Why drinking water is the best way to start your day:
It is said that drinking about 7 to 8 glasses of water daily is important for your health. One thing many people do not know is that having the first glass of water as soon as you wake up also comes with its therapeutic benefits. This traditional Ayurvedic treatment has benefits for conditions that range from *asthma, pain to even cancer. Most of us start our mornings with a fresh, hot cup of coffee or tea and when we drink water, we tend to prefer it cold, but according to Ayurvedic medicine, we have it all wrong. Regularly drinking very warm water, especially in the morning, can heal our bodies, providing digestive power and reducing metabolic waste that could have built up in our immune system.
Statistics: In Japan, it is common practice to drink two full glasses of water upon waking. It’s said to have the ability to fully cure a number of diseases, including cancer, as well as provide a host of other benefits. As a nation, Japan has the overall greatest longevity, currently hosting over 50,000 centenarians, or 100+ year olds. Whether it’s the water practice or something in the tea they drink, we can learn a few tricks from the Japanese.
70% of the human body content is water, and so water plays an important role in the proper functioning of your body.
The human brain cells contain about 85% of water.
75% of muscles is water
Bones also contain about 25% water
82% of blood consists of water.
It is also helpful to consume foods that contain lots of water; for example soups (broth-based), vegetables and fruits.
What Are the Benefit of Drinking Water FIRST THING in the Morning?
It is a long known secret that drinking water as soon as you get up, i.e. before eating anything, is a good way to purify your internal system. One of the most important results of undergoing this treatment is colon cleansing, which enables better absorption of nutrients from various foods. When there is production of haematopoiesis, better known as “new blood”, you will have immense body restorative effects and you can even be cured of existing ailments. Drinking water the first thing in the morning has the following benefits:
Make your skin glow. Water is known to purge toxins from your blood, and as a result you get glowing skin. And who doesn’t want that?
Renew cells. Drinking water first thing in the morning increases the rate at which new muscle and blood cells are produced.
Balance the lymph system. When you drink water first thing in the morning on a daily basis, you help balance your body’s lymph system. Lymph glands found in your lymph system fight infections helping you to perform your daily activities. They also balance the fluids in your body.
Lose weight. When you consume about 16 ounces of water (chilled), you will boost your body’s metabolism by abut 24% thus help you lose those extra pounds.
Purify the colon. When you drink water after you have woken up before eating anything, you are purifying your colon thereby making nutrients absorption easy.
Cures illnesses and diseases. Drinking water first thing in the morning has been proven to cure illnesses such as vomiting, throat disease, menstrual and cancer disorders, eye diseases, diarrhea, urine disease, kidney disease, meningitis, TB, Arthritis, headaches among others.
Source: this according to New Health Guide
My new morning concoction:
This new year’s day I woke up with a dry cough and a bit of a sore throat and a killer hangover. Besides the normal taking it easy & getting plenty of rest I decided to start the day with several mugs of very warm water and 2 scoops Vitamin C powder (I take Medi C Plus which contains L-Lysine), lemon juice, ginger and honey. Not only is it healthy but it tastes like a very nice tea and I think it really helped in getting me back on my feet. Whatever works right? I think it will become my new first-thing-in-the-morning drink – even before coffee. It might be a good preventative to getting sick in the first place. That and staying away from people who already have a cold or flu.
Sally Hansen is a pioneer when it comes to nail care.
As early as the late 1950’s Sally Hansen, together with her chemist husband, pioneered a nail protection formula called Hard As Nails. Touted as “the nail clinic in a bottle,” Hard As Nails established Sally Hansen as what is now a top seller of nail care.
From the beginning, Sally Hansen (the company) prided itself on producing quality nail care. While Hard As Nails still continues to be a best seller, Sally Hansen has developed into the leading mega brand of nail treatment and color.
