Natural Beauty Must Have

Hey! :) I wanted to share this natural beauty must have with you guys.

Last month, my friend and I went to an open market together over the weekend. I happened to stop at a stand called “beauty + health + nature”. They were selling natural beauty products that were all made with, as they stated, “pure ingredients from the earth”.

I decided to purchase body butter from their stand. There were many different scents to choose from, like jasmine, vanilla, and lavender. But I decided to go with lemongrass. I may have a small lemongrass obsession...lol. :D But anyway, once I chose my scent, I watched the guy working at the stand hand mix my body butter. It doesn’t get much fresher than that! It was pretty cool.

All of BHN’s products were super cute, trendy, and had pretty, decorative stickers on them.

The body butter I purchased can be used head to toe, but I’ve just been using it on my hands. They usually need a little TLC in the winter. It’s super moisturizing, and does a much better job than other products I’ve used. I think it’s partly because it’s made from ingredients that are so pure. Products that are full of chemicals can sometimes be counterproductive, actually drying skin.

The body butter is also nut-free which is hard to find. I never use products with almond oil or that contain any type of nut ingredients because some of my family members have nut allergies. So, this was the perfect find!

Here are the ingredients: extra virgin olive oil, pure distilled water, hand collected beeswax, raw honey + lemongrass essential oil. It can’t get any more pure than that! I’m loving this product! :)

Check out the body butter: http://beautyhealthnature.tictail.com/product/natural-handmade-body-butter-skin-conditioner

beauty + health + nature website: http://beautyhealthnature.tictail.com/

Making Healthy Choices

Life is all about making choices. The average person is faced with hundreds of choices each day. All the choices we make over time will eventually accumulate and create change. This change will either be good or bad. It’s up to you to make it positive change.

If you don’t have your dream body right now, that’s because you’ve made poor choices when choosing what to eat or in choosing not to exercise. In this post, I want to inspire you to make dietary and fitness choices that will create positive change in your life. It’s easier than you might think!

Food Choices

We are faced with food choices every day, multiple times a day. Making the correct food choices over time will have a huge impact on your body, health, and your overall wellbeing. It’s not that hard. You just need to become conscious of your decision making when it comes to food.

Let’s look at some food choices and their positive or negative outcomes…

1. Let’s say you need something quick to eat and decide to order fast food. You’re going to order either a burger with fries and a soda or a fresh salad with fruit. First, ask yourself, which is going to make me feel better? Obviously the salad and fruit. How will I feel after I eat the greasy food? Probably lethargic, crappy and weighed down. How will I feel after eating the fresh food? Happy, full of energy, and glad that you fueled your body with healthy food. Will I regret eating the burger and fries afterward? Yes. Asking yourself questions like these will help you to make the right choice.

2. Something that I like to call “boredom hunger” is a major issue that gets a lot of people. Sometimes boredom can lead to excessive snacking or eating when you’re not hungry. This isn’t good! You should always listen to your body and eat only when you’re hungry. Ask yourself, am I really hungry right now or am I just bored and looking for something to do? If the answer to this is, “No, I’m not hungry,” then I encourage you to close that fridge door and find something to do!

3. Say you’re craving something sweet, and you keep thinking about this sweet treat. You’re contemplating getting it…STOP! Okay, this is where you think, do I really need to have that sweet taste in my mouth? You’ll taste it for a moment and then it’ll be gone. Then, you’ll wish that you would’ve eaten something healthier. So, try to ask yourself “Will this benefit me/my body?” before making a food choice. I’m not saying you can’t eat sweet stuff, just not too much of it. ;)

4. Overeating is another issue that many deal with. I’ve made a rule for myself, which is to never go back for seconds unless I’m still hungry. I wait at least five minutes after eating and usually always feel satisfied. I rarely ever go for seconds, because if I do, I feel stuffed, lethargic, and really weighed down…hate that feeling! Try to listen to your body. When you feel satisfied, stop eating. It’s that simple!

Try to be conscious of your food choices and remember to use the stop and think method. Soon, you’ll start making healthy choices with little effort. I promise you’ll be glad that you made all of those healthy choices when you’re full of energy and loving your body!

