Unboxing #NDL07 from Quarterly Co.

This quarter's delivery from No More Dirty Looks via Quarterly Co. is for girls a bit more girly than I am. I don't do manicures or even keep nail polish around. I simply keep things clean, short, moisturized, and smooth edged. I won't let that color my opinion though because most ladies like to keep their nails a bit more decorated. 

Glass Nail File from Czech Glass

Since I like to keep my nails simple - this glass nail file is my favorite part of the package. Before now I didn't even know glass nail files were a thing. It's pretty, easily cleaned, and lasts forever. The enclosed letter (still envelope free!) says it allows more precise shaping and is less harsh on nails than emery or steel. 

RGB Nail Lacquer

I usually only paint my nails for special occasions, but this punchy Too Red color is fun and classic. Other colors people may have received in this mailing were Coral, Punch, and Pink. This product is five-free meaning it does NOT contain formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin, or camphor. Yay!

PRITI NYC Soy Nail Polish Remover Pads

These 100% biodegradable wipes are disposable, but are made with essential oils and other non-toxic ingredients. Tiny and easy to carry with you in case you have a manicure emergency. They arrived in this little tote which is cute and I'll totally find a use for it after the individual wipes are gone.

Unboxing #NDL06 from Quarterly Co.

Trying out envelope-free contributor letters - Love it.

This crinkly brown filler is my favorite.

Vapour Multi-Use Lip & Cheek Stain in Impulse 209:

So glad to get this because the last multi-use stick I got from a different company actually made me break out terribly. Looks classy in the tube and gorgeous on my skin. Feels silky smooth instead of sticky or gel-like. Super-easy to create a barely there glow or wowza party glam. Love Love Love Love Love It.

From the site - " Vapour Aura Multi-Use Blush is made with 70% Certified Organic ingredients and 30% mineral pigments & vitamins. Nourishes with Vapour’s face specific infusion of anti-inflammatory Frankincense, antioxidant Tulsi and moisturizing & calming Lotus flowers."

Honeybee Gardens Truly Natural Mascara in Black Magic:

I've been procrastinating on trying a clean mascara because I'm so attached to my old dirty stuff. My eyes are also easily irritated by makeup, so trying new mascara is risky no-fun business.

This new clean honeybee item gets screamingly good reviews by others, but personally I found that after about 47 strokes and multiple applications - I couldn't tell if I had any mascara on at all. I wouldn't let it put you off from trying it - 'cause apparently I'm in the minority here. Click through up there for tons of other (happier) reviews. However, for me, this product is useless.

On the upside - I still wore it all day with zero irritation, it stayed put (no runs!), yet washed away with a few splashes of water at the end of the day.

12 Symptoms of Spiritual Awakening

Source: http://www.recoverytradepublications.com/blog.html?entry=12-symptoms-of-a-spiritual

The Year so Far

It's been an interesting year so far. I've been working on a lot of things. Some yoga, some art, some reading, had a birthday, etc.

Last month I won the book Hell Bent from Just here. Just now. and it took me longer than I would've liked to finish reading it. This isn't a review post so I won't really go into it, but it's definitely a worthy read.

I do have a full book review coming up soon for B.K.S. Iyengar's new book Core of the Yoga Sutras which I'm reading now. I'm not a fast/committed reader so bear with me. I can be easily distracted, but I promise it's coming.

I started a deviantART page with some of my artwork on it. A lot of my stuff is also quite large in real life - like 4 feet tall 4 feet wide. I'm running out of room to keep them all piled up everywhere. Creating can be a good outlet and even meditative. If you're not involved in anything creative I suggest you give it a shot. It's good for your health.

Healthy Vegetarian Eats

If you've been unfortunate enough to have oral surgery of any kind then you're familiar with having nothing to eat for a few days but the likes of pudding and meal replacement shakes. I tire of the same food excessively fast. After all the tomato soup and spaghettios-esque meals - I may never eat tomato-based products again. (Never say Never.)  By the end of week One I was watching an unappealing amount of FoodTV and I investigated a lot of food pins on Pinterest. I've been kind of obsessed. I really love food. Adam got some interesting meals out of it anyway.

