The Living Energy Lifestyle Blog

How I use clay in my beauty routine?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 10:54:00 +0000

In a recent Email I was asked how to make masks for different skin types and which clay would be suitable for sensitive skin.
Although clay masks are thought to be drying, they contain great benefits for the skin, and can be used very successfully in your beauty routine.

General Use Instructions

Mix a small amount of clay with water until a smooth paste is obtained. All skin types may use an herbal infusion or flower waters instead of water to increase the healing action, or may add a small amount of essential oil to the clay mixture. Apply a thin layer of the paste to your face. Leave for 10 - 15 minutes or until dried before rinsing with warm water.
If you have dry or sensitive skin, you may rinse the treatment off after 5 minutes, before it is completely dried.
Before applying the mask, make sure that the skin is cleansed properly and dried by patting it with a towel.
If you have never used essential oils, and are prone to allergies, make sure that you do a skin patch test before using any of them.

After applying any of the masks, leave on for at least 15 minutes while relaxing, and wash off with lukewarm water and pat the skin dry. Apply moisturizer.

Making a face mask
For normal-dry skin may use honey, yogurt, cream, milk, or vegetable glycerin instead of water, or can add pureed avocado, cucumber, or a few drops of a carrier oil (such as Jojoba oil) to the mixture.
If you have a normal skin, mix 1 tsp of clay (kaolin or Rhassoul clay) with 1 tsp of Seaweed Face Mask and floral water. Add 1 drop geranium oil and 1 drop neroli oil. Mix well to form a paste and apply
For a dry skin, mix 1 tsp of clay (kaolin or Rhassoul clay) with 1tsp of Seaweed Face Mask and floral water. Add 1 teaspoon wheatgerm oil or evening primrose oil plus 1 drop camomile oil and 2 drops carrot seed oil. Mix well to form a paste and apply.
For an oily skin, mix 1tsp of green clay with 1 tsp of oats, Witch Hazel extract, vinegar, or lemon juice, or an egg white to the clay mixture. Add 1 drop lavender oil and 1 drop frankincense oil or juniper berry oil. Mix well to form a paste and apply.
For a problem skin, mix 1 tsp of clay (kaolin, green clay) with 1 tsp of Seaweed Face Mask and one beaten egg white, vinegar or lemon juice and floral water.
Add 1 drop lavender oil, 1 drop tea tree oil and 1 drop neroli oil or 1-2 drops of Tea Tree or Lavender essential oil. Mix well to form a paste and apply.
For a mature / more dehydrated skin, mix 1 tsp of any type of clay (kaolin, Green clay or Rhassoul clay) with 1tsp of Seaweed Face Mask and oats together with one beaten egg and floral water. Add 1 teaspoon jojoba oil, 1 drop camomile oil, 1 drop frankincense oil and 1 drop myrrh oil. Mix well to form a paste and apply.
Making Baths: Add 2-3 ounces of clay to your bath water, and thoroughly mix in. Soak and enjoy. Feel free to add essential oils or an herbal infusion to enrich the experience.

Making Body Packs: Add one part clay to three parts water or until the desired consistency is reached. Mix thoroughly to an even paste, and then apply to skin area.

Please share this blog post with those in your social networks. I appreciate you spreading the word.

How to make Sun-dried Tomatoes

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 17:39:00 +0000

Marinate:

Tomatoes
olive oil/sunflower oil
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp sea salt
Optional: dried dill, oregano, basil, tarragon, rosemary.

0,5 L Sterilised glass Jar:
Olive oil/sunflower oil, enough to fill the tomatoes’ jar
2 tsp dried garlic, oregano, rosemary, basil, tarragon
1 tsp Sea salt

Instruction:

TOMATO PREPARATION METHOD.

Cut out the stem and scar and the hard portion of core lying under it.

Cut the tomatoes in half, lengthwise. If the tomato is more than about 2 inches long, cut it in quarters.
Scrape out all of the seeds that you can without removing the pulp.

In a mixing bowl, whisk oil of your choice, sea salt and herbs. Toss in the tomatoes and allow them to marinate for 15 to overnight. I put my tomatoes to marinate overningt in the fridge.

