AM Essential Oil Routine

A lot of you have asked me "what do I do with essential oils?"

I decided to share with you my AM Essential Oil Routine - at least today's routine. 

As you can imagine, every day is different - full of different needs.

So as of now, here is how and what I am using today...

ORANGE. I put this in the diffuser first thing in the morning – it not only smells SO good, but it wakes me up and calms me at the same time.

THIEVES. This goes on the bottom of my feet after my shower to boost my immunity for the day!  (Lots of people around me are sick - I want to keep that icky far, far away!)

PEACE & CALMING. Lately, peace & calming is one of my favorite oils to smell! It is a blend of: ylang ylang, orange, tangerine, patchouli & blue tansy. I put it on the back of my neck, along with a bit of coconut oil as my carrier. It helps relax me and helps make me ready to conquer the day! (Side note - this oil now comes in the Young Living Starter Kit! That is actually how I was introduced to it, years ago...been a faithful user every since!)

LAVENDER. Lavender goes on the top of my ears to help keep me calm for the day – also to help prevent any headaches. For some reason, I am fighting a bit of a headache so trying to get rid of that as well.

THANKFUL ROLLER. This roller goes on the bottom of my feet before I put shoes on as leaving the house, along with putting it on my wrists (as a perfume.) It helps to ground me and promotes emotional balance. I sell this roller! If you're interested, you can snag one at my shop!

GRAPEFRUIT LIP BALM. I hate when my lips are dry – and with this cold Florida weather, lip balms are a MUST!

DEEP RELIEF ROLLER. Goodbye inflammation and tense muscles with this bad boy! I did a shoulder workout yesterday and my right shoulder needed a little extra love.

STRESS AWAY. This is the blend I’ve been using in the diffuser while at work. It’s been a little hectic there lately so I am trying to promote a work environment that reduces mental rigidity, restores equilibrium, and supports relaxation. It also reminds me of a margarita!

I am here to answer any questions you might have - ask away!

If you're interested in snagging some oils, you can do so here - either as a member (you'll get that great starter kit I mentioned above!) or as a retail customer. Any questions in the process, please reach out.

DIY Fruit & Vegetable Soak - Chemical Free

Disclosure: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links and other affiliate links that earn me a small commission, at no additional cost to you, when you make a purchase. I only recommend products I personally use and love, or think my readers will find useful. 

Cleaning your fruit (and veggies!) are very important!

EVEN if we are talking ORGANIC fruit and vegetables here, people.

Your organic fruit and vegetables could have pesticide drift (pesticides from other fruits and vegetables get blown over to the organic ones from wind) or just a whole lot of other germs from the grocery store, etc.

Here you have it...an easy fruit & vegetable soak - with ingredients you probably already have in your house!

Fruit & Vegetable Soak

• 1/4 cup Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/4 cup (organic) lemon juice
• water

1. Pour the apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and water in a large bowl.
2. Make sure you mix all the liquid together.
3. Put the fruit/vegetables you want cleaned in the bowl.
4. Let it soak for at least 15 minutes.
5. Rinse the fruit/vegetables through a strainer.
6. Put the fruit/vegetables back in the bowl with water.
7. Let it soak for a few minutes.
8. Rinse the fruit/vegetables again.
9. Make sure the fruit/vegetables are dry before putting them into your fridge.
10. Enjoy clean fruit/vegetables!

Tangent: Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar with the mother in it has not only a ton of uses, but also so many health benefits!

Editorial: What to Do to Counteract Loose or Saggy Skin

As time goes on, I have realized that loose skin is a fairly common problem that occurs for all of us eventually. Its natural cause has to do with collagen production. Collagen is a material made naturally by your body that forms somewhat of a “glue” holding your skin cells together. In harmony with another material, called elastin, it also helps to make your skin stretchy. The natural aging process causes less collagen to be produced by your body. Therefore, your skin loses its elasticity and the cells start to spread further apart. Other factors, such as rapid weight loss or chemical exposure can also lead to problems with loose or saggy skin, but there are several ways to counteract those problems.

Treatment Options for Getting Rid of Mild Wrinkles 
If you can recognize your skin is losing its elasticity early on, you may be able to reverse the damage quickly using a mild treatment method. In fact, some mild treatment methods can be done at home. For example, there are over-the-counter lotions and creams you can buy to help your skin stay hydrated. Many of those lotions also contain vitamins and other substances to strengthen it. If your skin problems have gone beyond the point at which home treatment is effective but are still relatively mild, you may benefit from sound or light therapy at your local skincare clinic. Intense pulsed light, radio frequency and ultrasound treatments have all been used in skincare circles for years to boost natural collagen production over time. In some cases, such treatments can also help existing collagen function better to hold cells in place.

