Q. Mary, I always feel bloated no matter what I eat. If I go without eating for a day, I feel wonderful. Any advice?

A. Thanks for writing in. So many people suffer from bloating, and I am happy to share some tips on how to banish bloating.

First of all, you'll want to rule out any medical issues you might be experiencing with relation to bloating. It is not a good idea to skip eating for an entire day to manage bloating. Check with your doctor to see whether you may be suffering from any gastrointestinal illnesses such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Constipation also causes bloating, as do lactose intolerance and some food allergies. If you are given a clean bill of health by your physician, there are several things you can do to avoid the discomfort of bloating in the future.

Pamper your digestive system. Chew papaya enzyme tablets after meals to aid with digestion of food. Papaya enzymes may be found at most health food and vitamin stores. Drinking chamomile or peppermint tea will also help your digestive process and keep bloating at bay.

Limit foods which trigger bloating. Some foods naturally cause bouts of bloating. Culprits include: broccoli, onions, garlic, cauliflower, cabbage, fatty foods and beans. These foods also happen to be very good for you, so don't cut them out of your diet entirely, but test them to see if they are the cause of your discomfort. It also helps to eat smaller portions at each meal so your body digests less food at once. Try eating five small meals per day, instead of three larger meals.

Don't be full of hot air. Swallowing too much air lends itself to stomach bloating. Don't drink out of straws or water fountains, don't gulp beverages, limit conversation while dining, and eat slowly, in a relaxed manner while seated. Avoid drinking carbonated drinks, such as soda or sparkling water, and spit out the gum, as chewing gum creates gas in your belly.

Exercise and relieve stress. Lack of exercise, and too much stress may both cause bloating. Go for a brisk walk to clear your mind and give your body a workout. Drink plenty of water after you exercise, and in general. Water helps keep the digestive system in working order.

Good luck to you and I hope these tips help rid you of bloating.

Please check back soon for more Beauty Secrets by Mary.

Until then, be your most beautiful!

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When the word "exercise" comes to mind, do you cringe at the thought of sweatbands, gym memberships, aerobics classes and confusing weight machines? I do! But my exercise of choice is walking, which may be done anywhere, anytime, and without the need for special equipment. Just two feet and the open road!

Walking is great for your heart and lungs, and it's easy on your joints. Walking has been proven to reduce cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, and to prevent colds. It keeps you young, fit, healthy and beautiful. Before you lace up your sneakers, read these walking tips for some ideas on working more walking into your life.

Walking is an amazingly easy way to give both your mind and your body a calorie burning workout. You've heard people in a heated discussion say, "walk it off," and there's a reason for that. Walking has been proven to decrease depression and elevate one's mood. The next time you want to catch up with a local friend, instead of reaching for the phone, meet her for a long, brisk walk. You will find by the time one of you has caught the other up to speed on your life, you'll have probably clocked a mile or two in distance! At the end of the walk, you will feel a lot more euphoric than you would have if you were simply hanging up a phone.

If you don't have time to work a walk into your hectic lifestyle, there are many clever ways to fit one into your daily repertoire. Adopting a dog into your life is one sure fire way to get out and about. Dogs are the ultimate motivation to get outdoors and get moving. Of course, don't take the responsibility of pet ownership lightly, but if you've been on the fence about getting a dog, having one as an exercise companion is all the more reason!

While running errands, park your car a reasonable distance away from your destination and walk. If I'm running several errands in the same vicinity, I park at a central location and then walk to all of my pit stops.

Instead of sending an email to a co-worker, walk to his desk and give him the information in person. Take the stairs at your lunch break and walk away from your desk at least once every hour.

If you commit to walking as your main form of exercise and do so daily, avoid doldrums by switching up your route every week. There's a big world out there, so explore it! Increase your stamina and your heart rate by adding speed, hills, stairs, or all of the above to your regimen. If the weather is too hot or too cold for an outdoor workout, go to the shopping mall and walk the indoor parameter. This is also a great excuse to window shop! Perhaps you should leave your credit cards at home!

