We all love to wear high heels, but wearing them for too long will cause eventual pain, especially in the knees. You can do them in the shower or right before bed time. Your knee is associated with various muscles, ligaments and tendons that create an intricate structure that can easily be stressed. From running to constant bending, the knee gets the brunt of a lot of our movements. Adding high heels only makes it more vulnerable to injury and strain. There are four simple massages that you can do easily every day to relieve the pain. Try to do each massage for at least 30 seconds.

The first are to massage is right below your patella bone in your knee. Rub the area right under the patella in a horizontal fashion with the pad of your finger. Apply strong pressure so you can feel the tendon being massaged. The second area is to the outer knee below the patella. Massage that area in short vertical strokes, very similar to the first massage.

The last two massages require larger movements. Always move distal to proximal. To massage these muscles, use the bony part of your wrist to apply the pressure. Start at the bottom of your leg right above your ankle. Apply firm pressure along the muscle. Move the pressure upwards toward the outer side of your knee. Repeat.

The fourth massage is at your thigh. Continue to use your wrist as the method of applying pressure. Start above the knee near the outside of the thigh. While applying firm pressure, move upwards at the outer thigh, along the muscle, towards the outer pelvis of your leg. Repeat.

With these four basic movements, you can immediately feel tension relief throughout your leg. Also remember to alternate heel heights of your shoes so you do not over strain your feet, ankles and knees. Regular exercise also strengthens your muscles. For more information, you can also check out our other article on how to wear high heels without tears.

I only manage to find time to get a haircut about every six months, but I do work with stylists who manage to cut my hair in a way that I do not need to return too often. Whether you spend $10 or $100 on a great haircut, a key to great hair is the products you use. This is why I love Louise Galvin’s Sacred Locks Collection for Fine Hair. The reason I love this internationally renowned creator of hair and body products is that she focuses on pure, natural, and organic ingredients. It took three years to develop her products. She has no employees and runs her business alone, which means emailing people, organizing the website, and making the formulas with the chemists. Talk about multi-tasking! Her company is based in London, and all orders are shipped from there.

The shampoo for fine hair volumizes your hair without the build up. It contains natural citrus oils that are free from sulphates and other proteins that can lead to greasy roots. 250ml for $34.

The conditioner uses vegetable proteins that add moisture and shine. Although light, it provides an intensive treatment to the hair without weighing it down. It is an amazing product to use during the dry summer days ahead. 250ml for $37.

There is also another collection for curly hair and mothers to be, which offers, according to Galvin, the purest of the pure of ingredients.

Visit her website to get your sacred locks.

We talked about finding balance in our day-to-day lives, but what about managing stressful days? We need stress, so there is no point in wishing it away. Stress is a huge factor to getting things done. From deadlines to going to work to finishing up papers, our bodies require that extra energy that stress releases to execute and complete our tasks. But what do we do if the stress is too overwhelming?

Stress causes the body to go into an adrenaline rush, that flight or fight mode that is innately in all of us. It was what made cavemen run from the dinosaurs. Today, we don’t stress about risk of death, but we stress about bills, our jobs, our futures, things that spike up our adrenaline but do not allow us a release for that energy. This gets our heart rate up, our blood pressure rising, and our skin to heat up. Too much stress will lead to long term health effects, such as hypertension and increased risk of stroke.

The best method to reduce your stress levels when stressed is to start moving. Your body is fueled and ready to go, and sitting at your desk trying to work out that program will not do your health good. Some great ways to relieve stress include:

Taking a walk or walking your pet-Something about the great outdoors and smelling the fresh air just helps relieve some of the psychological pressure that we built up.

House Cleaning-The British Journal of Sports Medicine published an article last month stated that working around the house or garden for about 20 minutes one to three times a week reduced the odds of psychological distress by 24%.

Exercising The benefits include a reduction in risks for stress, diabetes, and heart attack. So take that step!

So when life just sucks, go exercise. I would say go to the mall and do some retail therapy, but only if you are positively sure you will pay off that credit card in full. What do you do to manage your stress?

If it were a perfect world, you and I would be eating about 9 different fruits and veggies a day, exercise often, and love it.  However, the world is not perfect, and neither are the humans living in it.  Fruit and veggies can be delicious, but sometimes putting the time and effort to prepare or purchase such a variety can be a task few can achieve and maintain.  Here are some vital nutrients we need, where to find them, and the alternative: a multivitamin.

Calcium Every woman is at risk for developing osteoporosis and we need at least 1,000 milligrams a day.  You can find calcium in milk, yogurt, cheese and canned salmon.

