Beauty - Home Spa Treatments

Before I even start, I have to share this website with you. Spaindex.com. By the way, this is not the kind of pants you wear. This happens to be an amazing website where you can treat yourself to Home Spa Treatments.

They have amazing do it yourself recipes and ideas of how to bring that spa like relaxation into the comfort of your own home. At first, the thought of putting actual food on my face, and using my groceries bothered me. But after trying out the Almond Facial Milk, and Almond Mayo Scrub. I was IN LOVE. Invite some of your friends over. Pick out some of the recipes and prepare them. Make your self a pitcher of Cucumber Water, lay out some sweet oranges, peppermints. You can even make tiny tea party sandwiches as a yummy treat. Get those wash rags ready, and little bowls to use as a wash basin.

You can do facials, manicures and pedicures all in the home. Make sure you get some of those vanilla candles to burn, dim the lights, and put on that spa like music. Your friends will LOVE it. For an added touch, you can even have your friends bring bathrobes, slippers to give it that added bonus.

Good Luck!

Health - Acupuncture

Many people are afraid of needles, or the fear that Acupuncture is going to hurt. Just like everything, Acupuncture needles come in different sizes and lengths.

I was one of those sceptical people that wanted nothing to do with it. But I have to admit, I love it. So I will explain in my terms how it works.

People have points within their body, just like the earth, we have a North Pole and South Pole. Plus other Central connections like our core and equator.

In theory, our North Pole is the center point in the top of our head. Our South pole is our feet close to our toes. This is your main energy source. You have to open up the channels to allow the energy to fully circle your body. This will bring us to your core, which happens to be located just above your navel, and the equator that are within your hands next to your thumb. Once these channels are open, pulsed energy begins to form within the human body.

Now our body is has many outlets and freeways that can get congested (blockage). This is why you will see more then those 6 points with needles. An acupuncturist, will help clear the blockage that stops natural energy flow in your body. In many cases, people that have back pains, leg pains, stomach issues...an acupuncturist can help treat this in a manner that is not harmful to your body.

Its always suggested to contact an Acupuncturist in your local area, go in for a consultation. If you are nervous about it at first, have them show you the needles and explain to you in detail what they do. Also, they can even test a needle out on you so you can see how the process is done.

Image provided by: DailyMail

Weekly Goal - Open Communication

How many of you have tried to go to your roomies, partners or parents and asked them for help with your weight? How many of you have been hurt by the things said to you regarding your weight?

Our goal this week is to have that open communication, you have already started to take the first steps to your change in habits. Now lets push you that much further. In order to start your process, you need to weed through those that are going to be supportive vs. problem. Your true support will start to show face.

First, express to those you love how important this is to you, how they make you feel when they say hurtful things, and how they can help you get through this.

Second, set boundaries. Meaning, if they invite you over to dinner or a party, to provide items that you know you can eat and to leave as many distractions out of site. Now, this doesn't mean that they have to fully focus on you, but to help you so you have options. Its your will power, to not stray from your goal.

Third, ask if any would be interested in going for walks, runs, or doing something active with you once or twice a week. Make the commitment and stick to it.

You will soon find out who will be supportive and who wont. You will know who you can talk to about your struggles and who you cannot. For more helpful tips on communication, you can visit Mind Tools.

Image provided by EABA

January's Featured Story

How many of you wake up each morning, look out your window and say this is going to be a beautiful day? How many of you go about your day with hardly any worries of how your day will end? Lastly, how many of you are parents or parents to be? For those of you that are parents, you already know what it's like to have the responsibility of a life, one you must bring up in world with trials, stipulations, and worries. I am sure most can agree that its already hard enough bringing a child into this world fully healthy. We as parents have to make sure the path they follow along, is one that will bring them success, happiness and joy. Most of us take our day to day life for granted. We wake up each morning, look around, and go about our days care free.

Just over two years ago, on December 4th, 2008 a little girl came into this world. She has blessed two very special people, Tara and Jared Miller. Never in a million years, could these two parents be so thrilled to welcome their third child, Kaylena. Perfect bundle that completed their family.

