Beautiful You

Spagetti Squash is delicious, healthy and incredibly easy to...

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 13:13:00 -0400

Spagetti Squash is delicious, healthy and incredibly easy to make.

Ingredients:
1 Spagetti Squash
1/4 cup Water
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive Oil
Basil

Directions:
Cut spagetti squash in half
With a medium sized spoon clean out the innermost layer of seeds and throw away
Add the 1/4 cup water to large microwavable bowl
Place one of the squash halves face down in the bowl with water and cover with ceran wrap
Microwave for 15-18 minutes and let cool for 10 minutes
Repeat process with other half of squash
When the squash halves are cool enough to handle, scoop out the noodle-like insides (it should come out easily)
Transfer into a skillet
Saute over low/medium heat with a little olive oil, chopped basil and salt and pepper to taste. Saute until the strings of squash are tender and Enjoy

theloveyturtle: barefootvinyl:cuddleblog: (via letsbehonest)

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 15:22:49 -0500

theloveyturtle:

barefootvinyl:cuddleblog: (via letsbehonest)

"To be brave is to love someone unconditionally, without expecting anything in return. To just give...."

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:39:37 -0500

“To be brave is to love someone unconditionally, without expecting anything in return. To just give. That takes courage; because we don’t want to fall on our faces or leave ourselves open to hurt.”

- Madonna (via overflowing) (via ashadeofgrey) (via fantasyaction) (via blissed)

I'm so lucky.

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 19:29:05 -0500

gobowling:

It’s the truth. I have an unbelievable life. My family, my friends, everything is pretty much amazing. We all don’t take enough time to sit back and look at all the blessings that we have. So I guess the point of this post is to reflect … and the picture following is me reflecting.

Jon is Getting Grounded. ; )

tatielle: microwalrus:skysignal:(via icanread)

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:35:48 -0500

tatielle:

microwalrus:skysignal:(via icanread)

And Bend and Stretch! Stretching is the deliberate lengthening...

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 16:37:05 -0500

And Bend and Stretch! Stretching is the deliberate lengthening of muscles in order to increase muscle flexibility and joint range of motion. Stretching activities are an important part of any exercise or rehabilitation program. They help warm the body up prior to activity thus decreasing the risk of injury as well as muscle soreness. The benefits of stretching are many and have been proven through various studies over time. Stretching benefits people of all ages, and is intended for the young as well as the elderly population. The Benefits of Stretching According to the Mayo Clinic, the top five benefits of stretching include: *Increased flexibility and joint range of motion: Flexible muscles can improve your daily performance. Tasks such as lifting packages, bending to tie your shoes or hurrying to catch a bus become easier and less tiring. Flexibility tends to diminish as you get older, but you can regain and maintain it. *Improved circulation: Stretching increases blood flow to your muscles. Blood flowing to your muscles brings nourishment and gets rid of waste byproducts in the muscle tissue. Improved circulation can help shorten your recovery time if you’ve had any muscle injuries. *Better posture: Frequent stretching can help keep your muscles from getting tight, allowing you to maintain proper posture. Good posture can minimize discomfort and keep aches and pains at a minimum. *Stress relief: Stretching relaxes tight, tense muscles that often accompany stress. *Enhanced coordination: Maintaining the full range-of-motion through your joints keeps you in better balance. Coordination and balance will help keep you mobile and less prone to injury from falls, especially as you get older. Stretch it out.

"If you’re just safe about the choices you make, you don’t grow."

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 17:47:35 -0500

“If you’re just safe about the choices you make, you don’t grow.”

- Heath Ledger (via bitchville) (via deadshot) (via killingbambi)

Nature’s Energy Fruit - Acai Berry! It may seem odd to...

