Oneka Elements Review

 I received a bottle of the lavender shampoo, conditioner and body wash.  I am allergic to most body washes and know within half an hour after showering weather I can use it again or not.  So I showered right away and was more than happy that I had no reaction.


Ive fried my hair in the last few months using at home hair dye in an attempt to save some money.  Ive tried several shampoos since December to try to make my hair soft again.  Normally after I shampoo my hair and I go to use conditioner its like I'm rubbing conditioner into a bail of hay.  I used the shampoo and rinsed it out and my hair was actually soft.  After conditioning it and drying it my hair was smooth, soft and actually felt lighter than it has in the past few months even though I'm long over due for a hair cut! And... I could still smell a hint of lavender.

I could do with out the fact that my scalp gets flaky this time of year.  I usually buy a certain conditioner that costs $35 to treat it.  I have had a completely flake free scalp since  using this shampoo and conditioner. The shampoo is safe on colored hair which is important because 80% of women color their hair these days! They are also safe for kids as they are very gentle. 

I love the fact that the products are made with 100% biodegradable ingredients so we aren't polluting the water when we use them.  The smell is great.  Its not a chemically altered smell, its refreshing and natural just like a lavender plant. The products are made in Canada and are made with Certified Organic extracts.  Being a vegetarian I love the fact that they are vegan friendly!

To see more:
http://www.onekaelements.com/

Mango Salsa

Mango Salsa 

1 mango - diced
3 tbsp cilantro - chopped
1 jalapeno - diced
Juice from half a lemon
Juice from 1 lime
2 tbsp red onion

Mix all together, add in lemon and lime juice and let sit in fridge for at least 30 mins.
This is a simple, healthy recipe which is great over a bbq salmon!

Takes 10 mins to make.
8 servings.
Calories: 23

Stainless Steel Water Bottle ***GIVEAWAY***

 * The bottle in this giveaway is Pink*

Karscot Distributors is a company on Vancouver island who supply's wholesale stainless steel water bottles made from 100% recycled and reusable products to minimize all the plastic water bottles going into our landfills each year.   All Bottles are BPA free. 
Karscot does pad printing and screen printing on the bottles for company's or special events.
Check out this link for more info:

http://www.stainlesssteelbottles.ca/

Prize:
Water bottle pictured above but in pink.


Contest Rules:
Canada only
Contest runs from July 17-July29th.
Must leave separate comment for each entry!

How to enter:
Mandatory:  Follow this blog via GFC
Extra Entries:
1. (2 entries, 2 comments) Make a post, tweet or Fb about this giveaway and copy to your comment.
2. (2 entries, 2 comments) Go to http://www.stainlesssteelbottles.ca/ and tell me something you learned.
3. (1 entry, 1 comment) Tell me why you would like to win this bottle :)

Please leave your email with your comments unless you have it on your site.  Thank you

Corn Salad

Corn Salad

3 cups corn
1 c diced red onion
3 garlic cloves minced
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp red pepper flakes
1/2 c cilantro chopped

1. Put olive oil, garlic and onion in frying pan and heat on med heat.  Cook for 3-4 mins until onions are soft.
2. Add corn, cilantro and red pepper flakes, mix well.  Cook until corn is heated through.

See, wasnt that easy?  You can serve hot or put in fridge for 30 mins and serve cold.

This recipe can be used as a main dish and serve over mixed greens as a salad or as a smaller portion side dish.

Takes 15 mins to make and makes 4 side dish servings.
Calories per serving: 126

Why Stretch After A Work Out?

The first time I got asked to go to Yoga I said "No way I'm not flexible!" the lady who asked me laughed and said "neither am I that's why I go!!!"  The first few months of my weight loss journey I never stretched once.  Maybe if I was super sore Id throw my leg on the side of the bath tub and lean forward for 1.2 seconds and call it a night but other than that I just didn't know why I had to.   Now I stretch after every work out and through out the day.


Why Stretch?
Stretching prevents injury
Increases preformance
Increases or maintains flexibility
Offsets muscle soreness or stiffness after working out
Reduced muscle tension
Increased movements in your joints
Increased blood circulation

Basic stretching rules:

• Stretch slowly and with control
• No bouncing
• No pain
• Don't compare your flexibility with others
• The key is to relax
• Breathing should be slow, rhythmical. Don't hold breath.
• Hold only stretch tensions that feel good  

So next time you do some physical activities take an extra 5-10 mins and do your muscles a favor and stretch them out! 