Use Lasers When Moderate Skin Tightening is Required 
When you need moderate skin tightening assistance, it's likely sound wave therapy and intense pulsed light will not help. However, laser treatment can. There are many companies that produce lasers for cosmetics business like your local skincare clinic. Those lasers can be used to treat lots of skin conditions, but one of the most popular forms of treatment is laser skin tightening. Laser skin tightening is useful because lasers are strong and accurate. They can be used to target any area where your skin is starting to sag. They are also capable of both getting collagen molecules to move closer together for skin tightening and causing more collagen to be made by your body over time. Therefore, their long-term treatment results can be excellent. Although, you may see few short term results.

How Many Skin Tightening Treatments Are Required 
There is no exact answer to how many skin tightening treatments you need. It depends on the type of clinical treatment you choose and the severity of your skin sags. However, certain treatments, especially laser procedures, are often recommended in groups of four to six. The timing of those treatments is spaced out strategically over weeks or months to allow the skin to heal between sessions. Your clinician will let you know the exact time frames required for treatment. 

The Long-Term Skin Tightening Outlook 
Even if you complete a group of skin tightening sessions and get the exact results you want, you must remember those results are not permanent. The effects of certain skin tightening treatments can last for years, but there are limits. Eventually, your skin may start to wrinkle or sag again. At that time, you may need to have additional skincare clinic treatments. You can do your part to delay that need by caring for your skin on a regular basis. For example, limiting sun exposure, eating properly,  getting enough rest can all help your skin keep itself healthy, and a good skin care regimen.

Homemade Starbucks "Medicine Ball"

Over the past few years, my co-worker has mentioned how good the "Medicine Ball" tea from Starbucks is - especially if she felt like she was getting sick or had a sore throat. At times, she has literally raved what a miracle it was and how it helped her compromised immune system.

I finally tried one a couple weeks ago when I was at the airport at 6am...before the sun was up! I had been feeling sick the days prior to my departure and was trying all natural remedies known to man to not be sick for my trip.

And what do I decide to do but wait in the longest line available at the airport at 6am. (Why do people want coffee before a flight? I'll never understand it. Don't you want to be sleeping?) But, I digress...

"Medicine Ball" time here we go!

It. Was. Delicious.

If you follow my Insta-stories, I snapped a shot of the yumminess. It really soothed my throat and was very tasty. I was surprised, too, that it was less than $3.

The closest Starbucks to me is 15 minutes away so I'll be honest here...I do not go often.

Which led me to creating this recipe at home! (With the ingredients I use, it winds up being about $1.60 per 20oz of deliciousness...you can make it even less if you use a different lemonade brand, but Uncle Matt's is where it's at! I also highly recommend their orange juice and apple juice! Or if you use less lemonade, the price per 20oz would be less.)

 Cami's Version of the "Medicine Ball"

-7oz of lemonade (more or less depending on how sweet you would like it)
-13oz of water
-1 bag of Jade Citrus Mint Teavana
-1 bag of Peach Tranquility Teavana
-1 teaspoon of honey (more or less depending on how sweet you would like it...ALSO, raw & local honey is the best but unfortunately I am currently all out!)

1.) Put your lemonade and water in a pot on the stove and bring it just about to a boil.

2.) Pour our lemonade/water mixture into your tumbler or extra large mug.

3.) Add your tea bags and let them steep. (I personally leave my teabags in my mug because I LOVE the flavors of the tea.)

4.) Add your honey.

5.) Let this yumminess soothe your throat and enjoy the taste!

I would like to note that this tea is NOT caffeine-free...the Jade Citrus Mint tea has caffeine in it...16-25mg of caffeine. (1 cup of coffee has roughly 95mg in it.) So it doesn't have a ton of caffeine, in comparison, but wanted to make you aware. If you are drinking this at the end of the day and are sensitive to caffeine, maybe take this tea bag out once you are finished steeping it.

Now go and enjoy a "Medicine Ball," whether you are sick or healthy, I promise you, you will enjoy it!

CBD, Collagen, Superfoods & Electrolytes

Disclosure: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links and other affiliate links that earn me a small commission, at no additional cost to you, when you make a purchase. I only recommend products I personally use and love, or think my readers will find useful. 


Guess what CBD, collagen powder, superfood supplements & electrolyte powder all have in common?

Yes, they all have amazing health benefits. But they are also four products that I always travel with!

This past weekend, I was in Miami for the Seed Food & Wine Festival Summit and Tasting Event. That was four days packed full of a whole lot of knowledge, food, wine, beer, lack of sleep, and germs. (Don't tell me I'm the only one who thinks of germs when you're surrounded by a  ton of people and in new places?)

I take CBD, collagen powder, superfood supplements on a daily basis as it is and electrolyte powder when I need a little boost (particularly nights where alcohol is in the mix.) So you better believe I wouldn't forget these goodies at home when I travel!

