Delicious, Refreshing & Life Giving

I have been experimenting lately with various Lemonade Recipes and my all time fave is anything with Rooibos.  I grew up in South Africa where this tea grows wild and has literally so many health benefits that I just could not list them all.  Rooibos ("roy boss") means "red bush" in Afrikaans. Rooibos tea actually derives its name from the aging process of oxidation that turns it red.  

Here is a great ultra-refreshing recipe that will quench your thirst, cut your appetite, stimulate your metabolism, and infuse your body with anti-oxidants.

 

Refreshing Rooibos Lemonade

5 Cups of Strong Rooibos
1 Cup of Lemon Juice, Freshly Squeezed
1 Cup of Lime Juice, Freshly Squeezed
2 Lemons (thickly sliced)
Half a Cucumber (thinly sliced)

1 Cup of Ice

Chill for an Hour & Drink at your Merry!

The health benefits of Rooibos:

·          Protection against cancer - The antioxidants in rooibos tea have been shown to increase the productivity of carcinogen-detoxifying enzymes, as well as protecting cell proteins, cell fats, and DNA.

·          Improvement of immune system - Rooibos tea's effective combination of antioxidants and important minerals gives your immune system a boost, which means that you'll be able to fight off any illnesses in an efficient manner.

·          Reduction of insomnia, tension, headaches and irritability - As a tea with no caffeine, rooibos drinkers have found that enjoying a cup before bed has helped to relax them and relieve any tension to allow for a great night of sleep. By helping to normalize tea drinkers' sleep habits, rooibos often reduces headaches and irritability.

·          Stronger bones and teeth - With high levels of antioxidants and minerals like manganese, fluoride and calcium, rooibos tea promotes good bone growth, and helps to keep teeth nice and strong.

·          Relief from colic and stomach cramps - Rooibos tea is sometimes called "the mother's miracle" because its antioxidants makes the tea an anti-spasmodic agent, which relieves stomach cramps and lessens colic in infants. Just mix this natural, decaffeinated beverage with milk and your baby will soon stop suffering from stomach pain and sleep easily.

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Flavored Water is a Killer

Stay away from Flavored water! Worst possible thing you could put into your body. Remember: advertisers aren't nutritionists. Ask yourself why you can't be satisfied drinking a pure form of water - water is what your body is made of and survives on. Pure spring water is what all animals drink daily to stay alive. Why do you feel you need a chemical water to be healthy and happy? YOU DON'T! 


If you are in a fitness program, why drink a chemically fake water product as opposed to pure spring water? If you are trying to stay fit, water with no artificial chemicals, additives, flavors, no food colorings and NO corn syrup is the better choice - water, just plain water. :-)


If you really need to kick the watery taste for instance, add lemon, lime, or cucumber and lemon, or concentrated cranberry juice to your water. Liquid peppermint flavored chlorophyll to bottled water is also UBER AMAZING. Chlorophyll is not only healthy for you, but the peppermint flavor tastes refreshing and leaves your breath smelling great. And chlorophyll balances body weight and your pH balance, and is loaded in natural minerals and phytonutrients, and supports healthy blood.

Oh, and if you're feeling extra Cucumber Lemony and want something Refreshing, checkout these awesome Popsicles!  http://www.familyfreshcooking.com/2010/08/03/lemonade-cucumber-spa-popsicle-recipe/

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Make this A Stress-Free Week!

Aren't you just loving Monday???! Well if you aren’t, you should be!  The first day of the week does not always have to be the most hectic.... it really doesn’t, it’s all about mindset and the priorities you set before hand that make all the difference!  While Monday means the weekend is over, it also means a new week of unlimited potential lies ahead.  

Here are some tips to make this an amazing week!

1. Set Goals

On Sunday I revisited my goals.  Planning the week ahead means that I am able to get a lot more done, and I then live without some of the chaos that ensues!  I have started to follow Dr. Covey’s approach to goal-setting as outlined in The 7 Habits ofHighly Effective People.

This involves the following:

·         Identifying Roles: Identify the key roles in your life. If you haven’t given this much thought before, just write down what immediately comes to mind. Some of my roles, for example, are: mother, daughter, wife, sister, and friend.