Home Remedies 4 Mosquito Bites

The sun took its sweet time coming out this year.  Its July and I'm finally able to wear the new shorts I bought 3 months ago.  I love the summer for many reasons; bbq's, longer days, going for walks to the gelato shop, hanging out with friends on the deck, you know... all the fun summer things.  Last weekend after spending a few hours outside at a bbq I woke up with mosquito bites all over my ankles and then the itching began...  Here are a few home remedies for those of you who feel like me.

Dab the bite!  With what you may ask... oh... there's many household items you can dab with:
Rubbing alcohol, nail polish, tooth paste, mouth wash, vinegar, deodorant,  honey, etc.

Tea?  Take a tea bag and make tea, this wont soothe the itch but using the tea bag as a hot compress over the bite will.

Make a Paste.

Salt & water.  Vinigar & water.  Baking soda & water. Mix together and rub over the bite.

Clean yourself.  

Have a hot bath with Epsom salts or baking soda.
Take a bar of dry soap and rub it over the bite.  Apparently this works wonders.  Just make sure its dry and your skin is dry.

Then there's the usual: 

Calamine lotion, tiger balm, gold bond cream, after bite, vicks vapo rub, orajel, etc.

Feeling fruity?

Rub lemon or lime juice into the bite.  Id imagine this would sting.  Or take a lemon or lime and cut it in half, use it to rub over the itchy bite.  This also works with the inside of a banana peel.

Portobello Bruchetta Burgers

Bruchetta Portobello Burgers:

2 large tomatoes diced and seeded
2 tbsp low cal mayo
1/2 C shredded mozza
1 tsp dried sweet basil
1/2 C minced red onion
2 portobello mushrooms stemmed
2 "thin" buns
1 tbsp olive oil
Paper Towel


1.Mix the first 5 together and put in the fridge for 30 mins or so.
If baking preheat the oven to 350.
2.Place mushrooms in baking dish and brush with olive oil, cook for 5 mins, remove from oven.
3.Take the bruchetta mixture and fill both mushroom caps, return to oven and cook for another 12-15 mins. Place "burger" in the bun and enjoy! Make sure you have your paper towel handy because these guys are messy!!!

Tomatoes are one of the top anti-oxidants and even if you don't usually like them the sweet basil in this recipe changes the flavor!


This recipe makes 2 servings
Each "burger" is 368 Calories.

Top 5 Exercises with no equipment

Excuses.  I hear them in all forms from all sorts of people.  They all suck.  One I hear a lot is "I cant afford it"  So I'm writing out the first 5 exercises I would choose for someone who has not a lot of time and "cant afford it"  These are steps you can do at home, in the park or basically anywhere you feel comfortable.  Ive attached videos to each one for those of you who don't know how to do them :) 

1. Squats. I couldn't do one of these to save my life until I watched a you-tube tutorial on how to do it. Squats work your thighs, hamstrings, butt and hips. Squats build core strength and increase the strength in your legs.  Start with doing 12 or 15

How to do a squat
 

2. Lunges.  Another leg exercise that works glutes, quads and hamstrings.  This one requires balance. Make sure your knee's are at a 90 degree angle before you start.  Start by doing 12 or 15

How to do a lunge

3. Plank.  This exercise builds endurance in both your back and your abs as well as stabilizing your muscles. Start off by holding it as long as possible.  Once you know your starting time you know what to work from.

How to do a plank

4. Push-ups. Working the pecs, triceps and deltoids the push-up is good for people in all levels of fitness.  If your just starting up don't worry about doing it on your toes, drop to your knees and make sure your form and posture is correct.  Start by doing as many as you can on your toes, then drop to your knee's hopefully between the 2 you can do 10

How to do a push-up

5. Mountain Climbers.  This cardio exercise brings up your heart rate while challenging your legs and core.  Instead of counting reps for something like this I like (well I actually hate it but...) to do it for 60 seconds.

How to do a mountian climber

Now start from the beginning and do it again :) Dont forget to drink water and breathe!

Greek CousCous Stuffed Peppers

A Delicious low calorie vegetarian main dish!

