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Sylvia’s SO Good AM Smoothie

Ok people: Due to popular demand, I am sharing my super-good AM smoothie recipe. Here it is:

1 banana (75 approx)
1 scoop of BioChem raw protein powder (100 calories)
1 cup of Chocolate No Sugar added Almond Milk (45 calories)
1 tsp Maca powder (25 calories)
1/8 tsp of Blue Green Algae flakes
1 dash Nutmeg
1 dash Cinammon
1 tsp flax seed oil (10 calories)
1 cup crushed ice/water combo
1 pack stevia extract with tahitian ground vanilla bean (0 calories)
……………………….
255 total calories.
Put all items in a blender and go at it until you are happy with the consistency

Nutritional supplement benefits:
Fiber – for digestive health

Potassium – for sore muscles, regulating blood pressure and building protein strains.

Vitamin C – major antioxidant rich food, helps fight against infection, helps absorption of iron in food for the body.

Blue Green Algae – inhibits histamine, great for suppressing allergic reactions, fights against free radicals and other environmental pollutants, and since it has no cell walls is an easily digestive protein supplement. *

** PLEASE do be particular where you purchase your Blue Green Algae, I ONLY buy the organic flakes that are derived from natural oceanic sources available from Whole Foods. There are pyramid companies out there that are selling Blue Green Algae that are derived from toxic lakes and therefore the benefits will totally work against you. Remember, if you are going to be good to your body, let your mind make the better decisions on what you put into your body!

Almond Milk: lactose free, rich in vitamin E which is known to assist in detoxing the body and flushing as well as building protecting antioxidant elements.

BioChem Raw Protein Powder – 100% raw so all nutrients are easily digestible. Whey protein, which is a protein source with no added fat or lactose. 1 serving will provide 20 grams of protein. You can get it at Whole Foods or any health food store.

Maca – Miracle root powder from Peru. Said to increase libido, energy, stamina, regulate hormonal imbalances, aids in an overall feeling of wellbeing, mood elevator, reduces anxiety and stress, reduces anemia, helps heal wounds, increase circulation in the body, increases fertility, alleviates fatigue, increases sexual function, helps build muscle. YES, I am dead serious. This stuff is the BOMB and one of the best things you can give yourself. Better than those corny self hugs that you do after  yoga class.

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Aloe Vera Juice

Everyone should incorporate aloe vera into their life, in my humble opinion. Sure, it’s a very dramatic looking organic, you can snap the spears open easily and reap the benefits of a healing gel, and it is virtually impossible to kill for those of you (me included) with a purple thumb…but have you ever considered actually consuming aloe vera? Incorporating 2-4 ounces of aloe into your daily diet can improve:
- Circulation
- Constipation
- Regulate blood sugars
- Detoxify the body; cleanse the colon
- Improve immune system with it’s antibacterial/anti fungal properties.

Still want more? How’s this:

“Aloe vera works to both reduce and stabilize the body mass index by stimulating the metabolic rate in our liver cells so that we burn more energy. The energy used for this comes from fat and carbohydrate stores in the body. Drinking aloe vera juice every day has been likened to doing multiple workouts throughout the week. Aloe has a high content of collagen protein. When you drink aloe vera juice every day, the body has to spend additional energy to assimilate its protein into your system. This extra expenditure of energy also supports weight loss and muscle development. Aloe vera reduces the amount of time food stays in your intestine, which means that less energy is absorbed from the food.” Taken from AmericanChronicle.com

I take it daily in a cranberry/aloe drink mix, usually after my workout. I also have a probiotic supplement that I take every morning that contains significant traces of aloe vera in it’s components, so I’m taking it twice a day. Other ways that you can consume aloe off the top of my head would be to throw some aloe suppliments in a smoothie, as a juice, or even as a daily supplement from your natural food store. If you’d like to know the details on the ArdysLife supplements that I personally take, drop me an email and I will send you the details. Or you can go to your local health food store.

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Love Movement at BodyWorks Studio

I posted the photos on Flickr that I took at the Love Movement hosted by Trina Lewis at BodyWorks Studio. It was SO much fun, it was an evening filled with good for you food, amazing pampering services, a mini-yoga sequence, some sexy dancing techniques, and fun bellydancing. Foot massage, chilled wine and all around good company made this an especially great night to remember…thanks SO much to Trina for even doing this! I can’t wait until next year’s!