After marinating, take the tomatoes out of the marinade and lay them on solid dehydrator sheets (I use also unbleached baking paper on top of the dehydrator sheet). Dehydrate at 100C until they’re dry and chewy for about 18 hours. Optional: put in the oven at 100C.
They shouldn’t dehydrated until there’re “petrified”, like wood, just barely dried through.

Sterilised jar and a cup . In a glass jar put sea salt, dried herbs and dried garlic and then pack tomatoes. Cover properly with olive oil and put in the refrigerator.

Oil-packed Sun-Dried Tomatoes keep indefinitely in the refrigerator. I had my last jar in May, absolutely fine.

Please share this blog post with those in your social networks. I appreciate you spreading the word.

Revising my goals in a new way

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 24 May 2015 09:00:00 +0000

Revising My Goals

It is Saturday, end of spring and a good time to look for the next half of the year where I am in my life. When I looked at my goals ( to be honest I did not look at my notes for 6 months - I did it in a traditional way), I was not really proud of myself - that was my first feeling and then other thoughts started to come up.

We usually very excited when we achieve tangible goals, like money, a new job/promotion or new car.But to achieve all of these we make some changes inside us, which we can't see like confidence or courage.

What I realised that traditional way of setting goals does not work for me and started searching how to make it more fun and joy when I actually look at my goals. It is look like a vision board with my drawing. So I develop my way of setting goals which includes:

How do I want to feel
What is my main focus this year.
What do I want to let go
Who do I want to Be
and of course my Goals which should be in alignment with above.

Let see what I added for the next half of the year.

"How I want to feel" I have Joy, Happiness, Love, Beauty, Creativity, Focus, Clarity, Magic.

"My main focus for this year"- every day I ask myself questions: Am I enjoying it? or What do I feel inspired to Do?

"What I want to let go"- I let go past, working hard, shame, guilt, doubt and fear.

The last one is really interesting "Who do I want to Be" - I am very relaxed, being present in the moment, become intentional, I truly live by LoA, Increasing my wealth point and Self-Love & Self-Care.

And the last, I have my goals written on a card. Three months ago I made a decision I want to change my life, "to re-build myself from inside" to achieve outrageous goals.

Bookshelf & Resources

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 04 Nov 2014 15:47:00 +0000

Raw Food Blogs I love

Favourite Online Stores

www.planetorganic.com - this is my favourite place where I worked when I was a student. Fresh food, amazing people work here.

How to clean, detox, feed and tone your skin – all in one and even wash your hair?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 12:30:00 +0000

We are used to buy a shampoo & a conditioner all in one, it is very easy and handy. But how about to have it for your skin - all in one – to clean, detox, feed and tone your skin without having one jar with cleanser, one with a toner and another one with moisutriser.Would you like to know?

When I had a very dry and dehydrated skin (all cleansers irritated my skin), a friend of mine brought me from Morocco a jar with a clay, Rhassoul clay. She told me that clay has been used around the world for centuries by indigenous people as an important medicinal and cosmetic tool. It is now becoming increasingly popular treatment for many different health and skincare conditions.

There are different ranges of clays.
Some clays, such as Bentonite clay, are primarily ingested for medicinal purposes such as detoxification or mineral deficiencies. Others, such as French Green clay and Rhassoul clay, are used to absorb excess oil, dirt, and toxins from the skin while simultaneously exfoliating and improving skin circulation.

Clays come in a variety of colors such as red, green, white, gray, and can range in texture from coarse and heavy to fine and fluffy. The different colors of clays occur because of their natural mineral content.

My favorite is Rhassoul clay, I use it as a cleanser for my face, body and hear, as a mask and also a body wrap.

Rhassoul clay is truly exquisite Spa quality clay from ancient deposits unearthed from the fertile Atlas Mountains of Morocco where it has been used for over 1400 years as a skin conditioner, soap, and shampoo. This clay has a long history, and was used in ancient Rome and Egypt by those of nobility.

Rhassoul is mineral rich, reddish/brown clay that blends extremely well with water making its application to the face and skin a smooth and delightful experience. Today, posh spas and resorts across the globe utilize the toning and enriching benefits offered by Rhassoul clay. It is very high in trace minerals such as silica, magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium and sodium, making it truly one of the finest treasures for pampering your skin.

Because of the high mineral content, astringent properties, and absorption properties, Rhassoul clay is a wonderful and effective clay for cleansing, detoxification, and for general skin care treatments.

