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Fall Fix It Week

And so I finally am admitting and almost ready for fall to be here. Summer was so awesome, that I didn’t post as much as I usually do, and it has everything to do with being out in the sunshine enjoying the weather!

Along with the new season comes new and different wellness circumstances to address, right? Right. And so begins my ‘Fall Fix it Week” which began yesterday with the acknowledgment that it must begin LOL!

Today I added a new workout class to my weekly: Boxing Circuit class at LA Fitness. It was my first class so of course I didn’t really ‘get into it’ like I probably will later because I have no form or any idea of what I’m doing. But it’s a start and will hopefully be just what I need to tone my arms during the colder months.

 

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5 Hour Energy

I’ve seen these little shot bottles of 5 Hour Energy at Whole Foods around the $3+ price range, and always was curious about them, but just didn’t want to shell out the bucks for a quickshot of something that I hadn’t really heard if it worked or not. This past weekend however, Walgreens had a special on a 6 pack for under $10 which for around $1.60 I could see giving them a week’s trial run. I’m thinking that I will take them a bit after lunch to help me get over that “oh my GOD I need a nap” time that usually hits around 3ish. Upon reading the ingredient list off the top of my head, here is what I’m most interested/cautious about:

1. Caffeine. I’m not sure about consuming caffeine after 2 pm, these days, caffeine doesn’t really ‘wake me up’ as much as it makes me jittery while still sleepy, if I am inclined to be sleepy. Does that make sense?

2. Niacin. This usually will initiate internal warmth, heat and help speed up the metabolism which is all good I suppose…but the downside of it is that you HAVE to balance it out with lots of water so that you won’t burn up/out. Also, Niacin has the tendency to make me sweat. I’m not sure how cute that is going to be, looking like I just got done with a zumba class in the middle of the day. Niacin also has a tendency to make blood rush to the skin’s surface, so depending on how much is in there, u may get red face for a little bit.

3. Taurine: a naturally occuring amino acid that typically acts as an antioxidant, protecting the body from toxic traces of lead (hi, important these days). It also aids in clearing out the liver, but here is the important part…whenever you mess with anything synthetic or naturally occuring, you need to really be aware of flushing out that compound from your body, along with the toxins that it is addressing. I’ve had experiences when I’m younger where I just took too many suppliments and ended up havent digestive/intestinal and even had my gall bladder removed due to not intaking enough water. So be sure to have your bottle nearby!

I’ll keep you posted on the the downlow.

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Hair Towels are the Real Deal!

I have seen these in stores all over the place for years, and always thought that it was just one of those things that you really didn’t need, because in my head, I would always say ‘oh, well I have a bunch of towels at home’ BUT let me share 1 thing with you: I spent the $25 on a whim on a set of 2 hair towels, and I am constantly going back for more. Seriously, these little miracle blankets wrap around your head perfectly, and take all the moisture out of your hair for a way faster blow dry!!

Again, one of the best mini-buys I have done, and the results prove to be fabulous over and over! Want specific deets?

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Acupuncture on Health in Chatsworth

Dude, I’m getting older and things just aren’t the same anymore. Now don’t get me wrong, I know I am not OLD, old, but no lie things are getting a bit rusty. So instead of complaining, I am getting punctured. Acupunctured that is! I visited my local Acupuncture on Health clinic, and it is only $40 per treatment.

I’ve got a few issues that I’m trying to resolve: circulation (healing from my varicose vein proceedures), achy back, hormone balancing, stress, and energy flow. I’ve been 3 times now, and each time has produced a different effect. Check it out:

Visit 1: A full and comprehensive overall assesment of my general health. A 20 minute acupuncture session while on my back, a 20 minute acupuncture session while on my front. I didn’t feel any of the needles, and I didn’t really feel anything besides super relaxed afterward. I wanted to come home and nap, and I ended up not even being able to go to my Zumba class that evening, because I was just soooo lazy. I decided to go to a relaxing hatha yoga class instead, and opted to not make my next acupuncture appointment on a day that I had to actually work out really hard. Oh yea, and when I came home, I found that I had a needle still stuck in my hip. I pulled it out, no biggie – it didn’t hurt or anything, but still…kind of weird. I made another mental note to check for any residual needles the next time.

Also on visit 1, I submitted my ppo health insurance to see if by any chance I was eligible for partial medical coverage.

Visit 2: I told the good doctor that I was super duper lazy after visit 1. He changed up the needle application, and I wasn’t quite as lazy. He also gave me some Chinese Herbs to enhance circulation and give me some energy. I walked out with absolutely no pain in my hip…my back still hurt. He told me it may be around 7 sessions before my back pain was cured. Later on that day, I felt super stiff. I continued to feel stiff for around 3 days, regardless of the amount of yoga and stretching I did. I made a mental note to discuss with the doc on my next appointment. I’m taking the Chinese herbs, but not really feeling any effects.

