The Questions you Should be Asking

Read this. It's a beautiful article on being a stay-at-home parent as well as a guide to what answers to ask in a relationship--whether that be a friend, lover, or parent.

Have a great weekend :)

Monday's Intention

Hope you had a great weekend! I am inspired by this Monday's intention by an article that I read Sunday morning over breakfast. I found it on Pinterest, but it was published on the ASHAsphere website. To summarize the article, it states that parents who continue to give their toddlers sippy cups are only doing their children a disservice. Sippy cups encourage an immature suck-swallow pattern and could do some damage to dentition. So, what should you do instead? Use an open cup or a cup with straw. A sippy cup is NOT a part of a child's developmental milestones.

This leads me to my intention for the week, but also for my lifetime... I want to continue to learn and research about what is out their in my profession. It will help me be a better clinician but also a well-educated mommy someday!

Have a great weekend! Please pass along the article to all parents!

Wine (Wednesdays)

As most have you have done at least once in your lifetime, I've taken the Myers Briggs personality test. I had to take it in college and graduate school a few times. Each time I've taken it, I've always gotten "E" for extroverted. As I get older, I feel like I'm becoming more introverted though. I like my routines and don't always venture out of my comfort zone.

As a part of my quest to rid myself of negativity in my environment, I also want to decrease the negativity within my self. I want to be more of my extroverted self and have plenty of opportunity for socializations.

I've mentioned the idea of having a wine night with my friends, and I've decided to roll out with it! A few of my friends used to host a Wine Wednesday every Wednesday night in college. That schedule doesn't seem that conducive to our working lives now. I would love to have a wine night once/twice a month on a Friday, so that we can each get drunk and not feel bad about going to work the next morning.

I would also want there to be a theme to each wine night. A friend of mine gave me this idea: each person must bring a bottle of wine that goes with the theme for the night. Below are a few theme ideas...

Bring a bottle that:

• Comes from Spain
•  Has a quirky name
•  Has a red label
• Is a Cabernet
•  Is 1.75 L
• The store recommended
• Is under $10

 I love the idea of the themes! Hopefully, we can start having our wine nights in a week or two. I'll keep you posted of what themes we do. Cheers to being social and getting tipsy off of wine with your friends!

Do you host a wine night with your friends? How do you make it more fun? Pair the wine with cheese?

Have a Snowy Weekend

Hello blizzard of 2014! Ekk my street is filled with snow and not a plow to be seen. Luckily, my car is safe and sound in the parking garage down the street. I LOVE not brushing my car off or shoveling myself out of a parking spot.

Since I'm stuck inside and you are too most likely, I thought a few videos and links would pass the time along this weekend. Enjoy and stay warm! :)

Do you have 2 sisters too?

Obama, you wise, wise man

Byeee

I made this soup recipe Wednesday night with a ham, cheese, pesto, & avocado panini. YUM

Another article on anxiety re: yesterday's blog post

Piperlime is having a 25% off sale using the code CHIC that ends tonight

• J Brand denim
• Pim + Larkin Shift Dress
• Franco Sarto spring heels

Thursday Thought

"If you are depressed, you live in the past. 

If you are anxious, you live in the future. 

If you are at peace, you live in the present." 

Lao Tzu

Too often, I build up anxiety and worry about things that I can't control in the future. I prepare the best that I can in the present for whatever is making me anxious, but I still can't seem to let go. 

I like this article by The Greatest Daily. It teaches you techniques to kick anxiety in the butt. One technique which I use often is monitoring my breath. I try to have slow, controlled breaths like in yoga. It's very helpful in lowering my blood pressure and body temperature. 

Take a look at the article! I hope that we all can try to live in the present a little more in 2014.

Flash Your Peace Signs

Hey everyone, another guest post from Adriana!

I am a self-proclaimed hippie. Yeah, it’s not the 60’s anymore and I don’t casually do LSD on the reg’, but I identify with the good vibe mindset and simplicity of living that occurred during my parents’ generation. In my opinion, a modern-day hippie is someone who wants to live in the moment, contemplate the universe, generate good vibes, and fight for important causes. These folks just understand the substance of life and pursue their passions while making casual political statements.

