Tip #27: Out With the Nasty Toxins!
Have you ever really enjoyed yourself on vacation and come back home feeling sluggish, bloated and down? Have you ever noticed that your skin has lost its glow and appears dull and saggy? Well, these symptoms are many times due to toxin overload in the body and especially the liver (the skin’s main telling organ).
We are exposed to toxins everyday! Toxins are rampant in our food, the air we breathe, the chemicals we put on our skin daily, etc. This is why I feel it is VERY important to detox your system on a regular basis!
The four main ways the body detoxes are found in the word P.U.R.E.
P is for Perspiration
U is for Urination
R is for Respiration
E is for Elimination
I like using methods of detox that follow this acronym and that are easy to use so that I stick with them. Some of the detox tricks that I use regularly are as follows:
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Drinking LOTS of water daily to flush the system. I squeeze a lemon into the water in the mornings for extra detox! (Urination)
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Walking daily outside (briskly) for 30-45 minutes to really sweat out those toxins! (Perspiration and Respiration)
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Eating lots of fiber daily (such as avocados) and drinking my daily GREEN drink for regularity. (Elimination) Click here to find a delicious Green Drink!
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Using my InfraRed SAUNA Blanket weekly for one hour to really detox and rev up the metabolism to maintain my weight. (Perspiration)
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I take a good Probiotic daily to maintain good digestion and immunity. (Elimination)
After doing these simple detox tricks using PURE, I find that my skin glows, my weight stays even and I just feel better inside! I hope you can use these tricks to really make a difference in your overall health and skin beauty!
I remember long ago reading that as we got older, gravity pulls our skin down resulting in loss of skin tone and firmness. It’s not just wrinkles that make us look older, but the sagging that happens as we age!
As I approached 50, I started observing what the article was referring to. My skin around my mouth and cheek and jowls/neck were really starting to sag! I knew I must do something to DEFY that GRAVITY!
Well, that observation was around the same time when I was starting to work less as a CPA, and I really didn’t want to spend money on expensive spa treatments to try and reverse the sagging (those treatments would be temporary, anyway). So, I researched AT-HOME beauty treatments that I could experiment with to help with this problem.
After trying many at-home beauty devices, I am so happy to share with you a real answer to this problem! The two treatments that I found to be most effective in firming my skin are called Galvanic and Ultrasonic therapies!
These two treatments work in different ways to firm the skin:
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Galvanic has two different Ions associated with it. The Positive (+) modality works to draw impurities out of the skin and can be used for deep cleansing of the pores. The Negative (-) modality pushes serums way down into the dermis where new Collagen and Elastin can be formed! More COLLAGEN and ELASTIN is what we all want! Collagen and Elastic production FIRMs the Skin!
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Ultrasonic Facial therapy works to send millions of sound waves deep down to the dermis, which stimulates the fibers resulting in additional Collagen and Elastin. The ultrasonic vibrations create significant tightening and firming of the skin. The enhanced collagen production also diminishes wrinkles and improves skin’s circulation and tone.
The wonderful At-Home device that I found does BOTH of these therapies at the same time! I use it five times per week for 5-10 minutes, and it is called the 5 in 1 Ultra Skin Rejuvenator. Please remember to use the Matrixyl 3000 Peptide Serum and/or Snail Gel Serum on your skin as you glide the machine and always keep the skin moist with the device. Add a little water if you need additional moisture to glide smoothly.
The device also has LED light therapies and Micro-Vibration that can be used to further enhance the skin!
In the end, results are what matters, but I can tell you that after using these treatments regularly, I have seen drastic results in my skin! I truly re-sculpted my jawline, firmed my neck and lifted my mouth area! I love being able to look in the mirror and really feel that I have reversed time :)
Have you heard the saying “Knowledge is Power”? Well, the knowledge I found and want to share with you is definitely power and important information when it comes to what many women put on their lips each and every day!
