Health – Page 19

Detox Diary: My 7-Day Juice Cleanse

Published on October 1, 2018November 3, 2018 by Lee7 Comments

Hello Beauties, The first time I heard about juicing was about 2 years ago. I have tried different foods and beverages but I could never get past the tasting because the smell was just too unbearable for me. I always felt like I was going to be sick. On June 7th, I received the 7 Day Detox from Ultimate Body Tox which includes 6 flavors: Strawberry, Lemon Lime, Sweet & Sour, Peach, Mango and Sangria. I decided to take my second dive into the world of juicing by attempting a 7-day juice cleanse from Ultimate Body Tox. Throughout the cleansing process, I documented what I was feeling and going through just so I could share my experience with all of you lovely B.L.B readers. Without further ado, here is my 7-day detox diary…

The 7 Day Detox is to help jump-start your weight loss journey. The 7 Day Detox is either a 7 or 15 day process depending which one you end up buying. The detox is more flavorful and best consumed cold or slightly frozen so you may choose to refrigerate or freeze the 7 Day Detox drink for 30 minutes or so before consumption. NOTE: Freezing your drink is recommended but not required.

Select one bottle of 7 Day Detox and shake well ( for about 10-15 seconds) then consume the entire 8 ounce bottle. Sip it. Do NOT drink it all at once. To speed up the detox process, consume a glass of water after drinking the 7 Day Detox ( Consuming water is optional). (4) 8oz bottles are to be taken 1 every 48hrs that equates to a 7 day master detox. You can eat while using the detox.

If your tolerance level is up and your body can handle the full 8oz bottle in 24 hours, you can move forward with taking each one every 24hrs. Shake well before each consumption and freeze for a frozen healthy detox. NOTE: It helps with bad breath, bad skin, and body odor.

It is recommended that you consume the 7 Day Detox during whatever time of day you are home with a clear schedule. The detox is deigned to flush toxins from your system, as such you will visit the restroom frequently. Do NOT lay down after you ingest the liquid into your system, it prevents it from working properly.

Pre Cleanse:

I stocked up on fruits, veggies, green tea, water and salad. I weaned myself off junk food and fast food for about 2 weeks to get my body and mind in order.
I also made sure to get 8 hours of sleep the night before I started my cleanse so I wouldn’t feel tired or groggy.
I made sure to eat a balance meal and only snack on fruits.

Post Cleanse:

I felt so good after I completed my cleanse even though I couldn’t leave my house for 2 weeks. I even got my mom wanted to try it. I definitely felt cleaner, slimmer and gained a sense of accomplishment.

Pros & Cons:
Now that you’ve read my detox diary, here are some of the good and bad things I learned from my cleanse.

Cons:

Cleanses are a bit pricey. If you are trying to pinch your pennies one month, it might not be the time to splurge on a cleanse, which can range anywhere from $30.00 – $70.00 weekly. Ultimate Body Tox is the only place I found that sells affordable products for juice cleanse.
Cleansing is not a solution for long-term weight loss. If you are looking to shed a few pounds permanently, then a juice cleanse is not the answer. Drinking juice all day might help you to lose some water weight, according to The Huffington Post, but you might gain those pounds back post-cleanse when your body starts retaining calories from solid food again.
Pain and Vomiting. The constant pain in my stomach like someone is putting needles through me or something isn’t fun at all. The puking didn’t help neither, you would had thought I was pregnant. For me, my experience was diarrhea, stomach cramps, and the feeling of pukation.

( WARNING: EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT WHICH MEANS NOT EVERYONE HAS OR WILL EXPERIENCE WHAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED. SOME PEOPLE HAD A SMOOTH SAILING WEEK. DON’T LET MY EXPERIENCE STOP YOU FROM TRYING THE 7-DAY JUICE CLEANSE).

