12DOC: Day 2! 8 Winter Skin Savers!

Hey Beauties!! I was looking on WholeLiving.com when I found this list of 8 beauty remedies that are supposed to be skin savers and it being the 2 day of 12 Days Of Christmas and Winter and as we all know that the cold dry winter air takes a toll on are skin! So maybe these tips will help you fight that harsh winter skin!!

Oatmeal:                                                                                                                                          Soothing and anti-inflammatory, oatmeal contains beta glucan, a soluble fiber that creates a thin, moisture-retaining film on the surface of the skin. Place a handful of whole oats in a clean washcloth and use a rubber band to secure it. Next, immerse it in a sinkful of warm water and squeeze the bag four or five times. Once the water is cloudy, splash it on your face and then air-dry. (If you must towel dry, pat as gently as possible.)


Avocado Oil:                                                                                                                                   Avocado oil's abundant fatty acids help balance skin's moisture levels, and the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E protect skin from further damage. Combine equal parts avocado oil and evening-primrose oil (which supports collagen synthesis with its gamma linoleic acid) in a sealable bottle and shake to blend. Massage five or six drops into clean skin, and then cover your face with a warm washcloth for a minute to help the oils sink in.


Walnuts:                                                                                                                                               Rich in oil, walnuts make for extra-gentle sloughing. Blend 1/4 cup shelled walnuts, 1/2 cup olive oil (for extra emollients), and a tablespoon of honey (to seal moisture into your skin) in a food processor set on a slow speed, creating a fine-particle scrub. Standing in the shower (if you're scrubbing your feet) or over a sink (if it's for your hands), work the mixture thoroughly over your skin for a couple of minutes. Rinse with warm water.


Oranges:                                                                                                                                               The fruit acid loosens dead skin cells. Cut a fresh orange in half and squeeze the juice of one half into a bowl. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup olive oil and then blend into a moisture-rich scrub. Next, rub the exposed side of the other half of the orange over knees, elbows, heels, and any other dry spots. Last, rub in the sugar mixture to slough off dead skin. Rinse with warm water and pat skin dry.


Milk:                                                                                                                                                      The lactic acid in milk serves as a gentle skin exfoliant, while its natural fat content acts as a body moisturizer. Add a gallon of whole milk to a tubful of warm water and soak. It's a great alternative to sugar and salt scrubs, which may be too abrasive for people who suffer from eczema, psoriasis, or sensitive skin. If you prefer a fragranced bath, add 10 to 20 drops of an essential oil such as lavender.



Eggs:                                                                                                                                                     Eggs' high protein content helps improve hair's resilience and luster. Whisk together 1 egg, 2 tablespoons coconut oil (rich in moisturizing fats), and 2 tablespoons sesame oil. Apply the mixture to dry hair and wrap a hot, moist towel around your head. Relax for five to 10 minutes. Without wetting hair first, work in a handful of shampoo, and then rinse and condition your hair.


Apple-Cider Vinegar:                                                                                                                               Its high acid content makes skin inhospitable to blemish-causing bacteria. Place a handful of parsley (a skin-clarifying herb) into a French press and cover it with 1/2 cup of boiling water. Steep for 10 minutes, and then plunge and let the liquid cool. Transfer to a spray bottle along with a splash of vinegar and four drops of tea tree oil (an antiseptic), shake well, and spritz on a freshly cleansed face. (Store the spray bottle in the fridge.)


Beer:                                                                                                                                                    Yeast and hops help to swell the hair shaft and plump the cuticle, adding volume. The acidity of the beer helps remove built-up product residue. In the shower, after you've shampooed, pour a bottle of beer over your hair, Philip B. advises. Rinse briefly with fresh water (the idea is to avoid the Eau de Barfly effect while retaining the beer's body-boosting benefits). A rich beer with a high yeast content works best. (Read: No light beer.)

If you try any of these out let me know in the comments below!! Don’t forget to check out day 1 of my 12DOC here!  Also if you have any requests for blogs or videos also leave them in the comments below!
xoxo                                                                                                                                                                    Sarah

Clean Living: 7 Mood Foods

So I was looking around on Pinterest (I'm kinda addicted) and I found this super cool chart on "7 Foods That Beat The Blues" I thought hey! this could come in handy sometime, not only for me but maybe you guys too! So after I saw the cute chart on Pinterest I went into research mode and wanted to find out what was it about these foods that helped? Find out below! :)