Fitness Choices

Make sure that you set aside some time everyday for exercise. A lot of people don’t exercise or don’t exercise enough due to poor decision making. Try to move for at least thirty minutes every day. Sometimes, you may need to choose between exercising and doing something that you really wanted to do. You may not have time for both, so always try to choose exercise when you can.

Fitness choices and their positive or negative outcomes…

1. You decide to exercise 30 minutes every day for a year. The result of this choice would be a super healthy and fit you.

2. Let’s say you get home from work or school and you haven’t worked out yet. You have 2 hours of TV recorded, waiting for you to watch. You can either watch the full 2 hours…or watch 1 ½ hours and do a 30 minute workout. Ask yourself, what will benefit me more, watching that 30 minute show or working out? Working out will make you feel happier, awesome, and rejuvenated. Watching the show will probably make you feel blah and I’m sure you’ll be wishing that you would have exercised.

3. Sometimes we can’t move every single day because life gets in the way. That’s totally okay! You just need to make sure that missing one day doesn’t lead to you missing lots of days. I don’t work out every single day of the week. I try to work out every night if I can but sometimes I have a busy day and don’t have time for a workout. After missing a day, I jump right back into working out again.

These small choices might not mean much by themselves, but together, they can majorly impact your life. It’s like that saying: one person can make a difference. Every single choice you make will make a difference as well!

I hope I’ve inspired you today! I wish you luck on your decision making! :)

  

Photo Credit: videohive.net

Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful

Hey! Happy New Year! Sorry for not posting in awhile. One of my new year’s resolutions is to try to post more consistently. Haha. ;)

I wanted to start this year off by sharing one of my favorite quotes with you…

“Be your own kind of beautiful.”

It’s one of those quotes that makes you stop and think. What does that mean exactly? To me, it means be yourself. I think girls sometimes struggle with being true to themselves. Classmates, friends, and peer pressure can sometimes get us off track. You shouldn’t care about what other people think. You don’t have to be like everyone else. Be yourself. You are unique and awesome. :)

There’s no standard. We should all try to be beautiful in our own way. Don’t let someone else’s definition of beautiful affect what beautiful means to you.

Follow your heart and don’t always listen to the advice of others. Always do what you think is right.

Being your own kind of beautiful also applies to not just being yourself on the inside but on the outside as well. Don’t follow beauty or fashion trends just because everyone else is. If everyone’s wearing some new fashion trend and you think it looks stupid, then don’t wear it! If you did something different with your hair or you’re wearing a shirt that you love and someone says they don’t like it. Who cares? You shouldn’t! Because if you like it, then you should wear it! Don’t let other people have a heavy influence on your style.

In order to be your own kind of beautiful, you need to do things without worrying about what other people think. Live your life the way you know you should live it and don’t worry about people judging you.

These words mean so much to me that I actually have them on a wall in my bedroom. You can get these inspiring words for your wall for under $5 here: Be Your Own Kind Of Beautiful 5.5h x 20w vinyl lettering for walls quotes art

Photo Credit: indulgy.com

I'm Back . . . with a Story

Hey! I hope you’ve been having a happy fall so far! :)

First of all, I want to apologize for not posting in over a month! Really sorry about that! I’ve been SO sick this past month and had to make some HUGE changes in terms of my health. I wanted to share the little health journey that I’ve had with you. So, here it goes…

I’ll start by talking about my vegetarianism. I’ve been a lacto-ovo-vegetarian for 5-6 years now. I did go through a period where I was vegan for a few months, but didn’t feel well eating in that way. I’ve heard  a lot of people do well being vegan, but my body didn’t like it so I went back to being a lacto-ovo. People always ask me why I’m a vegetarian. I always say it’s because of the gross factor; I get grossed out very easily and a dead animal on my plate doesn’t make me happy. I also feel really, really bad for the animals as well. :(

This past month, I caught an illness that only lasted for not quite one week. I got over that and was on my way back to feeling healthy again, when I got sick AGAIN! I did not leave my bedroom for 11 days!! It was sooo crazy! I’m the type whose always bouncing around doing a hundred things, so just sitting on my butt for that many days drove me absolutely insane! I finally felt well enough to leave the bedroom, but I was lethargic and felt like I was dragging. I mentally and physically didn’t feel like my normal self yet. Normally I’m always happy, bubbly, full of energy, and doing TONS of stuff!

