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

Lemon Essential Oil, Your New Study Buddy

Hey girls! :) Hope you’re all having an awesome Sunday.

I wanted to take a moment to share an interesting study tip with you. Since everyone is back to school, a lot of study action is going on as we prepare for tests. We’re all trying to cram in tons of information and sometimes it’s hard to remember it all.

You may not believe the study tip that I’m about to share with you. It’s pretty, well, wow! Drum roll please…

Lemon essential oil can amp up your test scores! That’s right. This essential oil is known to increase your memory and cognitive function. It’s also been proven to help with focus and concentration when studying. If you study while smelling lemon scent, you’ll most likely do better on those upcoming tests. Awesome, huh?!

Want to know the science behind this cool study trick? Researchers have found that memory power doubles when a past event is associated with a scent. I’m sure you’ve smelled a scent before that has brought back memories. Like when you smell pumpkin pie baking in the oven, you may be reminded of fall and past holidays.

Ready to try out this study trick? Here’s what you need to do:

• Smell lemon essential oil while you study for a test or during a class.
• Then, when you need to remember that information, smell that same lemon fragrance.
• Lemon essential oil is very strong and can cause burns if applied directly to skin undiluted. Eek, not good! :( So, I’d recommend adding a few drops of lemon oil to a spray bottle (filled with a little water) and shake it up. Then, spray a little bit of the diluted lemon oil on your sleeve or somewhere where you can easily smell it while in class or during a test.
• Another option, is simply putting a few drops of the essential oil on a tissue. Then, bring the tissue with and take a few whiffs during class.
• When you’re studying at home, try this out: Place a drop or two on a small unscented tea candle. Light the candle and let the lemon aroma burn into the air. Just be careful to keep your books and papers away from the flame!

If you’re interested in making lemon essential oil your new study buddy, you can find a bottle on Amazon for $6.43. Check it out here: http://www.amazon.com/Lemon-Essential-Undiluted-Therapeutic-Grade/dp/B005V4ZRNA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1379891400&sr=8-2&keywords=lemon+essential+oil

Good luck with your upcoming tests! ;)

Photo Credit: www.flickr.com

Limit Your Sweet Stuff

 

We all love sweet, sugary foods. I mean who doesn’t. I have to admit, I totally have a sweet tooth. ;)

It’s okay to eat sweets, but only in moderation. There are numerous studies that show that sugar slowly damages the body.

And get this; studies show that sugar consumption can lead to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and many other serious health problems! Not to mention, weight gain, blemishes, and exhaustion, just to name a few. So, it’s not a good idea to be eating sweets all day long. But, it is okay to indulge here and there. I found that setting limits on my sugar consumption was really helpful. You should try to do this, too. Try thinking about it like this:

1) If you have an out of control sweet tooth or eat more than one sugary food a day, I would suggest trying to eat just one treat each day. You’ve gotta start somewhere, right?

2) Ready to limit yourself further? Then, pick two to three days a week where you allow yourself to indulge in something sweet.

3) This is another option that works for a lot of people: Try eating sugar free for 6 days a week. Then, choose one day a week that you let loose and eat whatever sugary stuff you want (don’t get too crazy though). If you do this, then try not to worry about reading package labels on day seven.

Setting limits on your sugar intake will help you in so many ways. One of the big bonuses to eating less sugar is weight loss. Not everyone needs to lose weight, but I know someone who lost weight fast. She lost 8 pounds and all she did was stop eating sugar for 6 weeks! Nothing else changed with her diet! She was a size 6 or 8 before and now she’s a 4 or 6. Amazing, right?!

Here’s an example of what my sugar consumption is like during the week: Last week, I ate homemade chocolate chip cookies on Tuesday and Saturday. The other five days I didn’t consume any cane sugars. If I got a craving for something sweet, I would add a little honey (1 tsp or less) to my Greek yogurt or lightly drizzle some over a banana. I always sprinkle cinnamon on my banana…so good!