Here's some yummy-looking items that I came across in my time spent glued to pictures of edibles. It just so happens they're all meat-free.

Broccoli Parmesan Fritters:
I love broccoli so I can't wait to make this. Click through for the recipe, and some serving ideas. Like topped with egg, garlic-lemon yogurt, or homemade ricotta.

Green Bean, Mushroom, and Caramelized Onion Tart:
I've never had a tart of any kind, and I don't actually like mushrooms. However, these pictures have sold me on this delicious looking recipe. Suggested as an appetizer or a light meal.

Portobello Mushroom and Kale Stroganoff:
I love the look of this way healthier version of the always delightful stroganoff. Looks easy to make which is always a plus no matter how experienced you are in the kitchen.

Find these recipes and more on my Food Pinterest Board.

Unboxing #NDL05 from Quarterly Co.

The latest delivery from No More Dirty Looks via Quarterly Co. arrived late last week. Luckily I was recovered enough from my wisdom teeth extraction (all 4) to be excited about it and brave the 4 degrees Fahrenheit outdoors long enough to hike it in from the mailbox at the end of the driveway. 

The theme of #NDL05 is "Wake Up Glowing". 

The products and tips in this bundle all help you achieve the healthy beautiful glowing skin everyone aspires to without slathering yourself in creepy carcinogens.

They start in this quarter's letter by reminding you that beauty comes from the inside - so get plenty of sleep, healthy fats, omega-3s, exercise, and do things that make you feel good like making out with someone you love, meditating, or getting a massage. The only thing they somehow left out is to drink tons of water. Staying hydrated is one of the easiest/best things you can do for bright lovely skin.

Vivare Exfoliating Skin Cloth:

When I opened my package I immediately recoiled at this cloth looking ugly and cheap, but I really don't like blue. Other lucky people got pinks, purples, and greens which are cheerful and cute.

What does it do and what do I think?

It's a big scrubby cloth, so it exfoliates dead skin cells off and increases circulation. It also lathers really well so you can use less soap and rinses/dries really easily. It came with a warning to use a light hand, but I scrubbed the crap outta myself and couldn't seem to make it unpleasant. Turns out I really like it. 

One Love Organics Brand New Day sample:

To quote the site: "Soothing organic sweet pea flour and fresh pineapple enzymes polish off dead skin cells while helping to protect the new ones." Gentle enough to use every day. Arrives dry, you mix it into a paste and scrub or use it as a mask. The only thing in the box I haven't tried yet.

One Love Organics Morning Glory:

This brightening complexion booster smells awesome and comes in one of those great little brown bottles I'm infatuated with. I enjoy using this, but have only put it on twice. So I don't know yet if it's working it's magic or not. Lots of great reviews... and it's worth it just for the scent.

Their site also has product tutorials for the curious or confused.

W3LL PEOPLE Universalist 2:

This multi-use luminizer brightens your face without sparkles and glitters. Which have their place, but it's not in most people's everyday. This stuff is easy to apply and if you buy the full sized stick it will last a long time.

Closed for Renovations

Taking the week off for oral surgery. 

No amount of pranayama could prepare me for the anxiety I feel about having teeth cut out of my jaw, but this is a fairly accurate representation of my wisdom teeth. Unfortunately for me - they've gotta go.

Picture not mine.

Consider this next photo a summation of what I would've said this week:

This pic, also not mine.

Healthy Eating Ideas

Today I want to talk about food. I love food. I really really love food. My measured stress levels are regularly lower when I know I'm about to eat. Food is what fuels your body, and if you choose the right things it's downright delighful. By choosing healthy items in a variety of colors, textures, and carb/protein levels - you can get more energy and better health just by what you eat.

Here's a few delicious looking ideas from me to you. Find these and more on my Pinterest Food Board.

Healthy Wrap:
1/2 cup chopped chicken, 3 Tbsp Fuji apples chopped, 2 Tbsp red grapes chopped, 2 tsp honey, 2 Tbsp almond butter. Mix and wrap in a Romaine lettuce leaf.

