MY TOP FIVE "ALL NATURAL" PRACTICES/TIPS/REMEDIES

Happy September y'all!!  I am unbelievably happy that it's finally Fall.  One thing I've had to come to grips with since living in New England, is that summer here is a little different than summer in the South.  This  summer has been a little cool for my liking (think temps in the 70 degree range vs. 105 degree summers in Georgia) so I was pretty much over summer by August.  I felt like I kept "forcing" the summer clothes and it just felt phony.  So now September is here and I feel like this is the season that Boston REALLY embraces!  The leaves actually change colors (gasp! I thought that was just in the movies) and the temps drop enough that you want to wear sweaters and leggings and booties and cuddle up by the fire (with a big glass of red, obvi), and oh I am SO excited!!  

Today's post is about my LOVE for all things "natural."  It wasn't until I moved to Baton Rouge and lived a stones throw from a Whole Foods, that I really started to embrace all natural products.  Sure I had dabbled here and there but I had never adopted any of the practices into my every day life.  I think that because I lived alone and had more time to scour the internet and read blogs, books and articles (nerd alert) I was really able to learn and understand what all natural products are and how I could apply to my everyday life.  Now, there is a lot of controversy about the term "all natural" and you may find foods and products in your local grocery that claim to be all natural and they really aren't.  The biggest piece of advice I can give about this is to READ YOUR LABELS!  If there is an ingredient that sounds like a chemical or as if it was made in a factory, DON'T USE IT OR EAT IT!  I'm going to be honest, I don't live a fully "all natural" life.  I eat a donut here and there and use beauty products that have weird ingredients.  My theory is "do the best you can, when you can."    If I find a product that works better for me and isn't all natural, I don't force it.   However, I have found a few all natural products and practices that I can NOT live without.  These are things that I've included in my daily routine.  Please comment or email me if you have any questions...I may not have all the answers, because I am certainly no expert, but I do have a lot of resources I can at least point you towards! 

MY TOP FIVE ALL NATURAL PRODUCTS AND PRACTICES

1. LEMON H20 with CAYENNE PEPPER

 

Each morning, after I brush my teeth I drink a mug of warm water with a squeeze of lemon and a dash of cayenne pepper.  The idea is that the warm water plus lemon helps your digestive system get started and helps relieve a sluggish or slow system.   I first read about lemon water on "Food Babe" (she's an AMAZING resource for all natural living) and was intrigued.  There is a ton of information on the internet about the detoxifying properties of lemon. Cayenne pepper is also reported to help speed up your metabolism.  Now I know the thought of drinking warm water with lemon and cayenne pepper first thing in the morning sounds kind of disgusting and it definitely took me a while until I could fully adopt the practice. I use to be the girl that needed coffee in my face within five minutes of opening my eyes.  Now, I start with the lemon H20 and I feel it's especially helpful after a heavy meal the night before or even overeating the day before. It takes five minutes to make and drink and then I can have my coffee in my face within 15 minutes of waking up.
A few tips:
1. Use a straw- the lemon can wear on the acid on your teeth.
2.  Don't use boiling water-hot water can kill the enzymes in the lemon that aid in digestion.  I got a copper kettle as a wedding gift and bring the water to just boiling while I fill a mug halfway with cold water, lemon, and cayenne.  Top of with the boiling water and you're ready to go
3.  If the idea of cayenne freaks you out, start with just the lemon and work your way up!  No harm in starting small and the lemon and warm water has enough benefits alone!

2. DRY BRUSHING

 

 

