Beauty Trials

Visible anti-aging results instantly, on sale.  I'm listening.  I purchased the trial of Beachbody's Derm Exclusive Introductory Kit and received it on February 21.  I did my day one photos and took a 19 day follow up.  While I'm experiencing technical difficulties uploading photos, I'll explain the product.  The claim is that you watch your wrinkles "disappear in minutes" with no invasive needles, no lasers, no chemical peels or pain.  Derm Exclusive says it delivers results as good as or better than cosmetic procedures done at the dermatologist.

Derm has 4 steps that target all four signs of aging: fine lines and wrinkles, sagging skin, dark spots and dullness.  These steps work together to "refresh, restore, rebuild and renew" the complexion.  It works for all skin types, is used every day and is dermatologist tested & approved.  The products contain no dangerous preservatives or harmful ingredients, no ingredients derived from animals and isn't tested on animals.

Initially, Advanced Kit's price of the 90 day supply put me off.  My cost as a coach is $90 with free shipping, Club members receive a discount at $107.87, and full retail goes for $119.85.  There is another kit for $165 - my coach cost is $123 - for a girl who invests practically nothing into skin care, that is an ouch.  However, being intrigued by a progress photo by a fellow coach, I decided to try it.

This is what I received with the Intro Kit along with a 30-day money back guarantee:

Step 1: Micro Peel Resurfacing Pads
(15 pads, 30-day supply)
Reveal super-smooth skin with a professional-strength peel that exfoliates dead cells and shrinks the appearance of pores.

Step 2: Intensive Repair Serum
(1 fl. oz., 30-day supply)
Treat dark spots and uneven texture similar to a laser treatment as you help speed recovery from past damage and restore skin's luminosity.

Step 3: Collagen Lift
(1 fl. oz., 30-day supply)
Boost collagen production for firm, lifted skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles with astonishingly powerful results.

Step 4: Fill & Freeze Wrinkle Treatment
(0.04 fl. oz., 30-day supply)
Instantly plump lines and wrinkles while reducing the appearance of dark circles. This breakthrough product gives injections and fillers a run for their money!

My complaints: definitely have to be sparing because with the amount of product I felt I would run out sooner than the 30 days.  These products can only be purchased in a group, so if I did run out I can't order just one thing.  The fill & freeze treatment burns and leaves a redness, but not at every application.

My raves: The scent reminds me of citrus - not overpowering.  I like the feel of the products overall, with the exception of the fill & freeze burning on occasion.  I have noticed that the Intensive repair has given an overall appearance of a balanced skin tone.  As for the collagen lift, I think it has "tightened" as advertised, but I'm going to let the photos show that once I can get them loaded.

My thoughts: Overall I like the product.  Do I think it is worth the investment?  Yes because I haven't had any results from the various items I've purchased here and there that are this noticeable.  However worrying if I will run out of items before the next shipment and not being able to purchase individually is a major negative.  I'm investing into the 90 day supply to see how the results fare from day 1, but I'm not 100% sold on it yet.  3.5 stars / 5

Happy Pi Day!

As if Shakeology wasn't my favorite sweet tooth fix, I found a recipe for pie.  Bonus: I finally found a use for the Greenberry flavor that I don't *really* love.  With a quinoa crust and a touch of Shakeology, it's hard to imagine a healthier pie.

Total Time: 3 hrs., 30 min.
Prep Time: 20 min.
Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients:
¾ cup dry quinoa
1/2 cup chopped raw walnuts
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
¾ cup pure maple syrup, divided use
1 (12-oz.) container firm silken tofu
2 Tbsp. Greenberry Shakeology
¼ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
¼ cup canned lite coconut milk
4 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tsp. finely chopped lime peel
¾ medium ripe banana

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Grind quinoa in a clean spice or coffee grinder until finely ground.
3. Place quinoa, walnuts, and cinnamon in a food processor. Pulse until well mixed.
4. Combine quinoa mixture, oil, and ½ cup maple syrup in a medium bowl; mix well.
5. Press mixture into 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.
6. Place tofu, Shakeology, yogurt, coconut milk, lime juice, lime peel, remaining ½ cup maple syrup, and banana in a blender; cover. Blend until smooth. 7. Pour tofu mixture into cooled pie crust.
8. Freeze for 3 hours, or until set.
9. Cut into 10 servings.

