Take A Bath!

Epsom Salt Baths have long been used to help relieve sore muscles, soothe rashes, and promote skin health. Tonight, try this:

Add 1 lb. of epsom salts to a hot bath. Soak for at least 20 minutes.

Now wasn't that difficult :)???

Read more about epsom salt baths here.

Feel Good In The Skin You Are In

Your skin is your largest organ - how well do you treat it? Here are some tips to get the "most" out of your skin.

Dry skin brushing - using a soft-bristled skin brush, make short strokes up each arm and leg, always brushing toward your heart. This is best done right before a shower or bath. It improves lymphatic circulation, helps with sensory disorders, and acts as a general detoxification method.
Read more about skin brushing here.

Challenge #19: You are Gonna Love This!

This week our focus will be on cleansing the skin.

Challenge Summary: To develop the habit of cleansing your skin more effectively and learning new techniques to pull toxins out of the skin, making you look healthier and more luminous!

Notes about cleansing the skin: Cleaning the skin requires more than soap. Soap is actually very harsh on the skin; it is better to use botanical ingredients such as aloe vera to clean the face.  There are also ways to "pull" toxins from the skin - stay tuned to learn more!

Difference of Slow Burn and Traditional Weight Training

Traditional Weight Training involves lifting light to moderately heavy weights  in sets of 8-12 repetitions (that number can vary). A typical repetition may take 3-7 seconds. This is a great way to add muscle, strengthen bones and burn fat.

Slow Burn or Slow-Motion Weight Training takes the same exercises and simply performs them in slow motion - with each repetition taking anywhere from 20-35 seconds to accomplish. Obviously the number of repetitions will be much lower.

The advantage of Slow Burn is that your workout will only take about 10 minutes! Will you get the same result? I have found through my research that you will indeed add muscle mass, but you will not acheive a "ripped" appearance like that of a body builder. I know some might disagree with me on this and hey! I hope I am wrong too! I would love to have better muscle definition. This is what I am working on now in my own exercise routine. Two days per week I am doing some slow motion weight lifting and making the  older population at my gym scratch their heads! They probably look at me lifting weights at a snail's pace and feel really good about themselves. Whatever it takes....

Challenge #18 - Try Some Slow Burn

Your challenge this week is to try a different variation of weight training - called Slow Burn

Challenge Summary - Pick 5 weight training exercises and do them in VERY slow motion (1-2 minutes per exercise). The number of reps don't matter - you simply move very slowly to the point of exhaustion for that muscle group.

If you have 10 minutes today - try it!!

Besides - who doesn't have 10 minutes????

Don't Hate Me Because I'm Paleo

Many people live according to the guidelines I set out on Monday  of this challenge. I think it is a good idea to push yourself and try a new eating plan every now and then. Why not this week?

Other Things to Include This Week:
healthy fat such as coconut oil, olive oil, nuts and seeds (in their natural state)
Water - and lots of it!!

You may need to eat more copious amounts of food and more often - go ahead and do so. We have removed the empty calories from your diet and you will now be getting pure protein, great fat, and healthy carbs and tons of fiber!

Eat up!!

Challenge #17: Back to Food

Your challenge this week is to only eat 3 things (this isn't really a fast)

• Meat - beef, chicken, lamb, fish, turkey, wild game, etc
• Vegetables - all of them, except for white potatoes and corn
• Fruit - keep it to 2-4 servings per day

Challenge Summary: This will be a real challenge for most readers. First of all, dairy and grains have been uninvited to this party! Secondly, there is no sugar added to anything mentioned above.

Goal of this challenge: To minimize the amount of unhealthy fat you consume as well as grains, dairy and processed or refined foods.

You can do ANYTHING for a week!!!

How Chiropractic Can Improve Your Brain

When choosing a DC, you should first determine how much of your health you want covered by your doc. Do you just need a manipulation or adjustment? Do you want a doc that can address anxiety and depression also? Do you have an autoimmune disease that you would prefer to handle holistically rather than with drugs? 

While Chiropractic is not a "one stop fits all" modality, it is a far sight closer than an MD's office (no offense to my MD friends).  Not every DC is trained in the same techniques and modalities so it is important to ask questions, explore their website and even interview the doc before you make an appointment. 

One of my favorite DC's in the DFW area is Dr. Avery Carpenter in Dallas. She concentrates her work on autoimmune diseases. Read more about her here. In a single visit, she will determine nutritional deficiencies, structural issues and other energetic blockages. Using nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies and low-force manipulation, she will address your issues effectively.  Just like MDs have different specialties, so do chiropractors, so chose one who has been trained in the types of work you need.

Stay tuned tomorrow for more on some of my other favorites in the DFW area!  