1.) Stressed after a long day? Grab a piece of Chocolate: Ever feel super stressed after a long day of work or school, now you have a simple fix! Grab some chocolate preferably dark and it will help with stress.  According to a study by Francois-Pierre Martin, Sunil Kochhar and colleagues if you eat about an ounce of dark chocolate everyday for 2 weeks it helps with stress, plus its super good! Not only does dark chocolate help with stress, it can help reduce the risk of heart disease, other diseases and physical conditions as well as helping to ease emotional stress.  Now if your like me you are probably thinking "What is in it, that makes it so healthy?" well I have got an answer! Dark chocolate has a high concentration of antioxidants mainly flavonoids, this is were it comes in a helps with blood flow which in turn helps your health! Fun fact! Did you know that chocolate is actually a vegetable! Chocolate is derived from the seeds of a fleashy pod from the fruit of a Cacao tree.  The scientific name is Thembroma Cacao, which means "Food Of The Gods"

2.) Can't get going? Whip up a yummy spinach salad: Ever sitting at work or school and feeling down and sluggish? Grab a spinach salad!!  Spinach is probably one of the healthiest thing you can eat, it is loaded with vitamin K and A, vitamin K is important for bone health especially when combined with calcium and magnesium, other great thing in spinach! Vitamin A helps lower cholesterol, which is  amplified when combined with vitamin K. Plus! were not done yet! Spinach also has spades, a combination that also helps reduce inflammation, particularly in people with asthma, joint problems, and arthritis.  Spinach is also and excellent source of folate, which helps with blood health. Spinach also has magnesium in it which helps to regulate blood pressure and prevent heart disease.  When spinach is cooked it is also a excellent source of iron, which helps boost and ENERGY and metabolism.  And spinach will help with clear skin!!

3.) Feeling a little cranky? Grab the peanut butter and and apple and lets go!: If you get cranky when your hungry(like me) then this is the perfect quick snack to take with you or whip some up at home! Apple slices and peanut butter are a great snack because not only are they quick and yummy but the apple slices have natural sugars so you wont have a sugar crash and if you use a peanut butter such as Adams it real peanuts so you have lots of protein and more omega-3!

4.) Anxious about something? Try a salmon burger:  Yes! I understand not everybody likes fish(me being one of them) but for those out there that do! Try a salmon burger to help with anxiety! Salmon is packed with omega-3 which help reduce cholesterol, and reduce inflammation throughout the body which help prevent heart disease.

5.) Angry? Brew up some green tea: Green tea does pretty much everything! It helps prevent cancer, reduces the risk of heart disease, helps immune system and some researchers say it help prevent tooth decay!  Green tea is full of antioxidants and they destroy free-radicals that cause cancer.  Green tea also helps speed up your metabolism which aid in weight loss and give you energy!

6.) Feeling sad :( Grab your favorite HEALTHY cereal: If you put milk on your cereal(who doesn't?) Milk has vitamin D which promotes proper us of calcium which helps grow strong healthy bones. Milk also has vitamin A which helps regulate cell growth and keeps a healthy immune system. Along with vitamin A and D it also has vitamin B which is necessary to convert food to energy, milk also has carbohydrates which provides fuel for active adults, calcium which helps build strong bones, the protein in milk contains amino acid building blocks and three glasses of milk is about half of the daily proteins adult need. The cereal contains carbohydrates that give you energy some cereal contain more then other.

7.) PMS'ing? Have a egg salad sandwich: This one is perfect if it's "Your time of the month" Eggs are and excellent source of protein and vitamin B, not just that but the enhance bone health, help prevent development to allergies, contribute to weight loss, enhance brain activity, boost energy, and reduce blood pressure and thats just a little of what they do! If you make it on whole grain bread its even better for you, whole grain are packed with vitamins B, antioxidants, and trace minerals. Whole grains have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, and some forms of cancer.


So what do your think!? if you have any foods you go to when your in a mood let me know in the comments below! :) 

xoxo
Sarah Bess

Hello Spring: Healthy Eating!

Now that spring is here, we are all trying to get out of that winter slug and start workout again, eating healthy and getting organized, This is not a diet or cleanse but more like spring cleaning but of the diet, body, mind, and space. Here are a few tips and tricks to get back to your routine.  

*These aren't rules and this is not a diet*

  #1 No Soda! 

#2 Limit coffee (if you are a coffee drinker) to 1-2 cups a day, with Stevia or Turvia, and a little bit of no-fat milk or cream. Avoid super sugary coffee!

#3  Drink a couple glasses of natural green tea this will help speed up metabolism which aids in loosing weight.

#4 Drink tons of water!! Along with coffee and tea try and drink 64 ounces of water a day.

#5 Eat whole and natural foods. fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and lean protein.  NO FRIED FOOD!!

#6 Only have "bready" carbs at one meal a day. "Bready" foods bread (obviously), pasta, rice, crackers, etc. Stick to whole grains at that one meal.

#7 Allow one nightly cheat treat. Don't deprive yourself!! 

Remember!! This is NOT a diet if your hungry EAT!! The goal is not to deprive your self of food so you can loose weight its just so you can become more healthy!

Also if your current diet is full of overly processed food and also fast food, you may loose it naturally and healthily just by eating more healthy!!