This image is something completely opposite from our generation’s identity aspirations. In this modern technology era, the millennials aim to create their mark on this Earth by updating their FB prof pic, taking a perfect selfie, and maintaining meaningless relationships. Where’s the uncomplicated lifestyle that the Hippies (our parents!) created? It seems like the more technology takes over our lives, the more the media infiltrates our thoughts, which leads to an increase in this young generation losing their originality.

Where is the substance in a life consumed by technology? I am sick of spending time with my friends and their smart-phones. Notice it. At any gathering of millennials, almost every person will have their cellphone in their hand or on the table. Back in the day, people had to interact with one another and not resort to anti-social cell-phone behaviors. They had to live in the moment because they didn’t have the luxury of an IPhone 5 distraction. Where are the peace, tranquility and serenity of a simple life that was created in the ‘60s? Not here.

As always, I want my life to be a statement to my generation (hey, what the hell else am I gunna do?). I want to show other millennials that losing a bit of technology and gaining some common decency will change their lives. I want to show my generation that gaining a Hippie mindset will probably reduce the stress of such a fast-pace lifestyle. Let’s chill a bit. You don’t need to answer that text right now. You don’t need to stress about your future. You don’t need to take a picture of that beautiful sunset. Just be still. Be in the moment. Take in all the sounds, images, and vibes of whatever the present moment brings you. That moment will be significant, but you don’t need to share it with your 1,000 Facebook friends. They won’t understand that moment and they don’t need to, either. It was for you.

Now look at the standards of beauty for women in the ‘60s. They look fantastically natural…and beautiful. Long, un-dyed hair and minimal to no make-up. Well, I’ve adopted these practices. I’ve never dyed my hair and I don’t wear make-up anymore unless I’m going to a party. And it feels fantastic. I don’t want to strive for beauty perfection. I will never be Barbie and I never want to fucking be her. I want to feel comfortable in my own skin (super cheesy, but whatevs!).

So to summarize: Modern-day Hippies don’t have to subscribe to the stereotypical boho attire (but that’s pretty rockin anyways!) or the lack of regular hygiene routines (hey, whatever!) or even experimental drug use. But they can represent compassion to oneself and others, the simplification of their lives, and a philosophical approach.

So flash yo peace signs, listen to your rockin’ music, make your political statements, and give out your free love, my friends!

 Peace & Love,

Adriana

New Year's Resolutions

As 2013 draws to a close, I wanted to wish each of you a blessed & Happy New Year!

2013 was filled with incredible memories for me:

• I graduated Undergraduate and Graduate School in ONE DAY 
• I traveled cross country with D in his Mazda for a grand total of 9,000 miles
• I took a summer off to go to the beach
• I found a job in my field, which I am so fortunate to have!
• I moved into my first real girl apartment with a good friend
• I paid my first bill
• I celebrated my Golden Birthday! I am so happy to be 24 (It's my lucky #)

On a sad note, I was also witness to the Boston Marathon Bombing, as I volunteered at the finish line that day. Also, my loving and beautiful dog, Lily, passed away earlier this year.

I am so grateful that my incredible memories far outshine the painful memories of this year. I hope the same for you!

My New Year's Resolutions for this year will be to continue to cross items off of my 101 in 1001 list. Also, I plan to rid myself of people who I secretly despise in my life. I wish to surround myself with people who are going to lift me higher to reaching my goals and dreams.

If you are having trouble coming up with a resolution, take a look a the links below.

20 Things to Let Go of Before the New Year

25 New Year's Resolutions Everyone Should Follow

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

The F Word

Hey everyone, another guest post from Adriana!

What does a feminist look like?

A lesbian, who doesn’t shave her armpits, and screams about how “men suck!”…right?

