Detox

Detoxing seems to be a surprisingly controversial issue in the health world. Some people swear by it and others think it is superfluous because your body detoxes naturally when it is taken care of properly. (But honestly, how many people really are able to be really healthy every day in this fast food, high stress world of ours?)

Personally, I think people should try it and make their own judgements. I have actually been pretty happy with any sort of detox or juicing that I've done but for me it is always in moderation. I'm pretty strongly against any sort of crash diet because it wrecks havoc on all kinds of things in your system.

But, I recommend incorporating some of these detoxing things into your daily life for a boost of detox power:

• Green vegetables
• Gel type products, chia seeds, absorb bial salts
• Gelatnis fibers
• Parsley
• Cilantro - removes mercury
• Deep green leafy veggies
• Good water, air, sunlight
• Healthy sources of food
• If its made in the garden...
• Keep it simple
• Vegetable juicing
• Cleaning store bought vegetables (vinegar and water mix)
• Avoiding fried and oxidated skin, avoid BBQ
• Spiralina
• Hemp seeds
• Yogurt
• Aloe Vera 

But again, everything in moderation, including detoxing. Life should be more about variety and joy then sticking with a strenuous diet. But learn to incorporate these things into your life in a natural way and you will never feel deprived. 

I love Farmer's Markets

Lately, I have impressed myself. I have made one of my long lost goals and dreams finally come true. It might not impress you much, but, I'm pretty proud of it... I made it to the farmer's market!

Yes, I know, it shouldn't be that big of a deal but I cannot stress enough that historically I have never been a morning person. I would rather do anything but wake up before the sun comes up. I love sleep and I love my bed and I love sleeping in my bed.

But, I also love fresh produce. It used to make me giddy to buy organic or locally grown dishes when I lived in Austin. And the flavors were ALWAYS remarkable.

So, needless to say that I was thrilled that I made it to the farmer's market for some local fresh produce not only this last Saturday but the Saturday before that as well!

The word on the street is that you want to be there early. The earlier the better. Otherwise a lot of the good stuff is gone and lots of vendors have already left as well. So my goal is to get there before 9 a.m. (opens at 7:30 a.m. around here).

And if you've never been to a farmer's market here are a couple of tips:

- Learn how to pick out good produce. Find out what to look for in different types of fruits and vegetables. Sometimes experience is enough of a teacher, but if you're just starting out on a new healthy lifestyle then you'll want to know before you waste your money on less than perfect produce

- Bring two things: Cash and a bag or basket. I like to bring about $15 (most of our local providers group their products into bunches that cost $1 each. It makes change easy) I also bring a cloth grocery bag to throw the veggies and fruits in so I can carry more.

- Eat it! It does you no good to buy the stuff if you don't do anything with it. Don't hesitate to get creative. You're getting a good deal on the food anyways so take it as an opportunity to experiment with new types of recipes. Don't like your eggplant a certain way? Try another way next time! The options are endless. You're bound to find a few recipes you love!

Go forth and take advantage of your local Farmer's Market!

Water and Vinegar Cleaner

I was needing a cleaner, fast, and hopefully cheap. I found some Pinterest recipes that shared a recipe for a homemade cleaner made of 1/2 vinegar, 1/2 filtered water, and a couple teaspoons of lemon juice.

Easy enough. Well I am here to report that this is a great recipe for a low-cost, effective, everyday cleaner. Sure, you might need some more tough stuff for really bad stains, etc. But you don't need that kind of power, and toxins, everyday.

I've been using the cleaner for awhile now and at first I admit the vinegar smell bothered me slightly. But, I assure you that the smell quickly fades away (usually about half an hour) and you've got a sparkling, disinfected, countertop. And if you think about it, most cleaners have their own chemical smell that lingers for a bit anyways.

But more important is the non-toxic aspect of the cleaner to me. I enjoy knowing that the cleaner I use won't harm me, my pets, or the environment. Its harmless and effective. I recommend it! (And not to mention its cheap!!)

Set your look ablaze(r)

Truth be told, it's been awhile since I've pulled out one of my blazers for work. Sadly, they're sitting in a pile needing to get dry cleaned. But, I am going to be taking care of that soon because as the weather gets cooler, it's jacket time. And a sharp blazer is the quickest way to take your look from professional to executive. I'm loving the blazers with the waterfall lapels for this years season. Kick it up another notch with a killer red one.

Tights!

Today I'm interested in tights. What makes a good or great pair of tights? These days, opacity. No one wants tights that just make your legs look like they are sick. Nope, you want tights that are almost like leggings with only a slight peak of skin showing through.

Second part of a great pair of tights? Fitting around the waste. There is nothing worse than a pair of tights which rolls or bunches at the waste. You spend more time in the bathroom straightening them out then out looking fabulous.

Tights are such an amazing piece of clothing that they are perfect for transitioning your spring or summer wardrobe into fall and winter wardrobe. Shorts? Skirt? Dress? Put them over your tights!

And work? NOTHING is more fashionable than a pair of perfectly black tights, heels, and a blazer. So go forth and be fashionable! Grab yourself some fabulous tights this season!

And Blogs Galore!

One of my favorite guilty pleasures is surfing the net through the hundreds blogs written by genius, talented, beautiful, and amazing women out there. I find them through Pinterest, through other blogs, tumblr, friends, Facebook, Stumbleupon... the list goes on and on. I am happy to find them any way I can. I've been saving them to my Chrome toolbar for at least a year now and I've been wanting to create a backup list anyways, so... here are some of my favorites!

• 9to5chic - http://www.9to5chic.com/
  A great site for stylish, realistic work attire ideas!
• AMLUL - http://www.amlul.com
  Model fashion, photography, couture clothing... need I say more?
• Cupcakes & Cashmere - http://www.cupcakesandcashmere.com
  If you haven't heard of this blog and the ever charming Emily Shuman you soon will. She covers topics including baking, cooking, fashion, decor, and much more.
• GOOP - http://www.goop.com
  This is the blog of the lovely Gyweneth Paltrow. Not only does she bring a fresh look on the life of the "rich and famous" but she presents a glimpse into her life that is both down to earth and beautiful. Great content and a positive message.
• Dustjacket Attick - http://dustjacketattic.blogspot.com.au/
  Great variety of content but basically I love their beautiful photography and well composed shots of stylish ways of living.
• Style Me Pretty - http://www.stylemepretty.com/
  For "that special day," whenever it may be. Gorgeous wedding ideas, and lots of them!
• The Effortless Chic - http://theeffortlesschic.com/
  Lovely interior design, photography, style... its good.
• See Jane. - http://seejaneworkplaylive.blogspot.com/
  See Jane is a girl that I can relate to and her style experiments are always interesting to follow. Great outfit ideas.
• Jessica Comingore - http://blog.jessicacomingore.com/Jessica Comingore is a designer and photographer in LA and I enjoy living vicariously through her adventures and taking lessons from her great photos.

Trust me when I say I have MUCH MORE and I am adding more everyday! But I will split them up into a more dainty portion and serve up more at a later date. Enjoy!