Check out my Botanical Blogsite and Facial Serums

I have been writing this blog for a few years now.
I talk about the different essential oils and what each oil can do to benefit your skin.

I am an organic product innovator and I have worked professionally in the beauty industry for over 30 years. My products are clean and simple with no fillers, no artificial colours or fragrances. I have partnered with a local ( British Columbia, Canada) Organic Certified farmer who supplies us with the finest botanical oils, so we can create the highest quality of Facial Serums.

Check out my Facial Serums
Go To:  www.ilovemybotanicals.com


Get more info and makeup tips
Go To:  www.ilovemybotanicals.blogspot.com

Where's my Mojo? Week 10

Had an appointment with my Doctor this week.  She rechecked my thyroid levels and noticed that they were still low. So now I'm taking 120mg of Thyroid Efer. She said if I had signs of  being light headed or  anxious then it would be lowered slightly. But I  haven't noticed a difference. I must really need this. Mind you, the mornings are my busiest, with checking emails, daily exercise, and sauna, and fitting in a 20 minute walk with my dog, Boswell.
 I talked with my doctor talked about the use of Testosterone and Estradiol Pellets. They use this type of treatment in the USA. The pellets are inserted underneath the skin for 6 months. It's suppose to release slowly into your body. After talking to my Doctor, she said that there would be no way of controlling the amount of hormones that would be releasing in your body daily. It's reverting back to the old way that the Doctors used to fix all women with the same dose of estrogen, which of course caused breast and  ovarian cancers to grow because of high doses of estrogen.

Then we had another conversation about the new Anti Wrinkle, stop ageing Spray called egh1. This is human growth hormone spray.  They say:

Lose Fat, Boost Energy, Improve Sex, and much more...
Science and technology have just made the onset effects of aging an option, rather than an inevitable fact of life. After more than 15,000 studies in the last 60 years, science has demonstrated that Growth Hormone (GH), a naturally occurring substance in the body, can allow users to lose fat, build lean muscle, sleep better, improve sexual performance and pleasure, increase energy and motivation, soften skin and wrinkles.


This egh 1 oral spray is my next research project. I'm not sure if this product is good or safe. Or is it the newest thing to regain your youthfulness???  My doctor will test my human growth hormone levels in September. I will keep you posted.

I'm Working out all the time ....I'm still Fat!!

Imbalanced Hormones can effect your weight loss/diet plan

Menopause and Premenopause women may not be able to loose weight do to hormone imbalance and high cortisol levels.

Are you hitting the treadmill but not dropping pounds? Beware: too much cardio can spike muscle-eating stress hormones, like cortisol, and hinder thyroid hormones, making you tired and slowing your metabolic rate (the rate at which you burn calories at rest), says Natasha Turner, ND. Plus, long, moderate-intensity aerobic workouts tend to lower levels of the satiating hormone leptin, making you hungry afterward, says Jade

In contrast, both experts say, strength training along with short, intense cardio sessions stimulated fat burning hormones like testosterone and human growth hormone, raising your metabolism.

Try 30-45 minute workouts, three times a week, combining intervals (cardio bursts punctuated by brief rests) and strength training. On the “off” days, go for a 30 - 60 minute walk.

Are your Skincare Products full of Chemicals??

My client , Sofia emailed this to me. You can check out all your skincare products. See what ingredients are safe to use and which ones are not.  Kandace Have you used EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database to look up your shampoo or moisturizer? These are just the beginning. EWG developed Skin Deep to be your go-to online resource for personal care product ingredient safety information. Our researchers are constantly updating Skin Deep's database with new products. It now rates more than 65,000 different products in a wide variety of categories. Find the rating of your: Hair spray After sun products Lip balms Detanglers Acne treatment And check out the Skin Deep homepage to see all the product categories and search for a specific product. Here's to smarter personal care product shopping.

Where's My Mojo? Week 9

Another week has passed. Lots to do, with good weather I want to be outside. so I have been power washing and cleaning up the yard. So I need to look good and tan the legs a little. That means putting on the short shorts and tank tops. I realized then that I needed to spend a little more time in the gym. After loosing the 11 pounds I could use a bit of toning up. It seems like the older I get the more flab shows up between the inner thighs and underside of the arms....you know what I mean..... Those nasty Bat Wings. I'll have to get back into doing pushups again.
My girlfriend Janet, invited a few of us ladies over for an evening. She introduced us to Lisa, her Marine buddy from back in the 80's. Lisa has MS, and has been working hard in staying fit and healthy. She developed a line of Natural Soaps and Deodorants, called PURE Body Care.
Amazing products that are affordable too. I purchased a couple different deodorants which are made from baking soda, coconut oil, grapeseed oil, and essential oils. Cinnamon scented for me and lemon scented for hubby. For many years I have tried natural deodorants that never really worked, like the Natural Crystal Stone and Tom's. It always seemed by midday I needed to put more on and non of them worked if I had stress sweat. Or if I was exercising, I still would stink. OMG, I didn't want to run into anyone at the gym. Janet said this "stuff" really works. I've used it every day for 3 weeks now. Wow, I am hooked. The only thing is it did sting a bit when I applied it after I shaved my underarms, but it's worth it. I'm feelin" sexy and I smell great too!