Nutritional Information (per serving):

Calories: 212

Fat: 10g

Saturated Fat: 4g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 18mg

Carbohydrate: 25g

Fiber: 2g

Sugar: 12g

Protein: 10g

Sausage Stuffed Squash

Sausage stuffed squash.  Go ahead and say that really fast three times in a row!  I was faced with a mild dilemma yesterday.  Combined lack of grocery shopping, lack of time to do so, and the question of how to feed two boys whose idea of cooking is pizza in a box when I am not going to be home at dinnertime.  I dislike processed foods, so I do my best to make sure my hubs and brother don't resort to that option when I'm gone.  I needed something that was fairly quick to make, reheated well and was something they would eat.  The freezer was silently mocking as I debated on what to do with two pounds of really nice sausage.  I had three different types of squash - two types of baking pumpkin and one lonely acorn squash.  When in doubt, pull out Granny's Good Housekeeping Cookbook.

I found a recipe for stuffed squash.  But they used (gak) hot dogs.  Reading on, there was a recipe to use sausage.  Score!  I just adapted it to be a bit healthier and voila.  Something suspicious for the boys to wonder what the tree hugger has concocted this time.  I perused the produce.  I had one red delicious apple, onions, miscellaneous lettuces, tomatoes and radishes.  I selected the apple, some red mustard greens and the onion.  Sauteed the sausage with some onion as the squash baked in the oven.  Once they were done, I mixed everything together and baked for another 10 minutes.

The end result?  They loved it and barely saved one for me to eat when I got home (of which half was more than enough).  The apple added enough natural sugar and the mustard enough tang to complement the sausage nicely.

The Ingredients:
Choice of 3 squash - the acorn squash held up the best
2 pounds cooked premium sausage (no added sugar or wheat)
1 medium chopped onion
1 cup chopped raw mustard greens, stems removed
1 apple cubed
Garlic chives to taste
Extra virgin olive oil - enough to coat the inside of squash

Preheat oven to 400.  Coat insides of squash with enough olive oil to keep moist - I would estimate 1 to 1 1/2 Tablespoons for each. Place squash cut side down onto baking pan and bake for about 20 minutes.  Note: I followed the cookbook and baked it for 30 minutes and after cooking it the second time after stuffing it seemed overdone to me.  Meanwhile, brown the sausage with the onion until cooked.  Once that is done, mix the chopped mustard greens, apple and garlic chives in a bowl.  Remove squash from oven and stuff carefully - they are h-o-t!  Return stuffed squash back into oven for ten minutes.  Allow them to cool slightly before serving.  Ultimately this should feed 4 - 6 people, since the boys had two each, I had one and I shared one with my neighbor.

Kale & Beet Salad

I've posted previously about the awesomeness of beets.  They are great additions to several types cooking methods. Roasted, pureed, steamed—you name it. But in my opinion, nothing is better than a simple salad of raw shredded beets and kale - it is tangy, sweet and full of texture!  The balsamic vinegar brings out their natural sweetness while keeping the beets raw preserves their vibrant color and nutrients.

The Ingredients:
4 medium red beets peeled and shredded (or in my case chopped)
3 cups (packed) thinly sliced kale leaves (stems removed and discarded)
1 medium shallot, finely chopped (I used onion because it's what I had)
1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon granulated garlic powder (I used that plus garlic chives)
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

In a large mixing bowl, toss together beets, kale, and shallot. In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, and granulated garlic powder. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  I prefer to chill mine in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes then allow the salad to stand at room temperature shortly before serving.

Try different types of kale in this recipe to find your favorite. I like lacinato kale the best for its flatter texture, but curly or red kale will also work.  I used chiogga beets (candy cane beets) because they are so yummy, don't stain and are gorgeous in the salad.

How Sweet it...Isn't.

Once upon a time, or maybe just a few months ago I picked up my jar of organic raw blue agave nectar.  It is not truly raw nor is it all natural. With all the hype about this and that new natural sweetener, it was a total impulse purchase.  I can't say I really liked it - I still prefer plain old honey.  After doing some reading I can't say I will finish what I have.  Words like "organic" and "raw" and "all natural" should mean something, right?  Agave nectar: good, bad or indifferent?

Let's go over the scientifical stuff.  Even though agave nectar doesn't cause the raise and crash in blood sugar levels, it gets packaged into a more dangerous option: blood fats.  The liver digests fructose, and then it is immediately turned into triglycerides - which is stored body fat.  You know, the kind that increases heart disease risk.  Our liver is grand central for fat metabolizing, and it gets rid of toxins.  When there is a lot of junk like fructose coming in, the liver will build up fat deposits and everything will get backed up worse than rush hour traffic after an accident.

Agave nectar consists of 70 to 90 percent fructose.  That's crazy: high fructose corn syrup weighs in at 55 percent fructose, a virtual lightweight in comparison!  (And I am NOT a HFCS fan).  These high fructose levels can contribute to insulin resistance (yup, that would be the diabetes risk factor) as well as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.  Fructose also causes your body to stop telling you that you're full...so you eat more.  Besides contributing to weight gain, this will also help to gain BAD FATS (the aforementioned triglycerides that we all associate with super-sized junk meals). 

