Water Fasting Necessary for Overall Wellness?

Historically our ancestors went through long periods of being in a fasted state since food was not easily accessible. There are doctors who now believe it is due to how often we currently eat that is contributing to the majority of diseases. 75% of our energy is spent daily on digesting and breaking down the foods we are putting inside of our bodies. Once we give our bodies the ability and opportunity to rest it can focus on healing vital organs, infections, fighting against parasite and bacteria and  dormant viruses in our body. Fasting is the #1 most accessible and healing practice anyone can do for their body throughout the world. Water fasting has been a long debated concept but is growing in popularity. Many people are starting to come to terms with all the benefits water fast can have on our overall health. I would like to say fasts are not for everyone so before beginning a fast, please consult with your doctor to ensure its safe for you. The most common form of fasting at the moment is Intermittent fasting which is basically  practicing a fasting period and having a window of time for eating. Fast do indeed have healing properties however there are benefits to practicing an extended fast. 1- 3 day fast are recommended by most experts and can be carried out without any medical supervision. When the Fasts are conducted for longer time periods most experts will recommend that they be medically supervised. There are clinics that are specifically specialized in this type of extended fasts. Today we will discuss the benefits of doing a 3 day water fast or 72 hours fasting state. Lets first explore what happens within the 72 hours of fasting to the body. 

Time Tables:

- 18hrs: Once your body reaches this time period, it kicks into fat burning mode. It begins to take fat as main energy source.

-24hrs: Body uses all the glycogen levels and starts to break down protein and fat.

-48hrs: The body enters into Ketosis which is excellent for fat burning

-54hrs: Your body will start becoming  leptin and insulin sensitive which is the opposite of being insulin resistant. Which promotes dieses prevention and fat loss.

-72hrs: Your body will generate new cells and this is the concluding stage of Autophagy.

Warning: You should not participate in fasting if you are a child, pregnant women or women trying to conceive, prediabetic or diabetic patients, or if you are underweight which means your BMI is under 18.5. or if you struggle with low blood pressure otherwise known as hypoglycemia.

Benefits to a 3 day water fast:

-Delay aging and promote longevity- Fasting has proven to increase longevity and this is believed because of the formation of new cells called autophagy and its healing abilities with the body.

-Detox the body- Sometimes our body goes out of whack and we can see this with a bad break out of various illness that may appear. Detoxes are absolutely necessary from time to time. Water fast are a perfect way to flush out all the toxins in the body having adverse reactions.

-Significant metabolic changes- There are Millions of people battling digestive issues, well studies have shown that with a water fast can improve your metabolism with what's called the growth hormones which facilitates and speeds up our metabolism.

-Reset of the immune system- Right now with the pandemic we just experienced, everyone is concerned about their immune system. Through the water fasting is a perfect way to do a mild reset of the immune system and strengthen it.

-Autophagy- This phase is basically the production of new cells such as stem cells in the body. Over time our cells can become damaged so to renew and generate new healthier cells is a prime reason to do this type of fast.

-Disease prevention- With the new cells that have been produced any kind of dieses will be significantly decreased increasing longevity.

-Mental Clarity- Due to the glycogen levels being depleted from our bodies it allows our brains to work at an optimal level which in turn promotes mental clarity. Bye Bye Brain fog!

-Weight loss- I put this last because I wouldn't encourage doing this fast for this reason. The majority of the weight loss will be water weight which will eventually return to your body once you return to regular foods.

TIPS!

Electrolyte Water! 

Its composed of electro charged minerals such as sodium, potassium , magnesium and calcium. Consuming this water will assist in making sure your blood sugar level do not decrease too much and keep you safe from fainting.

Sea Salt!

Lets say electrolyte water was hard to come by an alternative would be to add a sea salt into your water. 2tsp is usually enough. Please note this way is not the most recommended since ideally experts recommend consuming electrolyte water.

Get creative with your water detox!

Consider adding in lemon or lime to promote the detoxing effects.

Matcha!

Some say its ok to consume coffee on a water fast however studies have shown coffee to be toxic in several ways. I would advise to incorporate matcha  while fasting or a turmeric golden milk latte and this is because both are known for and commonly used for detoxing the body. Its important to be cause with how you make it to ensure calories will be kept at a minimum so it will not take you out of the fasted state and promote ketosis.

