Tag: healthylifestyle

Ditch Botox & Eat Collagen-Boosting Foods Instead

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Photo courtesy of nutritiouslife.com

Collagen is one of the most important factors when it comes to having beautiful skin. Collagen production helps with acne and wrinkles, however, as the years go by collagen production decreases which makes wrinkles and crepes appear and even healing from wounds will take longer or scar. So how can one pause the hands of time? With a little help from foods that help boost collagen production, you can increase the chances of combating fine lines and have less scarring.

So nix the Botox and try these collagen-boosting foods to help promote not just younger skin, but healthier skin too (because bad skin happens at any age).

Vitamin C

This vitamin is found in many citrus foods such as oranges, kiwis, and pineapples.

Copper

Found in rich foods such as organ meats (livers, hearts, etc.), cocoa powder, and portabella mushrooms

Glycine

This is found in foods such as gelatin, chicken skin, and pork skin.

Zinc

This vitamin can be found in foods such as oysters, beef, and crabs.

As you can see there are many food options out there to help you include more collagen-boosting foods into your diet, so whether you’re vegan, or wish to eat less meat, you can find a way to choose a serving of these foods at least once a day.

Eat your way to beautiful skin and you won’t have to resort to unnatural ways of keeping it looking good!

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How to Choose Healthy Yogurt

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Photo courtesy of http://www.medicaldaily.com

Are you one of those people who go for yogurt when trying to lose weight or just trying to be healthy? Well, not all yogurts are made equal, meaning that a lot of times your good intentions of being healthy might actually backfire when you’re consuming yogurt that is high in sugars.

Sometimes even yogurts low in calories are still high in sugars, which end up not being that healthy at all or contributing to inflammation for acne-prone skin.

So how can one not fall into the trap of consuming the wrong yogurt?

Have no fear, as I will let you in on a little secret.

When choosing yogurt you need to see the amount of sugar it contains (it doesn’t matter if on the front they advertise it as being Light or ‘Only 80 calories!’), what matters the most is the amount of sugars found within. Where can you check that? Usually, that is found in the back of the yogurt or in the small print at the bottom.

The healthy choice for yogurt that is to aim for yogurt that contains between 8-14-grams maximum of sugars.

The second thing you need to aim for is to select yogurts that are high in protein as they’re likely to contain less sugar as well.

The best choice overall for yogurt is plain Greek yogurt as that doesn’t contain any sugars. You can try to sweeten it up with fresh fruit such as raspberries or blueberries.

Yogurt can be a healthy meal option when trying to lose weight, but choosing the right one will make all the difference.

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Hiking – Purisima Creek Redwoods Reserve

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It had been years since I had been hiking, but I knew that if I found myself again in Northern California, I just had to see the famous redwoods. My boyfriend and I chose to hike up the Purisima Creek trail, since it was the closest to where we were at at Half Moon Bay.

Driving to the location proved to be a feat in itself, as we went up spiraling roads that looked incredibly sketchy at best (think slasher horror movie vibes), but once we arrived at our destination, we were awe-struck by the beauty of the forest.

The Purisima Creek Redwoods are located on the western slopes of the Santa Cruz mountains. The trail was filled with coastal redwoods, creeks, ferns, berries, and some seriously large crows.

Now, I’m not an expert when it comes to hiking, so I embarked the hike wearing jeans, a vampire tee, and Doc Martens. What? That’s not the appropriate attire you say? I guess I figured with the gorgeous trees surrounding us that resembled the sort in Twilight, that maybe Edward Cullen would pay us a visit in all of his glittery glory.

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For not being expert hikers (can you believe that we managed to forget to bring water along with us?), we walked the eight mile hike (roundtrip miles) that had slight inclinations and numerous bridge crossings.

One thing that I was very astonished about, was that I didn’t encounter any insects whilst hiking (usually my avoidance of bugs is one of the top reasons why you’ll rarely see me hiking). But I really enjoyed seeing the incredibly beautiful redwoods, and would truly recommend anyone who happens to be in the area to check the out! Not to mention that the trails are so very populated with other fellow hikers that meeting new people was the easiest thing to do!

I enjoyed this hike so much, that I may check out another trail in my near future.

