I fell in love... with Shea Butter!

This is the brand of ASB I've been using.

 Shea Butter is the new cocoa butter! Well, at least in my world it is.  However, it is so much better than cocoa butter to me.  Coming from a die hard "Cocoa Butter Girl", that's saying a lot!

One of the best things that has happened to me since I stopped relaxing(perming) my hair is my discovery of shea butter.  I didn't rush out to buy it at first, but one day after spending over $80 on an expensive hair care line and still not getting the results I wanted, I decided to give shea butter a try.  Thank goodness I did! I mixed shea butter and coconut oil together and it worked wonders on my coily tresses.  I then used the same mixture on the rest of my body.  Guess who won't be spending $16 on a tub of The Body Shop's Body Butter any more?  Yeah, you guessed right...ME!  Do you see why I'm in love with this stuff?  I'm saving so much money already, but it doesn't stop there.

I also began using 100% natural African Shea Butter on my face as a moisturizer.  I wash my face with African Black Soap and then apply a small amount of shea butter afterwards.  My skin is looking and feeling better and better every day. (I will do a post on African Black Soap and my skin care routine soon because this soap deserves its own post.)

Okay, so this is why I absolutely fell in love with shea butter.  It makes a great lip balm.  I used to spend $8 a tube on The Body Shop's Vitamin E lip care stick because it was the only thing I could find to work on my very sensitive lips.  Sometimes you just have to make the sacrifice, ladies. I'm just saying! Having soft, kissable lips is a must for me.  I can't be walking around here with dry chapped lips. No Ma'am!  Of course paying $8 for a tube of lip balm was always very painful for me and I was always on the lookout for something just as good but less expensive.  I then found Chapstick's 100% Naturals Lip Butter. Now this stuff was amazing and it only cost $3 per tube.  Talking about being one happy camper!  I was happy until they discontinued it. :-(  Doesn't that make you mad?  You finally find a really good product that works for you and then the company discontinues it. Un.Be.Lievable!  So now I'm on the hunt again for a lip balm.  After buying several brands that I wasn't happy with, I found Burt Bee's Nourishing with Mango Butter.  It wasn't as good as the Chapstick, but it was the best I could find for $3.  I had been using the Nourishing for a while until one day I reluctantly rubbed some plain shea butter on my lips.  I waited and watched for a bad reaction, but I didn't get any.  It's been about 3 weeks now and I think it is safe to say that shea butter is a winner as a lip balm for my sensitive lips.  I'm in Shea Butter Love Heaven!

To recap, I've replaced expensive hair care products, skin care products (body butter), facial moisturizers and lip care products all with 100% Natural African Shea Butter.  I used the TAHA brand pictured above that I purchased at a local beauty supply store for $2.99 + tax for an 8 oz tub.  You can get it even cheaper if you buy it in larger quantities.  Check out Amazon.com for cheaper prices, too.  Shea butter is a natural product that comes from the African Shea Tree and it's so good for you. It lasts a really long time because a little goes a long way.

If you don't use shea butter already, give it a try and let me know how you like it.
If you are already using shea butter, please share with us how you are using it.  We'd love to learn more good things about this awesome product.

Make a Great Weekend!  ~rena

Fall Back

Nature's Beauty in Cherokee, NC.  

Hello, Everybody!
It's been a while since I last posted a blog entry, but hopefully this time I'm back for the long-haul.
My family & I just returned from an extended weekend trip to the Smoky Mountains in Cherokee, NC.  The mountains are so beautiful!  Seeing the leaves turn into warm fall colors and breathing in the fresh mountain air was very therapeutic. Being one with nature has a way of clearing your mind and enlivening your spirits.  It did me so much good to get away from the busyness of Metro Atlanta and to be able to sit back, relax and bask in nature's sunshine & beauty.  I am renewed! :)

While away I had a chance to really think about life and what's important to me.  Of course family & friends were at the top of my list, but helping others succeed was at the top also.  Not only do I want to help others prosper in their businesses, I also want to help others in their personal lives in regards to Health & Wellness (www.EatMostlyRaw.com).