Related links:
Trina Lewis Blogs
BodyWorks Studio
BodyWorksStudio on YouTube
My photo album on Flickr

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Suppliments and Stuff

When I was a kid, I had a baby sitting gig for occassional weekend nights with the healthy-obsessed couple that lived across the street. After the kids went down, I would check out the snack situation and was completely disappointed that they were super vita-nerds and had cupboards and stacks of suppliments, organic food that smelled weird and a bunch of dried fruit in bushels. I promised myself that I would NEVER be like that. And here I am…a total vita-nerd, all about the functional food and even considering going raw. Isn’t it funny how life throws major life changing episodes?

So I’ve incorporated a bunch of supplements into my life in the last year or so, and have been able to find some pretty good stuff. I will be blogging about different distinct products and giving a link of where you can get the best deal, but so far, Vitacost has been the best for the competitive pricing.

I’ll start with my daily multi-vitamin that I am kind of digging right now: It’s by TwinLabs. On the good side, it comes in a capsule form which is easy (well, easier) on my stomach (I have major vitamin sensitivity even when I eat with food). On the bad side – you have to take 4 capsules as the serving suggestion is labeled. For me, taking a handful of pills has never been a problem LOL, but if you don’t like taking pills, these might not work for you. Vitacost sells them for less than $14.00 and I think I paid close to $19.00 from a local vitamin store, as I needed some retail expertise/guidance to discuss my stomach sensitivity issue. It’s a “Women’s Blend” which is touting proprieties for healthy skin, hair and nails as well as “blends” for energy and mood stability. I don’t know about the whole energy and mood stability as I felt sluggish all day today, but I could have just had a bad day…we all are partial to those every now and again, no?

Anyway, it’s got some pretty good reviews from users from Vitacost, so check it out if you’re in the market for a good general multi-vitamin.

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The Weekend Wrap Up Blog

This weekend was pretty hectic. I got a new puppy, and unfortunately my family isn’t being very supportive of my new family member. Thank goodness that I live with OJ who is just fabulous and accepting of my doggy family. My parents on the other hand, have made me give away my past puppy (my chow-chow named Zeus) and have made it clear that the new puppy Obi is NOT welcome at their home. It caused a bit of a trife, but for now, thats TMI, so I will leave it at just having had a hectic puppy-weekend.

In the midst of all the familial dramz, I was able to get in a few quiet moments to check out some cool sites online that I’d like to share with you, as well as some info that I learned at Trina’s Total Body Makeover last week that was a surprise to me, and I am sure will be to you too.

In the quest for going green and saving our planet one tiny bit at time while being and staying fabulous:
EcoStiletto: The secret to smart & sexy green living

Sustainable Cotton Project
In 2007 there were 2 organic cotton farmers growing 240 acres, reducing• chemicals by a little over 500 pounds

Finally, a big thanks to Trina from BodyWorks Studio for making me aware that you shouldn’t ever microwave food in plastic containers, OR freeze food in plastic containers because when you either heat or freeze plastic, the chemicals that were used in forming the shape are released and absorbed into your food. Did you know that?? I totally didn’t!!!

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A Story of 2 Foods

Last night in Trina’s food coaching meet up, we talked about the Big C (i.e. Cancer) and some of the information that the Hopkins center sent out in a newsletter that states that we all have cancer cells in our body, but they don’t show up in standard Cancer screening tests until they have multiplied into a few billion.

When a person has cacner, it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies that could be attributed to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

I never really knew that about cancer – the fact that we all have these cells in our system and that what we choose to intake and put into our body attributes to the accelorated development, strenghtening or weakening of our immune system. We talked about two specific foods that actually feed the spreading of cancer cells: 1. sugar and 2. milk. Check it out:

1. Sugar: Sugar is a cancer cell feeder. By cutting off sugar, it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes are actually made of harmful chemicals and should be avoided – however there are lots of natural options: Agave nectar, Stevia (my favorite!) and Manuka honey or molasses (in small amounts) are better than processed sugar. An effective way to to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods that it needs to multiply.

2. Milk: Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk, cancer cells are being starved.*

Of course, there are many more foods that you should & shouldn’t indulge in on a regular basis, but I’ve always found that retaining information works best in small amounts, and that lifestyle changes are much more easily implemented in regulated dosages, so there you have 2 foods that you can think about for your overall health and longevity, regardless of how old you currently are. Check out Trina’s blog for more info on her different programs – they each have such benefits that can change your life for the better in SO many ways!!

*I actually have a hormonal balancing issue, and was recommended by my personal physician to NOT intake any soy based products, so I will have to keep my milk intake VERY low and supplement my diet with calcium and vitamin D to make sure I get my daily requirements.

this information was based on a cancer wellness newsletter sent from the Johns Hopkins Center.