Wrong, actually. I am a feminist. And yes, sometimes I prefer to shower every couple of days and shaving is usually a tremendous success for me, but my hygiene routine has nothing to do with my beliefs on gender equality. In my opinion, feminism has received a bad name in the media. Instead of “feminism” being a word describing determination, strength, courage, and equality, it has become a word to describe bitchiness, loudness, annoyance, and a joke.

The real definition of feminism is the desire for the complete equality of men and women. That’s it. No gimmicks. No men hating. Just equality! Not so extreme, right?

Although this stress-free definition is the true meaning of feminism, women and men seem afraid to label themselves as it because of the stereotypes. Well, I’ve decided that my life will be best served if I stand up for what’s important to me and to society. If I, a relatively “normal” person, can identify as a feminist, then hopefully others won’t be so afraid to join the cause.

You might be wondering… “What is there to fight for? Aren’t we equal? Hey, we have voting rights!” True, my friends. But there is still a lot of ground we need to cover. And in my opinion, it’s the small things that individual people have the power to change! For example, if you’re a woman…Do you ever feel worried about walking alone at night because you’re wearing a short skirt? Do you casually omit your opinions in front of guys out of fear of rejection? Do you hear “feminine” terms used as derogatory insults for men? Do you feel as though your worth is your body, in the eyes of men and the media? These are small examples that I’ve noticed from my life. All I want is to feel safe, respected, and validated as a person.

I want to embrace the term “feminism” to shatter the glass ceiling for women in all domains of life. Women and men should be able to pursue whatever brings them happiness. Although women face critiques in the public and private spheres often, men also have a role to fulfill: a tough, autonomous, “masculine” demeanor. If men represent any kind of emotional competence, automatically they will be considered homosexual. The small boxes of masculinity and femininity create unhappiness because they are unattainable standards. I try to use my knowledge of feminism to promote acceptance of all behaviors of men and women, without the strict guidelines of masculinity and femininity.

Summary on how to use our gender knowledge:

• Accept the behaviors and activities of men and women (ex. Little boys learning ballet, fuck yeah! Adult women taking control of their sexuality, rock on!)
• Feminism is the desire for the complete equality of men and women! (Promote this accurate definition. If you’re interested in learning more, the links below are awesome and interesting resources!)
• Do you. Don’t let gender restrictions control your life. Act the way you feel and eventually the dichotomous gender boundaries will start to blur, and society will begin to accept all forms of identity expression.

Peace & Love,
Adriana

Some interesting videos and websites:

Miss Representation

Women in the Media

The Daily Show

We Should all be Feminists

I am a Feminist

Tough Guise

Invest in Positive Friendships

Hey everyone, another guest post from Adriana!

You could call me a true optimist. During good or bad situations, I always believe that the Universe planned my life to happen that way. Even in a downright awful circumstance, I think the situation can be manipulated once I change my cognitions about it.

However, there are days when people are sucking the life out of me. All I want to do is cry, verbally abuse them on Facebook, or leave an angry voicemail to get my point across. I get frustrated; I try to cope; and, sometimes, I forget the skills to overcome this negativity.

But then, clarity strikes. I see the negative people as they are: Negative. Never changing. Soul-sucking. Fucking horrible. I realize that their pessimism is exactly why I got rid of them in the first place.

In middle school and high school, it is acceptable to keep friends who serve you no purpose. They may be gossipers, arrogant, self-absorbed, or ignorant, but you keep them around anyways. Worst of all, you never stand up to them. You let them bully others and even yourself. You begin to believe their bullshit banter and you leave your opinions in the dust because of fear. The fear of rejection. But, as you age, you realize, “WHY AM I FRIENDS WITH ASSHOLES?”

Great question, right? Why do we settle for shitty friends? Guess what! We don’t have to. There is a choice involved. As Oprah once said, “Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher.” Let’s dedicate our time to those who bring us support, love, and acceptance. It’s important to be surrounded by those who celebrate your achievements as though they are rejoicing their own. Mumford & Sons has a song, “Awake My Soul,” which lyrics say: “And where you invest your love, you invest your life.” So, let’s invest our love wisely. Get rid of the negative people.

