Red Apple Lipstick

 

-Wearing Red Apple Lipstick in Sunkissed-

I'm taking a quick break from my holiday shenanigans to let you all know about one of my favorite beauty finds of 2012, Red Apple Lipstick! I first heard of Red Apple through the magazine I write for, Delight Gluten-Free Magazine. I've been hard pressed to find a gluten-free lipstick that was also soy-free, allergen-free, and non-toxic, but this lipstick seems to have it all; creamy, smooth application and vibrant healthy color. It's also safe for all of you lovely vegans out there.

Looking in my search stats, I see that many of you have been scouring my site for more safe beauty finds. I know firsthand how frustrating it can be to pick up a product at the drugstore after attempting to read a long list of unclear ingredients, taking a chance, and then suffering the consequences with an allergic or celiac reaction. My honest and unsolicited opinion is that I know when I put this lipstick on, there's no guessing and no surprise reactions. I believe all of their rich shades would flatter any skin tone, as I've never been able to find a bright shade of red that looked great against my skin until I tried Red Apple Lipstick. "Red!" and "Sunkissed" (modeled above) are both two of my favorite shades. I plan to try their glosses and eye-shadows in the near future, so stay tuned for reviews to come. Check out all the Red Apple Lipstick products here. In the meantime, back to my holiday hiatus. Thanks for the great color Red Apple Lipstick, I am definitely an obsessed Red Apple Gal!

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Ringing in the New Year

I"m savoring the season with family, friends and loved ones this week. While I'm still around in the kitchen cooking up some gluten-free, allergy-free goodness, I'm taking a nice break from most things on the blog and work related before the start of the year. These times are just so rare and magical that I can't help but live in the moment as much as possible, before a busy norm ensues. Wishing you and yours a peaceful holiday season. Here's a little preview of mine. 

 Light & love, --Bethany.

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Celiac: In the Family

Since my diagnosis nearly four years ago, I've had the pleasure of conversing with some wonderfully pleasant people about living gluten-free, Celiac disease, other food allergies, and health obstacles. Reaching out to this community is probably my favorite thing in the world to do, as making connections with people who share the same winding road is an invaluable experience.

One thing in my conversations as of late has been more than troubling to me though. When faced with the facts that Celiac is a genetic disease, many people who were cordial to me just moments ago turn angry and lash out, refusing to believe that their parents, their children, or even their grandparents may carry the gene. I become the bearer of supposed "bad news" and am shunned as the "bad guy". Well, bad girl I suppose. It is understandable that such breaking news may be a shock to some, but in the wake of an attitude that is truly reckless and selfish, I have to call foul.

The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center states that genes related to Celiac disease are passed down through generations. A first degree relative (parent, child, brother or sister) of someone with Celiac disease has a 1 in 22 chance of developing the disease while a second degree relative (niece, nephew, aunt, uncle, grandparents, and half siblings, etc) has a 1 in 39 chance. A great place to start with the breakdown of testing is through this U of Chicago pdf. While some carriers of the gene may not have active Celiac, they could develop symptoms at any point in their lives. Routine testing is recommended in these cases. It's also possible the gene was not inherited, which in that case is a fabulous thing to know.

So many people are brushing these facts aside in a "why bother testing?" attitude that is really doing a major injustice to themselves and the health of their family. In one instance, a mother struck up a conversation with me to talk about her recently diagnosed daughter. I responsibly let her know the risk that her other children may face as well as her and her husband. The genes had to come from somewhere in that immediate family, but she refused to believe me and stormed off.

I strongly urge all of us with Celiac disease to speak out and make these facts well known! Knowledge is power and when lives could be at risk, we need to know we are doing all that we can to improve the situation. I've always said this disease was a blessing and a responsibility. It is now more than ever. It doesn't have to be Celiac Disease Awareness Day, Month, or Year for us to spread the word and maybe save a life in the process. Please feel free to forward, repost, share, and link back to this post.

Resources:

• The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center
• Celiac.com
• Delight Gluten-Free Magazine
• Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University

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