In clinical tests, Rhassoul has been shown to be effective on skin elasticity, clogged pores, removes dead skin layers, removed surface oil from skin, improves skin clarity and appearance, and reduces flakiness and dryness of both the scalp and skin.

French Green Clay
Mined from bedrock quarries in France, it is sun-dried, completely natural, unscented, and fragrance free. Green clay is a bio-mineral, and contains decomposed plant matter as well as many trace minerals, such as: silica, aluminum, magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, copper, zinc, selenium, cobalt, manganese, phosphorous, silicon, micro-algaes, kelp, and phyto-nutrients.

French Green Clay is very absorbent, and literally "drinks" oils, toxic substances, and impurities from your skin. Its toning action stimulates the skin by bringing fresh blood to damaged skin cells, remove dead skin cells, absorb impurities and fats, and tone and strengthen connective tissues.

Green Clay has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties which make it beneficial for muscular pain, swelling, and arthritic or rheumatic conditions.

After using French Green clay, skin feels fresh, smooth, radiant, and soft. French Green Clay is also marvelous for helping to clear problem skin areas, and is gentle enough to use weekly, or even daily on problem spots.

White Cosmetic clay
White Cosmetic clay (also Kaolin clay) is one of the most versatile clays, and is also the mildest of all cosmetic clays. It is commonly found in skincare preparations and cosmetics because of its gentle nature, mineral content, absorbent properties, and ability to “fix” scents. White clay is made up of fine clay particles, and has a lightweight fluffy consistency.

This clay is more widely used than any other cosmetic clay, and is frequently found in powders, body packs, skin care products, deodorants, soaps, scrubs, poultices, cosmetics, facial masks, and toiletries. This clay will gently draw impurities from the skin without removing natural oils while simultaneously exfoliating, cleansing, and stimulating circulation. White clay is suitable for all skin types, whether it be oily, blemish, normal, sensitive, dry, or mature skin.

Add Your Opinion

Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose

Please share this blog post with those in your social networks. I appreciate you spreading the word.

Boost your morning energy with delicious liquid breakfast!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 09:14:00 +0000

When you work in high demanding job, the question what to grab quickly in the morning would be at bay. We usually skip our breakfast or tend to have a coffee. And then about lunch time, feel tiered and low of energy. Sound familiar?

Will, everyone knows that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, the one that will kick start, support and carry out the performance of your mind and body.

In the morning, we must be sure to provide our mind and body with enough of the right nutrients to generate cellular energy, handle stress, and ensure efficient work performance. Smoothie could be the answer.

Blended fruit is a terrific energizer and cleanser and I love its taste and texture. In fact, I usually start my day with a fruit smoothie. I use my smoothies as a delivery medium for superfoods and added herbs. I think of them as vitamin infusions, or what I sometimes call my ‘nutrient shot’. Here is a list of the key superfoods you can add to any of your smoothie.

Key Superfoods

Barley grass powder

Bee pollen granules

Flax seeds

Algae syrup

Spirulina powder

Wheatgrass powder

Wild blue green algae

Maca powder

All these superfoods should be available at your local health food shop. Don’t use all of them at once. Just pick one or two and use them in your smoothies for one particular day, week or month and simply follow the instructions on the label for how much to use. It’s good to change your superfoods every now and again.

Smoothies are really easy to make. You can make them thick or thin, as you like- the thicker the smoothie, the more filling it will be. Play around with all kinds of combinations and find out what you like.

Ingredients

1-2 bananas

1 cup soy milk or pure drinking water or homemade nut milk

1-3 pitted dates as a natural sweetener

½ teaspoon of Maca powder

1table spoon Spirulina (organic)

2 table spoon ground flax seeds

1 table spoon ground almonds

2 table spoon oats

Blend everything until smooth.

Nutritional Info:

Dates provide fiber, potassium, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin B6, iron, magnesium, and pantothenic acid. These vitamins and minerals help maintain a healthy body, metabolize carbohydrates, and maintain blood glucose levels and fatty acids for energy. They also help make hemoglobin, the red and white blood cells. Magnesium is essential for healthy bone development and energy metabolism.