Eight days after Kaylena was born, the Miller's had to bring her to the Emergency Room(ER). Being so young, you are already worried about what might be wrong. So what if you were told, that your new baby was only fifteen to thirty minuets from dying? This was the case for the Miller's.

Kaylena had caught a virus that in rare cases can make its way into a newborns spinal fluid and within hours, the outcome can be fatal. The doctors told the Miller's she was lucky, because of her body temperature was 92 degrees upon arrival. this is the very thing that could have saved her brain functions. Kaylena had to spend the next three months in the Prenatal Intensive Care Unit(PICU) at Miller Children's Hospital in Long Beach fighting for her life. She was on every life support system the hospital had and on occasions, the Miller's were informed there was not much more they could do. Kaylena was pre-diagnosed with Pulmonary Hypertension, because her case was so severe it caused her to go into cardiac arrest. The Miller's were so thankful to the doctors that day for saving their daughters life and bringing her back to them. The news came that because of the life support, and the length of time Kaylena had to be on the machines, they were told she may have brain damage, possible deaf and blindness and many other symptoms. Kaylena has none of them.

At three months old, weighting 8 pounds the Miller's were finally able to take their baby girl home for the second time. Kaylena was now diagnosed with Mitrovalve Regurgitation, which means her heart was enlarged and gets worse with every beat. For a year after this tragic event, Kaylena was doing great. The doctors truly thought her heart would repair itself over time. She would grow into an adult with restrictions, but could lead a normal life. Unfortunately this is not the case. Kaylena is now scheduled to have open heart surgery at the age of 2, on February 10th, 2011. Her weight has dropped to 18 pounds, and she is in desperate need of mitrovalve repair. The Miller's have been so strong in this process, and have had such a great support system.

I know that all of you would support my family if this happened to us, so we can only ask that you join with us to support Tara and Jared in this difficult time. They have set up a Tribute Donations in honor of Kaylena for CaringBridge. If you are interested in setting up a donation please visit Caring Bridge in Honor of Kaylena.

-Story Published By: Janelle Carruolo, January 8, 2011

Weekly Goal - Calorie Count

Yes, we have put you on a weekly goal of measuring your portions, now comes the calorie in take of those portions. We want you to see how many calories you are actually eating on a given day. We know that weight management can be extremely difficult, and it seems like this is all to much. However, in time, it will become second nature. You will soon know what is good and what is not good for you, and all those tools may even fade away.

In the mean time, lets provide you with some great tools you can get.

For iPhone users - Two AMAZING applications are LiveStrong and MyNetDiary. I am providing you with two, mainly because one may be better suited for yourself. The nice thing about both LiveStrong and MyNetDiary is you can also access them by Internet and website.

Both will help you with your work out calorie count along with your food intake calorie count.

For those that want to do it the hard way, there are great tools that can track your calories as well. You can get a little tiny machine called a Pedometer that tracks your steps you take in a given day, this will in turn count those steps and put them into a calorie burn. The only thing I have found a bit flawed about them, is there is no telling if your steps is activity to burn calories or your normal daily walk. So you would need to really look into these and possibly spend a bit of cash to make sure you have a good one that fits your needs. You can find more information at China Trade Online.

They also make watches, that will not only give you the time, but has a feature that tells your calorie burn and intake, you can find more information about them at InkFrog.com

Workout - Yoga

Yoga, overall is a great for mind and body. It teaches you balance, control, flexibility and strengthens you mentally. The more you practice yoga, the more your body takes control. You start craving healthier foods, foods that give you the nourishment you need. Its internal knowledge you would have never thought was possible. There are many types of yoga stances. Each of them strength a different part of your body and mind. The nice thing about this, you can either go to a class, or do it in your own home with the right training videos.

Check out Yoga.com and see if they can help you!

Health - Pulmonary Hypertension

There are very few that know what Pulmonary Hypertension(PH) or Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension(PAH) is. In all truth, you wouldn't, unless you are in the medical field or have had to come to understanding it from personal experience. So that leaves us to asking, what is it?

