Aloe Vera Water Detox Review

Hey guys!

I hope you all have a Happy 4th! 

I wanted to do a health related post because I haven't done one in a while ;)

I'm about to talk about something that tastes great, supports immune system, aids in digestion and weight loss, lowers cholesterol, detoxes, reduces inflammation, and much more. 

ALOE VERA WATER 

This stuff is awesome. 

Not all benefits have been scientifically proven. If you're concerned about drinking aloe vera water do your research and talk to your doctor :)

For me, I reach for this when I am feeling gross, like I need to remove some toxins from my body, when in feeling bloated or.. yes.. My digestive system isn't working as it should. 

Let's just say you want to be near a bathroom when drinking this stuff.
It can help with constipation, hydration, vitamin and mineral intake, healthy gums, healthy skin, and hair growth as well. 
Information from:  http://skinnywithfiber.org/14-really-important-health-benefits-of-aloe-vera-juice/

This particular brand is available on the Boxed website.

You get a pack of 12 drinks for $15.99. They are sweetened with honey, pure cane sugar and natural grape flavor. They contain aloe vera pulp, and taste really good.

The pulp can be hard to get by at first because it's like drinking slimy chunks.. But once I got used to them I would just chew them because they really don't taste bad.

I highly recommend this for all of you who want to just try something new and good for you. This is especially good for those of us with digestive issues like me!

Thanks for stopping by :) Give this a try and let me know what you think!
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Easy Detox Drink

The Simple, Easy Detox Drink

We have all heard of it, the dreadful detox. It sounds absoluetly miserable to be on a liquid diet for days. I found this little recipe for a single detox drink on Facebook. I have tried this three times only one meal a day. Some benefits to detoxing are it helps boost energy, rids the body of excess waste, helps with weight loss, helps build stronger immune system, improves skin, improves breath, promotes healthy diet changes, helps you think more clearly, gives you a lighter feeling, provides anti-aging benefits, and an improved sense of well-being according to bembu.com.

This is the recipe. How simple is this?! I had all of these ingredients already. This is so convenient for me because, as you know from a previous blog, I drink apple cider vinegar every day for its health benefits. Apple cider vinegar does not taste great on its own; this way, I can get the ACV (apple cider vinegar) I want without the awful taste! Of course you shouldn't detox every day. I would drink this when I am feeling I have been eating bad or my digestive system isn't working properly.

Here are the exact ingredients I used. One alteration I would recommend is to add less cinnamon. When I finished the drink after continuous shaking there was a lot of excess cinnamon on the bottom (and I don't care to do the cinnamon challenge). I think this tastes pretty good. I do put it in my shaker as I said and keep shaking it as I drink. You should drink this pretty fast and on it's own. I would also recommend 16 oz of water to really blend all of the ingredients, especially if you are skeptical about tasting the ACV. I couldn't taste the ACV when I drank this. 

Here is the finished result (click here to buy blender bottle). So, just blend, drink & enjoy! Let us know about your experience with this!

My Healthy Dose of Caffeine

Alright, who doesn't love a good Starbucks drink?

The downside is that most are loaded with calories and lots of sugar. I finally found my better fix with Starbucks Refreshers!

This is the most convenient way to drink a healthy, tasty Starbucks drink. Truly makes you feel refreshed and ready to conquer the day. These 6 packets are $5.95 at Starbucks (so much cheaper than buying the individual drinks) and I can take these anywhere with me. This flavor is Very Berry Hibiscus and I love it! Starbuck's description of the taste is "tangy fruit, sweet ginger and lemongrass." This is a natural energy source with green coffee extract from unroasted coffee beans. This stuff is loaded with Vitamin C and antioxidants. It is made cane sugar, has no carbonation, and has only 70 calories per packet. Click the image to see product on their site.

So easy to make this, it's great when I am on the go. I just grab my Blender Bottle ($6.49) and fill with 16 oz of cold water, add the packet and shake shake shake! This comes out really sweet, which I like. Simply add more water if you don't like how sweet it's tasting. I drink this on days where I know I'm going to have classes all day until late at night and I am going to need all the energy I can get. I'll drink this in the afternoon so that it's really working about that time when I'm wanting to take a nap instead of do my homework

Be aware that this acts as a diuretic and will make you have to urinate a lot for a bit after drinking it!

It comes in 6 of these nice little packets you could easily stick in your purse or bag for work, school, traveling, you name it! This is the only flavor of the VIA Refreshers that I have tried. They also come in other delicious flavors like Cool Lime, Strawberry Lemonade, Valencia Orange, and Iced Coffee packets for you coffee lovers. They are available at Walgreens and Albertson's that I have seen if you don't happen to have a Starbucks nearby.

I absolutely love this stuff. What more could you ask for in a healthy energy, low calorie, tasty Starbucks drink! If you give it a try let us know what you think! 