Maca is great for rebuilding our adrenal glands and has reported beneficial effects for energy and sexual function due to its high concentration of proteins and vital nutrients.

Spirulina is blue-green algae which contains a rich spectrum of available proteins and is the richest source of beta-carotene and mixed carotenoids and it’s 25 times higher than raw carrots. It is nature’s richest whole food source of organic iron which is 58 times richer than raw spinach and 28 times richer than raw beef liver. And it’s nature’s richest source of vitamin E and gamma linolenic acid (GLA). It is easily digestible for rapid and long-range energy.

Almonds are rich in magnesium which is especially important for supporting adrenal function as well as the metabolism of essential fatty acids. Law levels of magnesium can be associated with nervous tension, anxiety, irritability and insomnia.

Flaxseeds high in fiber (cleans your intestines, promoting bowel regularity), and absorbs excess liquid, protecting the digestive tract; has omega-3 fatty acids and phytochemicals called lignans, which regulate hormone balance and have antioxidant properties. Also helps to reduce total blood cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels, which may help reduce the risk of heart disease.

Banana great de-stressor. Rich in mineral potassium, they’re fantastic for distressing and lowering high blood pressure.

More recipes 50 Quick, Easy, Healthy & Delicious Raw Food Recipes

Enjoy this post? Share it with others.

A different approach to finding solutions

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:15:00 +0000

Do you see problems as negative situations? Do you find it hard to see through the panic when something major has gone wrong? Well, you’re certainly not the only one. This tip could very well be your answer to a panic-free zone.

A few years ago, I went into work as usual (I worked in the big investment bank). Within the hour, I was being escorted off the premises—I had been made redundant. I was upset, in shock and had not the first clue what i was going to do.

I had not had a coach that time to help me with the situation. I was reading a lot of books about self-development and stated to apply what I had read so far.

Setting quietly I looked at the situation exactly as it was at that moment. Then I asked myself to imagine that this was the best news I had had all week, what would be my reaction to this situation if that were the case. To my surprise, after minutes of thinking, I had a certain amount of relief. If the truth be told, I had been getting more and more unhappy and anxious about going into work. I also had found it very hard to pluck up the courage to leave and make a career change. If anything positive had come out of this situation, it would be the fact that I could now take the time to consider a new direction. It could be my chance to do something totally different with my life.

What was the lesson from this?

I saw this situation as an opportunity to alter the way i lived my life. My intuition had been screaming at me that i needed to leave but fear of not finding another job had stopped my conscious mind from taking any notice of my intuition. I had buried it for a long time and now my redundancy had finally given me freedom.

Consequently, what had seemed like devastating news at first, became a new and positive challenge.

When a situation occurs, we immediately view that situation in either a negative or positive way. We also condition our subconscious into thinking that certain situations will produce certain outcomes, be they negative or positive. We do this, based on our past experiences and fears.

When we make a statement containing the words ‘don’t’, ‘not’, we are actually giving attention and energy to what we don’t want. Simply asking yourself: “So, What Do I Want?” you change a negative statement to positive.

As Napoleon Hill said:

“Positive and negative emotions cannot occupy the mind at the same time. One or the other must dominate. It is your responsibility to make sure that positive emotions constitute the dominating influence of your mind”.

When we call something a “problem”, we are not able to find solutions easily. We paint the situation in a negative light and it takes a lot more effort for us to see the good in it.

I have eliminated the word ‘problem’ from my vocabulary. I now choose to call problems ‘situations’ or ‘challenges’. It takes the panic away!

Obviously, some situations are much more serious than others but, generally speaking, we all encounter some kind of situation during the course of the day, from which something good can come.

Be inspired and take the panic away by asking “So, What Do I Want?” eliminate the word “problem” from your vocabulary and give yourself the opportunity to see a whole new set of options. Don’t take my word for it—try it and see.

Enjoy this post? Share it with others.

Do you suffer iron deficiency? There is a natural and yummy way to get it.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 08:06:00 +0000

Virtues of Sea Vegetables and Dark Greens -with seaweed salad recipes

When I was changing my diet and became vegan, I had a question in mind – from where I would get a calcium, vitamin B12 and iron. (I think it is a common question from people who are changing there diet and incorporat vegetarian or vegan lifestyle).

The answer I found was sea vegetables.