Solutions to Maskne!

 

Lets talk about it, Maskne! Its the most common form of acne at this very moment. The majority of my life I have had relatively pretty clear skin. This pandemic has risen a new epidemic on my face, mostly in the areas where the mask would be worn. Acne that appears on the chin area can sometimes be caused by imbalances in your hormones and so its referred to as hormonal acne. The majority of times hormonal acne will disperse after about 2 weeks in my personal experience. Maskne is different its can be there for weeks and possibly even months if not properly taken care of. My maskne that developed was primarily surrounded by clusters of whiteheads all around the chin and lower region of the face. Rest assured there are always solutions to problems and this too can be fixed with the proper remedies. Here are some of my top solutions to maskne and you'll be surprised by some of them... but it works!

Solutions as promised!

-ACV! : aka apple cider vinegar is amazing at clearing the skin because of its antibacterial properties. You can take a shot of this mixed in with water before bed or you can make a face toner with apple cider vinagar and mixed in your favorite essential oil with some water and voila you have your self a face toner Sprits before bed and early morning.

- Tumeric! Turmeric has long been a remedy to skin issues. You can either start incorporating it into your meals or you can make a face mask with it. Face mask should be 1tsp of turmeric and the, dash of ACV and your choice of milk. Apply to the face for 10 to 15mins and wipe off.

- Start Steaming your face: people will have you believe you need to buy the fanciest new gadget in order to have effective solutions however steaming your face can effectively be done without all the extra expenses. One approach is soaking a small hand towel in warm water and then apply to the face and you'll feel so relaxed. Leave it there for a bout a minute or so. Another approach is boiling water and placing it in a bowl. This one you can get fancy with and place green tea in the bowl and allow it to steam your face for a few minutes. Steaming your face opens your pore and permits a more effective cleanse.

- Cleanse your face twice a day: This may seem a bit excessive but if you use a gentle foam cleanser it should not dry out your skin or be harsh on the skin. The air we breath today has so many pollutant inside of it and many times those pollutants will clog our pores. So even if you do not regular wear make up and are experiencing maskne, I would recommend this.

-Relax with the makeup: I know we don't want anyone to to see our horrible maskne so naturally wed like to cover it up. I've been there, I understand. The truth is however we don't necessarily need to wear make up since wear all wearing mask so why not take break from the make up and let the skin breath and have time to heal.

- Tea tree oil! : Its known for being antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory which calms the skin in full-blown breakout mode. Its also said to clear acne scars. 

- Facial masks: This one will seem a little more obvious but try masks such as the ones mentioned previously or charcoal face mask are excellent in cleaning and providing a deep cleansing of the pores. 

- Fresh mask: Lastly but definitely not least at all, wear a fresh clean mask. Please do nut reuse the disposable face mask they werent designed to be used that way. If your using a re--usable mask, make sure to clean it daily to avoid an left over oils or make up or even dirt that can creep into your pore and create another little pesky skin issue. 

Well as always its been an absolute pleasure sharing my best tips and tricks with you! I hope come by spring we can all have beautiful clear skin! If you enjoyed this blog post make sure to share with others who may need to this and don't be shy, comment or like or follow down below. I love hearing and interacting with everyone, let me know how these remedies work out for you!

Fat Burning Matcha Latte Recipe

So after discussing all the health benefits of Matcha, how could I not come back with a recipe for you guys? Every morning I have my Matcha latte. The great thing about this recipe is that you can have it all year long! For example now that its winter I enjoy this recipe hot , when it switches to summer, spring or fall I enjoy this recipe as an Iced Matcha Latte. I really hope you try this recipe out and let know what your thoughts are on the comment below! As always if your loving this content as I hope you are feel freeeee to follow me and share with your friends and family!

Simple Base Matcha Recipe!

2 tsp of Matcha Powder (Mix with water)

3/4 Cup of Coconut Milk

1 tsp of Vanilla Extract

Optional Add ins:

Sweeteners of your choice(Maple Syrup, Honey, Manuka honey, Coconut sugar, Stevia, Erythritol, Monkfruit sweetner)

MCT Oil (Supports Cognitive functions and feeling of Satiety)

Collagen Powder (Supports healthy hair, skin, bones and digestion as well)

Ice to make an Iced Matcha Latee for the hotter days.

