Monthly Archives: October 2012

Fabulous Friday: Bargain Beauty

From time to time, I may have to post about some incredible deals I find for lady stuff. Today, I’ll be sharing some sweet knowledge nuggets with you fellow females.

Last month, for my birthday, I really wanted to treat myself to some pamper time. I get a monthly wax of my nether regions (SO much easier than shaving and much less red and bumpy) and thought maybe I could add in a facial or manicure or something equally awesome. I had not yet found a salon in Peoria so I started the search!

Where to look, where to look…I must have checked out 20 salons in a 10 mile radius and couldn’t find anything even close to affordable. Then I remembered how cheap massage schools are and decided to just get a massage, delay the search, and postpone my wax until next month (poor Mike).

As I drove to work, I mulled over my tense shoulders and the forest growing in that pretty triangle between my legs, and I spotted it! A beauty school! I got to work and immediately looked up their price menu. $12 for a wax and $20 for a body salt scrub (wth is that?).

I went in for my appointment later that week and had vague memories of my mom bringing me to these fun places when I was young (man, that woman is full of great ideas!) . The wax was painful as usual but the body salt scrub was incredible. I was in a giant, humongous shower and instead of faucets in the wall, there were 6 of them attached to a long arm that extended over the bed I was laying in. It looked like a scene from the Saw movies. I disrobed and laid down. They (2 people!) laid a “modesty towel” over my lady bits and proceeded to scrub me down with a glorious smelling salt scrub. They showered me down with the Arm O’ Faucets (oh my gosh) and then dried and mosturized my body. I died and went to heaven. It was so intensely relaxing.

^Yes, please tell me more about your wonderful body treatments.

Anyway, all that was MORE than worth the $32 and teacher poking her head in every once in a while to make sure everything was going ok. Treat yourself to something nice and don’t feel guilty about it. Just Google “beauty school” in your home town.

**If you are one of my 55 wonderful followers, I received a very interesting comment on yesterday’s post and have since edited the content a bit. Please check it out quickly if you read yesterday. Thanks!

And have a WONDERFUL day! WOOOHOOOO, it’s Friday.

🙂

Produce: To Buy Organic or Not?

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I had a realization last night that I really want this blog to be about staying healthy with no time OR money. I think I’ve done pretty well with the no time but where’s the money guidance Ashley!? Where is it?

Organic produce: SUPER expensive but sometimes it’s really worth it. Here’s an easy to follow list of rules when buying produce. Or anything really.

Rule #1: If it’s available, buy LOCAL – this is because the closer you can get to where your food is produced, the more you can be comfortable that it’s not grown with any pesticides or other crappy chemicals. Also, the shorter the shipping distance, the more nutrients left when it hits your mouth. And you’re supporting your local economy! Here’s a guide to see if your community offers the best thing for local produce, farmer’s markets.

Rule #2: If it’s available, buy ORGANIC – again, chemicals (such as pesticides) are bad in food and very bad in your body. Get that stuff out of there! ~~Also, non organic produce is often genetically modified and much lower in nutrients.~~ [According to a study done by Stanford, link here, there are no more nutrients in organic food than conventionally grown. However, there is a strong but so far unstudied likelihood that the presence of pesticides affects your body so much that it is not able to absorb all the nutrients in the produce.] If you’re gonna eat an apple, might as well get all the good you can out of it, right?

Rule #3: If organic is too expensive or there’s a limited selection, follow the list of the CLEAN FIFTEEN and DIRTY DOZEN. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) puts out this awesome list every year of the cleanest and dirtiest produce on the market that year. If it’s on the clean fifteen, it has very few pesticides and isn’t a huge harm to your body. If it’s on the dirty dozen, only buy it organic because conventional farmers basically bathe it in a chemical bath.

^This is a great pocket guide you can download from the website but you should definitely check it out in all it’s glory. Here’s the link. I am signed up for the newsletter (they don’t bombard your inbox like I do) and I got the app for my phone so I can have it whenever I’m at the market.