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Skin Food QuickFaq’s

No matter how much money you pay for your skincare products, if you aren’t taking considerate care with what you put INTO your body, it still isn’t going to work like it could. Especially for us women over 35, you will for sure begin to notice a difference in your skin – if not immediately in the mirror, you will notice in photos – trust me.

The winter months can be especially cruel to us, with dry air and winds ripping across your delicate skin, strength and nourishment needs to be your first foundation.

Here is a 3 part list of what you can do to keep your skin feeling smooth and soft, and fight off that Real Housewives of Orange County dry look that will ruin ANYONE’s day.

First off, start with hydrating. Not drinking enough water is like driving your car on empty all the time. It just isn’t good for anything. So drink up. Make a mental note that coffee, tea and soda DO NOT count. As a matter of fact, for every drink that contains caffeine, you need to add an ADDITIONAL 8 oz. of water to flush the residuals out of your body. So for instance, I drink 1 cup of coffee every morning, and so I need a minimum of 9 oz of water daily to not look like one of the RHOC chicks.

2. Lunch on soup, easy on the salt. Ordering soups for lunch along with your salad will increase your hydration method. Dry, salty foods can add to drying out your skin.

3. Good Fats, thank you. Flaxseed oil, walnuts, omega 3′s and 6′s will add luster and necessary essential fatty acids to keeping skin looking nourished and healthy. Primrose oil, borage oil, black currant oil are also some shots of good essential fatty acids that you can add a shot to in your smoothie too. If you don’t included these omega essential oils to your skin regimine, you could suffer from dry skin disorders such as chronic dry skin, eczema and overall dry, lackluster skin.

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Cha Cha & the Happy Hips

Cha Cha is a super picky dog, although he is a bit on the portly side, he is extremely particular as to what he will and will not eat. It has caused some difficult training sessions, as he would rather not be bothered with the training treats. I haven’t been able to teach him any real tricks because he refuses the reward treat.

I have recently discovered the Happy Hips by Dogswel chicken and duck chews. I personally have a hard time finding the Mellow Mutt flavor, which I feel is most applicable in Cha Cha’s mental status haha.

I’m really loving the DogsWell pet food company, and feel much more assured that they take their ingredients seriously – adding no corn, no wheat and no added hormones. There is also a direct messages from the CEO and President in regards to pet food safety.

While Whole Foods has the most extended variety of different Dogswell food and snack products that I have seen in a brick and mortar, Ralph’s and Target also carry the Happy Hips and Vitality chew snacks. Looking around the site, I can see a Catswell line, as well as a vegitarian line available too! So Cheers to Dogswell for making an amazingly organic and healthy snack line that dogs really, really like – even the pickiest of dogs!

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Botox is Sooooo 2008! Reloxin is IN!

Karen made sure that we got this new & tasty tidbit! And you know I’m excited…cheaper? Lasts longer?? Sign me up homie! Read all about the New Botox called Reloxin on MSNBC by clicking here.

“Within the next few months, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is expected to approve Reloxin as an injectable treatment for wrinkles. Made from the same neurotoxin as Botox, Reloxin is said to act more quickly and may last longer than Botox, according to a report filed on Thursday for TODAY by Michelle Kosinski of NBC News.

The bottom line for consumers, according to Dr. Nancy Snyderman, NBC�s chief medical editor, is that Reloxin will probably be priced lower than Botox.”

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Glam on the Rocks

Ok ladies & gents…it’s Labor Day weekend, and that means lots of food & drink! At my age, the whole drinking for empty calories and a hangover aren’t really what’s up…BUT I can indeed justify all consumation by at least increasing my anti-oxidant and flavinoid intake! Here’s some great recipes to try out – and I am STILL working on getting Staci’s friend’s amazing blueberry sangria recipe – TDF!

Absolut has a new drink out: Absolut LA: Inspired by Hollywood’s glitz and glam, the latest release in Absolut’s cities series features blueberry, açai berry, acerola cherry, and pomegranate flavors. Be sure to try this out this weekend:

ABSOLUT L.A. Dream
Created by Chaya Brasserie
Serve in a highball glass over ice

Ingredients
2 oz. ABSOLUT L.A.
½ oz. Blue Curacao liqueur
Dash of sweet and sour

1. Combine ingredients.

2. Top with 7Up.

3. Garnish with fresh blueberries and lime.

One audition and you’ll be calling it back for more.

for some variety – give some of these fav’s a shot too:
Bethany’s Skinny Girl Margarita
Bethany’s Pomagranitini

A Great drink resource: Absolut Vodka

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