Wellness

Real Sh*t, Wellness

Essential oils and diffusing is SUCH a thing right now, and I am obsessed. Completely. Diffusing oils is the best to make your home smell amazing, to feel better, and just to make your home more vibe-y. You know what I mean if you have a diffuser. When I am at home, you can bet I am diffusing oils.

Another big benefit of diffusing essential oils is that the ones I am going to show you today are non-toxic and plant-based…so you don’t have to worry about being poisoned by gross chemicals.

I’ve spoken about my anxiety here on the blog before, and it is something that I deal with regularly, so I recently did some research on the best oils to use to help with anxiety. THERE ARE SO MANY! I have tried most of the recommended oils and I am here to share my absolute faves with you.

Adding in the use of essential oils with other self-care things like meditation, yoga, therapy, etc. will add to your arsenal of combative techniques.

♡ Lavender oil: Lavender oil is the all encompassing oil and can be used for anxiety, to help with sleep, and ease your mind. Think: relaxation and serenity.

♡ Tangerine oil: Any citrus oil can brighten your mood when your anxiety is making you feel depressed and sad. Orange/tangerine oil is known to be the best of the citrus oils for this purpose. I love to mix orange essential oil with eucalyptus oil for the most amazing spa-like experience in my bathroom.

♡ Bergamont oil: Bergamot oil comes from bergamot oranges and has an invigorating citrus scent (see above for orange oil being amazing for anxiety). According to a 2015 study, both animal and human trials have found that bergamot helps relieve anxiety and improve mood.

♡ Ylang Ylang oil: Ylang Ylang oil is a beautiful floral scent and is used in aromatherapy to promote relaxation. According to a 2006 study on nurses, inhaling a blend of ylang ylang, lavender, and bergamot lowered stress and anxiety levels, blood pressure, heart rate, and serum cortisol.

My favorite blends:

♡ Well-Being oil: If you are just getting started with essential oils, I highly recommend trying out some of Saje’s blends. Well-Being is my all time favorite because it’s a blend of some of my favorite scents: lavender, neroli, and cypress. We already talked about lavender, and neroli is a floral, citrus note to instill feelings of peace and harmony. Cypress centers the emotions and stimulates the senses with a fresh, woodsy aroma. AKA it’s pretty much perfection when it comes to helping with anxiety.

My best tip is to use essential oils consistently. I keep my faves in my car, too, so that I can use them all day.

Beauty, Real Sh*t, Wellness

First things first, I have quite the history when it comes to having fake nails. I got my first acrylic set when I was 12 years old because I thought the french manicure was so cool. You know what I’m talking about! I loved the long square shaped french was just so chic. LOL!

I would continue to get them done occasionally, but took several year breaks until a few years ago, when I was just sick of my natural nails constantly breaking. So 3 years ago, I jumped back on the acrylic train and didn’t stop until recently.

The #1 reason that I wanted to stop getting acrylics was actually because I also topped them with gel polish, which meant that I was putting my hands under UV light every other week. I know that nail techs will tell you that there is no risk, but there’s just no way around it. UV light is no bueno. I also wanted a more natural solution to my thin, brittle nail situation.

Enter dip powder. OH-EM-GEE, guys, this is life changing. Unlike Acrylic, manicure dip does not make use of any special chemicals to help it harden. And compared to Gel manicures, it does not require the special UV rays necessary for curing. {Source}

Dip powder application involves applying a base and then dipping them in powder. The powder adds the colors, and they come in different colors and shines. {Source}.

I was nervous that after removing my acrylics, which was a NIGHTMARE by the way (it took me 6 hours), that my nails would break even with the dip powder. Nope. It’s been 3 months since I’ve been getting them done, and my nails have remained strong and they have even grown out quite a bit. There are no “tips” on my nails, I just have the dip powder laid over my natural nails and they are thriving.

