Beauty, Health, Fitness and Boudoir Photography

Summer is over (so is Autumn!), but if you're in the Southwest U.S., on many days it may not feel like it's over.  The Bikini Contests have ended at Venice Beach's Muscle Beach for 2014.  The contests were about beauty and fitness, but also about health.  You cannot look your best if you are not feeling your best.  You need to project that healthy energy.  These girls were the winners of the Final Competition.

You can be healthy by eating a healthy diet, proper supplements, and exercise.  There are more details about this in some of my other recent posts.

If you take care of yourself through a healthy diet, exercise, and have a healthy lifestyle, your outer (and inner) beauty will show.  You will look absolutely fantastic.  And if you have a photo shoot, it will make a huge difference in the results.  But more importantly, it will make a huge difference in your life.  I know from experience!

About Beauty and Photography - I share the same philosophy (pretty much, although there are some differences) and the love of beauty as some of my favorite photographers:  Sue Bryce,  Christa Meola (some nudity on her site), Jen Rozenbaum and Jasmine Star (a top wedding photographer).

One type of portrait photography - Boudoir Photography - has been gaining popularity in recent years - you may have seen it on the internet or read articles about this and wondered exactly what it was, and what the difference is between regular portraits, Glamour, Pin-Up, Beauty, Lingerie Photography, etc.  Below are some definitions of these various forms:

Boudoir and Glamour:  Also could be called Bedroom Photos, although not all are shot in the bedroom - it's just what you might wear in the bedroom.  It can be similar to or interchangeable with Glamour Photography.  You may be in anything from lingerie to beautiful gowns, revealing outfits, and nudity (implied, partial, or full - but tastefully done).  These make great Valentine's Day gifts, as well as almost any other occasion.  Will post more about this in the future.

Implied Nudity:  This is where the person being photographed appears to be nude, but may not actually be nude.  At any rate, everything is covered by other parts of the body, or by objects, and if clothing is worn, it may also be covered so as not to show certain parts of the body.  It is suggestive but not revealing.

Lingerie:  This is pretty self explanatory - the person is wearing lingerie or under garments, and usually the person is not nude.  Can be see through, or almost see through, garments.  It is used for glamour, boudoir, and fashion.  Victoria's Secret catalogs are the best examples of this.

Pin-up:  Usually glamour photography with retro looking make-up and clothing, like you might see on glamour calendars from the 1940s or 1950s.  Below are some girls from a retro pinup motorcycle rally contest.

Hope you enjoy the photos and the article, and can start to see the relationship between good health and good photography and why one is so important to the other.

Tamiflu vs Sambucol (Black Elderberry) for the Flu

This post was supposed to be about photography; however, every time I turn on the TV, I see Tamiflu ads.  Should you ask your doctor about Tamiflu?  Or take it?  You'll have to decide, but here are some links to help you with your decision:

The first one is to a Forbes article about Tamiflu:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/harlankrumholz/2013/01/08/the-myth-of-tamiflu-5-things-you-should-know/

The next two are about possible side effects (remember from recent posts about health that most, if not all, drugs have an average of 70 - 75 possible side effects):
http://www.rxlist.com/tamiflu-side-effects-drug-center.htm
There is a lot to read here as the list is rather long.  Here is an easier to read list of side effects:  http://www.drugs.com/sfx/tamiflu-side-effects.html

The cost of this drug is around $100 for a 5 day supply.  It shortens the duration by 1 - 1.3 days.  Not sure how long the side effects may last, or whether they may end up being worse than the flu.

What about Black Elderberry?  Cost is around $10.00.  Here is one link from WebMD:
http://www.drugs.com/sfx/tamiflu-side-effects.html
Notice the side effects - None for the juice extract, which is what Sambucol is.