I am talking about Lipstick, Lip Balms, etc.! Anyone who knows me, knows that I love my LIPSTICK, and that I love wearing it each and everyday!
That is one of the reasons I am so glad that I became informed about the dangers lurking in SO MANY of the lip products being sold to us consumers here in the U.S.! Dangerous ingredients that are banned in many other countries around the world for being cancerous or human toxicants are being sold to us Americans regularly. Our cosmetic industry is free to put MANY toxic ingredients in our makeup and not even worry about being regulated by our U.S. government.
Let’s talk about LEAD. Lead is a poison and neuro-toxin where toxicity happens when small amounts accumulate in the body. Lead can lead to a whole host of health implications by damaging the nervous system and even lead to death….
But, did you know that the FDA has conducted LEAD tests on many lipsticks and found most to have some level of lead? For instance, from the FDA’s website, this was written:
“In December 2016, FDA issued draft guidance to industry on lead as an impurity in cosmetic lip products, such as lipsticks, and other cosmetics, such as eye shadows, blushes, compact powders, shampoos, and body lotions. Our guidance recommends a maximum level of lead in cosmetic products.”
“Based on these factors, we concluded that up to 10 ppm lead in cosmetic lip products and externally applied cosmetics would not pose a health risk.”
So, it was determined that the levels were safe for most lipsticks since they are “externally applied”.
Well, I don’t know about you, but I lick my lips a lot throughout the day, and I don’t want to be worrying that I have exceeded a “safe level” of Lead!!
The real scary part of all this is that Lead is just one of MANY dangerous chemicals that are put in many lipsticks. I pulled up just a FEW of the more common lipsticks from the EWG’s Skin Deep website on May 28, 2017 as follows:
L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Lipcolour: Contains FRAGRANCE which is classified as a “known human immune system toxicant or allergen” by the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety.
Boots No7 Moisture Drench Lipstick: Contains RETINYL PALMITATE which according to the National Toxicology Program indicates that “One or more animal studies show tumor formation at very low doses”
Burt's Bees Lipstick: Contains LINALOOL which is classified as a “possible human immune system toxicant or allergen” by the EU Banned and Restricted Fragrances.
CoverGirl Continuous Color Lipstick: Contains PROPYLPARABEN which is classified as a “Human endocrine disruptor - strong evidence” by the European Commission on Endocrine Disruption.
Maybelline ColorSensational Color Whisper Lipcolor: Contains BHT which has a “Limited evidence of carcinogenicity” by the European Food Safety Authority.
Wet n Wild Silk Finish Lipstick: Contains PETROLATUM which is “classified as a high human health priority” by the Environment Canada Domestic Substance List.
Please note that these are JUST A FEW examples of the nasty ingredients found in MANY of the common commercial lip products being sold to us American consumers!!
Luckily, there are companies that are making products that are considered more safe for us to use. Here are a few of the products rated safely by EWG, and they have beautiful color choices:
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Mineral Fusion Lipsticks
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W3ll People Nudist Color Balm
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Bella Mari
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Ecco Bella
Lip Balms can also be dangerous with many being made with Petroleum by products and Parabens!
Here are some of my favorite healthy alternatives in Lip Balms:
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Beauty by Earth
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Sky Organics
While I consider this to be very important to my health, I really consider my grand-baby. She always asks me if she can have some of my lip balm, and now, I can be sure her little lips are safe, too. :)
Remember, take care of your Lips by keeping them beautiful and SAFE!
TIP #24: Put a Pep in your Step with the Peptide on your skin!
Written by Glamma MisaHave you ever wondered what COLLAGEN is and why there is so much talk about it in skincare?
Well, without getting too technical, collagen is a protein which is formed by amino acids. As I have mentioned before, more collagen is what we ALL want as we age. Collagen provides the support for the skin and keeps the wrinkles away and keeps the skin firm!