Suggested Pack List:

  • Hiking boots (although my Doc Martens worked out just fine, thankyouverymuch)
  • Backpack (makes it easier to carry anything you need and keeps your hands free)
  • Camera (so you can share all your gorgeous pix with your friends & family!)
  • Water (a must! But we forgot!)
  • Sunglasses/hats (I forgot a hat & sunburned my scalp, yelp!)
  • Sunscreen (if you’re ghostly white like me, you’ll burn even in the shade so don’t forget it!)

Which hiking trails have you done, and which ones would you suggest me to do?

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How to Lose 10 Pounds in 1 Week!(Find out what Foods to Cut!)

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Summertime is when people begin to take notice that they’ve piled on some extra pounds over the winter months (ya know like you’ve eaten your weight in cookies and muffins). Trying to shed those pounds in time to strut a bikini at a beach or pool can prove to be taxing. But I’ve got you, girl, it doesn’t have to be that way!

You can easily shed up to 10 pounds (even more!) in ONE WEEK if you eliminate these two food groups from your diet completely:

SUGARS & STARCHES (CARBS)

If you dramatically cut these from your diet, I will guarantee that you WILL see results as fast as ONE WEEK. Why is that? Well, first of all, cutting back on sugars and starches will influence your hunger levels, dramatically lowering them, hence, contributing to the consumption of fewer calories.

But lowering your hunger levels isn’t the ONLY perk. Removing sugars and starches from your diet will also lower your insulin levels, allowing your kidneys to flush any extra water or sodium from your body, removing any bloating and unnecessary water weight.

Essentially, if you’re eating a low-carb low-sugar diet, you will be less hungry than your low-fat low-protein eaters. You will feel less hungry for longer, and in the long run, will have higher levels of energy. Basically, a win-win!

One of the biggest hurdles dieters worldwide encounter is the feeling of hunger that comes with any fad diet. But by removing sugars and starches from your diet, you will automatically reduce your appetite, allowing you to lose weight without the hunger pangs driving you mad!

Instead, opt for these low-carb veggies as snack options:

  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Spinach
  • Tomatoes
  • Kale
  • Brussels Sprouts
  • Cabbage
  • Swiss Chard Lettuce
  • Cucumber

What’s great about these low-carb veggies is that you can fill up your plate and feel ultra-full without going over the 20-50 net carbs for a day!

Let me know if these tips help you in your weight-loss journey or if you have any to share of your own in the comments below!

Need more diet tips? Check out how to avoid empty calories!

By: Azzurra Nox

Common Water Brands pH Levels & How They Can Affect Health

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Everyone (from your doctor to trainer) is always preaching about how we need to drink more water for better hydration and also for optimal skincare. But are all waters the same? With so many brands out on the market, it’s hard to tell sometimes which ones are actually beneficial for us, which ones don’t do anything at all, and the ones that are actually causing harm.

Here are some of the ways that either too low or too high pH levels can cause you harm:

Eye & Skin Irritation

We need to worry when pH levels are either too high (above 10) or too low (below 4). If you wash yourself or drink water with pH levels that are either too high or too low you could cause irritation to yours eyes or worsen skin conditions like eczema and acne.

Upset Stomach

High pH levels or too low can also cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea in some individuals. So if you’re someone who suffers from that you should probably look into what water you’re drinking and see which one would be best for you.

With so many brands out there you’re probably wondering, which one is the best for me? Below is a list of common brands and their pH Levels. Anything below five isn’t the best, and the closer to ten is the optimal number for drinking water.

Vitaminwater: 3.4

Propel Zero: 3.5

Propel Fitness Water: 3.6

Penta: 4.0

Dasani: 4.5

Function: 5.0

Perrier: 5.5

Poland Spring: 5.8

Voss: 6.0

Ice Mountain: 6.0

Crystal Geyser: 6.0

Deer Park: 6.3

Smart Water: 6.5

Great Value (Walmart brand): 6.5

Gerber Pure Water: 6.5

Arrowhead: 6.83

Evian: 7.0

Volvic: 7.0

Zephrhyllis: 7.5

Absopure: 7.5

Fiji: 7.5

Super Chill: 7.5

Evamor: 8.0

Real Water: 8.0

Essentia: 9.0

Now from that list you can see that the best brand for an optimal pH Level drinking water is Essentia. I usually drink Fiji and although it isn’t the level that Essentia is, it’s still at a healthy level. All the other waters are probably okay, but the clear loser is Vitaminwater, which is below a 4-level and could actually cause those issues that were mentioned above or worsen them.