Because I hate just throwing stuff away, it will sit in the cupboard to use more sparingly than the leftover white sugar that has been sitting forever.  Using a teaspoon here or there seems reasonable, but I will be avoiding adding it into any beverages or foods as a regular sweetener.

S'not true, is it?

My allergies are severe several times a year here in sub-tropical central Florida, enough to put me into bed at least once or twice.  It was brought to my attention by a trustworthy source that over-the-counter medications geared for allergies will cause issues when used continually by chronic allergy sufferers.  Medications will cause a rebound effect when used for more than three days at a time.  So my favorite box of meds are benched as I attempt to deal with this the natural way.  I've heard how well neti pots work, but quite frankly I was certain drowning myself with water while currently drowning in, well, snot, would be a double whammy.

A whattie what what???  Neti pots, though the term sounds odd, are not all that weird because of how they work.  They are designed, basically, to wash out your nose with a saline solution and helps to loosen and get rid of congestion and icky stuff.  Many people use neti pots to treat nasal allergies, sinus problems and colds.  It has been claimed that regular use is more effective for nasal allergy and sinus symptoms than over-the-counter medications.  It's not magic, and is not an instant fix, but I swear the relief is so tangible it's worth the initial weirdness.  

So I bought this nifty ceramic pot, filtered and boiled my tap water and waited for it to cool.  I put the ascribed 1/4 teaspoon of fine non-iodized salt with 8 ounces of the warm water, tilted my head over the sink, put the spout into my upper nostril and let it flow.  Holy snot pot, Batman!  After three uses, I have regained my ability to breathe fully and my ears are no longer "plugged."  If it wasn't so gross, I'd show pictures of the results.  Suffice it to say that I am amazed.

My sister is currently being treated for a sinus infection and is on a second round of antibiotics.  A study by Mayo Clinic indicated that medications and antibiotics are not effective for sinus problems because they target bacteria, not fungi (or mold for that matter), which they found is the cause of most sinus infections.  Enter grapefruit seed extract and a new home for another neti pot. 

Since grapefruit seed extract is a natural antibiotic and anti-fungal, it seems like it would be a great option to help alleviate some of her discomfort.  The grapefruit seed extract will be added into the saline solution and used with the neti pot for approximately a week to 10 days.   I am curious to see what the results will bring since I already know the benefits of relief.  Despite having current sinusitis issues, I don't think I've had clearer breathing in ages.

Elderberry Syrup

 

Highly recommended and much anticipated, I located Nature's Way Sambucus at the local GNC since I felt too lousy to drive further to the local health food store.  I  have previously about the benefits of elderberries, but failed to source my elderberry tea from anywhere locally.  Since Western medicine has not come up with a cure to the common cold or flu, and I despise taking chemicals advertised to mask my symptoms, I spent the $15 happily in hopes of feeling better.  I had already responded well to my Brew Better green tea concoction, so I had high hopes for this little immune booster.

Sambucus is an extract of black elderberry, and is thought to boost the body's immune response.  I was raised in the Dimetapp era, so I naturally suspect anything that is remotely medicinal and purple.  Whatever patented formulation this is, I will take it in gallon form please.  I'd pour it on pancakes if I could.  Natural. No side effects.  Sweet enough to kill the worst sugar cravings ever.  Since I wanted to knock this cold out, I opted for the four times a day dose (besides, it's THAT good).  I'm still not 100% but after six doses, I'm no longer aching and my throat is no longer sore. The only thing I dislike is not being able to get a larger bottle to continue the daily dosage.

Cleaning Fit

Somehow being sick always sends me on a cleaning binge.  Never mind that my huge, bare Christmas tree still lurks - because that means I have to clean the entire closet to reach the boxes for it. All linens have been laundered after a trip to smack the switch on the pump, gotta love homeownership.  The kitchen shines and the bathrooms are defunked.  Normally cleaning chemicals send me into a wheezing fit, but I've pared it down to naturals.  These are some of my favorite tricks.