·         Selecting Goals: Next, think of 2 or 3 important things you would like to accomplish in each of these roles in the coming week. For example, as a wife & mother, I need to make sure that my home is a representation of the love & happiness I feel inside.  A safe place for both my children and husband to reside in.

·         Scheduling:  Ah... this involves taking the above goals, and scheduling time to do them. Be flexible though – in most cases some daily adapting is also needed.

2. Get the Most Out of Every Day

This may sound like a cliché, but each and every day is a gift. Don’t indefinitely delay happiness in your life or settle for being bored. Be inspired. Live with vitality. Enjoy life every day.  Checkout my post on DailyHabits!

3. Do That Thing You Are Resisting

Almost everyone has at least one thing that they are resisting. Perhaps it is fixing something around the house, making an important phone call or re-starting the exercise habit. Get that thing done, and you will be sure to feel to feel as if you have accomplished something this week.

4. Nurture Your Relationships

I truly believe that happiness is highly dependent on the quality of our relationships with other people. So be committed to nurturing these relationships.  Here are some quick ideas how:

·         Pick up the phone: Email is great, but make a point every so often to pick up the phone and speak to your friends and family.

·         Meet a friend for lunch: Do you have a friend that seems to have fallen off the side of the Earth? Invite them out to lunch and catch up on everything you have missed.

·         Ping: Even if you are extremely busy this week, find the time to send a friend or family member a quick email or text message. If nothing else, it shows you are thinking about them.

·         Remember birthdays: Make a point to remember important dates, such as birthdays. I suggest taking time out one day to mark your diary with these important dates. Tip: Facebook is great for discovering birthdays.

5. Stretch Yourself

Stretch yourself by trying something new this week.  This could be anything!  An activity, visiting a new place, meeting someone new, you decide!

6. Be Disciplined (probably the most important one!)

Starting the week by setting goals is a bit like making new years eve resolutions: they are easy to make, but as time progresses it can be hard to capture the same motivation that was present when you first made them. If you struggle with self-discipline, I suggest keeping the following quote in mind:

“When the morning’s freshness has been replaced by the weariness of midday, when the leg muscles quiver under the strain, the climb seems endless, and, suddenly, nothing will go quite as you wish – it is then that you must not hesitate.” – Dag Hammarskjold

7. Make a Difference

This week commit to making a positive difference in the world. Even the following small actions can make a big difference in the life of another person and/ or the world:

·         Buy lunch for a hungry pan-handler.

·         Donate something you never use!

·         Recycle & Reuse.

·         Volunteer your time. 

·         Put a smile on on someones face. :-)

How are you going to make this a great week?

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15 Daily Habits: Are you following your Original Blueprint?

Recently I have realized the importance of having a Blueprint, and following it with discipline.  Doing something every day is such a powerful way to form a habit that in turn changes you from the inside out.  As people, we need routines, we need to have schedules, its just the way we are programmed.  

The following is a look at what I am personally working on!

My Morning

1. Wake Up Early & Meditate!  Like the saying goes, “.....Early to rise, makes you Healthy, Wealthy & Wise!”.  Get in touch with yourself Spiritually.  Allow that connection to deepen for at least 10-15 minutes before any interruptions take over.  Notice the difference!

2. Exercise:  Get your body moving, energize yourself!  In the morning I love to take an hour at the local gym to connect with myself, strength training is one of my favorites as it gets my overall energy levels up ASAP!

3. Review or (even better) rewrite Your Goals: You can’t accomplish anything if you don’t have a plan!  So why even think of doing something, if you don’t have it down on paper?  Writing things down allows me to have something to follow-through on.

4. Read and/ or Listen to Motivational Material: I am such a fan of listening to Joyce Meyers in the morning since introduced to her by my Great friend Aara.  I am so pumped up to face the day after her sessions as it leaves me with a sense of Power & overall calm.

5. Visualize the Day Ahead:  I like to think of what I want to happen in my day.  I want to attract my desires and make them a reality!  It also helps me to be positive about those things that I have placed importance on, as I feel connected with an end goal.

