Nerium Skin Care

Just ordered some Nerium.. a breakthrough skin care moisturizer.  I like the absolute fact that I don't have to buy a complete system to get results!  I have watched my friends face's change over the last month, with many of them receiving their intended change within days.
I'm not hooked yet, but I have a strong feeling I will be!

The Science: 
During advanced research on the uses of the Nerium oleander plant, an accidental discovery was made: the unique properties of Nerium oleander provided remarkable age-defying results when applied to the skin. This finding led to the creation of the NeriumAD skincare line.

Nerium scientists developed a breakthrough process, NBio-PL2, to extract from the Nerium oleander plant in a way that preserves its unique and beneficial properties. This patent-pending extraction process yields the NAE-8 extract used to formulate this first-of-its-kind age-defying product line.


Nerium Oleander: 

Use of the Nerium oleander plant has been identified in ancient texts and folklore for more than 1,500 years. But it wasn’t until the last century that the scientific community took interest in researching its unique properties. Most recently, scientists in Turkey, Switzerland, Germany, Latin America, and the United States have worked to understand the beneficial qualities found exclusively in the Nerium oleander plant.

Field of Life: 

Nerium Biotechnology's scientists established the world’s only commercial farming operation for the cultivation of theNerium oleander plant. With strict biomedical field protocols, the farm provides a dedicated and renewable biomass resource reserved exclusively for research and production. 

Interested? Try it out here!  

"Our team takes very seriously the scientific protocols that are followed in establishing this biomedical orchard. We are passionate about what comes out of these fields because it is truly impacting people's lives. This is more than a field of dreams; this is a Field of Life!"

— Joel Curtis
Director of Farm Operations
Nerium Biotechnology, Inc.

Research and Development: 

Nerium International's Brand Partners represent an exclusive line of products, for which there are no competitors. This exclusively offers a powerfully unique position in the booming multibillion-dollar skincare and anti-aging marketplace. Nerium International’s partnership with Nerium SkinCare, a division of Nerium Biotechnology, enables us to have a particularly strong research and development arm that puts us on the cutting edge of science. Nerium SkinCare is committed to standing behind their products with ongoing research and continuing to explore the full potential of Nerium oleander extract. Currently, Nerium SkinCare is developing additional, revolutionary products for distribution by Nerium International’s Brand Partners. Among these exclusive products are:

• NeriumAD Eye Cream
• NeriumAD Age Spot Cream
• NeriumDerm Blemish Cream
• NeriumDerm Contouring Lotion

Our partnership with Nerium SkinCare goes beyond product development; we are committed to a unified mission of investing in research that has global humanitarian impact.

Learn more today right here! 

Skin Firming Egg White, Olive Oil and Sugar

LOOK what I'm going to try!! 

Seriously and Why Not?! 

The worst that can happen is .. well, I  have to buy more eggs for the kiddos breakfast.  Now that I am 40 and seeing gravity take it's effects.  And of course the outdoors and all the horse and ranch work I have done has really taken it's toll on my skin.  
Last year I had a quick scare with a 'misshapen' mole on my neck which led to a surgery.  I started to add sunscreen on my neck as a daily routine.  Now back to the eggs!! 


This recipe below seems pretty simple and I have all the ingredients here at home!!  Now, to give it a whirl.. I wonder if I should keep it on longer than the recommended time.... 

Skin Firming Egg White, Olive Oil and Sugar

Eggs have natural albumin proteins and amino acids that have been known to firm the skin for centuries.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Egg Whites

1/2 Teaspoon of Olive Oil 

1 Teaspoon of sugar

HOW TO:

Whip the egg whites and slowly add the olive oil and sugar.

Apply for 25 minutes.

Rinse off

Shakeology® as a Post-Workout Supplement

Shakeology^® as a Post-Workout Supplement

Whether you're trotting up the stairs to your apartment after a five-mile jog or pounding out that last set of curls, there is nothing like that post-workout feeling. You've busted your tail and now it's time to relax.

Or is it? A little couch time might seem in order, but that doesn't mean the work is done. After a hard workout, your body becomes super receptive to nutrients, so proper eating in the hour after is crucial. Don't slack off now. Hit the kitchen for your Shakeology recovery shake within the first 10 minutes of wrapping up, and allow 30 to 45 minutes for it to absorb before eating anything else!

When Nietzsche said, "That which doesn't kill us makes us stronger," he could have been talking about a good workout. First of all, exercise burns through your blood sugar as well as your glycogen, your body's back-up sugar supply. Meanwhile, it drains your electrolytes and fluids and causes micro-trauma to your muscles. That last one typically happens more often with weight training, but just about any intense exercise breaks down (and subsequently builds) muscle to some degree. Just look at a swimmer's shoulders or a jogger's legs if you doubt this.