to order PURE Body Care, go to : purebodycare.ca

or you can call her at:  778-458-2585

Carb Free Cloud Bread - Oopsies Recipe

These are a great replacement for hamburger buns or crackers. After experimenting a few times, I changed the recipe a bit. Enjoy, Kandace

Carb Free Cloud Bread

By Gillian Spence on February 02, 2010

Photo by Chef #0

33 Reviews

• 
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Serves: 5, Yield: 10 halves

About This Recipe

"These are a delicious home-made bread replacement that are practically carb free and very high in protein. They are just like heaven so I call them clouds. Compliments of Kristin Patterson."

Ingredients

• 3 eggs, separated
• 3 tablespoons whole milk cottage cheese or 3 tablespoons cream cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 
• 1- 2 teaspoons coconut palm sugar (optional) and 1 teaspoon Organic Whole Psyllium Husk 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Preferably on convection oven for more even heat
2. Separate the eggs very carefully, there must be no yolk in the white.
3. In one bowl, mix together the egg yolks, the Cottage Cheese OR Cream Cheese and the sugar and whole psyllium husk until smooth.
4. In the other bowl add 1/4 teaspoon of Cream of Tartar and sea salt to the whites and beat the whites on high speed until they are fluffy and stiff and form nice peaks.
5. Very carefully fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites until mixed, but try and not break down the fluffiness of the egg whites too much.
6. Spray two cookie sheets with Pam or other fat-free cooking spray.
7. With a large spoon, "scoop" the mixture into 10 even rounds on the sheets (about the size of the top-half of the McDonalds hamburger bun; roughly 3/4 inch thick and 4 to 5 inches across).
8. Bake on the middle rack. Here is when you have to watch them, because the cooking time the same on any two batches. It is somewhere around 1/2 hour, but it could be less or more. You just need to watch them until them become nice and golden brown (again, the color of a McDonalds bun).
9. Remove from the pans and cool on a rack or cutting board.
10. While warm they are crumbly and similar to cooked meringue - but don't let this fool you! Once completely cool, seal them in a ziplock storage baggie or a tupperware over night. They will totally change their consistency, to something much more like bread - a softer texture that is nice and chewy. If you do not like softer chewy bread, then eat them as they are, nice and crisp.

Page 2 of 2Carb Free Cloud Bread (cont.)

Directions

11. Since the sides that were facing the pan are perfectly flat, you use these to spread things on, or make sandwiches, or even as a burger bun! The choice is up to you, and you will be quite amazed at how much like a bun these really are!

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 (30 g)

Servings Per Recipe: 5

Amount Per Serving

% Daily Value

Calories 43.2

Calories from Fat 25

59%

Amount Per Serving

% Daily Value

Total Fat 2.8g

4%

Saturated Fat 0.9g

4%

Cholesterol 111.6mg

37%

Sugars 0.1 g

Sodium 42.6mg

1%

Total Carbohydrate 0.3g

0%

Dietary Fiber 0.0g

0%

Sugars 0.1 g

0%

Protein 3.7g

7%

The Clean 15 & The Dirty Dozen

My client, Dr. Sofia(Bayfield), MD, has a family practice here in North Van. She sent me this great link on foods that are important to buy Organic.

Foods You Don't Have to Buy Organic

These are THE CLEAN 15

The 2013 version is based on the results of pesticide tests performed on produce and collected by federal agencies from the past nine years.

Nearly all of the data used took into account how people typically wash and prepare produce - for example, apples were washed and bananas peeled before testing. Of the fruit and vegetable categories tested, the following "Clean 15" foods had the lowest pesticide load, and consequently are the safest conventionally grown crops to consume from the standpoint of pesticide contamination:

• Onions
• Sweet corn
• Pineapples
• Avocado
• Cabbage
• Sweet peas
• Asparagus
• Mangoes
• Eggplant
• Kiwi
• Cantaloupe (domestic)
• Sweet potatoes
• Grapefruit
• Papayas
• Mushrooms

Foods You Should Always Buy Organic

These are THE DIRTY DOZEN

 The following "Dirty Dozen Plus" had the highest pesticide load, making them the most important to buy organic versions - or to grow them organically yourself:

• Apples
• Strawberries
• Grapes
• Celery
• Peaches
• Spinach
• Sweet bell peppers
• Nectarines
• Cucumbers
• Potatoes
• Cherry tomatoes
• Hot peppers

Plus these which may contain organophosphate insecticides, which EWG characterizes as "highly toxic" and of special concern:

• Kale/collard greens
• Summer squash

PS: Feel free to share this  information.  Also, it prints up nicely into a wallet- sized card.  click here

Where's My Mojo? Week 8

 I recently started a Liver Cleanse and a Parasite Cleanse. I visited my girlfriend Stacey recently, and noticed how beautiful her skin was. I showed her my age spots on my face, and she told me that those spots are liver spots, which are caused by  the liver being overworked and full of toxins. Yuk!!