But if you don’t trust me, trust Miley when she says...

“Forget the haters, 'cause somebody loves ya.”

Peace & Love,

Adriana

Making Peace With Yourself Post Breakup

Hey everyone, another guest post from my sister, Adriana!

I don’t know about you, but my transition into college wasn’t as smooth as I had expected. I had recently broke up with my boyfriend of 2.5 years, left my hometown in New Hampshire and my best friends, and moved to Boston to start a new life (Cue the song Boston by Augustana!). I thought this new adventure would be pretty easy. I have an outgoing personality, so I figured I would make a huge friend group within weeks that resembled my crazy friends from back home. Well, I did make a bunch of new friends with all different perspectives and personalities but not necessarily the group of partygoers and heart-to-heart seekers as I pride myself to be. However, these people, thankfully, were my sanity during a rough period of my life at 18-years-old during a sort-of quarter-life-crisis.

To hide my semi-depressive emotions and newly found anxieties, I jumped right into psychology classes, a program to teach underprivileged preschoolers, and a student group that my sister was involved with. These activities kept me incredibly busy, so my mind didn’t have time to process or care about my unhappiness in Boston. On the weekends, I would avoid my pain by getting so drunk and trying to find cute guys to get my mind off of my ex. This usually would result in shitty pizza (Go BHOP!) and vomiting the next morning. Casual, casual times.

After two years of venting sessions, tears, drunken calls, and an on-again/off-again relationship, I finally realized that my high school relationship was just that: a high school relationship that should stay in high school. It was April of my sophomore year of college and the bad vibes and stress of my previous relationship were finally in the fucking past. But, something was still lingering in my mind. Anxiety and occasional bits of depression. It’s strange…when you’re going through a break-up, all of your behaviors are directed to your happiness and recovery. I would go to the gym all the time, download new music, read intriguing books, and make time for friends. However, once you’re over the relationship, those self-loving behaviors go out the window. That’s exactly what happened the spring of my sophomore year. I wasn’t proactive about my happiness anymore. I was dormant. Additionally, my unhappiness translated in to my social life. I didn’t want to meet new people or go to parties. I was content with spending time with the same old people and doing the same old things. To make it worse, I went home to New Hampshire all the time to hide the fact that I hated my social life in Boston.

After spending a significant amount of time with my best friends from New Hampshire, I learned some critical lessons. Be who you are. Be crazy. Be weird. Be smart. Be philosophical. Be fucking you. If people can’t hang with your fantastic qualities, fucking PEACE! It’s strange, I know my personality is sometimes larger than life…and I always felt like I had to underplay it. I was worried I was too much to handle. But whooooo cares?! Here are some quotes that I re-blogged on my tumblr page that have really reflected my consciousness recently:

"There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” - Nelson Mandela 

"There are times when you don’t know yourself. There are times when you don’t want to know yourself. There are times when you want to be what you have never allowed yourself to be before." - Aidan Chambers

"Stop being tormented by everyone else’s reaction to you." - Joyce Meyer

"Self belief does not necessarily ensure success, but self disbelief assuredly spawns failure." -Albert Bandura

"There is no beauty without some strangeness." - Edgar Allan Poe 

"One of the greatest journeys in life is overcoming insecurity and learning to truly not give a shit." - J.A. Konrath

“If you cannot find a group whose consciousness matches your own, be the source of one. Others of like consciousness will be drawn to you.”  -Neale Donald Walsch

In this last quote from Neale Donald Walsch, I have taken his advice. I have become a person who is true to myself. Eventually, I will find a group of people that reflect my consciousness. Luckily, I already have some fantastic friends who do! In 2011, I embarked unknowingly in to a philosophical journey that led my soul back to they way it felt when I was 12. I’m that crazy kid again, just trying to generate some laughs and save the world through psychology. Who knew it would take a heartbreak, a change of scenery, and some philosophical lessons to get my soul back to its comfort zone. Thank God.

