When is the last time you received a little “hello” from a friend in the mail? Or how about an “I Love You” note from a loved one left on the counter as you’re leaving the house in the morning? Or maybe an encouraging thought on your desk from a co-worker? Hardly ever, right?

These things don’t happen very often anymore. With the convenience of text messages, snapchats, e-mails, and social media, those special handwritten notes aren’t showing up like they once did. I’m personally one that is guilty of the conveniences in communication these days, but recently I received a sweet note via “snail mail” (you know, the mail you put a stamp on the envelope for). It was a “just because” note from a thoughtful friend that just wanted to let me know she was thinking of me. This made my day receiving a surprise in the mail that felt like someone had gone the extra mile for …

Goodbye Diet, Hello Lifestyle…

The New Year can get so crowded with goals, ideas, new adventures, and it can also be crowded with realities, disappointments, and high expectations. The latter seem to often get in the way, especially those disappointments when you can’t seem to reach all of those high expectations. It seems as though many do so well in their first few days or even weeks of their New Years goals, but many find themselves hitting a bump in the road, get a little off track, and then feel discouraged giving up completely. I so get it. How many of you are feeling this right now? Well, let’s take a step back, brush ourselves off, and try again. 😉

This time let’s take away the ridiculous expectations and that demanding, rigid, boring, extreme, strict DIET. This shall be called the “D” word from now on as it’s a word that often gets too much power, owning us, leaving us …

My friend Desiree asked me to share a little something on her blog, so I thought I’d address a question I get a lot, “Why Lemons?” We hear they are healthy and beneficial to us, but Why?? I explain why Life with Lemons is important and how to rev up your metabolism and kickstart your weight loss HERE! …

A classic made just that much more “sweeter”, by being a little more on the healthy side. You’re thinking, rice crispy treats healthy?! Well, I don’t mean go eat a ton because they will benefit your health (I wish), but I switched up the ingredients just a bit to help you feel a little less guilty while indulging on this classic treat this season!

This is a fun treat to make with your kids and great to take with you to holiday parties or add to your cookie platters! You can obviously enjoy rice crispy treats all year round, but look at how pretty these are dressed up in there red and green on a Christmas plate. You can also dress these up in blue and white for my Hanukkah celebrating friends!

So here’s the deal… Rice Crispy Treats really aren’t that bad. Using only 3 ingredients and usually being naturally gluten free, the kicker here is they are full …

I was in the market for a good detox for my face, and my friend and mentor, Emily Potter (Clinical Nutritionist) of NourishMint Wellness recommended this very simple DIY face mask using Bentonite Clay and Apple Cider Vinegar. It was amazing, my face feels so good and clear.

I had been dealing with some unusual breakouts, so I knew I needed to pull the impurities and toxins from under my skin outwards and do away with them! This was also relaxing, which is another way to detoxify (resting and relaxing). It turns out it was just what I needed, because my skin is back to normal now.

Both Bentonite Clay and Apple Cider Vinegar are musts for your pantry. I use them both often as they are incredibly healing!

Bentonite Clay is a unique clay due to its ability to produce an “electrical charge” when it becomes hydrated. When it comes into contact with fluid, its electrical components change, giving …

There’s something about Egg Nog and the holiday season, it’s just a must! I guess that’s if you’re an Egg Nog fan. 😉 Well, I don’t actually drink the “original” Nog, I’m more of a fan of the Almond Milk Nog or Coconut Milk Nog. Going non-dairy here is the way to go for me, and depending on the brand you’re buying you’ll find a lot less of the refined sugars used in the “original” nog. Nog is still a sugary treat, so I’m not saying it becomes healthy all of a sudden, please continue to be mindful of this treat and enjoy in moderation. 😉 So there’s my stance on “The Nog”, but now let’s talk about this Chocolate business.

There’s a reason females crave chocolate especially that one time each month. Our bodies are working extra hard and we’re needing those extra antioxidants, mood boosters, and the iron and magnesium that chocolate (the real stuff) provides. So ladies, …

YES PEOPLE!!

It is possible. “Healthy” pasta. AND pasta that is gluten free!! I LOVE my brown rice pasta, in moderation of course. 😉 Brown rice pasta (I’m a fan of Lunderberg’s brand) is a great complex carbohydrate. The only ingredient is brown rice. I love this simple dish for quick dinners for just me, myself, and I or even for feeding a group or the whole family. It’s simple and you get all that you need in one bowl. There are so many ways to get creative with this basic “Lazy” Pasta dish, so please share your creative additions in the comments! I can’t wait to try some of your suggestion.

Remember, even though Brown Rice Pasta is a “healthy” way to do pasta, still eat in moderation. But like I always tell my clients, “when in doubt, just add more greens”. So when you’re filling up your bowl use a proper serving size of the pasta, but add …

What is your tummy telling you?? From the day that I was born I dealt with chronic stomach issues… we don’t really need to go into details. 😉  It took me 25 years, many doctor visits, lots of tests, and tons of pain to figure out the root of this cause. Turns out for me, that was gluten. But my health journey didn’t stop there, it was just the beginning. I had finally found my greatest enemy (gluten), removed it, but there was so much healing to be done! The gut damage I had was taking a toll on my energy, my immune system, my hormones, and I was still experiencing some stomach discomfort (it was still a huge difference compared to the pain I had experience nearly my whole life). All of this opened the door to my own journey to venturing into a career in nutrition, but it also led me to my nutritionist, Christa! With …

    It’s beginning to be truly evident that Coconut Oil is a must have in your household.You can use it for nearly absolutely anything!! Recently a friend of mine had commented on a Facebook post I had done sharing the benefits and uses for coconut oil (and there are a lot), so she said to me, “Next I’m going to find out that you change your oil with coconut oil and even fuel your car with it!” Haha.  I wouldn’t go that far, but we do already know that Coconut can fuel us, and in a nutshell, it can kind of be like an oil change for our bodies!

In fact, I believe that since I’ve been using my skinny coconut oil I have seen a difference from the inside out, like a glow! My face is brighter, my skin is silkier, and my teeth are even whiter! Yep, you can even use coconut oil for you teeth. …