Dry Brushing isn't something I do EVERYDAY, but I definitely do it 2-3 times per week.  Dry brushing is the practice of using a dry bristle brush with a long handle, to literally brush your body.  There are a few benefits of dry brushing but mainly it helps exfoliate dead skin on the surface of the skin (which accumulates while you sleep...gross) and can aid in circulation which helps remove waste and toxins from the lymphatic system.  Dry Brushing also may help soften fat deposits under the skin which can reduce the appearance of CELLULITE (don't act like you don't have it...ALL women do).  About two years ago, I heard an interview with Miranda Kerr, the most perfect beautiful angel of Victoria's Secret (and did I mention she is a mother??) and she swears by dry brushing every day!  That's when I decided I had to give it a shot.  Y'all.  This ish works.   It takes literally 3 minutes for me so even on the busiest morning, I have time for this.  An important key to dry brushing is to start from the feet and move upwards with long brushes towards the heart.  I usually start with my legs, spending extra time on the booty, and then my tummy, arms and finish with my upper body (and sometimes I go back to the booty for a little extra attention).  After dry brushing just jump in the shower, wash your body and you are good to GO!  I absolutely love this morning ritual and get a little peeved when I am in a sleepy rush and jump in the shower and have forgotten to dry brush.  Word to the wise, don't scrub your body; just apply a firm pressure and remember to always brush upwards!  Dr. Mercola has a great article about the benefits that is definitely worth checking out:

3. EGYPTIAN MAGIC

You can tell my tub is well loved :)



This stuff is literally magic.  I honestly haven't paid much attention to the ingredients in this but when I heard about Egyptian Magic and its MAJOR ability to heal and moisturize, I was intrigued. I found it in my local health food store and was a little appalled by the price so I walked away.  Then I came across another article about it (and had a good pay day) so I bit the bullet and purchased.  I don't use it as an actual moisturizer (some celebrities say they SLATHER it on, but that makes my sensitive skin nervous) but I do use it for cuts and scrapes, on my cuticles*, and for small dry spots on my body.    Check out these celebs who swear by Egyptian Magic.  Think of it as an all natural Neosporin.  The tub will last you a LONG time (unless you have scaly dry skin and bathe in the stuff) so it's definitely worth the $20-$25 price tag.

*Did you know you shouldn't actually cut your cuticles?  Deborah Lippmann (manicurist of the stars) explains that the skin is the barrier that protects the inside of your body.  Cutting your cuticles can open  a pathway to introducing harmful bacteria into your system causing infection.  Most high end spas will not cut your cuticles and choose to simply push them back.  Keeping your cuticles soft will keep them from drying out and needing to be cut.  Also, after each hand wash you should apply a hand lotion (you wouldn't shower and then not apply body lotion, right?). I keep a small bottle of this lotion on my bedside table and apply each night and have definitely noticed a difference.

4. COCONUT OIL

Dr. Bronner's Coconut Oil



By now, you've all heard people obsess over coconut oil.  And if you haven't, you need to pull yourself out from under that ancient 1990's rock you've been hiding under and catch up by reading "101 ways to use coconut oil".  There is not a day that goes by that I don't use coconut oil in some way, but I'm just going to touch on a few ways and one day I'll do another post entirely dedicated to coconut oil.  Word to the wise, buy two jars/tubs of the stuff. I keep a jar in my kitchen for cooking and a tub in my bathroom so I'm not digging my hands into the jar that I'm going to use on my food.

• Cooking: use it for sautéing instead of EVOO(which doesn't stand up to high heat)
• Moisturizer: At least once a week I take a few minutes to slather this stuff on my body. It is the very best moisturizer on the planet.  Now please heed my advice and only use this when you are not in a hurry.  Coconut oil is really oily (duh) and needs time to dry.  If you have long hair, you do NOT want your hair to touch the oil on your body or else you will have a greasy, nappy mane.  I have had to rock a side braid and a hat a few times because I got all cocky and thought it would be fine.  Side note, I woke up with amazing hair the next day because it rocks as a hair mask.  My routine:  Shower and clip my hair all the way up, moisturize, and then either walk around naked for a bit or rock some loose clothing until I'm dry. 
• Eye makeup remover:  In college I spent too much money on eye makeup remover pads that lasted a few weeks.  My best friend Lauren introduced me to using baby oil as an eye makeup remover (apparently lots of people do this?) so I started using it and was hooked.  A bottle of baby oil as remover can last FOREVER and is pretty cheap so this became my go to.  Then I started using coconut oil and realized it works even better, is all natural, AND moisturizes your eyelashes as an added bonus.  One quick swipe and that smudge proof eyeliner is GONE.
• Oil pulling.  I am going to have to do a separate post on my experience with oil pulling but I'll just say this.  It's gross at first but there's something oddly satisfying about oil pulling every morning.  Check out this article and hang tight until I can get a blog about this Ayurvedic technique.