Peace & Love,

Adriana

Setting Intentions

Happy Monday y'all!

Hope your weekend was fun-filled and fabulous. Onto another work week, and the countdown to the holidays continues. I find it hard to believe that 2013 is slowly coming to an end. It seems like just a few weeks ago that I graduated with my Masters and D and I went on our epic road trip.

Seeing that the year is almost over, it's time to start think about New Years resolutions. I know it's cliche to set New Years resolutions, but I'm a fan. It keeps me focused and driven to accomplish something outside of work. As you may know, I already keep a list of 101 things to do in 1001 days. I'll admit, I haven't been the best about updating my list. This will soon change...

From now on, every Monday, I plan to jot down a weekly intention. This intention, big or small, will be a goal that I wish to accomplish by the end of the week. I came interested in the idea of setting a weekly intention during a recent yoga class. Our yoga instructor had us set an intention to accomplish by the end of the class. Mine was to not give up during those intense poses and keep focused on my breath. Seems easy, but I worked hard to accomplish that intention.

I ask you to set a weekly intention with me. I always found that if I had someone holding me accountable for my goals that I was more likely to follow through with them.

My intention this week is to drink 8 glasses of water each day.

A beautiful sunset to get your week off to a good start.

Good luck setting your intention and resolutions! I'm excited to share my Christmas gift guide for the ladies tomorrow! Did you see the men gift guide?

Attract What You Expect

Hey everyone, another guest post from my sister, Adriana!

“Never love anyone who treats you like you’re ordinary.” –Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde, you wise, wise man. This quote particularly stuck with me while reflecting on my recent love life (or lack of)! People, you know what I’m talking about…the trials and tribulations of an undefined relationship. Here are some of my downfalls while in an ambiguous relationship:

I can honestly say that I’ve chased love which literally provided me with nothing. Any sight of a charismatic man, and I lose my shit. I forget the fantastic qualities that I bring to the table, and I focus in on his impeccable character and never failing charm. To make it all worse, I chase them. I put in the effort and forgive way too easily. It was only until talking with my great friend, Joe, that I realized these facts.

I think it’s time for myself and all women to realize who the fuck we are and install some standards. We are bitchin’ ass women. We don’t need to settle for one-night stands, lame texts, or mediocre feelings. Demand dates! Or demand what you need!

Also, it’s important to remember why you’re awesome and reflect those feelings in all of your interactions. Every person has a fabulous personality trait they can exhibit. Once you're brave enough to show others, they will mimic your confidence and the positive reinforcement will keep on flowing!

Not only have I realized what I deserve in a romantic relationship, but I am more confident in these exchanges. What’s the point in dating someone if you can’t be your crazy-ass self? If there is a guy who can keep up, then that’s freaking fabulous. If not, you have your hilarious-self and awesome group of friends to keep you entertained!

To summarize: You’re awesome. Don’t chase. Be yourself. Life is amazing, regardless.

One last quote to really nail the fucking point home: "Attract what you expect. Reflect what you desire. Become what you respect. Mirror what you admire."-Anonymous

Peace & Love,

Adriana

Some interesting links:

5 Most Important Life Lessons

How to be alone, but not lonely

Show Up & Make Big Things Happen

Break Free

One Bright Moment (Adriana's Tumblr)

Lightly (KS's Tumblr)

Beauty and the Bees

My dad is a bee keeper and often shares the benefits of eating honey and getting stung by bees. You may not know that when a bee stings, it releases venom. Your skin reacts to the venom as an irritation. Accordingly, your skin increases circulation and stimulates production of collagen and elastin, which plump and firm fine lines.*

So my dad recently emailed me this article, and it sparked my interest in using bee products for health benefits. To summarize, the article suggests that bee venom could cure Lyme Disease in some people. Amazing. I wanted to share some bee health products with you that are out there. Some I already use, and others I'm interested in trying. [links are in orange]

1. Burt's Bees

Who hasn't heard of Burt's Bees? I love, love, love their chapstick. It's 100% natural and leaves my lips silky smooth. I also use their cuticle cream on my fingernails and toenails when doing at-home manis/pedis.