• Chill out.  For grimy non-stick cookware: freeze for approximately 30 minutes.  The burnt grime should come off easily.
• Take it with a grain of salt.  For boiled over foods in the oven, pour salt on it to soak it up.  When the oven cools, wipe it up with a damp sponge. For an all purpose oven cleaner, make a paste of baking soda and water, leave for a few hours to dry and wipe clean for a chemical free oven.
• Stove top miracle.  Mix a small amount of borax and dish soap and scrub onto cooled stove.  For problem areas, soak a cleaning towel in hot water and place on the area and allow to soak.  Wipe clean.
• Citrus shine.  Grapefruit or lemon comes in handy for cleaning along with some salt.  I've used with success on granite counters, stainless steel sinks, and on the bathroom sinks.  The only catch is rinsing thoroughly.  For those with garbage disposals, grinding the seeds from these two fruits along with some ice cubes will freshen up any lingering odors.
• Grind to a halt: toss a handful of rice grains in your coffee grinder and send them for a spin.  The particles absorb stale odor and cleans residual oil and grounds.  Discard the rice and wipe clean.
• Bleachy keen.  To remove acidic food stains from plastic storage containers, rub lemon juice on the spots and set them out to catch some sunshine.  Wash as usual.
• Vanilla Bean Clean.  Soak a cotton ball in vanilla extract and place exposed on a dish in the refrigerator to absorb odors.  Leave until it is dry.
• Shower fresh.  To scour mineral deposits from showerheads, pour vinegar into a plastic grocery bat and knot the handles over the neck of the showerhead, securing with rubber bands.  Soak overnight and rinse in the morning.
• Tea time rust remover.  Soaking rusty tools in some black tea will help scour superficial rusting.  Brew a few pots, allow to cool and dump into a bucket with your neglected tools for a few hours.  Wear gloves (or be forever orange) and wipe each tool with a cloth.
• Natural windex.  Mix 2 ounces water and 10 drops of lavender or lemongrass oil to wipe grime off of windows.  These oils are also said to repel flies.
• Pet hair picker-upper.  Chasing tumbleweeds just got a smidgen easier: put on a wet rubber dishwashing glove and wipe your hand over surfaces.  Pet hair will stick right to it.
• Natural laundry stain treatments:  Always treat stains from the back rather than the front to avoid rubbing the stain in more.  Ink or paint - soak in rubbing alcohol for 30 minutes or spray with hairspray before washing.  Tomato based stains: white vinegar directly on stain and wash immediately.  Coffee and tea: treat with boiling water onto the stain.  If it is already set, scrub with a paste of borax and water and wash immediately.  Grass: scrub with dish soap or treat with 50/50 hydrogen peroxide and water mix.  Mud: let dry and brush off what you can.  Treat with borax/water paste and wash immediately.  Dingy whites & pit stains: soak in 50/50 hydrogen peroxide and water mix for at least 30 minutes and wash with an added 1 cup of peroxide per load.  Red wine: 50/50 peroxide and water mix immediately preceding wash. 
• Line it up!  Spring is here in the south, set a clothes line and enjoy fresh air dried linens while saving a few bucks on electricity.
• Take a shot.  Spritz musty smelling linens and clothing with a small amount of vodka (spot-test first).  Straight voddie kills bacteria but doesn't leave a scent.  Hang clothes to dry in a well ventilated area.

Brew Better

After making a few phone calls, my elderberry tea is not looking to appear magically into my teacup.  So I am applying what I've learned with what I have on hand since the OTC medications make me feel like ick. 

Ingredients:
1 quart hot water
2 bags of organic jasmine green tea
6 slices fresh ginger
3 slices fresh turmeric
1 lemon wedge - juiced
1 tablespoon local honey
1 teaspoon (or so) organic cayenne pepper

Add all ingredients and allow to steep.  When tea is finished, chew on ginger wedges and turmeric slices for additional relief - these are better than cough drops.

Why did I choose these particular ingredients?  Jasmine green tea has aromatherapy benefits due to the jasmine - not that I can smell well at the moment - and it also has a calming and soothing effect despite the caffeine.  If I am battling a bacterial infection, it contains antibacterial properties as well. 

Ginger clears the microcirculatory channels of the body - including sinuses -  and acts as anti-inflammatory which will help the body aches.  It also acts as a natural throat and nose decongestant.  Ginger is one of my favorite every day additions to green tea for a little extra zing to the taste.

Fresh turmeric also contains anti-inflammatory agents, but is also a natural pain killer.  Lemon gives a nice scent, a dose of vitamin C and also acts as a detox agent. I love the taste of fresh turmeric and since it is extremely odoriferous, I can actually smell some of what I am drinking despite the congestion. 

Cayenne has warming properties to combat the cold chills.  I've used it regularly for nearly two years as an addition to food and in my lemonade for a detox agent.  Cayenne also has anti-irritant properties that eases sore throats and spasmodic coughs - both of which came full swing today.  It is also thought to relieve allergies - any relief from orange blossom pollens would be a bonus for me.

Local honey.  Organic raw honey is an energy booster, helps muscle fatigue and soothes sore throats. It has long been recognized that local honey relieves symptoms of pollen related allergies since bees collect pollens from the very plants that cause my sniffles and sneezing.

Brew better health naturally - two cups of this and I'm feeling an improvement.  Happy Monday!