Visit 3. I was told that my PPO health insurance would cover my treatments, and my co-pay would be $20. Cool!! I told the good doc that I was having some constipation and regulation issues, probably due to my anti-depressant medications. He put a bunch of needles in me, in my ear, on my neck, my back, shoulders, lower back, calves, ankles..everywhere it seemed! When he put the needle in my neck, I immediately felt a nerve that was pinched, become unpinched. It didn’t hurt, but I felt it being unpinched. Kind of like when you wear your hair in a ponytail all day, and then at the end of the day you take it out and your hair follicles return to normal…you know that sensation I speak of? Like that. The good doc gave me some Chinese herbal tea that is supposed to help with cleansing my digestive track. I’m drinking it…it tastes pretty good, and maybe it’s cleaning a bit. After session 3, I am beginning to feel pretty good. I had a great workout, returned to Zumba and followed it with a Pilates class. Not bad.

Acupuncture on Health
10164 Mason Avenue
Chatsworth, CA 91311

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Kombucha makes the Cut.

I am off the sauce. Yes, it is official. I have made the switch, almost subconsciously to craving kombucha in the morning and mid afternoon instead of coffee. Can you believe it?? It wasn’t intentional, and I surely didn’t mean for it to happen…it just sort of, happened. Especially since the first bottle was really hard to put down. It was actually kind of gross. But the results were so amazing for me that I actually crave the taste now. Crazy, indeed.

Pronounced ‘kom-BOO-cha‘, kombucha tea is actually a blend of live cultures (similar to yogurt) and naturally sweetened green or black tea. The final result tastes similar to that of a wine spritzer…slightly carbonated, fizzy and light.  Depending on the batch, you may even get a slight buzz from the alcohol that might be a result of the fermentation process. Also present: active enzymes, viable probiotics, amino acids, antioxidants and polyphenols.

Here is a quicklist of things on my mind regarding kombucha:

- It’s best to start off drinking slowly, like maybe 2 oz at a time.

- Try the flavored Synergy Kombucha drinks available at health food stores first, the flavoring might help.

- Don’t be afraid of the blobs.

- Don’t try the Synergy Green formula. It is so gross, it should be illegal.

- Remember, there are 2 servings per bottle that are available on the shelves. I spread mine out over 3 days. That is 1 bottle, over 3 days. Serve in a reasonable sized glass to not fall victim to over-indulgence calorie wise.

Happy Day, people!!!

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Michael Ruth Salon in Sherman Oaks

I went to see a woman named Rocio at the Michael Ruth salon when I first moved to the valley on a referral. Coming from a small town, I had no idea of what the prices were or how tremendously different they were, so I booked my appointment, went in with a photo from a magazine which was 4 shades lighter and tons shorter than my existing hair, and was amazed at what Rocio was able to do. It was like her scissors were magic. We didn’t talk much, she just went to work and I patiently sat. When it was all done and over, I felt amazing and went to pay my bill and could not believe how much it was!!!! It was over $300 for a cut, blowdry & style and color correction with a full highlight. Of course, I didn’t know, because something like that in good ol Oxnard might have set me back $100.

anyway, I was super embarrassed because I barely had enough money to pay the bill, and didn’t have any left for the tip, plus I was panicking because I was also digging into my grocery money. That was my first LA experience where I chose my fabulous hair over my food, and didn’t realize it wouldn’t be the first time haha!

Anyway, I’ve always felt like a million bucks when I can afford to go to Rocio – I just booked another appointment today, but did talk it over with her assistant as to exactly how much everything was going to be so that there would be no recession-unfriendly transactions potentially ruining my fabulous moment.

anyway, Rocio is fabulous, expensive, but totally worth it. Just be prepared!

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Latisse

Here’s a rundown and excerpts from an email that B and I had exchanged earlier this week. Chastity had also sent me a flyer for the Latisse product, and for the record, I heard Jillian on Good Day LA talking about how she bought some Latisse too but ended up giving it away because she didn’t want to deal with the whole application process on a continual basis.

So, here’s what I know thusfar: it’s actually a product derivative as a glaucoma medication because patients who were using it as a treatment for glaucoma were noticing/complaining about their lashes getting super thick. I have 2 different friends – both male – who have glaucoma and use it for relief from their symptoms and they both have the side effect of super duper long thick lashes, but it’s not a cute lash its kind of like George “Snuffy” Snuffalufagus thick where they go straight down with no curl or anything, and they fall off easy and get stuck in the eye.

I’m assuming that the Latisse formula is rather light though so it may not cause the lash to get that crazy. Oh! and also, it has the Cinderella Effect, meaning if you stop using it, it stops working. for 120 bucks and daily application, I would rather pay 80 bucks and get lash extensions with $15 refills for my money and time, plus immediate results rather than maybe/so so results.