How is your market’s selection of organic produce? What has been your organic buying practice up to now?

Don’t forget to smile 🙂

Workout Wednesday: 12 minutes and done! I swear.

Thankful Tuesday: Health

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What are you thankful for? Yes, there may be a few negatives floating around in your head but the more you force the good stuff to the front, the happier you will be. I don’t do this as much as I should but today is a day to focus on the positives!

I am thankful for:

1. My innate understanding of health. My parents (especially my Mom) raised me in an incredibly healthy household. I have found that I can teach people about health mostly from what I already know. That’s pretty awesome.

2. My body’s ability to fight the flu! It took over a week but I am 99% back to normal health. Yay! < and that without ANY medication, not even ibuprofen.

3. The happiness and health of my loved ones. I have had so little illness or loss in my life. I am SO SO thankful for that.

Ashley Life Updates: Shout out to my Gran! She was feeling really sick too last week. Get better Gran, love you.

So seriously, what are you thankful for on this fine day?

Monday Motivation: Laugh a Little

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Congratulations!!! for:

a) rolling out of bed

b) getting ready for work

c) obviously procrastinating by reading my blog (thanks!)

d) doing it all with a big fat smile on your face. 🙂

Let me remind you of a few things:

a) you are smart (at least definitely smart enough to do your job well)

b) you are attractive (confidence is key)

c) you are trustworthy and honest (I can tell because you’re reading this blog)

d) YOU’RE JUST PLAIN AWESOME!

Whichever one of these you’re not sure of, read it over and over until it’s ingrained in your head. Now watch this video because it will surely make you laugh. In the words of my lovely boyfriend, “Farting is always funny.”

Now smile and be on your way 🙂

Sunday Recipe: Carolyn’s Squash Bowl

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My friend and fellow blogger posted this recipe on Friday and I made my own version that night for dinner. Here is her original post. She is an incredibly healthy and fit woman and I learn a ton of new stuff from her. Check out her blog!

I don’t really love the format of “reblogging” so I’m just going to copy/paste the recipe here.

“Roasted Stuffed Squash

This is a great fall meal and its easy to make, and lasts a while in the fridge. You’ll need:

Ingredients:

Acorn Squash (as many as you want to cook)

Quinoa (or any other easy-to-cook grain like brown rice, kamut, wheat berries, etc.)

Veggies (I usually use spinach and mushrooms, but you can add anything you want!)

Chickpeas (or black beans, or lentils, etc as you can see this recipe is really what you make of it)

Tiny bit of butter

Paprika

Sea Salt

Pepper

Garlic Powder

Instructions:

1. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds (save these to cook later)

2. Put squash halves on a baking sheet and cook at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes (or until the squash is soft)

3. You can coat the seeds in olive oil and any spices you want and toss them in there on a baking sheet with parchment paper for about 10-15 minutes for a super tasty snack!

4. Cook up the quinoa (or whatever grain you’re using accordingly)

5. Saute those veggies

6. In a large bowl, mix the veggies, cooked quinoa, chickpeas, a tiny bit of butter and the paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste

7. When the squash is done, fill the centers with the veggie-quinoa mix and BOOM you’re done.

8. Grab a fork and get after it.

These things are small but very filling and nutritious so I usually just have one half at a time. Throw some plastic wrap over any of the extra squash halves and you’ve got yourself a delicious lunch for tomorrow, or easily reheatable dinner for another night this week. Enjoy!”

I filled our squash with veggies, kidney beans, and these egg noodles I’ve been wanting to try. I think it would be better with chickpeas and quinoa though. I’m also out of paprika so I used Jamaican All Spice.

There was a photo but it was lost in my recent phone disassembly. BOOO. I definitely plan on cooking it again though and will post photos when I do.

Thank you Carolyn! It was delicious.

Ashley Life Update: Mike and I are holed up in our apartment this weekend trying to get over the last of our flu/cold/strep throat. It’s times like these that make it very tough not taking any kind of medication (including ibuprofen). I’m relying on sleep and my body’s ability to heal itself. Man it takes some self-control though! Hopefully we can end today well and wake up tomorrow morning fresh as the day we were born! Hah. We shall see. I hope you’re all having wonderful Sundays.

