Biting off more than you can chew with a long list of resolutions is not only counterproductive, but can also leave you stressed. Not to mention guilt-ridden if you’re unable to stick with all of them. There’s even an unofficial “Break Your Resolutions Day” on January 17th of each year. And I’m pretty sure you don’t want to celebrate that.

Even the United States Government gets in on the action with a list of popular resolutions on its Web site here. It includes many health-related resolutions such as: Reduce Weight, Quit Smoking, Get Fit, Manage Stress and more.

Why not make a resolution this year to make your resolution list shorter and more manageable?

According to Seth W. Lieberman, CEO of Pangea Media in Boston, MA, a CEO has only three things on his or her “to do” list: Money — don’t run out of cash; Vision — set the vision and strategy; and Team — support the team.¹

This year, be the CEO of your own life with just three “to-dos” for 2012.

1. Ditch your old exercise routine and get with the program – the P.A.C.E. program, that is. Dr. Al Sears, M.D. has studied the science of exercise for more than 25 years. He’s found that just 12 minutes a day of the right kind of exercise is all you need to build a stronger heart and lungs, and to get and stay in shape. You’ve heard the term “intervals.” But P.A.C.E., which stands for Progressively Accelerating Cardiopulmonary Exertion, is about more than just plain intervals. It’s progressively more intense, yet shorter bursts of exercise – or intervals – that do the trick. And everybody can squeeze in just 12 minutes of exercise a day in 24 hours!

2. Lower your sugar intake. Experts believe that a lifetime of overeating sugar can cause wrinkles. A natural process called glycation is the culprit. With glycation, sugar in your bloodstream attaches to proteins to form harmful new molecules called "advanced glycation end products," or AGEs, appropriately. The more sugar you eat, the more AGEs you develop. The more AGES you develop, the more they damage adjacent proteins in a domino-like fashion, according to Fredric Brandt, MD, a dermatologist and author of “10 Minutes/10 Years.”

Besides damaging collagen, a high-sugar diet also affects the type of collagen you have. (Another factor in how resistant skin is to wrinkling.) The most abundant collagen types in the skin are I, II and III, with type III being the most stable and long-lasting. Glycation turns type III collagen into type I. This is more fragile, making the skin look and feel less supple. It also leaves you more vulnerable to sun damage. Diabetics can have up to 50 times the number of AGEs in their skin than non-diabetics.

3. Take your health high-tech with infrared sauna. If you’ve ever sat in a traditional hot rock sauna, the type which many people call "dry heat," you probably remember finding it hard to breathe or burning yourself on the hot benches or walls. Today’s infrared saunas allow you to accomplish a deeper sweat at a lower temperature. This lets you sit more comfortably than other types of saunas, eliminating that "burning" sensation and making it easier to stay in the sauna for 30 or more minutes at a time.

The Journal of American College of Cardiology reports that infrared sauna treatments significantly increase circulation, improve heart health and aid in weight reduction. And many Americans are finally catching on to the benefits of having a home sauna. Residents of other countries have embraced home saunas for ages. In Finland, for example, where the modern sauna was created, home saunas are the norm and there are more saunas than cars – one sauna for every three Finns.

One company that is taking the sauna world by storm is Kansas-based Sunlighten, Inc., which has created a new line of saunas that are the first ever to feature full-spectrum infrared heaters. In fact, Sunlighten’s saunas are the only infrared saunas clinically shown to lower blood pressure, in a study done at the University of Missouri, Kansas City.

The infrared rays used in a Sunlighten Sauna are the same type of light energy emitted naturally by the sun. But without the hazards of skin-damaging UV rays. Infrared heat penetrates deep into the skin, raising your body’s core temperature without excessively heating the air around you, like traditional saunas do. The result is the most effective, comfortable sauna experience. And this provides optimum health benefits.

To find out more about what Sunlighten saunas have to offer, just click here and get yours in time to start your New Year resolutions!

Stay Young,

Jackie Silver

[Ed. Note: The latest addition to our panel of top experts, Jackie Silver is the author of Aging Backwards: Secrets to Staying Young. She’s a dynamic and beautiful 50-something bombshell who looks half her age. She created “Aging Backwards” in 2006 to help empower women to look and feel younger than their actual age. Keep reading Ageless Beauty Secrets for more of Jackie’s best tips, tricks and secret weapons for stopping the effects of aging and improving the whole self – mind, body and spirit.] 

You might be familiar with traditional saunas. Those are the ones that use wood or an electric stove to heat the air. But I recently found out about the benefits of using an infrared sauna… which heats you up, not the air.

The main reason I wanted my own infrared sauna is because of my allergies and a nagging knee pain. Now that I have it, I make sure to get into it every day… even if it’s only for a few minutes.

And wow! I’m already noticing a big improvement in both conditions.

Plus, it has some fringe benefits that I’m taking advantage of.

For example, it makes you sweat a lot. Which is great for pushing toxins out of your pores. It’s a “hot” way to detox!

When all of the impurities in your skin cells are released, you’re left with skin that’s glowing and free of blemishes.

Plus, the increased blood circulation created by the sauna helps stimulate your skin.

This fabulous invention even acts as a hot oil treatment for your hair!

You have to experience it for yourself.

A couple of minutes after you sit down in an infrared sauna, you start dripping with perspiration. You can feel the stress melting away. It’s a beautiful sensation that actually makes you sigh with relief and moan in satisfaction.

For those few moments, nothing else in your life matters. You just turn into Jello… and later you’ll get the best night’s sleep you’ve ever had.

I recommend that, if you have the chance, you check one out.

I know you’re going to love the experience as much as I do. Just make sure to drink plenty of water before, during, and after your sessions.

Keep on Stylin’!

Anesta Dawkins

[Ed. Note: Anesta Dawkins is Owner and Founder of Salon Hottie in West Palm Beach, Florida, and is an accomplished hairstylist, platform artist, and instructor. With over 20 years’ experience in the industry and a satisfied network of clients, Anesta is dedicated to keeping you current with the latest and most innovative products in the beauty industry.]