For those who may not know what CBD is yet, it is absolutely wonderful. CBD (which stands for Cannabidiol) is a chemical compound that is found naturally in the cannabis plant; however, it is not mind-altering. You will not get high from taking CBD. Research has found that CBD interacts with receptors in your brain and nervous system and helps a myriad of systems. These systems include: anxiety, chronic pain, headaches, insomnia, and the list goes on. 

It personally helps me on a daily basis keep my aches and pains at bay (the sad truth comes out - I'm getting old!) When I'm traveling, CBD helps me relax and sleep. I tend to have trouble sleeping when I am somewhere new. Greenroads, the company that makes the CBD I use, has all kinds of CBD products. Until this past weekend, I stuck with the oils. One night, I tried the "sleepy z's" that Greenroads offers; it has a minuscule amount of melatonin in it. Let me tell you! I had an amazing sleep. 

I will never travel without CBD. I actually have a bottle of it in my purse.

Collagen powder is amazing! It has 2.5g fat, 1g carb, and 10g protein...you can add it to your smoothies (which is what I did on this trip) or even add it to your coffee instead of creamer. Collagen is good for you hair, skin, nail, and joint support. I like this brand because it is non-gmo, grass fed, and dairy, whey & soy free. This flavor is tasty in a banana, strawberry smoothie!

For home, I just get a big canister of collagen powder. But when I travel, it's easier for me to get the collagen powder in individual single serving packets.

Again, single serving packets for travel for the win! Amazon Grass has MANY different superfood options (and flavors.) The detox & digest is made with all farm fresh alkalizing greens, more than twenty four cleansing ingredients, and 1 billion probiotics. The ingredients help eliminate toxins and soothe digestive support. 

I found this gem on accident. My husband, an avid soccer player, always drank unflavored (no dye) Pedialyte before game days and long practice days. I try not to buy plastic bottles so thought it was time to look into an alternative...here comes Ultima Replenisher! I started off with the single serving packets so we could test our the flavors and quickly came to lemonade being our favorite. The product has zero sugar, zero calories, 6 electrolytes and plant-based colors.

When looking into the reviews, I noticed many people saying they would take it before a night of drinks and it helped not being hungover the next day. Also, feeling note quite "right" the next day, I have taken it again and it has helped spunk me back up.

Do you travel with supplements? If so, tell me your favorites!

organic & raw KOMBUCHA

Words of Enlightenment: 
When we root ourselves in gratitude, our joy grows & blossoms. It reaches up & branches out until a forest blankets the earth & fills the whole sky.

Recently, I have gotten into kombucha...probably the last six months or so. And by "gotten into," I mean enjoyed it regularly. Every brand (and flavor obviously) has it's own flair to it.

As of now, my favorite kombucha is GT's Living Foods - Living in Gratitude fall edition! To me, it's like fall in a bottle...apple, turmeric, carrot & spices. In Florida, we have yet to transition to fall so I am extra excited for this flavor!

Besides the deliciousness of this drink, what I think is really amazing is the fact that GT's Living Foods has partnered with Feeding America. Until the end of the year, if you post a photo, tag the brand and include #LivingInGratitude on social media, the company will donate 10 meals to families in needs (up to 500,000 meals.)

If you drink kombucha, have you tried this one yet? 

Also, I really want to try making my own kombucha! Has anyone ever tried that and if so, share your ways with me!

LIIFT 4 - Plan C - Meal Plan

1,800-2,099 calories

Consisting of: 5 Veggies, 3 Fruits, 5 Proteins, 4 Carbs, 1 Healthy Fats, 1 Seeds & Dressings, 5 Oils & Nut Butters (tsp)

Real quick, LIIFT 4 is an 8 week program from Beachbody to build muscle and burn fat. The workouts are four days a week with each workout being 30-40 minutes. The workouts consist of weight training (my favorite) and HIIT.

I can discuss LIIFT 4 more in depth in another post if anyone is interested, but I wanted to give an example of the Plan C Meal Plan. (Plan A is readily available online but Plan C seems to be MIA!)

Not anymore!

With this program, a specific nutrition plan is recommended. If you are looking to build serious muscle (like me!) it is recommended you bump up two plans which is what I have done. Plan C Meal Plan consists of: 5 Veggies, 3 Fruits, 5 Proteins, 4 Carbs, 1 Healthy Fats, 1 Seeds & Dressings, 5 Oils & Nut Butters (tsp).

The easiest way for me to follow is to meal prep every few days. For example, I will boil a bunch of chicken, cook a bunch of ground chicken, make a pot of brown rice, bake potatoes and veggies, etc. This will make sticking with the meal plan MUCH easier...you won't have any excuses.