Greek CousCous Stuffed Peppers
4 Bell peppers
1/2 Cup whole wheat couscous
1 can chickpeas
1 med onion - diced
1 tbsp olive oil
1tsp sweet basil or oregano
1/2 cup feta
2 handfuls spinach
2 small tomatoes - diced 

1. Cook CousCous as directed.
2. Cut Peppers in half and remove the seeds.  Place in microwave safe dish cut side down. Add 1/2 inch water to dish and cook on high for 4-6 mins or until fully steamed and soft.  Remove from microwave and let cool down.
3. Rinse and drain chickpeas and place in a bowl.  Take a fork and mash the peas until half are mashed and half are whole.  Mix with couscous, diced tomato and feta.
4. Put oil in frying pan and heat over med heat.  Add onion and cook for 4 mins, add basil, stir, add spinach and cook until wilted. Add in the chick pea mixture and cook for a few mins til everything is mixed together and heated through.
5. Spoon couscous mixture into peppers evenly and serve while warm.

This makes 4 servings.  Total time is 40 mins.
Calories: 340
Fat: 11g
Protein: 14g
Fiber: 11g
Carbs: 48g

Baking Soda Uses For Beauty

We all  know baking soda is used to make the smell in the fridge go away or to throw into your cookie recipes but here are my top 5 favorite uses for Baking soda when it comes to your body.

1. Cleaning your hair!
If you use hair spray or any other product in your hair after time it can build up.  Taking your normal shampoo and mixing in some baking soda (by making a paste then using it normally) will clean your hair and get rid of all the extra junk.  When my hair was accidentally died black I did the same trick to lighten it up a bit.

2. Brushing your teeth!
As a kid we used to wet our tooth brush then dip it in the soda and brush.  This doesnt only clean your teeth but it whitens them too.  Its way cheaper then those white strips.

3. Facial!
For those with sensitive skin or just needing a good clean mix baking soda in with your face wash OR just pour some soda in your hand and add a little bit of water, mix with your finger to make a paste, rub it all over your face then rinse it off.  Your face will look and feel so much better!

4. Bath time!
For itchy bug bites or sunburns run a warm bath and add in baking soda, this will sooth your skin and also leaves you feeling sparkling clean.  Add in some Epsom salts and this is a natural detoxifying bath.

5. Rough skin!
Elbows, knees, wherever you feel your skin needs a little smoothing down make yourself the same paste that you would use to wash your face, but with out the face wash of course, and rub it into your bumpy spots while in the shower.  This should smooth away all the bumps! 

Take Your Cardio Outside This Summer

No one likes to look at the same thing day after day, (unless its that semi dorky but totally hot dude that works in the store across from you but is totally to young)... So why not take a breath of fresh air and head out on the scenic route of burning calories this summer instead of staring at the wall or the sweaty butt in front of you at the gym?

Where I live it rains most of the year so when the sun comes out we better take advantage of it! Running outside is a great work out because unlike a tread mill the ground is uneven.  Because you don't have a belt moving under your feet you need to push yourself forward which makes more of an impact and its harder.  This helps with toning and firming those muscles you may not work while on a tread mill.

Training for a race?  Or maybe you want to beat your speed on a timed run?  Running uphill can help improve your speed and it builds stamina so you can beat your goal.  It also burns more calories since its harder to run uphill then it is to run flat ground.  You will really work your calves, glutes, hamstrings and quads.  Basically this means you'll have a sexy bottom half!

For a person weighing around 150 who would go for a 20 min run at a moderate pace you could burn over 200 calories in just 20 mins! Even if you can’t run for 20 mins straight, trade it up, run for 3 mins walk for 2.  Walking at a fast pace can burn 100 Calories in 20 mins. A girl I know started running 2 weeks ago.  So far she's lost 13 pounds!  Feeling bored this afternoon?  Take it outside!

Lentil Pepper Salad

Lentil Pepper Salad:

1 cup green lentils
 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
1/2 lemon juiced
1/4-1/2 cup parsley chopped
2 cups chopped bell peppers (any colors)
1 cup diced cucumber
2 tbsp feta
1 cup snap peas chopped
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 tbsp olive oil.
Salt, pepper, garlic powder (your fav seasonings)

1. Cook lentils as directed on package, drain, put in fridge to cool.
2. Once cool mix tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, peas, almonds, feta and parsley in with the lentils.  Mix in seasoning, olive oil and lemon juice.  Chill for 10 mins and serve.  This is a great recipe to make extra and bring for lunch the following day.

The recipe takes 35 mins (not including the cooling time on lentils) and makes 4 servings.
Each serving is 287 Calories.
Note: For some there's not enough flavor from the olive oil and seasoning, if you want to add dressing I would suggest low calorie Kraft feta Greek!  Its delish on this dish ;)