Vitamin D This vitamin helps calcium get absorbed into your body to maintain bone strength as well as promoting your immune system.  You need at least 400 International Units a day and can be found in fortified milk, cod liver oil, salmon, and swiss cheese.

Folic Acid You need this especially when you are preparing for a child or are pregnant already.  Studies have shown that a lack of folic acid can be linked to developmental problems for your child.  You need 400 micrograms a day and you can find these in leafy greens and legumes.

Iron Essential to your body for transportation of oxygen throughout your body, muscle maintenance, and prevention of anemia, you need 18 milligrams a day.  Iron is usually found in lean beef, spinach, shrimp and, yummy, liver.

These are only a few vitamins you need.  So unless you eat a lot of fruit, nuts, veggies and drink milk daily, then perhaps an “insurance” plan would be a multivitamin.  You don’t lost much from taking one a day and it will give you all the essential nutrients you need for a healthy life.  However, you still need to eat healthy and exercise, as well as avoid smoking and excessive drinking.  What a multivitamin does is give you the vitamins you may have missed that day, not a day pass to indulge in chocolate all day.  You can find some great multivitamins at your local food store.  Ultimately, it is being aware of what your body needs and making the conscious effort to treat it as your temple.

We hear all about it in magazines, television ads, everywhere. Take this pill and you will lose weight! Drink only lemon water for a week for a beach body! Eat only cabbage for a thinner you! Please. Keep doing diets and you will go up and down in weight like a yo-yo.

A diet is temporary and usually unhealthy. A person can safely lose 1.5 to 2 pounds a week by lifestyle changes. The key is lifestyle. You are making changes in your life, for the long term. Not one week. Not three days. Eating healthy is forever.

So throw away those Atkins books, the Zone diets, and the South Beach diet guides. Start making changes in your daily routine that you can consistently do in the long run. Yes, you can have that brownie, but not the entire tray. Enjoy that handful of chips, but don’t grab the entire bag. Hungry? Have a piece of fruit and go jogging.

A snob has lots of desires, but she will not sacrifice her health to fit into those leather leggings, no matter how hot they may eventually look. The snob is already fabulous.

We spend a large portion of our day sitting down, either in front of the computer or television. How is your posture when you are sitting? Many people have poor posture when seated, with slouched shoulders, heads forward, and the lower back forwardly arched. All of these place a ton of strain on the neck, upper and lower backs, causing short term as well as chronic pain the future.

We have to be actively engaging our core muscles to maintain a good posture when we perform our daily tasks. The first key is to look at how your lower back is positioned. It should be slightly arched backwards. I stress slightly because sometimes we tend to overarch our backs, which can be even more harmful. Next, look at your shoulders; they should be pulled back and directly above your hips with your chest up. This opens up your ribcage and improves deep breathing. Your abdominal muscles should also be active during sitting, keeping your back up and supporting your spine as it sustains the correct posture.

It definitely requires focus, attention and active muscles to maintain a good posture, but your body will thank you in the future. You can always practice sitting and walking with a book on top of your head, but just being consciously aware of how you are sitting and making slight adjustments can do wonders for your back.

We recommend Yoga and Pilates to help with your overall posture and flexibility:
Athletic Works 65 cm Exercise Body Ball

Altus Athletic Body Ball Fitness Kit with DVD and Exercise Chart

Danskin Now Pilates Magic Circle

As you all know, I started doing pilates and love it! I still do yoga at home, but since pilates is a new workout, I need the extra attention from an instructor to guide my body towards the correct movements. Sarah Graves, the instructor, gave The Conscious Snob a personal interview about herself and how all of us can be fit and fabulous. She’s taught for the past two years as a personal trainer and wellness coach for studios, one-on-one, and with companies such as Google and Cisco. Here are her words.

How did you come about choosing pilates? Why pilates for you?

It took me a long time to try pilates, let alone become a pilates instructor! I was much more comfortable riding my bike, running, skiing, swimming, doing aerobics and step, and lifting weights. My body was not flexible and it was so hard to sit up straight, open my chest, hold neutral spine! Every time I tried a mind/body class like yoga or pilates I vowed I would never go again, because my body just couldn’t do the movements!

About 7 years ago I was working with a personal trainer who was really pro-pilates. Many of the exercises I did with her were based on pilates principles, and before long I started feeling more comfortable with doing pilates exercises. It really made a difference learning how to do the moves with her one-on-one, as she worked with me to get the right form, both on the mat and on the reformer.