Pros:

I have never felt so hydrated! When I wasn’t drinking one of my juices, I was drinking a ton of water. I made a goal to finish a 1.5 liter bottle of water each day in order to feel full and flush out any extra toxins. This probably has a lot to do with the glow I saw in my skin the next day.
Cleansing gives your body a rest from digestion, according to Livestrong. Our bodies are used to breaking down and digesting food all day, every day, for years and years. So once in a while, it’s nice to give your body a break by only consuming nutrient-rich fluids. Especially if you are a junk food junkie, a cleanse will help reset your system and flush out tons of toxins. (Just make sure to eat mostly vegan in the days leading up to your cleanse or else you might be in for a pretty harsh change.)
Lost weight, mood was balanced, good night sleep, ate a balanced nutritionist meal, and flavor was good
Size. The size of the bottle was perfect especially for someone like me who gets tired of things fast.
7 Day Detox Benefits:
Removes old waste and toxins that has accumulated on the stomach lining which prevents weight-loss
Helps clear eczema
Helps with bad breath
Helps bad body odor (from the inside out)
Improves energy

Overall, my juice cleanse was a positive experience for me and I plan on trying it again sometime soon. I think that cleansing for 7 days is plenty of time—I would not suggest doing a longer cleanse because, according to Women’s Health, your body goes into starvation mode after about 4 days. The next time I cleanse, I plan on going to a gentle yoga class or spending a few minutes in a steam room to sweat out additional toxins. But enough about me! Let’s hear what you have to say…

Have you ever tried a juice cleanse? If you have, what was your experience? If not, is it something you would be willing to try?

Leave your stories, reviews, and experiences below. I’d love to see what you guys have to say about “getting juiced!”

**FTC: This post is sponsored. Opinions are 100% my own, of course.

xx Lee

HOW TO SURVIVE YOUR NEXT PERIOD

Published on September 4, 2018November 3, 2018 by Lee1 Comment

Your period. It’s scary when it comes and terrifying when it doesn’t. We know what we get to look forward to every month: bloating, cravings, fatigue, homicidal rage, and perhaps worst of all, menstrual cramps. What if I told you there were simple, at home remedies that greatly reduce symptoms of PMS? Even better, they are risk free with no side effects!

Getting your monthly bleed is the one thing that connects you to every single woman who has ever lived. Let that sink in. For hundreds of thousands of years, women have gotten their periods and they did so together. Periods were celebrated as a symbol of youth, fertility and life! It wasn’t until recent times that menstruation was seen as something to dread. What has changed? So so much, but, alas, this isn’t a lesson on female disempowerment. I am simply here to give you a crash course on how to survive your next period. So, open up that bottle of Cab and lets get to it!

To reduce cramps, you have to start early. A week before your period is due increase your water intake. The uterus is mostly composed of smooth muscle, and what happens when muscles dehydrate? They cramp! This is the number 1 tip I give to my clients and it ALWAYS works. My second big tip is to get your Omega 3’s and Calcium. I call this winning combination Nature’s Midol. You get more Calcium by eating collard greens, broccoli, spinach, kale, and you-bet-I’m-gonna-say it, CHEESE! When I say CHEESE I’m talking about organic, grass fed CHEESE. Not Kraft’s American cheese, cheese. Reach for the unprocessed stuff if you can. You can opt to get your Omega 3’s and Calcium from a supplement, but be sure to consult your doctor first!

Some MONSTERS are blessed and don’t suffer from cramps, but perhaps their problem is bloating. To minimize bloating I suggest drinking dandelion tea as it has a diuretic effect (it makes you pee.) Reducing sodium intake also does wonders. Combine these two steps and voila! Stretchy pants are now a choice, not a requirement. Tip: Mix Bigelow Green Tea with Lemon and Red Rose Tea together. Not only will it help with bloating but it also helps with cramps. Drink it during your cycle and you’ll notice that the cramps aren’t there. I find that it is best to drink it 1 week before your next period so it can start being affective right away. Plus Green tea, Red Rose Tea and lemon are good for your health and skin, so that’s a bonus!

Now, I would be remiss if I didn’t touch upon tampons. Did you know that most tampons are hybrid cotton blends (aka not cotton) that are BLEACHED and sprayed with pesticides and God knows what else? I don’t know about you but I don’t want any harsh chemicals anywhere near my hoo-hah. That’s why I encourage every woman I know to find an organic, environmentally safe tampons and pads. Beauties, I am telling you that we can save our cervixes AND our planet!