We had plenty of collagen when we were young, but as we get older, collagen formation definitely slows down. And, when collagen slows down, wrinkles occur, skin sagginess happens and our skin tone loses its brightness!
That’s where the importance of PEPTIDES comes in! Peptides are pre-cursers to the proteins of collagen and play an important part in the foundation of collagen formation.
There are many types of peptides, but two that I really love for my skin are called Matrixyl 3000 (which is actually two peptides called palmitoyl tetrapeptide and palmitoyl oligopeptide) and Argireline (acetyl hexapeptide). A wonderful serum that I use has BOTH of these peptides and Vitamin C (which is an excellent antioxident for the skin). It is made by Asterwood Naturals.
Matrixyl 3000 is known to help the skin form new collagen by tricking the skin into thinking that there is a breakdown of collagen, which in turn creates new collagen synthesis.
Argireline is sometimes referred to as "nature’s botox". It works by relaxing facial muscles, which in turn relaxes the skin and wrinkles.
I LOVE this serum, and I use it morning and night. A really effective trick I found is to MIX the peptide serum in my hand with a few drops of the EMU oil (See Tip # 18). Since the Emu Oil acts as a trans-dermal carrier, it helps to take the peptide serum down to the dermal layer where collagen is formed. This mixture makes it SUPER effective in fighting wrinkles and firming the skin!
As we age, we all want that young looking skin that we had when we were young! Just as younger people tend to move quicker than older people, younger skin regenerates more quickly than older skin.
But, we also want that youthful regeneration! One great way to achieve faster regeneration is through EXFOLIATION.
A gentle exfoliation should be done approximately 2 times per week to remove the top layers of the Epidermis. The top two layers of the epidermis are made up of dead skin cells, and exfoliating them regularly brings new fresh cells to the top of the skin surface.
Regular exfoliation has a number of benefits for maintaining beautiful and youthful skin:
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It removes the upper dead layers of the skin which can make skin look dry and dull.
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It helps to keep pores cleansed and unblocked to prevent breakouts and blackheads.
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Exfoliation encourages skin cells to regenerate more quickly by bringing fresh circulation to your skin and encouraging faster cell turnover.
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It helps skin serums to penetrate more deeply down to the dermis where new collagen can be formed. The increased collagen then prevents wrinkles and firms the skin.
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Exfoliation helps skin spots fade more quickly by removing the top layers of the skin.
But, it is equally important to use gentle NON-CHEMICAL and NON-TOXIC scrubs when exfoliating. One of my favorites is Beauty By Earth’s Facial Scrub.
Now, let’s get back some of that baby skin today with regular exfoliation :) Here are some other face and body scrubs that are rated very SAFE by EWG:
TIP #22: Stay Beautiful and Healthy at the Same Time!
Written by Glamma MisaDid you know that the average woman applies over 10 products daily to her skin and hair? Did you know that she also exposes her body to between 126 and 200 CHEMICALS to her skin daily? Many of these chemicals are harmful toxins and hormone disruptors that penetrate the body’s largest organ (your skin) and enter the bloodstream and body!
Many of the chemicals in skin and hair products are known to cause allergies, eczema, skin rashes and diseases, hormone disruptions and even worse CANCER! I myself lost my thyroid gland to a very serious disease, and I do believe that the chemicals I was using had a big part in my disease.
After completing my studies in Natural Skin Care, I realized that this topic is VERY important to me, especially since I have two baby grand-daughters that are precious to me! I don’t want anything harming them, much less items that can be avoided!
The information can be overwhelming, so one of the best things that you can do for your family is to visit the Environmental Working Group’s website called SKIN DEEP: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/top-tips-for-safer-products/
On this website, their experts and scientists work hard to rate and test products and ingredients for their safety profile for us consumers. They also have an APP called HEALTHY LIVING (EWG) that you can download to your phone that allows you to scan beauty products from the store to see their safety.
