Category: Health

Tips & Tricks #7

by Rachel Barkules

1. When packing, avoid wrinkled clothing by rolling them or wrapping a plastic dry cleaner bag around them.
2. Adding lemon to your water restores the ph of your body.
3. Flying is very dehydrating, drink plenty of water.
4. Put eyeshadow on top of your eyeliner, it helps keep it in place all day.  I use Sigma brush E30 or E65 to apply the eyeshadow on my eyeliner.  Pictures below, I use E30 (left) for a more blown out, smoky look.  I use E65 (right) for a more defined look.

Sigma Brush E30Sigma Brush E65

5. Last but NOT least, the Jaclyn Hill Sigma Expert Beauty Box is back!!!!!  YEAH!!!!!  You asked, they delivered!  They are back in limited supply.  Once they are gone they are gone!!  So don’t wait, get it NOW!  Click here to purchase and enter SPRING2014 for 10% OFF your entire purchase!

Jaclyn Hill Sigma expert beauty box

 

Exercise Your Way to Overall Better Health

by Rachel Barkules

In the last four weeks I have only been home 3 days.  My husband, I and our kids drove to Florida to spend time with my family and vacation.  We drove home, 2 days later I was on a plane to New York.  I just got home Tuesday night.  Between all the traveling (and getting sick), I haven’t worked out at all.  I mean, who wants to work out while on vacation in Florida?  And in New York, there was no time.  I am used to working out a 3-4 times a week.  With taking a 4 week break from exercise I have noticed major changes in my body, and I’m not just talking about loss of muscle or weight gain.

Here are all the changes I have noticed in my body.  And as always, I’m going to be open and honest no matter what!

  • Headaches all day every day.
  • Exhausted, no matter how much sleep I get.
  • My skin and overall complexion is blotchy, with more break outs and clogged pores.
  • Stronger BO in less time after a shower.
  • More sugar and junk food cravings.
  • Unable to concentrate as much.
  • Irregular and uncomfortable BM’s.
  • Strong cramps during my period (they are usually mild).
  • Uncomfortable pains in stomach for no reason.

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Tips & Tricks #4

by Rachel Barkules
  1. Kale is super healthy and is mild in flavor.  Put kale in a blender with any fruits of your choice, coconut water and a pinch of cayenne 414V4QR5V5Lpepper and you have a delicious healthy snack.  Pictured is my favorite blender!
  2. Don’t use your fingers to squeeze out blackheads.  This can cause tiny tears in the skin and pop blood vessels.  Instead use 2 Q-tips and gently press down, in and up.
  3. Steaming your skin has many benefits.  Boil some water, pour into a bowl, and hang your head over the bowl with a towel draping over your head to create a mini steam room for your face.  Some times you gotta do what you gotta do when you can’t spend $100 on a facial. ;)
  4. Before committing to a brand new skin care product, ask for a sample and use it for 1-2 weeks.  In that time you will know if you really like it.  Stores like Nordstrom or Sephora are always happy to give samples, you just have to ask.
  5. Eating late at night causes redness and swelling in between the eyes.  So keep the late night snacking to a minimum.

10 Day Advocare Cleanse – Day 9, 10 & Final Review

by Rachel Barkules

Days 9 and 10 were pretty easy.  I had a good amount of energy and my body was used to the diet.  These were the easiest days by far!!  On day 10 in the afternoon I got a raging crave for ice cream.  So I gave in.  Me and my daughter locked ourselves in my bedroom with 2 spoons and ate Ben & Jerry’s Chubby Hubby.  It was so delicious!  I didn’t feel guilty even for 1 minute :)  With such a restricted diet for 10 days I needed something to indulge in.  After the ice cream was gone it was back to eating healthy.  For me, if I don’t allow myself an indulgence once in a while I go on this huge binge where I eat nothing but junk food and sweets for an entire week.  I’m talking donuts for breakfast, ice cream for lunch and chocolate and wine for dinner.  So I need a little something once in a while to keep my cravings at bay.
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10 Day Advocare Cleanse – Day 6, 7, 8 Review

by Rachel Barkules

Day 6 was exactly like days 3, 4, 5.  Check out my blog for those days to see how it was.

Day 7 everything changed!  First thing in the morning I started my period (a week early).  I started thinking my body was really out to get me.  I had a PT training session.  I was talking with my trainer about my discomfort and how miserable I was.  I could barely move and do the work out because I felt so heavy and weighed down.  Instead of giving up like I had felt like doing, I decided to take matters into my own hands.  I cleared my schedule that night and bought a big bottle of prune juice.  At dinner time while my family ate Lou Malnati’s pizza, I drank 16 oz of prune juice.  I am not going to give you any graphic details of what came next.  All I will leave you with is a mental image of projectile diarrhea (think of projectile vomit) for 5 hours, and I lost 3 pounds.  I woke up several times that night running to the bathroom thinking there was more, but thank goodness there wasn’t.
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