This Superfood From Under the Sea Has a Special Secret Nutrient!

You’ve probably had a seaweed salad from a Japanese restaurant, in a miso soup, or a sushi roll wrapped up in nori. But did you know that it has amazing amounts of calcium, antioxidants, and a super secret nutrient you can’t find anywhere else? Seaweed has a huge presence in Southeast Asia, and perhaps it’s time for westerners to take another glance at this nutrient-dense veggie (yes, it is a vegetable!)

Seaweed is also high in vitamins A and C, but that’s probably the least important reason why you should be adding it to your diet. Iodine is a nutrient that is missing from nearly every other food, and most people are iodine deficient and don’t even know it. Consuming iodine is critically important to maintaining a healthy thyroid, which controls hormone levels in the body.

In the 20’s iodine was first added to table salt, and manufactured for distribution into homes for public consumption. In recent times, there are various reasons why we have turned away from this type of salt. High cholesterol and blood pressure levels are two big reasons that folks began to cut salt out of their diet. More recently we’ve seen a shift in the population decreasing the amount of processed foods we consume, with the organic health movement. This is great, with a number of people turning to sea salt, and even better, pink Himalayan salt, which contains amazing amounts of minerals that are naturally occurring in the human body.

Seaweed Farm in Nusa Dua (Bali, Indonesia)

With these shifts in leaning towards less processed, whole, and natural foods, we’ve unfortunately seen a decrease in iodine levels as a result. Iodine is crucial to maintaining thyroid health. Unbalanced thyroid issues can come on subtly and slowly, resulting in depression, fatigue, difficulties with weight-loss, and increased susceptibility to disease. These seem like common small issues at first, which is a big reason why they normally go unnoticed.

If any of these sound like you, adding a little bit of seaweed to your diet may be a great solution. A healthy thyroid means balanced hormones. This translates to increased energy, endorphins, and estrogen levels. Ladies, this means an easier time with PMS!

So pick some seaweed up today! Try out a simple seaweed salad soaked in sesame oil, or wrapping up some of your favourite veggies with hummus or avocado in a nori roll.

xx
Ashley

Invigorating Coffee Sugar Scrub

This is a very simple and delicious way to refresh and invigorate your skin! Caffeine is often used in many beauty creams in stores, but no need to go deep into your pocketbook or look any further than your kitchen. This natural stimulant helps to increase circulation, which improves collagen production in the face, reducing wrinkles and age lines. It also reduces cellulite in those pesky problem areas on us ladies (and a few gents)… Using honey in your facial scrub is excellent, as honey is a natural astringent, pulling out toxins and oils, leaving your skin feeling firm and tight.

Here’s what you need:

• 1/2 cup brewed coffee grounds
• 1/4 cup coconut palm sugar
• 2 Tablespoons of coconut oil or olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons of honey
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

You can also add a few drops of an essential oil of your choice. Lavender is always a great choice for relaxation for a nighttime scrub. Mixing ylang-ylang and orange is both sensual and uplifting. The choice is yours!

Stir ingredients together and work in small sections. Scrub using small circular motions in areas with cellulite around the thighs and buttocks for a couple minutes each. The caffeine and massage work together to increase blood flow to your cells. This breaks up the fats that are stored irregularly, which is what causes the dimples of cellulite.

On the face, allow the mixture to soak for about 3-5 minutes before scrubbing and rinsing off. This allows the honey time to draw out oils and impurities in the pores.

When you are done scrubbing your entire body, rinse and towel off gently, patting dry instead of rubbing. Use a dark coloured towel if you have one (to prevent staining anything white). You’ll notice a bit of a bronzed glow, like an all-natural self tanner (yay!)

Something to remember during your whole body scrub down; choose a location where you won’t leave a mess. Outside in the garden, or in the shower, where you can easily rinse away any drippings or splashes!

Enjoy your soft and silky skin today xx

 

Skin Care That Cares Back

We all know about organic food and healthy eating, but what about your beauty routine? When it comes to skin care, what kinds of products do you use?

When we think of health and nutrition, we oftentimes think solely of our food and what we are putting into our bodies. What about what we are putting ON our bodies? Our skin is our largest organ, our face is the window to our soul, and we all want to glow and radiate out our inner light, so why not do it naturally?

I’ve seen a lot of blogs and articles on skin care, revealing the newest greatest products. Something I’ve noticed is the amount of chemicals that a lot of these products contain… If we can’t pronounce it, if we wouldn’t eat it, if we don’t know what it is, why would we put it on our skin? (yikes!)

Another thing to pay attention to when choosing skin care that is right for you, is the company’s ethical standards. Are the products vegan (no animal testing)? Are the ingredients sustainably sourced and organic? Does the company give back to the community? These are all great questions to be asking yourself and of the company you are supporting by purchasing their product.

There are a great number of companies out there boasting ‘organic botanicals’ and ‘all-natural’ ingredients. By now, we should know better than to judge a book by its cover, or a product by it’s front-side advertisement, meant to catch your eye (and your dollar). Read the ingredients on the back carefully, and do your own research. One company in particular that I’ve been absolutely obsessing over lately is the Simply Fair brand. All of their ingredients are derived from organic, whole, natural foods and plant extracts.

Aside from the wonderful ingredients themselves, the company also has a program in which 10% of all sales are allocated to Simply Fair projects. They boast on their bottles:

Each time you use Simply Fair products you are helping communities in West Africa and spreading Yoga across the world.

Companies like this are our future. Each time you purchase a product you are voting with your dollar. By voting for companies using clean and fair standards, others have no choice but to follow suit and do the same. Let’s vote together and give to companies that give back!

You can check out the entire Simply Fair line on their website, and find a retailer near you! Learn more and get involved at: besimplyfair.com

-Ashley

When You Become Soft Like Wax

When You Become Soft Like Wax

By Yogi Bhajan

One day when you become soft like wax,

Then my thread of life will pass through you, and

Out of the accident of the warmth of my heart

One end will get lit.

And you will burn–slowly melting in the heat of the flame.

And when you will reach the end,

You will find God waiting for you

To embrace you into His Infinity.