When it comes to a serious workout, one of the many reasons trainers like P90X's Tony Horton and RevAbs' Brett Hoebel recommend drinking Shakeology is because your body is in a state of depletion, so many people make the mistake of eating too many calories afterward. How many calories you should consume post-workout depends on your size and how hard you blasted it, but the general range is 100 to 250 calories post-workout. At 140 to 150 calories, Shakeology fills this requirement perfectly, and if you need more calories we recommend adding a banana or some nut butter for extra protein.

Protein is critical after a tough workout because it works to repair your muscles. This is due to the fact that protein is comprised of amino acids, which serve as building blocks for muscle. If you can get some protein in your body fast, it can jump-start the recovery process. With 16 to 18 grams of quality protein in each serving, Shakeology works great as a muscle building tool and is absorbed perfectly after a work-out because your body in its depleted state is extra receptive to the nutrients.

The next mode of action is replenishing your blood sugar. In order to do this you need carbs. There are 17 grams of carbs in each serving of Shakeology, which when taken with protein post-workout, can both replenish your body and keep you satisfied, so you don't overeat or suffer through that "I'm starving" feeling, which can lead to unhealthy meal choices.

The final two pieces of the recovery puzzle are electrolytes (specifically potassium, sodium, magnesium, and chloride) and water, all of which you lose when you sweat. The magnesium, sodium, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes in Shakeology will boost your electrolytes, and if you want to get even more, make your shake with coconut water. As for rehydrating, I hear there's a new thing out there called "water." You might want to research it. :)

To learn more or purchase: click here
To become a wholesaler of Shakeology and earn yours free: click here and click on "become a coach"

Get Shakin' with loads of Y-U-M!!!

Here are some of my favorite Shakeology Recipes! 

Almond Joy (Total Calories: 240)
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
½ cup almond milk
¾ cup  water
1 tsp. coconut extract
1 tbsp. almond butter
Ice

Mocha Java Frapuccino (Total Calories: 240)
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
1 cup almond milk
1 banana
2 tbsp. ground coffee beans
½ tsp. coconut extract
Ice

Chunkey Monkey (Total Calories: 270)
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
½ cup water
½ cup milk
1 tbsp. peanut butter
½ banana
Ice

It’s Dessert! (Total Calories: 230)
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
1 scoop vanilla frozen yogurt
½ cup water
Ice

Strawberry Cheesecake (Total Calories: 160)
1 scoop Chocolate Shakeology
4 large strawberries
1 tsp. Jello Cheesecake Pudding mix (Fat-free/ Sugar-free)
1 cup water
Ice

Orange Julius (Total Calories: 170)
1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology
1 cup water
½ cup almond milk
1 packet Crystal light Sugar Free “Classic Orange”
Ice

Greenberry Arnold Palmer (Total Calories: 140)
1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology
1 cup iced tea (unsweetened)
1 fresh lime (juice squeezed)
Ice

Hello Hawaii (Total Calories: 242)
1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology
½ cup milk
½ cup water
½ banana
½ cup frozen pineapple
1 tsp. orange juice

Mint Heaven (Total Calories: 140)
1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology
1 cup water
1 tbsp peanut butter
½ cap mint extract
2 tsp. Jello Cheesecake Pudding mix (Fat-free/ Sugar-free)
Ice

Berry Whip (Total Calories: 190)
1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology
½ cup frozen blueberries
¼ cup orange juice
1 tbsp. nonfat blueberry yogurt
¾ cup water
Ice

Find Out More!! 

8 Tips for Avoiding the Holiday Pounds

It's that time of year. The leaves turn majestic hues of red and gold. The air becomes fresh and crisp. We can finally put an extra blanket on the bed and cuddle up with a cup of hot tea. Yes, it's fall. We just spent 8 months killing ourselves to get into that bathing suit, but now we've replaced it with a worn pair of jeans and a much more relaxed attitude towards food. After all, it's the holiday season, and no one'll notice a few extra pounds under layers of clothes. A little extra weight just gives us a New Year's resolution to focus on, right?

Wrong. According to a study by researchers at Sweden's Linköping University, those 4 weeks of celebrating can actually lead to long-term weight gain.

Essentially, the researchers took a group of healthy young people, increased their caloric intake by 70 percent, and lowered their exercise levels. They also had a control group whose diets weren't altered. At 4 weeks, the participants in the test group had gained an average of 14 pounds. After 6 months, and no longer on an increased-calorie diet, only a third of these participants had returned to their original weight. After 1 year, the test group members were each still an average of 3.3 pounds heavier. After 2 and a half years, the "gluttonous" group continued to gain, while the control group still maintained a stable weight.

