Browsing Category: Health

Easy and Delicious Detox Water Recipes

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I’m over all the extra lumpiness I absorbed over the holidays and tax season. Oh, I know I’m not the only one that eats out more than usual once that tax return direct deposits lands in their bank. Oh, ok.

Anyway, I’m finally back to paying attention to my health. This past weekend, I finally joined a gym again after 3+ years and I’ve been cutting back on some of my favorite, but high caloric food choices. More trips to Whole Foods and less trips to Popeye’s has made a nice difference. However, the main thing that has really made an impact of my new health goals is the introduction of detox waters.

Water is a great way to rejuvenate your system. It helps to flush out the bad stuff and keep your body hydrated. Still, some people aren’t a fan of water and it can be very boring. However, there are plenty of ways you can pump up your water by adding fresh fruits, veggies and herbs that can not only improve the flavor of water, but your health. Plus, they are delicious and refreshing.

So, since the weather is warming, I’ve decided to try more detox waters and here are some detox waters recipes we need to try.

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Mint Lemon Cucumber Detox Water – 3 Liters of Water/ 1-2 Lemons/ 1/2 Cucumber/ 10-12 Mint Leaves/ Steep Overnight– Not only has this been my favorite detox water as of recent, but it’s been my favorite beverage of choice for the past couple of weeks. It’s so refreshing and helps your health and slimming your belly fat, supposedly. Here’s a breakdown of the ingredients.

  • Lemon: Lemon water makes for a powerful detox drink; lemon juice helps to cleanse and alkalize the body. Add one thinly sliced lemon to a large pitcher, or squeeze fresh lemon juice into your glass. Lemon also aides in digestion and boosts your immune system.
  • Mint: Mint adds a touch of sweetness without the sugar, and it also helps settle your stomach and aids in digestion.
  • Cucumber: Adding a few slices of cucumber to your water makes for excellent re-hydration, and cucumber contains anti-inflammatory properties.

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Apples and Strawberries Water – This water is ideal for improving your skin and digestion. If you are interested in a detox to improve your skin, you should check out this recipe.

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Dr. Oz Fat Flush Water – This is the next detox water I’m planning on trying. It’s from by Dr. Oz and contains grapefruit, tangerines, mint, and cucumbers. This recipe is full of ingredients that flushes toxins out of your body and turn fat into fuel. Get the recipe here.

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Pineapple Mint Water – Last year is the first year that I flavored a glass of water with a few cubes of pineapples and it was amazing. So, this pineapple mint detox water, which is supposedly good for anti-inflammatory, joint pain and arthritis. Check out this recipe here.

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Watermelon Mint Water –  This delicious water is great for improving liver function, digestion, and cramps.  Check out the recipe here, if interested.

I hope you find a detox water that peaks your interest. Also, feel free to point out more detox waters not listed here by leaving a comment below or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Stay Stylish!

 

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How To Deal With Sensitive Teeth

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I didn’t really have that much of an issue with my sensitive teeth when I was younger. However, over the past few years, it has gotten pretty bad, which is understandable since your teeth get more sensitive over time. Some other things that increases sensitivity in your teeth includes wear and tear from improper toothbrushes, tooth decay, and acidic food.

Over time, I’ve learned some important tips on how to decrease and deal with having sensitive teeth. So, here are some quick bites (see what I did there?) on coping, maintaining, and decreasing tooth sensitivity.

  • Brush and Floss Regularly – Why not begin with a “Duh!” point? Even though regular brushing (2-3x a day ) is a requirement for healthy teeth, a lot of people still defer from this. People with sensitive teeth are probably some of the main culprits, because the sensation from brushing and toothpaste causes them to brush as infrequent as possible. However, there are plenty of toothpastes on the market that can help. My personal fav at the moment is Colgate’s Enamel Health Multi-Protection Toothpaste, which helps relieve tooth sensitivity while fighting cavities, whitening teeth, freshening breath, replenishing natural calcium for strong, healthy enamel and protects against enamel erosion. All that awesome stuff! (NOTE: Brushing more than 3x a day can actually do more harm than good and increase the sensitivity. So, limit yourself to 2-3 times a day.)
  • Use Proper Toothbrush – Aside from brushing regularly, having the proper toothbrush is a HUGE key in helping to relieve sensitivity. A soft-bristle brush that is made specifically for sensitive teeth is important. Try the new Colgate Sensitive Toothbrush + Built-In Sensitivity Relief Pen. This new toothbrush is designed to provide quick and lasting sensitivity relief 24/7, right to the source of pain. I noticed reduced sensitivity within a little over week after daily use. So, look for that one.
  • Avoid High Acidic Food – Foods(citrus fruit) and beverages (sodas) that are high in acid helps dissolve the enamel of your teeth and exposes your nerves, which in return causes the sensitivity in your teeth to increase.
  • Don’t Grind Teeth – Up until a few a years ago, I was a major tooth grinder. Maybe not a professional grinder, but a really good amateur. I used to grind my teeth without even knowing that I was doing it. However, I stopped once I realized that it was applying pressure and weakening my teeth which caused my gumline and nerves to act up. If you grind your teeth, especially at night, might I suggest you grab and sleep with a teeth guard to prevent you from grinding your teeth while you sleep.
  • Regular Dental Visits – Well, we started with a Duh! point, so we might as well end with one. I can shamefully admit that I don’t do regular dentist visits, which is every 6 months. However, that is about to change soon, because I recently decided that this is the year that I’m going to finally get my oral health game up to par and that will, more than likely, including getting braces. Yes, I will be that 30+ year old with braces, but I can no longer put it to the side. Therefore, my dentist is about to become my BFF and my wallet’s sworn enemy. With regular visits to your dentist, they will be able to inform you of any new changes or concerns with your teeth before you even notice it. Aren’t you sick of only going to the dentist when you feel like your tooth is trying to rip your heart heart through a cavity? Yeah, I thought so.