PH is the high blood pressure in the arteries that supply the lungs. We measure this by cuffing the arm which contracts the blood vessels and releases as pressure is withdrawn. The vessels that supply the lungs end up contracting and the walls thicken and cannot carry the needed amount of blood. The pressure builds up and gets backed up, almost like if you get a blockage in your sink or bathtub. Eventually, with the pressure being so high, the heart and lungs wont be able to keep up. It will cut the oxygen supply and in many cases people will become dizzy, fatigued, and short of breath.

In most cases this can be treated. Some can be treated by simple therapy, others by surgery.

Sorce: AmericanHeart.Org

Image Provided by: Assets

Workout - Abs

Have you ever wondered how all of those people have those AMAZING ABS? Guess what, you can have them too. Here are some of the top 10 most effective ab exercises you can do. The thing to keep in mind is the amount and reps you do also, along with the control of the muscles used within your stomach. Check it out on About.com

Now I have to admit, this did kick my butt when I tried them out. I felt the burn, and workout pain the next day. I have been doing this for a week now and can start to feel my stomach getting strong. So by all means, try it out yourself. I challenge you to doing this for two weeks every day!!

Beauty - Sunblocks

Why age before you have to? People need to get in the habit of applying sunblock if they are going to be out in the sun longer then 15 minuets. The suns rays can be very harmful to any tone of skin. Sunblock can help prevent your skin from becoming blotchy with age spots, skin cancer, skin blisters, and anything else that can be extremely harmful.

You do not need to become a red lobster to get a beautiful tan after. With the proper usage of sunblock and allowed time, your skin will always keep a healthy glow and naturally tan with less harm.

My personal favorite, because you can get this for Babies and Adults is Neutrogena Sunblocks. Some of them even have age shield in them that will help keep your skin nourished. The highest proof they have is SPF90. Which is amazing! I highly recommend you try them, as the oils are natural for your skin, and do not leave those unwanted residues that some sunblocks can leave.

Weekly Goal - 10 Ways to Portion Control

Top 10 Ways to Control Portions

We want to challenge you this week. No, you do not have to go out and buy some fancy machine or pre-measured bowls to help you control your portions. However, you can use what you have in your home as a way to measure and control how much you eat.

Computer Mouse = Small baked/sweet potato

Light Bulb = 1/2 cup mashed potatoes, 1/2 cup frozen yogurt or ice cream, 1/2 cup couscous, 1/2 cooked brown/white rice, 1/2 cup cooked beans,
1/2 cup blueberries, 1/2 cup of grapes.

Pen/Pencil = Banana, Corn on Cob

There are just a few of the items we personally thought were amazing to be measured by house hold items. To get more information on what house hold items you can use, visit webmd.com.

We came across this wonderful article on portion control. We believe that Jennifer R. Scott from About.com said it all when she wrote this.

The reason we have set this as your goal this week, is because we know how hard it is to stick to what we should be eating. Most of us want to eat and eat until we are full. However, this only continues to expand your stomach when the goal of this is to shrink it. We all over eat, and we hate ourselves later when we do it. So lets get back in the right mind frame this week. Let the shrinkage begin.

Image provided by Pancakes and French Fries

Workout - Stretching

You have heard of the term warm the butter before you spread it on the bread. This is the same thing, warm your body before you leap into action. Just because you may have been running around all day, shopping, working, chasing after your kids...this does not mean your body is warmed up to do a routine work out of any means. Your body begs for that attention, the extra love me now before you demand more from me. So lets start our work outs on a good note. If you know you are on a time schedule make sure you set aside at least 5 extra minuets to get in that before and after work out stretch.

If you are unsure of what to do, you can ask any instructor at your local gym. If you don't go to the gym and are a do it yourself kind of person. Go on You Tube, or even Google - Pre Workout Stretches.

I have taken the time to get a few for you. I highly recommend you use this before doing anything.