Among some of the toxins and hormone disruptors that are regularly used in beauty products that should be AVOIDED are the following:
- Parabens (Propyl, Methyl, Isopropyl, Butyl, Isobutyl) - Linked to hormone disruptions, like early puberty in young girls and thyroid problems.
- Fragrances - Cause Allergies/Skin irritations and Hormone disruptions
- Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde Releasers: Strong evidence of CANCER (Formaldehyde is commonly used in hair chemical straighteners, nail polishes, eyelash glue, makeup, etc.)
- Hydroquinone: Used in skin lighteners and linked to skin diseases.
- Vitamin A (Retinyl or Retinol): Avoid these especially in sunscreens and day lotions as they can actually spur on skin cancer.
There are many more VERY harmful chemicals and toxins so I encourage EACH of you to enter your skin care items and ingredients into the SKIN DEEP website or app to find out what you and your family are using!
Now, the good news is that there are LOTS of HEALTHY alternatives in skin and hair care. I have found that these products are actually better for the skin and do more for ANTI-AGING. Healthy products are more effective on wrinkles, skin dryness, hair shininess, etc.!
Some of my HEALTHY favorites are:
- Oils, such as EMU, Avocado, Argan, Jojoba, Coconut, Castor, Olive
- Butters, such as Shea, Coconut
- Aloe Vera
- Natural Clays
- Chamomile
- Safe sunscreens that use: Zinc Oxide
- Items with the USDA ORGANIC green label are also highly rated with over 95% organic ingredients (But, DON'T be mislead by skincare companies that use the words organic and natural. This may just mean that only a small part of the product is safe. I have researched many "all-natural" products that still have dangerous chemicals in them.)
I urge each of you to do your research on your products especially the products used on the little ones! You can easily do this as your current product runs out and you are repurchasing. Just make the switch to a healthier alternative!
I feel this topic is SO incredibly important that you may contact me on my website with any questions, and I will try to help you with any product you may wish to change.
It is really important to stay HEALTHY while looking BEAUTIFUL :)
TIP #21: My New Favorite Color: RED..Wrinkles BE GONE!!
Written by Glamma MisaLadies (and Men, of course)! Are you tired of beauty products and treatments that promise results and leave you disappointed? Or how about those expensive spa treatments that may help temporarily, but cost a fortune?
Well, today I'm sharing one of my FAVORITE anti-aging home devices that is absolutely fabulous and it works!! It's called Red Light Therapy, and I use it nearly everyday for about 15 minutes per day.
Red Light Therapy was discovered by NASA Astronauts many years ago to help them grow plants in space. They also found that it helped them with pain relief and to heal injuries while in space.
Today, many dermatology offices and spas use red light to help their acne patients or patients looking for wrinkle reduction. In fact, my son's dermatologist did a few treatments on him for his teenage acne a few years ago. The problem with the professional treatments are the cost and time commitment of going to their offices frequently.
Well, now you don't have to look further than your own "At Home" Red Light device!
Red light therapy does SO many things! It penetrates down to the dermis to stimulate collagen, which in turn reduces wrinkles and firms the skin. The healing lights reduce redness and blemishes. Continued use is cumulative and refines skin tone issues. It even helps with soft tissue injuries. I am currently using it on my shoulder for a ligament injury.
Red Light Therapy is THAT amazing!!!
Some last tips about its use are as follows:
1. Use on a clean face and neck so that the lights can penetrate thoroughly.
2. Wear small goggles or keep eyes closed during treatment.
3. Let red light rest lightly on your skin or as close as possible for best results. Any slight pink/reddish skin after the treatment will go away quickly. This is only due to the enhanced circulation.
4. Use an effective serum immediately afterwards since the red light will help the serum penetrate even further into the dermis. These are the two I use.....
5. Try to use at least 5 days per week for ten minutes on each area until results are achieved. Then, 2-3 times per week to keep wrinkles away!