What’s important to remember is that water with an alkaline pH improves your body’s hydration levels, supplies essential minerals, and creates a healthy pH balance in your body. However, when water has an acidic pH level you can have skin and eye irritations, stomach problems, the water doesn’t provide a good source of nutrients, and it may lower the pH level in your body causing more harm.

So next time you’re in the grocery store think about which waters are actually doing their job, and which ones you should avoid as you’re just doing yourself more harm and actually paying for it, than anything else.

Did your water brand make the cut?

By: Azzurra Nox

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The Best Green Smoothie for Amazing Skin & Energy Boost!

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With Spring in full swing, at times appetite decreases and keeping hydrated is a must! Rising temperatures and humidity do a number on your skin during the Spring and Summer months, so how can you combat both of those things in one easy step?

THE SOLUTION: Green Smoothie!

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a huge fan of smoothies or green smoothies in general (something about the consistency and taste), but here is a quick recipe that isn’t necessarily grainy and quite tasty! Oh, and it combats both hunger and thirst while providing enough vital nutrients and vitamins to help keep your skin looking its best even when it’s sweltering!

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INGREDIENTS:

¾ cup Almond Milk
¾ cup Coconut Water
½ cup chopped Kale
½ cup baby Spinach
1 medium sized Apple (chopped)
¼ Avocado
Half a Banana
1-2 Tablespoons of Soy Protein Powder
1 Tablespoon of Chia Seeds

Blend the following ingredients on high speed for about 30-40 seconds, and you’ll be on the road to better skin and an instant energy boost! Basically, a win-win on all accounts. 

Let me know if you try this and how you like it! Enjoy!

By: Azzurra Nox

 

Milk: How it went from being the Good Guy to becoming the Enemy

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If you grew up in the 90’s you’ll easily recall the magazine adverts for Got Milk? The advertising campaign was started in 1993 by the Goodby Silverstein & Partners for the California Milk Processor Board to encourage everyone (teens in particular as many of these ads were running in teen magazines such as Teen, YM, Seventeen, and Teen People to cite a few) to consume more cow’s milk. The ads were snazzy and catchy with informative bits (or was it only false advertising?) usually using celebrities that were relevant and hip at the time. Some of the celebrities that got involved in the campaign were Tyra Banks, Hanson, Kate & Ashley Olsen, Kate Moss, Angelina Jolie, David Beckham, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, and recently before the campaign got retired for good by Taylor Swift.

About 300 celebrities between models, athletes, musicians, and actors took part in the ads spanning a 20-year campaign. The celebrities were often depicted donning a milk moustache and calling out facts that should make us want to drink more milk, such as: Nine essential nutrients, Studies suggest that teens who drink milk are leaner, and Three glasses a day keeps osteoroporosis at bay for girls!

That all sounds awesome, right?

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Well, the truth is studies show that cow’s milk isn’t all that great for humans after all. The main protein in milk is called Casein which is potentially TOXIC for humans.

But what does that exactly mean?

It means that the more milk you consume, the more likely you’re to suffer from the following conditions:

  • Eczema
  • Acne
  • Kidney Disease
  • Arthritis
  • Tooth Decay
  • Asthma
  • Irritable Bowels
  • Sinus problems
  • Colitis
  • Chrons
  • MS
  • And ups the possibility of an individual getting breast or prostrate cancer.

Another fun fact, most milk sold in America is overrun with hormones and antibiotics causing more harm than good in the long run. Not to mention that each glass of milk has at least 135 million pus cells (a huge reason why acne is so rampant in the Western world).

So where should we look for calcium if dairy products are off limits?

Leafy greens, seafood, legumes, and fruits contain enough calcium to keep your bones and teeth strong without the gross factor.

Got milk? More like Get out.

By: Azzurra Nox