My very first reaction when I heard about the liver cleansing diet was…..seriously? It sounded so grim and slightly painful. I had no idea how the process was carried out or what it was supposed to achieve. Large amounts of water have to be consumed for a liver flush, which will increase the urine production and hopefully flush any toxins from the body. Decreasing the amount of saturated fat in their diet, as well as eating more fiber-rich foods is also important for people following the liver cleansing diet. So I started taking Hubner Milk Thistle, which is one of the most common of the liver cleansing herbs. This offers an increase in healthy digestion, as well as stabilizing my bowel movements. I take 3 tablespoons per day, after each meal, and it tastes kinda fruity. The other liver cleansing herbs include Dandelion Root, which increase transport of toxins to the bowel, as well as help the liver deal with trauma and stress. I take 3 tabs per day (800mg). I figured since I had been following closely to the Palio Diet of eating meet, vegis and fruit, that I could begin a Parasite Cleanse too, to help strengthen my immune system, give me more energy, and help prevent cancer and tumour growth.  Parasites occur not only in Third World countries or in those who have travelled extensively. 85% of North Americans have at least one form of parasite. This Cleanse is a 20 day Cleanse Program, containing Black Walnut, Wormwood Blend, And Cloves. It's called the Para Program, and you can get it at a health food store for around $55.

I've been on the 2 cleanses now for 14 days, with no bad side effects, no cramping or having to stay close to a bathroom. I still have the spots on my face, still hoping they will clear up. I definitely noticed lower back pain have gone away. I always thought it was due to my degenerative spine. I would have to ice it every night to relieve the lower back pain.   I just read a few articles on the internet that said, "shoulder, upper arm and  back pain can also be relieved through a liver cleanse." I am thrilled ...no more back pain. I'll definitely be doing liver cleanses a couple times a year. 

Without the back pain, I am venturing on to more creative positions in bed. Hubby is liking this a lot. I feel like I am 20 again. Life is good!!!

Party Night Tonight - Libido Liberation

Here is an event that I just got invited to tonight. I'll  be there for sure. 

It's only on tonight, so go online to Libido Liberation for tickets. Hope to see you all there.  

Libido Liberation

created by Hanna Cho on February 16, 2013 / 12:40 PM

Adults

Date/Time 

Friday, May 31, 2013 - 19:00

Sexuality, fetish, makeout music, art, and a whole lot of suggestive body language go off leash at the MOV on Friday, May 31 as we invite Vancouverites to a special after-dark exploration of our current feature exhibition, Sex Talk in the City. Arrive dressed to the nines for this sultry dance party amid our provocative collection of vibrators, historical peepshows, and archive of diverse expression and storytelling.

Doors/Exhibition: 7:00pm
Performances: 8:30pm sharp
Bar and DJ K-Tel: until 11:00pm
Dress Code: Saucy

Be titillated by the sophisticated sex comedy of The Wetspots, and a live art performance of “The Insiders” by Coral Short. Tour the exhibition, score a scandalous snapshot, take part in a hands-on “artefact” handling workshop, and lose yourself in the late night sounds by DJ K-Tel. Don’t miss this one-night only opportunity to explore the Sex Talk In the Cityexhibition while wearing your best interpretation of our “saucy” dress code!

Tickets at: http://may31libidoliberation.eventbrite.com 
Early Bird Tickets:  $15 (Early Bird MOV Members $12) 
Regular Tickets: $17 (MOV Members $15)
Students/Seniors: $10
*limited tickets, available online March 1. Don't miss out!!!

Store Up Vitmin D - Should I be Tanning??

The tan that you get after exposing your skin to sunlight is a natural “side benefit” of exposure to UVA and UVB light from the sun.

While the UVA rays provide most of the “tanning” effect, which is your body’s natural way of protecting your skin from sun damage, UVB rays can also lead to skin reddening and sunburn, if you stay out too long.
But more importantly, it is the UVB rays that allow your body to produce valuable vitamin D, and instead of oxidizing the already existing melanin in your skin, produce new sun-protective melanin, which results in a healthier tan.
This is why getting safe sun exposure every day is actually one of the best actions you can take for your health. If that is simply not an option, as it is for most in the winter, a safe tanning bed can also be used. The point isn’t to “get tan,” it’s to optimize your vitamin D levels, the natural result of which will be both a healthy glow and tan.
Manufacturers of sunless tanning products like the spray-on tans,  claim DHA is a simple carbohydrate sugar solution, but some toxicologists disagree. Part of the problem is that the U.S. government's regulations for DHA allow contaminants such as lead, arsenic and mercury.