6. Lie down and relax and meditate or listen to some nice music while doing the treatment and ENJOY!
My sister and I have been using our at home unit for over a year and have seen a great improvement in our skin! My hubby even uses it! He says the treatment is extremely relaxing, too :)
I always knew through common sense that much of my health future would be due to what I ate each day. But, through the years there have been all kinds of diets introduced through the media touting health benefits and weight management, which made it hard to tell which ones were really good for me.
When I turned 50, someone forwarded me a video of a Doctor who had been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, and she found that she was able to reverse most of the symptoms of her MS by following what is known as the "Paleo Diet".
Although the video intrigued me, the real turning point came when less than a week later, my personal physician (a holistic, alternative practitioner) told me that he and his wife had started a diet that he really believed was great for health. He called it the "Hunter-Gatherer" diet. As he described it to me, I realized he was referring to the "Paleo Diet".
Here is a definition which I found which describes the Paleo Diet:
"a diet based on the types of foods presumed to have been eaten by early humans, consisting chiefly of meat, fish, vegetables, and fruit, and excluding dairy or grain products and processed food."
In its most basic form, it is a diet that consumes foods that our ancestors (caveman) would have eaten. WHOLE, UNPROCESSED FOOD!
From that point on, my husband and I decided to try the Paleo Diet, and we LOVE it! There are many delicious recipes out there in books and on the internet. Here are some great paleo recipes.
I can honestly say that this diet is one that has measurably changed our health. One example, my husband always struggled to get good blood work numbers each year for his physicals. After starting the Paleo Diet, ALL his lab numbers improved. My lab numbers were always pretty good, but now they are even better!
Another major benefit we noticed was the ease of maintaining our weights on this diet (which is actually a lifestyle, not a fad diet). Also, the Paleo diet fights inflammation in the body, which is a major cause of so many illnesses today. I noticed that my joints and back hurt much less when I started eating the Paleo foods.
TIP #8: Oh those Veggies-Sometimes Easier To Drink!
Written by Glamma MisaIf you are like me, you probably have a hard time eating the recommended 5-9 veggies/fruits per day! Even though I do believe everyone needs to supplement certain vitamins, I know it is always better to get my vitamins from whole foods instead of a pill!
When my kids were growing up, we were always struggling to get them to eat the many veggies per day that we knew they needed. That is why we starting making the "daily green drink" for all of us.
We found that it is so much easier to get a couple of our daily veggies and fruits consumed by drinking them in a delicious smoothie-type drink! Here is an example of how we do it:
In a blender, mix the following and drink a large glass once or twice daily:
1 cup cold water
1/2 cup "no sugar" added juice (grape or pomegranate or orange)
2-3 cups of organic spinich and kale or greens blend (Keep these in the freezer so they will make drink cold each time)
1/2 cup organic baby carrots
1/2 cup organic baby tomatoes
1 pear or 1 cup berries for flavor or 1 banana
2 Tablespoons Organic Virgin Coconut Oil-Try Nature's Way Organic
1 Scoop Greens Powder-Try Organic Greens
Blend well until desired consistency.
My kids actually would ASK for the green drink! They loved it, and I felt good that at least a couple of veggies were being consumed by them daily!
Another alternative is to buy a "juicer" and make the drink. We found that a blender worked just fine, although the drink is a little thicker with the blender!
You can also try and add different fruits and veggies to find your favorite type. Just make sure to add lots of greens! Try and drink one each morning for increased immunity and energy through the day!
I think I will go and make one right now :)
TIP #19: It Has Been Around for 1000's of Years!
Written by Glamma MisaWhat if there was a "magical" pill that could cure most of the diseases that are plaguing us today? Well, there is a supplement that has been used for thousands of years in many areas across Asia to PREVENT many of the diseases that are so widespread today in America. The supplement is called Turmeric extract, with its main active ingredient, Curcumin!
The main reason this supplement is so effective at fighting disease is because it is HIGHLY anti-inflammatory. As I have mentioned before, inflammation is the root cause of so many diseases, such as cancer, Alzheimer's, heart disease, skin disorders, and arthritis.