Thu, 22 Jan 2009 11:43:16 -0500

Nature’s Energy Fruit - Acai Berry! It may seem odd to start this list of superfoods with one you’ve likely never even heard of. But studies have shown that this little berry is one of the most nutritious and powerful foods in the world! Açaí (ah-sigh-ee) is the high-energy berry of a special Amazon palm tree. Learn the truth about Oprah and claims about açaí. Harvested in the rainforests of Brazil, açaí tastes like a vibrant blend of berries and chocolate. Hidden within its royal purple pigment is the magic that makes it nature’s perfect energy fruit. Açaí is packed full of antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids. Although açaí may not be available in your local supermarket, you can find it in several health food and gourmet stores (often in juice form). A new product featuring the unsweetened pulp is now also available, and I highly recommend that you choose this form of açaí. Açaí pulp contains: *A remarkable concentration of antioxidants that help combat premature aging, with 10 times more antioxidants than red grapes and 10 to 30 times the anthocyanins of red wine. *A synergy of monounsaturated (healthy) fats, dietary fiber and phytosterols to help promote cardiovascular and digestive health. *An almost perfect essential amino acid complex in conjunction with valuable trace minerals, vital to proper muscle contraction and regeneration. *The fatty acid content in açaí resembles that of olive oil, and is rich in monounsaturated oleic acid. Oleic acid is important for a number of reasons. It helps omega-3 fish oils penetrate the cell membrane; together they help make cell membranes more supple. By keeping the cell membrane supple, all hormones, neurotransmitter and insulin receptors function more efficiently. This is particularly important because high insulin levels create an inflammatory state, and we know, inflammation causes aging. Article from Oprah

A Message To Live By...

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:25:14 -0500

“ Wake up. Get out of bed and stop hiding under the duvet, no matter how warm it is. You will get nothing accomplished. Put some clothes on. Wear the red tights with the mustard yellow shoes. Arrange the 3 day old curls in your hair. Do something nice for yourself today. Get pretty for absolutely no reason other than to prove to yourself that you’re not worthless and sloven. Go to your favorite record store and listen to the old man’s playlist that usually consists of Howlin’ Wolf and strange 60s Middle Eastern music. Buy yourself your favorite garlic and tomato burrito, and make sure you get extra guacamole. Drive past Emily Dickinson’s house and imagine the lack of life she had. Spend the extra money on your favorite art magazine and plan a trip to Sweden in your head. Sing your favorite songs in your car. Make a pit stop to the reservoir. Collect the last leaves from autumn. Watch the sun sink into the horizon.Don’t stare at your phone and wait for it to vibrate. Don’t mope. Don’t think about the only men in your life that have belittled you this week. Don’t sit. Don’t wait. Don’t look at the time that you’ve always set to three hours behind. Don’t delay your life even though someone has attempted to delay yours. ”

Ginger has been revered in Indian and Chinese civilizations for...

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 14:54:00 -0500

Ginger has been revered in Indian and Chinese civilizations for over 5000 years for its powerful health imparting properties. In fact, Indian ginger is said to have the most potent medicinal properties. Due to such a prolonged belief, research on ginger benefits was natural. Sure enough, the results were on expected lines:

*Danish researchers found that ginger can block the effects of prostaglandin - a substance that cause inflammation of the blood vessels in the brain and can lead to migraines.

*Ginger was found to be effective for relieving the severity of nausea even in cases of pregnancy.

*Many women claim that ginger tea helps rid them of menstrual cramps.

*It has anti-inflammatory properties that can lessen the pain of rheumatoid arthritis.

*Respiratory infections - it is well known for its warming action on the upper respiratory tract, so it has been used to treat colds and flu.

*It has been found to be effective in cramps caused by stomach gas. Ginger also stimulates digestion.

*It has a wholesome effect on the circulatory system as it makes the platelets less sticky and is of great benefit in case of circulatory disorders.

*As a mood enhancer, ginger’s cineole content may help contribute to stress relief.

*It is a great mouth freshener and ginger tea has vastly refreshing properties.

Article from Health & Yoga

To keep lips from getting cough scaly cough in the...

Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:05:19 -0500

To keep lips from getting *cough* scaly *cough* in the winter, use your damp toothbrush as an exfoliant and gently scrub over lips. The toothbrush removes most dead skin.

Follow up with a really good moisturizing lip balm… I’ve found the best contain hemp oil.

Doesn’t this look amazing? It’s a very simple...