If you have light-colored skin, you can use the color of your skin to tell you when you’ve had enough sun and it’s time to get in the shade (or cover up using a long-sleeved shirt, pants, and a hat). Stay out just long enough so that your skin turns the very lightest shade of pink. Continuing UV exposure beyond the minimal dose required to produce skin redness will not increase your vitamin D production any further. In Caucasian skin, this equilibrium will typically occur within 20 minutes or so of ultraviolet exposure during ideal conditions. It can take 3 to 6 times longer for darkly pigmented skin to reach the equilibrium concentration of skin vitamin D

• Most tanning units use magnetic ballasts to generate light. These magnetic ballasts are well known sources of EMFs that can contribute to cancer. If you hear a loud buzzing noise while in a  tanning bed, it has a magnetic ballast system. I strongly recommend you avoid magnetic ballast beds, and restrict your use of tanning beds to those that use electronic ballasts.
• The person operating the tanning equipment can also make a difference in its safety. If the person is not educated on its safe operation, you have a higher risk of overexposure and sunburn.
• High-quality indoor tanning devices are safe if you precisely follow the simple guideline of never getting burned. Your skin should only turn the lightest shade of pink after using them.
• Safe tanning beds have less of the dangerous UVA than sunlight, while unsafe ones emit more UVA than sunlight; it is the UVA rays that penetrate your skin more deeply than UVB, and appear to be a much more important factor in causing photoaging, wrinkles and skin cancers. 

Could Breast Cancer Be 90 Percent Preventable, Just with Vitamin D?

Vitamin D has powerful effects when it comes to breast cancer, to the degree that breast cancer is being described as a “vitamin D deficiency syndrome.” Of course, other lifestyle factors are also important in preventing cancer, such as nutrition, exercise, sleep, and managing stress. However, vitamin D’s critical importance seems to grow with every emerging study.

Carole believes that 90 percent of ordinary breast cancer is related to vitamin D deficiency — which is 100 percent preventable!

This is absolutely a profoundly important statement. As breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, this has massive implications for women’s health.

Where's my Mojo? Week 7

Another week has passed. I have now lost a total of 10 pounds.  Feeling good about the weight loss. Now I must maintain this weight for the rest of the summer. I'll continue with the Palio diet, which is meat, vegis and fruit. I'll try and keep the alcohol to once a week. I know that I feel and sleep better when I don't drink. Now, I course I 'm not Super Woman, so I know I'll be slipping into old habits now and then. Hopefully less often. I had some more blood work done this week. My Doctor wanted to retest my Thyroid after 6 weeks of taking the Thyroid Erfa C tabs. I'm still not convinced that they have really changed my metabolism.   Had 3 intimate times with my mate, but only had 1 orgasm. It's getting harder as I'm getting older to reach orgasm. Sometimes it helps to watch a sexy movie, put on the Come F''me Shoes, slip into the revealing lingerie. But that doesn't always take me to the moon, if you know what I mean. I think I will dig out my small clitoral vibrator and put some new batteries in it.

This wet weather is bringing me down.  Feeling kinda lazy and no motivation.  In the sunshine, you want to get outside, it makes me feel alive and full of energy. This rains sucks! My husband swears by Vitamin D drops. He said it definitely increases his energy levels and he feels a lot happier. I did some research on how I could increase my Vitamin D levels. I could take 5,000- 8,000 ui of D Drops per day or get some Real Sunshine somewhere hot like Mexico or book some tanning sessions in my local hood.
Of course my first choice would be a week away in Mexico, but I can't get away right now. So I booked some tanning sessions. It's important to find a tanning bed that has both UVA and UVB rays, because it's the UVB rays that provides our bodies with vitamin D. So I have been going for 12 minutes, 3 times a week in a stand up tanning booth. And of course I never tan my face, so I bring a small black towel and wrap it around my face and neck. I feel somewhat more energized and I've got a little bit of a tan going on.  There are many great reasons why we need the sun. So I did some more research  about Vitamin D and the benefits of getting out in the sunshine.


 Check out my next article called, Store Up Vitmin D - Should I be Tanning??

Have you heard about having your Brain Tested?

  Did you know that one in five Canadian adults will suffer a mental disorder in their lives? They say that anxiety disorders and depression are the most common. That's 2.5 million Canadian adults will have depression. No one likes to talk about it.So I made an appointment for the Brainwave Biofeedback test at the Swingle Clinic. It took  about 50 minutes to perform. Mari Swingle, the Neurotherapist, attached my son's head with 5 electrodes, which then was hooked to a computer. He was given questions and brain exercises. The computer would measure the brain activity in the front, center and back of the brain.

 The Swingle clinic treats disorders such as ADD, ADHD, epilepsy, stroke, learning disorders, traumatic brain injury, depression, fibromyalgia, and autistic spectrum disorders, alcoholism and addictions, sleep disorders, seizures, stress and anxiety disorders, without dangerous or ineffective drugs.
The Swingle Clinic will normalize and optimize brain functioning using various neurotherapeutic techniques including brainwave biofeedback, brain stimulation, cranial sacral therapy and self-regulation procedures. These all assist in correcting inefficiencies in brain activity.