SMILE 🙂

Saturday [Sexy] Book Review

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Alright, 1 month ago I started flipping through a little book called 50 Shades of Grey. My mom had it uploaded to our nook account so I just thought I’d check it out and … this book has changed me.

*If you are very conservative or a male relative of mine, please stop reading now.*

If you haven’t heard of it, dig yourself out of the hole you’ve been living in and RUN to the bookstore. I have not talked to one woman/person who doesn’t love these books, they are porn for women. Now I am going to be completely honest here, I have watched my fair share of porn. Producers are definitely getting better at catering to women’s emotional sides but this is a whole new ball game. It’s like E.L. James (my new heroine) looked into my brain and typed out every fantasy I’ve ever had.

This book has sold over 40 million copies worldwide and I find this quite an interesting conundrum. It startles me because 50 Shades is based on a young couple that explores the world of BDSM (bondage, discipline, sadism, masochism). While I would never ever consider myself a proponent of leather, chains, or whipping, I can say that I wouldn’t mind doing a few of the things in this book. Apparently 40 million other people feel the same way.

I think that the popularity of 50 Shades is a huge step for women and our sexuality. Never has the female world seen such outright support for something so scandalous! I have spoken about this book to my mother, grandmother, best friends, coworkers, and strangers in the grocery aisle. Even as sexually open-minded woman, it brought to life a side of me that I never knew I had. My sex life was great before, now it’s incredible. I don’t think I knew what I wanted in bed until I read this book. It’s given me the courage to express, in detail, what I want, no apologies or excuses.

There’s actually a great plot in between crazy sex scenes and I found myself hooked on every word. The story explores women’s role in society and marriage without getting staunchly feminist or unrealistically conservative. It accepts that most women enjoy taking care of their loved ones (usually men) but also want to work and contribute to the household. By the end, I was skipping the sexy pages to get on with the story! (I went back and read them, don’t worry).

If you have read them, what did you think? If you haven’t, do it now.

I hope you’re all having very happy, very sexy days 🙂

Friday Design: Me!

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Alright so yesterday I said I changed a big thing in my life. Well here it is, I got a hair cut! Haha. To some people, men especially, it may not seem like a huge deal but, to me, it’s huge. I chopped off about 6 inches of hair and now have a cut comparable to that of Justin Beiber. And I love it!

Here’s a short story for you: When I was in kindergarten, my mom was having my three siblings and my stress levels were through the roof (anxiety from a young age!). I never wanted to leave her side and when I did, I would pull my hair out. Literally. I would twirl it around my finger and pull it out. Eventually my parents had to cut it very short and everyone in my class called me a boy. It was awful. Every Christmas and birthday all I would ask for was “long hair like a princess.” My hair grows VERY slowly and, needless to say, when it finally hit mermaid length (long enough to cover the ta-tas) I was very attached to it.

I have had a couple of chops since my senior year of high school but nothing like this. The first one was to shoulder length and truly a terrible haircut so it scared me away from hairdressers for several years. Now, as a working adult, I realized that my hair was thin and straggly and it was an effort for me to look at all professional and put-together.

^ This is the “before.” I was just a little nervous.

So 5 days ago I decided to cut it all off. Thankfully, my mom has a pixie-like cut and looks beautiful and sexy in it so I had high hopes I could pull it off too. My main fears were that a)I would look like a boy, b) I would no longer be sexy, c) it takes a spunky and fun kind of person to pull off a haircut like that and d) I would look like a boy.

^ That’s a lot of hair.

Well check it out for yourself. I think that, yes, people could mistake me for a boy, until their eyes travel down and they see the curves I have going on. And yes, some people may not find a cut like this sexy, but who cares because Mike loves it! And yes, I AM a spunky, fun person and I CAN pull it off. It’s pretty crazy how a new cut has absolutely changed my perception of myself. I keep getting startled by my reflection, then eyeing myself and thinking, “dang, that’s actually kinda cool.”

