The skin is the largest living, breathing organ of the body. It acts as an interface between the internal and external environments. It consists of the epidermis, dermis and the hypodermis. The epidermis is the surface layer, the layer that we see. It serves us as the protective layer. The dermis is the middle layer that contains the glands and the connective tissues. This layer helps complete the absorption process by carrying whatever is placed on the epidermis to the deepest part of the skin and throughout the body.

The hypodermis contains the adipose tissues or fat layer. This is the layer that contains your fat cells.

The major functions of the skin are:

1. Protection. The skin serves as a barrier that prevents microorganisms and other substances from entering the body.

2. Regulates Body Temperature. Considerable heat is lost through the skin. Even under conditions of high temperature or exercise, the body temperature remains almost normal.

3. Elimination. The evaporation of perspiration acts to cool the skin. In addition, small amounts of waste product and salt leave the body through sweat.

4. Sensation. Nerve endings in the skin provide the body with a great deal of information about the outside environment.

5. Vitamin D Production. In the presence of sunlight or ultraviolet radiation, a substance in the skin is altered to produce vitamin D, necessary for the absorption of calcium and phosphate from food.

Another function of the skin, that is often overlooked, is its absorption properties. This is the reason why applying transdermal medications (birth control patch, smoking patch, etc..) to the skin is so effective. You can also benefit from the absorption function of the skin with cosmetic lotions, topical treatments, and other applications that benefit the skin.

One benefit that spas capitalize on body wrap treatments. Body wraps are designed to help reduce inches and detoxify the body. Detoxifying your body with body wraps improves your overall wellbeing. Body wraps are also capable of slimming and contouring your physique and can also help shape your body in about an hour. The therapeutic and cosmetic benefits help rid the body of toxins which contribute to reduce inches.

Certain body wrap can help to relieve pain due to injury and illness. Body wraps special formulas contain ingredients that help detach fat lipids from cell walls so that permanent fat loss may occur.

Body wraps are safe and just about anyone can benefit from them for skin conditioning, tightening, pain relief and even fat loss. A home body wrap made with your own body wrap recipes is a unique alternative if you want an inexpensive way to improve skin condition, toning and tightening, and to help relieve joint pain and inflammation. It is recommended that you give yourself a body wrap once every week for up to six weeks – then for maintenance, once a month.

I didn’t believe it the first time I heard a friend of mine say –

“I benefit from the reading of 50 books each year… in my spare time”.

Knowing how demanding her time was because of her top position in her job and because she is a single mom, I was certain she was lying and I told her so.

Smiling, she insisted that it was the truth. I would have continued arguing with her until she pointed out to me that she didn’t have to physically “read” them, but they were “read” to her while she listened… in her spare time.

Not giving me any opportunity to argue, she went ahead and played an audio book on her CD player for my perusal.

She explained that this was how she had almost any book she wanted read to her as audio books while she prepared for work in the morning, while she prepared her daughter for school, while she did her exercises each day, while she commuted to and from work and any free time she had on hands that didn’t involve using her mind.

I was surprised, to say the least, that I could have been doing the same thing in my spare time, instead of just commuting to and from work doing nothing.

You see, my work is one that requires a lot of my time involvement. I have to leave home quite early, spend over an hour on the road because of the constant heavy traffic and when I get to work, I work all day until break time and closing time.

From what this friend of mine explained to me, I knew I had to give audio books a try.

I did and was very impressed.

Now, I can proudly say I also benefit from the reading of up to 50 books each year.

Still don’t think it’s possible?

Fine, let’s do the math:

For an audio book that takes 4 hours, you can have it read to you in just two days – 1 hour each day while preparing for work in the morning and 1 hour each day while commuting to and from work. That’s 4 hours in 2 days.

So, if it takes you 2 days to have one audio book read to you, that will be 365 days in a year divided by 2. That will equal about 133 books each year!

That’s over double the original 50 audio books we were targeting, right?

Audio books are indeed the secret formula that many people use to get the value from the best books they want to read. With audio books, you can forget the frustration you always had whenever you force yourself to read any book.

For the bookworms back in college that want to continue reading but can’t afford the time anymore, you now have a solution in audio books.

Whether you want to use your PC, cassette tape player, CD or even any PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), it is now possible and within your reach for peanuts.

By dropping judgment we allow love.

In fact, when we drop a lot of things, we allow love.

Dropping all the stresses and ‘have toos’ allows the mind to relax. It lets the body yield and leaves room for the soul to manouvour into situations where it can grow.

When we drop judgments we become more clear on who we are and what we are really doing. Let me give you an example:

When a parent tells a child off, one of the judgments a parent has is that, if I don’t tell them off they’re always going to do that naughty thing. Yet often when a child does that naughty thing all they have is an unfulfilled need at that moment – and usually it’s connection to love.

Whenever I successfully manage not to avoid judging my kids behaviour love flows. Recently my daughter stuck her tongue out at me when I asked her to do something – bless her. I walked away, admiring her strong spirit and hiding a smile. Later I asked her if I could stick my tongue out at her. She nodded. She then told me she didn’t like it very much.

We agreed, just for a moment – in the name of fun – we’d both give each other permission to stick our tongues out at each other. We ended up rolling around the floor laughing. She said, ‘But dad, dad, you haven’t seen my angriest face yet.’

‘Go on,’ I said.

So she pulled her angriest face and we both howled with laughter, tears rolling over our cheeks and clutching our tummies in a way we’ve probably never done before.

Had I judged her for sticking her tongue out we’d have missed that wonderful opportunity. We’d also have missed moments when we’ve brought up the memories of that time when we stuck out our tongues.

I hasten to add, she’s not stuck her tongue out at me in anger since – fingers crossed for the future, eh?

What releasing judgment does is this: it takes us from a place of acting out a drama. It then puts us in a situation of knowing and understanding.

Releasing judgment is the difference between fighting the evils of our life and seeing them as opportunities to grow.

That might all sound easier said than done. But when we understand that each event in our life is a calling to return to who we really are we become more conscious of why it’s happening. How we experience what happens shows us how where we are on that journey.

Ultimately all any of us want is to feel love. Dropping judgment is a huge step.

Here’s a few tips

1. When anything causes you emotional turmoil just pause, let go of any judgments and imagine you have let it all go.

2. Feel the weight lift from your shoulders.

3 Take a deep breath

4. Now ask yourself how can I handle this with love?

With Love and good wishes

Neil