Jimmy Thomas - provides photos that show you what to do for your pre-work out. His set up takes 5-10 minuets of your time.

Here is a Cool Down Video also.

Beauty - Healthy Hair

10 Tips For Keeping Your Hair Healthy and Beautiful

1) Keep your diet balanced.

2) Understand the foods and supplements to nourish your hair.

3) Comb your hair before washing.

4)Use the proper water temperature with shampooing.

5) Don't use fingernails to scrape through your scalp.

6) Rinse your hair properly from Shampoo and Conditioner.

7) Apply hair treatment products that will protect your hair.

8) Never sleep with wet hair.

9) Don't stress.

10) Think, before you color or perm your hair.

For more information on these 10 beautiful tips that were provided by Liu Yung Ye Beatrice, visit Suite101.

We all want that super model head full of hair, so follow these steps. We are sure you wont go wrong, when you wake up and see those shiny locks looking just as perfect as they would when you went to bed.

Image provided by: Body and More Chicago

Healthy - Multi Vitamins

We came across this great MultiVitamin, many people feel that they need to take hundreds of vitamins to get what is needed and in lots of cases they just need the right MultiVitamin. Someone that is 20 years of age vs in their 50's require different needs. Nature Made, has taken the time to think about. They have a great Vitamin for 50 Plus, Men, Women, one that even helps with your Cholesterol. Now shouldn't you invest in the right Vitamins for yourself?

There are many other companies out there that have the same results and look after your needs. As always its best to consult your personal physician for their suggestions. Especially if you have health issues. You may need something different, then what you think is needed.

Weekly Goal - 7 Planning Tips

Joyce at Freaking Fitness nailed it with these 7 tips.

Before I get into them, every one is vulnerable at some point. Ask your self, why? What makes you this way? How can you overcome this feeling? In all truth its your inner power. You have to grasp hold of what it is you need to overcome, and face it in a new direction. With these tips you will be able to use them in all aspects of your life. Most important, your gain of control to something healthy.

Joyce mentions that if you were to become a doctor, you would have set focus on the field of medicine you wanted to study. She goes on to state, that your health is no different. She has worked hard on setting up a guide line for people that need that extra push in the right direction to follow. I will list the goals, and provide the link where she discuss them in a more detailed script.

1) Have an exact goal.

2) Never just keep a goal in your head.

3) Have a task list.

4) Check off your accomplishments.

5) Don't focus on how far you have to go.

6) Have a timetable.

7) Share with ONLY positive people your goals.

We all know that setting goals can be a hard process. Especially those that make you face what you may be hiding from. Follow her guidance, and you will soon find yourself living a healthier life. Your sleepless nights will turn into sleeping peacefully. Now, isn't that more of a reason to get started today. Stop pushing off tomorrow, with what you can get done today.

This is our Weekly Goal is this week. I encourage you to set up Minor goals, that can be accomplished in a day, IE: Washing dishes. To long term goals, IE: To loose 150 lbs by May 2012. Make them reasonable. Good Luck this week with your goal setting. Remember, you can post them on your blog as well, share them with our community.

Cooking - Vegan Cake

"Vegan Chocolate Cake"

The very first time I tasted this cake was at my friends child's second year birthday. I have to say, it was indeed one of the best cakes I have ever tasted. The nice thing about this mouth watering cake, is you can make it as rich in chocolate flavor as you want. Your cake filling can be a second texture of chocolate or something creamy and delightful.

Its recommended to anyone that may have a sweet tooth, but definitely keep them in a cup cake size if your weakness is cake or chocolate. Each cup cake is 275 calories. Which is one full meal if you are on our 1200 calories a day program. Remember, you can treat yourself to something yummy like this, just remember to add the extra time in your work out so you have the chance to burn off those extra calories you splurged on for the day.

If you are interested in an amazing recipe for this yummy little carver I have provided it with the thanks of AllRecipes. Image was also provided by them.

Community Choice

Q: How can we get our children to eat healthy?

A: Most people think it would be easy to start your children off at a young age, with proper eating habits. However, a lot of the time this is not the case. They live by example. In many cases, if the child sees the adult eating certain foods, they will follow suit.