I have been seeing a lot of articles stating their opinions about the Lena Cup, and to be honest I bought one because my curiosity got the best of me. For those of you who don’t know, the Lena Cup is a reusable bell shaped cup that sits inside your vaginal canal and collects your blood. It is by far the most environmentally friendly product I have read upon on, but it requires patience and it can be a little messy at first. Once you’re in touch with your body’s rhythm and you can determine when its time to remove the cup, it will be smooth sailing. If you’re interested in the Lena Cup, I applaud you, and I suggest using it at home first for a few days before venturing out to any important events.

Directions: To use the LenaCup, some people choose to boil their cup before first use and between periods. Fill a pan with plenty of clean water. Bring to boil and let your cup float for 5-7 minutes while ensuring that the cup does not touch the bottom of the pan. You can use a pair of tongs to keep your cup in place and to remove it from the boiling water. Let your LENA Cup cool down before using it. WASH – Using warm water and mild soap wash your cup. If in a public toilet, bring a bottle of water to rinse your cup – once convenient clean thoroughly. As always, make sure to fully read the LenaCup User Guide before use.

To recap: drink plenty of water the week leading up to your period and during. Be mindful of getting enough Omega 3’s and Calcium. Drink dandelion tea, Bigelow Green Tea and Red Rose Tea to de-bloat, decrease cramps, and reduce sodium intake. Get your hands on some organic tampons and if you’re feeling brave check out the Lena Cup! Here’s to having a happy period!

Have you tried the Lena Cup? If so, what are your thoughts on it?

Name your favorite tea and let me know how you drink your tea? (cold, hot, & etc)

( Let me know in the comments)

8 Bad Skin Habits to Kick

Published on August 12, 2018August 12, 2018 by Lee6 Comments

When it comes to our skin, we’re all just out trying to do our best, right? We test out products, wash our faces regularly, moisturize... but it turns out that some of our most persistent habits can be very bad for our skin. The good news is that most of them have easy fixes—so you can turn bad habits into good ones.

1. You don’t clean your makeup brushes.
Besides being good for keeping your makeup looks #onfleek, cleaning your makeup brushes on a regular basis is also a fundamental aspect of a good skin care routine. “If not properly cleaned, makeup brushes can carry hordes of bacteria that can cause serious damage to the skin. “Not to mention the buildup that gathers on dirty makeup brushes causes them to deteriorate quicker, affecting your makeup application.”

Tragic all around. But the key to avoiding this travesty is simple: Clean your tools regularly. You should spritz your brushes once a week with a cleansing spray and deep clean them once a month with shampoo or gentle soap. This is the best way to prevent buildup from causing infection, as well as problems like acne and irritation.

2. Not Exfoliating
exfoliation. As you get older, your need for regular exfoliation increases. Plus, when you’re using potent anti-aging products, you want to make sure they are being well absorbed.

Of course, there is such a thing as too much exfoliation, so you need to find a balance. For most people, a couple times a week does the trick. As you age, this may be closer to 3 or 4 times a week.

Here are my two favorite body scrubs that I have been using for a while:

Anese.co Coconut $26

Gloww Goddess $20

Hold my drink has a soft and fluffy texture and can be used as a daily exfoliator. Coconut oil and vitamin E seeps into your skin as you exfoliate and tease out ingrowns. Bonus, it literally smells like a coconut in a jar without any added artificial fragrance.

What It Does

-Moisturizing organic coconut oil melts into your skin.

– Natural sugar cane gently buffs away dead skin. Perfect for dry legs, arms and even your lips.

-Vitamin E is full of antioxidants and amazing at targeting fine lines and dryness.

Goddess Body Scrub is a gentle, salt-based body exfoliant that hydrates skin with organic coconut oil, scented with dry lavender buds and few drops of lavender essential oil. Goddess Body Scrub is highly moisturizing and gently exfoliating blend of organic coconut oil. It leaves the skin silky, soft, glowy, and hydrated with light scent of lavender.

These amazing scrubs exfoliates while providing nutritive minerals. It’s the perfect thing to use before putting on a moisturizing mask. If you have oily skin or otherwise sensitive skin, be careful not to exfoliate too vigorously.