I feel awesome since I’ve started limiting my sugar. I have WAY more energy now. And guess what else? My skin is so much clearer. Diet plays a huge role in pimple production. Limit your sugar consumption today. Don’t start tomorrow or next week. Start right now! YOU can do this!

Photo Credit: www.tumblr.com

Words to Live By

Hey girls! Happy Saturday! :) I wanted to share this cool quote with you: "Food is fuel. Eat to live. Don't live to eat." This quote is SO true! The purpose of eating is to nourish and fuel our bodies. Remember this and you'll have happier healthier days! 

Photo Credit: www.simplybloomblog.com

Seven Tips for a Flatter Stomach

Hey, girls! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend! Today, I wanted to share with you a few tips that will help you flatten your stomach.

1. Only eat when you’re hungry. A lot of people eat because they’re bored, stressed, or have a food craving. To achieve a flat stomach, you want to avoid all of these false hunger traps. Listen to your body and watch for those tell-tale signs like growling or a churning sensation in your stomach. You’ll know when you’re hungry and when you’re not if you pay attention.

2. Watch the clock. When’s the last time you ate? If you just ate an hour ago, then don’t eat again for awhile. You should give your stomach time to digest your last meal. You also want to let your metabolism rest for a little bit instead of constantly engaging it.

3. Eat until you’re satisfied…don’t stuff yourself! You should feel good after you’ve eaten. If you eat just enough to satisfy your hunger, you’ll feel awesome and re-energized. But, if you stuff yourself, you’ll feel lazy, slow, and downright terrible! No one wants to feel that way, right? I know I don’t!

4. Eat healthy food! We eat food because we want to feel good and we need to nourish our bodies. Often, people go for the unhealthy, junky foods that leave them with a yucky feeling, just to have that taste in their mouth. It’s okay to indulge in unhealthy foods that you love sometimes, just don’t go crazy with it! You can always find healthier alternatives to unhealthy foods. For example: I love chocolate! But, whenever I have a chocolate craving, I eat chocolate chips from the health food store instead of chocolate that’s full of artificial sugars and other unhealthy ingredients. And I only eat a small amount at a time.

5. Drinking water before meals will help you to flatten up your mid section. Studies show that drinking water before meals causes a lower calorie intake, ultimately leading to weight loss. The water provides you with a feeling of fullness.

6. If you need to eat out, always try to choose the healthiest choice. If you’re ordering from a drive thru, go for salad, fruit, yogurt, oatmeal, smoothie, etc. Try to choose these types of feel good, healthy foods instead of greasy foods that’ll make you feel heavy and weighed down. Here’s another scenario: If you’re eating out at a restaurant, look for healthy food choices on the menu. They’re always there; you just need to look for them. Keep in mind that every food choice you make adds up to a final result. This result will either be a muffin top or a flat stomach which will make you feel good. YOU decide.

7. Keep your sugar intake at a minimum. Sugar is really fattening and it’s so not good for your body. It’s okay to eat sweet stuff every now and then, but try not to over indulge! In my family, we only eat a treat once or twice a week, not every day.

Follow these 7 tips and watch your stomach get flatter!

Photo Credit: www.hellomagazine.com

Paper Dogwood Flowers

A few months ago, I was on a paper flower making craze! I was working on a project that involved making a ton of different types of flowers, all out of paper! The dogwood branch was definitely one of my favorite things that I made. Are you ready to learn how to make your own?

I found this project on marthastewart.com. You can check out the project details and instructions here: http://www.marthastewart.com/267034/paper-dogwood-flowers

I think the delicate, white flowers and green leaves look so pretty sitting on the branch. What’s really cool about this project is that you actually use a real tree branch. How cool is that?

This project is very inexpensive! You barely need any materials, only seven items: white + green cardstock, the template (on Martha Stewart website), scissors, eraser, green ink, starburst stamp, and clear craft glue. Instead of using the starburst stamp, I used a green Sharpie marker and dotted the center of my flowers. Other than that, I followed the instructions. There are written instructions and an instructional video on the website. I found the video to be very helpful.