Always at the forefront they’ve come out with a new breakthrough polish…………….called Miracle Gel Nail Polish. No UV light required. Not only that, but it comes in many fashion forward and neutral shades, goes on in two easy steps, comes off with regular nail polish remover and costs only $9.99 a bottle. What you say??? A dream come true!
Wine Stock
I just had two professional gel manicures which cost about $40 each time not to mention $10 to have them remove the polish (soaked in acetone for several minutes under a UV light). Granted it lasted 3 weeks (2 weeks of absolute perfection) but it is costly to keep up and time consuming. Doing this at home seemed too good to be true. And it was.
The Review: I bought two shades, a rich red (for the holidays) and a deep burgundy called “wine stock” along with the top coat which you need to purchase to seal the deal. The salesgirl at Walgreen’s told me her manicure lasted 12 days without a chip. SOLD! In all honesty I would be okay if it lasted one week without a chip but I was hoping for about two weeks. On the bottle it says “up to 14 days.” Must pay attention to the “up to” part. I put two coats of the red color and one coat of the top coat when I got home. It goes on easily, dries quickly, nice and shiny (not too unlike a salon gel manicure), and the shade is true to the color on the bottle. It also surprisingly did not discolor my nails (dark colors tend to do that – with a yellowish tinge sans the basecoat) on removal – a big plus. Very impressive.
However…..the first chip happened at day four. Major drag! Any chip on a dark polish no matter how tiny ruins the look. So I went over the tips with the same polish and it lasted another two days before chipping some more. I work with a keyboard and like to cook but even so, with a professional gel manicure I do the same but with no chipping.
The good news: all is not lost. Overall, I would say it’s quite lovely for the way it applies, the shine and the ease of removal (with regular nail polish remover no less). I usually use OPI, Essie or Chanel (sometimes Butter London). But the main thing was to have a dark polish last up to two weeks without chipping and unfortunately that is not the case. I am debating taking them back but may decide not to (ha, that’s what they’re hoping for). On one hand I find it misleading, but I love the colors and might even purchase one more in a neutral shade. Who knows? That one might last longer.
Did they lie? Not really because if you read the print (preferably before buying the product) it does say that it lasts “up to” 14 days. We’re always hoping and it was worth the try. As I said, it’s a lovely polish on its own and it does last longer than others.
the bad news: there are no miracles.
Will I go back for a professional salon gel manicure? Yes, but only on occasion.
I was recently gifted with three fantastic new hair products made in Italy by a friend who has gorgeously shiny hair and swears by them. I couldn’t wait to wash my hair.
I like the family run company moto: Davines believes “BY CREATING BEAUTY SUSTAINABLY, WE ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES, OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THEY LIVE & WORK, OF THE THINGS THEY LOVE.
Davines creates shampoos, conditioners, and styling products to benefit more than just your hair, creating products with sustainable packaging made from renewable energy sources. So your hair will not only look great but you can also feel good about using them environmentally.
The beautifying potion is made with Amazonian Roucou oil (from the Annatto plant), which has 100 times more beta-carotene than carrots. This means it helps hair grow, get stronger, and has anti-aging benefits. There’s a reason this is the brand’s #1 selling product! It’s loved by stylists too.You only need a few tiny drops for a subtle hint of polish and it adds shine without weighing the hair down at all.
Benefits:
extraordinary shine and softness to the hair
strong detangling and restructuring action
anti-frizz effect
strong anti-oxidant and anti-free radicals action
I love the shampoo and the conditioner is more like a mask but not overly thick or greasy. Perfect! My hair had no frizz at all after using them.
Here is a link to salons in B.C. which carry these products:
To HUG and to HOLDThere’s nothing worse than running or hiking with an overloaded fanny pack. And we need to carry our keys, our phones (god forbid we leave them for a little while) some cash, wipes and a lipstick. The very basics of an active lifestyle.
