What can we learn from Claire Leeson?

BEauty is not only in the eye of the beholder but it's also uncomfortably perfected in the mind of spectators. BE is all about self love and choosing relevant stories in pop culture that teach the importance of self love are extremely easy to come by. Today, we can take a lesson from the BEautiful BEing that is in the picture....She has made headlines this week for spending $30,000 on cosmetic procedures and enhancements to look like Kim Kardashian. Claire Leeson said that she struggled with confidence but admired everything about Kim, and figured if she could look like her, she would feel better about herself.

We all want to feel comfortable in our skin. We want to feel comfortable in our clothes.  We want to look at ourselves in the mirror and believe we are beautiful. Every one is entitled to such reflections but they don't necessarily connect to such realities.
Beauty and perfection are not new concepts. From an evolutionary standpoint beauty is parallel to a trait that allows a species to survive. Beautiful people are often granted opportunities others wouldnt be. Beauty fosters a general purpose, mating and reproduction . There is an actual science to beauty, but what happens when people are obsessed with manipulating science to become more beautiful?

Nowadays one can practically restructure their entire body. Whatever you choose to do, to be happy,  by all means its your life and you are granted that freedom. I just want to provide some ideas. The interesting idea floating around is that the concept of happiness is a result of external choices, when in fact you realize at some point its a purely intrinsic, mental, and physiological driven process. For most people, I believe happiness is a choice, but as someone with a background in mental health, and with personal experience with depression, there are true chemical imbalances that no positive thinking can overcome. This is also why I understand self love, self esteem, and self image for some, are 3 very challenging concepts,  but I want to offer some insight. 

When over judging how beautiful or perfect you are, consider the following:

1. You didn't ask to be born, nor did you have power to request your physical features
   Taking into consideration that you are able to practice good hygiene, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and manage stress, you appear how nature intended. Your height, eye color, width, color, and natural build is not wrong or right, it is what it is. Learn to accept that nothing can be wrong with a thing if that is its' nature. How can a red rose be mad it's not a yellow rose...that's what nature intended for it to be. What happens around you, what you take personal, and what you let get to you to influence how positively or negatively you view yourself, is your choice.

2. Health, wellness and hygiene will make a difference.
  When you feel your best on the inside, what you look like doesnt matter. Your love and confidence is a direct reflection of how you feel. Live food like fruits and veggies give you energy,  mental clarity, and keep you going. When you have alertness you're more likely to work out. Working out produces endorphins, or " happy chemicals" in your body. You're more
likely to be positive and stay in route to doing things that make you feel better.  Food and exercise also help manage stress, which can take a physical toll on your body on the outside and inside. Your diet and hygenie also affect your skin, which is a major area of concern for people

3. Self Love is the outcome of a cycle.
When you know you're taking care of yourself and living your best life, you love yourself more. When you're doing positive things, thinking positively, and are around positive people, you feel better about yourself and see beauty as an intangible force.

4. Few people look perfect
Consider this. If Kim K didn't have botox, breast implants, and the extensive diet and fitness regiment she does...she'd look a whole lot different. Someone spent $30,000 on an image that doesn't  even exist! She's not the only one. Numersous shows on TV show us how often non-celebrities go under the knife to look like the people they admire. Again there's nothing wrong with shooting to look your best but consider what the journey involves, and how it affects your idea of yourself, in your most natural form. Even everyday women who don't get cosmetic procedures obsess over idolizing other's perfect bodies. Wake up...people sculp their bodies with exercise. 6 packs, flat tummies, sculpted butts, thighs and arms...don't exist without effort and continuous effort. It's not natural, it's effort. Even myself, I have a natural athletic build,  but if I don't work out at least 20minutes a day 3× a week, keep low stress, and really manage food, I blow up really easily. There are people who don't need to exercise for aesthetics, and that's very few people. Most of us need to do it for health, and if we want to maintain certain shapes but again, it's effort.  You love others looks...enhanced looks. Not their natural selves. How they look after being done up or edited in print. Don't obsess over what is not real. Open your minds.

Think twice before praising what seems like the celestial beauty of another whether its face or body. It really is the soul, spirt and heart that shines thru our eyes, reflects in our actions, and radiates in our presence that really makes us "attractive".  It's the confidence, strength, peace, and love of people that make them seemingly more beautiful. It's their aura...something completely unduplicatable by procedure or application.

BE Beautiful~
Written by: Tiffany W.

"Consumer Reports has ranked the best-tasting burgers, sandwiches, burritos, and chicken at 65 national and regional fast food chains." Hayley,P. (2014, July 2)  http://www.businessinsider.com/best-fast-food-chains-ranked-2014-7#ixzz36KO9Rx1W

The unfortunate matter is that there is a ranking for fast food, but the upside is that the public is now being drawn to "healthier" and "fresher" options. The likes of McDonalds. Burger King, taco Bell, KFC, and even Subway are all ranked extremely low, if not last on each respective list. Smaller chains known for healthier or cleaner cooking options such as The Habit, In & Out, Chipotle and EL Pollo Loco are all at the top of their respective lists. I find this to be a positive sign that with all the fast food industry expose style documentaries, in addition to increase propaganda around obesity and cardiovascular illnesses, the public considers the fact that you can choose between the evils of fast food. In healthy living, I believe in moderation according to one's goals. Interestingly enough, if ever I do eat fast food it usually is In & Out (protein style burger), EL Pollo Loco (chicken and salad/mixed veggies) or Chipotle (salad bowl) because they do have healthier options. 

These trends go to show you that the customer is more powerful than believed. If everyone stopped going to the classic chains, they would completely have to re-establish their brand, menu, and efforts to create fresher & healthier options. I'm aware that McDonald's has added "healthier" options like apples and dip to the happy meals, parfaits, wraps and more, but the problem is that the ingredients and chemical they use are still compromising. As a nation, we cannot continue to let ourselves and our children continue with such obesity rates and preventable health conditions. An even greater trend to emerge, would be the overall decrease in fast food chain profits, even the healthier ones. All together, fast food spending is at its highest! We spend $680 Billion on average on this food causing long term hormonal deficiencies and influxes in our children, chronic preventable illnesses, absurd obesity rates, and small effects such as fatigue, low energy and poor concentration. I think a fun and creative way to taste your favorite items at home is to try and duplicate your favorite dish. It will never taste completely the same, but it will save your waist, your insides, your money, and your life. 

Here are some tips!
1) I am a huge promoter of pre-planned meals and handy healthy snacks on the road. This prevents individuals from having to buy out because of "time" or being burned out from a long day at work.
2) When meal prep doesn't happen, and people feel forced to eat out, then picking the healthiest items you can are ALWAYS going to be more beneficial for you
3) Once you get your meals, don't feel like you have to eat the whole portion. Sometimes its ok to eat half and make sure to drink a lot of water. 
4) Especially on the days you have an unhealthy meal, follow it up with LOTS OF DARK LEAFY GREENS. Green vegetables like spinach, kale, broccoli, or asparagus, will help cleanse the toxins you put in your body. The more, the better!

Remember, you're stomach isn't a garbage can, so don't fill it with such. If you wouldn't sit and let someone kill or poison you, don;t take the necessary action, to do it to yourself. Learn to eat, live and be well because you will just feel so much better about yourself and life!

BE Well~
Written by: Tiffany W