This project is quick, cheap, and SO CUTE! Try it out.

Photo Credit: www.vi.sualize.us

Note: I used a picture of someone else’s dogwood flowers. I would have taken a picture of the ones I made, but they are kind of beat up because I had to display them outdoors…and it was raining. Paper flowers + rain = a total mess, haha. :)

Makeup Bag Makeover, Post #3: Lip Balm

Did you know that many popular lip balm brands are full of icky chemicals? Some even contain ingredients that actually dry out your lips. Kind of counterproductive, right? Since it dries out your lips, you’ll find that you’re frequently applying the lip balm. Your lips can become dependent on the product. It’s crazy! So now you’re using more of the product and the lip balm companies make big bucks. Good for them, but not good for your lips, your health, or your wallet. 

I’ve wanted to ditch my chemical lip balm for a more natural product for awhile now. I finally got the motivation I needed from my two good friends, Bella and Madison. They both LOVE eos lip balm and recommended I try it. So, I purchased one at Target the other day for $2.99 and love, love, love it! It smells so good and doesn’t dry out my lips. It keeps them soft and moisturized for a long time and I don’t have to constantly reapply. My lips have not been dry since I’ve started using this product.

Eos lip balm is 100% natural and 95% organic. This lip balm is free of parabens and petroleum. It contains vitamin E, shea butter, and jojoba oil which will keep your lips soft and smooth. I recommend giving eos lip balm a try!

You can purchase an eos online here: http://evolutionofsmooth.com/

They come in so many pretty colors, yummy flavors, and wonderful scents. I bought the light blue, sweet mint eos. The peppermint oil in this one smells so good.

Oh, and I just think the little eos containers are super cute!

Photo Credit: www.polyvore.com

Lemon Sugar Scrub

The summer heat has really done a number on my skin. It’s definitely been in need of a little TLC. So, I decided to make a homemade lemon sugar scrub, and I wanted to share the recipe with you.

Ingredients

zest of 2 lemons

3 TBSP olive oil

1 cup of sugar

juice of 1 lemon

Directions

Zest two lemons and add to a small bowl. Juice one of your lemons; try giving it a quick roll on your kitchen counter. This will make juicing the lemon a lot easier and you’ll get more juice out of it. Then, add 3 TBSP of olive oil and 1 cup of sugar to your bowl. Stir until everything is well combined and ta-da! You have a wonderful smelling scrub that’ll remove dead skin and re-hydrate your dry skin. You can use this on your hands, feet, elbows, and knees.

An awesome bonus…this scrub looks so pretty! Often, scrubs look drab, but this one sure doesn’t! The bits of yellow lemon zest poking out of the sparkly sugar makes using this a delight. 

My skin feels silky, smooth, and revitalized. Give it a try and yours will be too.

     

Photo Credit: www.bubblews.com

Purple Cabbage Quinoa

I cooked up this delicious plate of quinoa for lunch today. I can’t wait to show you how to make it. This dish is super simple, quick, and uses few ingredients. It’s perfect for lunch or dinner…I ate it for both meals today, haha! ;)

The crunch from the purple cabbage is one of my favorite things about this dish! And who doesn’t love caramelized onions. I don’t know what it is about them, but I would eat them on anything.

Ingredients

1/3 of a purple cabbage (sliced)

1 small bag of frozen broccoli

2 onions (sliced)

1 box of quinoa pearls (about 12 ounces)

3 TBSP olive oil

salt + pepper

Directions

1) Cook your quinoa by following the box directions. 2) Pour the broccoli in a small pot and follow the bag directions. 3) While the quinoa and broccoli are cooking, heat up 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan. Slice up the onions and add to the olive oil. Sauté the onions until they become caramelized (slightly brown). 4) Once your onions are caramelized, add the sliced cabbage to your pan. Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil over the cabbage. Let the cabbage cook down. Stir onions and cabbage every few minutes until cabbage is soft, but still has a slight crunch. You can taste test a piece of cabbage to see if it’s done. 5) Once your quinoa, broccoli, onions, and cabbage are cooked, toss everything together in a large bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy this delicious and pretty dish!