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:57:00 -0500

Doesn’t this look amazing? It’s a very simple recipe as well. All you need is a dollop of Greek yogurt, a few walnuts, a drizzle of honey and Voila! A healthy and yummy snack.

Interesting fact: Did you know that Greek yogurt packs twice the amount of protein as ordinary yogurt? Protein (as you may know), is essential for building, repairing, and maintaining muscle.

Now chow down. ; )

"People come into your life and people leave it… you just have to trust that life has a road mapped..."

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:34:32 -0500

““People come into your life and people leave it… you just have to trust that life has a road mapped out for you.””

- Orlando Bloom (via kari-shma) (via fantasyaction) (via marjchun)

Weight Watchers Peanut Butter Bliss BarsCalories...

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:20:16 -0500

Weight Watchers Peanut Butter Bliss Bars
Calories 70
Calories From Fat 20

It’s January, and the holidays are finally over… If you’re like me, right about now you may or may not have come to realize that your clothes are fitting a little tighter than usual… Maybe you’ve been doing the ol’ unbuttoning of the jeans routine after a big meal. And that my friend is definitely FINE. I mean we’ve all done it. But I’ve come across a tasty solution to help keep that sweet tooth at bay while satisfying your sugary cravings.

Try these little peanut butter bars from Weight Watchers. I’m not generally one to eat pre-packaged foods or diet-y foods, but I just happened to try these, and now I’m obsessed. It’s a yummy brownie covered with a thick chewy peanut butter coating. These little bars are sweet, sscrumptious and definitely kill any sweet cravings you may have. And the best part is, one bar is only 70 calories, 20 from fat.

Yep. Delectable.

Body Cleanse

Sun, 04 Jan 2009 18:27:40 -0500

courtneyanne:

I’m planning on detoxing. I was thinking about a juice fast, but I think I could handle this better:

In the morning, drink 1/4 cup lemon juice diluted in water. Eat oats and fruit for breakfast. For lunch (biggest meal of the day), green veggies, beets, potatoes and brown rice and a protein (preferably some kind of bean) and no fruit. Same for dinner but smaller and no protein. Try to make those meals small. In between that, drink teas with dandelion root, red clover, yarrow, horsetail, slippery elm, ginger…and a lot of water.

microwalrus: To allow your soul to breathe, is to be free… (via...

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 17:02:39 -0500

microwalrus:

To allow your soul to breathe, is to be free… (via I Travel East)

"i'll die to be skinny"

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 16:45:29 -0500

thenewfilosofee:

why?

Why why WHY?

what in the universe is sooo terrible about the way you look?

You are one of a kind, why be a replica? why be a copy of someone else when you can be the only you that has ever existed in any time or space or galaxy.

Okay. so let’s say you’re skinny. let’s say you’re perfect-looking, and you have all the latest styles, good music, popular…what now?

what have you accomplished?

nothing. don’t be a nothing, stand out.

decide TODAY, if you want to be yourself (one of a kind in the universe of universes) or if you want to be just like everybody else

“When you make a decision the universe conspires to make it happen”- emerson

"What you do, the way you think, makes you beautiful."

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 16:42:29 -0500

“What you do, the way you think, makes you beautiful.”

- Scott Westerfeld (via willmccloud) (via scout) (via amandasthoughts)

Getting Grounded

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:08:36 -0500

I’m listening to NPR at the moment… A man was walking down the street in Washington, DC when he happened upon a woman with her hands outstretched. Without even thinking he reached into his pocket, grabbed some loose change and placed it in her hands. He didn’t give her a second look and kept walking past. Realizing what had happened, the woman called out smiling, “I don’t want your money, I just want to find the post office.”

The man realized at that moment how quickly he had pegged her as a homeless woman, and turned around and led the woman to the post office.

This is a very interesting story. The man did a nice thing by giving her money, but at the same time, this story makes you realize that there is usually so much more than what you see on the surface. I guess the moral of this Getting Grounded entry is to really open your mind and to not make assumptions about people in an instant. Everyone deserves a chance.

Happiness is contentment.

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:57:34 -0500