I. KEEP UP WITH NAIL APPOINTMENTS

When I got acrylics, I stuck with the same person because she GOT me. She always got my shape just right, and knew which colors I’d like. I was so sad to leave her because she doesn’t do dip manicures, but I have found someone at a new salon that does a great job. I recommend going every other week and sticking with the same person. This may require trial and error, but once you find the right person, keep them!

2. ALL ABOUT THE POWDER DIPS

We talked about dip before, but it really is the best alternative to gel and acrylics because it’s natural – the powder is fortified with vitamin E and calcium. It’s a win win. No damage, no chipping, no UV light…I mean, what could be better?!

3. USE CUTICLE OIL

If you’re trying to repair damaged nails or grow your nails longer, using a vitamin E oil on your cuticles helps a lot. It also helps keep your hands looking hydrated which is a bonus. I love this one from Jason.

Wellness

I have been studying successful people’s morning routines lately and trying them out. Why? Because your morning is so important — it sets the tone of the entire day…so if you can control your morning to be amazing, most likely, your entire day will also be amazing. At least that’s the goal. Ever since I can remember, my mornings have been chaotic. Whether it’s waking up later than I intended, or having to race somewhere, or feeling like I need to check my emails, it is NOT a good way to start the day.

I am still guilty of checking my phone first thing in the morning, and I know that is so not recommended because checking your emails and texts causes a reaction…sometimes negative, which is just the worst way to start the day.

I am still perfecting my morning routine, so I’m not going to share all that I am doing quite yet, however there is one thing that I have been doing consistently for months that HAS made a difference in the way that I feel.

GETTING COLD.

Yep, getting physically cold with an ice cold shower and/or using an ice roller.

“When practiced on a regular basis, cold water immersion can even provide long-lasting changes to your body’s immune, lymphatic, circulatory and digestive systems that enhance the overall quality of your life.” – Tony Robbins

The benefits of cold water:

Improves Lymphatic System:

The lymphatic system is a network of vessels that run throughout the body, helping take away waste, bacteria and microbes from your cells, essentially cleansing your body. Unlike your blood, which is constantly pumped through your body by the heart, your lymph fluid doesn’t have a central pump. Instead, your lymphatic system relies on muscle contraction to pump the lymph fluid through the vessels. So if you don’t exercise or your lymphatic system itself becomes slow or inefficient, the fluid stagnates and toxins build up, manifesting in colds, joint pain, infection and, in more serious instances, disease.

Cold water immersion causes your lymph vessels to contract, forcing your lymphatic system to pump lymph fluids throughout your body, flushing the waste out of the area. This then triggers the immune system’s white blood cells to attack and destroy any unwanted substance in the fluid. In a way, it’s sort of a domino effect – the cold water affects the lymphatic system, which in turn affects the immune system, which ultimately keeps you feeling happy and healthy.

Improves circulation:

Cardiovascular circulation is rarely something that crosses our minds, but it happens to be one of the most critical components to our overall health and well-being. With poor cardiovascular circulation, not only is the blood flow compromised, the heart becomes stressed. And this can ultimately lead to health problems like fatigue, headaches, high blood pressure, muscle cramping or even heart attack and stroke. With improved circulation, on the other hand, we can improve heart health, enhance mental performance, boost the immune system and the body’s metabolism, and simply give ourselves more strength and energy to live our lives the way we want.

Boosts Happiness:

A 2007 research study found that cold showers can help treat depression symptoms, and if used on a routine basis, may be more beneficial than prescription medications in lifting moods. The reason for this, in scientific terms, is due to the stimulation of the dopaminergic transmission in the mesocorticolimbic and nigrostriatal pathway. Or, in layman’s speak, cold water triggers a flood of mood-boosting neurotransmitters, which make you feel happy. A separate study that analyzed the effects of regular winter swimming on the mood of swimmers showed that after four months of routine cold water swimming, the subjects felt more energetic, active and spritely than the control group.

{via Tony Robbins}

Taking your first several cold showers is fucking miserable, while you’re ‘in’ it. However, it does become easier. If you try this out, make sure you do it in short bursts, and then get warm again. I will stand under freezing cold water for 10-30 seconds, and then turn it to HOT again.