Treadmills are an ideal walking tool if you want to remain indoors, or if you enjoy going to a gym. Listen to upbeat music on your headphones and your workout will seem effortless. Remember to maintain good posture, which many forget about while on treadmills, and pump your arms with each stride to increase your workout.

Get a pedometer and calculate your steps per day. Your aim should be at least 10,000 steps per day. You may change your lifestyle accordingly using some of the tips listed above to help reach this goal.

Who needs a reason to buy another cute pair of shoes? Walking happens to be the best reason. Invest in a good pair of walking shoes and walk on!

Please check back soon for more Beauty Secrets by Mary.

Until then, be your most beautiful!

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Summer is synonymous with enjoying the outdoors, but sometimes the weather outside is downright frightful. With all the heat and annoying humidity, it can be hard to stay cool while looking effortlessly beautiful.

Here are some fixes for common beauty issues brought on by the blazing sun:

Hello Raccoon Eyes
Sure, they're cute on the fuzzy critters, but no one wants a pair of raccoon eyes for their very own. You were savvy enough to wear sunglasses to shield you eyes from the sun's glare, but now you're stuck with a strange facial tan! To remedy the situation, apply tinted moisturizer around your eyes, taking care not to get any in your eyes. To avoid the situation in the future, be sure to slather sunscreen all over your face, and wear a hat in addition to sunglasses to fully block out sun exposure on your face. Remember, the sun causes wrinkles!

Hairstyling Blahs
If hot, sticky weather has you constantly pulling your hair back into a ponytail, you're not alone! But boredom is sure to set in if you only have one hairstyle at your fingertips. Take a peek back at my tips on 4 Fuss Free Summer Hairstyles, and start turning heads with a perfect, seasonally appropriate mane.

Behold, a Blister!
There's nothing like a new pair of cute sandals or heels to lift your spirits, and your outfit to new heights, but "ouch!" when a blister blossoms breaking them in! To avoid a blistery blunder often brought on by sweaty feet, dust your feet with foot powder prior to breaking in new soles. Or place a Band-Aid against the curving heel of the shoe to prevent rubbing.

Bumpy trail
There's nothing worse than getting razor burn on your bikini line after shaving, and before heading to the beach or swimming pool. To avoid this blunder, use a brand new razor blade for the task, along with a moisturizing shaving gel. Shave in the same direction as the hair growth. A few dabs of hydrocortisone cream works wonders if despite your best efforts, you still find yourself with razor burn.
A great option for ditching the razor entirely is to use the Verseo ePad to permanently remove hair from your bikini line.

Here's hoping these tips keep you cool, calm and collected as the hot, sticky weather of Summer gives way to crisp Fall!

Please check back soon for more Beauty Secrets by Mary.

Until then, be your most beautiful!

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The upper right hand corner of your screen offers you the opportunity to "Ask Mary a Question." So, I encourage you to please send me your most pressing beauty related questions, and I will be happy to answer them. Here are three answers to recent questions submitted by readers.

Q. How do I get glowing skin?

A. Here is a list of beauty tips that you may easily follow to make your skin glow!

*Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
*Clean makeup brushes often to prevent the spread of bacteria, which causes breakouts.
*Get at least eight hours of beauty sleep. It's called "beauty" sleep for a reason. Skin works on repairing itself during the night.
*Wash your face and remove makeup at night before hitting the hay. Doing so will help prevent clogged pores and pimples.
*Resist the urge to pick or squeeze pimples, which leads to discoloration and scarring of delicate facial tissue.
*Eat well to glow from the inside out. Some great foods to consume for radiant skin include fruit, salmon due to its omega-3 fatty acids, extra virgin olive oil because it is an anti-inflammatory, protein sources: fish, egg whites, skinless chicken. Limit your sugar and salt intake, because both cause inflammation.
*Wear sunscreen daily.
*Steam your face once a week to cleanse pores, loosen and clear blackheads and reveal glowing skin.
*Exfoliate your skin three times a week. Use a facial mask at least once a week. Moisturize daily.
*Exercise.
*Fall in LOVE!

Q. How do I match my foundation to my skin tone?

A. Your foundation should look completely natural and should be an exact match for your skin tone. This is one case where you need total perfection, to give a flawless finish and even out skin tone. To test different shades of foundation, dab the color on your face and jawline for the most accurate reading. Remember that foundation will meet the skin on your neck, so there can't be any discrepancy in color. Take a mirror outdoors and look at yourself in the sunlight to gauge whether you have a true match. If you are uncertain whether you have chosen the right foundation, ask for a consultation from a department store pro at your makeup counter of choice. This will beat getting stuck guessing if the shade in the bottle at the drugstore is right for you.

Another helpful tool in foundation and makeup application is the True Light Interactive Mirror. Five different lighting settings give you an array of options for the appropriate application with relation to indoor and outdoor lighting. You'll look flawless in both a candlelight setting, and under the sun!

Q. How can I promote hair growth and get fuller hair?

A. You're in luck! Verseo offers several great, effective hair growth products. Try the Hair Plus Combo, a shampoo and conditioner set that stimulates hair growth so you can have longer, thicker and bouncier hair after one month of use. After you suds up, reach for the Lasertron Hair Rejuvenation Kit. This kit actually includes the Hair Plus Shampoo, as well as a pre-treatment cleanser and a treatment solution to apply before using the Lasertron Brush for fifteen minutes, three times a week. The brush stimulates cells and increases energy production to encourage hair growth.

Please check back soon for more Beauty Secrets by Mary.

Until then, be your most beautiful!

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We've all heard that we're supposed to drink eight, 8 ounce ounce glasses of water per day, but how many of us abide by that rule?

While downing this much water daily may seem tedious, you might be convinced to tilt your glass and drink up once you learn why water is so important for maintaining beauty and health.

Water accounts for approximately 60% of your body weight. It is necessary to frequently replenish our systems with water because we are in a constant state of losing water via perspiration, using the ladies room, and even breathing. We need water to keep our bodies running efficiently, our joints lubricated, our kidneys functioning at their highest level, and our skin hydrated. Water consumption also helps ward off illness, headaches, fatigue, and dizziness.

So where does beauty factor in to all of this, you might be asking? Drinking water is the most vital beauty secret there is. The skin is the body's largest organ, and water is literally what makes us all flower. The "Fountain of Youth" got its name for a reason. Water delivers nutrients to cells, bestows a vibrant complexion, keeps eyes clear and radiant, holding dark circles at bay, and flushes away toxins and purifies the body. Keeping skin well hydrated staves off wrinkles, prevents dry skin, and helps skin retain its elasticity.

Buy a large, reusable water bottle so you don't have to constantly refill small glasses with water. You'll know once the bottle is empty that you have met your requirement. Toting a water bottle will also allow you to drink water on the go, when you need it the most. And opting for a reusable bottle over a bunch of small plastic water bottles will help beautify our earth as well, by causing less waste.

Lose the 'blah' factor of plain water and enliven your daily dose with any of the following: lemon wedges, lime slices, cucumber slices, cantaloupe balls, or orange sections. If you simply can't wrap your head around drinking eight glasses of water, supplement your requirement with milk, 100% fruit juice, or even eat a solid piece of fruit, which contains a healthy dose of water. Keep in mind that alcohol and caffeine are diuretics which deplete the body of water.

Be sure to up your intake of water if you exercise and sweat (or glisten!), if you are in hot weather, if you are ill, and if you are pregnant or nursing. Your body requires extra hydration in all of these conditions due to rapid fluid loss.

Go pour yourself a glass of water, and kick up your feet while you rejuvenate your body with nature's best beauty treatment.

Please check back soon for more Beauty Secrets by Mary.

Until then, be your most beautiful!

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