October 29, 2012
How often have you actually read the ingredient list on your multi-vitamin? Oh, you haven’t done that before? I’d take a quick look and make sure you like what you see. The supplement industry, just like the food industry, is filled with companies whose top priority is to make a profit. While money is important, you often find that it often takes precedent over creating effective, whole-food based supplements.
I used to be a big fan of a well-known gummy multi-vitamin that was so good that it tasted exactly like gummy bears. But despite its addictive taste, I was always a little apprehensive about taking them because of the inevitable nausea I’d feel an hour later. I never understood why something that was supposed to improve my health would make my stomach feel so unsettled. Below, the ingredients -
The first 2 ingredients are sugar. On top of that there are “Natural Flavors,” which as we know can be a nicer way of saying MSG. Oh and why do you need “Colors” in your vitamins? You don’t. No wonder I didn’t feel any healthier taking my supplements – they were filled with sugar and weird sounding chemicals.
In my mind, the best supplements are generally food-based. That is why it is encouraged to try and get most of your nutrients from your food. No matter how smart our chemists are, we just can’t outsmart mother nature. Our bodies were built to assimilate our essential nutrients from nature, not some lab creation. So when I look for supplements, I try and find brands with as little added junk as possible. There is no need for any added sugars, sodium, wheat or artificial flavors when it comes to vitamins.
I personally find Bluebonnet or Jarrow Formulas to be the most reliable when it comes my supplements. I love that my Vitamin D is free of common allergens like milk, egg, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans. That means you’re only getting the ingredients you actually want, which will inevitably allow for maximum absorption by your body! Not convinced? Think of it as more bang for your buck – if you’re going to fork over some extra money for these supplements anyways, you want to make sure you are buying the most effective and safe product possible.
Categorized Nutrition
Tagged Bluebonnet, Ingredients, Jarrow Formulas, Nutrition, Nutrition Labels, Supplements, Vitamins
October 25, 2012
As the very proud owner of RMS Beauty’s Un-cover up, Lip & Skin Balm and Living Luminizer, it is pretty safe to say that I am a big fan of RMS Beauty. When I first heard about RMS Beauty Oil, I couldn’t place an order soon enough. Since I’m already very partial to using facial oils over traditional cream moisturizers, I figured this would be yet another slam dunk product from one of the best natural beauty lines I’ve tried thus far.
For the most part, I was not disappointed. The scent is light and pleasant, with a slight hint of vanilla. In terms of application, facial oils can get annoying really quickly if the packaging isn’t thoughtfully constructed. Happily, that is not the case with Beauty Oil. The bottle comes with a dropper that makes it easy for you to parse out how many drops you’d like to use. Since this isn’t the cheapest product out there, this ensures that you won’t waste a drop!
I started using this product at the end of the summer. At first, it worked perfectly: it left my skin with a dewy glow and my skin felt petal soft and well-moisturized all day. But as the weather slowly turned cooler and drier, I noticed the slightest bit of tightness in my cheeks at the end of the day. Now it is almost November and once again, I am on the search for 1.) a moisturizer to layer on top of this oil OR 2.) another facial oil that will do the job on its own.
If you have combination / oily skin or live in a more humid climate, I highly recommend that you try Beauty Oil out. I think it should satisfy your moisturizing needs without causing breakouts. But if your skin tends to veer more normal / dry (me in the fall and winter), you might want to look for a slightly richer facial oil. I like to keep my routine simple so I would definitely prefer to get all my moisturizing needs in one fell swoop. And so the search for my perfect facial oil continues…
RMS Beauty Oil available at Spirit Beauty Lounge.
Categorized Beauty
Tagged Beauty, Facial Oils, Lip & Skin Balm, Lip Balm, Living Luminizer, RMS Beauty, Spirit Beauty Lounge, Tester Thursdays, Un-cover Up
October 22, 2012
I’m sure this isn’t the first review you’ve read on a cleanse. Ever since Blue Print Cleanse came onto the scene a few years back, it seems like everyone I know has tried a cleanse at least once. But I get the sense that many people primarily view cleanses as a vehicle for weight loss. I feel that I should emphasize that weight loss is NOT the intent of a cleanse for me. In my mind, cleanses are a great way to give your body a break from a period of particularly negligent eating habits. For me, cleanses are an especially great way to keep my digestive issues in check. The first time I did a cleanse a year ago, I was pain free for 3 months afterwards. 3 months! While that may not sound like much to a person with a well-behaved stomach, for someone who has rarely gone a couple days straight without some sort of issue, it was nothing short of a miracle. Oh and my co-workers told me that my skin was glowing (probably from all the beet action). From that point on, I was hooked and have done some sort of cleanse each season.
My job requires me to travel frequently and I attend a lot of lunch / dinner meetings and cocktail events. Even though I always request gluten and dairy-free meals, I sometimes feel like that particular message gets lost in translation. So after a couple weeks straight of back to back lunch meetings, I notice that I usually feel lethargic, bloated and just not my best. So a cleanse is a great way for me to give my stressed out stomach a few days of R&R.
From top-right, moving clockwise: Young Coconut Ceviche, Essential Green Juice, Chia Seed Tapioca, Almond Nut Milk, Maki Rolls, Sweet Green. Full nutritional data available on Raw Cooler page.
My favorite cleanse? Cooler Cleanse, hands down. Not only are their juices fresh-pressed and organic, but they’re seriously tasty. I actually find myself craving their Sweet Greens juice (kale, spinach, parsley, watercress and apple!). I’ve tried Blue Print Cleanse and Organic Avenue‘s green juices and in my opinion, they don’t even come close to the taste of Cooler Cleanse. Also, their customer service is exceptionally helpful and responsive. So whenever I’ve had to change my deliveries around (which happens more than I’d like to admit), they’ve always bent over backwards to accomodate my schedule.
Sometimes I’m just not down for 3 days straight of only juice. I might want something a little more gentle. Plus I like to chew. Luckily, that’s not a problem with Cooler Cleanse because they offer a Raw Cooler, which provides you with 3 juices + 1 snack + 1 entree + 1 dessert each day. The Raw Cooler’s food is actually quite delicious. I’m a huge fan of their Maki Rolls and Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding. So much so that even when I’m not on a cleanse, if I happen to pass by a Juice Generation (which carries Cooler Cleanse juices in their stores), I often find myself grabbing their food when I’m in need of something healthy (and actually enjoyable) on the go.
So – even if you’re new to cleansing or a cleansing veteran, I definitely recommend Cooler Cleanse. You get a ton of flexibility when it comes to how you want to cleanse and you’ll actually enjoy the food / juices instead of feeling like you’re punishing yourself for no reason. (I promise! It’s not just the juice talking…I think)
Categorized Nutrition
Tagged Blue Print Cleanse, Cleansing, Cooler Cleanse, Juice Generation, Juicing, Organic Avenue, Raw Cooler