What's the Deal with Blueberries?

I don’t know about you, but blueberries are one of my favorite fruits! They’re sweet, tart, and so totally delicious! Want to know why you should eat them? I’ve listed six reasons below:

1. A handful of these beautiful berries pack a ton of antioxidants, which is awesome for glowing skin and healthy hair!

2. Blueberries also provide you with vitamin C that’ll keep your skin healthy and combat colds.

3. This fruit is WAY low in calories! Get this; one cup contains less than 100.

4. Going back to school soon? I think you’ll appreciate the brain boosting power this fruit brings to the table!

5. Guess what else they are good for? Weight loss! These blue beauties contain fiber which helps your body feel fuller for a longer period of time. Blueberries also speed up your metabolism which will help you shed those extra pounds.

6. Build up your immune system by including blueberries in your diet.

Ways to include these berries in your diet: You can munch on a handful, add them to your smoothie, or toss some on your salad. They can also easily be washed and tossed in a bag for a quick snack on the go.

Try to incorporate blueberries in your daily diet and you’ll be rewarded!

Picture Credit: topdefinitions.com

Makeup Bag Makeover, Post #2: Mascara

I received a bottle of Organic Wear mascara as a birthday gift from two awesome, sweet girls that I’ve known for a long time. I’ve been wearing it for the past few months and seriously couldn’t live without it! I started wearing this mascara around the time that I was teaching an art class to a group of younger children. One of my students, a really sweet little girl, told me my eyes were pretty. I’ve gotten a ton of other compliments on my eyes since I’ve started wearing this mascara. When I run out I’m so totally going to purchase the same bottle.

There are a lot of yucky ingredients found in traditional mascara. Let me show you a quick comparison of the ingredients. You’ll soon see that the natural mascara is WAY more effective and healthier.

Traditional mascara contains synthetic solvents that can make your lashes dry and brittle. This all natural mascara is free of synthetic solvents. It contains orange water that will hydrate and moisturize lashes. Aloe and cucumber extracts, in this mascara will calm, soothe, and moisturize lashes.

Synthetic polymers are another chemical ingredient found in most mascara. These ingredients can cause clumping and brush buildup. Not good, right? The mascara I’ve been using contains biopolymers, an all natural ingredient that combats clumps.

Synthetic preservatives typically found in mascara are used to preserve and extend shelf life. It’s great that it does all of that, but it’s just another chemical that should be nowhere near your body! The preservatives used in Organic Wear mascara actually reduce the risk of eye irritation.

Synthetic fibers can cause eye irritation, but do add volume to lashes. The tapioca starch in this natural mascara creates volume without causing irritation. So far, I think the natural mascara is sounding WAY more awesome, don’t you think?

Organic Wear claims that their mascara’s ingredients are 100% natural. Get this, it’s free of petroleum by products (irritates eyes), parabens, GMO’s and synthetic fragrances! It’s also hypoallergenic and cruelty free!

This mascara adds major volume, definition, and length to my lashes! I’m totally in love with this product and recommend that you try it out! Oh, and one more thing… I love the bottle! It’s super cute, right?

You can take a look at the Organic Wear mascara here: http://www.physiciansformula.com/en-us/productdetail/eyes/mascara/01063.html

Photo Credit: www.beautylish.com

Yoga How To: Camel

Camel pose is totally a fav yoga pose of mine! I almost always include camel in my daily yoga routine. It stretches nearly all of the body’s major muscles. Camel tones and stimulates the chest, abdomen, thighs, and limbs. I feel that it stretches and loosens up the front of my body the most, which feels so good! I’m going to guide you through this awesome pose.