3. Leaving Your Makeup on Overnight
You’re tired. Your eyelids are closing against your will. You’re almost considering sleeping in your jeans. Stop! Wait! It’s time to wash off your makeup.

Naked skin is happy skin. Especially if you’re wearing chemical makeup brands, you want to give your skin a break over night.

In the same vein, make sure to wash your makeup off before working out. When you break a sweat and your pores open up, dirt, oil and, yep, makeup will get in there.

Also, unless you want to wash your pillow cases every day (Ouch! Said mother earth) you should do your best to keep them clean in between washes. Another reason that washing your face before bed is a must!

4. Overcleansing
Don’t consider this a free pass to skip washing off your makeup at night: If your skin is dry skin, lather up less often, since doing so strips away natural oils. Wash with a creamy or oil-based cleanser at night (they’re gentler on dry skin) and rinse with just water when you wake up. “It’s enough to clean your skin in the morning, and you’ll retain more of your own moisturizing oils,” says Ellen Marmur, a dermatologist in New York City. Try L’Oréal Paris Pure-Clay Purify & Mattify Cleanser and/or St.Ives Blackhead Clearing Green Tea Scrub.

5. Not Sleeping Enough…
Getting less than seven hours of shut-eye can make your skin duller and fine lines (like the ones around your eyes) more obvious. Your skin can rebound from the occasional late night, especially when you’re young, but a few in a row will catch up with you. If you have trouble falling asleep, don’t start watching Black Lightning or The Good Doctor reruns: Bright screens suppress melatonin, a hormone that makes us sleepy and regulates our circadian rhythms. That second part is a biggie. When melatonin levels drop and your circadian rhythm gets thrown off, your skin cells can’t turn over as efficiently, causing even more wrinkles and dullness over time, says Phyllis C. Zee, the director of the Center for Circadian and Sleep Medicine at Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University Hospital in Chicago. A warm shower or bath before bed is much better for inducing sleep, says Michael Breus, an author, a psychologist and sleep medicine expert.

…And Not Sleeping Smartly
Your sleeping conditions matter. First things first: your pillowcase. “It collects oil, dead skin cells, bacteria, and excess night creams. “As you toss and turn, all of that is deposited right into your pores. I recommend changing them at least once a week (twice is better). While you’re at it, swap out the regular cotton version for something smoother, like satin, silk, or Egyptian cotton, since rough pillowcases can actually cause wrinkles. And if I can convince you to make just one more change, plug in a humidifier. It counteracts the skin-drying effects of air conditioning and heat.

6. Overlooking Sunscreen in Certain Areas
Slathering SPF over your entire face (even in the winter) is a good start, but you can’t ignore the rest of your body—and certain areas are missed too often. “In my practice, I’m seeing an epidemic of skin cancer along the hairline, the jawline, and the ears,” says Dennis Gross, a dermatologist in New York City. Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher all over your face and exposed skin from the neck down. And keep in mind that light cotton clothes won’t totally protect skin on their own in the summer.

7. Forgetting Face Wipes
Washing your face before bed or after spin can be a pain. We get that. But letting makeup, dirt, and bacteria linger can cause breakouts, dullness, and even wrinkles over time. Which brings me to face-cleansing wipes: A single towelette removes a day’s worth of grime, and you won’t need to haul yourself to the sink. Try Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes, AVEENO ULTRA-CALMING MAKEUP REMOVING WIPES, and AVEENO POSITIVELY RADIANT MAKEUP REMOVING WIPES. Keep them on your nightstand or in your purse so you actually remember to use them.

8. Smoking
Please, I beg of you, just quit. On top of a long list of evils, smoking breaks down elastic fibers in the skin (which is why smokers’ complexions look yellow) and revs up the enzyme responsible for breaking down collagen (and that definitely leads to wrinkles), says Francesca Fusco, a dermatologist in New York City. Your skin can bounce back once you quit. “Within two weeks, you see improvements,” she says. “The texture improves; it’s a little smoother. Over time, the brightness comes back.

