Meet Lizzie May!

Hello again, my lovelies! It's officially summer and I know you guys have some amazing plans for these couple of months. I'm excited to say that my practice has been keeping me busy! I'm manifesting plans for upcoming sugar detox teleseminars and classes, as well as some other surprises. Be sure to follow the Get This Glow! Health &Wellness Facebook page for details in the next few weeks.

You know how much I love bringing you all helpful and exciting new information that keep you healthy and sexy. So...I have a treat right now that I know you'll appreciate. I met this amazing woman Lizzie May (owner of Lizzie May Wellness) while in nutrition school at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition last year. She is a fellow holistic health care practitioner, as well as an ACE certified personal trainer. Her positive energy and love for a healthy lifestyle is super contagious, and she makes you feel like you're friends after your first conversation. Recently, she expanded her brand to include Ancient Balance bamboo extract. I love bamboo extract for what it does for my hair, skin, and nails...so when I found out I could get it from a peer I admired, I jumped on it! Her story is extremely inspirational. Here's a peek into her world.

Get This Glow! Health & Wellness: Lizzie May! Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk to me and my readers. Can you share a bit about yourself and your passion for health and wellness?

Lizzie May: Sure! I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, after spending 10 years in Southern California. I have a bachelors in psychology from Occidental College and I am an ACE certified personal trainer and board certified holistic health coach.

My main passions center around eating and supplementation for glowing skin, energy, and longevity.

Even though I'm currently quite healthy and I eat a nutritious diet, this wasn't always the case. I actually "stumbled" into my passions for health and wellness when I was in my 20's. Back then, I was working 80 hours a week, living on energy drinks and processed foods, and my health was beyond terrible. Keep in mind that prior to the decline in my health, I had always been a very fit athlete, competing in cross-country and track all through college. However, after 3 years of burning the candle at both ends in the corporate world, I could barely run a mile, was chronically exhausted, and most upsetting to me, my skin was a mess!

I first decided to turn my nutrition and lifestyle habits around for the purpose of clearing up my skin, but I found that once I cleaned up my diet and cleared my skin, I felt way too good to ever return to my old, unhealthy ways.

The skin is truly a reflection of our internal health: when our skin glows (without wearing luminizer) it reveals that our bodies are truly being nourished from the inside.

I am currently writing an eBook that includes diet tips, recipes, and more in-depth food, supplement, and lifestyle recommendations for clear, radiant skin. It will be sold on my website later this year.

GTG: What a great journey! We'll be looking forward to your eBook for sure. I mentioned our common love for bamboo extract earlier. What exactly is bamboo extract, and why should people incorporate it into their lifestyles?

LM: Bamboo extract is a medicinal food concentrate made from the leaves and stems of the Moso Bamboo grass, an edible grass that has been used medicinally for centuries in China, India, and Tibet. This extract is widely consumed in these areas to promote youthful appearance, energy, and mental clarity.

In addition to these energizing benefits, bamboo, which is anti-bacterial in nature, has been used traditionally to ward off disease, balance hormones, detoxify the body, strengthen bones and teeth, smooth the skin, and avoid infection. It is a true superfood that nourishes the body and reduces the need for stimulants like coffee and energy drinks.

When taken consistently, bamboo extract promotes a feeling of balanced, jitter-free energy. I think everyone I meet these days could use more energy; hence it is a great supplement to incorporate into one’s daily lifestyle.

To expand on the anti-aging properties of bamboo (my favorite part), it contains over 70% organic silica and is 10 times more potent than horsetail silica. If our bodies are deficient in silica, our skin’s elasticity will become impaired, leaving us much more susceptible to wrinkles and sagging skin.

Unfortunately, as we age, the body retains less and less silica, leaving us much more prone to wrinkling and sagging skin. Silica prevents and reverses wrinkling of the skin by supporting collagen production.  Bamboo extract, due to its high silica content, is such an amazing skin rejuvenator and that’s why I love it so much.

When taken internally, bamboo extract not only revitalizes the skin, but other cellular functions within the body, so you’re really achieving smooth, glowing skin from the inside out.

GTG: I love it! It has so many healing properties, and makes us feel AND look good! What is the main mistake you see people making when it comes to eating healthier?

LM: Hmm, that’s a tough one! I would say that the main mistake I see in people who are trying to start “eating healthier” is that they go for the quick fix, and make drastic, unsustainable changes to their diet. That quick fix approach really doesn’t promote long-term results and sometimes does more harm than good.