Matcha Matcha chachacha! We love Matcha and heres why you should tooo!

 

Ok so get ready to join the bandwagon! Matcha is a million times better than the traditional cup of Joe. It originally began to be used in Japan for ceremonial reasons. Finally it found its wonderful way to the western culture and I couldn't be more thankful for it! Let me list some reasons why you should make the morning switch asap!

Health Benefits:

- Increased energy : Matcha actually has caffeine but doesn't cause the normal Jitters or crashes that are often experienced with Coffee

-Mood booster: Not much of a morning person, no worries matchas got you covered. Since it contains I-Theanine and amino acid found in matcha it allows serotonin production in your brain which in turn gives the overall happy feeling!

-Enhances Cognitive abilities: Increases the brain ability to focus, attention and even your memory. Matcha contains I-Theanine which when paired with the caffeine already found in matcha. Lets just say your boss will love you with you're improved ability to focus.

- Immunity booster: With the outbreak of the pandemic everyone is looking to boost their immunity well look no further! Matcha reduces the growth of viruses and bacteria in the body with EGCg.

-Guaranteed weight loss : EGcg also is able to allow the body to burn more calories which in turn promotes weight loss and promoted burning fat! 

- Detox: Matcha contains antioxidants and chlorophyll which in turn allow your body to detox from free radicals such as heavy metals and various chemicals that we encounter on a daily basis. 

- Alleviates Constipation : Digestion wise matcha gets things moving. Lets just say if you've struggled with constipation or your not regular prepare to be regular because matcha boost your bodies ability to digest its food by speeding up your BMR our your basal metabolic rate.

- Decrease inflammatory illnesses: Studies have shown that match drinkers have experienced improvement with inflammatory dieses such as Arthritis.

-Improves Oral health:  matchas ability to restrain bacterial growth you'll seen an improvement in your breath and oral health as well! Buh byeee bad breath

-Vitamin Packed! : Contains Vitamin A,B1, B2,B3, C, F and P

Don't think about it anymore just do it! Maybe try it out at your local Dunkin or Starbucks first and then maybe you can switch to preparing it yourself as a morning drink! Hope you can make the switch and definitely share the wonderful news with friends and Family members! Lets get healthy together! Well as always if your enjoying what your reading, Feel free to follow me or comment down below! Cant wait to hear from you!

Gut Friendly Soup!

DETOX MOROCCAN LENTIL SOUP!

 Following our Turmeric inspired Trend, I have to come with another delicious nutritious recipe!

This one is an absolute treat! Its a Detox Moroccan Lentil soup! Its perfect to feel cozy especially during the winter weather. Its a one pot soup and it aids in digestion and any kind of stomach issues you may be experiencing. Lentils are high in protein and fiber and not to mention how filling they are! So lets get right to it shall we?!

Ingredients list:

1 cup of chopped onions

2 tbsp of minced garlic

 3 tsp of Turmeric

 2 tsp of Cumin

2tbsp of Ginger

 1 tsp of Sea salt

1tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp of Black pepper

1tbsp of Avocado oil

2 cups of Water

1tbsp of Lemon juice

1/4 cup of Tomato paste

4 cups of Vegetable broth

1 cup Coconut milk

2 cups of Kale

1 cup of Red lentils

Toppings!

1. Parsley

2.Greek yogurt/coconut yogurt

3.Mint leaves

4.Cilantro

Prep Time 10mins/Cook Time is 30mins! Serves 5 ! Calories 204.

If you like what you see! Pls share with friends and family! Follow me to get all my new wellness tips and tricks! Comment Below if you tried out the recipe! LMK how it turned out!

 

Tumeric! You NEED it!

Tumeric typically used in India as a spice but its medicinal properties are endless! Its active ingredient is Curcumin and the benefits list goes on and on. To list a few would be the following:

1.Antiflamatory

2. Neutralizes free radicals/ detoxes

3. Improve brains function

4.Reduces dieses of all sorts

5. Aids in arthritis

6. Aids in Weight loss

Soooooo how can we incorporate this amazing spice into our diet ASAP?

Well you can always add it to some dishes or mustard has been said to contain turmeric but you can also try a golden tea latte or various soups that include turmeric. 