Kale is the New Beef! (I love my new t-shirt)

You see, over the past couple of years I've been going through a transformation and I'm feeling so much better about life right now.  Everything is falling into place and seems to be working out.  My spirit is high.  I've adapted to a healthier lifestyle.  I'm focused on eating a mostly raw diet now and I'm exercising more.  I also stopped putting relaxers in my hair about 2 years ago and I'm loving my natural hair. I can wear it straightened or curly and I love it!  Another part of my transformation is that I'm learning to live with a lot less "stuff".  I don't shop as much as I used to and I'm learning to appreciate the things I already have.  So refreshing!  I'm looking forward to sharing more of the things I've been learning, doing and enjoying in my life lately.

So what am I doing now?  Right now I'm working on a Special Edition of Smart Woman Atlanta magazine.  I'm hoping to distribute the printed copies some time during the month of December.  I've put it out in the universe, so now it must be done. :)
It's time for us to re-connect with each other. Support each other's businesses. Share tips & trips that will enrich our lives.  We need to create a sisterhood of women who cares about each other and who wish nothing but the best for the next woman.  Together we can help each other live happier lives and create happier & stronger families in the process.

I'm looking forward to sharing my journey with you.  Look out 2013. Here we come!!!

~rena

Thin Mints (Eat This...Not That!)

Thin Mint Cookies

Hello everyone!

Girl Scout Cookies are still floating around town...and I want some! :-)
Thin Mints are my absolute favorites.  I used to buy at least 4 boxes of Thin Mints every year and I didn't have to freeze any of them for later because they never lasted that long.  LOL!  So this year, I decided not to purchase any GS Cookies.  As long as I don't bring certain foods into my house, I'm usually good about not eating those food items.

Image my surprise when I walked downstairs the other day and sitting on the table was a box of my all time favorite GS Cookies.  Oh no!!! How am I gonna resist the temptation to eat 1 (or some) of these cookies?!?   Well, I walked around looking at this box of tastiness for about a week, wondering and hoping that my nephew would just eat the whole box already. :)

Thin Mint Green Smoothie

Then it hit me...
Why don't you just make a Thin Mint Green Smoothie? 
Duh! (do people still say that?)
So that's what I did.  YUM!  My craving was O-V-E-R!!!

Thin Mint Green Smoothie Recipe:
2 Frozen Bananas
2 Handfuls Spinach
1 TBS Cacao Powder
1TBS Cacao Nibs
1 TSP Peppermint Oil
Agave (sweeten to your taste; start with 2 tablespoons)
2 Cups Cold Water 
Preparation: Blend all ingredients until smooth.  Pour in a glass & enjoy!

Note: adjust ingredients to suit your taste.

Question of the day:
What is/was your favorite flavor of Girl Scout Cookies?

everybody's Nuts!

 
Hey Guys!
Just wanted to share my new favorite snack with all of you.
I'm so excited about these things. I just can't stop eating them. :)
I'm telling you, they are highly addictive.  Once you start eating them, it's so hard to put the bag down.

My niece introduced me to them and I'm kinda mad that I even tried them. I can eat a whole entire bag (7oz) in one setting.  I know...that's so bad...but they are oh so good.

I found these little gems at Publix and Walmart.  So the next time you are out and about and looking for a healthier snack, grab a bag of these Salt & Pepper flavored everybody's Nuts! California Pistachios. Your taste buds will be glad you did! :-)

 




These are some large size pistachios and they are very easy to open.

Since I've been going nuts over these pistachios, I thought it would be a good idea to increase my exercise, so I bought this jump rope.  I purchased one for my niece and nephew, too.  I figured we can think of some fun ways to get in some exercise that we wouldn't otherwise.  They are very competitive so this should be very interesting and filled with lots of laughter.
I can see the neighbors now, looking at us like we're crazy. LOL!
Of course it is all in fun and all about being healthy.

I picked these jump ropes up at Walmart for under $3 each, but I heard that some of the Dollar Stores sell jump ropes that are probably just as effective for $1 each.

Okay, that's it for now. Just wanted to do a quick 'share' with you all.

Have a great weekend!

Good-4-U Smoothie

Strawberry-Nana-Flax Green Smoothie

Since the beginning of the year (January 3rd), I've been really focusing on what types of foods I nourish my body with.

I started the Master Cleanse on January 3rd and completed 10 days.  I then juiced using fresh fruits & veggies for another 10 days.   Since then, I've not eaten any poultry.  I've basically been eating lots of fresh fruits & veggies (both raw & cooked), nuts, seeds, grains and salmon.  I stopped eating beef and pork about a year ago.

I'm very surprised that I'm doing so well in choosing the foods I eat.  I don't feel deprived at all.  It's almost like my body and taste buds just switched over to a different level.  I really don't know how to explain it, but I'm very glad of the food choices I've been making lately.  If it wasn't for the salmon, I could easily switch over to being a vegan because I've pretty much cut out all dairy products and eggs, too.  I used to love eggs, but I don't crave them any more for some reason.  I don't know why, but I'll roll with that.

So, lately I've been on this Green Smoothie kick.  I've been wanting to increase my intake of Flax seed so I started adding it to my Green Smoothies.  I love it! It's nutritious and very filling.  I drink a Green Smoothie almost daily for breakfast.

For the recipe, please visit my other blog, Eat Mostly Raw (<---- click on the link <----).  I encourage you to give this smoothie a try. It is a great meal replacement for breakfast and it will keep you full until around lunch time.  BTW, flax seed is very nutritious. It helps to fight cancer and diabetes as well as helps to reduce menopausal symptons.  In addition to that, flax seed also aids in weight loss.


What ingredients do you like to put in your smoothies?

All You 'Gotta' Do Is Walk

I finally put on my new running shoes that I purchased last summer. LOL!

Walking...does a body good.
Body movement is a key component to a Healthy Living Lifestyle.  It is just as important as eating a healthy meal filled with fruits and vegetables.

If you do not currently exercise and are just starting an exercise routine, walking is a great way to get your body moving.  For starters, you don't have to pay for a gym membership. Walking in your neighborhood is FREE of charge. You are also not bound by gym hours. You have the flexibility to walk whenever it is convenient for you. If you own a treadmill at home, it is even more convenient, because you don't have to worry about the weather.

Of course the most important benefit about walking is that it gives you an overall body workout. It is less strenuous on the body so you are prone to less injuries.  You can always increase your walking exercises by adding weights to your wrists and ankles.

So, what is needed to begin a Walking Exercise Program?
Not very much is needed really.  All that is needed is comfortable clothing and a good pair of walking/running shoes.

What type of exercises are you doing to get your body moving?

Healthy Celebration

Dessert Platter

Valentine's Day is a time to celebrate Love & Happiness.
In our culture, most people like to celebrate by sharing a meal of delicious foods topped off with yummy desserts.  If you are watching your weight or just eating healthier in general, you can still enjoy delicious foods.  Here's what I chose to eat for my Valentine's Day dinner. It was healthy and quite delicious.

Dinner

For dinner, I served grilled salmon, spinach stir-fry and freshly sliced cherry tomatoes. I love tomatoes!
The spinach stir-fry and salmon were both prepared using olive oil and the tomatoes were simply sprinkled with sea salt.

Dessert (pictured above) was a raw dessert platter that included fresh whole strawberries. The strawberries were so sweet...they were perfect. So, what are those heart-shaped thingies? LOL!  They are delicious little morsels of raw goodness. I call them Brazil Nut Dateys (cookies). No sugar is added to these little bad boys making them a very healthy treat. They are made using raw organic Brazil nuts, coconut flakes, barhi dates, and a pinch of sea salt.  I added organic cacao powder  to some of the mixture to create a chocolate flavor.  After all, what is Valentine's Day without chocolate, right?  These little dateys were shaped into mini hearts using a heart-shaped mold, which created the perfect bite-size portion, in honor of Valentine's Day. No guilt there! :-)

I hope everyone enjoyed their Valentine's Day whether you are single or in a relationship. I really enjoyed my evening.

What did your Valentine's Day dinner consist of?