Cucumber Subs:
Really any sandwich filling works for this bread-free sandwich. This one includes turkey, dijon mustard and laughing cow cheese. 

Vegetarian Sweet Potato Burgers with Avocado:
This had me at sweet potatoes and avocado. Click Through for the recipe and lots of pics.

Grilled Ham and Cheese on Waffles:
This one might be questionable on health-appeal 'cause I doubt frozen waffles are winning many health awards. Still - I don't know why my sandwiches haven't been using waffles as bread since always. Click through for the recipe.

Yoga Video for the Winter Blues

Today is the Winter Solstice (some people think it's also the end of the world but let's focus on the more likely instance of winter).

I live in Idaho these days. In a pretty upbeat part, but still kind of northward as far as weather is concerned. Living up north can suck. I don't like wind, cold, or grey skies... and snow gets old real fast. The suckitude of winter can take an especially dark turn for those prone to seasonal depression.

Whether you suffer from S.A.D. or only get a little lacking in motivation for the darker months - you can benefit from today's sequence made specifically for Winter Blues. I guess if you're concerned about the end of the world - this might be for you too. At only 34 minutes long it won't be hard to squeeze it in.

Good for beginners. Do this as often as you feel like.

Readers via Email - Click Here for the Video.

Simple Healthy Breakfasts

Breakfast - the most important meal of the day. Yet most people have trouble getting to work on time - much less managing a healthy filling breakfast first. That being the case, lots of people skip breakfast completely or make do with something atrocious like donuts and coffee.

Here's a few simple healthy breakfasts to inspire you - all of which take about 30 minutes or less.

Baked Eggs in Ham Cups
These are super easy to make, and you can jazz it up or customize your cups easily by throwing in a few chopped veggies.

Berry Breakfast Quinoa
I love quinoa, and I love the idea of making it into breakfast food. This grain is high in protein, so it's spectacular for vegetarians.

Baked Eggs with Wilted Baby Spinach
This picture just looks delicious enough to make me want spinach for breakfast.

Steel Cut Oats Made Easy

Oats are amazingly healthy, filling, and delicious. If you have doubts - maybe you just haven't had the right oats yet. Here's some ideas that take as little as 2 minutes to prepare. Have fun with your oats and learn to love this nutritional powerhouse.

Steel Cut Oats with Banana and Walnuts

This is my favorite way to serve steel cut oats. A single serving size is 1/4 cup uncooked oats. Doesn't sound like much, but these oats are quite filling especially once you top it off with a chopped banana and 1 Tbsp. of walnuts. Click through for the basic recipe.

They generally take around 20 minutes to cook, but steel cut oats are extremely versatile. Cook time can be shortened or lengthened for more or less chewy/creamy oats. I like to cook mine in half water half milk for 30 minutes. Play around with it - change the fruit, change the nuts, throw in some ground flaxseed, try almond milk, whatever you can imagine.

The protein content is not equal in all steel cut oats - I use Bob's Red Mill for the most protein. These are also available in organic, instant, and gluten free.

If you don't want to slave over a pot of oats for 20 minutes - Overnight Steel Cut Oats might be for you. No slow cooker required. You can even divide it into jars for Oats-To-Go all week long.

Still too much? Completely Cook-Free Chai Oats might be your thing.

Unboxing #NDL04 from Quarterly Co.

My fourth delivery from No More Dirty Looks via Quarterly Co. arrived on Black Friday. I was very excited. A little song and dance in my kitchen may have been involved. #NDL04  ran into a few obstacles getting here like backorders and then Hurricane Sandy. This post was then postponed due to conflict with the Gift Guide, so let's get down to business before #NDL05 gets here.

This quarter is all about a little company called Sprout; which due to a recent slew of changes is now called S.W. Basics. From the site: "...all of our ingredients are either certified organic, Fair Trade, or sourced from small family farms."

With S.W. Basics the packaging is pretty, the ingredients are simple, and I think any of their products would make great stocking stuffers.