Mari Swingle spent 10 minutes going over the results. The front of his brain showed that focus and concentration was good but that his brain fatigued quickly. The back of his brain scored extremely high in math and arts (creative side). But also high anxiety and insomnia, which means he has no OFF switch. That results in burnout and lack of concentration. And the front of the brain, effects his mood, which showed signs of depression, defiance, and temper. The results were good for my son to see for himself. She explained to him what he needed to change, which included changing his sleeping habits, caffeine intake, his computer gaming hours. She recommended that he could come in and get treatment for his sleep disorder. This test cost $160.

Click here and Read more at Swingle Clinic

Where's My Mojo? Week 6

May 13,2013
Happy Mother's Day to you all out there!

I love and adore being a mother. Its the greatest gift Ive ever been given. Having children flips the game from being about you to about what you can create in a home and what your responsibilities are.

 I stepped on the scale this morning, and by the way I only do this once a week, and lost another 2 pounds. Yippee!  The weather was sunny and warm so getting outside was easy. Walking my dog Boswell, working in the garden, power washing the house, just keeping myself busy and productive keeps my spirits up and the stress low. I had a couple restless nights so I decided to take some THC in the form of Banana bread. My last 2 nights sleeps have been great, sleeping from 11pm until 8am. Not waking up at all during the night, and no night sweats. Making the time and putting in extra energy to connect with my husband has made me a lot happier. I feel confident, attractive, sexy, and that seems to reflect back on the family. The kids are less stressed and not as moody around the house too. Some say if you have positive people around you then you too will feel positive and happy. Surround yourself with negative friends, and they will pull you down. When the hormones are out of wack, there is a chance that some of us have feelings of depression.

One of my clients and I opened up a  a conversation about depression. They say that  2.5 million Canadian adults have depression. Wow, I had no idea. No one likes to talk about it. I suppose that it's because we don't want our friends and family to think that we are nuts and should be locked up. We talked about a clinic here in Vancouver that will test your brain by using Brainwave Biofeedback. My client had great results with her young children. So my son had mentioned that he had problems concentrating at University, mostly when he read, his mind would wonder. So I made an appointment  last week for the Brainwave Biofeedback test at the Swingle Clinic. It took  about 60 minutes to perform and costs was $160. I would recommend checking this place out if you or your a family member  suffer from depression, sleep disorders, ADHD, ADD, etc.  You can read more about this in my other post,  "Have you heard about having Your Brain Tested".

Where's My Mojo? Week 5

It's been a fun week, socializing and celebrating 4 birthdays. Which included parties and luncheons. The downside to it was loosing NO weight this week....what a bummer!!  It's hard to resist the sushi, chips, cake and wine. OK, no excuses for this coming week, there won't be any birthdays parties to attend.  A few of you have been asking me , "What weight lose plan are you following?" My answer to that is, mostly the Paleo Diet.

The paleolithic diet (abbreviated paleo diet or paleodiet), also popularly referred to as the caveman diet, Stone Age diet and hunter-gatherer diet, ^]

Centered on commonly available modern foods, the "contemporary" Paleolithic diet consists mainly of fish, grass-fed pasture raised meats, eggs, vegetables, fruit, fungi, roots, and nuts.

You won’t find any dairy, grains, sugar, legumes, potatoes, processed oils, and any foods that were grown after agriculture started.

On this diet, you'd skip salt and any drinks other than water, coconut water, or organic green tea.

You can satisfy your sweet tooth with raw honey or coconut palm sugar, but only in limited quantities.

Still taking the Thyroid Efer every morning. Don't notice anything different in my energy or mood. The progesterone cream is working well. The hot flashes are gone and the night sweats are gone, yippee! I have some vaginal dryness, so maybe I'll bump up the Estriol cream to twice a week and see if that makes a difference. Spending intimate time with my husband has been really good, but it takes effort and time. I never really get the strong urges, or that horny feeling to have sex very often. I really need  the foreplay to get in the mood.So  I like the showers together, and the full body massages that he gives me. It helps to keep us connected.

 This is a great seminar to attend.  Dr.Lorna Vanderhaeghe has written books and has a complete line of vitamins specifically for women who suffer from menopause. I attended one of her free lectures a few years back. She is a wealth of information!  

Lorna is coming to town!

Attend a FREE lecture on Discover the Connection Between Hormones and Weight Loss

Thursday, May 16th, 2013

Lecture: Choices at the Crest

8683 10th Ave, Burnaby, BC

6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Inquire online at www.choicesmarkets.com (choose the events tab), by phone at 604-522-0936, or in store by visiting healthcare

*5$ fee payable online or collected at the door

Arrive early for best seating. 

Prizes, free books and discounts offered that night only!

Lorna Vanderhaeghe

Where's My Mojo? Week 4

I admit I drank my fair share of alcohol this week. Which was enjoyable at the time, but I paid for it dearly at night! Every night that I drank the 2 glasses of wine, I would wake up with hot sweats, 3 and 4 times during the night.

 The doctor said, "The precise reason for hot flashes is not totally understood, but they result from decreases in the hormone estrogen. It is thought that estrogen production may affect the area of the brain which controls the body's temperature. But its not as simple as that. And whats the deal with alcohol?