Beachbody meal plans correlate with colored containers. My mom and I actually followed a different meal plan program with these containers years ago. We both purchased the containers only to make our life easier - and now I get to use them again! So instead of having to measure everything out, you can use the colored containers which are already measured for you. (Gotta love time savers!)

You can snag the colored containers for a great price on Amazon Prime. You also get some additional goodies as well from Efficient Nutrition. The great thing about them too is that they are BPA free!

Happy eating!!

Disclosure: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links that earn me a small commission, at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I personally use and love, or think my readers will find useful. 

Going to Try This Crazy Idea - Wash My Face with Coconut Oil...

I kind of forgot how amazing coconut oil is suppose to be for your skin until my sister asked me where I got mine over the weekend. She spent the night at my house a few months ago & I had her use some of it on a breakout she had on her face. Over the weekend, she told me how much it helped her breakout a few months ago & now that she was encountering another breakout, she wanted to use it again.

It reminded me of all the research I have done on coconut oil & all of the amazing benefits. (I still can't get into oil pulling though!) A handful of my friends have been using coconut oil to take off their makeup & wash their face. I've always been too chicken to try it!

Until last night, that is!

My sister, completely un-biased from the whole "coconut oil craze" had first hand experience from it and truly saw the benefit from it...even from just a few uses, many months ago!

Last night I put some coconut oil on my face & used a cotton pad to remove my makeup. It removed the makeup SO well! I then put more (a small amount goes a long way!) on my face, rubbed it around with hot water & at first I tried using my hands (like normal face wash) to remove the coconut oil. But that did not workout too well so I used a wash cloth to remove it.

I have sensitive skin & usually after I wash my face, my skin feels very...tight and like I need to put moisturizer on RIGHT away. Well last night & this morning, that was not that case! It felt smooth and my skin tone was pretty even. Usually I have red blotches on my face after I wash it - not last night or this morning!!

I am excited to see how my new routine works for me! So far, I have faith that it will work! Sometimes you just have to take the plunge & put your worries aside.

From what I read, it is important to use organic virgin coconut oil, so this is what I ordered a few months ago (and as you can see, haven't used too much of yet!) -

 

I'll let you guys know in a couple of weeks how it's been going!

Have you used coconut oil as a skin care regiment? If so - what has your experience been?

Send Sonya to Japan!

One of my best gal pals from college, Sonya, is heading to Japan to teach English in just a few short weeks! She has a heart of gold and will be such a great teacher - I'm so excited for her future there!

Let us try to help this ambitious gal if we can. Instead of me telling you the details, I'll let Sonya tell you...

Diabetes has been such a focal part of my life since I was diagnosed in 2001. I've had many highs and many lows, and for a while I thought being a diabetic defined me. I was embarrassed to tell my friends some of the issues I was struggling with. I wanted to be a normal young adult. More importantly, I had in my mind this idea that I had to be tethered to a full time job in order to keep my medical benefits. My mother would tell me all the time you have to have somewhere to jump, you have to have a plan. I love Disney. Working for a company that takes pride in their customer service and strives to do the impossible inspired me to do a little soul searching. I have always wanted to learn a different language. Disney has such a plethora of people that it's hard to imagine you wouldn't hear different languages walking through the parks. With this idea in mind, I wanted to have a cultural experience that benefited not only me, but others as well. I want my learning experience to be a teaching experience as well. And so, I searched in Google "Teach English in Japan" and the rest is history. Diabetes will always be a part of my life, but I don't want to feel like it is keeping me from seeing the world. The medical bills and medications will be expensive, and this is why I ask for your help. Nothing would make me happier than to look back on this amazing experience a year from now and know their are people all over the world who believed in me, and wanted to see me succeed, no matter what the price. If you can, please donate. And if you can't that's ok too. I just thank you for reading about me, and if you can, spread the word. The days get closer and closer, and while I admit there's a bit of fear in the pit of my stomach, I'm so excited, thrilled and honored to be offered such a life changing experience.



You can donate to her cause here. And if nothing else - please share this post - the more that are aware, the better. And remember - don't let your struggles define you - fight against it & turn it into a life experience.

You can follow the link below to learn more - receive updates, donate, etc.!

Fall is in the air!!

Ok so as "fall" as Florida can get - it's coming!! I can feel it in the air at 6:30am - by 9:30am - it's gone. However - in just a little bit, hopefully fall will stay with us during the day a little longer.

In an effort to feel fall, I think it's important to decorate...and craft it up!

We had a girls night recently and made some fall wreaths. Yes, a little premature since it's not even October yet...but, that's ok. (After all PSL season is in full effect anyway.)

Final product...

Do you plan on decorating a wreath this fall? I'm already excited for pumpkin decorating!