Another side effect that it has, which probably won’t affect you but is a pretty serious one,  is that it may change your eye color pigment, like if you have light eyes, it might possibly make them darker, and if you use it for too long, it might give you that egg-yolk thing to your eyeball. my friend has egg-yolk eyes and one eye is way darker than the other. Its crazy, but he needs the meds, so what are you gonna do?

Anyway, I’m not sold on the latisse… But i’d totally be interested in what your take was!

FYI: Drugstore.com has Latisse for $109 with free shipping and scaled discounts if you buy multiple packages if you are going to give it a shot. Please let me know what your results are, I am interested!!!

xoxo!

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Crystal Clear Mobile Doggy Spa & Grooming

Let me tell you how I met Crystal. One sunny afternoon, I was taking my newly adopted dog out for a walk, when all of a sudden, Cha Cha starts to limp. I looked under his paw and noticed that he had a ton of super thick tree sap that had gotten full of dirt and debris which was making it impossible for him to walk. I totally freaked out, and didn’t know what to do!

Oj took me and Cha Cha to our neighborhood PetCo which was super, SUPER busy and chaotic, but I saw asked the girl at the counter if there was anything she could do for me – especially since I didn’t have an appointment. Crystal heard what was going on, stopped what she was doing, and came over and began to clip off as much of the gunk that she could, freeing Cha Cha’s paws from discomfort and allowing him to walk again. I have never forgotten her act of kindness, and on top of that, when I made an appointment with her for his next groom, she HOOKED it up! Not only does Cha Cha look like a dabber dude when he gets groomed, but he prances around super proud and arrogant.

Crystal has thus opened her own mobile grooming service : Crystal Clear Dog Grooming, where she offers full service dog baths, cuts & what not. She also offers pet transportation, vet trips, pet-sitting and walking.

I totally 100% vouch for Crystal and her lovely service – please tell her that Sylvia referred you! It’s a bit hard to get an appointment in, so I suggest you book early and try to keep a regular appointment so your dog can look fresh on a regular basis, because once you see how soft she can get your doggy’s hair and the lovely herbal shampoo she uses, no one else will do!

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Glam during Recovery?

You betcha! Ok so you all know that I recently got the VNUS vein closure done, and unfortunately, I am pretty much stuck in the house laying low, because I don’t want to ruin this time around. With my schlerotherapy, I didn’t really rest and went about my usual business, and the veins came back, so this time, I am taking it very serious and have an actual recovery schedule that I am keeping to religiously. So that I don’t have to walk around looking too crazy, a friend of mine was sweet enough to send over a Pajama-gram so that I can be cute during my recovery haha! For real!

Check out what you get: A super cute hat box, a lovely pair of pj’s (of your choice from the website) a sachet bag that smells like relaxing lavendar, a do not disturb sign (lol) and a cute little card. I was checking out the different pajama styles they have, and they are all so super cute, and go from super affordable to super luxe, so whatever your budget, you can send a great gift. They even have nursing pj’s for new moms, and extended sizes, matching pj’s for the whole family, and his & her stuff especially for valentine’s day. SUPER CUTE!!

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JellyBath in Review

Hello 2009! I have streamlined all my reviews to get up and posted this week, so be sure to bookmark, this is going to be a heavy week!

Next up, we have JellyBath which I got as a gift over the holiday season as a small stuffing stuffer thingie. I decided to do a trial run with the package while watching the Laker game so I grabbed a bowl and followed the directions and began my soak. What I didn’t do, however, was log on to the website Jellybath.com so that I could at least know what was I in for, because to be perfectly honest, it totally creeped me out. As the seconds went by, the soak kept getting thicker and thicker, turning into a jello consistency…trapping my fingers into the goop.

I kept trying to squish the little granules and didn’t really know what to do, so I just let it soak until it got lukewarm and just started feeling gross, and then figured that I should toss the goop down the toilet, because where else could I get rid of it? I did happen to see a tiny pack of salt crystal things that said ‘dissolve when finished‘ but didn’t really get what I was supposed to do with them – so I figured that maybe once I tossed the goop down the toilet, I would run some more hot water and dissolve, then soak. So that’s what I did. I’m still not sure exactly what I’m supposed to do with the dissolve step. Afterwards, I’ve got to say that my hands felt amazing, and my nails looked great and moisturized!

I followed with a papaya enzyme peel by Elemis on the tops of my hands to rid of any old skin, and viola – instant high quality manicure! Thanks ladies, for the lovely home-kit, and I actually think I will be buying some JellyBath stuff for more of my manicures, and at least now I know what to expect! If anyone has any info on the actual dissolving method, that would be appreciated lol.

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