One possible theory goes like this: alcohol increases blood levels of estrogen; when these levels suddenly drop after the alcohol is processed by the body and removed from the blood stream, then there is a severe drop in estrogen and it's this drop which causes the hot flashes. An analogy of this mechanism would be what happens when you consume too much sugar.....a short sugar buzz, followed a few hours later by an big energy crash".

 OK then, I've got 2 parties this week so I'm going to limit my alcohol. I only lost 1 pound this week. That makes a total of 7 pounds.  Because of my height and build, I try to stick to around 1200 calories per day.  And I also have 1 Cleanse Day  during the week as well.  That's when I only drink liquids for the whole day. My Hubby has  been around all week and very frisky, I love that about him. So we were able to have 3 intimate  nights together. There was no vaginal dryness or discomfort. I used the Estriol cream only once this week. 

Mojo??

Here is another email that I am sharing with you all 
re: Where's My Mojo?

Kandace,

I love it. I too recently went to get my blood work done ‘cause I was experiencing so many of the same symptoms as you.  I have zero mojo, gaining weight, bad sleeps…. Results came back and thyroid, sugar, colesteral counts all borderline approaching the bad zone. My doctor recommended I try to reduce sugar and loose weight. I am to return in three months for another blood test to see how much my attempts impact body functions. The body weight, carb or sugar intake, thyroid all seem to be correlated – and concur. I will try to find an article I read which discussed the correlations and included acid reflux in the discussion. Boy could I relate.

All that to say thank you for sharing. I can definitely empathize as I am going through the same crap.

Cut down on wine and carbs! My favourite food groups.

I should just look positively to adding more exercise to my life.

Lots of love,

Veronica

How skinny is Skinny Cow Icecream Sandwiches?

Here is an interesting article that was emailed to me today!

Hey Kandace check this out.

I dont eat these but my daughter asked me to get them for her because she/we thought they were healthy. Not so!! Shocking stuff!

I thought your readers might like this article…

Best,

Karen

Over the weekend while out with a buddy we stopped in a local convenience store in an attempt to find a healthy snack (tall order, I know). While I made my way over to where the pistachios and other nuts were, he reached inside the frozen food case and pulled out a Skinny Cow vanilla ice cream sandwich made by Nestle®. “Hey this is healthy", he said. "It’s only got 140 calories, 1.5 grams of fat and 3 grams of fiber. It says it right here on the label.” However, upon further review of the back of the label (there was a convenient fold covering up all of the unflattering nutrition information) this small ice cream sandwich is STUFFED with chemicals I call obesity additives. Here are the whopping 33 ingredients and my comments after some of them: Skim milk Bleached wheat flour (acts like sugar in the body) Sugar (the main cause of belly fat) Caramel color (the same junk they color soft drinks with) Dextrose (sugar) Palm oil Corn flour (most likely from genentically modified [GMO] corn) High fructose corn syrup (causes extreme cravings; most likely GMO) Corn syrup (ditto) Baking soda Modified corn starch (most likely GMO) Mono and diglycerides Soy lecithin Cocoa Sugar (again) Corn syrup (again) Polydextrose (sugar) Whey protein Cream Calcium carbonate Inulin Natural flavor (this is a joke considering all the unnatural flavors) Propylene glycol monostearate (ugh… more on this below) Microcrystalline cellulose Sodium carboxymethylcellulose (that’s a mouthful) Guar gum Monoglycerides Sorbitol (a sugar alcohol) Carob bean gum Citric acid Vitamin A palmitate Carrageenan (a seaweed extract) Salt So as you can see, this may be a low fat ice cream sandwich, but don’t think for a second that this “Skinny Cow” is a healthy food choice that’s going to help you or your family lose flab. This is a nutrient dead “Frankenfood.” By this I mean that it’s not even a real food, it’s just a chemically-altered food-like substance. They should call it “dead meat” instead of “skinny cow”. Really, really, bad. And it gets worse: Propylene Glycol Monostearate (ingredient #23) is found… As a working fluid in hydraulic presses As a coolant in liquid cooling systems To regulate humidity in a cigar humidor As the killing and preserving agent in pitfall traps, usually used to capture ground beetles As an additive to pipe tobacco to prevent dehydration To treat livestock ketosis As the main ingredient in deodorant sticks As a solvent used in mixing photographic chemicals, such as film developers As an ingredient in the production of paintballs The College of Health and Human Sciences at Oregon State says this about propylene glycol monostearate: “Slightly more toxic than propylene glycol in animals, and in large doses produces central nervous system depression and kidney injury." Yumbo! So while my friend wolfed down this artificial piece of toxic waste, I stuck with all natural pistachios. All that said, if you REALLY want to know how to lose fat quickly this January, I've put together a step-by-step fat burning meal plan for you at this link: ==> Exactly what to eat for rapid fatloss (meal by meal) Enjoy! Coach Josh ----- Josh Bezoni Co-Founder, BioTrust Nutrition

How Many Teaspoons Of Sugar Is In Your Pasta?