5. ESSENTIAL OILS

 

I love love love love essential oils!  The two that I'm most in love with at the moment are Tea Tree Oil and Eucalyptus oil.  I use Tea Tree as an antiseptic and spot treatment and I can testify that this stuff WORKS.  Dab a little on a zit, ingrown hair, or any scrape and the next morning the blemish is a thing of the past.  I was nervous because as I've mentioned, I have super sensitive skin and didn't want to have a bad reaction so I definitely recommend dabbing a little on the inside of your wrist and waiting overnight before actually using on a spot just to make sure you don't break out even more
.
I have always suffered from allergies and sinus problems and hate having to constantly rely on medications to clear up a stuffy nose.  Recently I had a two day allergy attack that kept me up at night because I couldn't breath (I literally woke myself up because I was snoring and my husband was dying laughing at me).  After using my neti-pot, I would take the eucalyptus oil and sprinkle a few drops on the bottom of the shower and let the hot water get really steamy then jump in.  It is the most soothing and effective treatment for clearing a stuffy nose.  My head felt clear and there was definitely less pressure in my sinuses.  I even started carrying it in my bag and taking a sniff throughout the day for quick relief (cue drug addict jokes). 

Another oil I really like is lavender oil.  Lavender is known for its calming properties and you can put a few drops in a spray bottle with filtered water, then spray on your pillow for a really yummy smell that helps create a soothing sleep environment!

Just a quick run down of my morning routine and how I incorporate some of these practices:
1.  Wake up and immediately oil pull (before brushing teeth). While I do this, I make the bed, lay out my clothes, check my bank account and facebook (priorities people), and grab a load of laundry to start.
2. Brush teeth then go downstairs and get my lemon H20 started.  While the kettle is heating up, start laundry in the basement.  Come up and enjoy my lemon H20 then head up for the shower.
3.  Dry Brush, shower, coconut oil.
4. COFFEE!

So that's it!  I know that was a lot of information and there's so much more I could say about my top five.  If you have ANY questions, please comment or email me and I'll do my best to provide some insight!! I am no doctor, so please, use these products at your own risk but in my experience this products are tried and true and will get you started on a path to all natural living!!

Have you tried any of these products or practices? If so, what did you think? 

xoxo, Linds

30th Birthday Part 2 & 3

Hey y'all! 

Sorry for the delay in posting this, but it's been such a busy couple of weeks lately.  By the time the work day is done, Ricky and I workout at 4:30 or 6:00, come home and have dinner, I am BEAT and basically throw myself into bed by 9:00.  I plan to get more frequent with posts, and am also working on my Restaurant Recommendations and Reviews page, so expect that up in the coming weeks.  That's really the heartbeat of this blog. Most people that know me, know how much I LOVE recommending restaurants to people and get such a thrill knowing someone loved a place as much as I do.   I plan to have an extensive list, not limited to the New England area, so when you are traveling, you can use it as a resource for guaranteed good eating!

So here's the rest of the birthday weekend recap.  On Friday, Ricky had planned a fancy date night at Grill 23 in Boston.    Ricky had been before and raves about their Kobe cap steak and so we decided that a 30th birthday was the perfect "excuse" to enjoy dinner.  We got there a little early since you never know how traffic will be from the South Shore into the city (only about 15 miles, but traffic can be atrocious!).  As we walked in, I got so excited and could immediately feel that Grill 23 is not like your typical stuffy old-school steakhouse.  The waiters were white coats and ties, the welcome was kind and warm, and the décor was a nice mix of old fashioned and modern, up to date.  We checked with the concierge about 45 minutes before our reservation at 8:00 and told him we would like to have a drink at the bar and were not in a hurry at all.  The bar selection was expansive and the cocktail menu showcased well crafted cocktails.  I knew I would likely drink red wine with dinner (my go-to) so I decided to have a glass of champagne.  Sadly, I don't know what champagne I had, but I know it was "good,"  it was crisp, bubbly and COLD.  Perfection!