Here are some recommendations on how to get them to eat or drink a bit healthier. Please keep in mind, not every child is the same. So different suggestions may work for some children and not others.

1) Children love most things that are colorful - set up a paint with food session. Lay out some butcher paper and gather veggies and fruits of bright fun colors. With each small dish of your food pick, lay out a pallet of different pureed food that they can paint with their fingers. Let them know its eatable, so they can lick their fingers clean. Then if they like the way it tastes on their fingers, you can show them the actual fruit or veggie that made their yummy color of choice. Do this enough, and they may start to munch on the actual fruit and veggie while painting as to licking their fingers clean.

2) Out To Eat - Lots of children, love the idea of McDonald's because of the toy and happy meal box they get. So make your own happy meal box. You can go to Joann or Michael's craft stores, and get your own happy meal boxes. Granted you will have to design it yourself, but that gives you a fun activity to do with your child. Build and Make the Ultimate Happy Meal Box. Then fill it with the goodies you want to see in a happy meal. Fruits, Yogurts, Nuts, String Cheese, Etc. As for toys get things they can do outside, like sidewalk chalk, water guns, etc.

3) Present Wraps - Go to your grocery store and get any type of Baking Paper. That night, when you go to make dinner, prepare everything in the baking paper, wrap them like presents, and set them in the oven to bake or stay heated. Your seasons and spices will remain in the package. Take some veggies that are great to eat raw and cut them up like confetti, cut some strawberries up to look like a bow and decorate your Present Wrap. Place it all on a plate and call it, Surprise Dinner Wraps. Make it fun and easy for your child to enjoy what they need to eat.

Weekend Get Away

Bear Mountain

Average Rates Per Night $90-$245

Ski Passes - $35-$300

If you have ever wanted to learn how to Ski or Snowboard, or you wanted to show off your already proclaimed talents, Bear Mountain is indeed the place to go.

From campgrounds, to cabins you can enjoy a wonderful chilled weekend. This is a great place to go with friends, family, and children. Everyone will have something to do.

The thing I love about Bear Mountain, is if you have small kids they can partake in the "Learn to Ski" class. Yes, adults can take this class too. They will show you the basics of how to maintain your balance so you don't always fall on your bum. Though, some extra padding never hurt anyone.

The have beginner courses along with advanced. You are the judge of what you can handle. So go get them. Remember the lodge does close at a certain time, so you may want to grab an extra hot chocolate once it starts to get a bit later.

For beginners, remember any ski lodge does have rental equipment. The instructors will also give you some helpful tips on what items you may want to invest in, especially if you see yourself becoming a long term Ski-Bunny.

Work Out - Running

Running is a great outdoor activity. It provides freshness of air to your lungs, a scenic view for your and great movement from head to toe. This allows your full body to feel the effects from such a refreshing movement.

Recommendations; when you do run, find an area that has softer ground. Such as the beach's sand, grass on open fields, a track, or even unpaved roads. The reasons for this, is the harsh impact from pavement causes a compression on your knees. This can later damage the cartilage that helps provide padding between the joints. Some damage can lead to knee operations which would restrict your movements in the future.

If you have never ran before, you should start out moderately. Twenty minuets is recommended for beginners. This way, you can slowly work your body into a routine that will soon be beneficial to you. With each stretch, once you start feeling that its becoming to easy and your able to Ace the test, push the limit some more. Soon enough, your twenty minuet work out will progress in to an hour if not longer. The average person can run 8-10 miles for a routine work out.

Always remember to warm your muscles up before you begin a run. A routine of stretches before and after your runs will allow your body to prepare and cooldown in a healthy manner. Good luck, and take the precautions to make this a healthy routine.

Image provided by sp.life123

Beauty - Sephora

Skin Care is an epidemic outbreak all over the world. Most people these days are worried about their appearance and how they will age. So why not protect yourself. You can get some great products from Sephora, and the nice thing about this...you can order them right off the Internet.