6. Write a “To Do” list:  I am such a big fan of now writing down the important tasks.  Like any other busy Women, I can be forgetful at times and this helps me to keep on track.

7. Check the News Headlines:   My hubby and I are big Newspaper fans.  In the mornings we like to start our day with breakfast and then talking about what is happening in our community and the world.  We are connected this way, and we find it helps us to also have great conversations with people throughout the day.

10. Tidy Up: A cluttered house can lead to a cluttered mind and fuzzy thinking. 

11. Take Time to Look Freaking Sexy! It’s a reality of life that people judge us by our appearance. I take a few minutes each morning to ensure I go out into the world looking the best I can.  And why wouldn’t I?  I know I am gorgeous, beautiful, wonderful & deserve to look and feel that way every day!

My Day

11. Put First Things First: Many people have their day controlled by tasks that are urgent, but not necessarily important. Examples include interruptions, some email and some phone calls. The habit of putting first things first is about organising and executing your life around your deepest priorities.

12. Connect with Nature: I find spending time outdoors in nature is great for my sense of wellbeing.  I love taking walks around my local pond or going out to a local trail to take in a little nature with either by myself or with my family.

13. Be Proactive: Being proactive means showing initiative and taking the responsibility to make things happen. Whenever I want something to happen, I ask myself: What can I do to make this happen?

14. Ping a Friend: I try to send a quick email or text to a friend each day. It’s a great way to stay in touch with friends when I am extremely busy.  It also lets those people closest to me know that I truly care about them.

15. Save: Now that my husband and I are on a financial wellness plan, I have been saving at least 10% of each pay check. 

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For Hairs Sake

I recently became addicted to an ingenious product that has left me with long lasting hairstyles and the ability to skip a day or two on my shampoos.  Although I don't use it everyday, it's still been a great time-saver!

For hairs sake, it's also meant allowing my hair to avoid the damages of over stimulating my roots with all kind of unwanted products & water logging ...I've also noticed that it was been growing a little more rapidly and thicker too!  For hair’s health, many professional hair experts recommend skipping a day or two, or even three, between hair washing's. While it’s true that giving hair a rest can help it to stay healthier, it can also make some heads of hair look and feel greasy.  I'm sure you've been there, done that!

I know that waking up in the mornings with limp and greasy is a real problem, especially as I frequent the gym often, and my hair can get that not-so-fresh smell as well. So how do you do what’s right for your hair and still keep it looking and smelling fresh and fabulous? My secret, Got2b Rockin'it dry shampoo!

Honestly, it's a hair miracle, all with a few short sprays and tussles. For busy people who are constantly on the go, for outdoor types who don’t always have the comforts of home and for those of you experiencing the greasies on those in between washing days, this stuff is a MUST!

... You're probably wondering what this has to do with your health or how it relates to you somehow feeling great about that morning bed-head.. well, for those of you ladies that DON'T have time to take a shower, dry and style your hair, this is the alternative to still looking fabulous and leaving the house feeling great!  In less than as little as 10 minutes, you’ll have hair that has the shine, scent and beautiful bounce of freshly washed hair.


*Got2b Rockin'it dry shampoo can be purchased at London Drugs, Walmart, Shoppers Drug Mart, or wherever hair products are sold.  It retails for about $5.49, and is a small enough can to pack around with you in your purse or gym bag.  

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Fashion is also Healthy

It's said that a woman that is both healthy in mind & body tends to also look the part.

Do you?
How often do you usually get up in the morning and do your hair + makeup?  Or put on that pretty dress you just bought?  Do you take the time to make sure that when you leave the house, you aren't looking like a rumpled pile of sheets?  Do you ever think of what impact your dilapidated state might have on your mood for the rest of your day?


Women strive to take care of everyone else but themselves.  Whats even strange about this is that most of us know we feel great when we do our hair, makeup and put on our best, however seventy-six percent of us beautiful ladies set the goal of making it happen, yet only forty-two percent of us actually do!  

This season, make it a priority of yours to get in touch with your inner style.  Learn to channel your diva, and to love the body you are in!  Get up!  Do you hair!  Try on those Pumps!  Feel beautiful, sexy, and gloriously able!

