Whether or not you’ve “gone organic,” you probably know how crucial a role diet plays in your overall health. People who switch to organic foods report a boost in their energy levels. Their complexions improve and rashes clear up. They catch fewer colds, suffer fewer allergies, and recover quicker from illnesses. The health benefits of eating organic seem to last long-term.

Santa Monica hair stylist takes us back to our roots.

Santa Monica hairstylist Frederic States embraced the organic movement years ahead of the curve. States incorporated the organic movement into his work as part of an overall organic philosophy which extols the many benefits of a whole health and beauty philosophy. This philosophy is all about keeping everything that comes into contact with you and your body as pure and natural as possible, not only in terms of what one puts into one’s body but also what products one puts on one’s body and the hair.

States has advised his clients to go with naturally organic products for their hair his entire career and in fact he uses only non-toxic plant based products on his clientele. States’ respect for natural products translates into his philosophy of a woman’s beauty. “When a client comes to me with a Pamela Anderson photo and says this is how they want me to do their hair, I talk to them about them. I show them their eye color, I show them their skin color, I put color swatches up against their skin.” States said, “I sort of talk them out of that and into what I think will be a much better result for them.”

Once in a while a success story pops up that reads more like a fairy tale. Particularly when the story unfolds in a environmentally responsible way as is the case with Modmix organic cocktails. Gretchen Nix, the creator of Modmix sees the evolution of her idea as a natural progression of events. “The martini craze was happening around me and many of my health-oriented, athletic friends were drinking cocktails. I noticed that most cocktails were made using high fructose, corn syrup mixers or artificially flavored liqueurs. I also saw people order expensive vodkas and tequilas served with low-quality mixers. It just didn't make sense to me. If you're going to spend the money on an exquisitely made spirit, shouldn't it be paired with an equally high quality mixer?” Nix said.  “I knew there had to be a healthier way to make cocktails. After all, the best cocktails are made with fresh fruit juice not a chemically flavored knock-off. Organic ingredients offered the highest quality while providing an environmentally responsible choice. From these observations, I decided to take classic cocktails recipes and give them a modern makeover. Simple, pure and organic. That’s how I came up with the idea for Modmix.”

Your new neighbors invite you to a weekend cocktail party, but you’ve never told them about your commitment to organic living.

Your boss asks you to lunch with a top client, and he chooses a nearby steakhouse whose chef isn’t focused on organic food.

So, how do you deal with these common dining dilemmas? And how can you follow the basic rules of social etiquette to avoid offending your hosts?

Self-proclaimed “avid foodie” Braden Rhetts of New York City understands these familiar scenarios. She and her husband have been buying and growing organic food for almost four years.

“I do try to seek out organic options when I am traveling or dining out,” she says. “There are many times when I am out to eat with other people, and I know that what is being served is not something I would feel comfortable eating. It really is difficult to avoid offending someone in that situation.”

Owner, Green Bliss Eco Spa

Did you know the average woman who wears lipstick on a regular basis will end up swallowing about 10 pounds of petroleum by-product (in the form of common lipstick ingredients mineral oil and petroleum jelly) during her lifetime?

That’s because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate what goes into our beauty products.  So it’s up to you, as an informed consumer, to read the labels on EVERY skin care and cosmetic product that you purchase – just as you do with food labels.