About two years after this I began teaching group exercise classes for fun in my spare time. My mindset was more traditional fitness rather than mind/body, but with my instructor’s encouragement, I decided to go for it and teach pilates! I spent many hours taking courses through Balanced Body University and fulfilling the student teaching requirements necessary to receive certifications in both mat and reformer pilates. I also received my personal trainer certification through AFAA, which allows me to work one-on-one with people needing more personalized workouts.

It has turned out to be the most satisfying for me to teach pilates to other people now, probably because it was so hard for me at first. I really listened to the cueing, worked really hard to get the movements right, and because it is so ingrained in me now, I find it delightful when I can get someone else to stay motivated and happy when they can get a difficult move done correctly, or see results from their continued practice! I really enjoy this form of exercise and have recently decided to pursue teaching pilates as a career because I believe in it so much and really know that it works!

What is your health routine?

I indoor cycle and do step aerobics three times a week, walk the dog everyday or hike in the hills at Rancho San Antonio and do mat pilates 6-8 times per week. I also try to practice on the reformer.

What advice do you have for people who are new to pilates and want to get healthy?

Pilates is a shift in mindset from the traditional methods of exercise, and it takes a commitment of time and energy. There are a lot of things to remember at first, so try not to get discouraged if something seems hard, or you can’t get the breathing right. It will all come with time. To experience the optimal benefits of pilates, it’s important to practice regularly. I recommend a minimum of 3 times per week, more if you can make the time. Whether in class or at home, practicing pilates on a consistent basis will accelerate your learning and greatly enhance your overall health.

What pointers would you give to people to stay motivated to be healthy?

The most important advice to living healthier is to make a commitment to an exercise and diet regimen and stick with it! The trick is finding a motivating factor that works for you. Doing anything is better than doing nothing. Setting realistic positive goals and working towards achieving them will work. There is so much information about proper diet and exercise, it is hard to miss it. Finding a friend to do things with you, getting a personal trainer, talking to a nutritionist, are all first steps in the right direction.

So many of us have desk jobs that pull our bodies out of alignment; giving us shoulders that are hunched forward, back problems, tight hip flexors and hamstrings. The more you move around the better you’ll feel. The more pilates you do, the stronger and more flexible you’ll become. You won’t want to eat poorly, you’ll sleep better at night! It snowballs into a healthy lifestyle.

What aspects of your lifestyle are you most happy and proud about?

I am happy that I have been able to take what I know and pass it on to others interested in maintaining some level of fitness. It makes me happy and proud to think that I may have influenced or motivated someone to live healthier. I am also happy to see that I have been able to influence my children’s health choices by living healthy and showing them by example.

Check out Sarah-Graves.com for more information on her services and schedule of classes, based northern California.

I’m from southern California, a wonderful area where the weather does not get too extreme in terms of rain, but it sure does get hot. It’s only May, but I’m starting to feel the heat. I’ve packed away the winter clothes (which means cashmere cardigans, turtlenecks, and peacoats in California terms — we hardly hit below 45 degrees Fahrenheit) and am prepping my skin and body for the heat and the beaches.

I am in love with Clarins’ HydraQuench Lotion with SPF 15 . Clarins has an entire line of HydraQuench products that offer moisture-packed lotions and cooling cream gels for the complexions that get really dry. The main ingredient is the katafray bark from Madagascar, which is used by Madagascans for sore throats and irritated skin. This bark has anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties, which aid the skin to heal after a tad too long in the sun. Price: $48

The Daily Obsession posted a wonderful resource for finding eco-friendly beauty products at Space NK.

Space NK’s website states that you can browse from a carefully edited selection of high quality, original and effective beauty products from over 60 innovative and specialist worldwide brands. They have their own line of specialty products along with a wide collection of skincare and beauty products that have been selectively edited based on effectiveness and earth-friendliness.

A product line I am using that is featured on their eco-friendly list is Natura Bisse. Based in Barcelona, their Diamond Extreme Eye Cream is phenomenal. Okay, so I just turned 24. Do I really need eye cream? Yes! Research has shown that your eyes, neck and back of your hands are the first parts of your youth that disappear. The eye cream is amazing. I have no more puffiness and dark circles since I have started using it two weeks ago. The sales associate stated that one bottle, used regularly, can last up to two years, so consider the steep price a long term investment.

Go to Space NK to find products that suit you.

Make Up For Ever is a French product line that offers superb color that lasts through any evening or event. I was at Sephora recently and came across Aqua Eyes, a waterproof eyeliner pencil that you can smudge and even use as eyeshadow. I am totally in love with it. I wear it to work and it stays put all day. Once dried, it doesn’t budge. You can even draw patterns on your body for an instant tattoo! Make Up For Ever products are exclusively sold at Sephora so stop by to get your fix.