Seaweed has long been used by humans for food and healing. Sea vegetables are one of nature’s richest sources of complete vegetable protein (up to 38%) and vitamin B12, which is rarely found in land vegetables.

These sea veggies can contain up to ten times more calcium than milk and eight times as much iron as beef.

Scientists report that Seaweeds are rich in vitamins A1, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, E, K, pantothenic acid, folic acid, and niacin. They are an important supply of 60 trace elements and an excellent source of over 12 minerals, especially sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc and manganese. In fact, Seaweeds contain much larger concentrations of what

is present in seawater, and in a form, which can easily be assimilated. The potassium-sodium content of sea vegetables is usually quite close to that occurring naturally in the human body.

The low occurrence of goitre (a malfunction of the thyroid gland) in coastal regions where seaweed is traditionally consumed is often attributed to their iodine content. Alginic acid is an important constituent of the cell wall of brown seaweeds and it is mainly responsible for their tensile strength and elasticity, essential for survival in turbulent seawater. It acts as a natural cleanser for the intestines.

Seaweed Benefits

Sea vegetables have a balancing, alkalizing effect on the blood. They are known for their ability to reduce cholesterol, remove metallic and radioactive elements from the body and to prevent goiter.

Thought to have cancer-fighting benefits, sea vegetables also provide relief from asthma, thyroid disorders, irritable bowel syndrome and reduce cholesterol and blood pressure.

Everything that’s green has chlorophyll to thank. And the darker the green, the better. Chlorophyll’s chemical structure is similar to that of our red blood cells. The only difference is that the center of our red blood cell is iron, while the center of chlorophyll is magnesium. This makes it really easy for our body to assimilate chlorophyll nutrients. Plus, chlorophyll is one of the highest sources of protein on the planet. Ounce by ounce, it provides more than any animal product.

Studies undertaken in the Gastro-Intestinal research Laboratory of McGill University (Montreal) indicate that it can assist with the removal of toxins from body tissue by binding with them to form insoluble salts which are then eliminated naturally.

There are three types according to how much exposure to light they have received. Brown types of seaweed, now widely available in healthfood stores and Japanese and other oriental food outlets, include wakame (a constituent of miso soup), kombu and arame. Red seaweed, such as food, includes dulse (particularly linked with cholesterol reduction). Green seaweed includes nore (often used to wrap sushi). Usually sold in dried form, all you need to do is rinse and soak them and they’ll become soft again. They can be used to flavour all sorts of dishes. Try to incorporate them into your diet a couple of times a week.

There some suggestions:

Sea Vegetable and Sprouts Salad.

The idea of eating seaweed in a salad may seem wacky at first glance. The reality is that sea vegetables can offer a wonderful complement to many meals, both in taste and nutrition. Wakame is sweet in flavour and a good source of calcium.

Ingredients

250g mung bean sprouts

½ of cucumber, peeled and cut into matchstick strips

2 strips wakame seaweed

1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved

1 babe gem lettuce leaves separated

100g canned of drained sweetcorn (optional)

Dressing

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger root

1 tsp tamari sauce (soy)

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp fresh apple juice

Direction

Rinse the wakame under cold water for 1 min, then soak in a cold water for about 2-3 min.
Mix all dressing ingredients in a bowl then add 3 tablespoons of water and whisk well t combine.
Drain the wakame and chop into bite-sized pieces, put in a bowl and add half of dressing. Leave to marinate for 5 min.
Put the remaining ingredients in a salad bowl, add marinated wakame and the rest of the dressing.
Mix it and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Enjoy this post? Share it with others.

Chocolate (Carob) Pudding

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 11:54:00 +0000

This recipe has been a favourite of mine for many years and is one of those featured in 50 Quick, Easy, Healthy & Delicious Raw Food Recipes. It's great for dessert any time of year, but especially in the colder months when you want something sweet and comforting.

Ingredients:

* 2 avocados

* 1 cup dates

* 1/2 cup raw carob powder

* Water as required

Directions

1) Simply blend all ingredients in a blender, food processor or with a hand blender until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

2) Taste test before serving. Add more avocado if you'd like it richer and/or creamier, add more dates for extra sweetness or add more carob for a stronger chocolate flavour.

3) Serve on its own or with raw ice-cream for the ultimate treat.