How Chiropractic Can Improve Your Workout

Chiropractic utilizes many of the same principles and practices as physical therapy. If you have a sports injury, say a pulled hamstring, you could actually benefit more from a DC than just physical therapy alone. While both practices may recommend the same strengthening and flexibility exercises which focuses and the muscular component, Chiropractic will also address the joints, therefore correcting any postural or muscular imbalances.... allowing your body to heal better, faster and have a longer lasting result. 

Most Chiropractors focus mostly on the joint component, but some doctors like Dr. Shawn Blad, work with athletes and non-athletes alike on the muscular component and the joint addressing both to provide better results.  Dr. Blad uses special instruments to help facilitate rapid pain recovery and also gives a customized plan for each individual to allow them to be strong and healthy. Check out his many tools and read more about how  Dr. Blad can help you here. 

Different Offerings of DC's

When choosing a DC, you should first determine how much of your health you want covered by your doc. Do you just need a manipulation or adjustment? Do you want a doc that can address anxiety and depression also? Do you have an autoimmune disease that you would prefer to handle holistically rather than with drugs?

While Chiropractic is not a "one stop fits all" modality, it is a far sight closer than an MD's office (no offense to my MD friends).  Not every DC is trained in the same techniques and modalities so it is important to ask questions, explore their website and even interview the doc before you make an appointment.

One of my favorite DC's in the DFW area is Dr. Avery Carpenter in Dallas. She specializes in autoimmune diseases. Read more about her here. In a single visit, she will determine nutritional deficiencies, structural issues and other energetic blockages. Using nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies and low-force manipulation, she will address your issues effectively.

Stay tuned tomorrow for more on some of my other favorites in the DFW area!

Challenge #16 - Have You Ever Experienced Chiropractic?

If you are doing even a few of my challenges, you will not want to miss this one! Whether you have a DC you love or have never been to a Chiropractor's office, I am challenging you to make an appointment THIS WEEK with a Doctor of Chiropractic!  There are many different types of Chiropractic practices and you can address almost any health issue with a DC - unless you are on fire or have lost a limb and need a surgeon :)

What is Chiropractic? Click here to find out the basics. Let me assure you though, it is not about getting your neck cracked and popped! I will refer you to several different DC sites this week so you can learn about the different approaches to wellness as performed in a DC office.

Juice Recipes for Specific Issues

There are many recipes to address a plethora of health issues. Here are some of my favorites!

Liver Tonic
Juice together:
1 pear
1 orange
1 sweet potato

Allergy Tonic:
Juice together:
1/2 lemon
2 carrots
1/2 apple - seeded
1/2 in. slice of fresh ginger root

Constipation Remedy
Juice together
1 papaya
1/2 in. slice ginger root
1 pear
3 plums

Juicing for Weight Loss

The movie, "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead" addresses the problem of obesity and helping to change people's behavior through juice fasting. I applaud the concept! However, it is not doable for everyone. This is why I have weekly challenges. Baby steps are helpful to everyone, no matter where you are on your journey.  If you can devote a week to a fast, great! If not, then try replacing one meal per day with a juice - the later in the day, the better. No matter how short or long your fast, you need to develop a plan for "re-entry". When you return to "normal" - your normal should be different than it was before the cleanse. Do you need to give up sodas? fatty snacks? Eat more protein? Develop your plan BEFORE you are through with your fast. You know what will work best for you - so trust yourself! Meanwhile, here is another recipe to enjoy:

Not-So-Bloody Mary
Juice together:
1 tomato
1 green onion - with the top
1 carrot
1 stalk celery, with leaves
1 handful of spinach
1/4 bunch parsley
1/2 lemon - peeled
Add 1/2-1tsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos and a dash of ground celery seed
Enjoy!

Why Juice?

There are many reasons to drink juice. Not the least of which is to give your digestive tract a chance to rest and recover from the normal load of toxins and chemicals ingested with food on a regular basis.
Juice fasting takes this to a deeper level. You could certainly implement a juice fast - email me if you need help with this. While the point of this challenge is not to fast, you can still increase your intake of plant food by incorporating a juice into your daily routine.

Here is an easy recipe to try today:
1/2 inch slice of fresh ginger root
1/2 lemon - peeled
2 carrots with tops
1/2 apple - seeded

This will make enough for one serving. Notice that it is not a large portion, but you don't need the sugar from as much fruit as it would require to fill a glass. Just sip and enjoy this easy recipe.
Note about juice: Fresh juice should be consumed within 20 minutes of making it in order to take advantage of the enzymes and nutrients.

If you are buying your juice at a juice bar, be sure to tell them not to add any extra fruit or sugar.