1. Start by kneeling on the floor with your knees hip width apart. Your thighs should be perpendicular to the floor. Rotate your thighs slightly inward and keep your hips soft. Your shins and tops of your feet should be pressed firmly into the floor. 

2. Place your hands on the back of your pelvis and palms below your lower back, pointing fingers downward. Move your pelvis forward and press your front thighs back. Take a big inhale and press your shoulder blades against your back ribs.

3. Lean back, keep your head up, and hands on your pelvis. It’s hard for beginners to drop backwards into this pose, while touching hands down to feet and keeping thighs perpendicular to the floor at the same time. So, I’d suggest tilting thighs back slightly and twist a little bit on one side to get the one hand on your foot. Then bring your thighs back to perpendicular and straighten out your torso. Touch your second hand to your other foot. If you can’t reach your feet, feel free to turn your toes under to make your heels more reachable.

4. You don’t want to compress your lower back or harden your stomach, so make sure that you’re lower front ribs aren’t protruding sharply toward the ceiling. Press your palms into the soles or heels of your feet. The base of your palms should be on your heels and fingers point in the direction of your toes. Your neck should be kept in a neutral position, but if you feel comfortable enough, drop it back. Be very careful not to strain your neck!

5. Beginners should only hold this pose for around 20 seconds so as not to strain anything. After you’ve practiced this pose multiple times and feel comfortable, hold the pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute. When you’re ready to come out of camel, place your hands on your hips, inhale, and lift your head and torso up. If your head is tilted back, let the front of your body lead you out of the pose. Don’t jerk your head forward. Now, relax in Child’s Pose; forehead on the ground, arms under your shoulders, palms facing up. Come out of this pose whenever you feel ready.

I hope you enjoyed learning how to do camel pose.

Is Your Nail Polish Toxic?

I love to have pretty painted nails, don’t you? I think almost every girl does! What every girl doesn’t know is that nail polish contains toxic chemicals. I always knew that nail polish was full of chemicals, but I always thought to myself, “Well, it’s just going on my nails. It’s not like I’m putting it on my skin.” I was very wrong to think this. Nails are a part of your skin and are very porous, meaning those chemicals will totally be absorbed into your body. Not good, right?

There are three major chemicals found in nail polishes which are commonly referred to as the “toxic trio”. The toxic trio consists of toluene, formaldehyde, and dibutyl phthalate.

Toluene is used to manufacture rubber, gasoline, paints, airplane glue, shoe polish, and other chemicals. I don’t think anyone would want to rub this chemical all over their skin. I know I wouldn’t! As I said, nails are a part of your skin, so that’s totally what you’re doing. This chemical is known to affect the central nervous system. Toluene can cause vertigo, seizures, coma, decreased cognition, blindness, and much more. It affects other areas of the body too, like your heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, and musculoskeletal systems.

Formaldehyde is a colorless gas, used as a preservative. This chemical can cause blistering, contact dermatitis, and chemical burns. Exposure to low doses of this chemical have been known to irritate eyes, skin, and the respiratory tract. Higher amounts of formaldehyde can cause pulmonary swelling, irregular heartbeat, and even death! It sure doesn’t sound like something you’d want your body to be absorbing!

Dibutyl phthalate goes by many names such as benzenedicarboxylic acid and dibutyl ester. The European Union does not allow this chemical to be used in cosmetics. This chemical can lead to toxicity in the nervous system, developmental delays, hormone disruption, neurotoxicity, and irritation of the lungs.

I definitely don’t want to be absorbing any of those toxic chemicals into my body! So, I looked into healthier options that are free of the toxic trio. Yesterday, I picked up 3 bottles of Mineral Fusion nail polish at Whole Foods. I love using different shades of pink whenever I paint my nails, so I got a pink polish called Jewel. I also got a bottle of base coat and top coat polish. I painted my nails today with this nail polish and loved the way they turned out. The pink color is super cute! Mineral Fusion’s nail polish was on sale at Whole Foods for $5.99, it’s normally $7.99. I thought that price was awesome and around the same amount of money that I’d spend on other nail polishes that are full chemicals. You can check out Mineral Fusion’s nail polish here: http://mineralfusion.com/index.php/shop/nail-color-and-care/nail-polish/nail-polish

Natural nail polish is WAY healthier and comes in tons of cute colors! You should definitely give it a try!