RAW TOP TIPS:

* If you don't like carob powder you can use this with cocoa powder or raw chocolate powder instead.

* This recipe will keep for about 2-3 days in the fridge.

If you're ready to look good, feel great and create a raw life you love get your FREE tips, tools and recipes now at 50 Quick, Easy, Healthy & Delicious Raw Food Recipes

Do you want to increase your “ thoughtful mood”

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 10:31:00 +0000

Here is how….. Start your day with Surya Namaskar or the Sun Salutation.

When it comes to maintaining a good level of physical health, environmental and dietary considerations are important, but keeping fit is fundamental. This becomes more true the older we get. Keeping fit does not necessarily mean lifting wights every day or jogging for 30 minutes before breakfast, but regular exercise will help you to feel trimmer, better about your body and better about yourself.

To allow the body to function well, we need a good balance of movement and relaxation. Both movement and relaxation are essential to keep our blood circulating, allowing nutrients and oxygen to reach each cell. This is how we make our energy.

Stress and an unhealthy lifestyle can create blockages in the flow of energy through the chakras (energy centres in your body), and this could ultimately lead to illness. Many types of yoga aim to clear these blockages and allow the life-force energy to flow freely, so it’s a really good way to boost your overall wellbeing and improve your muscle tone and posture.

A good way to start your day is Surya Namaskar or the Sun Salutation.There are many variations on Surya Namaskar, but here is one I like and easy to do.

Surya Namaskar, are traditionally performed in the morning to greet the new day.

In the practice of Surya Namaskar, the body is linked to the movement, mind and breath to bring about a feeling of balance, relaxation and harmony. It improves a variety of ailments, strengthens and tones muscles and develops flexibility. Various movements in the postures result in blood saturating, nourishing and cleansing the remotest parts of the body. It will increase your concentration, stills the mind and promotes a feeling of balance, tranquility and contentment for all day.

The sequence of 8 postures can be a complete practice in itself, or can prepare you for a longer asana routine. Sun Salutes are often performed in sets of 4 to 20, but if you are new to the practice it's wise to begin with 2 or 3. Each time you flow through this sequence, synchronize your breath with the movements of your body.

1. To begin, stand in Mountain Pose. Distribute your weight evenly over both feet. Establish a slow, steady rhythm for your breath. Find your center.

2. Next, inhale and stretch your arms out to the side and overhead into Upward Hand Pose. Reach your heart and arms to the heavens, sending your greeting to the sun.

3. As you exhale, hollow out your belly and fold into Standing Forward Bend pose, connecting down into the earth. Keep your legs firmly engaged.

4. Inhale and lengthen your spine forward into Half Standing Forward Bend pose. In this pose, the gaze is lifted, the spine is extended, and the fingertips can stay on the floor or rise to the shins.

5. Exhale and step or lightly hop your feet back behind you into Plank Pose. Your wrists should be flat on the floor, shoulder-distance apart, and your feet should be at hip distance. Take a full breath in as you lengthen through your spine.

6. Exhale and lower into Four-Limbed Staff Pose, keeping your legs straight and pushing back into your heels or bringing your knees to the floor. Build heat in the center of your body as you hold this challenging posture.

7. Inhale and carve your chest forward into Upward-Facing Dog pose, directing that energy out from your heart. Pull your shoulders back and open your collarbones. Engage your legs but relax your gluteal muscles.

8. Exhale and roll over the toes, coming into Downward-Facing Dog Pose. Ground down through your hands and feet as you lengthen your spine. Remain here for five breaths.

9. On your fifth exhale, bend your knees and look between your hands. Then inhale and step or lightly hop your feet between your hands, returning to Half Standing Forward Bend pose.

10. Exhale back to Standing Forward Bend pose, surrendering into the fold.

11. Inhale, reaching your arms out wide to your sides and coming to stand through a flat back. Feel a renewed sense of energy as you draw your arms overhead into Upward Hand Pose.

12. Exhale and return to Mountain Pose, your home base. Remain here for a few breaths, feeling the movement of energy through your body, or continue on to your next salute.

Good luck and let me know how it feels.

Enjoy this post? Share it with others.