2. Bee Healthy Farms

I came across their body cream. It contains organic propolis, a bee product found in hives. It has many health benefits, including fighting inflammation and allergies. The cream also contains honey and shea butter. 

3. Beepharm Apitherapy

Frederique Keller, a bee expert, was featured on Dr. Oz a few years ago and told the audience of a facial mask and night cream. Both products contain bee venom. Currently, she is having a holiday sale where you can get both products for $60. I am definitely considering ordering, knowing the great benefits of bee venom for my skin.

Also, honey itself also has some pretty amazing benefits when eaten. First of all, it's a natural sweetener. My mom substitutes some of the granulated sugar from her apple pie recipe and adds my dad's honey. DELISH! Honey is also a natural cough suppressant. Feeling like you're developing a sore throat? Brew some organic green tea and add a tablespoon of honey or eat the honey on its own. The honey will instantly coat your throat, reliving some of your symptoms. Finally, honey is a natural source of carbohydrates, which is the body's primary source of fuel. Add honey over plain Cheerios or toast in the morning, and you'll be energized for the rest of your day!

It's important to buy honey that has contains NO high fructose corn syrup. Buy only organic or raw honey. It's even better to buy from local apiaries. Always read labels.

Be aware that honey should NOT be fed to infants under one year old.

Do you currently use any bee products in your beauty regime or add honey to your meals? I'd love to hear feedback.

*Info courtesy of Dr. Oz

Be a Model of Self-Love

Hey everyone!

I'm Lauren's younger sister, Adriana. I'm a 20-year-old college student living in Boston. Lauren has been asking me for weeks to do a guest-blog post. After an afternoon of french toast and heart-to-hearts, I've decided to take her up on that offer. I have many odd obsessions that frequent my conversations with family, friends, and various strangers. One of those is my curiosity with body image in our society.

In our society, it is acceptable to count calories, check your weight on a scale, and do strenuous work-outs to make up for a "cheating" day of eating. Let's be real, you must hear your friends talking about their weight gain complaints or their joyful celebrations for losing those extra couple of pounds often. BUT, are these women happy? Are they confident enough to loose the makeup and wear their hair natural everyday? Or has society taught them that their worth is the way they look? Our culture is obsessed with changing our bodies. From plastic surgery to dying your hair and getting colored contacts, it is almost lame to be who you are.

My definition of a happy life requires the following things: Spending time with friends and family, challenging yourself with projects that interest you, being healthy, and truly accepting yourself. In order to be in love with yourself, you have to be your biggest support system. We are so eager to help a loved one, but when are we being kind to ourselves? Two years ago, my best friend said, "I'm AWESOME!" She was serious, and I thought, "what the fuck?" That's a little awkward...who ever acknowledges their awesome-ness to others? This moment has stuck with me for a while. Why don't we accept our strengths and love ourselves first? Now, people can catch me saying bold things like, "I'm fucking awesome. I'm hilarious. Who wouldn't want to spend time with me? If they can't hang with the crazy, then they can't hang with me."

So, if I am dedicated to a life of self-love, why the FUCK would I waste my time focusing on my weight? WHO CARES?!

Yes, some people have health issues and watching their weight is imperative to their well-being (e.g. diabetes). However, I think the majority of people don't necessarily need to worry; it's just society telling us we should. So, calorie counting...measuring your weight....what's the point? These things are produced (especially scales) to make people freak out about their weight. Companies profit from these items, and that's why they are produced. Have you ever seen someone measure their height everyday? Nope. Society doesn't care about height change, but for some reason weight change matters.

Many of my friends often go to the gym because they've "eaten so much pizza" or because they've "eaten like shit all day." I rarely hear, "I like to be a healthy person, so I work out a couple times a week to stay fit." The majority of people at the gym are probably there for weight concerns. The girls are trying to lose fat, while the guys are trying to gain muscle. Why can't we enjoy the food we eat without regrets? Let's eat what we want and exercise to be healthy people!