For example, I know so many people who eat processed junk food for the majority of the year, and then do a very restrictive cleanse or diet that leaves them so weak and famished that they’re barely able to walk or talk when swimsuit season comes around. That’s not sustainable and while doing a restrictive cleanse may be a good “jumpstart” for some people, unless you’re really taking a long term approach to healthy eating, you’re not going to maintain the results you achieved on a 500 calorie a day diet.

Also, I see a lot of people who have really damaged their metabolisms with restrictive and yo-yo dieting: it's no fun to gain weight on 1500 calories a day because of a damaged metabolism!

Eating healthy is a way of life, as cliché as that sounds, and I think it’s important to get out of the “quick fix” mentality and really commit to eating for longevity, energy, and health. Weight loss and beautiful skin are pleasant side effects of a healthy lifestyle. Instead of making drastic changes to their diets, or jumping on some new diet fad bandwagon, I think it’s important for people to focus on simple sustainable changes.

Simple sustainable changes could include something like drinking a large glass of water before your dinner every night for a week, or adding in green vegetables to your lunch for two weeks. When you make simple, doable changes like that, you start to feel more energized without being overwhelmed with a very restrictive diet. Then, it's easier to maintain that healthy momentum and build in more simple, sustainable changes. As the former queen of crash diets, it took me many years to learn this!

 GTG: I think you hit the nail on the head with that one. My clients come to me because they've tried everything...every "quick fix" pill, powder and potion without lasting results. Balance, and sustainable changes are key to a successful healthy journey. Let's switch gears for a second. As entrepreneurs, we tend to forget to take a break sometimes! What do you like to do for fun? Any exciting plans for the summer?

LM: Yes, it's so important to take breaks! This is something that I have really had to learn, as I used to view relaxation and fun as "a waste of time" which is totally ridiculous and couldn't be farther from the truth.

I use a daily planner and many times I actually schedule my "fun days" and "fun hours" because they are so important to my physical and mental well-being. I also turn my phone off or on airplane mode quite frequently: sometimes a "fun hour" is just an hour without any technology or cell phone. My family didn't like me being so inaccessible when I first started turning off my phone, but when they saw how much happier and relaxed I was when I didn’t have my phone on, they got on board.

I realize that turning your phone off isn’t an option for everybody, especially if you have children or a job that requires you to be accessible at all times, but for me, I really cherish my “no phone” times and they really help me to truly relax.

As for fun activities, I love running, hiking, and I really love photography.

I do have exciting plans this summer: I'm going to France! My best friend's family has a chateau in the French countryside, and so I'm going to get some much-needed R&R there while I catch up with old college friends.

GTG: We should all take a page out of your book and schedule "fun hours"! Awesome idea. Lizzie May, it's been great spending time with you, and getting to know you better. Thanks for adding knowledge and insight on how we can all live healthier lives! You have to come back again. Oh, and have a TON of fun in France!! Before you go, can you tell everyone how they can get Ancient Balance bamboo extract in their lives?

LM: Yes! You can order Ancient Balance Bamboo extract online by visiting our website http://www.ancientbalance.com. You can also purchase Ancient Balance Bamboo extract directly from our facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/ancientbalancebotanicals.

We post bamboo extract smoothie recipes and health tips on our facebook page and we love connecting with our customers! Thank you so much and I would love to come back again!

*all photos and video except for Get This Glow! Health & Wellness logo in this post are courtesy of @LizzieMayWellness*

There you have it, lovelies. If that doesn't inspire you to get your Glow! on, I'm not sure what will. This was a lot of fun. So now...what are your plans for the summer again? =)

Until next time,

Love & Happiness

Nikki

Some Great Oils For Your Hair, Skin, and Body!

Hello again my lovelies!

It's been a harsh winter so far, and that sometimes equates to dull hair and skin. Using natural oils is a great way to bring back the healthy shine and glow to both! Some oils have other body benefits as well. Let's take a look.