Energy Bars (app 24 pieces)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 14:56:00 +0000

These dried fruit confections are less sweet than most because they contain sprouted wheatberries. They are more like an energy bar than a dessert. Take them on a hike or use them as a quick breakfast or snack. Try these recipes with other sprouted grains such as kamut, sunflower or barley. The coconut is optional in all the bars. Try several variations, using nuts and fruits.

Ingredients

1 cup sprouted wheatberries (or of your choice)

1 cup walnuts (almond or pecans)

1 cup raisins (dry apricots or dry pineapple)

4 tb spoons shredded coconut

2 tb spoons apple juice (optional water)

½ cup raisins (optional dates)

Direction

If you would like to use dry appricots you need to soak it for 4 hours. Dry pineapple - soak for 8-12 hours before use it.

In a food processor, place the nuts and pulse them a few times to roughly chop them and then add the wheat berries, raisins and coconut. Process until a dough is formed, adding juice if necessary to achieve desired consistency. This is a fairly dry mixture it has a tendency to stick to blades. Watch it very closely in the processor, you may need to use a little liquid to keep the mixture moving. Add additional raisns or dates for sweetness or consistency, if desired and refrigerate. When the dough is cold, shape it into bars. Roll in additional coconut. The bars will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.

Enjoy!

Launch of my new and unique water-free “Any weather glow” face moisturiser

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 18:12:00 +0000

Every true "secret" to real beauty lies in the principles and materials that nature offer us. I deeply believe that organic skin care products can deliver dramatic and long lasting results. What we put on our faces should be as safe and pure as the food we eat. It should be like a fresh meal for your face! “Any weather glow” is as close to food as it can get. Its chocolate aroma and whipped frosting-like texture smells and looks so delicious that you may be tempted to taste it.

What makes ‘Any weather glow’ so special - ...an enzyme active living blend of the freshest, cleanest and purest vegan organic ‘raw’ ingredients: cocoa butter, jojoba and argan oil. Cacao butter helps to regenerate skin cells and restore elasticity whilst agran oil stimulates and regenerates the skin helping to make it soft, supple and elastic. Jojoba oil unclogs the pores and decongests the skin.

The name of my moisturiser “Any weather glow” says for itself –can be used all year around, during the day as a daily moisturizer because it nourishes and restores dry, dehydrated skin, leaving it feeling firmer and softer. Or at night to provide rich nourishment and healing to the skin.

The cream is soothing and anti-inflammatory and can be used on any type of skin, including sensitive skin.

A unique feature of “Any weather glow” face moisturiser is that it contains no added water. As it is not diluted, a little bit goes a long way, and the customer gets 100% active ingredients, without any artificial ingredients whatsoever - no mineral oils, preservatives, emulsifiers or stabilisers.

The cream will work even better if you practice the mantra: Beauty is as Beauty eats!

Creating this cream has been a labor of love. I have carefully selected each ingredient and I am committed to keeping it the best quality possible.

How to Build and Maintain Good Bones

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 09:19:00 +0000

In osteoporosis, the bones lose both minerals and protein and as we get older, this increases the risk of fracture. Although osteoporosis is more common in women, it is now being diagnosed with increasing frequency in men.
It is better to prevent osteoporosis than to try to treat or cure it, and this means building up strong bones in the first 30 years of life. However, it is never too late to pay proper attention to your bones and recent research show that even in later years the condition can be slowed down or even reversed.
How is this done?

You can strengthen your bones if you take the following measures:

1. Eat a diet that contains plenty of calcium, but make sure that it is balanced with a good supply of magnesium. Other helpful nutrients are boron, manganese, copper and vitamin K.
The richest sources of calcium are in milk products, beans, nuts, molasses and fruits.Magnesium can be found in vegetables, but the amount they contain depends on the amount of magnesium in the soil. It is present in most nuts, seeds and whole grains.
2. Make sure that you obtain enough vitamin D in your diet and by exposing your skin to the sun, without sunscreen lotion, for 10 minutes before 10am or in the late afternoon. Never expose unprotected skin for any longer. You can also minimize the loss of calcium from the bones by:
3. Avoiding too much protein in the diet: this helps to prevent a high phosphorus intake
4. Cutting down on caffeine, salt and alcohol
5. Giving up smoking
6. Taking exercise for 30 minutes at least three times a week. Walking will help to protect the bones in your legs and spine. Tennis, rowing, gardening or simple wight training will strengthen the upper body.
7. Avoiding laxatives and antacids that contain aluminum.
8. Not reducing your weight to below that recommended for your height

