As you may have noticed, I’m very interested in health and fitness. I’ve toyed with the idea of becoming a trainer or registered dietitian, but I never really pursued it (especially because you have to have a Master’s to be an R.D.). But then I found this. The American Fitness Professionals and Associates website offers a certification as a Nutrition and Wellness Consultant. It sounds really cool; they suggest all sorts of job options and they send you everything, as well as the testing material. It isn’t cheap, but I think it would pay for itself shortly. If I’m not going to pursue librarianship as my career (and it’s possible that I might be moving soon, thereby giving up my job), then this is certainly worth considering.

This show is my new addiction. It airs on E!, but since I don’t have cable I have to netflix it. I’m watching Season 1, and Season 2 comes out next month, although netflix doesn’t have it yet. Anyway, the basic premise of the show is that it is an inside peek at what it’s like to live in the Playboy Mansion, particularly from the viewpoints of Hef’s three girlfriends, Holly, Bridget, and Kendra. This seems like the kind of show that would be total fluff, and it is, but it’s good fluff. The girls aren’t bimbos, and are actually quite articulate and well-spoken (Kendra’s kind of a doofus, but it’s funny). Although it seems weird that these three beautiful women are all dating the same 80-year-old guy, it actually kind of makes sense when you watch it. Holly is the number one girlfriend (she’s quick to point out that while she enjoys being number one, the hierarchy was in place before she got there). She says Hef is her soul mate and she gets to share his bedroom (she also calls him “Puffin” all the time). Bridget and Kendra have their own rooms in the same hall, and other than the fact that they all have to share, each has what seems like a normal relationship with Hef (as normal as it can be anyway, since he’s pretty much their grandfathers’ age). But Hef comes off as charming and chivalrous, although he is totally in charge, and the girls live the high life: shopping, pool parties, and tons of blond extensions. The first season celebrates Kendra’s 20th birthday, The Midsummer Night’s Dream party, a wild birthday in Vegas, and the girls’ first Playboy spread, not to mention the nine dogs and one cat that live at the mansion. It’s tacky in a good way, and although the DVD features lots of boob shots, it’s not pornographic. In fact, there’s absolutely no sex on the show; the girls won’t even discuss it. It’s just good, goofy fun. The Girls Next Door makes me giggle and want to wear pink. I might even invest in some Playboy earrings.

Also, Bridget is connected to the Blonde Mafia clothing line, which makes this adorable hoodie. It has horns. I want it.

The May issue of Fitness is great. It starts out with an article about why women should strive for healthy vs. thin, and the model on page 29 actually looks like a real person. They are also soliciting stories from healthy women sizes 10-16, to show that full-figured can still mean healthy, fit, and sexy. One of my favorite articles, though, is on page 77. Entitled “Color Your Diet Healthy,” it discusses why produce comes in a wide range of colors, as well as the health benefits associated with each hue. Here’s a quick list of recommended foods in each color:Green: kiwi, broccoli, romaine lettuce, kale, spinach, brussels sprouts, cabbage, honeydew, avocado.Red: tomatoes, red onions, watermelon, red grapes, radishes, cranberries, strawberries, red bell peppers.Yellow: yellow bell peppers, grapefruit, pineapple, lemons, squash, yellow corn.Orange: carrots, apricots, mangoes, oranges, pumpkin, cantaloupe.Blue: blueberries.Purple: plums, eggplant, blackberries, purple grapes, raisins, prunes, figs, purple onions.White: jicama, pears, bananas, cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, garlic.I’m always a little concerned about how well-rounded my diet is, but this alleviated some fears. I regularly eat at least one food from each group except blue. I don’t like blueberries. To me they are bland and flavorless, but I guess I need to keep trying. I also need to up my intake of purple foods. Overall, though, I’m not doing too badly.

I was reading Yahoo! this morning, and the site featured an interesting little article on the best and worst foods for your teeth. Now, I’m a certified dental hygiene freak; I love to brush my teeth, I like going to the dentist, I try to floss pretty regularly. So I was excited about the info in this article. Except for bread, I don’t indulge much in the “bad” foods, and I regularly eat a lot of the good ones. Yay!

Somewhere in America right now, a student’s science fair project is demonstrating cola’s ability to eat through tooth enamel. It’s not pretty. But soda isn’t the only food that does a number on your grin. Here are some of your smile’s worst enemies — and best friends.

THE ENEMIES LIST
Soda, fruit juice, and sports drinks: Not only are they sugary, they’re acidic, and that creates a perfect home for the bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease — especially if you tend to sip on one or another of these drinks all day (who, us?). Acid-neutralizing saliva just can’t keep up.
The realistic fix: Nobody’s saying go cold turkey, but for all-day swigging, choose water. Reserve these pick-me-ups for once-a-day use. And buy some straws — sipping through them (try this trick) shrinks teeth-exposure time.

Sticky stuff: We’re not just talking gooey caramels or fruit rollups. Bread, crackers, chips, sweet rolls, and other refined carbohydrates are nearly as likely to cling to teeth as a Tootsie Roll — and they hang on for at least 20 minutes. Not good.
The realistic fix: Try to say no to sticky sweets and carbs when you can’t brush afterward. Alternatively, slosh some water around in your mouth or chew a stick of sugarless gum that’s sweetened with xylitol. The gum helps remove sticky food particles from your teeth, and xylitol curbs cavity causers and increases healthy saliva.

YOUR SMILE’S BEST FRIENDS
Cheese, please: Eating a bit of cheddar (or whatever) at the end of a meal helps protect teeth. It stimulates the production of cleansing saliva, plus the calcium in cheese helps harden teeth.

Crunchy things: Crisp apples, celery and carrots are nature’s little toothbrush alternatives. Not only do they help rid your mouth of food particles but their rough, fibrous texture actually scrubs away as you chew, slightly brightening your smile.

Have a cuppa: Drinking tea after eating can help destroy the germs that cause cavities, gum disease, and phewy breath. That goes for both green and black teas.

Shiitake mushrooms: These delicate, delicious flavor-boosters contain lenitan, a plant substance that’s anything but a lightweight: It fights both tooth plaque and the bacteria that live in it.

I want Cameron’s studded purse. It would totally match my favorite belt. I can’t find anything conclusive, but research indicates that this bag is part of Marc Jacobs’s Sweet Punk line (well, actually, it looks as though she has two, but I’m after the green one). I checked the Marc Jacobs website and didn’t find it there–not that it would matter. I really can’t afford a several-thousand-dollar purse. So here’s hoping Target will have a knock-off version soon!

UPDATE: I was reading the latest issue of People today (the one with Valerie Bertinelli on the cover), and they profiled this bag! It is indeed Marc Jacobs and retails for around $700.