Castor Oil

This oil is a thick, golden colored oil obtained from the seeds of the castor plant. It had been used thousands of years ago by Egyptians as a way to fight skin infections and cultivate healthy hair. Castor oil is known for its antimicrobial properties, and therefore used for athlete's foot and yeast infections. In India (and in my house growing up!), it was also used as a laxative. For your hair, castor oil has been shown to correct dryness and brittleness, and repair it by providing the necessary nutrients and vitamins to the scalp. Jamaican Black Castor Oil has been heralded by many women suffering from hair loss and thinning. The black castor oil is obtained by roasting the castor bean, which makes it darker and gives a stronger smell. It apparently works by stimulating the production of keratin, and producing shiny hair after a few months of use. Massage into scalp and wash out after 15-30 minutes. It's very thick, so remember you don't need a lot! See more here.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a very popular oil, used both internally and externally. It is one of my favorite oils to use on my skin and hair, and also to cook with. There are 2 types available: refined and virgin. The refined oil is processed under less than hygienic conditions, so it must be bleached and deodorized to remove the impurities and because of this, it appears colorless and odorless. Virgin coconut oil is produced by extracting the oil from the coconut "meat" manually, resulting in a pure form of coconut oil. It retains its brown-yellowish color and scent. It is made up of 90% saturated fatty acids, most of which are lauric acid, which is regarded as healthy. I use the Spectrum organic virgin brand, or the Whole Foods 365 unrefined brand. It is solid at room temperature, so it must be warmed or rubbed in your palms for easier application to hair and skin.

When used in your hair, it provides proteins and other nutrients to increase strength and growth. It also has an antifungal effect when applied to the scalp, creating a healthy environment. Dandruff, sebhorroehic dermatitis, and other flaky scalp issues can be managed with the application of coconut oil.

For the skin, it provides great moisturization and softening due to its high mineral content. Antioxidants present also help with signs of aging of the skin, such as fine lines and sagging.

Cooking with unrefined coconut oil lends a sweet, nutty flavor to foods. It can withstand high heat temps due to its saturated fat content. Since this saturated fat is in the form of lauric acid, it is thought to raise the "good" cholesterol blood levels (HDL's), therefore being heart friendly. Moreover, research has also shown that the medium chain fatty acids found in coconut oil contributes to weight loss by being quickly broken down by the liver to provide energy and  increasing your metabolism.

 

Avocado Oil

Most women at some point or other have mashed an avocado and massaged into their hair as a conditioner. Or bought a conditioner with avocado oil in it. Why? Because avocado is a great moisturizer! If you have brittle or damaged hair from coloring, extensive heat use, or other chemicals, the nourishing amino acids and vitamins A, B6, D, and E can help restore health to your tresses. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that can protect your hair from free radicals, and as a humectant will help lock in moisture. The fatty acids will lend shine and softness. For a good hot oil treatment, mix 2 tablespoons of avocado oil with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (increase or decrease amount depending on your hair length), heat in saucepan to a comfortable temperature and massage into clean scalp and hair. Apply a plastic cap and sit under hooded dryer or simply wrap with a warm towel for 15-20 minutes. Wash out as normal and enjoy softer, healthier hair!

As for eating, you can cook with avocado oil (at high temps up to 520!), or use in salad dressings and other dishes. It is high in monounsaturated fats, which again is heart healthy because it can improve your cholesterol counts.

Sweet Almond Oil

There are 2 types of almond oil: sweet and bitter. The bitter type is extracted from the bitter almond plant and should not be used internally or topically. Sweet almond oil is extracted from sweet almond seeds and has a ton of health and beauty benefits. Its composition has been found to be closest to the oil found in a baby's skin. I routinely use sweet almond oil on my face after cleansing at night. It's a very light oil that absorbs easily, so there's no heavy, greasy feel on my face. It's good for helping with dark circles under eyes, improving complexion and glow (thanks to its zinc content), and locking in moisture. If you have eczema, dry skin, psoriasis, or other skin inflammation, I recommend trying this oil because of its high source of vitamins A, B, & E. It is also known to help with hair breakage, excessive hair fall, and split ends. It can also be used in place of store bought leave-in conditioners to bring shine to your hair. Use with an old mascara wand and apply to lashes just as you would mascara to see longer lashes! Massage some of the warmed oil to a sore area or joint for pain relief. See a few more internal benefits here.

Marula Oil

Marula oil is hand harvested from the marula fruit found in South Africa and Madagascar. The oil is extracted from the nut inside the fruit by the local women. It is pale, golden brown color and light textured with a sweet fragrance. It boasts high levels of antioxidants (vitamins C & E, flavonoids) and amino acids that help with fighting the aging effects of the environment. Omega 6 and 9 essential fatty acids provide increased skin elasticity and hydration. Antimicrobial properties make it a good fit for those with acne blemishes and scarring. Marula oil is also said to be ideal for stretch marks, sun damaged, and dry & irritated skin. Find out more.

These statements have not been evaluated by the United States Food & Drug Administration, and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. If you are pregnant or nursing, or have any allergies to nuts, please consult your physician before trying any of these recommendations!

Some other great oils for you to research are argan, grapeseed, and black currant. What's your favorite health and beauty oil?

Until next time,

Love & Happiness!

Nikki