Good Living with Aprilanne

“Get Glowing” with Milk & Honey Bath you make at home…

California Insider Aprilanne get's the Insider's Guide to a Beauty Regimen that goes back to Cleopatra times.

There is one beauty regiment that goes back as far as the times of Cleopatra - Ancient Queen of  Egypt - the Milk and Honey Bath, and women have been indulging themselves with milk and honey baths for centuries since.

There is something very  relaxing and therapeutic about taking a bath, and while the though of going to a spa to indulge in one is appealing, this is one “spa treatment” you can easily prepare to enjoy in the comforts of your own home!

Combine the ingredients below in a large bowl and then transfer to a decorative jar to keep in your bathroom.  You can simply scoop out a few cups of it to dissolve in a warm bath anytime you want to relax with a skin softening experience…ENJOY!

1/2 cup liquid honey
3 cups powdered milk
lavender buds (added for color and fragrance)

Why it works:  The lactic acid in the milk - which is an alpha hydroxy acid exfoliates the dead skin cells off while you soak as the  emollient properties of the honey sooth and soften the skin resulting in a wonderful 2 part skin revitalizing experience.  The lavender buds add a relaxing aroma, and you can substitute or add other fragrances such as rose or gardenia, etc.,  depending on what scent you are in the mood for.

In addition to soaking in a relaxing emollient bath formula that was customized precisely for me during my spa day at the Oceano Coastal Spa for California Living,  I also received a dry brush application, which has additional skin purifying and exfoliating effects and was treated to an anti-aging Acai Body Facial to further soften and moisturize my skin - it was pure heaven folks…check it out:

Watch Aprilanne;s primetime look at the Oceano Coastal Spa Now On-Demand!

According the the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition “women who ate an ounce of full fat cheese daily gained fewer pounds over time than those who did not eat full-fat cheese daily. ” According to this research, “whole-dairy contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) which may boost your metabolism.”

Many varieties of cheese offer decent amounts of bone strengthening calcium and muscle supporting protein.  I think the real trick to including cheese into your everyday diet is adhering to the adage:   “everything in moderation.”  You see, the problem is an actual serving of cheese is rather small  with a single ounce serving about an inch long and a half inch wide.  Now I ask you - have you ever just had one piece of cheese and said to yourself - okay that was my cheese allotment for the day?  Didn’t think so! 

To make the most of your cheese endeavors the suggestions below offer some interesting cheese tidbits to keep in mind when buying, serving, and eating cheese:

• Make the most of your cheese serving by using a grater as shredded portions appear more substantial.
• Lactose intolerant?  You may want to stick to firmer cheese varieties which usually have less lactose.
• Soft, fluffy cheeses have less fat content and fewer calories than hard cheeses because they contain more water.

Did you know that in France entire courses and even entire meals revolve around cheese?  Some cheeses even taking on the role of a dessert item to be  savored with a fine glass of wine or port.

A simple, elegant entertaining idea is to host a Wine & Cheese Pairing Party during which you and your guests pair up your favorite cheeses with the right wine selection.  For “Wine & Cheese Pairing Party & Entertaining Tips” check out my recent Food & Wine post on CAInsider.com and Enjoy!  Aprilanne