If you’re apprehensive about the cold shower, try splashing cold water on your face in the morning or use an ice roller. I love my ice roller first thing in the morning because it reduces puffiness. This one from Amazon is amazing!

xo, Lynn

Real Sh*t, Wellness

Who doesn’t want white teeth?! Our teeth can yellow due to genetics, what we eat and drink – hello coffee lovers! I love me some coffee, so making sure that I keep my smile white and bright is very important to me. Let’s get into 3 ways to make your smile whiter AND maintain it:

1. SMILE BRILLIANT SYSTEM

What’s better than a dentist quality whitening? NOT going to the dentist to whiten your teeth! Smile Brilliant offers dentist quality whitening without having to sit in the chair. You know, that anxiety inducing char. Okay, even if it is for whitening, I still don’t like it!

Anyway, Smile Brilliant offers two different systems: one for people with sensitive teeth and one non-sensitive. You guys…their system is really the best. And it’s easy & made just for you. What do I mean? You’ll take a mold of your teeth, send it to Smile Brilliant, and then they’ll send you custom trays to use. Want more info? “From dental lab to your door. Our teeth whitening process is recommended by more dentists than any other procedure in America. We proudly produce our custom-fitted whitening trays right here in the United States for 70% less than your dentist and 3x to 5x faster. We ship worldwide & our customers trust our team’s honesty and experience.” How is that for amazing?

I was afraid that my teeth and/or gums would hurt from the whitening gel, but I felt no discomfort. I used the trays everyday until I was out of syringes, and recommend doing this for the best and fastest results.

See the my results for yourself:

2. BE MANIPULATIVE!

A fake tan and a good lipstick will do the trick. Both will make your teeth look A LOT whiter.

Let’s get specific. Opt for a natural looking tan. My favorites are NKD SKN and Loving Tan. Neither brand sells orange toned tanners. The same goes for lipstick – go for cool toned colors to make your teeth look more white. Orange-y tones will bring out the yellow in your teeth. So, if you go for red, use a blue toned red.

3. USE A CLEAN TOOTHPASTE

By clean, I mean using a toothpaste without the bad shit such as: carrageenan, fluoride, and sweeteners. Yes, many toothpastes contain all of these ingredients! My new favorite is from Dr. Bronner’s. It’s pepperminty and fresh, and makes your smile sparkle and your mouth feel clean.

Side note: Before I started using Dr. Bronner’s, I was using a charcoal toothpaste because I thought that it was beneficial for dental health and the color of your teeth. While charcoal toothpastes DO whiten your teeth, they are also damaging to your tooth enamel. We’re talking permanent damage.

“Prolonged use of charcoal to whiten teeth is likely to lead to dramatic enamel erosion and permanent damage to the tooth with incredibly superficial results.” – Smile Brilliant

I am so grateful to Smile Brilliant for educating me on this, as I would have continued on using charcoal toothpaste. Check out their page HERE for more info.

**GIVEAWAY**

Smile Brilliant is so kind to give away a whitening kit to one lucky winner!

Want to get a system now? Smile Brilliant is offering my readers 15% off any kit with code: allgussiedup15 at SmileBrilliant.com !

Good luck!

xo, Lynn

Wellness

TURMERIC LATTES.

Have you tried one?

I have been making my coffee each morning with turmeric after having the best iced turmeric coffee ever in Newport Beach, and had to recreate it at home..

You’ve probably seen turmeric everything everywhere lately, and it’s not surprising, because ayuerveda is becoming more and more popular…and turmeric is a key spice used in ayurvedic recipes.

Most benefits of turmeric come from its key compound, curcumin, which has strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antiseptic properties.

Here is a list of turmeric’s benefits for your health:

♡ treats colds and coughs
♡ detoxifies
♡ boosts immunity
♡ helps with inflammation
♡ reduces period cramps
♡ makes skin GLOW

Let’s talk about the recipe: