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

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