My lethargic feeling persisted for a few days and it didn’t seem like it was ever going to go away. So, I ended up going to an amazing naturopath that my friends go to. She told me that I was anemic (or borderline anemic) and still had a virus inside me. She gave me powdered herbs to take that would knock the virus out of my system and then she gave me blood building herbs that would help with the anemia. I took my first dose of herbs and within a few hours I felt like a million bucks! It was just, WOW! Really cool stuff! I was so happy that I didn’t need to take an antibiotic. One was prescribed to me, but I just feel that putting something like that in your system isn’t good unless you really need to. Plus antibiotics come with a super sized side effect list! It’s scary stuff! Herbs have little to no side effects. I experienced not one side effect while taking the herbs. I’m so happy that I went the natural route!

So, I was told by the naturopath that I’m anemic (or borderline anemic) and other health practitioners have suspected that I was anemic before her. Anemia is basically when you have a deficiency of red blood cells or hemoglobin in your blood, which can result in making the body feel tired. I’ve experienced three fainting episodes within the last 20 months! Let’s just say that wasn’t fun! :P I think the anemia is what caused me to faint. My blood wasn’t as strong as it should have been, maybe because I wasn’t eating the right combination of vegetarian foods or maybe my body needed meat, I don’t know. But, I decided that I didn’t want to keep fainting, so I thought I’d introduce meat back into my diet. I’ve had meat on the brain lately and I know that my body needed it to be healthy and to counter the anemia. My friend Bella gave me the final nudge that I needed. After talking to her, I made my decision. It was a really tough decision to make, but I am no longer a vegetarian. I ate tuna yesterday and chicken today. It was really hard for me to do that but I know my body needed it. The tuna was easier to eat than the chicken. I didn’t feel as bad for the fish, but eating the chicken today…that was tough. Just because it’s a larger more intelligent animal I guess. But both the tuna and chicken I ate were humanely and sustainably raised, so that helped me get through it.

After eating my first dose of meat, I felt like I was back to my “Madison normal”! I had that spring in my step, my mood was super happy!, and I just felt SO good! My body definitely needed meat even though I didn’t want to eat it. So, the lesson I learned from this experience is…always listen to your body! Your body knows what’s best!

Note to vegetarian readers: I want any vegetarians reading this to know that I still totally support vegetarianism. :) It didn’t work out for me, but it works for a lot of people out there! Vegetarianism is great and I wish my body liked being vegetarian, but I knew I had to make that change.

I won’t be posting again until December because I’ll be prepping lots of holiday recipes, crafts, and more for all of you! ;)

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving! :)  I am WAY excited to get in the kitchen and cook up some yummy food… And Tom the turkey, you better watch out! I’m coming for ya this year buddy! Lol!

Autumn Apple Pie Scrub

First of all… My blog now has video! Yay!! :D I’m looking forward to creating fun workout vids and other cool things for you to watch.

Please follow my YouTube channel below:

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVL5BmS8c_d8PwMpFtoz3xA?feature=watch

Now, back to the post…

My hands are always hit hard as the cooler weather comes around and I know I’m not the only one who suffers. They get SO dry and let’s face it…dry hands are majorly annoying! :P I find myself constantly applying moisturizers every day, all day, but nothing over the counter seems to work.

So, I created a killer beauty recipe that’ll keep hands soft during this chilly fall season. Its sweet smelling, very autumn-y, and it will remedy those dry hands! Watch how to make my autumn apple pie scrub.

Here’s the written recipe:

Ingredients

3/4 cup sugar (brown or white)

3 TBSP fresh apple, minced (or applesauce)

1/8 cup olive oil

1/2 TSP ground cinnamon

1/4 TSP ground nutmeg

1 TSP honey

Directions

1) Stir all ingredients together in a small bowl. 2) Pour scrub into a jar or airtight container. 3) Refrigerate and use within five days.

Note: The scrub is really cold when taken out of the fridge. So, you can microwave the portion you are about to use for a few seconds (be careful not to burn yourself though!).