So I have just thrown tons of my opinions at you. You can totally disagree; I wouldn't care! However, if any of these things struck you, please join me in this movement! Be a model of self-love with me. In a generation of eating disorders, unoriginality, and self-hatred, LET'S BE DIFFERENT AND PRACTICE SELF-LOVE. Your life may be an inspiration to someone who wants to practice self-love, too.

Peace & Love,
Adriana

Some interesting links:

How to talk to your daughter about her body

Effects of photo shop

Screw Those People

11 Facts About Body Image

13 Statistics About Plastic Surgery

Whole Body Cleanse--Follow Up

It's been almost a week since my friends and I started the whole body cleanse. It was mentally and physically tough to stay dedicated to the diet. After going to bed hungry on night 1, I knew that I would probably loose weight if I didn't supplement the juice diet with some whole foods (my goal was to maintain my weight). I had rice with my dinner drink on night 2. I used day 3 to transition back to eating normal foods. I had my breakfast tea and drink, but skipped out on the rest of the shakes for the day. I chose to eat vegetarian for the following 2 days.

Overall, a juice cleanse was interesting, and I would try it again. I would have been more successful if I was living with others doing the cleanse. I visited my parents in NH on day 2 and 3 of the cleanse, and it was harder to stay disciplined.

I'm curious... have you tried a cleanse before? Perhaps a different one than I did? I would love to know your successes with it!

Whole Body Cleanse--Day 2

Here it is... almost the end of day 2 of the cleanse.
Let's get real: I went to bed hungry last night :(

However, I pulled through today and have stuck with the juice cleanse with a few modifications:
I only used 1/2 the amount of celery in the lunch drink and added 1 gram of stevia. It tasted much better than the grassy drink I drank yesterday!

Tonight, I plan to drink my dinner smoothie with only a dash of cayenne, as opposed to a 1/4 tsp. My mom is also tempting me to eat the meal she's cooking for the family--rice and shrimp. Maybe i'll have a little rice?

I'm looking forward to eating whole foods again but will still incorporate some of the habits of this cleanse. I think I will keep the morning green tea with lemon and the breakfast smoothie--YUM!

Best of luck to all my friends cleansing with me! Love you xo

Whole Body Cleanse

So it's been a while since I've posted... Honestly, after our 4-week road trip, I needed a break to just chill out and catch up with friends and family. Now that I plan to continue to have the rest of the summer off from work, I can start posting again on the regular. YAY!

I was recently inspired from a fellow blogger to try a whole body cleanse. What is that you may ask? There are a lot of preconceived notions about cleanses--you loose a lot of weight, you starve yourself--however, this depends on the type of cleanse you do and for how long you do it for. This idea of a cleanse sparks my interests because I'm on a vegetarian kick right now, so why not rid my body of animal toxins in me? Also, my skin has been anything but fabulous over the past month (not showering for 6 days didn't help while on our trip). Cleanses have been show to decrease puffiness and acne. And third, I already enjoy eating natural or organic foods, so why not push myself a little more to do it 100%. I'm excited to get rid of the toxins (e.g. harmful metals, air toxins, pesticides, highly processed foods, MSG, aspartame, food dyes, etc.) and gain more energy.

The cleanse that I have enticed a few of my friends and I to try is Dr. Oz's 3 day detox cleanse. I loved that it came with a shopping list! The detox includes eating fruits, vegetables, coconut oil, almond butter, green tea, and a few extra supplements. You drink a cup of tea in the morning and 4 shakes throughout the day. You finish off the day with a relaxing lavender, epsom salt bath.

Are you ready to try? Google "whole body cleanse" and do your research to find the right cleanse for you and your lifestyle. It's harder to cleanse while at work, but if you buy some of these, it makes bringing the shakes to work a whole lot easier. That's what one of my friends is doing!

Today is day 1 of 3! I will let you know how the detox cleanse goes tomorrow.