^ And here it is! According to Mike it looks much better in person than in the photos. But I love it! ps. I did not color it, all natural baby!

BIG shout out to my Dad today. One year ago he started his own big redesign when he signed up for the Challenged Athletes Foundation Million Dollar Challenge. Together, he and his awesome friend Steve have raised $20,000 to help physically challenged athletes get back on their game. But that’s not all. Starting tomorrow and over the next 7 days, they will be riding 620 miles from San Francisco to San Diego. 620 MILES! I have no doubt that training and raising money for this ride has changed my dad’s life. He has been touched by so many athletes that he’s met along the way, and I’m pretty sure he’s been amazed at what he can still make his body do. I can say that I am in awe of his drive and enthusiasm for the cause. He has, once again, proven himself to be an incredible role model and wonderfully giving man. Go dad! I love you.

I hope you’re all having wonderful days. And don’t every be afraid to take the plunge and do something crazy.

🙂

GO DAD!!

Thirsty Thursday: Pick Me Up Green Machine Smoothie

No Workout Wednesday: How to Fight the Flu

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I’m taking a rest week as of Sunday. I could feel my body fighting something and my workouts were just getting more and more painful.

Take Time Off: As important as it is to develop a routine, it’s equally important that, once you’re into the routine, you listen to your body’s warning signs. Unless you’re on a strict training plan, everyone should take one week off from working out every month and a half (5 or 6 weeks). Make sure that you continue to eat healthy and that you lower your caloric intake so that getting back in the groove isn’t so difficult.

No Flu Shot: Second, and I know more people are choosing this route, don’t get the flu shot! This is a personal decision for most people but make sure that you are informed before you get any kind of injection. The government backs the flu shot so there are advertisements for it EVERYWHERE. But did you know that it contains thimerasol (mercury, in every shot unless you formally request a shot without preservatives), aluminum, and formaldehyde? Also, there is a very good chance, every year, that the vaccine won’t actually work. To develop the shot, scientists from FluZone went to Asia last year to try to capture the most prevalent virus. They literally guess which one it will be, bring it back here and start mixing and mass producing to distribute to the American public (people from other countries, do they push the vaccine there too?). Rather than relying on a guess full of terrible chemicals, wouldn’t it be better to arm your body with the best nutrients and minerals instead?

Production of influenza vaccine (Photo credit: Sanofi Pasteur)

When you feel it coming: We’ve all felt that familiar tinge in the back of our throat or the extra struggle to get out of bed in the morning. If you start to feel symptoms of the flu, start fighting it IMMEDIATELY. Some things that your body needs to fight any kind of illness are…

1. Lots of water. People always say this but never really do it. Every time you think of it, drink an entire 8 oz. I’ve at least doubled my water intake over the past few days.

2. No dairy. Dairy makes your body produce extra mucus making it that much harder to clear the chest cough, swollen throat, and runny nose.

3. No sugar. Cut out processed sugar completely. Period.

4. Take Vitamin D. Yes D not C. Visit your local holistic/alternative medicine pharmacy and ask for Vitamin D pills. Make sure that they know the source farm and that there are no additives or alterations. Also talk to the pharmacist about how many IU’s to take.

5. Sleep. Don’t do anything in the evenings or early morning. Relax after work and go straight to sleep. I have to take a melatonin pill (also at your local alternative medicine pharmacy) to make sure I sleep through the night but it’s so worth it when I wake up 9 hours later.

6. Lots and lots of vegetables. Go to the store and stock up on all kinds of veggies but mainly dark, leafy greens. These should be the bulk of your diet until you’re feeling completely better. Eat them raw, lightly steamed, or lightly roasted. Just eat them.

Eat your veggies! (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On that note, how is everyone feeling today? I’ve noticed a lot of our patients coming in with one illness or another. But fight through it! Cut out any unnecessary activities and get to work healing your body.

A Happy Lass

One woman's journey to her healthiest body and mind.