Consumers every where know what its like to shop for items you are not sure of. So lets start off simple and grow our product line. Today we are going to start with the basics. How to care for your skin on a daily basis.

Don't worry, we have looked a few things up for both men and women so we wont recommend the same product line. Especially since our needs are different.

For Women:

Clinique 3 Step Kit - Valued at $39.99

This product is amazing for women of all ages. From High School Teens to Sexy Cougars. You cannot go wrong with this product. The three steps take you in order. Step one is a mild liquid soap that will wash your face and pours, preparing your skin for mild exfoliation. Step two is the clarifying lotion that is great for your skin, this step exfoliates to bring brighter and smoother skin to surface. Step three is the moisturizing lotion that softens, smooths and improves your skin. This whole 3 step process takes 5-10 minuets.

For Men:

Anthony Logistics for Men - Valued at $56.00

This product is outstanding for men. This is a 5 step process for men. You start of with the cleanse that helps prepare your skin for you the exfoliation process. Once you have done both of these steps, you move on to the prep solution which gets your skin ready for a good shave. The products are great for men with sensitive skin that can become irritated easy. The final step to this madness for men, is Lip Balm. Most men tend to not even think about their lips, so having it provided in this kit is a great solution to get them in the right direction. This whole 5 step process takes 5-10 minuets.

Health - Top Five Colon Cleansers

#1 Colonetix
Suggested Retail Price: $99.99
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#2 Orovo Detox
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#3 Cleansonix
Suggested Retail Price: $139.99
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#4 Colonoxy
Suggested Retail Price: $39.99
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#5 Colovox
Suggested Retail Price: $87.95
Lowest Online Price: $87.95
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If it was not for ColonCleanser.net this information could not have been provided to you. I love how they keep their website up to date. They will also give you detailed information on each cleanser listed above. One thing that they said on their website was, there are so many scams of which product is best. It is highly recommended that you do a cleanse every 5 years to keep your body pure and to the best of health. Even with this said, you really should not perform one without consulting your personal physician first. Speak to them about what cleanser you are looking at using, ask them if they have any recommendation's for a product that may be better and healthier. To obtain more information regarding why its important to have a Colon Cleanse every 5 years consult your physician. It can prevent of a lot of long term health conditions later in life.

Weekly Goal - Mental Strength

Mental Strength Check List

What does this mean to you? We know that each day can be a struggle. With the wants and needs of foods you crave on a daily basis. The feeling of did I eat too much or not enough. The passing in a mirror and not liking the image you see. So the goal I have for you this week is to write down 5 encouragements. Things that would inspire you to move past the negative thought.

The Guidelines of how this should work: When you need an encouragement off your list, pick that one that best fits your situation. Once you have done so, check it off your list. Remember, you cannot use the same encouragement more then once this week. This will teach you will power, and how to over come your weakness. Build on it. Make it a strength. Prove to yourself, that you can get past what you need to.

Now, when you used one of your encouragements to get you through the situation, write about it in your blog. Let us know what encouragement you used. Let us know why you needed to use it. End it with, how this helped you get past your situation.

Cooking - Hungry Girl

Many people want to have great tasting food, but not all of the un-needed calories to go with it. Hungry Girl is absolutely amazing. From cookbooks that will help settle those hungry appetites in your own home to night on the town guides.

Lisa Lillien has indeed found a way to introduce you to life changing ideas and foods that you may never have thought of. All of her recipes are under 200 calories and taste amazing! Just some of the places she has been featured in would be LATimes, Good Housekeeping, Better Homes, and The Cooking Channel where she describes how and why she started this life trend.

Hungry Girl is not just for females as many would think based off of the title. But many males have taken a liking to her easy and simple use of every day products. Its a great tool to get the extra pounds you want off without breaking your pocket book and without you needing to go on fancy diets. I highly recommend every one get at least one of her many books.

"Let's Get Healthy" will be featuring some of the recipe's from Hungry Girl on weekly Menu's. Please subscribe to Hungry Girl to get Lisa's tips of the day.