Checkout STYLE REFRESH for Falls 2011 go to trends, and remember to take care of YOU! http://www.stylerefresh.com/REFRESH/Blog/Entries/2011/10/10_Fall_2011_Trends.html

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Change your Thinking, Change your Life

It's been the conversation of the ages; can your thoughts manifest themselves into not only positive but negative problems?  Is there power in words and thoughts that create experiences? Are we aware, that YES, there's a connection between thoughts and the different parts of the body, and our physical problems.  Imagine that.

We read all these articles on, conquering the problem, trimming the fat, the calories, hitting the gym a little more, eating healthier, taking time for YOU, targeting other people as your issue, "Oh it's because of my mom" , but what about the real issue, the root of the actual problem.  What if all things in your life are nothing more then YOUR ISSUE.

What's interesting is that, "both the good in our lives and dis-ease, are results of our mental thought patterns which form our experiences. We all have many thought patterns that produce good, positive experiences, and these we enjoy. It is the negative thought patterns that produce uncomfortable, unrewarding experiences with which we are concerned".  

If this is true, then this will ring REVELATION, and if practiced, could very well change your life in a DRASTIC, DRAMATIC, and INCREDIBLE way.  "For every condition in our lives, there is a NEED FOR IT. Otherwise, we would not have it. The symptom is only the outer effect. We must go within to dissolve the mental cause. Begin the New Thought Pattern Affirmations, work on the WILLINGNESS TO RELEASE THE NEED, when the need is gone, the outer effect must die. No plant can live if the root is cut away."

You have unimaginable power, the power to cure, to heal, to overcome, to overtake, to change, and to manifest just about anything in your life.  Here's your opportunity to use the above, to understand what I'm putting down and apply it.  You will NEVER conquer your issue, WILLPOWER & DISCIPLINE are futile against your ISSUES.  You need to get to the root of the cause, and cut it away.

Remember this, if you cut a plant down, the plant remains, it grows again, however, if you dig it out at the root, every last bit, that plant will NEVER grow again.  How DEEP are your roots?

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The Goodness of FRUITS!

Its Summer time and fruits are in!  At some point you’re probably going to take a trip out to the Okanagan and stop by the Heavy laden fruit stands, or indulge in some of our local produce, but I’d like you to take into account a few key things when it comes to fruit!


Having grown up in South Africa, with parents who were strict Vegans & studious followers of Good Health practices, fruit was a major part of our diet.  When it came to fruit, it wasn’t just about eating it, it was about how and when to eat it.  You may not know, but there is a correct way to indulge in the sweet, succulent and colorful array of goodness!


1. Don’t eat fruits after your meals!  Fruits should be eaten on an empty stomach, as it will play a major role in detoxifying your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities. 

2. Fruit is an extremely important food source; know when to eat it! For example, let's say you eat two slices of bread and then a slice of fruit. The slice of fruit is ready to go straight through your digestive tract, but it is prevented from doing so. In the meantime the bread starts to ferment and turns to acid, thus rotting in your gut. 


3. If you have master the correct way of eating fruits, you have the Secret of beauty, longevity, health, energy, happiness and normal weight!  Our previous notions of whether some fruits are good or bad is completely bogus, as all fruits become alkaline in our body, according to Dr. Herbert Shelton who did research on this matter.

FYI. Do not drink cold water after a meal!  Cold water solidifies oils that you have just consumed. It will also slow down the digestion. Once this 'sludge' reacts with acid in your stomach, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. This in turn lines the intestine and turns into fat. As my mom says, “It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.”… Makes sense right?

5. Fruit Types and their Energizing, Revitalizing and Healing Properties:

KIWI: Tiny but mighty. This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E & fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange.  

APPLE: An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has low vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & Flavonoids which enhance the activity of vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke. 

STRAWBERRY: A Protective Fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from cancer-causing free radicals. 

ORANGE: The Sweetest medicine. Eating 2-4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones, as well as lessens the risk of colon cancer. 