Golden Tea Latte Recipe:

1/4 tsp of Turmeric

1/2 tsp of Black Pepper

1/4 tsp of Ginger

1 tsp of Cinnamon

1/2 tsp of Vanilla Extract

1 tsp of raw honey or maple syrup

1/2 tsp of Coconut oil/ MCT oil

1 cup your choice of milk but traditionally its Coconut milk

Nutrition Facts

CALORIES: 119kcal, CARBOHYDRATES: 16g, PROTEIN: 2g, FAT: 6g, SATURATED FAT: 2g, SODIUM: 327mg, POTASSIUM: 45mg, FIBER: 5g, SUGAR: 6g, VITAMIN C: 1mg, CALCIUM: 375mg, IRON: 2mg

If you're enjoying what your reading make sure to follow me, comment down below and let me know if you've tried the recipe and share with your friends and family! Lets get healthy together!

2021....New year....New you?

Hi Gents and Gems!

Ahh  the New Years here, got to love it! All the new years resolutions and the pressure to be completely different. Honestly speaking how many of us actually stick to the resolutions made? Even with our most sincere efforts usually only last a little while and quickly fade away. How can we make the resolutions stick? Well experts suggest most habits are difficult to maintain past the 21 day mark. So lets make that our goal to get through the 21 day mark in the year 2021! So behavioral change is our aim, so here are some fun suggestions to encourage the change.

1. Post It Notes Everywhere!

What inspires you? Write it down and place it where you'll need the encouragement to make the necessary change!

2. Dream Board!

This is more for the artistic ones, but I would also encourage everyone who doesn't really express themselves that way to give this a go. It really helps to visualize your dreams and place it as inspirations and a reminder to where you're trying to get to.

3. Find a Role Model...

Find someone who you find inspirational and use them as an example of someone who knows you're struggle but got through it and so can you!

4. Don't think, just do!

Hate to reference Nikes slogan but its true don't even allow your brain to think of anything because we all know our brain will think of reasons of why we shouldn't do what we need to do. So before your brain even has a chance, just get to moving and doing what ever your goal is.

5. Pick out the dream outfit!

If you're goal is to shed some excess weight, pick out the dream outfit and hang it somewhere where you'll be reminded of why your doing what your trying to change.

6. WHY?

Last but certainly not least! WHY are you making this change! Let your WHY... be powerful and have some depth. If you have a strong WHY then trust me, you're daily choices will matter.

Lose the Sugar...and win!

 Hi Everyone!

2021 is upon us finally! I couldn't be happier to leave 2020 behind and move on. A year with many lessons learned. One I particularly learned is about minimizing sugar from my diet. Sugar is pretty toxic. We could take a deep dive into it and really break it down but I believe maybe its best to cut to the main point.  Which would be all the amazing benefits of completely cutting out sugar from your diet or at least reasons why you would benefit from minimizing the daily consumption of it.

1. Healthier Teeth

This one is simple, less sugar means less cavities which will ultimately improve your Oral health

2. Minimize Inflammation

Sugar is know for causing inflammation by minimizing it you will also minimize your water retention along with the inflammation that comes along with its consumption.

3. Increase Energy

Consumption of sugar increases your blood sugar level which will ultimately take a toll on your body because, your body will now have to work to digest it. By reducing sugar or eliminating it you body will be doing less work which leaves more energy for you.

4. Goodbye Headaches

Sugar cause hormonal fluctuations which intern lead to painful hormonal headaches.

5. Enhance Cognitive Abilities

Sugar elevates the blood glucose levels that leads to delayed cognitive function and focus.

6. Reduce Belly Fat

This is a no brainer less shower will allow you to minimize water retention and also promote fat loss. Your body is apt to use sugar as primary source of energy, with it not in the picture means you're body will use another source for energy.

7. Regulate hormones

The consumption of sugar definitely affects the hormones and makes them unbalanced. Any one with an auto immune disease such as hypothyroidism should minimize or consider cutting it out of their diet in order to get a handle on balancing the hormone levels.

4 Reasons to become a Minimalist Today!

When most people think about minimalism they think of only having the bare minimum in their life. Minimalism is also known as Essentialism. The concept is primarily based on intentional living and only using things that actually serve you in that moment. Especially in America, this concept could be extremely beneficial. The majority of society wants all the new gadgets and all the new trends, that we end of having an excessive amount of thing in our life that we do not necessarily use. Minimalism promotes simplicity and is a way of being mindful, its also very sustainable and helps our planet. Below will be various reasons why you should consider becoming a minimalist yourself.