My dear friend Stacy, told me about a formula that anyone can use to calculate how much sugar is in your canned foods, processed foods, pastas, crackers, rice, oatmeal, dairy, etc.  Any foods that are canned or packaged will have a Nutrition Facts label. If you are trying to cut out sugar in your daily foods, so you can drop those last few pounds around the stomach area, like I am, then this simple method might work for you.

All food is either carbohydrate, protein or fat. You have probably heard of sugars like glucose, lactose, maltose, fructose & sucrose. All of those are carbohydrates. But carbohydrates do not have to be just individual sugar molecules, they can be long chains of sugar molecules - things we call flour, pasta, & rice.
Yogurt is a milk product. All milk products are high in lactose, the "milk sugar." So, even all natural, organic plain yogurt will contain carbohydrates and most or all of them will be "sugars."

While you are reading package labels, there is one sugar in particular that you should watch for and avoid. That one is "high density fructose" which is suddenly appearing in all kinds of things you would never dreamed contained sugar at all.

OK, now here is the formula:

Total gm of Carbs   Subtract ( - ),   Total gm of Fibre ,  Divide by 5  = Teaspoons of Sugar

Here is a photo of packaged Quick Rolled Oats

27 - 4 = 23

23 (divide by 5)  =  4.6 teaspoons of Sugar!

That's over 4 teaspoons of Sugar in just  a 1/2 cup of Oatmeal.

Here is a photo of packaged Basmati Rice

38 - 0 = 38

38 (divide by 5) =  7.6 teaspoons of Sugar!

That's over 7 teaspoons of Sugar in just a 1/4 cup of Basmati Rice!

Where's My Mojo? Week 3

 It's week 3, and I'm keeping up with my regular workouts and eating habits. Hubby is back in town. Sex drive is up. 5 times this week. Could be because I missed him so much, but whatever it is .....I like it! The estriol cream is working too. There's no vaginal dryness. I lost another 2 pounds this week, yeah! Much better sleeps this week, I know it's because of the daily progesterone cream of 40mg.  I had to give up my daily infrared sauna time for this week due to some vein work I had done. To ensure this procedure works, it is necessary to keep away from saunas, hot baths, and hot tubs. I do this every few years, so that it will keep the spider veins to a minimum. Spider veins are the tiny red veins that I get on my legs and quite a lot on my ankles. For the past 10 years I've been seeing Roxanne Hallgren at the Laser Arbutus Center. She's starts by with an assessment which includes an ultrasound. She then takes a very tiny needle and injects a fluid into the spider vein which stops the flow of blood to the vein. It's easy and you only feel a little prick. This procedure is called Scierotherapy and the cost is around $150. It's worth it and keeps the legs looking young.  Arbutus Laser Center also treats the larger blue veins as well.

Here is a before and after shot I found on the internet. 

Before & After

Get Rid Of Cellulite Fast

Okay, It's time to get rid of our cellulite. Even with the extra 10 pounds that I gained, I can see cellulite in my upper arms. OMG, it's so gross! those pockets of fat that tend to collect on buttocks, thighs and upper arms, are a cause of embarrassment.The dimpling, “orange peel” effect occurs when fat cells push against the surrounding subcutaneous connective tissue in your skin. If your lymph circulation becomes sluggish, toxins accumulate in these fat cells. 

Liposuction, creams and wraps, which I have tried numerous times, only temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite. Without continual treatment, cellulite just reappears...So what, if anything, might actually work to reduce cellulite? 

 Here below, I have a condensed version of an article that Dr.Mercola wrote:

The featured article in The Guardian¹ suggests body brushing. Simply give yourself a vigorous scrub-down with a dry body brush before you get into the shower, and then apply a good moisturizer afterward. (I recommend plain coconut oil opposed to chemical-laden creams). According to the writer, this simple technique “really did, honest-to-God, make a remarkable difference in just a few weeks.”

There’s certainly nothing wrong with this strategy; body brushing can help improve circulation and lymph flow, which are important elements for cellulite elimination. The downside is having to manually scrub yourself in areas that can be hard or uncomfortable to reach. Three strategies that I believe might be far more effective, in order of importance, are as follows, and in the following sections I’ll explain why:

1. Intermittent fasting
2. Whole body vibration training, a.k.a. Acceleration Training
3. Rebound exercise

Intermittent Fasting Shifts Your Body from Burning Sugar to Burning Fat

In a nutshell, the answer to eliminating cellulite is to shift your body from burning sugar to efficiently burning fat for fuel, in order to get rid of excess fat deposits. Intermittent fasting is one of the most powerful interventions I know of to move your body into fat burning mode. 

The type of fast you choose appears to be less important, so pick whichever one fits your lifestyle, schedule, and temperament the best.. I have been experimenting with different types of scheduled eating in my own life for the past three years, and my preference is to simply skip breakfast and restrict my eating to a 6-7 hour window each day.