Sprout Lip Balm Flight is a sleek little tin holding a handy little drawstring bag containing all 4 flavors of lip balm. Available in ethically sourced Beeswax or Vegan. Flavors are Peppermint, Cocoa, Citrus, and Cinnamon. I love love love lip balm, so I was particularly excited about this part. My lips are very important to me.

I dove right into the cocoa flavor which I would characterize as light and delish (in scent and flavor). It's not sticky like some other beeswax balms I usually buy.

2 oz. Sprout Makeup Remover composed of Sweet Almond Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and Jojoba Oil is all organic and doubles as a moisturizer. I'm usually terrible about taking off my makeup at the end of the day, but this oil is providing the incentive to change that. I love the way it feels on my skin, it works even on waterproof mascara, and so far it hasn't caused any breakouts.

Recover with Sleep

Autumn and winter are a time for rest. Menstruation is a period for rest and rejuvenation. At least once a week you should have an "off-day" no matter your fitness plan. Part of a healthy lifestyle is rest. Make sure sleep is a priority. Some people need 7 hours - some people are zombies unless they get closer to 12 hours. Get the right amount of sleep for you.

• Create a bedtime routine that soothes and quiets your system.
• Remove stimulants like caffeine and electronics from your evening.
• Make your sleep space a haven.
• Make it dark - like really dark.
• Oil your skin and wear cozy clothes (if you wear any).
• Don't exercise too close to bedtime.
• Practice calming nighttime yoga if you just have to do something.

The Color of Change

The energy of autumn can be a little bit frenetic because it's a sort of "nesting period" for mammals. It's a time dedicated to preparing for the barren, cold, winter. Like squirrels racing to make sure the food rations are there and bears fattening up for winter hibernation. People tend to do things like rake leaves, make apple cider, gather pumpkins, and other autumn rituals as we transition into a darker quieter environment. Make this fall all about shedding that which doesn't support you on your path, and preparing to nourish your spirit deeply during winter.

In addition to body practices and the internal work you can do - give a little TLC to your living space.

Small changes add up in shifting the energy of your space and life. Little additions like leg warmers, hot drinks, rugs, and fuzzy pillows can add a cozy feeling that you just want to nestle into at the end of the day.

Colors and textures create moods and either nourish or drain your energy. Put some extra thought this season into these things that can affect your psychological and emotional state.

I'm changing the color scheme at home right now. My large pieces are deep purples, reds, and dark woods. I have accents of greens, aquas, whites, and oranges that I can shift and swap out for the cooler seasons. I don't buy all new decor every season or even every year. I only buy things I intend to keep for a lifetime. This fall I'm simply putting away the aquas and bright whites - and pulling out lush comfortable dark grays and spicy orange tones. I'm adding dark throw blankets, artfully placing my favorite decorative pillows, and rearranging so the earth tones are in the spotlight together. In my art studio I'm taking down most of the work on the walls to clear space for fall/winter creative mind.

My autumn revamp is like spring cleaning, but geared toward fall. Throw out your expired food items, make a donation of your excess stuff, organize your keepers, and create a supported feeling in your environment this season.

Today's photos via http://pinterest.com/cosmiclila/winter-fall/

Healing Longterm Injury in Yoga with Kino

In this great video Ashtanga teacher Kino MacGregor discusses how to approach longterm injuries. If you get or have an injury that lasts for months or years - this video has some worthwhile advice for you.

Readers via Email - Click Here for the Video.

Unboxing #NDL03 from Quarterly Co.

It felt like an eternity waiting for my 3rd Quarterly box from No More Dirty Looks. This quarter I received the Skin Saver package. I struggle with my skin all the time, so I'm psyched about this handy pile of stuff. Some of it's dry, some of it is scaly from forearm stands, some of it is acne-prone, some of it has a mild sunburn, and some of it is fine just fine. It's all over the place, and don't even get me started on my cuticles.

The use descriptions in the enclosed letters are getting more vague each time, but I'll totally forgive that because I think the mailings are getting better and better.

Kahina Giving Beauty Argan Oil is supposed to be good for everything. Hair, eyelashes, skin all over - including as a facial moisturizer for acne-prone skin. So far, this is my favorite item in the box.