I discovered the benefits of Turmeric when I was suffering from Arthritis pain symptoms in my lower back. My uncle mentioned this supplement to me during the holidays in 2014 that he found really helped one of his friends with pain. Turmeric has been found to be just as effective as anti-inflammatory drugs, but with no drug-induced side effects.
However, my primary introduction to Turmeric was through my son. He had recently started suffering from severe cystic acne primarily on his face and back. Therefore, being my son, he began searching for a holistic approach to acne, and he stumbled across Turmeric online as a quick and long term fix to Cysts. He is able to take a few at night if he feels the start of a cyst, and it will dramatically reduce any swelling on the cyst by morning. He also takes a couple of the supplements in the morning as a preventative to new cysts and this has really helped manage his symptoms!
We were so impressed with the alleviation of our symptoms that we researched other benefits Turmeric provides, such as:
1. Turmeric dramatically increases the antioxidant capability in the body, which fights many cancers and diseases.
2. Studies show it can be just as effective as anti-depressants in fighting depression.
3. Turmeric boosts levels of brain hormones which increases growth of brain neurons and fights brain diseases.
4. It improves insulin sensitivity for diabetes management.
5. Turmeric is wonderful for pain management due to its anti-inflammatory benefits.
For our family, this is one supplement we will NOT be without. Luckily, it is not expensive and can be found at this link:
It is important to note that turmeric is best taken with a black pepper extract for ultimate absorption and effectiveness in the body.
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One of the things I dislike most about winter is the cold dry air. When the humidity drops, I tend to notice a definite dryness to my skin that is due to the winter air. That is why I am so excited to share a new discovery that I am using this winter (and actually I am using Emu Oil Year-Round now) that really combats my dryness!
It is called EMU OIL and as the name implies, it comes from the EMU bird, which is closely related to the ostrich. I came across this wonderful oil during my research.
I started using the oil on top of my night creams and serums before bedtime, and I really noticed a soft moisturized complexion in the morning. I love that it is very inexpensive, and I decided to research a little more about why the EMU oil is so fantastic for the skin and this what I learned:
1. Emu Oil has been used for thousands of years by the Aborigines people of Australia to combat skin issues of the dry desert climate.
2. Emu Oil has high levels of Essential Fatty Acids, such as Linoleic Acid, which are very healing to the skin. It is anti-inflammatory and aids with a wide variety of skin disorders, such as Eczema.
3. It fights aging and wrinkles in three ways. First, it is extremely moisturizing and keeps the skin supple when applied. Secondly, it fights aging because it has trans-dermal qualities. This means that it is able to penetrate to the deep layer of the dermis where collagen and elastin are found. Even more exciting is the fact that if it is put on top of creams and serums, it helps to push those ingredients down to the dermis where real changes can happen in the skin. Finally, it has been proven to help thicken the skin when used regularly (aging skin is thin skin)!
4. It can be used in the hair as a softening and smoothing agent.
5. It is great for rubbing into sore muscles and arthritic joints to relieve pain.
6. It helps with acne, scars, stretch marks, burns and scrapes!
I am in love with Emu Oil, and love the fact that it is considered VERY safe to use by the Skin Deep website! After using the Emu Oil for over a year now, I have really noticed great things happen to my skin, such as less fine lines and better texture!
I am really excited about a new (inexpensive) supplement that my husband and I recently started taking for our health. It is called Chlorophyll, and it is made from the green pigment in plants. Many green veggies that we should all eat contain Chlorophyll (spinach, kale, broccoli, lettuce, etc.).
As my husband and I sometimes struggle to eat enough of the daily greens, we really love drinking the liquid Chlorophyll with water or adding it to our "green" drinks. The brand we purchased has a mint flavor from Now.