Now, most of us don't increase our calories that drastically for 30 days straight. Sure, there's Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving leftovers, Hanukkah, the work Christmas party, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day, not to mention the extra sweets, cocktails, and (ahem) fruitcake. But according to the New England Journal of Medicine, the actual average weight gain over the holidays is only 1 pound. (They obviously didn't poll my family or friends.) So what's the big deal? The problem is, a year later, the vast majority of people have not removed that pound. Continue this pattern over 30 or 40 holiday seasons and the problem becomes—quite literally—huge.

So how are we supposed to get through the holidays without gaining weight? Here are eight effective ways to get yourself ready to beat the holiday bulge.

1. Buy clothes that fit right now. This first tip might be a bit pricy, but it's a great motivational aid in staving off weight gain. A new addition to your wardrobe in a size that shows off your summer body can be all you need to prevent those extra pounds from creeping on. Imagine that beautiful holiday dress or great pair of pants, then imagine being unable to zip them up thanks to sugar cookies. Yeah, no one wants that. So before you begin the festivities, go buy yourself something perfect to wear to your parties and hang it someplace visible, so it serves as a constant reminder. Perhaps on the TV where you play your P90X^®, INSANITY^®, or TurboFire^® videos, or in front of that treadmill that might be starting to collect a little dust in the corner, or on your refrigerator door . . . that way, if it doesn't fit quite the same way the next time you try to slip into it, you know it's time to get back to work.
2. Write it down. We try to write down everything we eat, right? We spend countless hours each month staring at a food diary, adding up our calories, and seeing if we got the correct balance of macronutrients. And then the holidays happen, and our little book ends up in the bottom drawer. It's almost like we're hoping that if we didn't write it down, it didn't happen. Unfortunately, the scale doesn't fit in that bottom drawer. The truth is, if we would write down the not-so-perfect meals and treats, we could find a way to compensate for them, at least a bit. For example, you have a peppermint brownie in the break room at work, which you know is carbohydrates and fat. Eat one less portion of carbohydrate and one less portion of fat for your dinner. It's not ideal, but it'll help. Or perhaps you couldn't resist Mom's homemade scones for breakfast. You could plan on an extra 20 or 30 minutes of your workout tonight. The point is, if we write it down, and do the math, we can lessen the damage. It isn't a good long-term plan, but to help compensate for a few slip-ups, it can help.
3. Keep exercising. Most fitness trainers will tell you the slowest point of their year is between Thanksgiving and New Year's. Sure, their clients schedule workouts with the best of intentions, but then they cancel them for parties and gift shopping. It's hard to remain balanced when you have a million things to do and gifts to buy. Yet the greatest gift you can give yourself is to stay focused on your fitness goals and get your workout in. Shopping getting in the way? Do it online and save some time. Parties getting in the way? Just show up later. Who cares if everyone else is a couple of cocktails ahead of you? You'll be healthier, and you won't have to worry about the embarrassing YouTube^® videos in the morning. Just stay consistent, even if it's inconvenient. You'll be much less likely to look like Santa (both belly-wise and red-nose-wise) at the end of the month.
4. Eat before parties. Most holiday parties don't focus on low-fat, low-calorie refreshments, so unless you're organizing the event, the best damage control is to show up with a full tummy. Make sure you eat your meals and snacks throughout the day, and try to eat a healthy meal before attending any party. If you're going straight from work, prepare a healthy and filling snack to eat on the way. You'll be a lot less likely to swim in mayonnaise dips and pigs in blankets if you're full.
5. Get junk out of the house. The majority of people don't get into their car at midnight, drive to the store, buy the ingredients for cookies, bake them, and then stay up to eat them. But if those homemade cookies that Linda in accounting made for you are already on your kitchen counter, you better believe you'll find a way to justify it. Frankly, at 12:30 AM, after a rotten day, for most of us there's nothing like a few cookies to drown our sorrows. The secret is to get the garbage out of the house. Send it to work with your significant other, donate it to a bake sale, re-gift it to your 100-pound friend with the perfect metabolism, or just dump it in the trash. Linda will never know. If you have holiday dinner leftovers, box them up for your guests individually and send them home with them. If your family still sends you that Pepperidge Farm^® cookie assortment, invite a bunch of people over for a pre-party party and serve 'em up before the drinks. Try not to be wasteful, but get the less-than-healthy temptations out of your reach.
6. Offer to prepare healthy fare. This suggestion won't be well received by those of us who'd rather spend Thanksgiving sitting around watching football than toiling in the kitchen, but if you do the cooking, you have the control. Your family could have a tasty and satisfying meal without ingesting thousands of calories and fat grams. The way the turkey is prepared, the type of stuffing, how vegetables are made, whether the cranberries are real, and countless other things can make or break the healthiness of a meal. There are tons of cookbooks out there, plus recipes in this and past newsletters, that can help you out. Yes, it does require a bit of work. But you're part of the Beachbody community. You can do anything!
7. Choose wisely and proportionally. Something occurs during a holiday meal. It's like a Las Vegas buffet—we feel like we have to eat some of everything. We feel almost like those foods will never exist again, and this is our last meal on the planet. This year, why not try to eat only your favorites, as in two or three items, and keep the portions to the size of your palm? If you're still hungry, try to fill up on veggies (preferably ones that aren't drowned in butter or cream-of-mushroom soup). If you want dessert, lean toward a small slice of pumpkin pie (220 calories) as opposed to pecan (a heftier 543), leaving out the hydrogenated nondairy whipped topping if possible. If you're going to have an alcoholic beverage, go with a flute of champagne (100 calories) as opposed to that rum-laced eggnog (with more than four times more calories, at 420). Just a few wise choices will save you a ton of calories, and probably a significant amount of heartburn as well.
8. Don't beat yourself up. Quite possibly the worst thing you can do is beat yourself up over a bit of holiday indulgence. Yes, it does stink to backslide after working your tail off. But sometimes it doesn't stink as much as dealing with your mother when you turn down her brisket and potato pancakes. Sometimes, we don't have time to go to work, buy a Christmas tree, decorate it with our kids, make dinner, oversee homework, tuck kids in bed, and spend an hour doing our Beachbody workout of choice. We can only do our very best. Mentally beating yourself up will only make you feel worse, which never helped anyone get back to their fitness program. So if you happen to gain that 1 extra pound this holiday season, be part of the rare group who actually follows through with their New Year's resolution and manages to shed it again. A week of hard work and a slight calorie deficit should do the trick. Resolutions don't come easier than that!