And this is a must read from Dr. David Williams:  http://www.drdavidwilliams.com/natural-cold-and-flu-treatments/

Bottom Line:  If you value your health, do what I did - research all drugs before taking them, and research all possible alternatives.  Also remember that prevention is a lot better than trying to get well once you've got something.  And for that you need the best possible diet and the right supplements and lifestyle.  See my earlier health related posts.

OK - those ads were driving me crazy and so had to talk about it.  Next post will be about just photography and what to watch out for with hands and legs and stuff.

Photography and Health - Part II

This is a photography blog, but because health is related to all aspects of life and work, hobbies, enjoyment, and everything you do, occasionally I will post something of interest about health.  I think it may have beec even more important during the Holidays.

Growing up, I got sick (colds, flu, bronchitis, stomach viruses, mumps, chicken pox, measles, and more) - I thought that was normal, as most others got sick, too.  Then at age 25 or so, I got an ulcer (maybe I should say an ulcer got me).  I was told to discontinue soft drinks, packaged meats, and bacon.  The ulcer went away after changing that part of my diet.  Five years later, I started getting constant stomach cramps, nausea, and bloating.  I thought the ulcer was back.  I had Kaiser at the time, so went in and had all kinds of unpleasant (an understatement) tests done.  Diagnosis was "nervous stomach."  I asked the doctor what I could do.  He asked if I smoked, drank alcohol, or took drugs - my answer was no, so he said to stay out of stressful situations.  That answer was no help.  Keep in mind, I was also still getting sick regularly, too.  Plus other health problems - which I still thought were normal.

My next step on the road to health:  I knew a guy from the beach in Santa Barbara who looked like Mr. Health (and like he would be on the cover of a Greek Mythology book).  I asked him what he did to stay so healthy.  He told me to buy a book called Hunza Health Secrets for Long Life and Happiness by Renee Taylor, and follow the diet in the book.  I did - which meant eating only whole foods, eliminating all junk food and sugar.  Over a period of 6 months my nervous stomach (aka IBS) faded and then was gone.  At the same time, I started getting sick only once a year.  Also some other problems went away.  Once when I was about 19, I went 6 months without getting sick, and I thought that was a miracle.  But now it was once a year, and not as long lasting or as severe.

The photography connection:  In a photography class I took at college, the professor said two things I have always remembered - 1.  whatever you do, take it one step farther; 2.  Eliminate the variables.  So I started wondering what was the next step with my health.  And I started studying nutrition and supplements.  I started working in health food stores, opened my own store with a couple of partners, talked with over 30 thousand people during those years, and got feedback from many of them on things that worked for them.  At the same time, I got my masters degree in holistic nutrition, and took all the courses for the doctors degree (didn't write the final thesis as I had accomplished what I wanted).  And started taking supplements.  Next was eliminating as many variables as possible - looking at all the food I buy and checking the labels to make sure there are no preservatives, sugars, chemicals, GMO's etc.  Got a filter to remove fluoride from the water.

Thanks to the internet, I could now find answers to questions much faster.  And also get newsletters with excellent information about diet, nutrition, toxins to avoid, etc.

The results of all of the above:  I haven't been sick for over 6 years (except some stomach malady about 4 years ago - food poisoning?  Something else?  Never found out), and most of my other health problems are gone.  No headaches, no allergies, no colds and flu, etc.  Unfortunately, it won't get rid of hereditary problems (a slight tremor), but even that has not gotten worse in the last 20 years.

As far as supplements - I take several of these for specific problems plus a good multivitamin.  Things for the immune system, joints, heart, brain, digestion, etc.  Over the years I have found what works for me; however, each person is a little different, so what you need will probably be different than what I take.

The ones I take and feel are most important:  A good multivitamin (NOT the cheap drugstore brands), vitamin C, Vitamin D3, Vitamin E, Astaxanthin, Vitamin K2 MK7, Calcium and Magnesium, Co-enzyme Q10.

At least for the past 10 years I've had a smoothie for breakfast almost every day.  It has a super all organic green mix in it that I put together (9 superfoods).  And is mostly organic.