You can achieve the skin you want! By ditching some of your bad habits and adopting some good ones, you could find yourself waking up to younger, more radiant looking skin!

What skin habits do you want to break? Have you broken any of these already? Tell me in the comments below!

A Day At The Fort Lauderdale Beach

Published on July 30, 2018July 30, 2018 by Lee1 Comment

Hello Beauties, June 29, I had decided last minute to head to the beach and it turned out to be an experience that I cherish close to my heart. That day, my head became a little clearer and my smile became bigger. My smile was real too. Here are couple of reasons why I cherished that moment so much.

I have anxiety which means I have become antisocial over the years. Being around bunch of people, especially people I don’t know can be stressful for me. I’m always in my head and thinking about the worst. But that day, I survived.
I was at peace by MYSELF. I was there from 11:30 am to 4 or 5 -ish pm.
I enjoyed the scene and everything with little money I had. I was happy, like truly happy and learned a lot about myself while getting a nice workout in the process.

Making time for yourself and learning how to enjoy your own space is so important. Never in a million years did I think that I would go to the beach by myself and stay there for longer than 15 minutes. I’m happy I did though and can’t wait to go back. I might even just travel to Orlando or Miami just because. You might be thinking girl, it’s just the beach but for me, its more than that. I proved a lot to myself and didn’t let my anxiety or anything else get in my way. I want to do bigger trips but for now, traveling around Florida will do. If you want to know how I did it with basically no money, What I did, and Where I went then keep on reading…

How Did You Get There?

I took the bus, simple. I got the whole day bus pass which is $5 and took Bus Route 40. I asked a nice man who was hitting on me but it didn’t bother me because he wasn’t disrespectful. He told me what bus to take and gave me directions to get to that bus stop.

Now, if you want to get there quicker without having to wait and make several stops along the way then I suggest you take Lyft. It is going to be pricey depending on where you coming from but you can use my code: CRYSTAL40317 to save $$.

What Places Did You Hangout At?

First, I walked along the beach then I stumbled upon CVS. It wasn’t that far, it was located in Beach Place plaza. I purchased a bottle of coke, I was really thirsty. Mouth felt dry and everything. Thinking back at it, I should had got a water bottle instead especially since when the coke wasn’t cold anymore, it tasted weird. It was warm, not like room temperature, just warm.

Then I went to the beach and dip my toes into the nice cool water. The sun was out but it wasn’t too hot. I wished I had my bathed suit or extra clothing because if I did, I would had became a mermaid for sure lol.

After I finished playing in the water some more, I went up to a family who was tryna take pictures and asked if they needed help. They were so nice, they were traveling from Switzerland. I took some bomb pics for them and said goodbye. Next, I walked some more and saw many parties that was happening at different resorts. I was invited by this lesbian who was cool as fuck. I sat by the pool with them and talked. The music was booming and boobies were out. I spent like 1hr with them before I left. Everyone was just happy and living their best life.

I continued to walk and saw many beautiful resorts, restaurants, hotels, homes, and boats. I decided to turn back around because I was getting hungry and I was a little scared that I might be going too far; I didn’t want to get lost. Since, I wasn’t wearing my glasses, me getting stuck wasn’t the plan and I do sometimes forget things. I just didn’t want to take any chances. Plus, I didn’t have cash on me, so if it had reached 11:59 pm, I would had been screwed because that’s when my bus pass would had expired.

I headed back to Beach Place to rest up. There were many tourists. It wasn’t packed but it was still busy. My back felt better, my body felt better so I got up and continued to see what the prices were looking like for the food. One restaurant had a sale going like buy a burger and get a coke for free and another restaurant Lona had different promotional flyers up. That place was busy, well from what I saw at least. People were eating, drinking and just chilling. Honestly, I wanted a hot dog but the place wasn’t open and there were no other place that was selling hot dogs.

I rode back taking the Bus Route 40 then jumped on Bus Route 22 to get back home. I ended my day with a sweet tea from Dunkin Donuts and 6 pieces of hush browns. They have sweet tea, any size for a $1. I am kinda sad that I missed the Live Music & Entertainment at Fort Lauderdale beach but next time.