A wise person once said, "The toughest part of a diet isn't watching what you eat. It's watching what other people eat." That really is the crux of the problem with dining out in public. When you're surrounded by people who are consuming the equivalent of their body weight in fat grams, it's really tough to stick to that chicken breast and steamed veggies. But if you have a game plan, you're more likely to walk out with both a satisfied tummy and a satisfied mind. So spend a few minutes on researching, on eating, and on exercising beforehand, and be strong when you get there. The effort will be worth it, and you might even be an inspiration to your dining partner. What greater reward is there than that? Oh, yeah—a six-pack.

Healthy Tips Continue here

Need a Cleanse? Check out mine!!

What is Shakeology 

First, Shakeology is a product of BeachBody. The fitness company that made home workouts LEGIT with effective, life, health changing programs like P90X,Turbo Jam, Insanity, ChaLean Extreme, etc. My take on what Shakeology is and why I have been drinking this nearly everyday as a  meal replacement. It's not just a protein shake. It has 70 healthy nutrient rich ingredients, anti-oxidants, aminio acids, 23 vitamins/minerals, digestive enzymes, pro/pre-biotics and fiber iinto your body to help you gain energy, get healthier, nourish your body, lower cholesterol, finally get all the vegetables, fruit and promote regularity.

Did I mention it tastes amazing!! And 1 full scoop/shake is only 140 calories. It's also gluten-free.

The 3 Day Cleanse is for anyone who has plateaued, needs to really kick start a new workout program to take their fitness to the next level and for those who are looking to detox their bodies, reduce sugar/carb cravings and of course lose weight!

Chocolate or Greenberry Shakeology

What you eat. The Low Down:

3 SHAKEOLOGY Shakes a day 2 Cups of Green Tea a Day 1 or 2 pieces of fruit a day 1 salad for dinner Only white grilled protein in salad

NO: DAIRY, or EXTRA SUGARS

Only Low Fat Dressings.

You can put your 2 snacks before/after any of the MAJOR MEALS-Breakfast Lunch & Dinner

The fruit is optional but I would definitely add it if you're working out while doing the cleanse.

Dinner salad was only WHITE GRILLED PROTEIN. Poultry or fish.

