally. My health, looks and state of mind have continuously improved over the years. Just when I thought things couldn’t possibly get better, they did! I firmly believe this is because I took special care early on to transition slowly to raw foods, and to incorporate all of the lifestyle practices so essential for creating genuine, lasting health. Read the rest of this entry »

Skin blemishes appear in myriad ways, some sudden and acute, others developing over time. But all bear the unsavory characteristic of being highly visible, more often than not on the face. They make us feel self-conscious, looking less than our best. Read the rest of this entry »

A healthy smile does the heart good…literally! Did you know that the state of your dental health can greatly impact your physical health?

Numerous studies have shown a real relationship between periodontal disease and risks for cardiovascular and other diseases. One recent study conducted by researchers at London’s University College determined that people who brushed their teeth infrequently had a whopping 70% higher risk of developing heart disease. This is due, in part, to oral bacteria resulting from chronic gum infection leaching into the bloodstream and attaching to fatty plaque in the arteries. Read the rest of this entry »

Tonya at 53

Your mom said it first…”Eat Your Vegetables!” Health was often her motivation, though her reasoning wasn’t necessarily all that scientific: Carrots help your eyes see better, moms have been saying for decades, though the science on the subject is shaky. You need your roughage is another mom standard, this one much better founded. But did your mom ever say to you Eat up your vegetables—they’ll make you pretty…? Read the rest of this entry »