WATERMELON: Coolest thirst quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with glutathione, which helps boost our immune system; also a key source of lycopene — the cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients found in watermelon are vitamin C & Potassium. 

GUAVA & PAPAYA: Top awards for vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene, which is good for your eyes. 

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Get it Together; Stop the Excuses - Get Motivated

It's been said that You should, "Learn everything you can, anytime you can, from anyone you can - there will always come a time when you will be grateful you did."  Sarah Caldwell 

So, my question to you is, are you learning? Are you changing? Are you actually applying the advice given to you? The groundwork of all happiness is good health. And it is your responsibility to hold yourself accountable to that. By Health I don't just mean thinking about it, I mean doing it!

We complain and analyze why we're overweight, why we're sick, why our relationships suck, why we aren't financially free, or why we aren't quite reaching our personal goals. We dissect ourselves, really, it's brutal; then we place blame on others because we're too damn egg-headed to get over our issues. But Why?  What's your issue?  And how hard is it to actually GET OVER IT?

Your responsibility is first and foremost to yourself; to love yourself, to eat right & exercise, to keep learning, to practice temperance, grace and generosity, to continue to adapt, to plan ahead, to keep organized, to take time to meditate and reflect... Why? Well, you may just avoid totally annihilating yourself for one, and everything else in your life will reflect this positive change.  You can't have what you choose not to work for, or change for; it's simply impossible.

Some pertinent advice to Ourselves Should be, "Get It Together".  

Can you honestly afford to be unhealthy?  At what cost are you going to allow yourself to live in wallow, to continuously make excuses for yourself?  To keep being complacent and being judgmental of others, because you just don't have what it takes!?!  YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES!  It's in you, right now, and you need to access that power and just DO IT!

No excuses, No "I'm not good enough" or "I'm not like others".. Bah!  

You can do anything you set your mind to, and no one other then yourself can set limitations on what's possible! Impossibilities are caused by YOU, and it's up to you to take control.

My Challenge to myself this week, and to you is this: You must commit to a Food diary, write it all down.  Simple, Easy, Carry it around with you.  Take notes, and consider your "WHY".  Was it an emotional response?  Was it need?  Why did you "Eat" what you Ate, and how much of it? Did you even eat at all!?  

Here's How: http://www.slice.ca/Advice/Sliceblog/BlogPost.aspx?postID=12572&sectionID=42 

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Vision Boards, do you Have one?!

There is no better way to get motivated, or Pumped, then with a Vision Board. The reason why they are so powerful is the way they help with manifesting. Imagine you have the power to create what you want your life to be. ..You are creating the story and you have the ability to make anything happen!

This is your vision. Creating a dream board or vision board is very similar to writing out your goals in life, except a vision invokes more emotion then simply writing out your goals. This difference adds an interesting element that has proved to be powerful for me and many others.  As you know, I totally believe visualization is KEY in reaching your goals! Your assignment today, is due tomorrow.  Make a vision board.  

Once your vision board is complete, upload it to the 90Days2Life Wall, https://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_155040037868198, post it to our Twitter page  http://twitter.com/#!/90Days2Life or send it to Jessica@90Days2Life.com.

All those who participate will then be added to a draw for a set of BC Lions tickets for tomorrow's Game at Empire Stadium.   Get Your Visions boards in Today!!

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Words to live by let this be your affirmation this week!

Print it out, post it to your bathroom mirror, keep it in your pocket, or on your phone.

Say it to yourself AT LEAST once a day!

"I fully realize that no wealth of position can long endure, unless built upon truth and justice; therefore, I will engage in no transaction which does not benefit all whom it affects. I will succeed by attracting to myself the forces I wish to use, and the cooperation of other people. I will induce others to serve me, because of my willingness to serve others. I will eliminate hatred, envy, jealously, selfishness, and cynicism, by developing love for all humanity, because I know that a negative attitude towards others can never bring me success. I will cause others to believe in me, because I will believe in them, and in myself. I will sign my name to this formula, commit it to memory, and repeat it aloud once a day, with full faith that it will gradually influence my thoughts and actions so that I will become a self-reliant and successful person." - Napolean Hill

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