REPEAT all 3 Days

AM: 1 cup of green tea

BREAKFAST: Shakeology 140 calories 1 scoop ½ cup of fruit (60-90 calories)-optional add ice 8-10 oz of water

SNACK (85 calories) 1 piece of fruit - Apple, pear, orange, banana mango, etc

LUNCH: Shakeology (140 calories) 1 scoop Add ice 10 oz of water

1 cup of green tea or a Detox Tea

SNACK: (either snack here or after dinner one or the other) Shakeology (140 calories) 1 scoop Add ice 8-10 oz of water

DINNER: Salad Grilled white fish or poultry (roughly 340 calories)

SNACK: (either snack here or after dinner one or the other) Shakeology (140 calories) 1 scoop Add ice 8-10 oz of water

NOTE: you can eat your salad for lunch instead of dinner if you prefer DRINK LOTS OF WATER NO DAIRY!!!

Check out My Amazing Shake

Baking and Cooking With Food Allergies

How to cope with wheat allergies, milk allergies, and egg allergies in the kitchen.

By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

When you or a family member has a food allergy, you resign yourself to the realization that there is no cure. Though the solution seems simple -- eliminate the food that you are allergic to -- that's anything but simple in our fast-paced lives of eating packaged and restaurant foods. (When eating out, remember to ask specific questions about the ingredients and how each dish is prepared.)

For the 5% to 8% of children and 1% to 2% of adults who have a food allergy, reading labels has gotten easier, courtesy of The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004. Since 2006, companies have been required to clearly state on food labels whether the products contain the top eight food allergens: milk, eggs, peanuts, wheat, soy, fish, shellfish, and tree nuts.

Recommended Related to Food and Recipes

Got a Fat Tooth?

Make way, sweet tooth; scientists believe we reach for the greasy french fries, creamy premium ice creams, butter, and other fatty foods because of a different culprit -- the "fat tooth." And that this is probably why our palates feel deprived when reduced to eating a diet of nonfat or low-fat foods. A 2005 study identified a protein, CD36, that acts as a possible "fat sensor" in the tongue (also known as a fatty acid transporter, or FAT). Mice missing the gene for the protein don't have...

Read the Got a Fat Tooth? article > >

In addition to being careful about what products you buy, cooking and baking more at home will help ensure that someone doesn't accidentally eat something that contains an allergen.

With cooking and baking at home as your goal, here are some practical tips on how to make the necessary substitutions in your family's favorite recipes for the three most difficult food allergies to cook with; wheat, milk and eggs. (And check out the allergen-free recipes at the end of this article!)

Wheat Allergy Tips

Wheat, the most common grain in America, contains several types of protein that can activate an immune response in people who have an allergy to it. It differs from having a gluten sensitivity, which includes wheat and other cereal grains with gluten protein (barley, rye, and small quantities in oats).

Even though a wheat allergy is different from having gluten sensitivity, Chelsea Lincoln, recipe specialist from Bob's Red Mill, suggests gravitating toward gluten-free products and recipes. "All gluten-free products are wheat-free," explains Lincoln.

Foods/products to avoid:

• Breads, crackers, and other baked goods that contain wheat (rye bread and cornbread typically contain some wheat)
• Most breakfast cereals
• All pasta and noodles made from wheat
• Any fried or baked meat or vegetable coated with flour or breadcrumbs, cracker crumbs, or panko crumbs
• Any meat dish or mixture or filling containing flour, bread crumbs, cracker crumbs, cereal, or other forms of wheat (includes most sausages, hot dogs and cold cuts).
• Sauces, soups, and gravies thickened with flour
• Salad dressing thickened with flour or other forms of wheat
• Pancakes, waffles, and fritters
• Beer
• Imitation meat and seafood (imitation crabmeat) products that contain wheat flour
• Hot dogs (some brands contain wheat as an ingredient)
• Some ice creams (wheat is an ingredient in some brands of ice cream.)

Ingredients on label to watch for:

• Wheat (bran, germ, gluten, malt, sprouts)
• Flour (all types such as all-purpose, bread, cake, durum, graham, high gluten, pastry, stone ground, whole wheat, etc.)
• Wheat germ or wheat starch
• Wheat grass
• Whole-wheat berries
• Bran
• Bread crumbs
• Bulgur
• Club wheat
• Couscous
• Cracker meal
• Durum farina
• Einkorn, emmer, seitan, or kamut (mostly relatives to wheat)
• Modified food starch
• Graham flour
• Farina
• Spelt
• Semolina (refined durum wheat)
• Pasta
• Matzoh and matzo meal
• Triticale (combination of wheat and rye)
• Vital gluten
• The following ingredients may contain wheat protein: flavoring, hydrolyzed protein, soy sauce, starch such as modified starch, vegetable starch, wheat starch, and surimi.

From WebMD.com Click on the title to be directed to their site and the rest of the article!