So, there are my tips on how to deal and decrease tooth sensitivity. I hope you take these tips and products to mind the next time you feel your teeth being all sensitive and everything.

Stay Stylish!

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Achieving Lasting Joy

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A couple of years ago, I went through a rough patch of unintentional and disposable relationships, friendships, and other situations that caused me to really take a step back and reevaluate my life and where I wanted to be and the type of people with whom I wanted to share my life. Ultimately, I decided that I just wanted to be happy and live a joyful and content life.

A few months later, in an issue of O magazine, I ran across life-coach Martha Beck‘s 5 Rules for Lasting Joy and these quick tips really helped me assess things and how to move toward a happy, peaceful, and joy-filled spirit and life. So, I wanted to share these same tips, in case you need some help in finding your joy.

  1. Honesty Is The Best Policy – You heard this phrase all the time when you were a child, but you never really understand how true it is until you are older. Plus, as Beck mentions, lies can create more lies, which can drain your brainpower and take a toll on solving real problems.
  2. Give Up On Toxic People – Ugh! This was literally one of the first things I had to do to get to my current positive space. Negative people create negative people and the last thing I wanted to do was be a negative person or live a negative life. Instead, I made a concerted effort to look for positivity in everything, which eventually lead me to positive thinking and people. Birds of a feather…
  3. Let It Go – I’m such a non-nonchalant person and have rarely let negative events fester in and on my spirit for so long. So, I’m a life long believer of letting things go. Acknowledge the situation, but think about it for no longer than a couple of minutes. There’s no need to let negative things sit with you.
  4. Trust Your Gut – Personally, I used to have a hard time trusting my gut. Well, I trusted my gut, but I had a hard time acting on it. However, I realized that not acting on my gut was leaving someone else to make decisions for me, which I don’t like.
  5. You’re More Powerful Than You Know – Yes, you have power! Stop being afraid of what others will think and react to what you want to do. You are the master of your destiny and life, which means that you have the ultimate power.

I hope you take some, if not all these small pieces of wisdom and apply them to your life and effort to live a joyful life.

Stay Stylish!

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Hi, I’m a Mininimalist.

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Well, maybe I’m not completely a minimalist, but I can admit that I have been tiptoeing the line of living a minimalism life for the past couple of years, but excess can creep up behind me instantly via a sale or beautiful instagam pictures filled with colorful clothes, delicious looking food, and or flawless makeup applications.

At the beginning of the year, Into Mind posted a 30-Day Minimalism Challenge and I feel compelled to try it. After completing this challenge, hopefully I will have a a cleared mind and look into discovering new things and accomplishing big goals.

Yesterday (Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015) required me to stay offline for one whole day, which is usually easy because I’m rarely on social media on Sundays. However….yesterday was Superbowl Sunday. OMG. I’m still in awe that me posting on Twitter about the game and halftime show featuring Katy Perry DID NOT HAPPEN! When Missy Elliot came out and performed a couple of her hits, all I wanted to do was reach for my phone, but couldn’t. The ending of the game? Oh, I would have went in about that Seattle call for at least 5 tweets.

Luckily, this wasn’t Superbowl 2013 when Beyonce’ performed and the lights when out delaying the game. Remember that? So, I guess I have that.

Anyway, today’s mission was to meditate for 15 minutes and this was another easy task since I’ve been dabbling in the world of meditation. Mediation is the best way to start a productive day.

So, feel free to follow me on Twitter, where I will be posting my daily challenges and results. Stay tuned and…

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Meditation 101

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I don’t know about you, but meditation has always been one of those “things” that every one who is in tune and successful in their life practice, but has always seemed a little too time consuming to me.

In the past, I would look at meditation as a waste of time. I mean, why not take that 15-30 of sitting on the floor, quietly breathing and use that time to actually get things done.  However, after test driving meditation for myself, I have found that it has completely helped transform my life, including the way I look at doing things all together.

Aside from breakfast and exercise, meditation is one the best things you can do at the beginning of your day to help you attain a peaceful and fulfilling day.

Quick steps to meditating:

  1. find a quiet and relaxing space that encompasses things that are calming to you (i.e. candles/incense, streaming water, sounds of nature)
  2. sit in a comfortable, upright pose while sitting on your legs crossed and avoid slumping.
  3. sit still, while deeply breathing in and out
  4. focus on clearing your mind. Hard to do? Try the counting method.

There are many benefits of meditating, even for as little as 15 minutes a day. So, I would like to share a few of my favorite benefits that I’ve noticed in myself since I’ve started to meditate on a regular basis.

  • Reduces Stress – Stress is one of the gateway emotions to an unhealthy life. So, anything that helps you eliminate that demonic presence from your life should be added to your daily regimen.
  • Increases Energy – My lack of energy is one of the main reasons I looked into meditation. I do so much running around for myself and others that I usually don’t have enough time to relax and get a decent night of sleep. So, meditation has helped me relax more, which, in return, increased my energy.
  • Increases Happiness – I’m a happiness encourager. So, anything that encourages happiness, I’m all in. I think that meditating helps increase happiness, because it also helps to reduce and omit stress from your life. Life – Stress = HAPPINESS!
  • Encourages a Healthy Lifestyle – Healthy lifestyle starts from within and the act of clearing your mind, eliminating stressful entities, and increased energy brought on from meditation can motivate you to look into other healthy lifestyle adjustments.
  • Increases Productivity – No extra and unnecessary things on my your mind makes room for more positive things to do and/or things that you have been putting off to finally get done.

If you are looking for more in-depth information about meditation, including breathing, benefits, and resources check out this link. Namaste’.

Stay Stylish!

 

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