Essence of Vali Detox Renew Mist  contains essential oils of grapefruit, lemon, cypress and juniper. It smells so light and airy that it brightens up my day in one spritz.

Skincando Combat-Ready Balm is an all purpose skin salve originally used by soldiers in war zones. For a skin salve it's really lightweight which I like. Great stuff made by an eco-friendly company - I'm happy.

Stark Skincare Green Tea Detox Clay Mask - quite simply - it's clay with fruit extract. You add your own liquid/honey and apply as either a full face mask or a spot treatment. Since you add your own liquid - it's highly customizable, ships lighter, and lasts longer. I hear good things, but haven't tried it just yet.

Check Your Stress

Right now I'm totally obsessed with this handy little app. Stress Check by Azumio Inc. (free for Android users) It measures your heart rate and studies variations therein to determine how stressed you are. Then offers little tips on how to relax if your stress rates high (such as taking a walk or deep breathing). 


Just another useful bit of technology to assist with your practice and leading a healthy happy life.


Also available on iTunes.

Cardio for Hot Yoga Bods

It's about that time of year when the weather is warming up and people are realizing that swimsuits are just around the corner. This of course leads to an increase in cardio for so many people that want to burn off extra body fat.

There are lots of forms of cardio to consider:

• Jumping Rope
• Running
• Jogging
• Hula Hooping
• Yoga (yes it can be cardio)
• Plyometrics
• and tons of other combinations of fun things that get your heart rate up for a while...

Running is commonly chosen because it's one of the most effective forms of cardio there is. If you're running then you need to do more stretches both before and after your run (because it's also one of the roughest forms of cardio).

Lululemon offers a nice little article on Five pre-run poses for better running. Go Check it Out!

http://www.lululemon.com/community/blog/five-pre-run-poses/

Update: Lululemon came out with a 2nd article on Five post-run poses for better recovery!

http://www.lululemon.com/community/blog/five-post-run-poses-for-better-recovery/

Clean Nutrition for Yogis

I've made no secret of my love of cake and really all things delicious. I'd be one of those really lean muscley yoginis if I actually made a stronger effort to eat less dessert and snack food.

All that aside - I otherwise eat clean. In my house we've completely sworn off frying foods and as someone who grew up in Texas - that's kind of a big deal. I've wanted to write more about the topic of food for a long time. It's just such a deep topic and I'm sort of lazy about writing sometimes.

So when I saw this post called "Eat Clean: Nutrition for Yogis" over at Alive in the Fire - I figured I'd pass along this great article "on ways to maximize the benefit of the foods you eat before and after class in order to get a great yoga flow." instead of having to write my own. No point in reinventing the wheel.

Go read it.

Source: http://justwanttobehealthyandfit.tumblr.com/

Tara Stiles says Yoga Cures

I received this book to review. It's by Tara Stiles. In it she says that Yoga Cures... and in fact creates "Radiant Health" if you just practice.  How do I feel about this book? Ambivalent. I both love it and hate it.

I'll keep this review short by a simple list of things I do and don't love.

Hate:

• Overstated and dreamy. Maybe this is what selling books requires, but it feels disingenuous.
• Claims that practicing yoga makes you crave healthy foods instead of junk. Not really.
• The page on a "Hangover Cure" has a little grey box that sounds really preachy and judgemental.
• P.34 seems to imply that homeopathy is just as good as (if not better than) modern medicine.
• Chapter 2 cites no sources for a few research studies that could be made up for all we know.
• It's barely mentioned as a sort of disclaimer that - Yoga may not cure what ails you. 

Love:

• Zenspiration notes in the sidebar. Cute.
• The tone and language used is accessible and friendly.
• Tara Stiles loves yoga and believes it is life-changing. On this we agree very much.
• The sequences are short and simple which is perfect for Yoga Cures' primary audience.

Overall:
I appreciate the mission of this book. Yoga truly does help with many of the issues presented in its pages. Yoga Cures has a lot of good things in it surrounded by some baloney that makes it hard to take seriously. Lots of beginners could benefit from the sequences, and meditation/breath-work instructions in this book; but I would never buy this book for myself.