My sister gave me this as a stocking stuffer so that it can easily slip over my workout pants. At least for the several pairs that don’t come equipped with hidden pockets but thank you Lululemon for finally making some that do feature a zipper or hidden pocket here and there. It has two zippered pockets to make it convenient for stashing a few necessary items. It would also come in very handy for traveling not to mention more stylish than a money belt. They come in different colors and styles too. Oh yes; I will be wearing it often.
Live Life Hands Free. Blend fashion and functionality!
Park City Sister
*Sisters get your phones out of your bras!! In all seriousness, we recommend that when your phone is carried close to your body (hipS-sister or not), it should be in “airplane mode” or turned off. We do not know with 100% certainty what the effects of cell phone use are on the body. Let’s be safe, our bodies are precious. Get into the habit.
Fits most phones including iPhone 6 plus and Samsung Galaxy.
And what a nice touch that some money will be donated to a very worthy cause:
How do you secure your belongings while running/hiking/working out?
This dish takes a small amount of time to prepare, but is BIG on great flavor!
INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs. chicken thighs (boneless or bone-in — or you can also substitute chicken breasts or drumsticks). Basically whatever you prefer but I found that thighs worked well as they’re generally meaty and the dark meat has extra flavour.
1/2 cup freshly-squeezed lime juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. worchestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. melted butter
zest of two limes
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
additional lime wedges (for garnish)
DIRECTIONS:
Add chicken thighs, lime juice, garlic, worchestershire sauce, salt and pepper to a large ziplock bag. Seal and toss to combine ingredients until the chicken is evenly coated. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 8 hours. I left it overnight.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and grease a baking dish with cooking spray. Remove chicken from bag with a slotted spoon, reserving the marinade, and arrange in a single layer in the baking dish. Brush chicken with melted butter (to brown), and season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Bake for about 20 minutes, the remove and brush chicken with the reserved marinade. Bake for an additional 20-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear. (Baking times may shift for different types of chicken.) Remove and sprinkle chicken with lime zest and fresh cilantro.
Serve over rice or quinoa garnished with lime wedges. *TIP: Add tequila to the above mix if you want for some extra kick. Should serve six.
You know the drill. You’ve clipped or printed out a recipe that’s supposed to be tonight’s dinner. Except, the grocery store betrays you—not having those few essential items you need – specifically a certain CHILE. The people at Chile Pepper magazine have substitutes for recipes calling for chili peppers that may be difficult to find. For example, in certain regions, some chiles like cayenne are impossible to find fresh.
The key to finding an adequate chile replacement is knowing its heat level, sweetness, and smokiness. We pooled our resources to come up with a substitution guide for whole chiles. While it focuses on whole fresh or dried chiles, you can always use a hot sauce in lieu of ground chile.
Anaheim: A mild green chile named after the California city, this pepper also goes by the name “California chile” and is often used for chile rellenos; the red strain is called Chile Colorado. Substitution: Canned green chiles or fresh Poblano chiles.
Banana Pepper: The sweet pepper, shaped like its namesake fruit, is also called yellow wax pepper. Substitution: Any mild chile like Anaheim or even bell peppers.
Bhut Jolokia: Also known as Naga Jolokia or ghost chile, this is the world’s hottest chile.Substitution: Red Savina Habanero (lots of them).
Cayenne: A bright red, hot pepper, usually sold dried. Substitution: Chile de Arbol or Guajillo. Crushed red pepper flakes are from cayenne, so it would be the easiest substitute, along with ground cayenne powder.
Chipotle chiles in adobo: The smoked incarnation of the jalapeno that’s mixed with adobo sauce. Substitution: One tablespoon ketchup + 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke + 1 jalapeno.
Habanero: A small, lantern-shaped chile that’s intensely hot. Substitution: Scotch Bonnets or double the dose of jalapenos.
Jalapenos: Smooth, dark green chiles that can vary from medium-hot to hot. Substitution: Half the amount of Serrano chiles.
Pasilla chile: The dried, medium-hot chile also goes by chile negro. Substitution: Ancho chile (sweeter) or Mulato chile (earthier flavor).