Enjoy your beautiful skin this winter!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 15:15:00 +0000

Winter is a wonderful time of the year - holidays, warm fires, crisp air, and for many, fresh fallen snow.
But the colder temperature and lower humidity affect the condition of your skin.
Having healthy skin during winter is not that difficult as we might think, as neither is impossible. As long as we focus on our entire body (with emphasis on the face, lips and hands), and we do everything in our power to act before the cold weather does, having radiant, fabulous skin during winter can actually be very easy.
When it’s very cold, there is less moisture in the environment. This lack of moisture is compounded by wind, which blows moisture away from the skin, and central heating.

Keeping the skin hydrated at all times, so as to be able to be exposed to extreme temperatures and still look good, has to come from within too. Drinking plenty of water, as well as using a good moisturiser, are two important steps towards keeping our skin healthy and beautiful throughout the year, including a cold season.
Moisturizers work in two ways, using two types of ingredients. There are humectants, such as hyaluronic acid and urea, and occlusive, such as jojoba oil or beeswax. Humectants draw water from the lower levels of the skin – this comes from the water we drink – to rehydrate the upper levels of the skin, while occlusives have a barrier function to help lock in this moisture.

Here are some suggestions for protecting your skin:

1. The skin on your hands is thinner than in other areas of your body, and it needs extra protection and care. Make sure that after washing your hands you dry thoroughly and use a good hand cream. Wearing gloves outdoors will also protect them and keep your skin soft.
2. Elbows, knees, and feet are completely covered in the winter months, and usually forgotten until spring. Clothing and boots can cause friction that creates a buildup of thick skin. A good scrubbing with a natural lofah sponge, followed by a rich cream will remove any problems here.
3. Sun protection is very important in the winter months, just as it is year-round. Many people forget to use sunscreen, but sun reflects off snow and ice, and you can actually get double the sun exposure.
4. Protect your lips with a good lip balm, and avoid licking your lips as much as possible, since that will cause your lips to crack and chap. If your lips chapped or cracked, use a lip balm before bed, and you should be good to go in the morning.
5. Winter winds and low humidity are also hard on your hair, and using a rich, deep hair conditioner is important to restore moisture to your hair.
6. One way to keep your skin in great shape is getting a massage. You don't have to go to a specialist for this: just get out your favorite massage oil and ask a family member to give you a quick massage. Then relax and enjoy the experience and the benefits.

Enjoy this post? Share it with others.

Wild Dandelion

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 02 May 2010 13:47:00 +0000

Dandelion is one of the best known liver herbs and one that is readily available. It goes by the botanical name of Taraxacum oficinale, Taraxacum comes from taraxos, meaning 'disorder', and akos, meaning 'remedy', because it is the remedy for so many disorders in different parts of the body, while officinalis its place as an important medical herb.

Nutritional properties
Dandelions leaves contain rich amounts of vitamins and minerals, especially Vitamins A, B complex, C and K, and are good sources of calcium, potassium and fair amounts of iron and manganese, higher than similar leafy greens such as spinach. Dandelions are also an excellent source of vitamin H, which is proven to aid in weight loss when ingested.

Dandelions flowers, roots and leaves have been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine. It is an excellent liver and gall bladder herb. Dandelion triggers both the contraction of the gall bladder and the flow of bile into the digestive tract. In this way it improves gall bladder function, digestion and also help to prevent constipation. It improves liver congestion and reduces toxicity, jaundice and hepatitis. In addition, dandelion acts on the kidneys and helps to prevent fluid retention and has many benefits in detox program.
Its leaves are often used to add flavor to salads and sandwiches. It also makes a pleasant drink. You can use either the leaves or the root, or a combination of the two, and there are many different ways you can use it.

Dandelion Salad

Pick the fresh leaves, choosing the younger ones. Wash, tear and add to salads. They are slightly tart and add a pleasing piquancy to mixed leaf salads.

Dandelion Tea

Pick and wash the fresh leaves. Chop finely. Allow a teaspoon per cup, add boiling water and allow to steep for a few minutes. Drink without milk. You can add a little honey if desired.