I’m totally in love with this scrub! My hands are super soft and have a healthy glow to them after only one use! The apple, honey, and warm spices all come together and create a sweet smelling aroma. It smells just like apple pie!

It’s easy to make, smells SO good, and works magic in minutes! You’ve gotta give this a try.

Photo Credit: northeastflavor.com

Just 30 Minutes

One of the main reasons people don’t exercise is because they feel they don’t have enough time. Well, I’m here to tell you that you do!

“Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Louis Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.” – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

These people all did AMAZING things with their time. You can and you should spend time on yourself. You can be fit and have your dream body. It’s not a big deal, just do it!

Experts used to think that we needed 60 minutes of exercise each day. I know I don’t want to devote an entire hour each day to exercise and I’m sure you feel the same! But get this; experts now say that you only need 30 minutes of physical activity a day. That’s it!

You can take a walk, swim laps, lift weights, run, ride your bike, do an exercise video, or anything else that gets you moving. Or, you could try doing two or three of these during your thirty.

Take time for you. You are worth it. YOU can do it! Make fitness a priority in your life. You’ll look good and feel good!

I’ll end this post with one of my favorite fitness quotes. Remember this, girls!

“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” – Jim Rohn

Photo Credit: www.nwitimes.com

DIY: Pumpkin Facial

Fall is finally here! We’re ditching that summer heat and welcoming some cool weather. When this time of year comes around pumpkin and warm spices are the first things that come to mind. I thought I’d kick off the beginning of the season by sharing two cool fall recipes. They’re not for eating, but your skin will sure be happy. ;)

I’ve been experimenting in the kitchen to create a pumpkin scrub and face mask. After a lot of testing, I finally have two awesome recipes to share with you. Check them out:

Pumpkin Face Scrub

Ingredients

1/4 cup canned pumpkin, pureed

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

splash apple cider vinegar (optional, for oily skin)

How To

1) Combine all ingredients into a small bowl and stir. 2) Gently massage onto face, using a circular motion. Avoid the delicate eye area. 3) Splash face with warm water to rinse.

Note: This recipe makes enough scrub for a few uses. Store what’s leftover in a tightly sealed container and refrigerate. Use within 5 days.

After you’ve used the scrub, give the face mask a whirl! Oh, and don’t freak out when you’re starting to remove the scrub or mask. Your skin will look slightly orange for a sec when you start removing, but it will all get rinsed off. Orange skin would not be good. I really scared myself…lol. ;)

Pumpkin Face Mask

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canned pumpkin, pureed

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 teaspoon milk

2 cucumber slices (optional)

How To

1) Mix all ingredients together. 2) Apply to face using gentle circular motions and avoid the area around your eyes. 3) Place cucumbers over eyes. 4) Leave the mask on skin for around 10-15 minutes. 5) Use your fingers to gently scrape as much of the mask off as you can. Then, splash your face with warm water, and pat dry. 6) You can follow up with a moisturizer if you’d like.

Note: This recipe makes one mask.

Why should you use pumpkin on your skin?

Pumpkin is full of antioxidants, enzymes, and vitamins C + K. The powerful enzymes in pumpkin rejuvenate, strengthen, and soften the skin.

Say goodbye to those dead skin cells! That’s right. Pumpkin removes dead skin, leaving you with a glowing complexion.

This orange fruit’s antioxidant power helps our skin big time! Constant exposure to pollutants in the environment and sun, stress, and an unhealthy diet can all lead to skin needing an antioxidant boost.  

My thoughts after using the pumpkin scrub and mask:

I absolutely loved it! My black heads have almost completely disappeared after only one use! Yay! I’ve been trying to get rid of those pesky dark holes for a long time now. My pores are visibly smaller and my skin feels tighter. My skin feels so soft and totally renewed. I’ve tried other facial scrubs and masks and have never seen these kinds of results. I’ll definitely be whipping up these pumpkin beauty recipes for the rest of this season!

My pumpkin face mask and scrub are cheap, easy to make, and seriously good for your skin. Try them out! Your skin will thank you!

Photo Credit: boise.dealsaver.com