The list of health benefits is almost endless with Chlorophyll to include the following:
1. It works as a detox for heavy metals in the blood. Chlorophyll cleanses the blood and supports a healthy digestion for toxin removal.
2. It deodorizes the body internally alleviating bad breath or body odor!
3. It is loaded with antioxidants that fight cancers.
4. It aids the liver in a purifying mode.
5. It helps to clear skin problems because it balances the alkalinity in our bodies. Most of us are heavy on the acidic side due to our diets of red meat, heavy sugar and processed foods. The Chlorophyll helps to balance this problem because of the high alkalinity in it bringing our bodies back into the proper PH.
6. It helps to eliminate parasites and candida yeast which is due to heavy sugar diets. It also helps to curb "sweet tooth" cravings thus encouraging weight loss.
7. Chlorophyll removes carcinogens from unhealthy food that has been eaten when taken before or after eating.
8. It oxygenates the blood to give us more energy! This one is huge for me as I have struggled with fatigue in the past due to thyroid problems.
I could go on and on with many other health benefits, but basically this is one POWERHOUSE supplement for the whole family.
Because Chlorophyll Liquid is VERY green, you must be careful not to spill it on clothes. Also, swish your mouth out after drinking it, or you may temporarily look like the "Green Goblin":)
This week my daughter told me that she had already lost over 24 pounds since giving birth to my grand-baby last week. She said she was drinking a ton of water and that was really helping her!
Something as simple as "drinking water" doesn't phase most of us. We are all fortunate enough to have plenty of drinking water and it is easy to take for granted. But, the gift of WATER benefits so much of our lives!
I was just recently watching a You-Tube video on skin care and the topic was Drinking Water. The model said that she attributes much of her flawless skin to drinking over a Liter of water right when she gets up in the morning! Then, she continues to drink lots throughout the day.
I always try to drink water throughout the day, but now I am really trying to monitor the amount, especially in the morning.
Approximately 2/3 of the human body is water and 90% of the brain is comprised of water. The skin is largely supported by water and this is why being dehydrated will age a person by creating dry, wrinkled skin. I have noticed increased moisture in my skin since increasing my water intake. This is especially important to me now during the winter when I tend to dry out more with the low humidity(water) in the air.
The success of weight loss or management also largely depends on water intake. Water helps a person feel full so that they don't eat as much. It also revs up the metabolism which is critical for weight management!
A tip for drinking more water is to set a timer for a glass every hour, or keep a glass near you to remind you to drink up!
I LOVE eating foods that are tasty and nutritious and filling at the same time! That is why I eat NUTS and SEEDS everyday!
Even though nuts are high in fat, they do NOT make me fat! In fact, this is the first time in my life that my weight has been kept under control easily! And, I attribute much of that to the nuts and seeds that I consume daily!
One of the biggest reasons that they help to control weight is that they are filling. The amount of fat and fiber and protein in them is what keeps me full longer and that helps to prevent blood sugar highs and cravings (more ammunition to help ward off the dreaded Diabetes)!
On the skin and beauty side, nuts have tons of vitamin and minerals and antioxidants that keep skin supple and wrinkle-free. The healthy fat that they contain also contribute to skin health!
Here are a few of the ones I eat most often and some of their health benefits:
WALNUTS: Loaded with Omega 3 fatty acids that are very beneficial to brain and heart health (Have you ever noticed that a walnut kind of looks like a brain :)
ALMONDS: Loaded with Fiber and the antioxidant Vitamin E for fighting cancer.
BRAZILIAN NUTS: Lots of Selenium which is a powerful antioxidant!
CASHEWS: Full of Iron and Zinc which help immunity!
PECANS: Lots of Oleic Acid which studies have found fight Breast Cancer.
PUMPKIN SEEDS: Loads of Magnesium and Plant Phytosterols known to fight Prostate Cancer.
So, next time you feel like reaching for the chip bag, why not grab a handful of nuts and seeds instead and be a little "nutty" for the day :)?
