Doctor's Orders: A prescription for beauty, inside and out
A hit book, speaking engagements across the country and a painful divorce. Psychiatrist Dr. Eva Ritvo, to say the least, has a lot going on. But her honest and direct ability to deal with her own life, success or sadness, is why she and her best friend of 25 years, dermatologist Dr. Debra Luftman were the perfect pair to write the book, The Beauty Prescription: The Complete Formula For Looking and Feeling Beautiful. The book tackles the psychological and physical dimensions of beauty and how any women can have a well-rounded and fulfilling life from the inside out.
Dr. Luftman says beauty is, "not about fixing anything, but enhancing what's already beautiful about you." And Dr. Ritvo adds, "As women get older, there is value in maintaining your looks. Beauty does matter but it should come from the inside." Easier said than done in most cases though. And Dr. Ritvo acknowledges that, telling us that women especially can bring out their beauty by getting in touch with their emotions: Anger, fear, anxiety or insecurities on any level. Pushing them aside often leads to more complex issues and certainly shows on your face and body. That's why, although difficult and heartbreaking, Dr. Ritvo says she's not shying away from speaking about her divorce, "I'm trying to be brave."
Dealing with internal and external factors are the core messages behind The Beauty Prescription which is broken down into manageable sections, easy to understand and apply: Beauty Boosters; Beauty through the ages; Beauty Buddies and their unique Beauty Brain Loop. Every stage of the Loop-Outer Beauty, Inner Beauty, Health, and Environment- is empowering and has the ability to enhance your attractiveness, self-esteem, and well-being if you know how to access them properly. Their top tips (see below for more):
- Learn to see beauty (and glamour!) in everything around you
- Make time to get fit and healthy
- A kind, loving, positive demeanor makes you more attractive
- Stay beautiful even in times of crisis
- Understand beauty products and cosmetic procedures
- Create a lifetime beauty plan
"I trained as an internist," says Dr. Luftman, "and my patients weren't always compliant in coming back for their regular checkups. but as a dermatologist I notice that people always come back for their creams and Botox shots. People always take care of the outside more than the inside." The Beauty Prescription hopes to remedy that.
The book has certainly resonated with young girls who have been snapping it up even though it wasn't written with young women in mind. But Dr. Ritvo says it's a happy development, "We don't realize how beautiful we are when we're young and, unfortunately, teens aren't doing the basics: Sleeping properly, exercising regularly and eating right." Helping to correct these behaviors before they spiral out of control is one of their goals with the book and personally as physicians.
That's why the doctors have created their first (of many, they hope) Beauty Prescription Clubs at Florida State College at Jacksonville. A club that will offer support and encouragement for young women dealing with a cavalcade of issues and helping them to manage those issues in whatever ways they choose: Shopping together, talking or volunteering. "It's all flexible."
The Beauty Docs Back to School Beauty Tips
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Wear broad-spectrum sunscreen every day, even if it’s not sunny. Make sure what you wear offers UVA and UVB protection and reapply it every two hours if you’re sweating or going in the water.
•Keep up your energy level by exercising before and after school. Take a walk during your lunch break and always use the stairs. If you don’t have a lot of time after school, use a jump rope or do some aerobics at home while you watch television. Even walking while you talk on the phone burns calories.
•Take vitamins every morning and don’t skip breakfast. Whole grain bread or cereal is great with a banana or other fruit or yogurt as a quick breakfast you can take with you. Avoid grease and heavy carbs: fried eggs, bacon, pancakes. For lunches and snacks, focus on foods rich in energy, low in fat and as unprocessed as possible: nuts, dried fruit, raw vegetables, lean chicken and turkey, whole grain bread. Try drinking water or raw juice instead of soda; you’ll save yourself about 500 calories a week.
•Wear comfortable but fashionable shoes that won’t give you sore feet by the end of a long day. Don’t wear high heels that will ruin your feet or cause you to sprain an ankle.
•Be aware of your posture. Slouching or walking hunched over makes you look heavier, conceals your height and hides your face. Try to walk, stand and sit upright.
•Always brush and floss your teeth every day. You don’t have to wash your hair every day unless you have oily hair. You may strip your hair of its natural oils with daily washing. But always brush and floss. Take floss with you to school so you can clean food from your teeth after lunch. You’ll keep your smile brighter and prevent humiliating bad breath.
• Smile. Let your personality come through.
•Sleep. Homework is important, but so is rest. If you don’t get at least seven hours a night, you’ll risk dark circles under your eyes, a grouchy disposition and low energy, which means you won’t want to do all the things you do with friends. www.thebeautyprescription.com
