It’s Easy Being Green

Today's moment of Zen brought to you by the color Green:

What does Green mean? The color can be a little schizophrenic. One the one hand, it represents growth, health, and love (see below). On the other, it can mean mold, sickness, envy and inexperience. It can also mean money.

Wearing o' the Green – Tradition has it that you must wear green on St. Patrick's Day. Problem is, according to NYC stylist and Fashion Institute of Technology adjunct professor Lynda Johnson, not everyone looks good in the color. Especially Kelly green which is the traditional hue. You can opt for olive, forest and other greens that are more flattering. But it's tough color and can make mature skin look sickly indeed. Better to opt for accessories, she says: earrings, a scarf, maybe even those green carnations they sell everywhere on the day — with a shamrock of course.

Getting Pinched – Tradition has it that if you don't wear green on St. Patrick's Day, you get a pinch. There are strategies of course, but it might not be such a bad thing. First of all depending on where you're pinched, it might break up a little cellulite. And furthermore, nonverbal communication in the form of touch can be powerful. So a little pinching, as long as it's not too hard, might be a nice thing.

Green Makeup – Marlene Katz, founder of ISS Intelligent Skin Sense had a midlife makeover and now provides ways for others to do the same; a quick way to "green" up your makeup bag, she says, is to weed out products containing petroleum with its heavy carbon footprint, and go for products that are formulated with essential oils and other natural alternatives.

Green Beer – St. Paddy's Day revelers will be happy to know that beer is practically a health food! It has vitamin B6, plus it's good to reduce heart disease and stress, boost memory and good cholesterol, slow aging, prevent cancer, even promote better bones. There's even a greener beer in the works.

Eat Green – You missed it! March 16 was National Artichoke Hearts Day. That's OK; celebrate today. Packed with vitamin C, folate (helps develop new cells), potassium (for smooth muscle contraction), magnesium (for muscle and nerve function) and a soupcon of powerful antioxidants, artichokes are a great green vegetable. Learn to cook them — but don't attempt it after an abundance of green beer.

Green House – Put your green thumb to work on a wall inside your home — innovative and exciting! Think of what you'll save on painting.

Green Grass of Home – Spring means stepping outdoors. Save water and make your lawn greener in both senses of the word — go organic. Or take a hike. Vermont is a very green state, and the New Life Spa is offering a great special for hiking in the Green Mountains.

Green Heart – Green is the color of the fourth Chakra, which is the heart. It makes sense, since love is healing. Perhaps that's why there are so many Irish poets.

Get Your Green On – Wind up the end of the day in a LUSH pool of green with their Avobath Bath Bomb (above), chock full of avocado — soften skin and destress simultaneously. Top it off with Cynthia Sylvia Stout Shampoo, full of real Irish stout and inspired by a poem — let your hair foam up, fan out, then rest well.