Scotch Bonnets: They belong to the same chile variety as the habanero. Used for jerk chicken in Jamaica. Substitution: Habaneros.
Serrano chiles: A hot, slightly-pointed chile available in various colors. Substitution: Habanero or jalapeno chiles.
Thai chiles: A thin-skinned chile typically found in red and green, popular in numerous Asian dishes. (Bird chile is the name of the dried form; drying the chile gives it the hook shape, similar to a bird’s beak.) Substitution: Fresh or dried cayenne peppers or serrano chiles.
Also, Gourmet Sleuthhas a magical solution: just plug in the missing ingredient and the website will spit out a substitution.
Source: Andrea Lynn, senior editor of Chile Pepper magazine.
PETRA might be thousands of years old but it was recently selected as one of the “New 7 Wonders of the World”! A well deserved honour.
If the photograph looks familiar it’s because you’ve seen it before in the last scenes of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The “treasury” serves as a secret temple lost for hundreds of years. In the film’s climactic final scenes, actors Harrison Ford and Sean Connery burst forth from the Siq (the narrow gorge passageway leading in) and walk deep into the labyrinths of the Treasury in their quest to find the Holy Grail. But, as usual, archaeological fact bowed to Hollywood fiction when Indy came to Petra.
Photo: d. king
Making the trek to Petra infact feels like you could be in an Indiana Jones movie as the lead up is mysterious but once you’re there it is truly an amazing sight to behold. Hidden deep in the mountains, one has to be there in person to really witness it as the ancient place is impossible to capture in normal still photographs. Literally carved directly into vibrant red, white, pink, and sandstone cliff faces, the prehistoric Jordanian city of Petra was “lost” to the Western world. The City was rediscovered by a young Swiss explorer by the name of Johan Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812.
I made the trek crossing over from the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt (where I was staying) to Eilat in Israel and then over to Petra, in Jordan. The borders are actually fairly close to each other so it didn’t take as long as it seems – maybe 3 hours. From Ammn in Jordon we took a bus ride for about two hours along nothing but sand tracks in the desert. Then the fun began; we rode on horseback until we reached the ancient red city carved in rock. We left our horses there and entered through the very narrow gorge (the Siq, shown in photo above) with a breathtaking view of the building called the “Treasury”.
It is called the “rose red city” for a good reason. Temples, tombs and other buildings are all carved out of the red sandstone cliffs. I’ve never seen anything like it before or since.
At its peak the city of Petra was home to some 20,000 Nabataeans who, in the midst of the desert, built an ingenious system of waterways to provide their city with the precious liquid.
Since the early 1800s, when it was “rediscovered,” clues to daily life in this “lost city of stone” are being unearthed and today we are beginning to see once again what Petra looked like 2,000 years ago.
Situated between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea, Petra was an important crossroads between Arabia, Egypt and Syria-Phoenicia. Petra is half-built, half-carved into the rock, and is surrounded by mountains riddled with passages and gorges. It is one of the world’s most famous archaeological sites, where ancient Eastern traditions blend with Hellenistic architecture.
I feel incredibly lucky that I had the opportunity to make this trek and witness in person the physical splendour of this ancient city.
Life is better with a little sand between your paws
Photos: d. king
There’s nothing worse than running or hiking with an overloaded fanny pack. And we need to carry our keys, our phones (god forbid we leave them for a little while) some cash, wipes and a lipstick. The very basics of an active lifestyle.
so that it can easily slip over my workout pants. At least for the several pairs that don’t come equipped with hidden pockets but thank you Lululemon for finally making some that do feature a zipper or hidden pocket here and there. It has two zippered pockets to make it convenient for stashing a few necessary items. It would also come in very handy for traveling not to mention more stylish than a money belt. They come in different colors and styles too. Oh yes; I will be wearing it often.
Here’s to a great start – cheers!
Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION. 
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