For this version of intermittent fasting to be effective, you need to restrict your eating to a window of maximum eight hours each day. This means eating only between the hours of 11am until 7pm, as an example. Essentially, this equates to simply skipping breakfast and making lunch your first meal of the day instead.

This is doable and convenient for most people, but you can restrict it even further — down to six, four, or even two hours, if you want, but you can still reap many of these rewards by limiting your eating to a window of about eight hours.

In the 6-8 hours that you do eat, you want to have healthy protein, minimize your carbs like pasta and bread and potatoes and exchange them for healthful fats like butter, eggs, avocado, coconut oil, olive oil and nuts. (The type of fats the media and “experts" tell you to avoid.)

This will help shift your body from sugar-burning mode to fat-burning mode. Remember it takes a few weeks to make the transition. You have to do it gradually, but once you succeed and switch to fat burning mode, you will easily be able to fast for 18 hours and not feel hungry. Your cravings for sugar will magically disappear and it will be much easier to achieve your ideal weight.

How Acceleration Training Can Help Beat Cellulite

Next, reconsider how you exercise. One form of exercise that provides many of the same health benefits as intermittent fasting is high intensity interval training (HIIT). Doing these kinds of Peak Fitness exercises while fasted (i.e. exercise before you break your fast) will further boost the effects. One of the ways HIIT can be particularly helpful for combating cellulite is that it significantly boosts your levels of human growth hormone (HGH) which, as mentioned earlier, is a fat-burning hormone.

But another form of exercise that is particularly useful for combating cellulite in particular is Acceleration Training, in which you perform exercises on a vibrating platform such as the Power Plate.

Acceleration Training improves your lymph circulation, helping break down cellulite from the inside out. The vibrations cause thousands of muscle contractions that pump your lymphatic fluid out of problem areas, reducing fluid congestion in your tissues. This helps to flush out toxins and ease the load on your immune system. This mechanism has been scientifically shown to actually help rid your body of excess pounds and unsightly cellulite. 

As You Get Older, Growth Hormone Levels Can Affect Your Fat Deposits

Many women tend to gain weight as they approach middle age, and if you don't stay physically active, you also start losing muscle mass around age 40. Overall, you start burning fewer calories as your body shifts from building muscle to storing more fat. This is in part caused by what’s known as "somatopause" — the decline of your body's hormone production as you age, which includes dwindling production of human growth hormone (HGH). HGH actually starts declining rapidly after age 21, so by the time you hit your 40’s, your levels can be quite low, contributing to these stubborn fat deposits.

So Start your program now, ladies!!   Let's get ready for summer and bikinis!

1. Intermittent fasting - First meal at 12 noon
2. High intensity interval training (HIIT) - 30 second bursts of intense exercise
3. Acceleration Training - on a Vibration Plate

Where's My Mojo?? Week 2

OK, it's been a week since I last wrote on about Finding My Mojo.
Still working on loosing those extra 10 pounds. It just doesn't fall off like it used to. I'm down 2 pounds from last week. Changed my routine and added 3 , 15 minute brisk walks with my dog, Boswell.  I also go on my Vibration excerciser twice a day for 10 minutes each. I don't eat after 5:30pm, no alcohol during the week days.
The first 3 days on the Thyroid Efer, made me feel a little light headed in the first hour after taking the 90mg. Now I don't notice anything different. So I guess that's a good sign.  Energy level remains really good even when I did an Isagenix Cleanse day last Monday and Tuesday. Sleeping pretty good, just waking up once around 3am every night,  and kicking off the covers . I didn't bother taking any THC capsules to help me sleep. This may have something to do with my husband being out of town, and having the bed to myself and no snoring to wake me up.  I added a couple of suntan sessions and 2 shiatsu massages to relieve and lower my stress levels....I loved that!! I can't give you an update on my libido since my lover is out of town.

Rethink Your Breakfast

This is an article I read this morning on Dr.Mercola's site

If you’re still eating a sugar-filled, grain-heavy breakfast (bagels, pancakes, toast, cereal) this is among the worstchoices for the morning. A recent study found that eating a breakfast high in protein, such as eggs and meat, makes you less likely to binge on junk foods later that night,¹ but even this may not be the best breakfast choice.

However, omitting breakfast entirely, as part of an intermittent fasting schedule (see tip #4 below), can actually have a number of phenomenal health benefits, from improving your insulin sensitivity to shifting your body into burning more fat instead of sugar for fuel. This is because eating first thing in the morning coincides with your circadian cortisol peak, that is, the time of day when your cortisol (a stress hormone) levels rise and reach their peak.

The circadian cortisol peak impacts your insulin secretion, such that when you eat during this time it leads to a rapid and large insulin release and a corresponding rapid drop in blood sugar levels, more so than when you eat at other times of the day.

If you're healthy, your blood sugar levels won't drop to a dangerously low level (such as can occur with hypoglycemia) but they can drop low enough to make you feel hungry. So, although skipping breakfast goes against the conventional idea that you should not skip meals, omitting breakfast could actually make it easier for you to control food cravings and hunger throughout the day.