Ricky ordered a Hendricks and Tonic and we sipped our cocktails and caught up after a long week.  Once we finished our drinks, we told the concierge that we were ready.  We were immediately seated at a SMALL two-seater table, which wasn't ideal, but I can respect the need to reserve larger tables for bigger parties.  Ricky decided to splurge on a nice bottle of red to share, and ultimately chose a Cabernet which is his go-to when having a nice steak.  Now, I consider myself a semi-vegan.  Meaning, I don't really eat dairy or meat and prefer my diet to consist of plants.  Lately, I've been VERY slack about that and allowed myself to eat what my body craves.  So that night, I knew I couldn't go to one of the best steakhouses in Boston and NOT order a steak. I went with the twin filets, Ricky with the Kobe cap steak. We shared mashed potatoes and asparagus as sides.  Y'all.  There are no words for how good this steak was.  I POLISHED my steak off before Ricky finished his and was shoveling the mashed potatoes in my face (real lady-like Linds.)  The filets melted in my mouth like butter and were served with grilled/sautéed onions that were the perfect flavor combination.  I even stole a bite from Ricky's plate and agreed that it was the best steak I had ever had.  I'm pretty sure Ricky felt like he was in Heaven, since I NEVER cook like that at home. 

 

Twin Filets at Grill 23= UNREAL

 

 

 Our waitress, who I can't remember her name but was amazing, asked if we wanted dessert and of course we couldn't leave without some chocolate goodness.  We went with a molten lava cake and I also got an Espresso martini.  HEAVEN.  Pure HEAVEN. 

 

Molten lava cake + Espresso martini...HEAVENLY



Ricky and I went home full and happy.  Saturday was my actual birthday, and Ricky surprised me with a day in Nantucket!  I had never been to Nantucket and so he purchased two ferry tickets for us to get to the island and then back the same night.  We woke up and were out the door by 7:30 for the 40 minute drive to Hyannis, MA where we waited to board the ferry, which was PACKED despite the forecast calling for a gross day.  The ferry was about an hour long and freezing!  We got to the island with no particular plan, except brunch at 11:30 and dinner at 6:00. Since it had not started raining, we hit a bunch of stores including my new FAVORITE, Milly and Grace.  Y'all.  This store was perfect!! They carry a lot of my favorite brands and it was such a good mix between girly, classy, but up to date trendy clothes.  I splurged on a black maxi that I am OBSESSED with and can't wait to wear to Miami in October!  The sisters that own the store are precious and so sweet and I learned that they lived in Georgia while growing up!  We hit up the C. Wonder pop up shop and then headed over to brunch at The Boarding House.  We opted to sit outside despite the crazy dark clouds and impending rain but it felt nice to be out in the fresh air.  We both order coffee and brunch booze; a Bellini for me, a screwdriver for R.    I loved the menu at Boarding House because it was a mix of New England (lobster) with a southern edge.  We started with the jalepeno cheddar corn hushpuppies that were drizzled in HONEY and then I ordered the lobster benedict and Ricky the Chicken and Waffles.  We lingered for a while since it was monsooning outside and once the rain let up, we made a break for it. 

 

 

We decided that since it was pouring so badly, we didn't want to walk around and found a random bar to post up for a while.  We got so so lucky with the bar we chose, Proprietors because it reminded us a lot of New Orleans. 

 

After a couple hours the rain let up and we just walked around for a while (and bought sweatshirts for the ferry home).  We eventually made our way to dinner at Cru, which was right across the dock from where we had to board the ferry at 8:00.  Cru was really great and had a nautical theme that was a lot of fun.  The lobster roll was HANDS DOWN, the best I've ever had. 

 

 

 

We also splurged with a little birthday desert of 3 miniature whoopee pies :) 

 

 

 

I absolutely cannot wait to go back to Nantucket.   it was a perfect way to spend my birthday and I was able to be back in bed by 11:30 (I realize I am showing my age).  What a perfect day and weekend!! 

 

 

 Next up:  Weekend in Saint Simons Island, GA; My top 5 Natural health must haves; Draft weekend in NYC.  Stay tuned!!

 

 

xoxo, Linds