1. Improves mental clarity- Clutter often times leads to feeling uneasy. Getting rid of the excess items will leave you feeling more clear and dont be shocked if you even take a sigh of relief.

2. Make some extra cash- This one is easy, sell the items your not using.

3.Save Money- Becoming a minimalist has its benefits and realizing you dont need to purchase all the new things will also allow you to save so much money. Research actually indicates that a lot of wealthy people have adopted beliefs on minimalism. So that's one thing to consider.

4. Saves our planet- Living more mindfully allows our planets to thrive as we as consumers are adopting a more sustainable way of living.

Energize! Naturally!

In todays society were always trying to get everything done as soon as possible and if we can squeeze in more things off of our to do list its such an accomplishment and less that we have to do the next day. Energy is the key! Rather than getting our energy off of products that may have adverse effects when we receive our energy naturally there is no downfall so without further delay....lets get right to it!

1. Drink more water - Our bodies are roughly composed of about 75% of water. For example when a car is running low on gas it doesn't run as smoothly. The principle applies with our bodies, when we are low on water we will experience side effects and our bodies will not function properly.

2. Respect your sleep cycle- Ideally our bodies need about 7-8 hours of sleep. Lets get real most of us do not take our sleep cycles seriously but when we are lacking in sleep it will show not just in our daily performance the following day but even in our facial features and in our bodies. Lack of sleep increases the amount of fat your body retains. So try to prioritize your sleep cycle.

3. Nutrition! - What we choose to consume quite literally becomes what our cells will be composed of.  So the  saying you are what you eat is actually very true. For example some may notice when they eat grains or gluten heavy food they may get sleepy and that's because our insulin levels increase. Try incorporating more greens into your diet and you'll definitely see a change in your energy level because your body is receiving the fuel it needs.

4. Green Tea!-  Green tea has so many health benefits such as fat loss, increase in brain function, Contains antioxidants, reduces bad breath, and etc. If you really want to take it to the next level try out some Matcha. Ill probably make a separate post about that because Matcha is that great. 

5. Get outside! - Going outside and seeing the sun and interacting with people will always have a positive effect on you. So I want to encourage you to get out there go for a walk, go to the park, go to the mall. Its important to be outdoors and breath fresh air. That air will energize your body and you definitely feel glad you did it afterwards.

These are just a few tips on how to energize your body, let me know if you like these post and I can make a similar one with more detailed products I use to energize my body. As always I want to encourage you to love the life you live and be intentional about living it. Get out there and smile and be a positive impact on everyone you see!

Be Easy & Breathe!

Today I Really want to discuss Mindful breathing or also known as Diaphragmatic breathing. With the recent turn of event all around the world, I can see how stressed everyone is. We are living in such an uncertain time with shocking events happening all around us almost on a daily basis. I realize how sometimes it can really be hard to even catch your breath. This is why Mindful breathing is such a great tool to ease our anxiety levels and calm ourselves down into relaxation. There are several benefits emotionally and physically to mindful breathing. Which we will cover today.

Physical: 

-Lowers your heart rate

-Lowers your Blood Pressure

-Manage Chronic Pain

-Improve Diabetic Symptoms 

-Essential to Asthmatics

Emotional:

-Reduces Depression

-Reduces Anxiety

-Reduces Stress Levels

-Decrease Negative Thinking

-Promotes Relaxation

How To: 

Duration: 5-10 minutes

-Focus attention on your breath

-Inhale deep from nose, (feel breath contract from diaphragm, Belly should expand)

-Exhale from mouth (count to 10)

-Repeat 5 to 10 times as needed throughout the day

Hope this helps & Inspires!

Lets Love the Life we Live!

 Hi There!

I would like to take this time to welcome you to this blog! Glad to have your attention :) Its going to cover a vast amount of subjects that will vary from health, wellness, Lifestyle, D.I.Y.s , Style, Recipes & more. There really is an art to living life that makes it utterly beautiful and I truly believe the act of living is most definitely a verb that should be acted upon. Lets go on this journey of life together head first, intentionally living every day striving for wellness and our overall inner well being!