Makeup Bag Makeover, Post #1: Foundation

I was at Whole Foods the other day and decided to take a look at their makeup aisle. After looking for awhile (and reading lots of labels!), I decided to get Mineral Fusion’s pressed powder foundation for $29.99. It’s free of parabens, artificial colors, fragrances, talc, and gluten. It’s also hypo-allergenic, non-comedogenic, and it was never tested on animals (my inner vegetarian says, “Yay!”). This foundation is made with pure and skin-soothing ingredients like licorice root, aloe vera, mango, and cucumber. It also contains pomegranate, white tea, red tea, mangosteen, sea kelp, vitamin c, and vitamin e to help protect your skin and give it a “healthy radiance” as the box says.

Most foundations are full of chemicals, but this foundation contains ingredients that are actually good for your skin! It’s crazy when you compare ingredients like cucumber, mango, and sea kelp to those wacky hard to pronounce chemical ingredients!

This foundation feels so much lighter than the one I had been using. My skin can breathe now and it’s definitely starting to clear up! I absolutely LOVE this product and totally recommend it!

Check it out here:  http://mineralfusion.com/index.php/shop/cosmetics/face/pressed-powder-foundation

Photo Credit: www.dermstore.com

Natural Makeup

Every girl decides to start wearing makeup at some point in her life. I didn’t start applying makeup until I was fourteen, but every girl’s different. Lots of girls decide to start wearing makeup earlier than that and others choose to wait longer than I did.

One day I was looking in my makeup bag and I realized that a lot of my makeup contained yucky chemicals. I couldn’t believe what a chemical bomb my makeup bag was! Now, I’m on a mission to change that. I’m going to start buying natural makeup because it’s so much healthier and way better for my skin.

 Here’s the 411 on harmful chemicals found in popular makeup brands: You wouldn’t even believe what’s in your makeup! Some of the ingredients have ridiculously long names and are hard to pronounce! To name a few…

1. Parabens are used to give items a longer shelf life. They can cause allergic reactions and skin rashes. Parabens are banned in Japan and Sweden, and are currently under review in the UK.

2. Formaldehyde is another chemical used in makeup products. This chemical can cause allergic reactions, contact dermatitis, headaches, depression, fatigue, dizziness, and immune dysfunction. It also irritates mucous membranes, damages eyes, and has been linked to joint + chest pain. This chemical is also cancer causing. Formaldehyde is banned in Europe! I wonder why.

3. Diethanolamine (DEA), triethanolamine (TEA), amonoethanolamine (MEA) can disrupt hormones, cause liver and kidney cancer, and irritate skin. It’s also corrosive to eyes and could cause contact dermatitis. These chemicals are currently under review in the USA, UK, and Europe.

4. Propylene/Butylene Glycol (PG) has these possible side effects: brain, kidney, and liver abnormalities, throat and respiratory irritation, depression of the central nervous system, brain damage, skin rashes, and dermatitis. This chemical is banned in Europe.

As you can see, makeup containing these ingredients could be very harmful to your health! I’ve only just scratched the surface in this post! There are so many other reasons why you shouldn’t be applying these toxins to your skin!

Natural makeup is more expensive, but wouldn’t you rather spend extra money on makeup now instead of having to deal with and spend money on fixing health issues in the future? Since, natural makeup is pricy; it’s going to take me awhile to change the contents of my makeup bag. As I continue to add to my natural makeup bag, I’ll let you know what I think of each product after I try it.

Every girl is a natural beauty and doesn’t need to wear makeup to be pretty. So, the upcoming natural makeup posts are for those of you who have decided to start enhancing your natural beauty with makeup.

Photo Credit: www.ecoglominerals.com