These drinks also come in carbonated bottled form, available at Starbucks and Albertson's in the delicious flavors of strawberry lemonade, raspberry pomegranate, and blueberry acai.  This post is not sponsored.

Coconut Oil for Your Skin

Need a luxurious skin remedy that won't put a hole in your wallet?  

This has lasted me so long because while I do use it on my hair, I use it mostly for my skin. This works its magic on sunburns, rashes, dry and sensitive skin, and even oily skin like mine. The big misconception for people with oily skin is that you should strip the oils, but this will irritate your skin and cause it to produce more oil. I use this on my skin every night in the winter and in the summer when I feel my skin needs some love. I got this at Walgreens for $10 in the vitamin isle (not the cooking isle). It is available on Amazon for $12.38 and free shipping!

What you need to look for and why: Organic, extra virgin, all natural, and unrefined is best for skin and hair, it's coconut oil in its pure form and it will have the actual delicious smell of coconuts (It's personal preference really, if you don't like the smell or feel you'd rather have refined then you can usually find refined in the cooking section)! There are no chunky bits in this Spectrum brand. It is so smooth and melts at above 76 degrees Fahrenheit. It doesn't need to be refrigerated. To heat it up in the cold months of winter I just fill up my sink with hot water and let this tub sit in there for a few minutes. I prefer not to microwave because I would always be reheating and reheating this tub and stripping it of some of its nutrients. This stuff melts very fast!

First of all, you want to be very careful when using tubs to wash your hands before dipping into the tub. You don't want this to become a pool of germs that end up causing negative effects on your skin. Or, you can simply apply it with a cotton pad or Q tip for spot treating. On nights like tonight I was feeling generous and dipped one side of the cotton pad in and dabbed all over my face (a little goes a long way). Do not dip the same Q tip or cotton pad back into the tub either!

I have never had a problem using this around my eye area but avoid the area if it makes you nervous. I do apply moisturizer and let it dry before applying this, but you can use this alone as a moisturizer if you like.

At first you may feel like your skin is way too wet but you will wake up and, because coconut oil is so amazing and natural, your skin drinks it right up. For spot treatments on acne that is in the healing process, I dip the Q tip into the tub and just apply to that single area. I have noticed my skin healing much faster when using this and also helping with redness and irritation. It is so gentle and soothing. Sometimes I even apply this to my body's dry areas like the elbows, feet, cuticles, anywhere!

So find your favorite use or do them all! Whether it's for cooking, skin, hair, bath (or my upcoming post.. as eyelash and eyebrow serum), you need this in your life!

Let us know if & how you use coconut oil! Enjoy! 

You Drink What?!

Yes. I am one of those people who drinks APPLE CIDER VINEGAR! 

Why are so many people into this craze?

Every morning after I get ready and right before I eat I drink apple cider vinegar. There are so many great things in this stuff! Despite all the hype about this, some of it's claimed affects haven't been proven. What we do know about apple cider vinegar is that it contains a ton of vitamins and minerals, it can be used for weak bones, losing weight, muscle cramps, stomach aches, sore throats, cleaning out your sinuses, and high blood pressure. It can also help rid toxins from your body, slow aging, reduce cholesterol and help with infections. Apple cider vinegar can also be used as a toner for your skin to prevent/rid of acne(I have yet to try this one) when combined with water. It can be used for soothing a sunburn, mosquito bites, dry scalp issues, and so much more (Web MD). Again, some of its affects haven't been medically proven. But with all of its amazing ingredients why not give it a try?

What to look for at the grocery store: You want to buy the organic, raw, unfiltered, unpasteurized kind containing "the mother." The 16 oz bottle you see here costs about $5.00 and lasts me a long time (I found one double this size for the same price on Amazon). It does not need to be kept refrigerated. This is naturally gluten free and will give you the most health benefits. The bottle says you can drink it up to three times daily but I only drink it once per day.
This is how I drink it: I pour 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar into a glass and pour a little water in it (about 1 part ACV and two parts water). I only pour a little water in it so I can drink it faster. Let me tell you now... This stuff does not taste great! The first few times I drank it I was having to choke it down but I have become much more used to it now. I really don't mind drinking it! Like I said you can drink this up to three times per day in 1-2 tsp servings mixed with water but instead of doing that I just drink 1 tbsp in the morning instead of a tsp per serving.

If mixed into a drink with 1-2 tsps honey it is said to help with weakening bones. Bragg also has their own little recipe on the back of the bottle. Since I have been drinking this I have noticed clearer skin, digestion, growing hair, and it has soothed my sore throats and stomach pains. Use this stuff for whatever you like, I couldn't see the harm in trying something so healthy!

Let us know if you have tried this and what it has done for you!

Thanks for reading!